Jenny James is Not a Disaster is a funny, sweet, heartwarming read peppered with regrets—which only serve to make the characters more likable.

After a bout of bad luck, Jenny, a single mom, is forced to make some changes in her life. Through a series of adventures and a break from the routine of daily life, she begins to reflect on her past, and open up to different points of view—all without taking herself too seriously, of course.

I loved the British humor this book offered and the self-deprecating manner of the characters. While flawed, Jenny and the people she meets along the way, make this an easy and enjoyable read.

Have I mentioned that I love flawed characters?

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Jenny James has a day that goes from bad to horrendous with the breakdown of her car, a possible redundancy and her house disappearing before her very eyes. Despite these disastrous events and with no family to turn to she gets some help from someone she previously thought to be a quiet nei9hbour that had never previously even said hello to her. From there, her adventures begin.

I listened to the audiobook and thoroughly enjoyed it, great narrator with fabulous expression that really added to the story. As ever, Debbie Johnson's books are great reads (or listens in this case!) and the ending leaves us with the potential with for a series in the making which would be great to see. Here's hoping!

This was an easy 5 star read for me.

Delightful and enjoyable. I absolutely love the narrator and how they bring energy and whimsy to this fun story. It was such a good listen I finished it right away.

This took me a little to get into. I was surprised sooo much happened in the first chapter. It felt really rushed. The rest of the story is a lovely underdog overcoming obstacles and leaving with a positive mindset. It was predictable and just an easy read.

This book was so good and relatable. I'm so glad I have a copy for a book tour soon! Loved it and definitely recommend it

Jenny James is a woman on the edge...literally, as she comes home to find her cottage has gone off a cliff. Now without a home for herself and her 18 year-old son, a possibility of becoming unemployed, and long estranged from her family, single mom Jenny needs to figure things out fast! When her recluse of a neighbor Luke, who lives in his RV and never stays in one place for more than two weeks, offers for Jenny and her son Charlie join him on his road trip adventure, Jenny decides to throw caution to the wind and accepts.

As Jenny, Charlie, Luke, and Luke's dog set off to parts unknown, Jenny finds herself able to step out of herself and see things in a new way. She begins to consider her past, present, and future with a perspective she may have never considered before - and with those realizations comes many surprises.

I found this book to be an entertaining read. The narrator did a lovely job of telling the story, and I absolutely related to Jenny as she comes to terms with her son transitioning into adulthood and learning to let go and find herself.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Focus | Harper Muse for the digital advanced copy of this book!

Engaging, entertaining, and expertly narrated. A recommended purchase in all formats for collections where WF is popular.

Jenny was having quite the day. She found out her job was downsizing, then her car didn't start at the end of the day, and in due to the rainstorm, her darling cottage on the Norfolk coast literally fell off the cliff.

It brought back memories of being alone, broke, estranged from her family and raising her son Charlie after his father walked out on them.

She and Charlie decided to join their nomadic neighbour Luke and his dachshund Betty in his campervan on a road trip around England. This would give her time to figure out next steps.

I loved the stops they made along the way. They visited historical sites, amusement parks and even had stops on their journey that were quite emotionally tasking. The trio grew closer and Luke opened up as opposed to before when he was a recluse.

Jenny got to discover what truly mattered aside from having a lot of stuff to your name. Parenting an eighteen-year-old was also quite the challenge but she learned to let go of the negatives and understood her parents perspective whilst also striving to do things a bit differently.

This was a heartwarming story! Thank you to Netgalley and Publisher for an ALC in exchange for an honest review. I loved the narrator!

audiobooks are my best friend 🎧😍

Beth Eyre did such a wonderful job engaging me and I listened to the entire book today.

Expect —> single mom, life in turmoil, RV life, change, slow burn romance

Jenny wasn’t thriving, but she was content. Until her house literally fell off a cliff and her work closed up. Leaving her and her 18 year old son without a home, belongings or a job.

In walks Luke with his RV and nomadic lifestyle. He travels and experiences the world… and maybe that’s just what Jenny and Charlie need right now.

I love this wild story. It was the messy chaos that life sometimes gives us. It was letting go and moving on. It was healing and friendship and finding your people. I truly couldn’t turn it off.

4.5/5

Jenny James is having a bad day, not just the usual minor things piling up bad da9, more like the car is beyond repair and the house has fallen off the cliff bad day.

Jenny and her son did live on the coast but when their home decides to go wild swimming they find themselves in a tricky position. Luckily a stranger camping out in a nearby field in his motorhome comes to the rescue and is not at all as creepy and sinister as that makes it sound.

A road trip around the UK is cathartic and enjoyable, for me as well as for them as I knew a lot of the places. It's a time for them to heal and triggers off others events which then unfold and are tear inducing at times.

A gentle book, the only thing I found a little odd in a British book were the American words like diaper and vacation and a few others that are not generally used in the UK.

The narration was excellent and I enjoyed the book.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the DRC.

Things go from bad to worse for Jenny and yes, she really is trying to save her house from sliding off a cliff.
This book was a great light-read that reminds you when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. There's also a cute slow-burn romance. Luke was an excellent character and I enjoyed this story a lot more than I thought I would.

Jenny James Is Not a Disaster by Debbie Johnson
Audiobook narrated by Beth Eyre
Publish date July 9, 2024

As you can tell from the absurd cover of an woman trying to push a house back on the shore, the set up is indeed a bit ridiculous. Jenny James is having a particularly bad day of endless rain, an announcement of a potential job elimination and her car not starting. She gives up on her car and arrive at home to find her home slid off the cliff. Suspend your disbelief and come join us on an adventure of life time with Jenny and her son Luke, as they accept an offer from a friendly neighbor to go on an adventure of life time! The story is not realistic, but there are plenty of moments you can relate if you have lived a life when one bad thing piles on top of another somehow. The situation gets so bad to the point when it becomes laughable. I happened to be in a very stressful situation myself and wanted to have some laugh and escapism - and this book provided exactly that.
I wanted a light and funny book to escape my reality, and this book provided exactly that. It was also a good opportunity to think about what I would live for if I lost everything all of a sudden. What I would be thankful for.
Speaking of which, I really appreciated a slow-developing closed-door romance.

Overall, I feel the book synopsis does a very good job to represent the book as well as the cover - if it's something you think you might enjoy, then definitely go try this book, I think it will be enjoyed! On the other hand, if you want something realistic, this probably isn't it.

An advanced copy of this audiobook was provided courtesy of NetGalley and HarperCollins Muse for review purposes. Thank you so much - this was fun!

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

"So, this is my story. A story of falling and getting back up again. Of stepping back and moving forward. Read it in whatever voice you like—for me, that will be my own voice.
The voice I've finally found, and the voice I finally listen to."


Jenny James Is Not a Disaster was such a fun book to listen to. In this, you will obviously meet Jenny, but you also get to hear (or read) about some adventures. Sure, when it rains, it pours (or whatever the saying is). So, it definitely sucks when things go from bad to worse.

Or maybe it doesn't since her new neighbor is kind of cute? Enter Luke, the guy with the very nice RV campervan. On the day Jenny loses her job, her car, and who knows what else... Luke, the angel, is there to offer up some help. It also doesn't hurt that he has the most adorable dachshund named Betty either.

Throwing caution to the wind, Jenny and her son Charlie join Like on an adventure. They decide to travel to all these places with one goal in mind: to just have fun. Along the way, they are bound to have some sparks of romance between Jenny and Luke. As well as some family drama between Charlie and Jenny. Which is completely understandable since he doesn't really know what happened between Jenny and her parents.

In the end, it's an emotional journey and a fun adventure. I'm definitely happy that I got the chance to dive into this and look forward to the next book Debbie writes!

Jenny James is Not a Disaster by Debbie Johnson follows Jenny James- obviously- who some would indeed believe to be a disaster. Jenny is on a journey of self-discovery, finding herself at a series of decision points in her life, she opts to hop in a motor home with a handsome stranger and her son. Their journeys through the British countryside made me nostalgic for the literary tour of England I gifted myself for graduating undergrad, plus introduced me to a number more off the beaten path destinations. But more than travel, this book is about relationships, parent-child relationships, the complicated relationship between an adult daughter and her mother, possible romantic relationships, dachshund-motor home relationships, and Jenny's relationship with herself. In a book which could have been a light romp through the countryside, Debbie Johnson has layered in a lot of life.

I was lucky enough to review this in audiobook format, I enjoyed Beth Eyre's delivery of Jenny's internal monologue, I felt her voice captured the humorous, self-deprecating tone conveyed in this book.

Thank you to Debbie Johnson and HarperCollins Focus for the ARC in exchange for an honest review of Jennie James is Not a Disaster.

What a delightful book. If you like quirky characters who are finding their way in life, along with a side of romance and laughter, this is the book for you.

Wow this book was absolutely amazing! The character development for Jenny James was so perfectly written that I wish I could read the Sausage Dog Diaries for myself and see where her and Luke are these days!

While I did feel like this book did start off a little slow I really enjoyed it and had me waiting to see where in the UK Jenny, Luke and Charlie would end up next. I really enjoyed that this book also showed a "grown up" relationship and how Jenny had to find herself before realizing her feelings for Luke.

I listen to the audiobook and really enjoyed the performance by Beth Eyre.

This was an enjoyable novel about letting go, forgiveness, family, motherhood and love. This was lighthearted and Jenny' perspective on life is so refreshing, yet relatable. I. listened to this on audio and thought the narrator was pleasnet and easy to follow. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a light, heartwarming novel about finding your way.

thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks for the ARC.

This was a fun, interesting story. It really surprised me. I can't imagine going through what Jenny did but I loved the way she handled it. The relationship between her and Charlie was a refreshing take on a mother/son bond.

Happy Publication Day!
For anyone who has ever been down on their luck, they know how hard it is to recover. Jenny James is not a Disaster reminds readers it’s possible to embrace the calm before, during, and after the storm and that every day is a good day to try to find joy.

Single mom Jenny is raising her 18 year old son, Charlie, doing the best she can. She is optimistic even when she gets a message that her bank account is overdrawn by seventy-two cents and will be charged a $25 overdraft fee without a deposit by midnight. She tries to remain hopeful when a coworker tells her that their company may soon close. And she tries to find the silver lining when her car won’t start again after picking up her son when she gets off work. Saying she’s having a rough day would be an understatement. But the worst is yet to come.

Forced to get the bus, Jenny and Charlie walk to the cliff side rental cottage she’s turned into a home for them but it’s not there. Due to month long rains, her home has slid on the cliff side. As Jenny tries to frantically recover pictures blowing around she almost falls over the cliff herself when a stranger pulls her back, rescuing her.

What do you do when you’ve literally lost everything? Having walked away from her family as a teen, Jenny has no one to rely on but herself. Thanking the stranger, Luke, who saved her from literally going over the edge turns into a couple more visits to his place which is a motor home. Not sure what to do next, Luke offers a suggestion: take a couple of weeks to travel with him in his motor home while she decides her next steps. After finding out her work is officially closing, she decides this just may be the break Charlie and her need so they hit the road!

The journey that unfolds is raw yet heartwarming. I absolutely love how Jenny remained positive and hopeful, refusing to ever give up. The playful and sarcastic banter Jenny has with both her son and with Luke made this a delight to listen to!

This is a must read for anyone who has lost it all or has had to start over again. Thank you NetGalley, Debbie Johnson, and Harper Collins for the opportunity to listen to the audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

"Jenny James Is Not a Disaster" by Debbie Johnson is a heartwarming and humorous journey of self-discovery and resilience. The story follows single mum Jenny, whose life seems to be in shambles after her cottage falls off a cliff, leaving her homeless and jobless. As Jenny grapples with the chaos of her situation, she decides to embark on a spontaneous road trip around England with her teenage son, Charlie, and their quirky neighbor, Luke, and his adorable dachshund, Betty.
Johnson masterfully blends wit and emotion, creating a narrative that is both relatable and uplifting. The road trip not only strengthens Jenny's bond with her son but also forces her to confront painful memories and reconcile with her past.
The characters are richly developed, with Jenny's strength and vulnerability making her an endearing protagonist. The dynamics between Jenny, Charlie, and Luke are heartwarming and authentic, adding depth to the story. The random destinations chosen from prompts like "Brontë sisters" and favorite songs add a charming and whimsical touch to their journey.
"Jenny James Is Not a Disaster" is a delightful read that beautifully captures the essence of starting over and finding joy in the unexpected. It’s a story about embracing change, healing old wounds, and rediscovering one's dreams. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a feel-good, inspirational read that will leave you smiling and hopeful.