A heart-warming and funny novel about love and the choices we make. How bad choices can lead to good things, and how life is never what you expect it to be. Perfect for fans of One Day and Me Before You, from the author of The Two of Us.
Henry and Zoe have more in common than they realise. For a start, they both have pasts they'd rather leave behind.
After jilting his childhood sweetheart on the eve of their wedding, Henry makes a break for London. He has no friends, no job, no home, no plan.
Zoe has great friends, two jobs, a new house, and a big scary plan. After a traumatic, life-changing event, she plans to leave London and spend a year travelling. Alone.
If Henry and Zoe had met one year ago, things might have worked out differently. But that s not the way life works. They meet seven months after their worlds have been turned upside down. And four months before Zoe is due to climb on a plane...
What readers said about Andy Jones's first novel, the bestselling The Two of
‘Frank, funny and bittersweet, The Two of Us is a love story about what happens when a relationship looks all wrong but feels all right. This is a book with its heart firmly in the right place’ Louise Candlish
‘Touching, funny and real, Andy Jones’s novel about what happens after the love story had me laughing one minute and crying the next. I loved it’ Jane Costello
‘At my age I am still amazed when a writer with the gift of the written word can make me care about a character so much that I can be reduced to tears one minute and laughing the next – but this author manages to do just that’ Sun
‘Honest, heartfelt and real, Jones has poured heart and soul into his words … the emotions are constant, be it laughter or hurt, you will experience it all as you journey through the pages. The Two of Us is a beautiful read about love, friendship and life!’ The Love of a Good Book
‘A really good read and amazingly impressive from a debut author. Have some tissue ready but also be prepared to hold your breath and laugh your socks off’ Fabulous Book Fiend
‘If you want a book which takes you on an emotional rollercoaster of such incredible highs and lows, this is no doubt the book for you. It is a truly inspirational and emotional read, one which will stay with me for a long time and is definitely one of my top reads of 2015’ Compelling Reads
‘Like One Day and Me Before You, The Two of Us almost reads like a screenplay for a hit film and I would not be surprised if we see this on the big screen in a year or two. Like all good rom-coms it is heart-warming, poignant, frustrating and its ending feels like a big warm hug’ Hollikins, Goodreads
‘An honest and poignant story. You'll have a lump in your throat more than once and you’ll shade more than one tear but it will also make you laugh and will warm your heart. An outstanding debut’ Alba in Bookland
‘A damn fine book and has already barged its way into my top ten of the year so far and I don’t foresee it budging.
Andy Jones lives in London with his wife and two little girls. During the day he works in an advertising agency; at weekends and horribly early in the mornings, he writes fiction.
The Trouble with Henry and Zoe by Andy Jones is a romance novel - but not as we know it.
Forget schmaltzy. Forget Mills and Boon. Forget champagne at midnight and floaty dresses. Forget Paris and long lingering looks.
This is real life romance; warts, misunderstandings, tempers and all.
From the first flush of romance, Zoe and Alex seemed like the ideal couple. But lately Zoe has been having second thoughts. Alex has changed. Perhaps he is having an affair. Perhaps she has fallen out of love. Perhaps it is time they said adieu....
Henry has jilted his bride virtually on the altar after realising he doesn't love her the way she deserves to be loved, they way he desires to love someone. He takes himself off to London to reinvent himself, and inevitably his and Zoe's worlds collide.
This is a heart-warming and entertaining look at a modern romance. I enjoyed it immensely. It made me smile. I still smile when I think about it - and I am not a romance story aficionado.
I am looking forward to reading Andy Jones' other works.
Thank you to NetGalley and publishers Simon & Schuster for providing me with a digital ARC of The Trouble with Henry and Zoe by Andy Jones. I have written an honest an unbiased review.
Beautiful, wonderfully written 'The Trouble with Henry and Zoe' is a tender, heart-warming read. Henry and Zoe are two people with past, two people who did things they're not proud of, two people trying to find themselves, to find what is important to them and trying to make peace with choices they made. The story is told through both their eyes allowing the reader to get to know them both and to get their perspective on things. Both complex characters, flawed, but so human and relatable. With poignant moments, some humour and real warmth 'The Trouble with Henry and Zoe' is a delightful read that I fully recommend.
This is a lovely romance about two unconventional people. Each has narrowly escaped being in the wrong relationship and neither is looking for another relationship just yet. Henry is a dentist who has fled his home town and found work in London hairderessing with a bit of dentistry on the side. Zoe is an ex-lawyer who left a stressful job to become an editor of children's books. In alternating chapters, they tell us about their past and current lives so that we get to know them well before they meet later in the book. Both colourful and quirky characters, they seem made for each other but are cautious about falling in love again, especially since Zoe is on the verge of leaving for a year of travelling.
I enjoyed this character driven romance very much. Often funny and occasionally a little bit teary, it had a perfect non-schmalzy ending, as both Henry and Zoe gradually recover from their previous relationships and learn to look forward rather than back.
With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher Simon & Schuster for a digital copy to read and review
The Trouble With Henry And Zoe is the third novel by British author, Andy Jones. Zoe Goldman has a plan. Her family and close friends are sympathetic now that her life has been turned upside down, but they’d never understand the guilt she feels. As clichéd as it sounds, she needs to get away and find herself. To fund her plan, Zoe works her daytime publishing job and does nights at the Duck and Cover.
After what he did, Henry Smith had to leave the Peaks village where he was born: there was no-one who didn’t know he’d left his childhood sweetheart at the altar. He can be anonymous in London, even if he’s lonely, poor and aimless. He relies on his chosen profession for a while, but then makes his living in a seemingly unlikely manner.
Jones gives the reader a cast of characters who are wholly believable for all their very human fears and foibles; most have an undeniable appeal. There are certainly a few quirky ones among them: an elderly Chinese lady who wants perfect teeth before she sets off on her important mission; a hairdresser running a meditation group; a heartbroken mother who emails her dead son; a bunch of villagers with long memories and a strong sense of fair play.
Jones constructs his tale so that both Zoe and Henry are well down their respective paths before they eventually meet for the first time. Aspects of both the story and the way it is told are reminiscent of David Nicholls’s One Day and Marianne Kavanagh’s For Once In My Life. This is a novel with plenty of humour, but also a bit of heartache, lots of wisdom and wit, an anniversary celebration, a wedding, a hen’s party, and a generous helping of people with a graduated bob hairdo. This is a delightful novel that will have readers seeking out earlier Andy Jones books. Recommended!
3.5 stars. An interesting and lovely modern romance with people that that are both flawed and loveble. Can see why so many really like this one, and i really liked it but didn't love it. An interesting look on love and that's it's not always as simple as some media makes it out to be
The Trouble with Henry and Zoe is a modern romance novel, where the main protagonists are ... - you've guessed it! - Henry and Zoe.
Henry is a dentist who ran away to London after leaving his fiance at the altar. He's not very proud of himself. When in London he works as a part-time hairdresser, one-day per week as a dentist.
Zoe has something painful to deal with as well. She used to be a very stressed lawyer, but not she's an editor at the publishing house.
When Zoe and Henry meet, their connection is smooth and natural. Zoe has plans to travel the world soon, so they embark on a "friends with benefits" kind of relationship.
I'll leave it at that.
This was a simple, life-like novel, without over-the-top dramas or situations.
Andy Jones did a great job writing our heroes, they both feel authentic, their struggles and insecurities are relatable.
A nice novel to pass the time with.
4 stars
I've received this novel via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to the publishers, Simon & Schuster, for the opportunity to read and review this novel.
Liebe - lieber nicht Roman von Andy Jones Aufbau Verlag GmbH & Co. KG Cover: Comic ähnlich aufgebaut, man meint die beiden voneinander weg radeln zu sehen. Rezension: Dies ist mal ein Liebesroman geschrieben von einem Mann. Was an sich ja schon für den Leser eine interessante Sache ist, weil man gern auch mal ein Buch dieses Genres aus der Sicht eines Mannes lesen mag. Die Grundidee des Buches ist gut gewählt: Stell dir vor, du triffst die Liebe deines Lebens – und es passt einfach gerade nicht. Was die Protagonisten daraus machen und wie sie sich anstellen um es vielleicht doch noch auf die Reihe zu kriegen erfährt man in der Geschichte. Der Schreibstil des Autors ist flüssig und daher lässt sich das Buch leicht lesen. Der Wechsel in der Erzählweise zwischen Zoe und Henry passt. Sie sind wirklich liebenswert dargestellt und haben wie alle Menschen auch ihre Schwachstellen. Humorvoll und mit Gefühl bringt uns der Autor durch diese Story, die aber an einigen Stellen etwas langweilig wirkt. Gut sind dagegen immer wieder die Einflüsse der Eltern der beiden, die mit viel Herzblut das Beste für ihre Kinder wünschen. Trotzdem fehlt mir irgendwas an dem Buch, dieses Gefühl ohne es nicht leben zu können, diese Sucht weiter zu lesen. Es ist alles in Allem ein gutes Urlaubsbuch und daher vergebe ich 3/5 Sterne. Ich bedanke mich herzlich beim Aufbau Verlag und Netgalley für das Rezensionsexemplar, meine Meinung wurde dadurch nicht beeinflusst.
Having read Andy Jones's previous novel 'The Two of Us' and being surprised about how much I enjoyed it, I'm glad to say that I loved 'The Trouble With Henry and Zoe'. I don't really read a lot of books by male authors unless they are thrillers....and this is not but there is something about the way that Andy Jones writes that is so true to life.
Henry has just woken on up the day of his marriage wondering if he is doing the right thing. Running out in the early dawn of a 12 year relationship with April is the only thing he thinks he can do. Zoe has been in a relationship with Alex for 4 years. They have a house mortgage and everything is comfortable but Alex has been 'slightly off' for a few weeks. She wonders if he has been unfaithful especially as he has been extra attentive lately. One morning he steps out of the house to go to get breakfast for them both but he never returns.
Told in alternating chapters between Henry and Zoe, we come to understand their previous and present lives. They actually don't meet until at least 1/3 into the book I liked how we really got to know them both first. Both are slightly damaged and unsure if they should venture into a relationship, especially since Zoe has decided to travel in 10 weeks time for a year. She wants this time for herself but the more she sees Henry the more she questions herself, especially as their friendship evolves from board games in the pub and 'friends with benefits' to something more. And Henry, well I think he's lovely. From a part time dentist to a scissor welding hairdresser other days, I loved his thoughts and interactions with his family and especially with Jenny his elderly dental patient. This is where Andy Jones does things so well.
This is a gentle book about moving on, I had many emotions and really felt for both Henry and Zoe and I thought the ending was perfect. I wait in anticipation for Andy Jones next book.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for a copy to read and review.
I really enjoyed this story. A different take on the romance type of story. Henry & Zoe were great characters & I would love to read what happens next!
I have been approached by the publicist about this book and while its not my favourite genre i do sometimes like to read a good chick lit. I haven't read one in a while so it was certainly the right time. The Trouble with Henry and Zoe is the story, of well Henry and Zoe. Starting with two separate stories really. Henry's story begins on his wedding day, where he finds himself really unsure weather he really loves his childhood sweetheart or not. Making a tough decision he runs away to London. Zoe's story begins with her questioning her relationship too. But fate has other plans for her and she finds herself planning to travel the world. They couldn't have met at a more inconvenient time, but they do anyway...
I am not going to lie I have a few little issues with this book, one being that I didn't really feel any real connection between Henry and Zoe. Which is a bit of a bummer as i like to fall in love along side my book characters. The other being a lot of their conversations, they was almost to much like insider jokes, I didn't always get it. Not only that its as if they was all constantly interrupting each other and finishing each others sentences. It seemed like they always knew what the other one wanted to say before they even did and I wasn't able to always see why.
But I still rather enjoyed this book. It was very real and honest. It paints a very realistic picture of relationships in a way that is believable and not to soppy. With two very likable characters it was an easy book to pick up at every opportunity. During the story we are going through all the emotions, with many sad parts and equally many that made me laugh out loud. The book left me feeling that anything is possible no matter what life throws at you, it is possible to start again. And it is never to late to find and reinvent yourself. Quite the opposite actually, it inspires to try something new if you are unhappy with something, be it your love life or be it your job. You never know what you may find.
It is not a book that will haunt me for a long time but nevertheless it is totally worth a read. This would be perfect on a holiday in the sunshine somewhere... even if it takes you back to rainy London.
Honest, funny and inspiring.
The Trouble with Henry and Zoe is out today, 28th July.
Having read and loved The Two of Us by this author I couldn’t wait to read more.
Henry is quite a complex character. He is a dentist as well as a hair dresser. I don’t think there is anything he isn’t good at apart from relationships. Breaking off his wedding with Alice has done himself no favours in the small community where he is from. Even his mum and dad are struggling to come to terms with what he has done, never mind the bride to be!
Zoe is quite different to Henry. She is quite settled with her life, or she thinks she is, that is until an accident sends her world into turmoil. I really liked Zoe, she is someone that readers can relate to and very likeable. My heart went out to her for what she was going through and I was actually pleased when both characters meet.
This author really knows how to create characters that capture the readers interest. You get so involved with Henry and Zoe’s lives that you forget the world outside. This really is a gentle read that totally draws you in.
The Trouble with Henry and Zoe really is a wonderful read. In parts it is quite emotional and there is a part that was quite unexpected which threw me. I won’t say anymore than that in fear of spoiling it for anyone else but it’s a book I would certainly recommend to family and friends and to anyone else who enjoys this genre of book.
After discovering Andy Jones when I read The Two Of Us, I've kept a keen eye out for further releases from him. He's one of those authors that can make you laugh and cry; in fact one of the things I always remark on when reading his books is the humour. Just like real life, there are ups and downs in Andy's books but one thing I can always count on is that there is sure to be a laugh right around the corner.
The book starts with stories of two separate lives, two people who haven't met each other yet: Henry and Zoe. Henry is having second thoughts about marrying his childhood sweetheart, April. Unable to sleep on the eve of his wedding, he makes the decision to run for the hills preferring to ruin April's day rather than her life. Meanwhile, Zoe is waking up next to her boyfriend, Alex, and wondering if he is the one for her. Zoe has noticed that Alex has been a bit off lately so she is surprised when he wants to treat her to breakfast in bed, he just has to pop out to the shops for a few provisions. Zoe's world is shattered when Alex doesn't return. As both Henry and Zoe pick up the pieces of their lives, the last thing either of them wants is to jump into another relationship...until fate brings them together.
The Trouble With Henry and Zoe is another fabulous book by Andy Jones. He has taken two completely separate devastating events and shown how people cope with love, loss and everything in between. The characters never failed to surprise me from Henry's love of old movies and secret hairdressing skills to Zoe's keen interest in photography and her bravery at planning a solo trip to Thailand. I read a lot of this book with a lump in my throat, especially when certain email transcripts made an appearance, but never more so than in Zoe's final act of love as she lets Alex go and says hello to the rest of her life.
I really can't recommend Andy Jones highly enough if you love a bit of humour in your books but want to read something that deals with real life events and tugs at your heartstrings. I may have only known them for a short time, as I couldn't help but race through this book, but the characters are so full of life that I felt so very bereft when I turned the final page and wished them well for the future as if they were old friends. All in all, a simply wonderful book. If you haven't read an Andy Jones book yet, what are you waiting for?
I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
Whilst spending most of my time sitting on the fence for the duration of this novel, nothing could prepare me for the modern day spin on the forever changing topic that is 'romance'. If you're after a 'boy meets girl falls in love has babies and everything is utter perfection' type novel, then with all due respect, this book isn't for you. But, if you want to read a book which makes your spousal arguments look like a number one literary bestseller then, by all means, grab that bar of chocolate and read this book.
The reason why I spent a lot of time on the fence (and getting the fence imprinted in my butt) was because my opinion of the novel kept changing. Did I want to read a book about realistic romance? Or did I want to read a book which made romance look like the movies and completely, 100% unattainable? Honestly? I started Andy Jones' novel with the latter in my mind, after all, this is fiction, right? I ended Andy Jones' novel with the first option imprinted in my mind instead of the fence.
Refreshing, snort-inducing hilarious and totally relatable - The Trouble with Henry and Zoe, is surprisingly comforting.
The Trouble With Henry and Zoe is an enjoyable, heart-warming read that I felt was similar in style to One Day.
Henry is about to be married to April, when on the eve of his wedding, he escapes and leaves April. Zoe is in a relationship with Alex but she's not happy, she thinks he's cheating.
The book is told by alternate chapters so we really get to know what's going on with both Henry and Zoe before they do actually meet. I found this style to be great to read, it was interesting to read from both characters and as a result I really felt like I knew both of them.
I enjoyed the plot of the book, I loved both Henry and Zoe but I struggled to connect with their relationship. However I still enjoyed the book and would love to read more by Andy Jones. I found the book to be a more real look at modern relationships, it was funny, sad and everything in between. I very rarely read romance books by a male author but I thoroughly enjoyed it and I was eager to flip the pages to see what was going to happen.
I loved the other characters in the book, I felt they were really well-written and given a back story as well which we learnt about.
I'd recommend this book to people who love romance but are fed up of all the mushy ones. It was a pleasant surprise to read this one.
Huge thank you to The Book Club on Facebook and Andy Jones for allowing me to read and review this book. All views expressed are my own.
Henry and Zoe are two troubled characters who through the course of the book are brought together. Henry is a dentist who does hairdressing as a sideline but who also dumped his fiancee at the altar. Zoe was having doubts about her relationship with Alex when he was unexpectedly involved in an accident and died. This isn't a happy chick lit book and is quite sad in placed but I did enjoy it. Thank you to TBC and the author for the chance to read this title.
Kärleksromaner brukar inte vara min grej och det kan vara därför som den här boken har stått och samlat damm i ett år. För visst låter det som en kärleksroman? Men för en gångs skull(?) så stämmer faktiskt baksidetexten. Detta är ingen vanlig kärleksroman. Läs mer på min blogg
Stop for a moment and look down at your belly, in the centre you should have something that looks a little bit like a button. It may be an innie, or an outie, but just consider it for a few moments. Do you feel better? Nope, you shouldn’t do as all that navel-gazing does is make you overthink things. However, without the concept a million romantic books would never be written as without the human compulsion to destroy things around them, how can any tension arise?
Henry is one such over thinker; he is getting married in the morning and he is not sure that his fiancée is the right woman for him. She may be kind, beautiful and deeply in love with him, but his feelings for her are not the Hollywood passions that he grew up seeing on celluloid. Zoe is elsewhere and is also thinking about her boyfriend – thinking off all the annoying things that he does, but when he dies in a tragic accident all she can think about is guilt. Can these two slightly broken people come together to create a new Hollywood romance?
I am not one for reading relationship fiction too often as I find the characters far too self-centred. They spend too much time thinking and not enough time doing. This is certainly the case with the start of Andy Jones’ ‘‘The Trouble with Henry and Zoe’’. The character of Henry in particular starts off acting like a complete twerp and it takes almost half the book for you to start warming to him again. Zoe’s plight is far more effecting as it is laced in tragedy. What is good is that these two characters meet after their initial ruptures and don’t tell each other. It is here that the tension in the book rises as they get to know one another, without ever really knowing one another.
To add spice to the book Jones has added a nebulous timeframe to proceedings as Zoe plans to set off on a world tour to find herself, can the relationship mature to a level before this happens? Adding this deadline feels a little contrived to me, almost as if the book is adapted from a screenplay. Any reasonable person would change their plans if they wanted to.
As a relationship drama it holds the attention; the story is told from both points of view. However, I am not sure how enjoyable the book was at times. The tension in the book made it a little harrowing and the characters are not always easy to like. Exponents of the genre will probably see this as essential for giving the book nuance, but for me it just meant that I actively enjoyed parts of the of the book, whilst actively disliking other parts. Evoking an emotional response from a reader of any sort is a skill, but I am unsure that challenging the reader to not enjoy the book can be seen as a good thing.
For regular readers of will they/won’t they fiction, ‘‘Henry and Zoe’’ seems to hit all the tropes to make the book a pleasant and flighty read. I have to imagine that there are better exponents of the genre out there, but I am equally sure that there is also far worse. Original review on thebookbag.co.uk
Take one fully qualified dentist, with a keen mind for recalling the subtle details of old movies, who seeks peace and quiet after jilting fiancée at the altar. Fled home town to avoid a lynch mob that can’t forgive him for said unforgiveable action. Also excels at pub quizzes and cuts a mean graduated bob. [Henry]
Mix gently with a scrabble obsessed publisher who has a peculiar streak of grey hair and a habit of comparing her past conquests to her DJ boyfriend. Currently lost, but hoping to stumble across herself soon. Will settle for any associated parts she can re-assemble along the way. [Zoe]
The result? The Trouble with Henry and Zoe, an achingly emotional blitz of light hearted romantic moments and flashes of humour throughout – and what a magic read it is!
Differing circumstances lead Henry and Zoe to become single overnight and the story progresses as to how this came to be. In the wake of their lives recently imploding, a natural scepticism toward romantic interludes has evolved. As a result, their encounters are bursting with some unpredictable moments. These are packed into a mutual noncommittal time span of a few months before Zoe is scheduled to pack up her troubles to travel; some are touchingly comic and others I can only describe as the most perfect icing on a heart-warming cake.
There’s an unchallenging rhythm to the alternating Henry / Zoe chapters that’s so easy to fall into step with. Although they were destined to suffer the worst year of their lives without it we wouldn’t get to share their candid responses to these life changing events and how they decide to confront them. The layers of these two complete strangers gradually build and you will soon realise exactly what the title of this book suggests.
Considering this isn’t my usual fare when it comes to books, I’m a little taken aback by how much I loved it! But I think that’s because it’s not dreadfully soppy, nor does it present unrealistic expectations. This refreshingly mellow story keeps its feet firmly on the ground and was simply a breeze to read – I have no hesitation recommending it to, well, just about everyone!
(I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.)
Henry never planned on leaving the small town he grew up in. Yet, when he decides to leave his childhood sweetheart April the day before their wedding because he's afraid he doesn't love her enough, he doesn't see any other choice than to go to London and start over. Zoe is content with her life with her boyfriend Alex, even though she can't help but have some doubts every now and again. Then her life is unexpectedly turned upside down, which eventually leads to Zoe deciding to go and book that trip around the world she always wanted to make. But then Henry and Zoe meet...
Andy Jones is one of those authors with a distinctive and own writing style and I'm very happy it's a writing style I personally really enjoy. His debut novel 'The Two of Us' told the story of a couple and 'The Trouble with Henry and Zoe' follows that same pattern, with a main focus on both a male and female character that are linked to each other in a specific way. While I love a good dose of romance and happy-ever-afters, I can also really appreciate the realism of Andy's novels and the familiar portrayal of relationships/dating in his books. I liked both Henry and Zoe (even though I definitely warmed to Henry a bit more), and was curious to read about their lives and see how their paths would eventually cross.
While I really enjoyed reading this novel I have to admit I did miss something, namely the spark between Henry and Zoe. I just didn't feel the chemistry between them and while I hoped this would change as the story progressed, it unfortunately didn't. That being said, I want to stress I did really enjoy this read and have become an even bigger fan of Andy Jones, particularly his comfortable writing style. Overall, 'The Trouble with Henry and Zoe' is a well-written and enjoyable realistic portrayal of our modern-day world of relationships and dating; a great second novel by Andy Jones and I'm already looking forward to his next one!
Henry has cold feet on the eve of his wedding to Alice. Zoe isn’t entirely sure Alex is the one she wants to spend the rest of her life with. When Henry and Zoe’s paths cross, life has taken a different route to the one they might have imagined.
I thought The Trouble with Henry and Zoe was just glorious. It is perfectly observed and so refreshing in style. I loved the way chapter headings reflected the chapter content – not least because they made me think. I didn’t always agree that the chapter heading was where I would have placed the emphasis of the narrative and this made for a really satisfying read as I mulled the importance given to particular phrases or words. I felt it lifted the quality of the reading experience for me from just a light read to one of real quality and depth.
I really enjoyed having a male perspective in what is essentially a romantic novel. The balance between Henry’s viewpoint and Zoe’s was perfect. I found their characters to be fully rounded and human and I thought they were both endearing. The supporting cast of characters is also brilliant and I use the word cast deliberately as I feel The Trouble with Henry and Zoe would make a terrific film, especially with the wonderfully naturalistic dialogue already in place. Indeed, there are clever references to film throughout the story.
The cyclical elements of the plot are very well crafted so that it feels as if the story is building on firm foundations that the reader can believe in completely. I found myself laughing and crying in equal measure and thought the emails peppered throughout the book were utterly heartbreaking although I can’t say more without spoiling the plot.
Once I’d finished reading The Trouble with Henry and Zoe I simply wanted to go back to the beginning and read it all again. It would make an ideal summer book.
I was moved. I had realized. I was surprised. Although I was not overwhelm, it was good enough.
The Trouble with Henry and Zoe is the latest outing from Andy Jones, whom the first time I read The Two of Us renew my faith. Henry and Zoe are two different people growing up differently. Unexpectedly, they have some thing in common, similarities that both of them cannot explain. When they first met, they had their troubles in the past - Henry ran away from a supposed marriage; Zoe was about to make a choice until an accident happened that made her feel guilty. When they meet, they felt a connection they can't explain. As time goes by, they slowly realize their love for each other.
There is much that is covered in this book that is real - mistakes we make hastily, the secrets we keep, the choices we make, what we are afraid of, the feelings we have, the past that holds us - everything that is written is real. I felt a connection between Henry and Zoe and its not about the habits or personality, its the way both of them went through in life. The jilter and the jilted. I find this connection that people at times can't explain but its there and its real.
Told in the perspective of Henry and Zoe, its a fast read and its very different compare to The Two of Us, which was told from Fisher's perspective. Every single chapter has a sub-topic, which I like best and its simplicity is what makes it a good read. I am glad when I picked up The Two of Us it was out of whim of choice. I had no idea that my choice helped me. The Trouble with Henry and Zoe continues my constant choice in making me realize why we do what we do. If you have not read any of Andy Jones works, read them... especially The Trouble with Henry and Zoe. Heck, read both of them.
I received a copy of this book for free through NetGalley
3.5 stars
I will admit that this took me a little while to get into, but before I knew it I was hooked.
Andy Jones has created two flawed characters who fit seamlessly together. The plot is a little predictable at points but the chemistry between Zoe and Henry keeps you pushing through. Both characters have their own shit going on when they first meet and embark on their shared journey and I couldn't help but feel for them in different ways.
If you are looking for a cute book that will make you feel all gooey inside then this is just for you.
If you like old movies and quirky love stories, then this book is for you. This enjoyable rom-com has a lot of heart and asks a very important question: Does a graduated bob suit everybody? But even more important than that, it deals with the very thorny business of being in a relationship with someone you don't love. In fact this entire novel deals with all aspects of love and relationships, from parents to friends, to lovers and one's self. Full of light-hearted moments, this a novel full of engaging characters that keep you turning the pages.
I absolutely loved this book and have been waiting for it since I read,'The Two of Us'!! There was a great sense of growing anticipation all the way through and I love how the story alternates between Henry and Zoe's perspective of events. Coming towards the end my heart was in my mouth, as I didn't want the inevitable to happen. Please, please, please hurry up and write your next book Mr. Jones as I love your books very much!!!
This book started off so good, and I thought it was going to be one of those books I would cherish and cherish but unfortunately, around the 70% mark, it really started to drag, got too wordy and drawn out. This in part is why it took me so long to finish it as I started to lose steam with this book and fizzle out. It's like the light that went out for me.
I felt like Henry and Zoe's relationship and love for each other was more implied than demonstrated. The reader just knew that their connection was more than their connection with their previous lovers, but I never really felt the connection as a reader myself. God - I didn't even know when they actually had sex until much later as it was only implied!
Although I love books that provide a cathartic release, I didn't get that sense of a real relief or resolution from the ending, which I know it is suppose to be. In fact, I feel somewhat cheated of feeling a real sense of romance and love.
Not what I expected from this book that was compared to One Day by David Nicholls or Me Before You at all, which I consider to be really great, cathartic love stories. As for humor, it had like 3 small humorous bits which was unlike the former two books in my opinion.
This book could have been so much better in the romance department, which I thought it was going to be, but sorely it wasn't. Thus, my great disappointment in this novel or maybe I should have set my bar lower - much lower when books are compared to One Day or Me Before You.
Henry and Zoe both meet after traumatic events but we have a build up that helps us engage with them as individuals before they ultimately meet, a meeting that you know is coming because of the book title!! Both these characters are rounded and flawed, but people you warm to as the story progresses. This is a book that has some lovely depth to the cast with some delightful humour and warmth occurring through the leads interactions with peripheral characters - Jenny, Gus, Winston and Rachel all add something even though they might be fully fleshed out. The story is light escapism with some poignant moments: you might think you know where things are going but it is not a totally predictable read!! We are told the tale through both Henry and Zoe's eyes and the plot moves along at pace ... there are a few letters from another character that I found an emotional read adding an extra insight. The book left us with glimpses of other stories and I would not be sorry if Andy Jones chose to revisit these people in a follow up story. Thanks to TBC on Facebook for the opportunity to read this book ... I have added the other 2 books by the author to my kindle!!
This was a new author for me but will read more as loved this book was well written and great characters and story line was really good. Henry and Zoe have more in common than they think but can they both decide what they want in life and if it is with each other. Henry left his partner at the alter as knew he couldn't go ahead so fled to London yet Zoe wants to leave London as her partner dies in an accident and she decided she wants to travel but can they both heal and move forward. An easy read and highly recommend it.