At 50 Imogen had been married for over 20 years, and was living in a big house, with money to spare. Suddenly she is traded-in for a younger model, a Fast-Tracker.Devastated, she hides away and indulges in binge eating. But then, when hope is almost gone, she meets a new friend and makes a journey to her past that helps her move on to her future.
Just an Odd Job Girl
By sallycronin
Aaahahaha! That’s how I’m gonna start out this review because this book was simply hysterical, inspirational, shocking, and different from most of my normal reads. Wow… okay, let me calm down and tell you more about it because it’s hard to contain my enthusiasm and respect for the author and her main character.
Imogen’s louse of a husband asks for a divorce shortly after their kids have grown up and moved out of the house. In the early years of their marriage, which was always fine as she’d dubiously believed, they had little money; however, in time, they became somewhat wealthy and had amassed a sizable chunk of cash. Of course, the louse of a husband gave some of it to Imogen, who struggled to accept the crumbling facade of her life. She ate her way to further unhappiness until finally caving in and seeking solace in the form of a new job that might help her feel more useful.
This is where our story begins… Imogen meets an unusual but kind owner of an agency that seeks employment for mature candidates. He is unable to suggest a job until she shares the details of her career and work history… which ultimately, other than being a housewife and mother, was non-existent once she got married. Being a mother and housewife was incredibly complex, but employers want to see traditional work experience, which she knows… so the owner asks her to recount her life prior to marriage where she held somewhere in the neighborhood of ~20 different jobs. As you’d expect, their communication and relationship begins to take on a very different perspective and shape, delighting readers with warm, tender moments.
Imogen explains the details through memories, discussion, and documentation. I was thoroughly entertained by her experiences… and I can’t imagine a better writer to clearly show us what this poor and suffering but extremely diligent and persistent woman had accomplished in those years. Between chasing criminals, setting up ‘dates’ for an escort service, and running a hotel, she could regale us with stories until the cows came home… which probably happened in a few of the jobs she held years ago. Just when I thought her job couldn’t get any worse, or she would quit and run, the opposite happens. Imogen finds a solution that no other employee had thought of… which leads to her getting tons of promotions and more money.
Until she had to quit… because her husband didn’t want any wife of his to work. By the time the story comes to a perfect conclusion, Imogen gets beautiful revenge on the louse… finds love… obtains the perfect job. This is a woman I want to be friends with! This is also an author who could entertain nearly any type of reader. Cronin takes ordinary and unusual life occurrences and turns them into eye-squinting and nail-biting moments where readers can’t stop turning the pages to find out what the heck could happen next.
Love it. Can’t say any more other than I want to read the sequel NOW please. Now, I said!
Imogen’s life turns upside down when her husband trades her in for a younger model. Their children have flown the nest and she starts over aged 50, buying a new home on the edge of Epping Forest and searching for a job through an employment agency.
The CV that she produces for Andrew Jenkins at the agency is short and lacking in self confidence. However, Mr Jenkins gently prods Imogen and her story unfolds…
We learn of her first job at a seaside kiosk where she apprehends a group of teenage boys stealing dirty postcards, her work at a department store where she treats her customers with compassion and respect, at a dentists where she uses her initiative as his assistant faints…
There are many funny yet poignant moments throughout the book, and I particularly enjoyed her savvy treatment of American “royalty.”
Nearing the end of the book, both the reader and Mr Jenkins realise that Imogen is an incredibly smart, hardworking, bighearted, streetwise woman whose self esteem is in great need of a boost.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and have no hesitation in recommending it to others.
I laughed and I cried with Imogen.
After a life cocooned in what looked like a blissful family life, Imogen has a rude awakening, forced to face life on her own, and support herself materially and emotionally.
It is the unforseen yet unavoidable situation in Imogen’s new life, a job interview, that rekindles her inner strength and resilient character.
Sally Cronin is a master storyteller with a flair for dialogue and humorous situations amd this shows in Imogen’s reminiscing of her past jobs.
There is a lot of ‘girl power’ in this book, Imogen’s character proving that self-esteem never leaves us. Lovely uplifting book, I LOVES it! Highly recommend.
This novel reads a bit like a memoir, told in the first person and alternating time between past and present. When the story opens, Imogen, a 50-year-old empty nester, is devastated that her husband has left her for a younger woman. After wallowing in self-pity for a while, she picks herself back up and makes an appointment at Jenkins Temporary Agency, which specializes in placing mature job applicants.
At first glance, Imogen’s resume is unimpressive. She hasn’t worked outside of the home since she married, and between school and marriage, she performed a series of temporary or short-term “odd jobs.” But Andrew Jenkins, owner of the agency, delves into the details surrounding each of these positions, pulling stories out of Imogen that help her recognize marketable skills she didn’t realize she possessed. Along the way, the reader is treated to amusing anecdotes of challenging situations Imogen handled in her work life, and we see how creative and resourceful she can be.
I won’t give away the ending except to assure you the story ends happily.
One of the books that flew west with me was Sally Cronin’s Just an Odd Job Girl. In more ways than one, it’s a great summer story.
I picked up this book while on vacation and thoroughly enjoyed it. A quick read at 156 pages, the book begins with an older Imogen. At 50, she’s on her own, traded-in by her husband for a younger “fast-tracker.” After 25 years of raising children and keeping house, she feels frumpy and bored, and decides to find a job.
The temp agency asks for a resume of her work experience, and all she has is a long list of pre-marriage odd jobs, starting with a summer stint as a teenager at a seaside gift kiosk and rambling through temporary positions with a dental office, department store, bar, funeral parlor, boys school, and country inn.
As the reader joins Imogene on a reflective journey through her odd jobs, it’s impossible not to laugh at her antics, the colorful characters she meets along the way, and the predicaments she gets herself into and out of. What I enjoyed most, was young Imogene’s humanity. She’s a wonderful combination of funny, compassionate, resourceful, and fearless. I couldn’t wait to see the fix she got into next.
In addition to laughs, Just an Odd Job Girl has a lovely message for young adults as well as those of us getting on in age: that life is full of opportunities, that wonderful people are everywhere, and that you are never to old to grow. Get your copy for the beach or backyard hammock. You won’t be disappointed.
When fifty-year-old Imogene Smythe (Baxter) is replaced by another woman (a fast-tracker) the reality of her divorce to Peter sends her life into a tailspin. For the last twenty years or so, this middle-aged woman has dedicated her life to raising her family.
After the divorce, Imogene’s left with too much time on her hands. After all, how many cartons of ice cream can one woman wallow in? Don’t answer that question!
An industrious sort, the divorcee decides to get a job, even though her resume shows she hasn’t worked in years. She visits a temp agency and proceeds to fill out her resume which sends the reader on a hilarious romp into Imogene’s past employment history. I’m a night reader and a few times I laughed so hard I woke up my husband!
At the office, Andrew, a placement agent, is charmed by Imogene’s pleasant personality as she details the jobs, locations, her bosses, and many of the customers she took care of. This journey into her past causes her self-worth to skyrocket and her confidence blooms. Not only does Imogene find herself, but she also finds true happiness.
I thoroughly enjoyed this read. The author is a consummate storyteller and her writing skills are evident. The premise was brilliant and from start, to finish, the story is told with enough pathos and humor to make Imogene a role model for all middle-aged women who find themselves starting over from scratch.
I did receive this story as a gift. I enjoyed it so much, I wanted to share my thoughts.
MY RATING:
Character Believability: 5
Flow and Pace: 5
Reader Engagement: 5
Reader Enrichment: 5
Reader Enjoyment: 5
Overall Rate: 5 out of 5 Stars