I picked this one up from the half-price shelf at the bookshop. I had, shall we say, very specific expectations. The cover art suggested something light, maybe a little romantic… and it was discounted, after all. But you know what they say: you can’t judge a book by its cover. So, even though it didn’t really seem like my cup of tea, I was in a reading rut (and I find an intriguing half-priced book hard to resist), so I gave it a go.

I was only a few pages in when I realised this story was nothing like I expected. Yes, there’s a romantic element. Yes, the characters are quirky. But the title feels ironic, because there is nothing ordinary about any of the days these two characters face together.

I ended up really enjoying this one. The narrative is driven by the offbeat characters, Simone Sparks (a super-intelligent, socially awkward guy working at the local Prince Burger) and Jodie Brook (a single mum down on her luck but full of ambition), and their journey towards self-worth, friendship, and kindness. The story flows naturally and, although the outcome is predictable in a comforting sort of way, the book carries far more depth and emotional weight than I initially anticipated.

It isn’t all light and airy, though. The story touches on psychological and physical domestic abuse, so I would include a trigger warning for sensitive readers.

In the end, One Ordinary Day at a Time turned out to be exactly the book I didn’t know I needed.

Maybe that’s one of the reasons I don’t research books before I read them. There’s something special about a pleasant surprise. Do you prefer knowing what you’re getting into when you choose a new book, or do you like to gamble?

Thank you for visiting the Wild Library blog, I’m so happy you’re here. You might also enjoy I am Homeless if this is not My Home by Lorrie Moore or The Sea by John Banville.

Happy reading!