The One Plus One

So when last weekend the weather turned bad (spring? where did you go?) I realised it was the perfect oportunity for me to sit on my couch with a nice cup of tea and enjoy this gorgeous novel, because I had the feeling that it was going to be one of those books that captures you and you cannot put down. And YES it was one of those book. I simply loved it.

The book tells the story of four people and a dog who embark in an epic journey through the UK and discover that life isn't always fair or easy but you always have to keep fighting and maybe, at the end, a suprise awaits. In this story we meet a family of three: Jess, a young single mother who works like crazy in her two jobs to mantain her two children, Nicky, her teen stepson who doesn't fit because of his style and gets bullied, and Tanzie, a maths genius who just wants to solve her maths exercises and go to a better school to keep learning.

So when Tanzie gets the oportunity to take part in a Maths competition in Scotland and win a 5000 pounds prize, Jess is decided to get her family to Scotland no matter what in the hope that the prize will solve their most immediate problems. Here is where Ed appears, a man whose life is falling apart because of a crime he didn't know he was comminting, is forced to leave his house, company, family and friends and moves to his beach house, that Jess cleans, to await his trial. So when he sees Jess and her family in the middle of the night getting a fine for driving a car with no insurance, he finds himself offering them a ride to Scotland.

The book is written from several narratives, so during their trip, we get to know all the characters and we start to love them with all their flaws. They are all so real and honest. Jess is the most optimistic person I have ever met, even when life only puts obstacle after obstacle in front of her. And the fact that she took Nicky as her own at her young age, only shows how brave and good she is. Nicky is the most honest one, during his parts you discover a lot about everyone, and you can see that he loves Jess and Tanzie like crazy. Tanzie is so lovable, at her young age she doesn't understand why her family is so unlucky. And finally, Ed, is just lost. At the begining, I didn't like him but then you see his good heart and everything he does for this family of strangers and it is impossible not to love him too. Ah! I almost forgot Norman, the dog, who is a star!

During the book I got so angry. Why did they have to suffer so much? I also cried with all the sad bits. But I laughed too and enjoyed every page of the book. It has it all: drama, heartbreak, comedy, laughs and love. Moreover, Jojo's writing is perfect and clever. I loved the structure of the book, it made it unique and special. I actually cannot describe how much I loved it, Jojo is a genius and creates characters so real and warm. Just read the book because it is AMAZING and be prepared to be left with a huge book hangover.

Finally my rating: 5 cute clouds plus a small heart, meaning it has been one of my favourites this year so far!