The One Plus One by Jojo Moyes, Review: Audiobook gem
In The One Plus One Jojo Moyes does romance in the real world – life is complicated and never involves just two characters, it’s about ensembles. Read on for why we highly recommend experiencing this novel in the audio format.
The One Plus One Synopsis
Penguin presents the unabridged, downloadable audiobook edition of Jojo Moyes’s The One Plus One, read by Elizabeth Bower, Ben Elliot, Nicola Stanton, and Steven France. The One Plus One is the beautiful, poignant, and utterly compelling new novel by the internationally best-selling author Jojo Moyes.
One single mum. With two jobs and two children, Jess Thomas does her best day after day. But it’s hard on your own. And sometimes you take risks you shouldn’t. Because you have to….
One chaotic family. Jess’ gifted, quirky daughter Tanzie is brilliant with numbers, but without a helping hand she’ll never get the chance to shine. And Nicky, Jess’ teenage stepson, can’t fight the bullies alone. Sometimes Jess feels like they’re sinking…
One handsome stranger. Into their lives comes Ed Nicholls, a man whose life is in chaos, and who is running from a deeply uncertain future. But he has time on his hands. He knows what it’s like to be lonely. And he wants to help…
One unexpected love story. The One Plus One is a captivating and unconventional romance from Jojo Moyes about two lost souls meeting in the most unlikely circumstances. (Audible)
Genre: Romance, Humour, Drama, Chick Lit
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BOOK REVIEW
This oft’ jaded soul has learned there are very few things you can truly you depend on – my list includes close friends, family, chocolate, and now I’m adding ‘books by Jojo Moyes’.
I have thoroughly enjoyed every title I’ve had the opportunity to read from this talented author – The Peacock Emporium, Honeymoon in Paris, The Girl You Left Behind and now The One Plus One. All distinctly different – all highly immersive and compelling reading.
Moyes writes with such heart and humour, never shying away from tackling the most serious of subject matter, taking her readers on a journey with characters so achingly real they linger long after reading.
And when it comes to ‘romance in the real world’, Moyes does it better than anyone I’ve read. She understands that life is complicated, it’s never about just one or two characters, it’s about ensembles, and she invests time in their development.
A wonderful cast of characters
You could not ask for a much better cast of characters than those in The One Plus One. At first, I thought the little maths geek Tanzie would be my favourite but now that the last word has been spoken, I honestly cannot choose between them – all so different, all so crucial to the story, even down to Norman, a big hairy salivating dog who just doesn’t understand the concept of fetching a ball.
How can you improve upon a wonderful fictional character ensemble? Have their story performed by a talented ensemble cast. Each narrator owns and enhances the delivery of the alternating character viewpoints, presenting different perspectives on the same events and propelling the story onward (listen to an audio sample).
If you have not laughed and cried with Moyes’ characters, and particularly the ragtag ensemble featured in The One Plus One, then I urge you to do so. You will feel the better for it — trust me.
And the beauty of getting hooked on this author’s work is that she’s a prolific writer with a fantastic back catalogue, so there are plenty more titles to choose from whenever you’re in need of a little more Moyes magic.
BOOK RATING: The Story 4.5 / 5 ; The Writing 4.5 / 5
Get your copy of The One Plus One from:
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OR listen to the audiobook FREE with Audible’s Trial (check eligibility)
Related Reads: 27 Best Audiobooks of the Decade, Narrators Worth Listening To
About the Author, Jojo Moyes
Jojo Moyes is a novelist and a journalist. She worked at the Independent for 10 years before leaving to write full time. Her previous novels have all been critically acclaimed and include The Ship of Brides, Foreign Fruit, The Last Letter From Your Lover, winner of Spring 2012’s most popular Richard and Judy Book Club title Me Before You and most recently The Girl you Left Behind. She lives in Essex with her husband and their three children.
