Every Ordinary Thing

by Jessica Joyce

Two longtime friends work to make something extraordinary together, professionally and in love, in the newest romance from the bestselling author of The Ex Vows.

Summer Beckett is as temporary as the season she’s named after. While she’s accepted that she’s never the chosen one when it comes to her personal life, she’s determined to get there in her video production career. When a family friend tells her about a high-profile freelance gig that promises to make her more in-demand, she leaps at the opportunity.

That is, until she finds out the client is Dylan Parker, Major League Baseball’s most charming pitcher, her brother’s best friend…and the man she nearly kissed two years ago, until she realized nothing permanent would come from it. She’s been avoiding him ever since, but now he’s insisting she’s the only person he trusts with this project.

Taking the job means being in unbearable proximity to Dylan for a month, nearly the exact circumstances that almost cost Summer her heart last time. But it also means putting her work in front of a massive audience—just what she needs to level up professionally. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, leaving her no choice but to sign on.

Summer knows her time with Dylan is short-lived, as are the benefits they add to their friendship when their connection inevitably heats up. But Dylan keeps pulling her closer, and as the end of the month approaches, she has to decide if she’s brave enough to believe they can have something extraordinary…and lasting.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Adult, Sports Romance, Fiction, Sports

432 pages, Paperback

Expected publication March 2, 2027

About the author

Jessica Joyce is the bestselling author of relatable, character-driven contemporary romance stories that feature as much yearning as she can stuff into them. When she's not working on a new book, you can find her making a playlist, watching Sleepless in Seattle and the 2005 version of Pride & Prejudice on repeat, or curled up with a book she didn't have to write.

Reviews

[B.K. Borison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I simply want to live in JJ's head and heart. No one is doing it like her.

[Jessica Joyce]

this one’s for the floater friends and the ones who never stick 😄

[ellen · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

thank you so much to netgalley for this arc!!

this was everything i want in a romance. childhood friends to lovers, brother’s best friend, forced proximity, mutual pining, YEAAARNINGGGG? say less.

i absolutely loved summer and dylan - their history (which we get in the form of videos that summer had taken?? adorable), their CHEMISTRY (some of the best i’ve read), and the way their friendship slowly turned into something more had me so, so hooked. i loved how much emotion was woven into their relationship, especially with summer struggling to believe she could be someone’s first choice and dylan trying to show her that she was always worth choosing. the tension between them was so good, and i was rooting for them every step of the way.

i think it’s very clear that i LOVED dylan. he wasn’t pushy in the slightest, but you could consistently tell how much summer meant to him, and how head over heels he was. we only get summer’s POV, but like i said, we get lots of interjections of descriptions of videos summer has taken throughout their lives together, and the way dylan’s emotions were SO clear, really got me. they were adorable together, and i feel like the way jessica joyce wrote them made them feel incredibly real.

overall, this was a swoony, heartfelt romance that reminded me why i love this genre so much. i beg that you not only pick up this book when you can, but also the entirety of jessica joyce’s backlist. phenomenal!!!

[cat]

・❥・⁀➷ 𝕡𝕣𝕖-𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕

october 9th- YES. ARC SECURED!!!! I've been waitingggg for Jessica Joyce to release another book!!! 😍😍

[Peyton Corinne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thank the universe every day that I get to live in the same timeline as Jessica Joyce. How lucky are we to read the most extraordinary words from her extraordinary brain. This story is love personified, in all it's shapes and forms.

ps dylan x summer's necklace put me in an early grave

[Clare Gilmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

"What's a little kiss between friends?"

For the avoidant attachment styles and the ones who worry that their worth will go away when life changes their circumstances.

There’s no better feeling than cracking open a new Jessica Joyce novel. In her worlds, with her characters, amidst a beautifully unfurling love story, I always find myself feeling more connected to my own life. Summer and Dylan’s romance is at once a delicacy and relatably humble, rife with flirting, fervent encouragement, and tiny moments of noticing each other that feel larger than life. We are all so lucky to have Jessica. The romance literary canon — the world, in fact — is a better place now that Every Ordinary Thing is in it.

[manas]

no one does summer romances like her!!!!!

we are winning so hard.

[Grace Harper]

i literally cannot wait to have another jessica joyce book in my hands i’m actually foaming at the mouth for it

[jenna 💘✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

♾️ stars. thank you to berkley for the arc. i am emotionally recovering from this right now and will be back with a full review but JUST KNOW.... SUMMER & DYLAN ARE THE LOVES OF MY LIFE. this is just another incredible book from JJ. Her brain should be praised for its beauty

[sam]

it’s quite literally impossible for me to have a more highly anticipated release than this

[Mira]

Pre-read: The ARC approval made my day!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group (Berkley) for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[mags · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I love every ordinary thing about you"

"you're the first person i look for in every room, summer. even rooms i know you won't be in"

"i love knowing you"

5⭐️ my year has truly been made by having a new jessica joyce read. she has this way of writing characters that are just so raw and real, it feels like a breath of fresh air

summer's avoidant, but so loving, heart really spoke to my soul, her and dylan are truly made for eachother 🥹 i loved them both together and individually so so much. their love was so gentle, sweet and ordinary, which is perhaps the most beautiful thing love can be

thank you so much netgalley for this arc! 🌊💛⚾️📷

also reallyyyy hoping for a book on a certain 2 characters in this 👀👀👀👀

[Liana Gold]

When a situationship turns permanent and temporary, yet steamy benefits heat up the friendship, will Summer Beckett and Dylan Parker be brave enough to have something more than just extraordinary?



Many thanks to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group and the author, Jessica Joyce for the early ARC.

Publication date: March 2, 2027

[Payton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can say without a shadow of a doubt that Jessica Joyce is one of the greatest talents of our time. How lucky that of all the years I could have to be alive in this world, it is at the same time as she’s writing in it.

Her prose is unmatched, the tenderness and longing and vulnerability woven flawlessly into every word. She writes like she’s drawing your own thoughts and feelings out of you better than you ever could yourself, and the result is delightfully devastating storytelling that feels limitless in its relatability.

Summer’s positioning behind the camera has given her the ability to see all of the ordinary moments, big and small, that make people who they are. The flicker in the edge of a smile, the soft huff of a laugh in a tender moment, the quiet emptiness of solitude and how it can feel both fulfilling and hollow. It has also given her the ability to hide her own tender heart, so susceptible to being bruised by the loveliness of those little nothings.

And Dylan - outwardly charming and warm and aloof, absolutely achingly leaning in for a chance of Summer’s warmth and to show her that he not only sees how clearly she sees him, but that he is looking right back into the very heart of her. His own softness is always present, but is so easily lined with something a little more defensive, and Summer knows the feeling all too well.

I know she won’t see this because she (justifiably!) does not look at reviews but I hope Jessica can feel in her heart that she has created yet another masterpiece that is going to resonate so deeply in so many hearts.

[Bethany C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh…..my gosh 😭😭😭😭😭😭 (rtc)

[Maren’s Reads]

Y’all broke NetGalley requesting this one so hard. So obviously it had to go to the top of my TBR 🤣😅

[monica ✨ romantasyreader]

will be sat waiting for this masterpiece to come out on march 2027

[joni ౨ৎ]

𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ ── pre-read
won the netgalley read now war for jessica!!!! u bet im starting this once i catch up with arcs!!!!

thank you berkley for the eARC via netgalley!!!




bawling bc wdym for the floater friends...

and he wears a chain!!!

[Silvy (silvylinings) · Rating 5 out of 5]

oh my god i’m devastated!!! dismantled!!!!! in that way only jessica joyce can do!!!!!!!!!!

masterpiece. full rtc once i’m able to swim my feeble body through the rip current of tears it’s cried

[caleigh]

new jessica joyce? i am so sat 🧎🏼‍♀️

[Mel || melodrama_musings · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

I firmly believe that the best contemporary romance men are written like they were lifted from the pages of a historical romance. They’re vexed, they yearn… they just so happen to have access to modern technology and make use of it to the best of their (and my!) advantage. 🎥

***full review to come closer to the pub date, for now I’ll simply say: thank you to Berkeley for the e-arc and Jessica Joyce for single-handedly restoring my faith in contemporary romance as a genre 🙂‍↕️

[Leslie Ann (lalasbookishlife) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jessica Joyce never disappoints! Her newest romance was filled with swooony moments and witty banter galore! It didn't quite beat The Ex Vows for me, but a close second for sure! I'll definitely be recommending this one! :)

[Anna ʚɞ {I'm back!!! I finished my masters!!!}]

OMG WAIT WHAT!!!! 🥹💗

[lana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I literally am in shock as I write this out because wow we are just so privileged to have Jessica Joyce's stories and this one is no exception. From the beginning I already knew this was going to be something I enjoyed because A) it's written by Jessica Joyce (and I would read her grocery list/anything from her ever probably) and B) Summer Beckett's character screamed to me in terms of relatability. This feeling only increased as I began to read EVERY ORDINARY THING.

Joyce's writing is so insanely good and from the jump, you get such a sense of the setting and the exact moment Summer and the rest of the characters are in. It's witty and funny and just so enjoyable. I immediately felt endeared by these characters and the obvious love and bonds that existed. As the story plays out and we get to know Dylan the way Summer does, it's simply perfection. The tension is exquisite and with the added moments of the past feel warranted and just so delectable to read. And WHEN THE TENSION BREAKS... HOLYYY SMOKES! Those moments of intimacy do what the best sort of spice does and expands the connection between Summer and Dylan as a couple but really let's them communicate in a way they can't do in words just yet. To say I felt seen by Summer and Dylan is putting it lightly, many parts of their characters and the narratives they have told themselves felt insanely close to home for me which caused many instances of me just crying because ouch ouch ouch. There is a thread throughout this book about how the things that sometimes go unnoticed in life by others can be some of the most special and not only is that sentiment something that could only have been so perfectly captured by Jessica Joyce but she has also made that sort of perspective sing throughout the entire story. It was so effective that I was like rereading lines and highlighting all over the place because there was simply not a single morsel of detail and attention I wanted to miss.

Getting more into the relationship at the heart of this story, all I can say is again ✨wow✨. These are two people who have the same sort of wounds and see each other so clearly, it is truly something so lovely to read. Their banter as well as their more ordinary quiet moments in this story sing with chemistry and connection. You simply cannot help but squeal and cheer for every second we get closer to the HEA. The pacing of their relationship was spot on and I normally struggle with flashbacks but in this story it was once again perfectly done. Not only is the framing of them a perfect fit for the story but it is never gratuitous or distracting/taking away from the current timeline which sometimes can be an issue when trying to establish the history between a couple. Every moment of the past was just as good as the present and really informed the relationship they had in the current timeline. I cannot overstate how much talent and intentionality that takes because THAT IS HARDDD to accomplish and many less skilled authors could not have nailed it the way Joyce has.

I love this story and these characters and I already know this is going to be a huge hit with romance readers. It really brings to the table the truth of the ~to be loved is to be seen~ line and reminds readers to be deeply loved in the way everyone craves you must allow others in to see the real you even when it's scary, embarrassing, and downright hard. Between Summer's necklace, the (redacted) video™️, Dylan's *everything* and more... EVERY ORDINARY THING is a masterpiece.

(p.s I am petitioning for So It Goes by Taylor Swift to be added to the playlist of their songs because of The Line... [spoilers reasons]... just a thought!)

I was able to read an early copy as I work at PRH. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Cherie Geary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for providing this ARC for my honest review!

WOW! I simply abandoned my whole TBR when I received a copy of Every Ordinary Thing and I do not regret it in the least. Jessica has this unique talent that I have only seen in a few other authors over the last few years to have me smiling and kicking my feet throughout the whole book. I simply was not able to put it down.

Every Ordinary Thing is about Summer, a video producer who never feels the one chosen in her friendships and most of her relationships in general, and Dylan, a retiring professional Baseball player who has not felt loved from his parents or see his value. They have been put in circumstances to be around each other now twice when Dylan is in a transition period.

Their friendship and the way they fully see each other when others do not is beautiful. This book is PEAK yearning which Jessica Joyce always does with perfection without it feeling creepy, over the top or cringey.

I'm obsessed and will definitely be recommending and rereading as one of my favorite reads this year!

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thousand stars isn’t nearly enough

[n]

jessica joyce im ready for that emotional damage bring it on!!!

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another banger from Jessica Joyce where I’m left with a major book hangover. This book is so beautifully written, well-paced and full of poignant moments and heartfelt reflections. Jessica Joyce has an exquisite way of sculpting words to find the emotional truth of her characters and present ordinary moments in extraordinary ways (just like Summer!).

I adored Summer and Dylan. Both are struggling with their feelings of inadequacy. For Summer, it's a lifetime of no one picking her to be their friend or romantic partner so she finds her place behind her camera (something I related to so much) filming little vignettes of life in order to feel like she was part of something. For Dylan its his impending retirement and fears that he's not someone wanted without being the baseball star. Their romance was such a beautiful slow-burn full of yearning. The chemistry and connection was just so tender and sweet. They quietly challenged each other to push through their fears, while also revealing their vulnerable sides despite everything being no strings attached. I also loved the friendships - Summer's burgeoning friendship with Cora, as well as Summer's mum and Jo. Bonus squee were cameos from Jessica's previous books (justice for Theo!).

I am bereft I've finished reading this and I can't stop thinking about the characters.

[Emily Minarik · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is perfect. i can’t wait for the world to have it, too.

[Kaitlyn]

my yearning for a new Jessica Joyce romance is through the roof :' )