Wow! So often I read romantic novels where the female protagonist is like 'Oh, I'm so quirky and I can't get my hand-painted greetings cards/cupcake business together but then I met this mildly eccentric guy and he's helped me to self-actualise.' Apart from the self-actualisation, this is not that book.

Matilda Effie Heaton (who is rather too concerned with her depressing initials, MEH - frankly they seem to be the least of her problems) is a real but relatable hot mess. More Eleanor Oliphant than Bridget Jones, Effie is a borderline alcoholic (sometimes not that borderline - and she doesn't give up drinking even when her boyfriend has to almost completely cut down, which made me slightly uneasy because she is written like someone who has a genuine problem, not just someone who enjoys a few jars).

The traditional gender roles feel as though they are reversed - Theo, her love interest, is a manic pixie dream boy while Effie is the crotchety, addicted, sarcastic lead who still lives with her parents and vomits a lot (this also isn't an easy book for emetophobic people, by the way). But is Theo as perfect and untroubled as he seems? Course not! The writing is terrific, and Hannah Sunderland has real raw talent. I will be looking out for her in future.

I really enjoyed this book, I didn’t like the main character at first, but as the story developed, I grew to like her. Lots of life lessons in this book, which is very uplifting. I did shed a tear and I was surprising by the ending in some ways (I don’t do spoilers – you’ll have to just read it for yourself!)

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

“But this was not a romcom, this was a tragedy of Shakespearean proportions and I had never been a fan of Shakespeare”
The first thing I noticed about this book was the fact I thought I disliked the main character, but that didn’t put me off reading about her. Effie is miserable and stuck in a rut, she drinks too much and is jealous of her “friends”. I read the majority of the book desperate to stop her self sabotage but as I finished the last page I realised what I was feeling wasn’t hate, I cared for Effie. I related to her in some aspects. As the book progresses with Effie causing a lot of her own chaos working her way through a list of goals written with potential new love Theo; I was yearning for them to find their happy ending. This is a book of twists and turns, it’s not your traditional easy read chick lit romance. This book hits hard, dealing not just with love but loss, alcoholism, illness and turbulent family relationships. It’s a great read, something I would definitely recommend.

Thank you to Avon Books and NetGalley for the advance copy of this book in return for an honest review.

wonderful heartbreaking novel about a very angry woman called effie and the man she meets theo who falls in love with her .

With a huge thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the ARC of Very Nearly Normal by Hannah Sunderland.

In this book we have the pleasure of meeting Effie, a woman in her late twenties whose friends seem to have their life sorted yet she is living at home with her parents, possibly drinking a bit too much wine and looking for the meaning of life. Then, along comes Theo, and as much as she hates it, he completely revolutionises her life in a way that she hates but then...doesn't quite.

It's a good book, a really good book about how life does go down the wrong path for some of us and we might get to a stage and look up and realise that all our other peers have left us in the dust, and at that point we all make different choices. Some of us choose to go down the route of despair and then pull off at the next junction to a path to a happy and contented life. Some of us might choose to stick to the way we know best for the rest of our lives, on the route of despair with stops at self-pity, anger, denial... etc... And essentially, those are the choices that Effie has to make.

Effie really does make the story, she isn't one of those characters you love instantly, or even a few chapters in, but as she grows to loving herself more, you're taken on that journey with her and the chances are you'll end up crying right with her. Watching her mature and embrace adulthood is a really great experience, and it leaves a warm feeling in your heart.

I would recommend this book to lovers of Louisa Clark, contemporary romances that have a sparkle of something else about them and endearing male counterparts.

Wow this book will break your heart in two and then put it all back together and make you realise what a joy life can be and sometimes you don’t need someone else to work out your own value. This book is a beautiful and honest read and I was sad to get to the last page as it felt like I was leaving some old friends behind. I loved it.

I loved this book, this was one of those books that I kept seeing and knew that I needed to read from the first time I saw the cover.

Effie comes across as clumsy, lacking ambition and pretty blunt but as this story unfolds you get to know what sculpted her to be the person she has become and how one list changes the direction of her life.

A book full of superb real life scenarios and characters you can picture and who capture your heart. I loved this book and can't wait to see what comes next from this author!

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon for the opportunity to read this advanced reader's copy in return for my honest review. Effie is a very relatable character that I enjoyed getting to know. A book about finding your path at your own time, in your own way. Beautiful!

It took me a minute to get into it, too many of Effie's thoughts hit too close to home, but then I devoured this book. A lovely romance between two flawed but beautiful (inside and out) people and a great supporting cast. A nice love story about finding yourself and reconciling who you are with who you think you should be.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books UK, and Hannah Sunderland for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’m sorry to say that I found this book hard reading and I found that I couldn’t get on with the main character Effie. I found her so negative and down and whether it’s just what’s going on in the world right now, I just found it hard to read. Having read many of the other books, maybe I need to give it another go in 6 months or so!

Thank you to the author, Avon Books UK and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

This was a wonderful story about opening up, believing in yourself, and finding your path in life. Effie, the heroine, starts off very prickly and unlikeable, and really grew on me. Part of that was her snarkiness, paired with the first-person narrative. I found myself laughing at various points - but there were also plenty of dark and deep moments, exploring themes of addiction, depression and anxiety. Yes, the way things resolved themselves were a bit too pat, but overall I found this a satisfying read.

Words can’t describe how much I loved this book! Effie was relatable, snarky & everything I love. Theo is the perfect male lead to help show Effie how wonderful life can be.

Overall a really heartwarming, funny read and I can’t wait to read more by this author!

Wow what a read!!!
I think alot of people can relate to Effie, in one way or another. Some parts of this broke me, had a good cry for her.
One that was hard to put down thats for sure. It was brilliantly written, really draws you in.
Not really been into these kind of books until recently.

Effie very much down on her luck. Seemed like she could never catch a break. And seeing everyone around her happy and moving on with their lifes. Meanwhile she was still living with her parents, single, and liked to drink a bit too much. Loved seeing how it all turned around for her. Even if she had to endure some really hard times.

Well deserved 5 stars. I'd say it's a must read. Hope everyone else enjoys it as much as I did!

Firstly, the good stuff: some of this book is really, really funny. I guffawed out loud several times, especially in the first few chapters. To be honest, this is what kept me going - I didn’t like the main character at all, or indeed many of the others (a few of whom were just plan cartoon-y), or the way the story seemed to be going. Later on, it saved itself from being too saccharine and predictable - it had to, I knew it would. And the whole thing, in addition to being hilariously witty at times, had a JoJo Moyes warmth and charm about it, and was moving in parts. Would I read it again? I’m not sure. But plenty of people would, and I can see it being developed for the big screen.

Absolutely loved this book! The emotions are real, you feel the true essence of Effie and everything about her

Very Nearly Normal was a delightful read that I found enjoyable and a great distraction.

Effie is a late twenty-something who has not found her way in life. Effie is quirky and just does not fit in to the world around her. Cue Theo who accidentally meets Effie and then proceeds to push his way in to her life.

This is a great story about finding one's way in life, friendship, being happy, and love.

I will definitely be looking for future releases from Hannah Sunderland.

I loved this! It’s a real story of love, life, adventure and friendships set in a modern day life with the problems any of us could face. Effie is a very open character with issues which make her harder to love, when on a date she meets another man, Theo who pursues her until she goes out with him. What follows is a beautiful story of love, heart-break and understanding the things that really matter. The characters are so easy to get to know and so likeable. I found this really sad in parts but, because I wanted so much for them to be happy. The ending is wonderful and this story is perfectly formed. I don’t normally choose books in this genre but am so glad I did, quite like a JoJo Moyes book. I very much enjoyed this and highly recommend it.

Effie's alcoholism explanations and excuses of why she drinks were well written. Effie's bad qualities make her seem very realistic and although I did not warm to her, a few chapters in Effie's character developed, and I found myself understanding her.
The relationship between her and Theo is well written, at times, tearjerking. The story is more than that of links - it's about Effie and Theo's lives, and the way their closeness changes each other.
I really enjoyed this book.
Hannah Sunderland's writing style is similar to Jojo Moyes, whose books I also really enjoy.
I thank NetGalley, Hannah Sunderland and the publishers for allowing me to read and review pre-publication in exchange for my honest review.

I didn’t think I was going to like Very Nearly Normal, I found Effie to be pretty unlikeable, but I stuck with it and I was pleasantly surprised. I loved the journey that Effie went on, this wasn’t just a romantic story, there was substance to the story and after finishing the book I felt like I wanted to go out and DO something! I loved it!

I absolutely love love loved this story! The main character was a really relatable character. There are plenty of laughs along the way and the story moved at a great pace. I couldn’t wait to read this and completed it in just two days! I could imagine it being made into a film. Thanks for selecting me to read.