One Plus One: A Novel

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. If you’ve read Jojo Moyes’s Me Before You, what similarities or contrasts did you find in her writing style or thematic concerns across both novels, particularly around unlikely relationships and difficult choices?

2. The road trip is a classic narrative device for forcing unlikely characters together. How effective did you find this structure in One Plus One, and how does it compare to other road trip stories you know?

3. How did you feel about the novel’s blend of humor and hardship? Did one tone feel more dominant or effective for you?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Jess and Ed define wealth in very different terms. Does your own definition of wealth resonate with theirs, or is it completely different?

2. Ed advises Nicky to find his “tribe” as a way to cope with being an outsider. Have you ever felt like an outsider, and what does the idea of finding your “people” mean to you in your own life?

3. When Jess decides to take Ed’s money, did you find yourself sympathizing with her choice, even though it was a theft? How did this scene challenge or confirm your own ideas about what’s right under desperate circumstances?

4. The novel argues that families come in “different shapes.” What does family mean to you, and how did the portrayal of Jess, Nicky, and Tanzie’s blended family challenge or affirm your own ideas about what makes a family strong?

5. Ed’s initial offer to drive the family is motivated partly by a selfish desire to feel better about himself. Have you ever done something for someone else that was also, in part, for yourself? How does the novel explore the complex motivations behind acts of kindness?

6. Nicky’s blog post about his family’s struggles goes viral, bringing an outpouring of support from strangers. What are your thoughts on the power of social media to create community and offer help in times of crisis?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. The story is set in post-recession Britain, highlighting a huge gap between the wealthy and the working poor. How does the novel use the characters’ financial situations to comment on social mobility and the idea that talent isn’t always enough to ensure success?

2. Nicky is relentlessly bullied, and the authorities seem indifferent or ineffective. What message do you think the novel sends about how society handles bullying and protects vulnerable young people?

3. Both Ed and Jess commit illegal acts, but their motivations and consequences are vastly different. What does the novel suggest about how class and privilege influence the way our society defines and prosecutes crime?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. How did the shifting perspectives between Jess, Ed, Nicky, and Tanzie affect your reading experience? Did having access to each character’s interiority change how you judged their actions?

2. Jess’s broken-down Rolls-Royce and Ed’s pristine Audi are more than just cars. What do these vehicles symbolize about their owners’ lives, values, and trajectories?

3. How does Ed’s journey from a self-absorbed millionaire to an empathetic protector unfold? What key moments or interactions with the Thomas family do you see as the most critical turning points in his transformation?

4. In what ways does Norman the dog function as more than just a family pet? How does he come to symbolize the unconditional, unconventional love that defines the Thomas family?

5. The novel is titled One Plus One, a phrase Jess uses to describe a relationship she feels she has no room for. How does the motif of numbers expand the idea that the sum of a family can be greater than its individual parts?

6. The Fishers are portrayed as one-dimensional antagonists. Do you think this flat characterization is effective in highlighting the victims of bullying, or would the story have benefited from a more nuanced portrayal of the bullies?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. If you were an anonymous reader of Nicky’s blog, what kind of supportive message might you have left for him and his family after Norman’s accident?

2. Jess starts a successful handyperson business at the end of the novel. If you were to design a logo and a slogan for her business, what would they be, and how would you capture her personality and resilience in the branding?

3. If the family had successfully made the trip to Scotland in the old Rolls-Royce without Ed, how do you imagine their story might have ended differently? Would Tanzie still have won, and what would the future have held for Jess and Nicky?