Practicing Normal is a captivating family saga. Each chapter is written from the perspective of a different character and I always tend to enjoy this format. It works really well with this story. We meet Kate who is the mother of Jenna and JT, wife to Everett and daughter to Marilyn. She is a housewife/stay-at-home mother who sacrificed her nursing career to be there for her family. She is an instantly likeable character and very relatable to many, I would imagine. She’s a busy housewife coping with a stroppy teenager, a son with Aspergers, a depressed, dependant, aging mother and a cheating husband! She also has an annoying sister, Evelyn, who I didn’t warm to at all. Kate deserves much more than to be treated as a glorified skivvy with little to no respect from certain members of her family who should cherish her more.

Everett is a cheating git who wants his cake and eat it. Why are some men never satisfied with what they have??

Jenna is moody teenager, to put it mildly! She is fully aware of what her father is up to though so I could empathise with her to a degree. She hates him and feels that her mother is weak for putting up with him. She becomes much more likeable as the story progresses. She develops a relationship with local boy, Wells, and becomes more relaxed and happy.

JT is a brilliant character! Loved him!

Marilyn is a difficult character to like initially, but easier to understand as the story progresses. Her story is quite heart-breaking.

These are real people with real problems and this story is full of raw emotion, but also hope for a brighter future.

I highly recommend.

Many thanks for my review copy via Netgalley.

happy reading 🙂