He lost his ambition. She can’t find her perspective. Will joining forces bring them the meaning they need?College student Toby is desperate for direction. Pausing his higher education, he relocates to Portland and rents a townhouse in hopes of reconnecting to his roots. But he didn’t expect his passion for soap operas to lead to the relationship he’s always needed.At eighty-seven-years-old, Jo’s … eighty-seven-years-old, Jo’s mind and body aren’t what they used to be. But even at her senior age, she’s sharp enough to know her nursing aids are after her generous family trust. So when a kind and honest young man moves in next door, she quickly enlists his help in catching the sneaky bandits.
Forging a deep connection with his elderly friend through their scheming, Toby finally lights upon his purpose. And with her partner in crime helping her navigate everyday adventures from roller skates and uneven ground to downtown parking, Jo rediscovers a joy she had long forgotten.
Will this unlikely duo unlock the secret of life?
Yes, And is a charming literary fiction novel. If you like intergenerational relationships, personal journeys of growth, and making heartfelt memories, then you’ll love Cindy Gunderson’s compassionate tale.
Buy Yes, And for an unbreakable bond today!
more
I loved everything about this book! The relationship between Toby and Jo made me so happy. I found myself smiling often while reading. It was refreshing to read about characters with a large age gap. As a young adult I enjoyed reading Jo’s perspective and being able to relate to an older character. As I read about her experiences and grew to love her more I found myself thinking of older people in my life and how I could be more compassionate. Every day I looked forward to when I could pick it up and read again. It is a great, uplifting, and thoughtful read.
This is fun read. It’s characters not normally showcased in a book. An elderly woman and a 20 something millennial. It’s funny, it’s light and it’s a mystery as they try to figure out if Jo is being taken advantage of by her caregivers. It will keep you interested right up until the end.
Sweet, heart warming, and with a twist I didn’t see coming.
An Unusual Relationship
I wasn’t quite sure what I thought of this book after reading the first couple of chapters. It’s written in the present tense, which I always find distracting rather than immersive. The author also did a fair amount of head-hopping, sometimes even in the middle of a paragraph! Or a section looked like it would be wholly from either Jo’s or Toby’s perspective, and it would veer off suddenly. I also didn’t like that the author used so many dialogue tags other than “say.” There’s a reason why authors are advised to stick mostly with “said” or “say”–the dialogue tag sticks out like a sore thumb.
But, I found a developing relationship between Toby and Jo (as well as the one between Toby and his older sister, Clara) to be too fascinating and despite these distracting elements. There was just something so sweet about this young man caring so much for his elderly neighbor, wanting to help her in so many ways. He definitely wanted her to live a little more and get out of the house! It turns out something really connects them, but I won’t spoil that here. Jo is 87, and the parts written from her perspective were particularly fascinating to read as she is an unreliable narrator because of her dementia. But her voice still rang true, and it helped us understand her turbulent mind. It really made you sympathize with the poor woman who saw danger and disapproval everywhere. I am an RN, and I thought some medical aspects were not quite accurate. I’m also an Oregonian, and I didn’t always think that her depiction of our state was wholly accurate either. But, all in all, I found this to be a read that I couldn’t put down.
4.5 rounded up to 5 because of wonderful characters
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
Elderly Woman Finds Friends at the End
This is a wonderful story of women’s fiction and the story of family. While the reader may guess at certain things as the story goes on, it is the journey that is so wonderful. Having recently lost my 95-year-old mother, I can relate to the personality of 87-year-old Jo. To be alone and of that age can be very scary. Having a nice young neighbor to be friends with is such a gift. The fact that he was there was more of a comfort than he could possibly imagine. This is a wonderful and very touching story that I will remember forever. I received this ARC book from Booksprouts and this is my honest review.
I loved reading this story! Toby was so great with Jo – he knew just what to do and say! I liked how it was a different subject matter than most other books I read. It was interesting that the book is all in present tense, but I was super engaged in the story the whole time! I recommend this book. Very sweet, how the young can have such an impact on the elderly!
A WISHING SHELF BOOK REVIEW
5th March 2021
TITLE: Yes, And: A Novel
AUTHOR: Cindy Gunderson
Star Rating: 5
CATCHY QUOTE
‘A feel-good story with strong characterization. Highly recommended!’ The Wishing Shelf
REVIEW
The strength of a novel is often found in its characters. And this is very much the case in this novel. Cleverly plotted, the author exhibiting an excellent understanding of human nature, it follows two central characters. Toby, a young man trying to find himself, and Jo, the old lady living next door to him. This is a story about connecting, about two characters born so many years apart but still being able to form a strong bond and bring the best out in each other.
Whilst reading this book, two things particularly struck me. Firstly, how important it is not to pigeonhole the elderly; it’s so easy to think a very old person has nothing left to offer the world. But they do. Everybody is always in such a rush; that or glued endlessly to a telephone screen looking for whatever they think will make them happy. But often happiness can be found much closer to home. And, in the case of Toby and Jo, next door. The second thing that struck me was how enjoyable it was to read a novel that was focused on character and not plot. Yes, there is a plot in there, Jo strongly mistrusting her caregivers resulting in a lot of scheming, but it’s the characters which gels this story together. This emphasis on character and developing the relationship between them, was refreshing. And the joy they brought to each other gave joy to me too.
So, can I recommend this book? Absolutely. Although there is the odd niggling problem (mostly to do with speech tags; there’s nothing wrong with the word ‘say’) , this is a gem of a novel. I suspect anybody who’s looking for a feel-good story filled with interesting, charismatic characters and a strong, underlining humor, will find this highly entertaining. It might even persuade you to pop in next door and check on your elderly neighbor. And that can’t be a bad thing.
Enjoy!
A ‘Wishing Shelf’ Book Review
http://www.thewsa.co.uk
Toby is a 21 year old man who befriends Jo an 87 year old lady. I loved hearing how they forma a bond and a unique relationship. Thought they were good for each other. I usually read sweet romances so this was a change and one I really enjoyed. Highly recommend. I listened to this book on audible and will be a book I will listen to again.