The One Plus One

By: Jojo Moyes

Narrated by: Elizabeth Bower, Ben Elliot, Nicola Stanton, Steven France

Length: 13 hrs and 5 mins

Publisher's summary

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.

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.

©2014 Jojo Moyes (P)2014 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

Praise for Jojo Moyes:

“Majestic, utterly compelling, tremendous. A heart-stopping read” (Independent on Sunday)
“Truly beautiful. Made us laugh, smile and sob like a baby - you simply have to read it” (Closer)
“A triumph. Packs such an emotional punch, you’ll need a box of tissues” (Elle)

Another hit for Jojo

I loved it. I enjoyed the narrator and the characters. It didn't affect me as much emotionally as 'Me before you' I could envision their adventures in the car clearly, well written.

JoJo Moyes At Her Best

I love JoJo Moyes books and this one was really good.
I must admit this is a “romantic” novel that caught my fancy. The writing is spot on and the characters are fascinating. If you are looking for a great page-turner that does not insult your intelligence, read this book.

The author gathers a group of misfits who have profound thoughts and talents. Money is the central issue, but it makes no claim on your class or station in this novel set in England.

If anyone out there has juggled bills, “robbed Peter to pay Paul,” you can identify with Jess Thomas. She is a young mother whose husband, Marty, has left her because he is depressed. He sends her no money and yet she is sympathetic to his plight and safeguards his old Rolls in the garage. She also is the best mother to Tanzie, a 10 year old maths prodigy and Nicky, her stepson whose affinity for eye makeup sets him up to be bullied by the Fisher family, their crude neighbors. Jess works multiple jobs cleaning homes and tending bar to make ends meet, which they never do. She is the eternal optimist, however.

Filling out the main cast is Ed Nicholls, a client of Jess, who is a software genius. He gets himself in trouble when he is accused of insider trading. This is the part of the book I really liked. Moyes takes on a sophisticated financial felony and presents it to the reader without making excuses. On one hand, the Thomas’ group, who are poor and living in government housing, is contrasted with rich Mr. Nicholls. He is a unique character, especially when he offers to drive them to Scotland for Tanzie to compete in a Math Olympiad. The long, long journey is riotous and the pluses and minuses as each misfit’s idiosyncrasies emerges.
All the narrators Elizabeth Bower, Ben Elliot, Nicola Stanton, Steven France were great with the delivery of the story

Wonderful. Excellent Narration

This is my first book ever by Jojo Moyes and I believe it was a good introduction. I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook. I mainly listen to audiobooks while walking, this book had me talking out loud to the characters, smiling at the world and discreetly wiping away some tears.

This is probably the first time I have listened to a book with four narrators, the book tells the story from the point of view of four characters- Jess, Nicky, Tanzie and Ed. After a few moments of discomfort these narrators became the characters, and I am sure that they totally enhanced this book for me. I give them all top marks for bringing these characters alive in my imagination.

Jess is an amazing woman, she has a husband who has deserted any sense of responsibility and disappeared, she has little money but works hard to support her small mismatched family. Money problems dog her much of the way, at one point she makes an error of judgement, however the way she handles that had me applauding her. She is a great mother and Nicky and Tanzie are very fortunate to have her.

I also loved how the children Nicky and Tanzie were very much part of this story with their challenges of growing up and being their true selves. Norman the dog completes the family, and does he come to the party when it really matters - you bet! Big and slobbery but well loved and included in the family.

Ed is almost against his will in the beginning sucked up into this family when he joins them to help them take a step to help Tanzie achieve a dream. They take a car journey together across country which turns out to be no picnic but all the same things happen! Loved the way Ed helped Nicky and Tanzie.

A heart warming emotional read, where honesty, family, personal growth and change and small kindnesses stand out.

Another great!!!

How have I not discovered JoJo before? She’s such a great author, creeping up to my favorite actually! Her stories are so true to life, full of all different emotions! I loved this book, very emotional but a real feel good book. Loved it. Ready for another by JoJo Moyes

Predictable but sweet

This is a "true romance" with a twist. The characters are a little out of the ordinary, especially the little girl who is brilliant at maths. The story isn't entirely believable but you want it to be true because it's a sweet situation. You know from the beginning that the woman and man who can't stand each other at the start will get together in the end but the process of getting there is a little different from your average romance. Overall an enjoyable piece of escapism.
The use of different narrators to read as the different characters was initially a little distracting but worked overall. The narrators were fairly good.

Absorbing and wonderful

An almost unreal romance, an unusual family - a book that made me smile so often and shed a tear or two as well.

Light and funny

Easy listening comedic story of family, optimism, and gumption.

Good light family driving story. Highly recommend.

Heart warming story

Who was your favorite character and why?

I loved all of them but my Favorite would be Nikki

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I had a few but I don't want to give anything that happens in the book away. I did laugh and cry though

Any additional comments?

This is my second Jojo Moyers book and I wasn't disappointed! I listened to "Me before you" and this one was just as good. You sort of knew what was going to happen but that didn't matter! It was just lovely and I can't wait to get stuck into another one of her books

I loved this book

I am a huge Jo Jo Moyes fan and this book does not disappoint. I love the realness of all of the characters (with a extra soft spot for Norman who reminds me of my boy). There were bits that made me laugh out loud (to the bemusement of passersby's on my walk) and others that made me cry and randomly hug my family.
The narration is easy on the ear, compelling and whilst I was so looking forward to the ending, (I was rooting for each of the characters for different reasons), I am sad it's over. I feel like I know this family and I am going to miss them.

I love this book. Real and touchable.

Jojo Moyes's books are always my first choice. Stories are real, and gave me a feeling that I'm in this story. Like this bokk's little kid always say: Good things will be happen.