I read the premise of the book and immediately asked to be an early reviewer. Im so glad I was given the chance to listen to this beautiful book. The trip, the estranged family relationship, the inability to tell her son the entire thing, highlighted beautifully what it is to be human - and how complicated it can be. I highly enjoyed the book and absolutely devoured the writing, especially the ability to listen/see and smell everything that was being described. It felt like a light enough read to enjoy at its fullest.

The fact that I listened to this in one day should be stated, as that is how much this book captivated me.

Thank you to Harper Muse Audiobooks and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review

Sweet, heartfelt, and so much fun! I loved the dynamic between Charlie and Jenny and think that their relationship and the book as a whole had a perfect balance of banter and seriousness. I felt that the pacing was a little off, I wanted more time spent in the van and less time with the build up and the wrap up. I also find that when something happens without a good reason (her not communicating with her parents) it makes me feel frustrated with the storyline. I absolutely loved the narrator and thought she did an excellent job. Overall, fun enjoyable read, especially for the summer!

A sweet, leisurely read with a smidge of slow burn romance. This coming of age (at 36) road trip story about a single mum, her teenage son and a generous motor home owner, was heartwarming and inspiring. It's about self discovery, family and second chances.

It's something I think a lot of people have thought about. Just packing up and going on a trip, leaving behind the grind, working, paying rent, the monotony. Imagine visiting new places every day, meeting new people, staying when it feels right then moving on when you've had enough.

Woven into this are Jenny's estranged parents. When they are travelling near her old home town, the opportunity to perhaps reconcile and allow them to meet their 18 yr old grandson becomes a very real possibility. Can Jenny take that step?

I wasn’t sure about this book in the beginning. I was afraid it was going to be sappy sweet and just not for me. I held on because I enjoyed the narrator and I am so glad I did. I was wrong! This is such a good book.

If you want a reminder that sometimes second chances are worth it, that starting over can be a great thing, that difficult situations, while hard, can be worth the work and effort, this is the book for you.

Jenny and Charlie’s relationship made me laugh several times and warmed my heart. Luke was such a surprise as we of to know him throughout the story.

Every single character in the book is someone we can all learn from and I truly enjoyed it .

Thank you to Harper Collins Focus for the ALC. All views are my own.

I wanted to like this so much more than I did. Could've been that I didn't feel like the narrator's voice. This book felt like a ton of build up and 'finding yourself' while that's great I still felt like it was longer than it needed to be.

Jenny James is a single mom who has a pretty bad day that leads to a pretty great adventure. A fantastic story of love and loss and how taking the plunge to go on a adventure can change your life.

Debbie Johnson perfectly crafted this story and I would definitely recommend to anyone.

When single mom, Jenny James, is let go from her job, then her house literally falls off a cliff, she and her 18-year-old son embark on a journey with their neighbor. I loved this book and how it focused on how Jenny picks herself up (with the help of others) and becomes confident again in her life. This was an emotional read with a lot of pain in the backstories of their past. I love the social media posts Jenny does at the encouragement of her son as Jenny goes on this life-changing / self-discovery journey. The characters were so well done and felt real. This was a light-hearted read with plenty of meaning. The story touches on different topics such as parent / child relationships and finding happiness again. I recommend this one for a fun, uplifting read.

This was such a wonderful book. I went into this with zero expectations and I am so glad that I did. I loved that this book was about a single mom, trying to find herself again. Jenny was not created in a pathetic way and although you felt for her as the main character, it was not forced or overly done. The book felt real. The relationships were flawed, in the most realistic way, it was perfect. They felt like people you knew and the way the book was written felt like you were having a coffee with a best friend. I found myself laughing, crying, cringing and cheering the characters on throughout the story - never once thinking "this feels fake." This book will take you on an emotional rollercoaster while watching Jenny find herself, but it is done in an incredible way.

Thank you #netgalley for our #audiobook #arc

I absolutely adore this book! Debbie Johnson has once again delivered a heartwarming, feel-good story that’s impossible to put down. With a perfect mix of romance, captivating characters, and an engaging plot, Jenny James Is Not a Disaster is a must-read.

The story follows three main characters who, after facing challenging life circumstances, embark on a journey together. Their growth, individually and as a group, is beautifully portrayed. I especially loved the slow-burn romance and the powerful themes of forgiveness and self-discovery. This book is a testament to finding new beginnings even in the darkest times

Thank you to #Netgalley for a free copy of this audio book in exchange for an honest review.
My Interest

I’ve read a lot of “The Something something life of Somebody somebody” novels which lately have become the “Somebody is a something” novels. Usually good, often tug at the heart strings or propel one to think about Life in capital letters.
The Story

Jenny James is a single parent. Her son, Charlie is off to college [aka “Uni”] soon, her job is going South and their house…just slipped down a cliff. Life kind of sucks at the moment. Meanwhile, the local grumpy guy, Luke, invites them to stay in his motor home and go on an adventure to take their minds off the mess of life. They pull places out of a hat to decide where to go next.

On their road trip a lot of bonding happens, secrets are shared and all three heal from things they’ve either talked about or hidden. Jenny, Charlie, Luke and Dachshund Betty start to feel like “family,” but is t his the truth?

My Thoughts

This story shows just how differently each person sees things without it being one of those trendy “unreliably narrator” books. It also shows just how quickly time passes in our lives and how easy it is to get used to things we never wanted to happen in the first place. Putting our own view of what should happen first is the culprit here. Parents do their best. Teenagers do their best-worst. Life happens. Jenny’s story is such a typical one, yet the author makes it seem new. Charlie, too, has a typical story one he shares with way too many kids [don’t worry–it’s nothing horrific in the Oprah book meaning of that word]. ALMOST A SPOILER coming. Luke’s–that was a gut punch I didn’t see coming.

This is a good story of a decent, caring family and what can go wrong when you are trying to do your best. Even better it is one in which people do their best to heal the rend.
My Verdict
4.0

Jenny Jones is NOT a Disaster: A Novel by Debbie Johnson

In Jenny James Is Not A Disaster, Jenny was having a terrible day when her house slid down a cliff during a massive rain storm. Jenny and her son ended up on a road trip based on random prompts like Jane Austen and favorite song with a neighbor after they lost everything and the book followed their journey. First of all, Jenny was such an optimistic person that it was inspiring. I am a whiner. Absolutely. And when I was reading this book, I absorbed Jenny’s positive persona and found myself brushing off the little things that went wrong for me during that time instead of letting them to get to me. Second, this book really just warmed my heart. I loved watching Jenny turn her life around when so many things fell apart, how she found something amazing out of something so terrible. It was sweet, funny, full of love between Jenny and her son and I loved Jenny facing her fears head on, without trepidation. Just a feel good, mushy sweetness of a book.

Impending layoffs, rundown car, house falling into the ocean--wait what? Jenny James's life is not a disaster. It's a full blown catastrophe. Luckily, cute drifter and mobile home owner Luke saves her right before she chased her house down a mudslide. He invites Jenny, and her 18-year-old son Charlie, into the mobile life as Jenny works through how to restart her life. They adventure around England, looking for places that remind them of Wuthering Heights, Zombies, or Oxford.

This was a really cute story. I loved how it was a love story, but not about love, and not like a typical romance. Jenny takes the vacation time to contemplate her relationship with her son, the rest of her family, and even what she wants to do for a living, all in search of her joy. The wit is sharp, and I loved the playfulness of Jenny's relationship with her son, Charlie. They felt like real people who knew each other inside and out.

I listened to the audiobook version of this book, and thought it was great. The narrator sounded like what I envisioned for Jenny. It fit very well, and I didn't find any parts that made me cringe.

Would recommend!

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book and cast of characters. I thought the relationship between son/mother and the two main characters was sweet and believable. I like a slow burn in a book, where a nice relationship friendship is formed first.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC audiobook in return for my honest review!
Unfortunately this book didn't live up to my expectations. It had tons of potential but it felt kind of boring and flat to me despite being narrated well. I was really hoping Jenny, Charlie and Luke setting out on adventures together would add some fun to the book. They all got closer, which is expected living in close quarters, however, I just felt like this could've been more of a lighthearted read. Instead I felt bad for Jenny and it was more about her contemplating choices in life and things that have happened to her as she works through them to move forward.

This was a fantastic story - snarky and sweet and moving without ever feeling over the top. It has romance but is not A romance, which I really liked and rarely see. In the way of life, as opposed to books, there was a natural development that seemed to surprise even the protagonist. It made for a very relatable and organic read (well, technically, listen). I'm not often a fan of "women's fiction" because it tends to be overly dramatic and overly focused on romance, as opposed to, well, women (who do have other issues in their lives). I loved the relationships as presented here. They were a warts-and-all showing of what it means to be in a family, and it made the story ring very true. There was humor and levity to balance out the deeply moving elements, and I found the entire thing to be a delight. The narrator was fabulous and really captured the spirit of the writing. I will definitely be listening to more Debbie Johnson!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
This was such a fun audiobook. I loved following Jenny along on her adventure after her rented cottage falls down the cliff in a landslide. Her and her son embark on a life changing adventure with a new unlikely friend. This was well written and well narrated. A mostly lighthearted listen that leaves you with a happy feeling. I really loved the ending and how it was all tied up in a neat bow and previous issues Jenny had were addressed. Loved it. Loved the narrator.

Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins Focus for a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Jenny James is having an unbelievable run of bad luck in this charming story of a single mom whose life is on the verge of disaster. Her job is downsizing, her car has died, her son is a teenager, and the unrelenting rain has caused her home to literally fall off a cliff. Having lost everything, she and her son decide to join their neighbor for a road trip around England in his camper, visiting amusement parks, historical sites and hiking. Along the way, she and her son draw closer together and she makes peace with her past. I loved this uplifting and witty story with all the feels. The characters are authentic and loveable and the narrator is perfect for this audiobook.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC audiobook for an honest review.

This book absolutely was not a disaster! I adored it to pieces...

While Jenny James life may be a disaster at the moment, she manages to make lemonade out of lemons thanks to her neighbor (and hero!) Luke who offers her and her son a road trip in his camper after her cottage literally falls off a cliff. This is a book about finding yourself, forgiveness, facing complications and fears, letting go and starting over. There is great dialogue and witty banter. The personal growth off all the characters is a marvel to watch. The characters are filled with flaws and broken in their own way, but each are honestly trying to become a better person. There is just as much sweetness as there is emotional depth. The relationship between Jenny and Luke...From strangers to friends to something extra special...pure JOY!

5 stars

A delightful read. I adored the main characters. Jenny in particular was funny and used humor to deal with some awful situations. I loved her relationship with her son. And all the other relationships too.

There are some difficult conversations (parental estrangement and illness) and I do wish there were more a wrap up with a side character that was there for Jenny. Other than that it was a top read!

I enjoyed this fun story - a good summer listen with depth and heart. The reader was excellent and I appreciated the humor woven through that kept it light even when it hit on some hard pieces. Quick, engaging read. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the opportunity to listen to this one and give my honest feedback.