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Ordinary Time: Lessons Learned While Staying Put – A Memoir of Humor and Hope in a Small-Town Life
***AudioFile Earphones Award Winner***
Annie B. Jones, the popular From the Front Porch podcast host and independent bookstore owner challenges the idea that loud lives are the ones that matter most, reminding us that we don't have to leave the lives we have in order to have the lives of which we've always dreamed.
Can life be an adventure, even when it’s just . . . ordinary?
Listen as Annie shares how she always assumed adulthood would mean a high-powered career; life in a big, bustling city; and travels to far-flung places she’d longed to see. But her reality turned out differently. As the years passed, Annie was still in the same small town running an independent bookstore —the kind of life Nora Ephron dreamed.
During that time, she hosted friends’ goodbye parties and mailed parting gifts; wrote recommendation letters and wished former shop staffers well. She stayed in her small town, despite her love of big cities; stayed in her marriage to the guy she met when she was eighteen; and she stayed at her bookstore while the world outside shifted steadily toward digital retailers. And she stayed loyal to a faith she sometimes didn’t recognize.
After ten years, Annie realized she might never leave. But instead of regret, she had an epiphany. She awakened to the gifts of a quiet life spent staying put.
In Ordinary Time, Annie challenges the idea that loud lives matter most. Rummaging through her small-town existence, she finds hidden gifts of humor and hope from a life lived quietly. Staying, can itself be a radical act. It takes courage to stay in the places we’ve always called home, Annie argues, as she paints a portrait of possibility far away from thriving metropolises and Monica Gellar-inspired apartments.
We’ve long been encouraged to follow our dreams, to pack up and move to new places and leave old lives—and past selves—behind. While there is beauty in these kinds of adventures, Ordinary Time helps us see ourselves right where we in the middle of messy, mundane lives, maybe not too far from where we grew up. We don’t have to leave to find what we yearn—we can choose to stay, celebrating and honoring our ordinary lives, which might turn out to be bigger and better than we ever imagined.
Annie B. Jones, the popular From the Front Porch podcast host and independent bookstore owner challenges the idea that loud lives are the ones that matter most, reminding us that we don't have to leave the lives we have in order to have the lives of which we've always dreamed.
Can life be an adventure, even when it’s just . . . ordinary?
Listen as Annie shares how she always assumed adulthood would mean a high-powered career; life in a big, bustling city; and travels to far-flung places she’d longed to see. But her reality turned out differently. As the years passed, Annie was still in the same small town running an independent bookstore —the kind of life Nora Ephron dreamed.
During that time, she hosted friends’ goodbye parties and mailed parting gifts; wrote recommendation letters and wished former shop staffers well. She stayed in her small town, despite her love of big cities; stayed in her marriage to the guy she met when she was eighteen; and she stayed at her bookstore while the world outside shifted steadily toward digital retailers. And she stayed loyal to a faith she sometimes didn’t recognize.
After ten years, Annie realized she might never leave. But instead of regret, she had an epiphany. She awakened to the gifts of a quiet life spent staying put.
In Ordinary Time, Annie challenges the idea that loud lives matter most. Rummaging through her small-town existence, she finds hidden gifts of humor and hope from a life lived quietly. Staying, can itself be a radical act. It takes courage to stay in the places we’ve always called home, Annie argues, as she paints a portrait of possibility far away from thriving metropolises and Monica Gellar-inspired apartments.
We’ve long been encouraged to follow our dreams, to pack up and move to new places and leave old lives—and past selves—behind. While there is beauty in these kinds of adventures, Ordinary Time helps us see ourselves right where we in the middle of messy, mundane lives, maybe not too far from where we grew up. We don’t have to leave to find what we yearn—we can choose to stay, celebrating and honoring our ordinary lives, which might turn out to be bigger and better than we ever imagined.
240 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 22, 2025
453 people are currently reading
11354 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 868 reviews
February 10, 2025
The synopsis promised the memoir of a small town bookshop owner, but there’s very little of that here. This is instead a haphazard collection of short chapters that reads like a collection of blog posts on random and unrelated topics including religion, Ringo Starr, haircuts, the origin of the author’s name, etc. At the end of most chapters I found myself thinking “…and the point is?” Nothing is developed fully in any meaningful way, and the overall effort is forgettable.
May 9, 2025
Edit: I listened to the audiobook and Annie does narrate her own book and I loved it the second time through also!
I'm sitting on my front porch swing while I write this review. Annie B. Jones owns a book store in beautiful downtown Thomasville, GA and has a podcast called From The Front Porch. I listen every Thursday to her podcast. I was so excited to be given an ARC of her debut and I normally do not read my ARCs this far in advance of when the book releases but I just had to start it. And then I just kept reading. I loved it so much! Annie is from Tallahassee, FL and had dreams and aspirations of living in New York City and having a big career. That is not where life took her. It took her down the road to Thomasville, GA and taking over a book store. This is a book about staying while so many people move on with their lives. I can completely relate. I am also a stayer. So much of this book resonated with me and I was not expecting that. It is not all about staying. Sometimes leaving is also the right choice. Annie talked about when she had to not just leave her family church but leave her Christian denomination. I did not leave my Catholic faith, but it was SO hard when I did leave my childhood church for another church that was closer. To leave behind people who knew me as a child that I had grown up with was so hard. She talks about Little Women and how Jo wanted everything to always stay the same. Why did her sisters want to marry and leave their family? I am a person who likes consistency. I get it. However, unlike Annie, I always wanted to stay near my family. I am content to live in the same area forever and never had the bigger dreams like she did so that is definitely harder to deal with. Annie has reader retreats at her store and one day I will make it to one. I cried while reading this book and also had a smile so many times. I hope Annie narrates her own book. I would love to listen to her read it. I am just so excited for Annie to have her first book published. It is a dream come true for her! I loved it so much!
I highlighted so many passages but they may not be in the final book:
-This book is about...the things you let go and the things you hold on to when you are the one who stays.
-If everyone around you were leaving, wouldn't that make you wonder why you were staying?
-In our culture's current crisis of loneliness, the answer, experts say, isn't to form more deep and lasting friendships. It's to stop using the self-checkout at Target. It's to stop placing a mobile order for your coffee. It's to look people in the eye and to make purchases in person and to form the societal bonds we've almost forgotten out of a desire for convenience.
-I can keep running The Bookshelf only if I hold close to the people whose voices matter most.
-Sometimes, to stay, you have to leave. It might be the best, hardest thing you ever do.
-I don't like funerals, but I do think going to them matters.
-It occurred to me then how important it is to show up when you can.
-That thing you loved in childhood? That sport or book or TV show or board game? It can bring you back to yourself, if only for a moment, and a moment might be just what you need.
-Books fill me up. Quiet fills me up. My home fills me up.
-I don't want to be known for my eye roll but for my awe.
-Love what you love, and let other people see it, so they can love it too.
-Good stories are anywhere you are. Your ordinary life matters, and the place you're living it matters too.
I'm sitting on my front porch swing while I write this review. Annie B. Jones owns a book store in beautiful downtown Thomasville, GA and has a podcast called From The Front Porch. I listen every Thursday to her podcast. I was so excited to be given an ARC of her debut and I normally do not read my ARCs this far in advance of when the book releases but I just had to start it. And then I just kept reading. I loved it so much! Annie is from Tallahassee, FL and had dreams and aspirations of living in New York City and having a big career. That is not where life took her. It took her down the road to Thomasville, GA and taking over a book store. This is a book about staying while so many people move on with their lives. I can completely relate. I am also a stayer. So much of this book resonated with me and I was not expecting that. It is not all about staying. Sometimes leaving is also the right choice. Annie talked about when she had to not just leave her family church but leave her Christian denomination. I did not leave my Catholic faith, but it was SO hard when I did leave my childhood church for another church that was closer. To leave behind people who knew me as a child that I had grown up with was so hard. She talks about Little Women and how Jo wanted everything to always stay the same. Why did her sisters want to marry and leave their family? I am a person who likes consistency. I get it. However, unlike Annie, I always wanted to stay near my family. I am content to live in the same area forever and never had the bigger dreams like she did so that is definitely harder to deal with. Annie has reader retreats at her store and one day I will make it to one. I cried while reading this book and also had a smile so many times. I hope Annie narrates her own book. I would love to listen to her read it. I am just so excited for Annie to have her first book published. It is a dream come true for her! I loved it so much!
I highlighted so many passages but they may not be in the final book:
-This book is about...the things you let go and the things you hold on to when you are the one who stays.
-If everyone around you were leaving, wouldn't that make you wonder why you were staying?
-In our culture's current crisis of loneliness, the answer, experts say, isn't to form more deep and lasting friendships. It's to stop using the self-checkout at Target. It's to stop placing a mobile order for your coffee. It's to look people in the eye and to make purchases in person and to form the societal bonds we've almost forgotten out of a desire for convenience.
-I can keep running The Bookshelf only if I hold close to the people whose voices matter most.
-Sometimes, to stay, you have to leave. It might be the best, hardest thing you ever do.
-I don't like funerals, but I do think going to them matters.
-It occurred to me then how important it is to show up when you can.
-That thing you loved in childhood? That sport or book or TV show or board game? It can bring you back to yourself, if only for a moment, and a moment might be just what you need.
-Books fill me up. Quiet fills me up. My home fills me up.
-I don't want to be known for my eye roll but for my awe.
-Love what you love, and let other people see it, so they can love it too.
-Good stories are anywhere you are. Your ordinary life matters, and the place you're living it matters too.
June 19, 2025
I’ve been a fan of Annie B Jones for years. I listen to her podcast, I subscribe to her newsletter, and had a subscription to her monthly book club, cancelling the latter only because our tastes are so similar I often had already read the book as an ARC.
So, perhaps I’m biased, but I loved this book. I’m closer to the demographic of her mother, but I still appreciated Annie’s thoughtful musings.
As with any compilation of essays, some will resonate more than others, but I thoroughly enjoyed each and every one.
Annie talks about those who stay, the ones who had big dreams and lofty ideals who end up staying while watching others go off to fulfill their big city dreams. She’s one who stayed, owning a small indie bookstore in Thomasville, GA, The Bookshelf. (And look at her now….wow!)
I’m one who stayed, but then quite surprisingly found myself as one who left, in the midst of a pandemic. I feel deeply the sadness Annie speaks of; of leaving friends and the life I knew, while appreciating the life I now have. I guess you could say I’m the reverse Annie. Or the one who pivots when life requires it. As we all must do.
Both emotions, sadness and excitement, can exist together. But Annie expresses those emotions so much more eloquently than I can.
Love the life you are led to even if it’s not the one you dreamed of. An important message, because life has a way of throwing curve balls that you can’t foresee.
But make no mistake, the essays cover a breadth of content, not all relating to those who stayed (or left). It’s simply the theme that resonated with me more deeply so I’m talking about it the most. Her other entries are relatable and poignant.
Annie has an incredible gift for writing and I can’t wait to see what she does next.
I listened to the audio, read by Annie herself, which I highly recommend!
So, perhaps I’m biased, but I loved this book. I’m closer to the demographic of her mother, but I still appreciated Annie’s thoughtful musings.
As with any compilation of essays, some will resonate more than others, but I thoroughly enjoyed each and every one.
Annie talks about those who stay, the ones who had big dreams and lofty ideals who end up staying while watching others go off to fulfill their big city dreams. She’s one who stayed, owning a small indie bookstore in Thomasville, GA, The Bookshelf. (And look at her now….wow!)
I’m one who stayed, but then quite surprisingly found myself as one who left, in the midst of a pandemic. I feel deeply the sadness Annie speaks of; of leaving friends and the life I knew, while appreciating the life I now have. I guess you could say I’m the reverse Annie. Or the one who pivots when life requires it. As we all must do.
Both emotions, sadness and excitement, can exist together. But Annie expresses those emotions so much more eloquently than I can.
Love the life you are led to even if it’s not the one you dreamed of. An important message, because life has a way of throwing curve balls that you can’t foresee.
But make no mistake, the essays cover a breadth of content, not all relating to those who stayed (or left). It’s simply the theme that resonated with me more deeply so I’m talking about it the most. Her other entries are relatable and poignant.
Annie has an incredible gift for writing and I can’t wait to see what she does next.
I listened to the audio, read by Annie herself, which I highly recommend!
March 4, 2025
(free review copy) Annie B. Jones is a known name to me, living in the book world as I do, but I have never been a devotee of the podcast or attended a retreat at The Bookshelf. I went into this book of essays mainly because it’s about staying and I too, have stayed. In my home state my entire life, in my current house for 20+ years, in my marriage for the same amount of time.
I planned to read this book one essay a day, slowly savoring it over time. Instead I read it straight through and wanted it to be five times as long. I am not Christian and can’t relate to the specific faith written about in these pages, but Jones’ narrative about her grappling with religion and churches can be compared to many other life situations of needing to find one’s place and home. I read faith-based books with a curiosity lens, trying to understand a world so foreign to me.
I loved this book. I felt at home with Jones and her honesty and openness, and so deeply seen in being someone who has stayed.
Source: digital review copy via Edelweiss
I planned to read this book one essay a day, slowly savoring it over time. Instead I read it straight through and wanted it to be five times as long. I am not Christian and can’t relate to the specific faith written about in these pages, but Jones’ narrative about her grappling with religion and churches can be compared to many other life situations of needing to find one’s place and home. I read faith-based books with a curiosity lens, trying to understand a world so foreign to me.
I loved this book. I felt at home with Jones and her honesty and openness, and so deeply seen in being someone who has stayed.
Source: digital review copy via Edelweiss
May 31, 2025
I read a lot of great reviews for Ordinary Time and between those and the synopsis, I was definitely intrigued. This book is a series of essays from writer and bookstore owner, Annie Jones, on lessons she learned while staying put. Annie found herself staying local while friends and family members moved elsewhere to pursue new careers, homes, adventures, etc.
I did enjoy this overall, though maybe not quite as much as I expected to. Some essays resonated a lot and some, a little less. I appreciated the reflections Annie provided on enjoying the ordinary and quieter moments in life. Recognizing Ordinary Time is somewhat of a memoir, I understand staying has been a theme in Annie’s life – Loving where you live is, I believe, one of the most important choices you make as an adult and staying isn’t for everyone.
My favorite chapter was “A Life Lived with Books” — Why Annie loves them, why she reads, and what books offer us as readers. I found this very relatable.
I enjoyed hearing about The Bookshop, a store I would be happy to visit someday, though, I hadn’t listened to her podcast, “From the Front Porch” and think Ordinary Time will resonate even more with readers already familiar with Annie and the show. I have listened to a few episodes since finishing the book and enjoyed them — 3.5 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and Harper One for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
I did enjoy this overall, though maybe not quite as much as I expected to. Some essays resonated a lot and some, a little less. I appreciated the reflections Annie provided on enjoying the ordinary and quieter moments in life. Recognizing Ordinary Time is somewhat of a memoir, I understand staying has been a theme in Annie’s life – Loving where you live is, I believe, one of the most important choices you make as an adult and staying isn’t for everyone.
My favorite chapter was “A Life Lived with Books” — Why Annie loves them, why she reads, and what books offer us as readers. I found this very relatable.
I enjoyed hearing about The Bookshop, a store I would be happy to visit someday, though, I hadn’t listened to her podcast, “From the Front Porch” and think Ordinary Time will resonate even more with readers already familiar with Annie and the show. I have listened to a few episodes since finishing the book and enjoyed them — 3.5 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and Harper One for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
February 22, 2025
DNF @ 50%
The author has a popular podcast (which I've never heard of) and has run a small, independent bookstore for the last decade. She talks about growing up in a small town, watching many of her close friends and classmates move away to larger cities, then herself moving away to another lovely small town existence. In her new surroundings, she made the effort to acquire and keep new friends that enrich her life. Another topic was the lifelong importance of church in her family's life, where circumstances led she and her husband to explore alternative churches. Another difficulty was navigating the unpleasant role of being boss at her bookstore, and the painful experience of having to demote or fire people (it seemed to hurt her more than the employee).
I really thought I would connect with this being a quiet, introverted person who lives in a small town and finds refuge in reading. However, I was increasingly bored with the content and decided to DNF @ 50%. Maybe these chapter entries are more attractive to people who listen to her podcast, but for me they were too "ordinary" and did not engage me.
Thank you to the publisher HarperOne who provided an advance reader copy via NetGalley.
The author has a popular podcast (which I've never heard of) and has run a small, independent bookstore for the last decade. She talks about growing up in a small town, watching many of her close friends and classmates move away to larger cities, then herself moving away to another lovely small town existence. In her new surroundings, she made the effort to acquire and keep new friends that enrich her life. Another topic was the lifelong importance of church in her family's life, where circumstances led she and her husband to explore alternative churches. Another difficulty was navigating the unpleasant role of being boss at her bookstore, and the painful experience of having to demote or fire people (it seemed to hurt her more than the employee).
I really thought I would connect with this being a quiet, introverted person who lives in a small town and finds refuge in reading. However, I was increasingly bored with the content and decided to DNF @ 50%. Maybe these chapter entries are more attractive to people who listen to her podcast, but for me they were too "ordinary" and did not engage me.
Thank you to the publisher HarperOne who provided an advance reader copy via NetGalley.
August 18, 2024
This is a story about small towns, big relationships and being true to yourself no matter what. Annie Jones describes small-town life from the perspective of someone who moved to one later in life and had to put in a lot of effort to be accepted by the locals. I totally empathize. Honestly, if Annie and I had ended up in the same small town I think we would've become fast friends just for our shared love of books, Ted Lasso and the Beatles alone. This is a very relatable book for anyone who's upended their lives and moved to somewhere new to start over. The entire book feels more like chatting with a friend than it does reading a memoir. I love her sense of humor, her straight-up honesty, and her candor about personal things like religion and pregnancy and grief. I look forward to sharing this book with a few of my own small-town friends.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review the free ARC of this book.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review the free ARC of this book.
March 27, 2025
SOOOOO many thanks to NetGalley and Harper One for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
"The solution to an age of disenchatment? Be enchanted. Share about it."
Where do I start and not sound like a gushing idiot? I am a big fan of the author's; I listen to the From the Front Porch Podcast almost every week, subscribe to Annie's Sunday newsletter, and a trip to The Bookshelf is on my bucket list. I was thrilled to learn she was publishing a book and even more thrilled when I was granted my request for it from NetGalley.
This is book of essays about what it means to "stay"- mostly geographically speaking, while others leave. But it's also about what it means to stay while leaving: leaving your faith, leaving some old dreams, leaving behind ideas about what you expected life to be like- all while staying true to who you are. She also attempts to answer the question, "Can an ordinary life be extraordinary?".
While not every essay was 5 stars, the ones that were, I felt in my soul. I say with complete sincerity that Annie Jones is a light in this world. I'm so fond of her in part because she is so much of what I would like to be, and what I wish we had more of: thoughtfulness, compassion, a sense of wonder, good humor, curiosity, unapologetic joy, faith that is honest, and simple decency. All of those are on display here. My favorite essays were:
Stars Hollow & Sunsets
When Staying True Means Leaving
Obituaries
Be Ringo (Anyone who can pull off the comparison of Ringo Starr to Jesus has my vote forever.)
This was a quick read, but not shallow. I bookmarked so many pages and stopped often just to further absorb what I'd read. I related to a great deal as Southern, Christian, reading woman, and I'm sure that contributed to my enjoyment, but I also loved it for simply being a dose of GOOD, when it seems this world desperately needs as much of it as we can get.
"The solution to an age of disenchatment? Be enchanted. Share about it."
Where do I start and not sound like a gushing idiot? I am a big fan of the author's; I listen to the From the Front Porch Podcast almost every week, subscribe to Annie's Sunday newsletter, and a trip to The Bookshelf is on my bucket list. I was thrilled to learn she was publishing a book and even more thrilled when I was granted my request for it from NetGalley.
This is book of essays about what it means to "stay"- mostly geographically speaking, while others leave. But it's also about what it means to stay while leaving: leaving your faith, leaving some old dreams, leaving behind ideas about what you expected life to be like- all while staying true to who you are. She also attempts to answer the question, "Can an ordinary life be extraordinary?".
While not every essay was 5 stars, the ones that were, I felt in my soul. I say with complete sincerity that Annie Jones is a light in this world. I'm so fond of her in part because she is so much of what I would like to be, and what I wish we had more of: thoughtfulness, compassion, a sense of wonder, good humor, curiosity, unapologetic joy, faith that is honest, and simple decency. All of those are on display here. My favorite essays were:
Stars Hollow & Sunsets
When Staying True Means Leaving
Obituaries
Be Ringo (Anyone who can pull off the comparison of Ringo Starr to Jesus has my vote forever.)
This was a quick read, but not shallow. I bookmarked so many pages and stopped often just to further absorb what I'd read. I related to a great deal as Southern, Christian, reading woman, and I'm sure that contributed to my enjoyment, but I also loved it for simply being a dose of GOOD, when it seems this world desperately needs as much of it as we can get.
April 24, 2025
I have been a fan of Annie B Jones and Thomasville for at least a few years. There are parts of her quirkiness that come through on the podcast but this memoir is just so much more.
It’s a book about staying. Or leaving. I would be a liar if I said I don’t think about staying or leaving frequently. I am usually in a very rumpled state of being when leaving becomes my predominant thought. Reading is the best tonic for me when I lacing up my shoes to just leave it all behind. Annie supports me in that endeavor.
Look, I’m old enough to be Annie’s mama but she somehow has managed to provide me some very comforting thoughts and ways to reorganize my thinking in these essays. I will very likely read this at least a few more times over the years too. It’s a keeper.
It’s a book about staying. Or leaving. I would be a liar if I said I don’t think about staying or leaving frequently. I am usually in a very rumpled state of being when leaving becomes my predominant thought. Reading is the best tonic for me when I lacing up my shoes to just leave it all behind. Annie supports me in that endeavor.
Look, I’m old enough to be Annie’s mama but she somehow has managed to provide me some very comforting thoughts and ways to reorganize my thinking in these essays. I will very likely read this at least a few more times over the years too. It’s a keeper.
April 22, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC!
Since Annie announced her book, I have been waiting to dive into the pages.
Annie owns a bookstore in a small town in South Georgia, very close to where I was born and raised. We also share a connection through our alma mater—she attended the same small, Christian college I did, where she participated in the Great Books program and was part of a social club, both of which I was involved in as well.
Annie writes with such vulnerability and grace that it made me reflect on my own life in new ways. As a child, she dreamed of moving to a big city to become a journalist, but as you can tell from the book's title, she "stayed put"—settling in the South, not far from where she grew up. Within the pages, she recounts the early days of owning The Bookshelf, having a pool, growing up with a brother, and throwing goodbye parties.
I highlighted so many passages in this book, either because I deeply related to them or because they were quotes I want to hold onto. I’m especially grateful for this book right now, as a single 26-year-old navigating adulthood while staying true to myself and not comparing my journey to others.
“Good stories are anywhere you are. Your ordinary life matters, and the place you’re living it matters, too.”
Since Annie announced her book, I have been waiting to dive into the pages.
Annie owns a bookstore in a small town in South Georgia, very close to where I was born and raised. We also share a connection through our alma mater—she attended the same small, Christian college I did, where she participated in the Great Books program and was part of a social club, both of which I was involved in as well.
Annie writes with such vulnerability and grace that it made me reflect on my own life in new ways. As a child, she dreamed of moving to a big city to become a journalist, but as you can tell from the book's title, she "stayed put"—settling in the South, not far from where she grew up. Within the pages, she recounts the early days of owning The Bookshelf, having a pool, growing up with a brother, and throwing goodbye parties.
I highlighted so many passages in this book, either because I deeply related to them or because they were quotes I want to hold onto. I’m especially grateful for this book right now, as a single 26-year-old navigating adulthood while staying true to myself and not comparing my journey to others.
“Good stories are anywhere you are. Your ordinary life matters, and the place you’re living it matters, too.”
May 8, 2025
I have to add my audio book review. The author reads her own words and her familiar voice made it feel even more personal. I can’t recommend it enough!
Happy pub day to Ordinary Time!! I highly recommend-see my review below!
As a fan of From the Front Porch podcast I jumped at the chance to read Annie Jones’ debut work of essays and it felt as familiar as her weekly conversations about books, small business, and life in the south. Listeners of the podcast will no doubt find themselves enthralled with getting to know their host better, but I encourage non listeners to also read this book. In it you will find familiar words about a life well lived and lived with purpose. I believe that is what most of us are looking for. This book is both affirming and inspiring as she discussed: growing up, faith, leaving and finding church, marriage, fertility, business, and more. I felt seen and understood in its pages and I think many readers will resonate with more than a few of her essays. If I had to pick a favorite it would be the very last essay, but honestly they are all excellent. This doesn’t come out till next spring but you can preorder at Annie’s bookstore-@bookshelftville.
A big thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!
Happy pub day to Ordinary Time!! I highly recommend-see my review below!
As a fan of From the Front Porch podcast I jumped at the chance to read Annie Jones’ debut work of essays and it felt as familiar as her weekly conversations about books, small business, and life in the south. Listeners of the podcast will no doubt find themselves enthralled with getting to know their host better, but I encourage non listeners to also read this book. In it you will find familiar words about a life well lived and lived with purpose. I believe that is what most of us are looking for. This book is both affirming and inspiring as she discussed: growing up, faith, leaving and finding church, marriage, fertility, business, and more. I felt seen and understood in its pages and I think many readers will resonate with more than a few of her essays. If I had to pick a favorite it would be the very last essay, but honestly they are all excellent. This doesn’t come out till next spring but you can preorder at Annie’s bookstore-@bookshelftville.
A big thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!
April 19, 2025
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I’ve been following Annie B. Jones and The Bookshelf for years, so I was excited to see she was writing a book. In fact, I just knew I had to choose it for our book club’s next pick. :)
I related to a lot of Annie’s story. The oldest daughter, a business owner, resident of a small town, a person who “stays put”—these things often define me, too. And funny enough, as I was reading this book, I was also saying “goodbye” to one of my closest friends.
Annie’s writing style and her ability to capture big feelings and unique people are reminiscent of other writers I love.
This phrase is corny and overused, but I don’t know how else to describe it: Ordinary Time is a breath of fresh air.
Here are so quotes that especially struck home:
“l am glad I let myself be surprised by these things. I hope more surprises are coming. Life is better with a little bewilderment and wonder about the things we think we might not deserve.”
“I wonder if this is why I love books. I can dip my toe into other lives without entirely changing my own. I can stay, because in books, I can adventure and wander, meander and dream. I read books because, at their best, they make me better, more empathetic, more socially aware, more in tune to the stranger beside me.”
“The solution to an age of disenchantment? Be enchanted. Share about it. I used to think my face betrayed me, like it told secrets I wasn't ready to share. But now I don't want my awe to be tucked inside, away from the very people who might need it most. Awe begets awe, enchantment begets enchantment. In a world of cynicism, earnestness is crucial.”
“Your ordinary life matters, and the place you're living it matters, too.”
I’ve been following Annie B. Jones and The Bookshelf for years, so I was excited to see she was writing a book. In fact, I just knew I had to choose it for our book club’s next pick. :)
I related to a lot of Annie’s story. The oldest daughter, a business owner, resident of a small town, a person who “stays put”—these things often define me, too. And funny enough, as I was reading this book, I was also saying “goodbye” to one of my closest friends.
Annie’s writing style and her ability to capture big feelings and unique people are reminiscent of other writers I love.
This phrase is corny and overused, but I don’t know how else to describe it: Ordinary Time is a breath of fresh air.
Here are so quotes that especially struck home:
“l am glad I let myself be surprised by these things. I hope more surprises are coming. Life is better with a little bewilderment and wonder about the things we think we might not deserve.”
“I wonder if this is why I love books. I can dip my toe into other lives without entirely changing my own. I can stay, because in books, I can adventure and wander, meander and dream. I read books because, at their best, they make me better, more empathetic, more socially aware, more in tune to the stranger beside me.”
“The solution to an age of disenchantment? Be enchanted. Share about it. I used to think my face betrayed me, like it told secrets I wasn't ready to share. But now I don't want my awe to be tucked inside, away from the very people who might need it most. Awe begets awe, enchantment begets enchantment. In a world of cynicism, earnestness is crucial.”
“Your ordinary life matters, and the place you're living it matters, too.”
February 17, 2025
Being a librarian, I love books. I also love hearing about books, and listen to several book podcasts, including "From the Front Porch" with Annie B. Jones, who is an independent bookstore owner of The Bookshelf in Thomasville GA. I live in Western NY, I'm also probably closer in age to Annie's Mother, but I related so much to her debut book of essays, "Ordinary Time". I personally love essays, and was happy that Annie used this format to tell us about her life and thoughts. I related to her struggle with being an introvert, yet working in a very public facing job, and how books can help us connect, escape, and stay sane. The essay on obituaries is one that really resonated with me - I have felt the heartbreak of realizing a favorite patron has stopped calling, or coming into the library and doing the dreaded google search to see the sad news. Her decision to leave her church, her struggle to find a new place to worship and live - all made me feel seen. This book feels like a warm hug - Annie seems so grounded and authentic. I hope one day I can visit The Bookshelf, or attend a Reader's Retreat. I am going to totally use her "I am going to collapse in on myself like a dying star" instead of going in the back room and singing my "I hate people" song when I've had too much face time. Thank you, Annie, for reminding us that life is better with a little bewilderment, and to learn to accept the good things that come our way, even if they are very ordinary. Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced reader copy.
November 4, 2024
"Your ordinary life matters, and the place you're living it matters, too."
Do I know Annie B Jones? No. Do I feel like I know her because she shares her heart and soul with her bookstore, podcast and book recommendations? Absolutely. Annie feels like a kindred spirit who knows what it’s like to be decidedly uncool as a teenager, and what it’s like to be an awkward adult.
When talking about getting married young and and entering adulthood with her husband she said, "We've always been a little elderly on the inside, so maybe we were more mature than our twenty-two years suggested." I can relate to this because I joke about being 'old' on the inside. I think it is a blessing from growing up close to and spending so much time with both sets of my grandparents. Annie recognizes the value of ordinary things having the ability to be the biggest blessings in our lives.
Sometimes it's easy to feel left behind or that you aren't moving forward when your friends and peers are building their lives in big cities or at big jobs. I have found the most happiness in my adult life enjoying the things that brought me comfort in my childhood...books, familiar TV shows, time with family and friends, and food. This is the "good stuff".
I really enjoyed reading this. It felt like reading letters from a close friend who knows what it's like to feel discontent. And who knows how to move through the discontentment by celebrating your every day life, family and friends.
"The solution to an age of disenchantment? Be enchanted. Share about it." Simply put, I was enchanted by this book and I hope others are too.
Thanks to NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Do I know Annie B Jones? No. Do I feel like I know her because she shares her heart and soul with her bookstore, podcast and book recommendations? Absolutely. Annie feels like a kindred spirit who knows what it’s like to be decidedly uncool as a teenager, and what it’s like to be an awkward adult.
When talking about getting married young and and entering adulthood with her husband she said, "We've always been a little elderly on the inside, so maybe we were more mature than our twenty-two years suggested." I can relate to this because I joke about being 'old' on the inside. I think it is a blessing from growing up close to and spending so much time with both sets of my grandparents. Annie recognizes the value of ordinary things having the ability to be the biggest blessings in our lives.
Sometimes it's easy to feel left behind or that you aren't moving forward when your friends and peers are building their lives in big cities or at big jobs. I have found the most happiness in my adult life enjoying the things that brought me comfort in my childhood...books, familiar TV shows, time with family and friends, and food. This is the "good stuff".
I really enjoyed reading this. It felt like reading letters from a close friend who knows what it's like to feel discontent. And who knows how to move through the discontentment by celebrating your every day life, family and friends.
"The solution to an age of disenchantment? Be enchanted. Share about it." Simply put, I was enchanted by this book and I hope others are too.
Thanks to NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 26, 2024
As this is a memoir, I do not feel like this is my place to be so critical of the content written in this novel, thus, 5 stars. Annie B. Jones did a great job for her debut novel and I applaud the vulnerability in the stories she told. Although I do not consider myself religious, and this memoir spoke a lot on Jones’ religious journey, I found it to be well written and an interesting point of view!
Overall, there were great points taken away in the message of staying. The concept of staying or leaving in life can be applied in so many places, as Jones explores, and I think it’s important to understand the various perspectives. Jones’ story may also be comforting for those that relate to staying. The writing was also witty and relatable which enhanced my enjoyment of following along with her message.
Personally, I have left in a lot of areas of my life. Although I stand strong on my position to leave, I would be lying if I said staying hasn’t crossed my mind.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc of Ordinary Time in exchange for my honest review.
Overall, there were great points taken away in the message of staying. The concept of staying or leaving in life can be applied in so many places, as Jones explores, and I think it’s important to understand the various perspectives. Jones’ story may also be comforting for those that relate to staying. The writing was also witty and relatable which enhanced my enjoyment of following along with her message.
Personally, I have left in a lot of areas of my life. Although I stand strong on my position to leave, I would be lying if I said staying hasn’t crossed my mind.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc of Ordinary Time in exchange for my honest review.
October 12, 2025
annie is an internet friend of mine, and spending time reading her book (and listening to her on the audio version) felt like such a treat – like a long afternoon spent in a sunny coffeeshop catching up with an old pal, hearing their best stories, feeling warm and cozy and deeply grateful. i so appreciated the way this one gave the staying, the simpler life, the love of community its time in the spotlight, showing that there's so much beauty and depth and grit in these things, too. it's really just such a lovely collection of words, and one that helped me see my own life as more poetic and meaningful. grateful for this one!
November 24, 2024
a beautiful reminder of how incredible the small moments are :)
April 25, 2025
Through the writing, this author felt warm and someone I could definitely chat with about books, but there was a noted lack of depth that I found myself waiting on as the stories progressed. Unfortunately, what I kept looking for never came. Now, if I were to speculate on how this book came to be, the idea of "staying" rather than going felt big enough to write about. However, in execution, it was anything but.
Staying rooted somewhere is a big enough story to write a book, but this author didn't quite do that. The writing isn't bad. Like I said, I found it warm, though it did feel reminiscent of people who love books and love to read, hell even own a bookshop - and because of this connection they think they too can write a book. Rather than really dig into her concept, I felt the author meandering around it. The ending of each essay when the reflection began almost felt like it should have been where each essay actually began. The author injected faith and god into stories that needed to stand on their own, rather than be propped up by the wooden limbs of a character (god) from a book someone else wrote (the Bible is just that, a book). The author needed to shoot past this crutch, and the only time I felt like she did was when she spoke about her dog and her pool, funnily enough.
Genuinely, it felt like the fear of stripping back and putting vulnerabilities splayed out on the pages was palpable in the writing. There was a certain control and tension to said control, and I found myself envisioning the author tying herself up and constraining her deepest thoughts on these topics in order to write a book that would placate the masses. That's not to say, "Oh, she should have been edgier!" because that's not it. There are ugly bits to everyone and everything, and though she would acknowledge that fact in passing, there wasn't an essay that broke up the cacophony of great-family-great-town-great-faith-great-god-great-everything-is-great. I would never sit here at my keyboard and deny the author of this reality, but everyone has more to their story than the good parts.
I'm unfamiliar with this author, her shop, or her podcast. I picked this up on a whim, thinking it sounded nice. And, I suppose it was just that, just nice. Which is fine. It's good even, but not what I was hoping for when I loved the premise of Lessons Learned While Staying Put.
2.5/5 middle of the road read for me!
Staying rooted somewhere is a big enough story to write a book, but this author didn't quite do that. The writing isn't bad. Like I said, I found it warm, though it did feel reminiscent of people who love books and love to read, hell even own a bookshop - and because of this connection they think they too can write a book. Rather than really dig into her concept, I felt the author meandering around it. The ending of each essay when the reflection began almost felt like it should have been where each essay actually began. The author injected faith and god into stories that needed to stand on their own, rather than be propped up by the wooden limbs of a character (god) from a book someone else wrote (the Bible is just that, a book). The author needed to shoot past this crutch, and the only time I felt like she did was when she spoke about her dog and her pool, funnily enough.
Genuinely, it felt like the fear of stripping back and putting vulnerabilities splayed out on the pages was palpable in the writing. There was a certain control and tension to said control, and I found myself envisioning the author tying herself up and constraining her deepest thoughts on these topics in order to write a book that would placate the masses. That's not to say, "Oh, she should have been edgier!" because that's not it. There are ugly bits to everyone and everything, and though she would acknowledge that fact in passing, there wasn't an essay that broke up the cacophony of great-family-great-town-great-faith-great-god-great-everything-is-great. I would never sit here at my keyboard and deny the author of this reality, but everyone has more to their story than the good parts.
I'm unfamiliar with this author, her shop, or her podcast. I picked this up on a whim, thinking it sounded nice. And, I suppose it was just that, just nice. Which is fine. It's good even, but not what I was hoping for when I loved the premise of Lessons Learned While Staying Put.
2.5/5 middle of the road read for me!
July 17, 2025
Annie Jones is a small town bookstore owner and podcaster. Her 2025 memoir Ordinary Time is...ordinary to the point of mundanity. I picked it up because the subtitle, lessons learned while staying put, intrigued me, as someone around her age who's spent adulthood moving around a lot but never to glamorous or exciting locations like Jones' vaunted New York City, much less locations I get to choose.
While Jones' initial essay is about her life staying put in the Southern US, near the Georgia-Florida border, while many of her friends and folks she grew up with moved away, the rest of the book is series of essays about her life, like a blog you'd share for family and friends but that wouldn't spark interest for the general public. Sure, Jones has had a podcast for 10 years with her husband (her college sweetheart whom she met at 18 and married at 22), but anyone can have a podcast, and that doesn't make you interesting or worth listening to. One essay is about Jones' resonance with books all her life, but I've read so many memoirs that use this same trope, and it's hard to do it well (Jones doesn't) without slipping into cliché (Jones does).
I found myself bored and annoyed with this book. It's myopic and navel-gazing, not insightful and reflective like good memoirs should be. Other than the essay where Jones reflects on elderly bookstore patrons who've passed away, she seldom seems to reach beyond herself, her family, her favorite fiction books, her favorite TV shows, and her own life experiences to achieve growth. That's the worst possible definition of staying put.
My statistics:
Book 216 for 2025
Book 2142 cumulatively
While Jones' initial essay is about her life staying put in the Southern US, near the Georgia-Florida border, while many of her friends and folks she grew up with moved away, the rest of the book is series of essays about her life, like a blog you'd share for family and friends but that wouldn't spark interest for the general public. Sure, Jones has had a podcast for 10 years with her husband (her college sweetheart whom she met at 18 and married at 22), but anyone can have a podcast, and that doesn't make you interesting or worth listening to. One essay is about Jones' resonance with books all her life, but I've read so many memoirs that use this same trope, and it's hard to do it well (Jones doesn't) without slipping into cliché (Jones does).
I found myself bored and annoyed with this book. It's myopic and navel-gazing, not insightful and reflective like good memoirs should be. Other than the essay where Jones reflects on elderly bookstore patrons who've passed away, she seldom seems to reach beyond herself, her family, her favorite fiction books, her favorite TV shows, and her own life experiences to achieve growth. That's the worst possible definition of staying put.
My statistics:
Book 216 for 2025
Book 2142 cumulatively
November 7, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and HarperOne for this advance readers copy, in exchange for an honest review. I am a new listener to Annie’s From the Front Porch podcast and I was so excited to get to read this book early! This is Annie’s ode to what it means to stay, when it feels like so many people and so much of the world is constantly in flight and on the way to somewhere else. And it was just beautiful.
It’s so easy to get caught up in the thinking that because you are from a small town, don’t move to a big city, are content in an “ordinary life”, that you are less than or unworthy of certain things or maybe don’t matter as much, as Annie related and as I can certainly empathize with. But, like Annie says here, you very much do matter and it often can take just as much strength to stay as to leave. There were so many chapters in this book that resonated with me and that I think will resonate with others, this would be a perfect book to gift and to return to for its sentiments, when you need what feels like a comforting hug.
The process of deciding what you want or what is best for yourself, in a world that praises constant change and betterment, can be very difficult and reading about Annie’s journey is both a comfort and a reminder that it’s okay to not have it all figured out. Annie describes her experience mostly staying, occasionally leaving, and sometimes shifting her beliefs around religion and church, her idea of home, and what she wants from life— in these trying times, it was like a balm to hear from someone else who’s still figuring it out and asking questions that sometimes don’t have a clear answer. The hard work of staying through it and learning to live in your skin when staying is what you want, when an ordinary life is what you want, is validated through Annie’s book— it’s a true gift.
This collection is very honest, vulnerable, emotional, funny, and all around wonderful. I can’t wait for other readers to get their hands on this, I would most certainly recommend!
It’s so easy to get caught up in the thinking that because you are from a small town, don’t move to a big city, are content in an “ordinary life”, that you are less than or unworthy of certain things or maybe don’t matter as much, as Annie related and as I can certainly empathize with. But, like Annie says here, you very much do matter and it often can take just as much strength to stay as to leave. There were so many chapters in this book that resonated with me and that I think will resonate with others, this would be a perfect book to gift and to return to for its sentiments, when you need what feels like a comforting hug.
The process of deciding what you want or what is best for yourself, in a world that praises constant change and betterment, can be very difficult and reading about Annie’s journey is both a comfort and a reminder that it’s okay to not have it all figured out. Annie describes her experience mostly staying, occasionally leaving, and sometimes shifting her beliefs around religion and church, her idea of home, and what she wants from life— in these trying times, it was like a balm to hear from someone else who’s still figuring it out and asking questions that sometimes don’t have a clear answer. The hard work of staying through it and learning to live in your skin when staying is what you want, when an ordinary life is what you want, is validated through Annie’s book— it’s a true gift.
This collection is very honest, vulnerable, emotional, funny, and all around wonderful. I can’t wait for other readers to get their hands on this, I would most certainly recommend!
November 28, 2024
I always struggle rating a memoir - who am I to put stars to something so very personal? This book is no exception. Thrilled to read an arc through NetGalley, I was a little hesitant to start this one. A long time listener of From the Front Porch and a long distance fan of The Bookshelf, I was worried the Annie B Jones I have formed in my mind, a slightly goofy fellow nerd laughing at a get together, plate in hand and not worried about keeping up with the “cool kids” wouldn’t be the Annie B Jones I met in this deeply personal collection of essays. Rest assured, I was not disappointed.
Until the last couple of chapters and Epilogue, this was a very solid 4 star for me. The stories were interesting, Annie’s takes on school, faith, friends, grandparents and such were easily consumed even if at times the translations weren’t perfectly smooth. The last few chapters, where Annie confronts her feelings about motherhood, about family, and about dreams not followed really resonated and bumped my rating up. I highlighted so many passages and was assured that my feelings about Annie being 100% comfortable in her own skin yet a bit askew in the world were spot on. A fellow book lover, nothing ever hit so close to her description of how home fills her up, how routine and consistency are the foundation of her life, while recognizing some deviations from this continuity including a pool and a puppy can enrich a completely satisfactory life.
I am a stayer, an ordinary person without fanfare, fame or high amounts of exciting experiences. Yet in this book my love of books, of everyday moments and nature and comforting routines was acknowledged and seen as just as worthy and valid as the life of leavers and doers. And for that I gladly round up to 5 stars.
I highly suggest reading an essay at a time and stopping. This will smooth out the transitions a bit and allow Annie’s words to really sit with the reader. I plan to re read this book that way. Well done Annie B Jones!
Until the last couple of chapters and Epilogue, this was a very solid 4 star for me. The stories were interesting, Annie’s takes on school, faith, friends, grandparents and such were easily consumed even if at times the translations weren’t perfectly smooth. The last few chapters, where Annie confronts her feelings about motherhood, about family, and about dreams not followed really resonated and bumped my rating up. I highlighted so many passages and was assured that my feelings about Annie being 100% comfortable in her own skin yet a bit askew in the world were spot on. A fellow book lover, nothing ever hit so close to her description of how home fills her up, how routine and consistency are the foundation of her life, while recognizing some deviations from this continuity including a pool and a puppy can enrich a completely satisfactory life.
I am a stayer, an ordinary person without fanfare, fame or high amounts of exciting experiences. Yet in this book my love of books, of everyday moments and nature and comforting routines was acknowledged and seen as just as worthy and valid as the life of leavers and doers. And for that I gladly round up to 5 stars.
I highly suggest reading an essay at a time and stopping. This will smooth out the transitions a bit and allow Annie’s words to really sit with the reader. I plan to re read this book that way. Well done Annie B Jones!
November 6, 2024
If this book came out before Christmas, so many people I know would be getting it as a gift. Like Annie B. Jones, I am a person who stayed, even though I didn’t mean to. I live in the same county I grew up in, 30 minutes from my mom’s house. The landscapes here are known to me even as stores and neighborhoods are built over what used to be farms. I love it here. But I’d be lying if I didn’t say there’s a teeny part of me that wonders what if…
Jones’s essays about being a person, a woman, a reader, a friend, and so many other identities resonated deeply with me. Our lives are so different and yet there were so many times when I was reading and I thought, yes, me too.
I am so glad this book is going into the world and can’t wait until I can share it. I’ll update this review with quotes when I have the final version.
Jones’s essays about being a person, a woman, a reader, a friend, and so many other identities resonated deeply with me. Our lives are so different and yet there were so many times when I was reading and I thought, yes, me too.
I am so glad this book is going into the world and can’t wait until I can share it. I’ll update this review with quotes when I have the final version.
August 28, 2024
Thank you, Annie, for sharing so much of yourself in this gorgeous book. I am so grateful to have received a DRC from the publisher through NetGalley. This touched my heart in so, so many ways and I can’t wait to have a physical copy when it releases so that I can read it again and make notes. The writing is superb, I love the essay format so much. What you have shared is raw, and real and so honest. You are a beautiful storyteller and I imagine this is only the beginning of your writing career. I love your podcast and hope to visit your bookstore someday! You have created magic in the Indie Bookstore space and following your journey has been a delight!
February 20, 2025
This is a collection of essays about how an ordinary life is not a bad one, and how it feels to stay when everyone around you seems to leave.
This book feels like it was written for me. It won’t be for everyone (nor should it be), maybe some people will be surprised by the religious themes throughout, but if you can relate, you’ll really relate. I felt at times as though I was talking to my future self, which you can image was hopeful and a bit teary.
It’s a quiet book, one that begs to be revisited again and again.
I love Annie, her bookstore, and her podcast; it was lovely to get to know her through her words.
Thank you HarperCollins for the early copy!
This book feels like it was written for me. It won’t be for everyone (nor should it be), maybe some people will be surprised by the religious themes throughout, but if you can relate, you’ll really relate. I felt at times as though I was talking to my future self, which you can image was hopeful and a bit teary.
It’s a quiet book, one that begs to be revisited again and again.
I love Annie, her bookstore, and her podcast; it was lovely to get to know her through her words.
Thank you HarperCollins for the early copy!
January 11, 2025
As a person who lives in her hometown and has kept the same job and house for a decade, these essays about staying resonated with me. I’m a fiercely loyal enneagram 6 who has chafed against the world’s push to do more, to change, to pursue “bigger” dreams. I also resonated with the way Annie has dealt with leaving the church of her youth and appreciate her perspective and words around it. A warm, soothing book.
April 10, 2025
Oh, friends, Ordinary Time: Lessons Learned While Staying Put, is our book. I could have read it in one day, but I made myself stop. And when I turned the last page, I wanted to start back over and read it again. Annie Jones wrote this one for us, for the ones who stayed. The world shouts for us to move on, to make changes, to toss out the old. And yet, through the hardships and even the loneliness, we stayed—in small towns, in struggling church congregations, in routine jobs. We weathered struggling friendships and the ups and downs of marriages, and for better or for worse, we stayed put.
I was not prepared for the impact that this book delivered. So much of it was chapter and verse of the life so many women, like me, have lived. Society embraces the idea of constant change. Relationships fade, friends move away, and family dynamics shift, but we tenaciously cling to ours and nurture them back to life.
This memoir encourages readers to search for contentment right where we are. We are rooted here, and we’ll bloom or bust right here! This book is about holding on, which means that we sometimes have to let go of those insignificant things that don’t matter anyway. Instead, we pass along thoughtfulness, honesty, compassion, mercy, and an overwhelming sense of awe and wonder at this one life we have to live. What inspiration I found throughout the text, like the call to be the calm in the storm. Annie’s collection of stories is about our staying seasons. Whether we choose to stay or are forced to remain, our days can still be full of light, of promise, and of hope.
240 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication April 22, 2025
HarperOne
I was not prepared for the impact that this book delivered. So much of it was chapter and verse of the life so many women, like me, have lived. Society embraces the idea of constant change. Relationships fade, friends move away, and family dynamics shift, but we tenaciously cling to ours and nurture them back to life.
This memoir encourages readers to search for contentment right where we are. We are rooted here, and we’ll bloom or bust right here! This book is about holding on, which means that we sometimes have to let go of those insignificant things that don’t matter anyway. Instead, we pass along thoughtfulness, honesty, compassion, mercy, and an overwhelming sense of awe and wonder at this one life we have to live. What inspiration I found throughout the text, like the call to be the calm in the storm. Annie’s collection of stories is about our staying seasons. Whether we choose to stay or are forced to remain, our days can still be full of light, of promise, and of hope.
240 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication April 22, 2025
HarperOne
February 11, 2025
One of my favorite quotes from poet Mary Oliver is “Be astonished. Tell about it.” One of my favorite people, Annie B. Jones, put her spin on that in her book, Ordinary Time, where she reminds us to “Be enchanted. Share about it.”
I’m astonished and enchanted and yet somehow not at all surprised by Annie’s first published book. She’s always been gifted with words and phrases, and always had the precise and thoughtful way to speak about the world around us. And yet this book, her book of essays on staying (and on leaving), feels like her heart has been distilled and crystallized for us into absolutely beautiful prose. I laughed and cried at her cleverness and her kindness, her openness and her joy.
Annie tackles big and hard and personal things, but she does them in a way that is tender and wise – that makes it feel like she’s essentially saying “this is hard, it’s ok if it’s hard for you, too.” But she also touches the many small things that, brick by brick and bird by bird, build our lives. She encourages us to feel the awe of everyday lives – I pictured her twirling an emotional support leaf, reading by the pool, watching the sun come up with her beverage of choice.
Reading Ordinary Time felt like sitting on her front porch (well, her old front porch, when she had a swing) and listening to people stroll by in the evening; it felt like watching stars come out from downtown Thomasville; it felt like potluck book club evenings where we did nothing so much as love each other well. I hope this is the first of many books she shares with us, and I hope you read it and feel that way, too.
I did receive an eARC for this from the publisher, but I also preordered the hardback for my shelves and will likely order more for gifts because it's genuinely wonderful.
I’m astonished and enchanted and yet somehow not at all surprised by Annie’s first published book. She’s always been gifted with words and phrases, and always had the precise and thoughtful way to speak about the world around us. And yet this book, her book of essays on staying (and on leaving), feels like her heart has been distilled and crystallized for us into absolutely beautiful prose. I laughed and cried at her cleverness and her kindness, her openness and her joy.
Annie tackles big and hard and personal things, but she does them in a way that is tender and wise – that makes it feel like she’s essentially saying “this is hard, it’s ok if it’s hard for you, too.” But she also touches the many small things that, brick by brick and bird by bird, build our lives. She encourages us to feel the awe of everyday lives – I pictured her twirling an emotional support leaf, reading by the pool, watching the sun come up with her beverage of choice.
Reading Ordinary Time felt like sitting on her front porch (well, her old front porch, when she had a swing) and listening to people stroll by in the evening; it felt like watching stars come out from downtown Thomasville; it felt like potluck book club evenings where we did nothing so much as love each other well. I hope this is the first of many books she shares with us, and I hope you read it and feel that way, too.
I did receive an eARC for this from the publisher, but I also preordered the hardback for my shelves and will likely order more for gifts because it's genuinely wonderful.
February 6, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced reader copy. I’ve followed Annie B Jones for a while on Instagram and have listened to her podcast for years. A lot of the stories she shared I already felt familiar with, at least some of the themes, but I loved being able to hear the background behind a lot of things she has mentioned over the years. Annie writes with such authenticity, and I felt many of her essays were relatable. She talks not just about staying but also the things she has chosen to leave over time and some of the important moments in her life that have shaped her. As someone who, although I didn’t stay in my home town, has stayed in the same state and am aware I probably will the rest of my life, many of the things she said felt especially true. It’s hard to not live in dreams of what could be or have been, but Annie encourages us to remember that wherever we are, we have stories to live, people to love, and we should choose enchantment rather than cynicism. I found myself tearing up a few times throughout the book because I felt so encouraged. Highly recommend to anyone who may be feeling a bit stuck in life.
February 18, 2025
Pros: I was so excited when I received this book from NetGalley because I love listening to Annie B. Jones’s podcast From the Front Porch. Although I read the ebook version of this book, I could hear the author’s voice in my head as I read (and hope to reread it as an audiobook). This book is full of thoughtful and honest essays on growing up and living a quiet life while also blooming where you are planted. I especially enjoyed the essays on being in a book club (and have recommending this book to my book club) and the experience of leaving a church. My favorite part of this book was how relatable the author is—we are elder millennials who are also eldest daughters, played American Girl Dolls and school but were not into summer camp, and are known to look for grammatical errors in church bulletins. I think many readers will find the author to be just as relatable and will be thankful to read her words on staying put.
Cons: None!
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperOne for the opportunity to read this book.
Cons: None!
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperOne for the opportunity to read this book.
February 4, 2025
I will post a long review of this soon, it needs to float around in my brain for a minute first. But wow.
Ok I’m back -
I think this book got to me at the perfect time. What does life look like when you choose to stay somewhere you expected to be for only two years? (Especially when you live in the author’s hometown)
So many beautiful essays about things that truly hit home for me. Countless highlights in my kindle and lots of thoughts have come from this book. A few have to do with religion, which is not something I personally feel connected to these days, so if you’re the same, just push through because Jones still discusses her thoughts beautifully.
I’m so honored to have received an ARC of this book from NetGalley, but even more excited to pick up my preorder from Annie B. Jones’ shop in April!
Ok I’m back -
I think this book got to me at the perfect time. What does life look like when you choose to stay somewhere you expected to be for only two years? (Especially when you live in the author’s hometown)
So many beautiful essays about things that truly hit home for me. Countless highlights in my kindle and lots of thoughts have come from this book. A few have to do with religion, which is not something I personally feel connected to these days, so if you’re the same, just push through because Jones still discusses her thoughts beautifully.
I’m so honored to have received an ARC of this book from NetGalley, but even more excited to pick up my preorder from Annie B. Jones’ shop in April!
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