Effie in a young woman in her late twenties and is facing a number of problems. Chief among these is her love of wine and her complete lack of self-esteem. Boardering on actual dislike, Effie cannot see any redeeming features in herself but subjects herself to regular meetups with an ex-best friend, only to listen to tales of success which serve to highlight her inadequacies. Her relationship with her mother is also a disaster with each constantly trying to score points against the other and Effie's drinking adding to their contentions.
Yet, a turning point is just ahead, After a particularly unpleasant date, Theo meanders into Effie's life and decides to help her. He certainly has his job cut put for him and the reader is given plenty of reasons to be suspicious of his behaviour.
I loved this book. From their initial meeting, I quickly became a fan of Effie and Theo and rooted for them throughout the story.
This is not a typical girl meets boy and he fixes her story - and for that I am grateful.
There are sufficient funny moments and interactions with family and friends to help jog along the plotline so that we do not focus just on our main protagonists.
Ultimately, this is an uplifting story and one with plenty of heart. Read it and enjoy.
I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in return for an honest review.

What I particularly liked about Very Nearly Normal by Hannah Sunderland are the themes this book talks about. It’s got everything you want from a romance novel; engaging characters, love, and drama, but it also talks about topics which are a lot deeper. Effie is struggling. She’s in her late twenties, and still doesn’t really know what she’s doing with her life. I think most people at some point in their lives have dealt with feeling lost, so this made this book a lot more relatable to me. This made Effie quite a difficult character at first – she’s flawed, but doesn’t yet want to admit her role in her failures. As the book progresses, Effie as a character begins to transform. Very Nearly Normal is as much a book about a self-journey as it is a romance, which I really liked.
I also really liked the other characters in the book – Theo, Arthur, Toby, and eventually Otis, all have a profound impact on Effie’s life, some for the better, and others not so much.
I loved the references to popular culture throughout the book, like Mean Girls and Game of Thrones, to name a few. I thought these added to the sense of humour of the book, especially because I love all the things Sunderland references.
The book was pacey, light-hearted and easy to read, and I flew through it. I thought it was really refreshing to read, so I would really recommend!
A big thank you to Avon Books and NetGalley for providing me with an early copy of the book.

Favourite quotes:
“I’d always thought that films overplayed the whole broken heart thing, but now that I was feeling it for real, I knew that the films never did it justice.”
“I knew that my life was my own charge and if I didn’t like how it was going then I was the only one with the power to change it.”

I love books involving bookshops. I love characters who like books. I love love stories. This book was just perfect for me. It sucked me in right from the start and I just couldn’t put it down. The characters were so well developed and the plot so beautifully done- I fell in love with this book a little. I love, love loved it.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher Avon

Very Nearly normal is a good debut by Hannah Sunderland that I'm sure will become a summer hit. The characters are good as is the storyline.

Effie is an unlikely and quirky heroine: she’s down on herself, drinks too much and envies her friends. But when Theo pursues her, she gradually feels her guard starting to slip.
The first third of this novel felt like a lot like chick lit: she can’t stand him/ he’s got chiselled cheekbones and smells yummy etc etc.
But then it really lifted and I started to care about the characters and the plot took some unexpected and interesting turns.
Theo also challenges Effie to challenge herself: stop holding grudges, try something new etc etc and it’s all part of her finding herself.
In summary: this is a classic ‘girl hates boy but really loves boy’ novel, but it will grow on you and is a cut above the usual chick lit.

Very Nearly Normal sucks you in and then sucker punches you in the gut. It is a complex, emotional read that is intriguing and sweet in all the right places. The lead protagonist, Effie, has so many different levels and such a complexity she is easy to relate to and it's great to see her grow and mature as the storys goes on. Her character development is addictive and you can't help but cheer her on! A fantastic debut novel!

Arghhh this was so frustrating. It could have been a really great book - a sort of Eleanor Oliphant - but instead it misses the mark. It wouldn't have taken many rewrites to fix it (hence my frustration). It suffers from that classic problem of the main character not driving the action - other people keep solving her problems for her, and that's so unsatisfying for the reader. Because she doesn't fix her issues herself, the heroine remains unlikeable, and the hero comes off far too controlling (who phones their gf's boss to ask him if she can have time off??? I would be furious if my husband did this, let alone a guy I'd been seeing for a couple of weeks). There is a list of things the heroine has to do (not even written her her!) - which provides ample opportunity for character development, yet she rarely ticks off each by herself - others do it for her eg taking her on an unexpected hike, to a movie etc. Even the 'stop holding a grudge' item, which the character could have solved on her own, is solved by her friend turning up having had a terrible time, making it faaaaar too easy for the heroine to stop holding the grudge (yet again doing all the character development work for her). Such a shame. Could have been good.

I cried, I laughed and got angry. I was not prepared to be so emotionally invested in this one. A very good debut novel by Hannah Sunderland that I hope gets the attention it deserves!
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What I loved: Although I was so irritated at Effie and Theo from the moment I met them I came to care about them as well as other side characters like Arthur, Amy and Otis. I loved the fact them that they were real. From their sloppiness, their bad decisions to the details of everyday life when you wake up on a pillow with a pill of saliva on it, the microwave dinners, the intrusive and negative thoughts that can consume you; unapologetically raw. I also loved the references that correspond to my generation and the ‘about the author’ section which prepared me for a great read since it was on the first page of the book. It gave me a glimpse of the author’s quirkinesses and I was not dissapointed.
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What I disliked: No spoilers but I would have wanted to read a bit more about Theo if I were to nitpick the story.
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PS: I kindly received this ARC from #Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

#findyourseahorse

Very Nearly Normal by Hannah Sunderland a fulfilling five-star read. Just because its two broken people doesn’t make it right, this was a great story and I gave it five-stars but it didn’t always deserve it, there were bits that didn’t feel authentic and did drag a little but honestly overall it was very good. One main thing I will say about this story is when you start it if you find Effie to be someone that you cant abide keep reading, as she may not become someone you care about, but she will become someone that you can get behind. This is a story that will make you smile, it has some of the best one liners I have read for a long time.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.

This was a quick, cute read and would make a great book club pick.
Although in the beginning the main character is pretty unlikable, she grows a lot as a person after Theo is introduced.
This book quickly takes you through a wide spectrum of emotions, and overall is a nice story.

I found the first third of this book hard going. Effie, the main character, begins by being quite unlikeable and I became irritated by her attitude to life and to others. However I realised this was intentional and throughout the book we see her begin to change and grow into a far more relatable and likeable person. By the end I was fully ‘Team Effie’ and was rooting for her happy ending. Being from Birmingham myself, I also enjoyed references to my hometown. A really good read that won’t leave you disappointed.
Thank you to netgalley, the authors and publisher for gifting me a copy of the book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

This is a short read that I read in just one sitting.
This is my first read by this author but it definitely won’t be the last.
Likeable characters and an interesting plot. This is one that I have not been able to put down ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is the perfect love story. Such a lovely little book. It’s been a while since I read a book this heartwarming.

The novel made me go through a range of emotions; some parts were funny, in some cases it broke my heart, and others made me feel all lovey dovey.

Effie had grown so much within this novel- she had the push she needed to finally be who she wanted to be, and became happy. When I thought this was over for the romance and it was going to be solely on this growth, I was happily mistaken and the story twisted yet again! But this time, I’m so glad it did, as it ended so beautifully 💕 A good view at what love truly is and how far you’d go for it; from both parts, as it does take a lot to do what they both did.

I loved this book so much. I have recently had trouble getting into books but had no such issues with this one. I really felt an affinity with Effie and could see why she was the way she was. Some times i found it difficult to read of her excessive use of alcohol but i felt she was a character with so many levels.

I loved all of the other characters and the way they stood by her - especially Arthur and Caleb - and helped her change her life around

I wasn't as keen on Theo - he seemed ok at first but I didnt really like him all that much - maybe felt he had a bit of a chip on his shoulder but that is not a criticism of the writing. I think he was meant to be that way.

This book made me want to make my life more meaningful, to help other people and get the most out of life while i was able to .

An EXCELLENT read. Thank you so much

At first this book was tough to read as Effie refused to take responsibility for her own happiness and instead blamed others. However, meeting Theo and taking on the list head on made Effie realize she can do anything. Most importantly, she started loving herself and as a result opened herself to true love. Anything including physical illness will not stand in the way of a forever relationship.

This book was really sweet, and a truly enjoyable read! I was drawn in by the seahorses on the cover, and I was glad that they brought in why seahorses are romantic than lobsters (read it, it will make more sense).

Honestly, Effie was a bit annoying at first. But, as her character developed, she really grew on me. She starts out being a wreck, and it's great seeing her mature as the story unfolds.

Theo really does end up being Effie's seahorse. They're great together. I loved that he supported Effie and helped her to become a better version of herself. And she is there for him, too.

The secondary characters are also great. I love the friends Effie makes on the way, and especially her bookstore co-workers. They added a lot of fun to the story.

Overall a great read! I would recommend to friends who enjoy romance novels.

Very Nearly Normal is a fantastic debut novel from Hannah Sunderland. It was heartwrenching and real, and I really felt for the characters. Certain parts (i.e. Effie's alcoholism and explanations/excuses of her drinking) were hard to read, but the rest of the story makes up for it, and Effie's bad qualities round her out and make her seem more realistic.

I had a hard time getting started on the book because I just did not find Effie likable - but once I made it a few chapters in, I was hooked and finished it in one sitting. Effie's character development is fantastic. The relationship between her and Theo is beautifully written, at times heartbreaking, and made me tear up more than once. But the story is about more than that relationship - it's about Effie and Theo's lives, and the way they change each other.

I loved this book and will be recommending it to many people. Hannah Sunderland's writing is reminiscent of Jojo Moyes (another of my favorite authors) and I can't wait to see what's next from her!

This book was great! I absolutely loved how Sunderland weaved the story and was able to surprise me with how the story went. I think this is the perfect book for a bookclub and will be recommending this to the book clubs in our library. I think this could be a very popular summer read!

Finished this one over a few days. Theo and Effie were interesting characters and I loved their interactions and chemistry. The secret was heavy but I liked how the author resolved things. I also liked the writing style as well. Overall a really good debut novel.