Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Goodreads Synopsis
Effie’s not perfect. Neither is Theo. But together, they’re pretty close. Matilda ‘Effie’ Heaton has always felt like she’s swimming against the tide. Everyone around her has life sorted, but Effie’s living with her parents and crying into a wine bottle at night. The only thing she loves is her job at a bookshop, where she can lose herself in other people’s stories. But then she meets Theo, who knows only too well that life isn’t something to take for granted. Because Theo has a life-changing secret, and as Effie starts to realise that she’s falling in love instead of falling apart, fate steps in and deals her a new hand. And this time, the stakes are high.
Review
Very Nearly Normal is Hannah Sunderland’s debut novel and it is a dark horse! I knew I was going to enjoy it but it blew all my expectations out of the water. Very Nearly Normal is one of my favourite books of 2020.
Please be aware that there are some triggers in this book such as suicidal thoughts.
This book made me smile, it made me laugh and it made me cry (numerous times). It is raw, it is emotional, it is romantic and it is realistic.
I have never related to a character as much as I did with Effie. She is going through a tough time in her life and things are not going to plan. She works hard but life is screwing her over. She feels like she’s a disappointment, that she’s failing at life and is barely scrapping by. She believed she would make a difference in the world, because growing up you’re led to believe that you can, and she’s angry and fed up. Effie is incredibly relatable and realistic that I definitely saw myself in her.
I loved Theo, he was charming, he was sweet and he really did want the best for Effie, even if she didn’t agree with some of his decisions. I loved how sarcastic he was and how hard he was willing to try with Effie and push her out of her comfort zone. Honestly, his life-changing secret had me in tears and my heart broke for him.
This book was a rollercoaster of emotions for me but it was perfect in every way. Very Nearly Normal is a book about figuring out how to be happy, no matter what life throws at you. It’s about taking risks, figuring out who you are as a person and letting love in even if it doesn’t go to plan.
I recommend picking this up when it releases on May 14th 2020!
Rating: 5/5 stars
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