Very Nearly Normal By Hannah Sunderland

‘Very Nearly Normal’ is the debut novel by Hannah Sunderland.

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.

If you’re looking for a warm and funny story then I would wholeheartedly recommend this story.

Seen from the perspective of Effie, a sarcastic and moody woman, who’s upset that she’s not the successful writer she aspired to be. Instead she lives with her parents, working in a bookshop and she begrudges everyone else’s happiness. When a Tinder date ends in disaster with a handsome stranger coming to her rescue called Theo and helps her end life through a different lens only to disappear.

I loved this story, the characters are great. Effie is outspoken, fun and completely relatable. She’s tried of the falseness of social media and the filters that people put on their lives and wishes she didn’t envy everyone else’s happiness. She works in a bookshop with with a manager called Arthur and I loved the scenes and banter between the two of them. When Theo comes into Effie, we see a softer side to her, she becomes gentler, more open minded and it’s lovely to see her progress as well as the relationship and Theo makes her value and understand the important things in life.

I also loved Theo, handsome and funny, he helps Effie realise her worth and when he disappeared I did find myself longing for his return.

A quirky and uplifting love story that is filled with funny and relatable characters, with a plot that travels at a lovely pace. ‘Very Nearly Normal’ is by a new voice in female fiction, a voice that made me giggle at witty dialogue, fun situations and makes you appreciate the smaller things in life.

You can buy ‘Very Nearly Normal’ from Amazon and is available to buy from good bookshop.