This really is a great story. The characters are vivid, the plot and story arc brilliant.
Sarah J Harris has a real gift in creating unique characters that you are immediately drawn to and invest in.

I would say though, that during the latter stages of the book, I did feel that some of the interactions seemed forced and a little unnatural. It almost seemed like more pages were required to keep the flow more fluent, but constraints necessitated more cursory transitions.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for a review copy.

This title was like reading about friends, I was invested in what happened for them, I was surprised by the clever twists and delighted that the ending was not a cliche.

The easy style made this book really readable and I would really recommend it if you want a book with human depth that isn't all hearts and flowers. Lovely.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins for this ARC in exchange for a fair review.

#oneordinaryday #netgalley

I had some difficulty with this book. Not the fault of the book but my preferred reading subjects.
Simon and Jodie make 2 differing yet quirky main characters. The story is told in such a way that you equally feel happy and sad for them but in different ways.
A very good read nevertheless even though I was not totally absorbed in the developing stories.

Simon was a child genius but now works at a burger bar. He has some strange defence mechanisms to protect himself from a hostile world. Jodie is the single mother of Zak, a bright boy like his mother. Jodie is determined to give her son a better start in life than she had in a children’s home and foster care. She aims to study English literature at Cambridge, taking Zak with her. In the meantime, she takes a job at Prince Burger. Gradually she and Simon become friends, despite Simon’s initial reluctance. There are lots of light moments, although their back stories are sad. My favourite is when The Worstomer gets his comeuppance! Great book, full of humour and pathos.

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher HarperCollins UK, Harper Fiction, for the ARC.

Oh, I so thoroughly enjoyed this book and just as much as this author's previous novel "The Colour of Bee Larkham's Murder", which is an absolutely fascinating read. So well-written with good dialogue, the story charts the somewhat heart-breaking, humorous and uplifting relationship between Simon Sparks and Jodie Brook and her 6yr-old son Zak.

Both Simon and Jodie have emerged from abusive and dysfunctional backgrounds: Simon was a young maths prodigy whose father was cruel and dictatorial in his quest to make him the "best". Eighteen years later and living alone in his spartan flat, he makes a living frying chips in the Prince Burger bar, but the only thing on Simon's mind is his adherence to his routine as well as his determination to solve a difficult mathematical hypothesis. Jodie and Zak live in a run-down and damp temporary council flat having lost her previous tenancy to her abusive and controlling partner. She's determined to study English Literature at Cambridge and is taking Access courses to get into a college where Zak and she can live in family accommodation and start a new life.

Jodie gets a job at Prince Burger where she encounters Simon. When she hears that Simon has a degree from Cambridge she won't take no for an answer when he refuses to tutor her for her college interview; however, they come to an arrangement whereby he will do that in return for Jodie teaching him how to interact properly socially - something which he finds very hard to do.

The relationship transforms both their lives - and that of the highly-intelligent Zak.
This is a lovely story regardless of the unhappiness of their previous years. There's some twists and surprises as they both come to realise they have a future, pursuing their dreams.

Jodie Brook, orphan, product of foster care, abused and tortured single mother. Simon Sparks, child genius, mentally abused, convinced he is guilty of murdering his Mother, twin brother, a top neurosurgeon, living in New York with his family. Zac, Jodie's son is delightful, insightful and funny. What can these people have in common other than working in Prince Burger.
Each chapter ended with me desperate to begin the next. This book is written with humour but, also cleverly reveals the dark side of life and how, helping one another can benefit everybody in one way or another.
Fantastic read.

This was very readable, and deals with a variety of difficult and dark topics, though manages to remain hopeful. I thought perhaps it was another Rosie Project reworking, but in the end it turned out to be more than that, and I was intrigued throughout as to what had happened to Simon, as each time you think you've guessed something, there's still a little bit more.
I did feel it ran a little long, and the point at which I thought I must be at the end turned out to still have a quarter of the book to go. This almost pushed it to 3 stars for me, and in some of the final unravelling I did keep thinking 'wait, what?!' But on the whole it was engaging, I cared about the characters, it had both humour & sadness, and I stayed up far too late to finish it!

A great read, the story of Simon and Jodie. They don't get on well when she starts working the same burger place as Simon, but soon she wants his help with her application to Cambridge. He agrees to help and they seem to be on their way to being friends, but secrets are being kept by both of them.

A quirky and differnt read.

I would have liked to have had more of an epilogue to see what happened to them next.

Uplifting, feel-good, heart-warming, life affirming, etc. are just descriptions of novels I try to avoid. To me they are synonyms of over-sentimental, unrealistically romantic stories with saccharine endings. However, this one had some quirky characters and humour which I liked, but it was predictable and far removed from real life. However, I did read it all and the writing style is accomplished.

This is an unusual concept for a story which is astutely constructed and expertly delivered. The lives of Jody and Simon certainly suggest that they would be best taking One Ordinary Day at a Time. Jody has a seven year old son, Zak, who is a star character in the book. She has had an abusive relationship with a husband now in gaol. She had a dysfunctional upbringing with a drug taking mother and various foster homes. Simon is the ultimate nerd, dedicated to solving maths puzzles. He grew up with a damaging and controlling father. He retreated into himself by creating fictional friends and ‘rooms’ in his head where he takes refuge. Both know they can make more of their lives and their meeting as employees at a burger takeaway leads to change. The story is inspirational and poignant. It also has moments of humour. It is a book I recommend strongly.

One Ordinary Day at a Time is a study of two characters. Jodie Brook, orphan never in one place very long, troubled education concluded by becoming a single mum. Aspires to study Literature at Cambridge. Simon Sparks, child genius, mathematician extraodinaire, Cambridge scholar. Both serving fries in Prince Burger.

Jodie's doing an Access to Higher Education Diploma at Kensington College so she's making an effort to succeed at her goal but what's Simon doing? Wry smile here! It's years since I taught on an Access course (one of the earliest) but I'd guess Jodie's teacher Monica and the team will have been rebuilding her confidence and getting her and others very like her back on track. College is just a means to an end, we realise that!

I loved the story. Even as progress is being made in the present secrets and lies from the past are surfacing and threatening to destroy everything. I'd just finished a book by one of my favourite authors and the cliffhangers at the end of the chapters kept my interest in that one. With this book I just wanted to keep reading, simply didn't notice the time passing!

ARC courtesy Netgalley and Harper Fiction.

One Ordinary Day at a Time is told from two perspectives; Jodie is a single mum who begins working at fast food restaurant Prince Burger whilst doing an Access to Uni course - her goal is English Lit at Cambridge. Simon is a socially awkward genius, obsessed with maths and judging the IQ levels of his peers, often to their disdain. He’s working at Prince Burger but feels as though he’s going nowhere, hoping to improve his life and prospects once he solves a decades-old mathematical problem which he dedicates much of his spare time to.

This story follows the two characters as they navigate their new and unlikely friendship. Simon has agreed to tutor Jodie before her Cambridge entrance exams in exchange for lessons in conversation and socialising.

Simon and Jodie are both fighting their own inner demons, too. Jodie’s abusive ex has recently left prison and is seeking contact with her son again, while Simon is plagued by insecurities as a result of abuse at the hands of his father throughout his childhood.

One Ordinary Day at a Time tackled some serious issues very well. Both characters learned that their past does not have to define their abilities or life prospects later on in life, and that they can both achieve great things if they believe in themselves.

I enjoyed most elements of this story but unfortunately some parts dragged for me. Some of the dialogue and story felt cliché and predictable.

Regardless, I would recommend this book for fans of The Rosie Project and Half a World Away!

A beautifully told story of hopes and dreams as single mum Jodie strives to gain an offer from Cambridge with help from a mathematical genius determined to solve some of the greatest unanswered questions. This had the feel of Eleanor Olliphant is Completely Fine or The Rosie Project, but I was more invested in these characters than those in the aforementioned books. This is going to be a huge success, I'm sure.

#oneordinarydayatatime #netgalley
[With thanks to Netgalley and HarperFiction]

One Ordinary Day at a Time is an absolute GEM of a novel. An affirming, engaging and intriguing tale, I was captivated from the early chapters by both characters, premise and execution of the narrative.

Telling the story of two protagonists - Jodie and Simon - we join their worlds at a time of distress and general downheartedness. Jodie is a single parent, with a son who we can't help but instantly like. Simon is, what initially seems to be, a failed intellectual. Both are working at a fast food restaurant and from the early stages of the novel, it's clear that they are miserably watching the world shift and change around them, whilst they both remain stagnant in their own dilemmas; keeping secrets or staying shut off from making true connections with anyone else.
Automatically, readers will find themselves empathetic and undeniably curious about the secrets that both keep How the meeting of two such different souls is thus the trajectory the plot hinges on to journey to it's conclusion.

The premise perhaps seems saccharine, or predictable in the meet cute of a male/female pairing, who despite their differences, share a uniting outlook on the world. But what is most satisfying, and admirable about the way Harris writes her stories, is that there is always much more going on under the surface. What really is an 'uplifting' or 'feel good' tale, as some reviewers have called this, also does the work on a different level to create a much more three dimensional world to become involved in. The predictability factor gets knocked from the expectations checklist pretty quickly as the narrative shifts, sweeps and turns around the reality of Jodie and Simon's world and situations.
Like with Bee Larkham, Harris presents a story and characters that have quirks, are flawed and who really tug you into the journey they embark upon. This is no ordinary story, and is truly a pleasure to read. One Ordinary Day at a Time capably adds to it's overriding uplifting tone: a sprinkling of stark reality, a dash of mystery and an abundance of beautifully written prose.
Definitely one to recommend. Beautiful and one of the best things I have read in some time - from any genre.

Another quirky, clever and original novel from Sarah J. Harris. I found myself totally invested in Jodie and Simon's stories - both of which will stay with me for a long time to come.

I really enjoyed the Colour of Bee Larkham’s Murder so I was delighted when I was able to read and review Sarah J Harris’s new novel.
I would describe #OneOrdinaryDayataTime as a fresh, charming and uplifting tale of friendship, people who don’t easily fit in and beating the odds. The author is skilled at writing characters who you immediately relate to and care about - male and female. She also has the ability to write children. Little Zak is delightful, believable and undoubtedly one of the stars of this show. Her description of Jodie’s experience of the care system was heartbreaking but accurate and it needs to be told.
I would definitely recommend this uplifting, moving and often funny novel.
Thank you to the author, her publishers and @NetGalley for this opportunity.

Sadly didn't enjoy this as much as I hoped. A relatively quick read, but often repetitive and the characters felt a little flat. I can't say I was in a hurry to read this one in my free time and the ending was quite odd. Not for me, but I'm sure it will appeal to many others.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

One Ordinary Day at A Time is a modern love story without any romance whatsoever and trust me when I tell you that it works beautifully. The unlikely setting for this touching friendship between “One Star Simon” and single mother Jodie is the local burger place where they meet at work.
Both have escaped abuse and bear the scars, in Jodie’s case, literally. Both have dreams bigger than their current ordinary lifestyles as Jodie battles poverty and Simon battles his inner demons. When Jodie asks Simon to help tutor her to get into Cambridge University, he initially rejects the idea, until Jodie persuades him that he too, needs teaching. Simon’s lack of people skills alienates him even more than his unusual lifestyle.
As these two broken people finally unveil their inner layers to one another, a friendship emerges as life throws more and more curve balls at them.
I won’t give away anything else apart from to say that this book is both gritty and heart-warming. It’s not soppy or sentimental but it will have you rooting for a happy ending with two very unlikely friends that have more in common than either would admit to. It’s actually a very beautiful book that will stay with you long after you finish it.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

i really really unexpectedly enjoyed this book. it follows the separate lives of Simon & Jodie who find friendship in one another through their job and become friends. it is one of the most heart warming friendships i have ever read about and i would recommend it to everyone 🤍

through this novel we find that Simon is a brainiac, a genius and we find out how he came to be like this. emotional turmoil and trauma has been active through his whole life and even as a fully functioning adult he tries to find ways in which to effectively project this. his trauma leads to rigid schedules and facts stored away categorically in his brain as a method of suppression, which worked perfectly fine - until he met Jodie.

Jodie is a young, single and broke mother who struggles to get by and provide her child with everything that he needs & wants. she escaped her violent and abusive ex-boyfriend thinking that she has protected her child from the knowledge of his wrath but nevertheless she was wrong and this is evident through the book. when her ex comes back those doors of unwanted memories are opened up again and flashbacks come pouring out, which nobody wants to see.

the relationship between Jodie and Simon is one that touched my heart because as their friendship evolved so did their trust in one another and they were both there for each other when things were hard. without giving away spoilers i will end by saying this is a must read for everyone when it is published on JUNE 10TH 2021