What do you think?
Rate this book
The Everyday and Far Away
For fans of Sally Page and Ruth Hogan, comes this heartwarming tale about love, loss and connection
Ernie has had three grand passions in his long his dear wife Phyllis, a vintage Norton Dominator motorcycle, and his mini-me son, Stephen. Now, as dementia overwhelms Ernie and takes away everything he can remember about the everyday, memories of those far away times remain crystalline and cherished.
His granddaughter Nina, seventeen, is equally at odds with the everyday. Excluded from college for her lack of concentration, it seems a job in her mother’s greengrocers is the best life can ever offer. Endless time stretches bleakly ahead, yet Nina feels she can barely make it to the end of each day.
Until, that is, Nina stumbles upon a surprise which, it turns out, can save both Ernie and herself…
Ernie has had three grand passions in his long his dear wife Phyllis, a vintage Norton Dominator motorcycle, and his mini-me son, Stephen. Now, as dementia overwhelms Ernie and takes away everything he can remember about the everyday, memories of those far away times remain crystalline and cherished.
His granddaughter Nina, seventeen, is equally at odds with the everyday. Excluded from college for her lack of concentration, it seems a job in her mother’s greengrocers is the best life can ever offer. Endless time stretches bleakly ahead, yet Nina feels she can barely make it to the end of each day.
Until, that is, Nina stumbles upon a surprise which, it turns out, can save both Ernie and herself…
296 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 1, 2025
2 people are currently reading
117 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
May 16, 2025
EXCERPT: The questions went on for hours and hours, it felt like. Where did I live? Who was in my family? What time was it? What month was it? What day of the week was it? I mean! Who cares? They're all the same, aren't they, without a working week to be done. It got worse.
The doctor took a handful of coins out of his pocket and showed me them in his palm and asked me how much? My neck got hot and I wiped my fingers around my collar. He pointed at some things on the wall, a picture, alight a round thing with numbers on it, for me to tell him what they were. He took my temperature, and held my wrist for a bit at one time, and I was pleased to put my hand back in Phyl's after. By the time he closed his pad and stood up, I felt a bit upset, like I'd got something wrong, but I didn't know what.
ABOUT 'THE EVERYDAY AND FAR AWAY': Ernie has had three grand passions in his long life - his dear wife Phyllis, a vintage Norton Dominator motorcycle, and his mini-me son, Stephen. Now, as dementia overwhelms Ernie and takes away everything he can remember about the everyday, memories of those far away times remain crystalline and cherished.
His granddaughter Nina, seventeen, is equally at odds with the everyday. Excluded from college for her lack of concentration, it seems a job in her mother’s greengrocers is the best life can ever offer. Endless time stretches bleakly ahead, yet Nina feels she can barely make it to the end of each day.
Until, that is, Nina stumbles upon a surprise which, it turns out, can save both Ernie and herself…
MY THOUGHTS: I loved this short and poignant read. It squeezed my heart, put a lump in my throat, and sent tears silently down my cheeks. I don't think I will ever forget Alf, Ernie, Phyl or Nina. I just want to wrap my arms around them, hold them and never let go.
Dementia is a difficult subject to handle sensitively, but Jacqueline Jones does so with aplomb. She is equally as sensitive with Nina's ADHD - I have come away from this read with a far better understanding of this condition than I have ever had before.
The author writes in a clear and easy manner- a bit like having a conversation with a close friend - and I was immediately drawn into the world of these four generations of family. Jones turns the spotlight on the unique and special bond between grandparent and grandchild - the love, the understanding that exists as one transitions towards adulthood and the other prepares to leave it. I also loved the bond that exists throughout between Ernie and his wife Phyllis. I don't know if it was something to do with the era in which they grew up, but there was a similar bond between my grandparents.
And the ending . . . although I knew (as will every reader) what was coming, the way Jones handled it was superb. It is touching and emotional and I grieved Ernie's along with the family while also cheering Nina and the way she has taken control of her life.
The Everday and Far Away is a heartwarming and emotional read about love, loss, family and understanding. High in my top ten books list for 2025, and I will be looking for more from this author. An outstanding debut novel written from the heart with beautiful and very relevant cover art!
#TheEverydayandFarAway #NetGalley
MEET THE AUTHOR: Jacqueline Jones lives in Guildford and The Everyday and Far Away is her first novel in this genre. As Jacqueline Sutherland she writes psychological suspense, and she is currently at work on a romance series under the name Pippa Nixon.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Oneworld Publications, Magpie Books, for providing an e-ARC of The Everyday and Far Away by Jacqueline Jones for review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own personal opinion.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
The doctor took a handful of coins out of his pocket and showed me them in his palm and asked me how much? My neck got hot and I wiped my fingers around my collar. He pointed at some things on the wall, a picture, alight a round thing with numbers on it, for me to tell him what they were. He took my temperature, and held my wrist for a bit at one time, and I was pleased to put my hand back in Phyl's after. By the time he closed his pad and stood up, I felt a bit upset, like I'd got something wrong, but I didn't know what.
ABOUT 'THE EVERYDAY AND FAR AWAY': Ernie has had three grand passions in his long life - his dear wife Phyllis, a vintage Norton Dominator motorcycle, and his mini-me son, Stephen. Now, as dementia overwhelms Ernie and takes away everything he can remember about the everyday, memories of those far away times remain crystalline and cherished.
His granddaughter Nina, seventeen, is equally at odds with the everyday. Excluded from college for her lack of concentration, it seems a job in her mother’s greengrocers is the best life can ever offer. Endless time stretches bleakly ahead, yet Nina feels she can barely make it to the end of each day.
Until, that is, Nina stumbles upon a surprise which, it turns out, can save both Ernie and herself…
MY THOUGHTS: I loved this short and poignant read. It squeezed my heart, put a lump in my throat, and sent tears silently down my cheeks. I don't think I will ever forget Alf, Ernie, Phyl or Nina. I just want to wrap my arms around them, hold them and never let go.
Dementia is a difficult subject to handle sensitively, but Jacqueline Jones does so with aplomb. She is equally as sensitive with Nina's ADHD - I have come away from this read with a far better understanding of this condition than I have ever had before.
The author writes in a clear and easy manner- a bit like having a conversation with a close friend - and I was immediately drawn into the world of these four generations of family. Jones turns the spotlight on the unique and special bond between grandparent and grandchild - the love, the understanding that exists as one transitions towards adulthood and the other prepares to leave it. I also loved the bond that exists throughout between Ernie and his wife Phyllis. I don't know if it was something to do with the era in which they grew up, but there was a similar bond between my grandparents.
And the ending . . . although I knew (as will every reader) what was coming, the way Jones handled it was superb. It is touching and emotional and I grieved Ernie's along with the family while also cheering Nina and the way she has taken control of her life.
The Everday and Far Away is a heartwarming and emotional read about love, loss, family and understanding. High in my top ten books list for 2025, and I will be looking for more from this author. An outstanding debut novel written from the heart with beautiful and very relevant cover art!
#TheEverydayandFarAway #NetGalley
MEET THE AUTHOR: Jacqueline Jones lives in Guildford and The Everyday and Far Away is her first novel in this genre. As Jacqueline Sutherland she writes psychological suspense, and she is currently at work on a romance series under the name Pippa Nixon.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Oneworld Publications, Magpie Books, for providing an e-ARC of The Everyday and Far Away by Jacqueline Jones for review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own personal opinion.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
February 24, 2025
One of those rare novels that will burrow right inside your heart and nestle there forever… I cried more tears over the tragedy and love rendered in this story than I think I ever have in a novel. Dementia is a difficult subject, but Jones handles it with perfection, never sentimental or patronising, but with a raw, emotional truth. Absolutely loved it!
July 9, 2025
Cried ugly snotty tears at this, have tissues!
April 13, 2025
Thanks to Anne at Random Things Book Tours for the gifted copy of this title in return for an honest review.
This sounded utterly beautiful and I leapt at the chance to read it.
Anyone who has gone through dementia knows it can be impossible to explain, but Jacqueline has done a marvellous and sensitive job at it.
It goes between first and third person. Ernie's chapters are in first person, whilst the others are in third, which goes to show that it's Ernie's story. I don't generally gel with first person, but by balancing it with other points-of-view, it made it easier for me. But I admit, I don't think it would have had the same impact if Ernie's chapters weren't in first person.
It goes go to and fro various time periods. I know some people don't get on with changing time periods, but I generally am a fan as it's a great way of seeing what's happened and how that affects the present, and we get to see our characters through different periods. It was seamless and I can't think of any other way she could have written this and got the same effect.
I loved the characters. Some were in it more than others, some more likeable than others. But I thin she's created such a spectrum of humanity that there really is something for everyone. Ernie and Nina are particular standouts - it reminded me of my relationship with my nan, who had dementia.
I struggled to put it down. It was just so comforting that I could have stayed in this world forever. I read half in bed one night and then finished it the following morning. It really is a very good book.
It does contain some difficult topics such as dementia, physical illness, death, grief, relationship struggles, familial difficulties, neurodiversity. But t the very soul of the story, is heart, love, and hope.
It's not overly sad, which is surprising given the subject matter, but I did find myself welling up at a few moments, not always sad. But there were a couple of moments (no spoilers) where it definitely wasn't happy tears. In fact, by the end of it I was glad I was alone because I was a mess.
This sounded utterly beautiful and I leapt at the chance to read it.
Anyone who has gone through dementia knows it can be impossible to explain, but Jacqueline has done a marvellous and sensitive job at it.
It goes between first and third person. Ernie's chapters are in first person, whilst the others are in third, which goes to show that it's Ernie's story. I don't generally gel with first person, but by balancing it with other points-of-view, it made it easier for me. But I admit, I don't think it would have had the same impact if Ernie's chapters weren't in first person.
It goes go to and fro various time periods. I know some people don't get on with changing time periods, but I generally am a fan as it's a great way of seeing what's happened and how that affects the present, and we get to see our characters through different periods. It was seamless and I can't think of any other way she could have written this and got the same effect.
I loved the characters. Some were in it more than others, some more likeable than others. But I thin she's created such a spectrum of humanity that there really is something for everyone. Ernie and Nina are particular standouts - it reminded me of my relationship with my nan, who had dementia.
I struggled to put it down. It was just so comforting that I could have stayed in this world forever. I read half in bed one night and then finished it the following morning. It really is a very good book.
It does contain some difficult topics such as dementia, physical illness, death, grief, relationship struggles, familial difficulties, neurodiversity. But t the very soul of the story, is heart, love, and hope.
It's not overly sad, which is surprising given the subject matter, but I did find myself welling up at a few moments, not always sad. But there were a couple of moments (no spoilers) where it definitely wasn't happy tears. In fact, by the end of it I was glad I was alone because I was a mess.
April 30, 2025
What an amazing book. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect going in, but this was a remarkable take on writing about the effects of dementia, especially when it’s from the point of view of the sufferer. It was very cleverly written, Ernie’s thoughts and feelings, he had no idea he was forgetting things and getting times within his life mixed up, he was just himself thinking and feeling. All this while we get jumps back in time to see Ernie’s life right from him being a very young boy during the war.
The story really touched me, I felt connected to Ernie as an old man, he had a calm and solid presence, he connected with so many people throughout his life, we meet various characters through out the book that have known him for decades. His granddaughter Nina was an interesting character and I really felt for her, she longed for someone to see her, to accept her and help her help herself, I get the feeling Ernie suffered a bit like Nina throughout his life, but ADHD wasn’t diagnosed in the 50s and 60s and he just had to ‘keep calm and carry on’. When Nina managed to get someone to help her, he took such great care to nurture her mind and help her and I felt such joy and pride for her when she managed to put Ernie’s bike back together. She found her niche and her tribe.
The ending was incredibly moving, from the bike club driving by the care home and Ernie getting to hear Josie one last time to Alf waiting for him on Liberty and then riding off together. Then add in the letter Nina finds which explains the journeys that Ernie took Stephen on, simply moving.
Some very difficult situations dealt with very sensitively and with a unique perspective which really got you thinking about dementia from a whole new point of view. I will certainly recommend this book to everyone.
The story really touched me, I felt connected to Ernie as an old man, he had a calm and solid presence, he connected with so many people throughout his life, we meet various characters through out the book that have known him for decades. His granddaughter Nina was an interesting character and I really felt for her, she longed for someone to see her, to accept her and help her help herself, I get the feeling Ernie suffered a bit like Nina throughout his life, but ADHD wasn’t diagnosed in the 50s and 60s and he just had to ‘keep calm and carry on’. When Nina managed to get someone to help her, he took such great care to nurture her mind and help her and I felt such joy and pride for her when she managed to put Ernie’s bike back together. She found her niche and her tribe.
The ending was incredibly moving, from the bike club driving by the care home and Ernie getting to hear Josie one last time to Alf waiting for him on Liberty and then riding off together. Then add in the letter Nina finds which explains the journeys that Ernie took Stephen on, simply moving.
Some very difficult situations dealt with very sensitively and with a unique perspective which really got you thinking about dementia from a whole new point of view. I will certainly recommend this book to everyone.
September 28, 2025
Omg what a book……I’ve smiled and I’ve shed so many tears.
This is a beautifully written book that has you gripped from the start. An emotional rollercoaster of love, separation, loss, heartache to joy, happiness and adventure. What a journey in one book.
I don’t often cry at books but this had me ugly crying.
The story of Ernie had really touched me as I could empathise losing my own grandparent and watching them slip through my fingers and losing themselves as I done at Nina’s age. Memories resurfaced and brought feelings back making the story more real and heartbreaking.
Nina journey of finding herself and her struggles with ADHD. Her inability to fit in and be what everyone labelled as “normal” when she was special. Being dyslexic and struggling to fit in, I could feel Nina’s struggles and feel her frustration with herself as they were once how I felt.
You could see the ending coming but it didn’t matter. I was completely absorbed and invested in the story.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone and have given it 5 stars which is my first of 2025.
This is a beautifully written book that has you gripped from the start. An emotional rollercoaster of love, separation, loss, heartache to joy, happiness and adventure. What a journey in one book.
I don’t often cry at books but this had me ugly crying.
The story of Ernie had really touched me as I could empathise losing my own grandparent and watching them slip through my fingers and losing themselves as I done at Nina’s age. Memories resurfaced and brought feelings back making the story more real and heartbreaking.
Nina journey of finding herself and her struggles with ADHD. Her inability to fit in and be what everyone labelled as “normal” when she was special. Being dyslexic and struggling to fit in, I could feel Nina’s struggles and feel her frustration with herself as they were once how I felt.
You could see the ending coming but it didn’t matter. I was completely absorbed and invested in the story.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone and have given it 5 stars which is my first of 2025.
October 15, 2025
This book absolutely shattered me in the most beautiful way. The most beautiful depiction of a man suffering from dementia and his unfortunate decline, how it impacts the family around him, how such hard decisions have to be made and how important it is to make those memories with those special people.
Giving my elderly loved ones a few extra cuddles when I next see them. Life really is too short.
This book was the RN book club pick of the month and I whizzed through. I am looking forward to chatting about this one!
Giving my elderly loved ones a few extra cuddles when I next see them. Life really is too short.
This book was the RN book club pick of the month and I whizzed through. I am looking forward to chatting about this one!
May 17, 2025
Absolutely gorgeous. 1000 stars. You will cry, but you will enjoy doing it
May 23, 2025
BLOG TOUR REVIEW
'The Everyday And Far Away' discusses some topics that may upset some readers or may not be suitable for others. I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not. In this book Jacqueline discusses Bereavement, Mental Health, Dementia and the loss of a child.
Be still my beating heart!!! Well done and Thank You to Jacqueline Jones for a hugely successful, emotive and stunning read!! This book is very smoothly written with vivid descriptions which really help you see what's going on around you as well as the storyline. The blurb and the cover compliment the novel perfectly. The illustrations on the paperback cover are beautiful.
OMG!!!!! I absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVED this absolutely addictive and truly unique book!!! Honestly this book has just hit my top 3 books and considering how many books I have read that is an epic success!!! Instead of wasting your time reading this just grab your copy and get lost in this great storyline now. I can promise you won't regret it!! Where on Earth have you been all my life Jacqueline??? I cannot believe that I had never read any of your books before this and am just so pleased that I have rectified that now!! I cannot wait to get stuck in to your previous and future books! Jacqueline's amazing and evocative writing skills really has brought everything to life all throughout this fantastic book dropping you straight into the storyline where you will see, feel and hear everything that the characters are thinking, feeling, seeing and hearing including these absolutely amazing characters that I will not be forgetting for a very long time, if I ever do!!! This book really has been one of the best books I have ever read!!! In this one of a kind book Jacqueline transports her readers into the lives Ernie and his 17 year old Granddaughter Nina. Ernie is suffering with dementia, not that he knows it, and throughout his story he delves out of 'The Everyday' and back in to the 'Far Away'. We discover Ernie's life growing up in Liverpool with his parents, the loss of his Dad and baby sister, the introduction of the man who will call him is son Alf, his first meeting with his future wife Phyllis, his love of his Norton Dominator, working in the army and on the fruit and vegetable stall and later shop and about his family life with his two children Sue and Stephen from the year 1944. Nina is his 17 year old Granddaughter who has ADHD, is struggling with life, has been excluded from college, helps her Mum Sue at their greengrocers and feels like she is failing at life. Nina adores her Grandad and when she discovers how far he is going is determined to find a way to make him happy. What she discovers will also change her life. I am not going to go into any more details about this absolutely gorgeous one of a kind book as it truly is a book you just have to read yourself. I can absolutely GUARANTEE that you will not regret reading this beauty and you can thank me later. I can also promise that by the end of it you will also be crying a river just like I was!! This is most definitely NOT an easy feat, unless it involves animals, but by the end of this book I was absolutely sobbing my heart out!!! It truly is such an emotive rollercoaster ride of emotions!!! With a absolutely stunning storyline ram packed with family, mental health, loss, strength, determination, self discovery, heartache, love and so very much more what on Earth are you waiting for? Grab your copy of this book and fall in love with Ernie and Nina today. i can tell you one thing, this book and characters are going to be living in my mind for an extremely long time, if not for the rest of my life!!! Writing about dementia and mental health is not easy to do but Jacqueline manages it beautifully, with sensitivity and also openly. i lost my Nan and Grandad to dementia and it was exactly like it was in this book from explaining the same things over and over, with the death of a loved one having to be repeated over and over and watching the heartbreak over and over, to seeing them go from the strong grand/parents you once knew into strangers who do not recognise you and need to be looked after as they looked after you as a child. One thing I have never been able to stand is people speaking to somebody with dementia as if they are a child. I mean my Dad even thanked me for not speaking to my Nan like a child when at the end of the day nobody should have to thank you for treating an adult like an adult, regardless of their mental health!! My heart went out to not only Ernie but also Phyliss who was watching her strong husband "disappear" as well as Nina who was struggling with her ADHD and nobody seemed to be able to understand her or help. Jacqueline really has created a truly stunning multi generational story with both multiple protagonist perspectives as well as multiple timelines while also including difficult topics of dementia, ADHD, mental health and loss and weaved it all together into an absolutely incredible, beautiful and just stunning must read!!! My heart aches for anyone who cares and loves someone with Dementia as it really is so cruel watching them struggle with so much and losing themselves. Jacqueline has done an absolutely amazing job of putting these emotions in to words that are so difficult to explain. This book truly is an emotional rollercoaster ride of happiness, loneliness, love, heart ache, sadness, joy, hope and more!! It is such a down to Earth and realistic everyday storyline but one filled with emotions that I could see it all play out in front of my eyes. Jacqueline covers a number of sensitive topics such as dementia, loneliness, bereavement, divorce and weaves it all into a beautiful storyline covering each of the topics sensitively whilst also highlighting the difficulties people struggle with each. She also does an amazing job of creating such realistic characters so we see and feel what they are feeling and doing throughout the storyline while also living their lives along with them. Every single one of the characters are realistic, well developed and strong and I loved them all. Jacqueline covers a range of relationships from parent and child, grandparents and grandchildren and more. The fact that she genuinely cares about her characters absolutely shines through the book as does the fact that he has done plenty of research or has experience about a variety of topics. It is a pet hate when an author does little or no research into their chosen topics as it then runs the risk of their books being littered with mistakes and spoiling what could otherwise be a very good story but Jacqueline has completely avoided this by doing plenty of research! I genuinely love how she covers such everyday topics portraying family life, caring, social life, friendship and more and creates this intriguing, captivating page turner that I was completely hooked on! When it came to the characters I felt a wide range of emotions and I loved and sympathised with each and every single one of them as they were all going through their own emotional turmoil's while trying to support each other. My heart was breaking for the majority of them. I found myself smiling, shouting, sad and laughing at different moments in this brilliant storyline. There was no way I could finish just one chapter as even though I kept telling myself I would and then go to bed, each chapter ended in a way where I just HAD to know what happened next and before I knew it I had devoured the whole book in one sitting in a few hours!!! The storyline was realistic which I always prefer as it makes it more enjoyable to read when you can see that it is something that could happen, even if it left me soaked in tears! This book is well constructed and was absolutely ram packed with so much going on that you will just fly through the pages!!! It is multi layered with all the fantastic characters backgrounds and personalities coming out and each and every character has their own personalities. It was a very compelling and addictive read!!! I genuinely could not praise this book enough as words just will not give it justice so grab your copy today, you won't regret it!!!! The storyline is absolutely unique having never come across anything like it before and I doubt I will again so a MASSIVE CONGRATULATIONS to Jacqueline for this. I have read hundreds and hundreds of books so it is getting so difficult to find a book with a unique storyline but Jacqueline absolutely managed not only that but a storyline I truly believe will stay with me for life!
Clear your schedules, grab the tissues and get ready to get completely sucked into a gorgeous, emotive and beautiful page turner. This book is such a unique and emotional rollercoaster ride of emotions!!
Congratulations Jacqueline on an absolutely stunning successful book, an absolutely brilliant, unique, emotive and thought provoking must read and I cannot wait to get stuck into more of your amazing books!! Welcome to my favourite authors club and here is to your next guaranteed success 🥂!!!!
Overall an absolutely gorgeous, unique page turner filled with emotions and with memorable characters!!!
#TheEverydayAndFarAway #JacquelineJones #OneWorldPublications #MagpieBooks #RandomThingsTours #RandomTTours
@JacquelineJones @MagpieBooks @oneWorldPublications @RandomThingsTours @RandomTTours
https://m.facebook.com/Bookworm1986/?...
https://m.facebook.com/Bookwork86/?__...
https://www.instagram.com/bookwormwhi...
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/3...
https://mobile.twitter.com/kcmw86
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/profile/a...
'The Everyday And Far Away' discusses some topics that may upset some readers or may not be suitable for others. I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not. In this book Jacqueline discusses Bereavement, Mental Health, Dementia and the loss of a child.
Be still my beating heart!!! Well done and Thank You to Jacqueline Jones for a hugely successful, emotive and stunning read!! This book is very smoothly written with vivid descriptions which really help you see what's going on around you as well as the storyline. The blurb and the cover compliment the novel perfectly. The illustrations on the paperback cover are beautiful.
OMG!!!!! I absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVED this absolutely addictive and truly unique book!!! Honestly this book has just hit my top 3 books and considering how many books I have read that is an epic success!!! Instead of wasting your time reading this just grab your copy and get lost in this great storyline now. I can promise you won't regret it!! Where on Earth have you been all my life Jacqueline??? I cannot believe that I had never read any of your books before this and am just so pleased that I have rectified that now!! I cannot wait to get stuck in to your previous and future books! Jacqueline's amazing and evocative writing skills really has brought everything to life all throughout this fantastic book dropping you straight into the storyline where you will see, feel and hear everything that the characters are thinking, feeling, seeing and hearing including these absolutely amazing characters that I will not be forgetting for a very long time, if I ever do!!! This book really has been one of the best books I have ever read!!! In this one of a kind book Jacqueline transports her readers into the lives Ernie and his 17 year old Granddaughter Nina. Ernie is suffering with dementia, not that he knows it, and throughout his story he delves out of 'The Everyday' and back in to the 'Far Away'. We discover Ernie's life growing up in Liverpool with his parents, the loss of his Dad and baby sister, the introduction of the man who will call him is son Alf, his first meeting with his future wife Phyllis, his love of his Norton Dominator, working in the army and on the fruit and vegetable stall and later shop and about his family life with his two children Sue and Stephen from the year 1944. Nina is his 17 year old Granddaughter who has ADHD, is struggling with life, has been excluded from college, helps her Mum Sue at their greengrocers and feels like she is failing at life. Nina adores her Grandad and when she discovers how far he is going is determined to find a way to make him happy. What she discovers will also change her life. I am not going to go into any more details about this absolutely gorgeous one of a kind book as it truly is a book you just have to read yourself. I can absolutely GUARANTEE that you will not regret reading this beauty and you can thank me later. I can also promise that by the end of it you will also be crying a river just like I was!! This is most definitely NOT an easy feat, unless it involves animals, but by the end of this book I was absolutely sobbing my heart out!!! It truly is such an emotive rollercoaster ride of emotions!!! With a absolutely stunning storyline ram packed with family, mental health, loss, strength, determination, self discovery, heartache, love and so very much more what on Earth are you waiting for? Grab your copy of this book and fall in love with Ernie and Nina today. i can tell you one thing, this book and characters are going to be living in my mind for an extremely long time, if not for the rest of my life!!! Writing about dementia and mental health is not easy to do but Jacqueline manages it beautifully, with sensitivity and also openly. i lost my Nan and Grandad to dementia and it was exactly like it was in this book from explaining the same things over and over, with the death of a loved one having to be repeated over and over and watching the heartbreak over and over, to seeing them go from the strong grand/parents you once knew into strangers who do not recognise you and need to be looked after as they looked after you as a child. One thing I have never been able to stand is people speaking to somebody with dementia as if they are a child. I mean my Dad even thanked me for not speaking to my Nan like a child when at the end of the day nobody should have to thank you for treating an adult like an adult, regardless of their mental health!! My heart went out to not only Ernie but also Phyliss who was watching her strong husband "disappear" as well as Nina who was struggling with her ADHD and nobody seemed to be able to understand her or help. Jacqueline really has created a truly stunning multi generational story with both multiple protagonist perspectives as well as multiple timelines while also including difficult topics of dementia, ADHD, mental health and loss and weaved it all together into an absolutely incredible, beautiful and just stunning must read!!! My heart aches for anyone who cares and loves someone with Dementia as it really is so cruel watching them struggle with so much and losing themselves. Jacqueline has done an absolutely amazing job of putting these emotions in to words that are so difficult to explain. This book truly is an emotional rollercoaster ride of happiness, loneliness, love, heart ache, sadness, joy, hope and more!! It is such a down to Earth and realistic everyday storyline but one filled with emotions that I could see it all play out in front of my eyes. Jacqueline covers a number of sensitive topics such as dementia, loneliness, bereavement, divorce and weaves it all into a beautiful storyline covering each of the topics sensitively whilst also highlighting the difficulties people struggle with each. She also does an amazing job of creating such realistic characters so we see and feel what they are feeling and doing throughout the storyline while also living their lives along with them. Every single one of the characters are realistic, well developed and strong and I loved them all. Jacqueline covers a range of relationships from parent and child, grandparents and grandchildren and more. The fact that she genuinely cares about her characters absolutely shines through the book as does the fact that he has done plenty of research or has experience about a variety of topics. It is a pet hate when an author does little or no research into their chosen topics as it then runs the risk of their books being littered with mistakes and spoiling what could otherwise be a very good story but Jacqueline has completely avoided this by doing plenty of research! I genuinely love how she covers such everyday topics portraying family life, caring, social life, friendship and more and creates this intriguing, captivating page turner that I was completely hooked on! When it came to the characters I felt a wide range of emotions and I loved and sympathised with each and every single one of them as they were all going through their own emotional turmoil's while trying to support each other. My heart was breaking for the majority of them. I found myself smiling, shouting, sad and laughing at different moments in this brilliant storyline. There was no way I could finish just one chapter as even though I kept telling myself I would and then go to bed, each chapter ended in a way where I just HAD to know what happened next and before I knew it I had devoured the whole book in one sitting in a few hours!!! The storyline was realistic which I always prefer as it makes it more enjoyable to read when you can see that it is something that could happen, even if it left me soaked in tears! This book is well constructed and was absolutely ram packed with so much going on that you will just fly through the pages!!! It is multi layered with all the fantastic characters backgrounds and personalities coming out and each and every character has their own personalities. It was a very compelling and addictive read!!! I genuinely could not praise this book enough as words just will not give it justice so grab your copy today, you won't regret it!!!! The storyline is absolutely unique having never come across anything like it before and I doubt I will again so a MASSIVE CONGRATULATIONS to Jacqueline for this. I have read hundreds and hundreds of books so it is getting so difficult to find a book with a unique storyline but Jacqueline absolutely managed not only that but a storyline I truly believe will stay with me for life!
Clear your schedules, grab the tissues and get ready to get completely sucked into a gorgeous, emotive and beautiful page turner. This book is such a unique and emotional rollercoaster ride of emotions!!
Congratulations Jacqueline on an absolutely stunning successful book, an absolutely brilliant, unique, emotive and thought provoking must read and I cannot wait to get stuck into more of your amazing books!! Welcome to my favourite authors club and here is to your next guaranteed success 🥂!!!!
Overall an absolutely gorgeous, unique page turner filled with emotions and with memorable characters!!!
#TheEverydayAndFarAway #JacquelineJones #OneWorldPublications #MagpieBooks #RandomThingsTours #RandomTTours
@JacquelineJones @MagpieBooks @oneWorldPublications @RandomThingsTours @RandomTTours
https://m.facebook.com/Bookworm1986/?...
https://m.facebook.com/Bookwork86/?__...
https://www.instagram.com/bookwormwhi...
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/3...
https://mobile.twitter.com/kcmw86
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/profile/a...
April 16, 2025
I'm not crying, you're crying!
This book broke my heart over and over again, and the ending left me smiling through the tears.
Beautifully poignant, The Everyday and Far Away is Ernie's story. A story of a life well lived. Of love, loss and the detrimental effects of Dementia.
The story is primarily narrated by Ernie and is told in the before and after of Dementia. His chapters are interspersed with those of his beloved granddaughter Tillymint (Nina). Nina is struggling to find her place in life as she struggles with her ADHD.
All of the characters are charming and they felt so real. I related on every level with Ernie's story as myself and my Mum went through the same with my Nan. I think that's maybe why it hit me a little harder on the emotional side.
Absolutely wonderful!
This book broke my heart over and over again, and the ending left me smiling through the tears.
Beautifully poignant, The Everyday and Far Away is Ernie's story. A story of a life well lived. Of love, loss and the detrimental effects of Dementia.
The story is primarily narrated by Ernie and is told in the before and after of Dementia. His chapters are interspersed with those of his beloved granddaughter Tillymint (Nina). Nina is struggling to find her place in life as she struggles with her ADHD.
All of the characters are charming and they felt so real. I related on every level with Ernie's story as myself and my Mum went through the same with my Nan. I think that's maybe why it hit me a little harder on the emotional side.
Absolutely wonderful!
May 12, 2025
I literally sobbed, reading this moving and emotional story. I have no real experience of dementia, so reading about it from Ernie’s first person point of view was devastating. As he descends gradually into the ‘far away’, and his ‘everyday’ becomes more remote, we live the experience through his eyes.
The ‘far away’ is when Ernie as a child is living in Liverpool with his mum and dad. He has friends and life is just normal. Then his father dies and eventually his mum remarries Alf, a larger than life character who rides a motorbike he calls Liberty. Ernie is obsessed with the bike and Alf teaches him everything he needs to know. But when tragedy strikes the family, Alf takes Ernie to Bromley to start a fruit and veg stall, and it’s here that Ernie meets Phyllis, his wife-to-be, and they eventually have two children Stephen and Susan.
In the other timeline, we follow Ernie’s family in the here and now. Ernie is still married to Phyl, but it’s his granddaughter who is the focus of the story. Nina has ADHD and struggles to concentrate at college. Like with Ernie, we see it from Nina’s point of view and as the reader, we learn a lot. When she is asked to leave, she doesn’t know what to do with her life. She is lost. But when Ernie’s dementia means he has to go into a nursing home, she finds a project that will change her life forever.
At first it’s a bit of a slow burn and I didn’t get into it immediately, but as you get to know the characters, you start to fall in love with them (maybe not Susan so much), and the reveal towards the end is something I will never forget. I’m just glad I was at home when I was reading.
Many thanks to @annecater for inviting me to be part of #RandomThingsTours
The ‘far away’ is when Ernie as a child is living in Liverpool with his mum and dad. He has friends and life is just normal. Then his father dies and eventually his mum remarries Alf, a larger than life character who rides a motorbike he calls Liberty. Ernie is obsessed with the bike and Alf teaches him everything he needs to know. But when tragedy strikes the family, Alf takes Ernie to Bromley to start a fruit and veg stall, and it’s here that Ernie meets Phyllis, his wife-to-be, and they eventually have two children Stephen and Susan.
In the other timeline, we follow Ernie’s family in the here and now. Ernie is still married to Phyl, but it’s his granddaughter who is the focus of the story. Nina has ADHD and struggles to concentrate at college. Like with Ernie, we see it from Nina’s point of view and as the reader, we learn a lot. When she is asked to leave, she doesn’t know what to do with her life. She is lost. But when Ernie’s dementia means he has to go into a nursing home, she finds a project that will change her life forever.
At first it’s a bit of a slow burn and I didn’t get into it immediately, but as you get to know the characters, you start to fall in love with them (maybe not Susan so much), and the reveal towards the end is something I will never forget. I’m just glad I was at home when I was reading.
Many thanks to @annecater for inviting me to be part of #RandomThingsTours
Read
May 12, 2025I have lived with my parents as my father descended into bewildered dementia. I experienced his terrible confusion and distress and am now witnessing my mother’s developing Alzheimer's as she grows older, more dependent and uncomfortable with life. I know how difficult and tragic this illness can be for the sufferers and those who love them . We get tied up with their behaviours and our usually futile attempts to manage them .
I have , of course, read and watched as much as I could bear about the illness in the vain hope of finding some kind of key. I am part of a growing community.
This novel is a beautiful and loving love story of Ernie ( with his increasing confusion in life as dementia creeps and tumbles in), his grand daughter Nina (who struggles with ADHD) and his faithful motorbike ( a steady, joy bringing and healing presence) across the decades. A tale told from long ago (the faraway) and present time (the everyday).
Their story is sweet and gentle and funny and wise. It is beautifully and intimately told from inside their heads and hearts. It is a privileged place from which to witness their thoughts and feelings and understand their sometimes bizarre behaviours. It is full of delicate funny, sad moments and packed with precious insights that moved and remain still with me .
Jacqueline Jones writes with the kind of detail and love of words that make for compelling and delightful reading.
I read it in a day and a half. It would have been less had it not been for domestic invaders! It lives with me as do Ernie and Nina .
I recommend it. Read it. It is a book that matters and a story that is unforgettable.
T K
May 2025
I have , of course, read and watched as much as I could bear about the illness in the vain hope of finding some kind of key. I am part of a growing community.
This novel is a beautiful and loving love story of Ernie ( with his increasing confusion in life as dementia creeps and tumbles in), his grand daughter Nina (who struggles with ADHD) and his faithful motorbike ( a steady, joy bringing and healing presence) across the decades. A tale told from long ago (the faraway) and present time (the everyday).
Their story is sweet and gentle and funny and wise. It is beautifully and intimately told from inside their heads and hearts. It is a privileged place from which to witness their thoughts and feelings and understand their sometimes bizarre behaviours. It is full of delicate funny, sad moments and packed with precious insights that moved and remain still with me .
Jacqueline Jones writes with the kind of detail and love of words that make for compelling and delightful reading.
I read it in a day and a half. It would have been less had it not been for domestic invaders! It lives with me as do Ernie and Nina .
I recommend it. Read it. It is a book that matters and a story that is unforgettable.
T K
May 2025
July 12, 2025
So first of all, both Ernie's dementia journey and Nina's ADHD descriptions I absolutely loved and appreciated....it's always so much more when the depictions are respectful, real and so well researched or known that it feels second nature.
This was genuinely a quietly beautiful and dignified read, that picked up the layers the further you delved. The characters were believable ..Nina and Ernie weren't the sidekicks I thought they might be but that almost made it more authentic too.
I loved Ernie's Far Away stories..I loved the relationship between him and Alf as a little boy and how they grew through the years. The Australia scene will stay with me for so long. I just felt for Ernie so much, it was just so special to really get to know him.
Left me crying like a baby in the final few chapters and I'm not even sorry for it.
This was genuinely a quietly beautiful and dignified read, that picked up the layers the further you delved. The characters were believable ..Nina and Ernie weren't the sidekicks I thought they might be but that almost made it more authentic too.
I loved Ernie's Far Away stories..I loved the relationship between him and Alf as a little boy and how they grew through the years. The Australia scene will stay with me for so long. I just felt for Ernie so much, it was just so special to really get to know him.
Left me crying like a baby in the final few chapters and I'm not even sorry for it.
March 25, 2025
Ah yes, the isolation of feeling weird or a failure. Personally, I don't think you need to have a diagnose of ADHD (or ME in my case) to think you're not living up to the current standards of the demanding society we live in. So let me add this book to my shelf on Goodreads about being-good-enough.
Apparently, you can be a three-year old girl bouncing up and down at every opportunity, but not a seventeen-year old young woman who feels like she is fizzing inside.
I enjoyed Nina as a character – struggling and picking herself up, even if that meant to ask for help (not that easy, even for adults). Don't we all need an Alf or a John in life from time to time, someone to have our back?
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book.
Apparently, you can be a three-year old girl bouncing up and down at every opportunity, but not a seventeen-year old young woman who feels like she is fizzing inside.
I enjoyed Nina as a character – struggling and picking herself up, even if that meant to ask for help (not that easy, even for adults). Don't we all need an Alf or a John in life from time to time, someone to have our back?
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book.
June 16, 2025
The Everyday and Far Away will have you laughing and reaching for a tissue in equal measure. Granddad Ernie, his daughter Susie and granddaughter Nina are just a few of the exquisitely observed characters, who come alive with Jacqueline's deft writing talent. The clever plot is delicately navigated just as Ernie's beloved motorcycle symbolises the inevitable twists and turns in their colourful lives spanning the middle half of last century up until the present day.
Five stars, thoroughly recommended. Annie Reid
Five stars, thoroughly recommended. Annie Reid
May 15, 2025
A beautifully written book, poignant and a book that will stay with you long after you’ve finished.
I had tear filled eyes at times, but the way the author covers the difficult subjects in this book was so sensitively written, I loved this book so much.
The characters were so real you could see them as you read.
Thank you @randomthingstours @writerjac @oneworldpublications for having me on the tour and for a copy of the ebook
#everydayandfaraway #ebookreview #bookstagram
I had tear filled eyes at times, but the way the author covers the difficult subjects in this book was so sensitively written, I loved this book so much.
The characters were so real you could see them as you read.
Thank you @randomthingstours @writerjac @oneworldpublications for having me on the tour and for a copy of the ebook
#everydayandfaraway #ebookreview #bookstagram
May 27, 2025
I was so engrossed in this book I forgot to take out the teabag in my tea and ended up drinking treacle.
The Everyday and Faraway is a bittersweet story of the toughest parts and the best parts of life and above all the beauty of remembering. This could so easily be a story about your family or mine - and that’s why it’s so good. Told through the simple moments we all experience, I challenge you not to be deeply moved as a result.
This is a book for everybody.
The Everyday and Faraway is a bittersweet story of the toughest parts and the best parts of life and above all the beauty of remembering. This could so easily be a story about your family or mine - and that’s why it’s so good. Told through the simple moments we all experience, I challenge you not to be deeply moved as a result.
This is a book for everybody.
June 24, 2025
I absolutely adored this charming book, my heart breaking into tiny pieces towards the last few pages (SOBBED). Jacqueline Jones handles the difficult subject of dementia gently, holding your hand as you follow Ernie’s story and never without warmth and humour. Watching a relative currently go through something similar, I was a little cautious to read, but this novel is so beautifully written that it only gave me joy.
June 16, 2025
This is one of those rare books that will never leave you. Dementia can be a difficult subject to write about but this book was written with honesty, integrity and true love.
The characters are beautifully layered and I cried for them as much as I did about the actual story.
The characters are beautifully layered and I cried for them as much as I did about the actual story.
June 25, 2025
I loved this book so much, it made me laugh and cry in equal measure. It's so quintessentially British and the plot and characters are so clever in the way they portray the sadness and love that surround dementia. Highly recommend, I cried so much at the end it was so emotional!
July 26, 2025
I would give this book a lot more stars if I could. A truly wonderful emotional read that had me laughing and crying in equal measure. The writing is superb and had me fully invested from the first to last page. An absolute must read.
September 4, 2025
Such a beautiful story, told beautifully. Riddled with heart warming scenes and relatable characters. It is a real tear jerking, page turner - couldn’t put it down! (Also, If I could hug Alf, which I wish I could, I would squeeze him hard.)
October 5, 2025
This book hit so close to my heart, that by the end I needed a bunch of tissues and couldn’t see the words through the tears. Written beautifully for anyone who has been affected by dementia and adhd.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 29, 2025
Thoroughly enjoyed this book, and the ending had me in tears. There are a few sections where I would have liked to have seen the story developed a little further, but I don't want to give away the plot, so won't say any more than that.
May 7, 2025
💖 Blurb-
Ernie has had three grand passions in his long his dear wife Phyllis, a vintage Norton Dominator motorcycle, and his mini-me son, Stephen. Now, as dementia overwhelms Ernie and takes away everything he can remember about the everyday, memories of those far away times remain crystalline and cherished.
His granddaughter Nina, seventeen, is equally at odds with the everyday. Excluded from college for her lack of concentration, it seems a job in her mother’s greengrocers is the best life can ever offer. Endless time stretches bleakly ahead, yet Nina feels she can barely make it to the end of each day.
Until, that is, Nina stumbles upon a surprise which, it turns out, can save both Ernie and herself…
💜 Review -
I loved this book. It was such a beautifully written and heartwarming read that it had me hooked from the very first page. The author's writing is beautiful and even though there are some sensitive subjects, these were handled with care. I loved everything about this book, I can't recommend it enough. I'm already eager to see what the author writes next.
💝 Thank you to Random Things Tours, the author and publisher for my copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Ernie has had three grand passions in his long his dear wife Phyllis, a vintage Norton Dominator motorcycle, and his mini-me son, Stephen. Now, as dementia overwhelms Ernie and takes away everything he can remember about the everyday, memories of those far away times remain crystalline and cherished.
His granddaughter Nina, seventeen, is equally at odds with the everyday. Excluded from college for her lack of concentration, it seems a job in her mother’s greengrocers is the best life can ever offer. Endless time stretches bleakly ahead, yet Nina feels she can barely make it to the end of each day.
Until, that is, Nina stumbles upon a surprise which, it turns out, can save both Ernie and herself…
💜 Review -
I loved this book. It was such a beautifully written and heartwarming read that it had me hooked from the very first page. The author's writing is beautiful and even though there are some sensitive subjects, these were handled with care. I loved everything about this book, I can't recommend it enough. I'm already eager to see what the author writes next.
💝 Thank you to Random Things Tours, the author and publisher for my copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
June 3, 2025
4.5 stars.
I loved The Everyday and Far Away by Jacqueline Jones. It was a wonderful story which dealt with grief and loss and the topic of dementia in an incredibly sensitive way. It made me smile and it made me sob and it reminded me about the preciousness of life.
The main character Ernie, is a gem. He’s devoted to his wife Phyllis and his family but he’s also struggling with dementia. His granddaughter Nina also has her own challenges to cope with. She’s failing at college and trying to function with ADHD.
The story flashes back to moments throughout Ernie’s life. We get to see him set eyes on his future wife for the first time, the birth of his son and his passion for his motorcycle Josie. It’s his love for his bike which helps Nina in an unexpected way and brings her and her grandfather closer together.
This was a beautiful book which drew me in from the very first page. I cared about the characters and what happened to them and I enjoyed seeing them overcome their own personal challenges and become stronger for it. I would highly recommend The Everyday and Far Away but have your tissues handy.
I loved The Everyday and Far Away by Jacqueline Jones. It was a wonderful story which dealt with grief and loss and the topic of dementia in an incredibly sensitive way. It made me smile and it made me sob and it reminded me about the preciousness of life.
The main character Ernie, is a gem. He’s devoted to his wife Phyllis and his family but he’s also struggling with dementia. His granddaughter Nina also has her own challenges to cope with. She’s failing at college and trying to function with ADHD.
The story flashes back to moments throughout Ernie’s life. We get to see him set eyes on his future wife for the first time, the birth of his son and his passion for his motorcycle Josie. It’s his love for his bike which helps Nina in an unexpected way and brings her and her grandfather closer together.
This was a beautiful book which drew me in from the very first page. I cared about the characters and what happened to them and I enjoyed seeing them overcome their own personal challenges and become stronger for it. I would highly recommend The Everyday and Far Away but have your tissues handy.
August 28, 2025
I loved this book. Where to start? This is such an emotional read, but at the same time comforting and cosy, the characters felt like old friends by the end, I didn't want to leave them behind. I laughed aloud, I sobbed and so many lines had me opening my mouth in surprise too. If you want a tearjerker which makes you feel a wide range of emotions, this is the book for you.
If you've ever had a family member with dementia, this book will touch you deeply, but even if you haven't it is a study on time, age and the lives we lead from when we are small to when we are old. It is such a meaningful read. It also reminded me of my grandparents who were born around the beginning of the century, and in a lovely way reading this book made me feel more connected to them than I had done in years. A comforting reminder of times past.
It was so beautifully rendered - Jacqueline Jones is a talented author - she gets right to the root of some difficult issues, but makes it easy reading at the same time, which is a tricky thing to do as a writer! I'm looking forward to more from this author!
If you've ever had a family member with dementia, this book will touch you deeply, but even if you haven't it is a study on time, age and the lives we lead from when we are small to when we are old. It is such a meaningful read. It also reminded me of my grandparents who were born around the beginning of the century, and in a lovely way reading this book made me feel more connected to them than I had done in years. A comforting reminder of times past.
It was so beautifully rendered - Jacqueline Jones is a talented author - she gets right to the root of some difficult issues, but makes it easy reading at the same time, which is a tricky thing to do as a writer! I'm looking forward to more from this author!
August 6, 2025
This is one of the most emotionally moving, and heartwarming (though often heartbreaking) novels that I have ever read. It is obviously fiction but it shines with incredible authenticity and honesty. Jacqueline Jones does a remarkable job of weaving the present (and Nina’s perspective and conflict) with the Everyday and Faraway. I can’t recommend this novel enough. Word of warning: be careful while reading it in public because people may wonder why you are laughing and/or crying.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews