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Okay Days
‘A perfect Millennial love story ... with its acidic dialogue and languid sex scenes. A charming and clever romance, a perfect summer read’ – Irish Times
‘Utterly immersive ... it's reminiscent of Sally Rooney and is a complex and joyous ode to being in love, messing up and finding your way’ – Stylist
Sam is 28, Swedish, carefree and chaotic. Doing a work placement in London over the course of three sticky summer months, she falls hard for Lucas, a man she first met as a teenager. Lucas, 27, sensitive and calm, is trying to get a start on adult life while struggling to hold the pieces of his life together. Sam is a gorgeous distraction. But you can only avoid reality for so long, and both Sam and Lucas know their relationship can't last. Nobody can be this happy forever, surely?
Okay Days tells the story of the rise and fall of Sam and Lucas's affection for each other, looks unflinchingly at male body dysmorphia and women's reproductive rights, and the pitfalls of modern love. When is okay good enough? And what are we willing to lose in the search for a life that is much better than just okay?
‘Emotionally realistic ... desperately romantic. Simply brilliant’ – Irish Independent
‘Razor sharp ... nothing short of brilliant’ – Glamour
‘A beautifully-observed portrait of self-discovery and uncertain love. Jenny's sharp and evocative prose gave me a feeling of immense nostalgia for London's long summer days’ – Natasha Brown, author of Assembly
‘Fresh and sharply observant ... One of the most intriguing books I've read in some time’ – Elaine Feeney, author of How To Build A Boat
‘Sam and Luc ... live on inside my head, long after I closed the book. A fantastic debut from a promising literary talent’ – Nick Bradley, author of The Cat and The City
‘A gorgeous book – a fresh, sexy love story that’s set to become a classic’ – Daisy Buchanan, author of Insatiable
‘Tender and spellbinding, Okay Days breaks you all the way open’ – Annie Lord, author of Notes on Heartbreak
‘Utterly immersive ... it's reminiscent of Sally Rooney and is a complex and joyous ode to being in love, messing up and finding your way’ – Stylist
Sam is 28, Swedish, carefree and chaotic. Doing a work placement in London over the course of three sticky summer months, she falls hard for Lucas, a man she first met as a teenager. Lucas, 27, sensitive and calm, is trying to get a start on adult life while struggling to hold the pieces of his life together. Sam is a gorgeous distraction. But you can only avoid reality for so long, and both Sam and Lucas know their relationship can't last. Nobody can be this happy forever, surely?
Okay Days tells the story of the rise and fall of Sam and Lucas's affection for each other, looks unflinchingly at male body dysmorphia and women's reproductive rights, and the pitfalls of modern love. When is okay good enough? And what are we willing to lose in the search for a life that is much better than just okay?
‘Emotionally realistic ... desperately romantic. Simply brilliant’ – Irish Independent
‘Razor sharp ... nothing short of brilliant’ – Glamour
‘A beautifully-observed portrait of self-discovery and uncertain love. Jenny's sharp and evocative prose gave me a feeling of immense nostalgia for London's long summer days’ – Natasha Brown, author of Assembly
‘Fresh and sharply observant ... One of the most intriguing books I've read in some time’ – Elaine Feeney, author of How To Build A Boat
‘Sam and Luc ... live on inside my head, long after I closed the book. A fantastic debut from a promising literary talent’ – Nick Bradley, author of The Cat and The City
‘A gorgeous book – a fresh, sexy love story that’s set to become a classic’ – Daisy Buchanan, author of Insatiable
‘Tender and spellbinding, Okay Days breaks you all the way open’ – Annie Lord, author of Notes on Heartbreak
340 pages, Hardcover
First published June 29, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 500 reviews
April 17, 2023
This book is dedicated to me, so I might be biased.
January 4, 2024
i will read anything sally rooney-y. and this is that!!!
well, in that it's a book about two artsy, good-looking young people with undiagnosed mental illnesses trying to reckon with love in a european city.
which is officially my favorite niche subgenre.
otherwise, it's rather different. the style takes some adjusting to, being very stream of consciousness, and it is the kind of literary fiction about millennials that you read with your shoulders up by your ears (like PLEASE CARE FOR YOURSELF AND OTHERS BEFORE I DIE CRINGING), but neither of those are even bad things.
this is so incredibly established by a debut, and i felt impressed by it nearly from the first page.
plus jenny mustard is the coolest name ever.
bottom line: every book i spot in a cool bookstore in ireland should be good, and this was.
(thanks to the author for the copy)
well, in that it's a book about two artsy, good-looking young people with undiagnosed mental illnesses trying to reckon with love in a european city.
which is officially my favorite niche subgenre.
otherwise, it's rather different. the style takes some adjusting to, being very stream of consciousness, and it is the kind of literary fiction about millennials that you read with your shoulders up by your ears (like PLEASE CARE FOR YOURSELF AND OTHERS BEFORE I DIE CRINGING), but neither of those are even bad things.
this is so incredibly established by a debut, and i felt impressed by it nearly from the first page.
plus jenny mustard is the coolest name ever.
bottom line: every book i spot in a cool bookstore in ireland should be good, and this was.
(thanks to the author for the copy)
July 5, 2023
This wasn't a book for me, I'm afraid. Possibly because of my age or possibly because of life experience - mine not the characters. Either way I found the whole book pretty pointless.
The narration was the best thing about it to be honest. David Wayman as Luc and Kaisa Hammarlund as Sam had good clear voices and their performances were thoroughly believable.
Okay Days is about the relationship between Lucas and Sam, both post grad students attempting to negotiate life.
Luc appeared to me to not so much have body dysmorphia (as is suggested in the blurb) but rather a lack of personality which he moulded to each person he was with. So with Sam he tried to be relaxed, with his friends he became nerdy and when the new sporty girlfriend comes along he starts training for a marathon. So he's easily led which may or may not have something to do with losing his mother at a very young age.
Sam, on the other hand, appears to be more together - good job, prepared to travel, good friends and family connections. What Sam doesn't want to do is grow up. Unfortunately she's about to find out that being a selfish brat is only something you can get away with for so long. By the time the story ends she's almost pulled it together but if you haven't worked out by the time you're 30 that you cannot party all night and work all day then you're liable to come to a sticky end.
I think the end disappointed me the most though. Without spoiling it - for me the solution to the couple's earlier dilemma was only going to be a stop gap rather than the rosy re-set we're sold. Truth is though that I couldn't really have cared less by that stage. I was just glad it was over.
This will probably appeal to twenty or thirty somethings who recognise themselves in the characters or possibly have encountered similar problems with jobs, somewhere to live, becoming independent etc.
1 star for me because I finished it. Second star because it annoyed me but didn't give me a headache and 3rd star purely for the narration.
The narration was the best thing about it to be honest. David Wayman as Luc and Kaisa Hammarlund as Sam had good clear voices and their performances were thoroughly believable.
Okay Days is about the relationship between Lucas and Sam, both post grad students attempting to negotiate life.
Luc appeared to me to not so much have body dysmorphia (as is suggested in the blurb) but rather a lack of personality which he moulded to each person he was with. So with Sam he tried to be relaxed, with his friends he became nerdy and when the new sporty girlfriend comes along he starts training for a marathon. So he's easily led which may or may not have something to do with losing his mother at a very young age.
Sam, on the other hand, appears to be more together - good job, prepared to travel, good friends and family connections. What Sam doesn't want to do is grow up. Unfortunately she's about to find out that being a selfish brat is only something you can get away with for so long. By the time the story ends she's almost pulled it together but if you haven't worked out by the time you're 30 that you cannot party all night and work all day then you're liable to come to a sticky end.
I think the end disappointed me the most though. Without spoiling it - for me the solution to the couple's earlier dilemma was only going to be a stop gap rather than the rosy re-set we're sold. Truth is though that I couldn't really have cared less by that stage. I was just glad it was over.
This will probably appeal to twenty or thirty somethings who recognise themselves in the characters or possibly have encountered similar problems with jobs, somewhere to live, becoming independent etc.
1 star for me because I finished it. Second star because it annoyed me but didn't give me a headache and 3rd star purely for the narration.
May 30, 2023
OKAY DAYS | Jenny Mustard
Wow. Wow. Wow.
This debut novel by Jenny Mustard was everything I’d ever needed!
The story follows Sam, a Swede who came to London to work at a London marketing company over the summer, and Luc, a British man who seems to be a little lost at times. Their relationship blooms in its first stages but it has an expiration date, as Sam has to go back to Stockholm.
Jenny’s take on modern relationships was refreshing, with two people desperately wanting to be together but having to face life’s obstacles and the reality of living together.
I loved the characters, they were written so well I felt like I was listening to their story directly from them. There’s also a strong character development in both sides, we get to see how they grow, change and become the better versions of themselves.
But it is not just a story about love, it explores topics such as female reproductive rights, being lost in your 20s and body image (this time from the perspective of a man, and oh how much do we need it).
Jenny’s writing is superb! I couldn’t believe it’s her very first novel! It was painfully relatable to the point that I’d giggle at how accurate her description of London was. She’s managed to capture the mood so well, it almost felt like a Japanese novel.
Now, if you’re a fan of Sally Rooney and Marie Aubert, you’ve got to give it a go. I loved it, I’ll be holding onto my copy forever (you know, in case Jenny wins a Booker Prize).
ad: thank you so much to Jenny Mustard and Sceptre Books for the ARC. It was a pleasure to be able to read it and review it. 🤎
Wow. Wow. Wow.
This debut novel by Jenny Mustard was everything I’d ever needed!
The story follows Sam, a Swede who came to London to work at a London marketing company over the summer, and Luc, a British man who seems to be a little lost at times. Their relationship blooms in its first stages but it has an expiration date, as Sam has to go back to Stockholm.
Jenny’s take on modern relationships was refreshing, with two people desperately wanting to be together but having to face life’s obstacles and the reality of living together.
I loved the characters, they were written so well I felt like I was listening to their story directly from them. There’s also a strong character development in both sides, we get to see how they grow, change and become the better versions of themselves.
But it is not just a story about love, it explores topics such as female reproductive rights, being lost in your 20s and body image (this time from the perspective of a man, and oh how much do we need it).
Jenny’s writing is superb! I couldn’t believe it’s her very first novel! It was painfully relatable to the point that I’d giggle at how accurate her description of London was. She’s managed to capture the mood so well, it almost felt like a Japanese novel.
Now, if you’re a fan of Sally Rooney and Marie Aubert, you’ve got to give it a go. I loved it, I’ll be holding onto my copy forever (you know, in case Jenny wins a Booker Prize).
ad: thank you so much to Jenny Mustard and Sceptre Books for the ARC. It was a pleasure to be able to read it and review it. 🤎
July 8, 2023
Didn’t really get the point of this book/story (or the lack of it, I should say?).
The writing style wants to be a re proposition of Sally Rooney’s but it fails, due to bland and insufferable characters who acts randomic or in opposition of their own previous description. They don’t make sense, they are not credible or in any way relatable.
For a novel mainly based on characters and their own inner worlds, this one is utterly void of insights or relatable feelings/moments - in this way the storytelling is only making the reader bored.
I was asking myself, while reading around page 80, what the heck do I care about the two protagonists? I don’t want to read how they stroll around doing nothing, not exchanging meaningful part of themselves with each other.
This book is basically the two of them hanging out. There is attraction and affection, bea cause they said so - but why? At one point, they decided together and that is it. I was feeling pretty damn bored by the lack of passion, emotion, something. Sarcasm even, I don’t know.
Luc doesn’t have a personality and it’s so washed out that is useless. Sam has too many things going on, it’s too egocentric and it’s the true protagonist of this book - unfortunately, I’d say, because it’s impossible to follow her and her trail of thoughts, her behavior often don’t match what she says or think.
The story proceed for hiccups: we start after 10 days after they decided to stay together for the summer, then we rush back to when they met, then again we read about Sam worrying about Luc’s moments of coldness (or mere moments of privacy, like washing clothes at his own home) and then back again at 10 years prior their reunion. This is the main line, in between this hiccups there are smaller one, made of flashbacks or old memories - the whole thing reads like scattered puzzle pieces. Hard to follow for no reason. Or maybe was an attempt to mimic a story that isn’t there in the first place?
At the random rescue of the pigeon I was like, “wtf, why”, what this scene serves to the storytelling? But it was only the beginning of the randomness of this book, full of details or scene or characters that doesn’t serves the story itself.
Didn’t have the strength to finish it.
The writing style wants to be a re proposition of Sally Rooney’s but it fails, due to bland and insufferable characters who acts randomic or in opposition of their own previous description. They don’t make sense, they are not credible or in any way relatable.
For a novel mainly based on characters and their own inner worlds, this one is utterly void of insights or relatable feelings/moments - in this way the storytelling is only making the reader bored.
I was asking myself, while reading around page 80, what the heck do I care about the two protagonists? I don’t want to read how they stroll around doing nothing, not exchanging meaningful part of themselves with each other.
This book is basically the two of them hanging out. There is attraction and affection, bea cause they said so - but why? At one point, they decided together and that is it. I was feeling pretty damn bored by the lack of passion, emotion, something. Sarcasm even, I don’t know.
Luc doesn’t have a personality and it’s so washed out that is useless. Sam has too many things going on, it’s too egocentric and it’s the true protagonist of this book - unfortunately, I’d say, because it’s impossible to follow her and her trail of thoughts, her behavior often don’t match what she says or think.
The story proceed for hiccups: we start after 10 days after they decided to stay together for the summer, then we rush back to when they met, then again we read about Sam worrying about Luc’s moments of coldness (or mere moments of privacy, like washing clothes at his own home) and then back again at 10 years prior their reunion. This is the main line, in between this hiccups there are smaller one, made of flashbacks or old memories - the whole thing reads like scattered puzzle pieces. Hard to follow for no reason. Or maybe was an attempt to mimic a story that isn’t there in the first place?
At the random rescue of the pigeon I was like, “wtf, why”, what this scene serves to the storytelling? But it was only the beginning of the randomness of this book, full of details or scene or characters that doesn’t serves the story itself.
Didn’t have the strength to finish it.
August 4, 2023
*Thank you to the publisher for gifting me a copy of this book!*
If you liked the vibes of Normal People and Open Water whereby you sort of glide through the novel watching as two characters float in and out of each other's orbit, you might really like this one. It’s quite slow burn and some could argue ‘mundane’ as we alternate between Luc and Sam as their lives intersect and diverge repeatedly, but if you like books that have a more relaxed character focused vibe to them, and enjoy a relationship being explored, this is definitely the book for you.
Luc and Same have a really tender, honest connection in here that you can’t help but want to soak up. Their love felt simultaneously really quiet and content, while also being blazingly loud on page. I think Mustard did a great job of really selling their relationship to us as readers, she didn’t even have to try though really. Their connection seems to be instantaneous, and the chemistry never waned. I was obsessed with the way they interacted and looked out for one another time and time again. It was such a sweet story, while also not shying away from the nitty gritty of what makes us human. It also looks at our own flaws, it’s very introspective, and how we can be our own worst enemy sometimes. It deals with as lot of heavy things, but the book somehow felt light as a feather.
I just think this book had really nice vibes to it. It felt very realistic and human to read, and though it had a lot of scenes just going through quite ordinary day to day interactions, I liked that. When this book is described as a modern love story, I think that’s a perfect way of describing it. I think the writing was good, the pacing worked really well, and I managed to sit and read this book in about two or three sittings because it was so digestible and more-ish. It also felt like a love letter to London in a lot of ways, and as an outsider who gets sucked into the London whirlwind everytime I visit, those lines resonated with me a lot. The ending of this book also made me cheesy smile.
The only negatives I have really are that the timeline felt a little chaotic and confusing, and the sentence structure was sometimes a bit too snappy for me. Other than that, wonderful.
If you liked the vibes of Normal People and Open Water whereby you sort of glide through the novel watching as two characters float in and out of each other's orbit, you might really like this one. It’s quite slow burn and some could argue ‘mundane’ as we alternate between Luc and Sam as their lives intersect and diverge repeatedly, but if you like books that have a more relaxed character focused vibe to them, and enjoy a relationship being explored, this is definitely the book for you.
Luc and Same have a really tender, honest connection in here that you can’t help but want to soak up. Their love felt simultaneously really quiet and content, while also being blazingly loud on page. I think Mustard did a great job of really selling their relationship to us as readers, she didn’t even have to try though really. Their connection seems to be instantaneous, and the chemistry never waned. I was obsessed with the way they interacted and looked out for one another time and time again. It was such a sweet story, while also not shying away from the nitty gritty of what makes us human. It also looks at our own flaws, it’s very introspective, and how we can be our own worst enemy sometimes. It deals with as lot of heavy things, but the book somehow felt light as a feather.
I just think this book had really nice vibes to it. It felt very realistic and human to read, and though it had a lot of scenes just going through quite ordinary day to day interactions, I liked that. When this book is described as a modern love story, I think that’s a perfect way of describing it. I think the writing was good, the pacing worked really well, and I managed to sit and read this book in about two or three sittings because it was so digestible and more-ish. It also felt like a love letter to London in a lot of ways, and as an outsider who gets sucked into the London whirlwind everytime I visit, those lines resonated with me a lot. The ending of this book also made me cheesy smile.
The only negatives I have really are that the timeline felt a little chaotic and confusing, and the sentence structure was sometimes a bit too snappy for me. Other than that, wonderful.
June 12, 2023
The easiest five stars I have given a book this year!!
I throughly recommend every ‘20-something-year-old who is starting to think about moving places and meeting people who you might fall in love with and trying to fall into careers’ to read this book and then just try and tell me that it doesn’t fill you with hope because it just does.
“I think I’m getting better at realism though…. So okay, London isn’t an escape anymore but it’s my home. And you’re not my sister but you are family. And maybe Luc isn’t the romantic hero but he could’ve been a decent f**cking boyfriend.”
As a woman who has never wanted children, I felt that this plot was written for me. The idea of ‘deal breakers’ and not ‘fitting’ with someone you’ve fallen for worries me and the way that Jenny writes about this subject-that so many young women now have questions about- is so realistic.
The story unfolds through both Sam and Luc’s point of views as they-as first loves- keep drifting back to each other.
Told in the ambiance of a ‘London on a lazy Sunday morning’, the descriptions feel as if they’ve been taken on film (maybe that’s my photography student brain). I absolutely loved how the timelessness of the plot mimicked the timeline of Sam and Luc falling in love and the way they lose track of time when they’re together.
It’s a modern day ‘star-crossed lovers’ storyline but with realistic obstacles and compromises that are thought provoking and balance the line between uplifting and life affirming.
“If your mother had said to choose between her and children, I wouldn’t chosen her in a heartbeat. No question.”
This book isn’t about falling in love, it’s about once you’ve fallen and what happens afterwards, what keeps the relationship going and how to know if one person is right for another.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
I throughly recommend every ‘20-something-year-old who is starting to think about moving places and meeting people who you might fall in love with and trying to fall into careers’ to read this book and then just try and tell me that it doesn’t fill you with hope because it just does.
“I think I’m getting better at realism though…. So okay, London isn’t an escape anymore but it’s my home. And you’re not my sister but you are family. And maybe Luc isn’t the romantic hero but he could’ve been a decent f**cking boyfriend.”
As a woman who has never wanted children, I felt that this plot was written for me. The idea of ‘deal breakers’ and not ‘fitting’ with someone you’ve fallen for worries me and the way that Jenny writes about this subject-that so many young women now have questions about- is so realistic.
The story unfolds through both Sam and Luc’s point of views as they-as first loves- keep drifting back to each other.
Told in the ambiance of a ‘London on a lazy Sunday morning’, the descriptions feel as if they’ve been taken on film (maybe that’s my photography student brain). I absolutely loved how the timelessness of the plot mimicked the timeline of Sam and Luc falling in love and the way they lose track of time when they’re together.
It’s a modern day ‘star-crossed lovers’ storyline but with realistic obstacles and compromises that are thought provoking and balance the line between uplifting and life affirming.
“If your mother had said to choose between her and children, I wouldn’t chosen her in a heartbeat. No question.”
This book isn’t about falling in love, it’s about once you’ve fallen and what happens afterwards, what keeps the relationship going and how to know if one person is right for another.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
March 18, 2023
Read via NetGalley
For fans of Yolk by Mary HK Choi and Conversations With Friends By Sally Rooney, Ok Days follows the in-betweens of new relationships and the inevitable decline when two lives don't quite fit together, no matter how hard you try.
Counting down until breakup, the story spotlight is on Sam and Luc.
This novel is delightfully peaceful and captures the feeling of a sunny Sunday morning, when you are relaxed and calm and have leant into the weekend fully before having to go back to work. Through Jenny Mustard's writing we are able to see through both Sam and Luc's eyes and read how they feel about eachother in their own words.
Mustard explores the feelings and events that happen when you first meet someone- the slips from routine, the days that feel like jumps in time and seem to last forever but not long enough. The beautiful radiance of experiencing first time romance with a person that feels magical.
And what happens when the magic stops.
The languid, dreamy descriptions of drinking too much, doing too little and going to restaurants with warm lighting are depicted with such feeling and vividness which unravels in your mind like film tape.
Mustard is able to flick between past and present using the characters voices, making the novel feel like a discussion rather than a record and guide us into the feelings of Sam and Luc, and their sides of the events that broke them. But when the chapters that count down to their demise change, you are lead to wonder what will happen next as Sam and Luc's dynamic changes and they see other people but still feel drawn to eachother...
I really enjoyed the pace of this book as we read through Sam and Luc's relationship and I particularly enjoyed that it covered the phenomena of suspended time when you first meet someone and get together. Time seems a bit flimsy and simultaneously on pause but also not enough and you slip out of your routines to spend time with this new person. It was really enjoyable to relive in book form and I also loved that the chapter titles were countdowns to different defining moments in the pairs' relationship. Seeing their two points of views enhanced the story and have more depth to these moments and made me second guess my predictions for the ending and made it all that more satisfying to finish.
For fans of Yolk by Mary HK Choi and Conversations With Friends By Sally Rooney, Ok Days follows the in-betweens of new relationships and the inevitable decline when two lives don't quite fit together, no matter how hard you try.
Counting down until breakup, the story spotlight is on Sam and Luc.
This novel is delightfully peaceful and captures the feeling of a sunny Sunday morning, when you are relaxed and calm and have leant into the weekend fully before having to go back to work. Through Jenny Mustard's writing we are able to see through both Sam and Luc's eyes and read how they feel about eachother in their own words.
Mustard explores the feelings and events that happen when you first meet someone- the slips from routine, the days that feel like jumps in time and seem to last forever but not long enough. The beautiful radiance of experiencing first time romance with a person that feels magical.
And what happens when the magic stops.
The languid, dreamy descriptions of drinking too much, doing too little and going to restaurants with warm lighting are depicted with such feeling and vividness which unravels in your mind like film tape.
Mustard is able to flick between past and present using the characters voices, making the novel feel like a discussion rather than a record and guide us into the feelings of Sam and Luc, and their sides of the events that broke them. But when the chapters that count down to their demise change, you are lead to wonder what will happen next as Sam and Luc's dynamic changes and they see other people but still feel drawn to eachother...
I really enjoyed the pace of this book as we read through Sam and Luc's relationship and I particularly enjoyed that it covered the phenomena of suspended time when you first meet someone and get together. Time seems a bit flimsy and simultaneously on pause but also not enough and you slip out of your routines to spend time with this new person. It was really enjoyable to relive in book form and I also loved that the chapter titles were countdowns to different defining moments in the pairs' relationship. Seeing their two points of views enhanced the story and have more depth to these moments and made me second guess my predictions for the ending and made it all that more satisfying to finish.
August 2, 2023
“Seeing the city like this, it’s impossible not to feel like it is the centre of the world. Sooner or later, everything and everyone comes to London”
at this point it’s clear that I just love books about humans being humans in all their silly quirks and perfect flaws. I also love books that are a love letter to London so no surprise I absolutely ate this one up
“He put his hands on the table and folds them. His nails are short and clean. Hands made for kindness. Petting cats and peeling carrots, feeling your forehead for fever”
this isn’t a romance but it is a story about love. about meeting that person that you connect with in ways you never have before. about growing together and growing apart as you navigate your 20s, who you are and where you’re supposed to be. I adored how it focused on the mundanity of everyday life, the small things you experience with another person when you choose to spend so much time together. it was beautifully written and an outstanding debut
sally rooney girls I think you’ll eat this up
thank you again to @jennymustard for sending me a copy and inviting me to your event (and writing a fabulous book)
4.5/5
at this point it’s clear that I just love books about humans being humans in all their silly quirks and perfect flaws. I also love books that are a love letter to London so no surprise I absolutely ate this one up
“He put his hands on the table and folds them. His nails are short and clean. Hands made for kindness. Petting cats and peeling carrots, feeling your forehead for fever”
this isn’t a romance but it is a story about love. about meeting that person that you connect with in ways you never have before. about growing together and growing apart as you navigate your 20s, who you are and where you’re supposed to be. I adored how it focused on the mundanity of everyday life, the small things you experience with another person when you choose to spend so much time together. it was beautifully written and an outstanding debut
sally rooney girls I think you’ll eat this up
thank you again to @jennymustard for sending me a copy and inviting me to your event (and writing a fabulous book)
4.5/5
September 1, 2023
Please stop telling new authors their work is “reminiscent of Sally Rooney”, it’s a curse.
March 30, 2023
I loved every second of this book.
August 27, 2023
Dit is mijn normal people!!
August 13, 2023
"But even if we are fairly miserable now," he says, "to be honest I'd rather have two more miserable days with you than two okay days without."
"And then on that ferry from Athens, spotting her in the harbour waving, I was back to colour. We are not an easy fit, sometimes we hurt each other. It doesn't change anything. I still want her."
"Unreasonably, this hurt like a punch to the chest. I said oh thank you that's nice, which was a stupid response to a punch."
I'm really struggling to gather my thoughts right now. This was incredible, and I'm trying (and failing) to deal with the fact that it is over.
It took me a while to get to this, because I was travelling, and then I was trying to get settled into a new uni semester, and I really wanted to give this book my full attention. In June of this year, I had the absolute privilege of going to the launch party for this book, where I got to meet Jenny (and many other lovely people) and hear her talk about her creative process for this book. However, please know that all opinions are completely my own.
Sam is 28, Swedish, spending a Summer in London. She is impulsive, blunt, and chaos personified. Lucas (Luc, Luke, Lukey) is 27, lives in London, is gentler and more sensitive. Someone at the event compared them to a golden retriever and a black cat respectively, which is so true. They spend a summer falling in love, and when it's time to let go, they can't seem to move on.
In her interview, Jenny described this book as less of a "will they won't they" (which I find incredibly tedious) and more of a "should they shouldn't they" (which was far more enjoyable). I really felt conflicted over all the reasons they don't fit, but wanting them to make it work regardless. It was very introspective, and a bit of a character study on human nature and relationships. The truth is, I really fell for these characters and all their idiosyncrasies. They were flawed but they felt so real.
Another thing I loved was that this was a dual perspective, and both Sam and Luc had very distinct voices, so it was always very clear to tell whose POV we were in. In cases where the two differed, it really helped to show both sides of the argument, so we as the reader could see that both of them had perfectly sound reasoning and it was impossible to pick a side.
Jenny perfectly captured the struggle of being from a small part of the world, and the lure of a big city like London. I could understand Sam so acutely at times, with her conflict about being away from her family and where she grew up vs. a place where things actually happen. It ached.
I cried, multiple times, especially in the second half where things got very heavy. I won't spoil it, but it was very intense.
I need to buy a paperback copy of this asap, since I couldn't bare to deface a signed copy. I want to turn back to the first page and start it all over again. I can't recommend it enough, and I can't wait to see what Jenny does next.
"And then on that ferry from Athens, spotting her in the harbour waving, I was back to colour. We are not an easy fit, sometimes we hurt each other. It doesn't change anything. I still want her."
"Unreasonably, this hurt like a punch to the chest. I said oh thank you that's nice, which was a stupid response to a punch."
I'm really struggling to gather my thoughts right now. This was incredible, and I'm trying (and failing) to deal with the fact that it is over.
It took me a while to get to this, because I was travelling, and then I was trying to get settled into a new uni semester, and I really wanted to give this book my full attention. In June of this year, I had the absolute privilege of going to the launch party for this book, where I got to meet Jenny (and many other lovely people) and hear her talk about her creative process for this book. However, please know that all opinions are completely my own.
Sam is 28, Swedish, spending a Summer in London. She is impulsive, blunt, and chaos personified. Lucas (Luc, Luke, Lukey) is 27, lives in London, is gentler and more sensitive. Someone at the event compared them to a golden retriever and a black cat respectively, which is so true. They spend a summer falling in love, and when it's time to let go, they can't seem to move on.
In her interview, Jenny described this book as less of a "will they won't they" (which I find incredibly tedious) and more of a "should they shouldn't they" (which was far more enjoyable). I really felt conflicted over all the reasons they don't fit, but wanting them to make it work regardless. It was very introspective, and a bit of a character study on human nature and relationships. The truth is, I really fell for these characters and all their idiosyncrasies. They were flawed but they felt so real.
Another thing I loved was that this was a dual perspective, and both Sam and Luc had very distinct voices, so it was always very clear to tell whose POV we were in. In cases where the two differed, it really helped to show both sides of the argument, so we as the reader could see that both of them had perfectly sound reasoning and it was impossible to pick a side.
Jenny perfectly captured the struggle of being from a small part of the world, and the lure of a big city like London. I could understand Sam so acutely at times, with her conflict about being away from her family and where she grew up vs. a place where things actually happen. It ached.
I cried, multiple times, especially in the second half where things got very heavy. I won't spoil it, but it was very intense.
I need to buy a paperback copy of this asap, since I couldn't bare to deface a signed copy. I want to turn back to the first page and start it all over again. I can't recommend it enough, and I can't wait to see what Jenny does next.
July 12, 2024
"Our last irresponsible summer, the deep breath before the plunge"
Okay Days starts as a sweet romance between Sam and Luc during her summer stay in London.
This evolves into a much more real, Sally Rooney-esk story of two young people in their twenties learning about life, jobs, addiction, friends, responsiblity and true love.
This book is for anyone who is into Sally Rooney (Normal People, Conversations with Friends and Beautiful World, Where Are You) or André Aciman (Call Me By Your Name). A real, slow book with a love story that is more than realising you are into the other person. That does not end with a "1 year later" chapter at the end showing the FMC and MMC married and expecting...
Even though I didn't always identify with Sam and Luc when it came to their decisions. I could still follow their intentions. Young people make mistakes, learn about the world they live in, struggle with money and with finding the right place to stay and call home,...
Some of the quotes that I just had to mark:
🎬 "His eyes will zone in on you like he is actually listening instead of waiting for the moment to cut you off. The type who refills your glass before it is even emptied."
🎬 "To be honest I'd rather have two more miserable days with you than two okay days without."
🎬 "For this call to end, she will have to hang up because I never will."
🎬 "But I can't switch countries every time I fall for a boy."
🎬 "It doesn't matter that the flat is small, I don't want space between us anyway."
🎬 "We were too different. And the life she wanted was not mine."
Okay Days starts as a sweet romance between Sam and Luc during her summer stay in London.
This evolves into a much more real, Sally Rooney-esk story of two young people in their twenties learning about life, jobs, addiction, friends, responsiblity and true love.
This book is for anyone who is into Sally Rooney (Normal People, Conversations with Friends and Beautiful World, Where Are You) or André Aciman (Call Me By Your Name). A real, slow book with a love story that is more than realising you are into the other person. That does not end with a "1 year later" chapter at the end showing the FMC and MMC married and expecting...
Even though I didn't always identify with Sam and Luc when it came to their decisions. I could still follow their intentions. Young people make mistakes, learn about the world they live in, struggle with money and with finding the right place to stay and call home,...
Some of the quotes that I just had to mark:
🎬 "His eyes will zone in on you like he is actually listening instead of waiting for the moment to cut you off. The type who refills your glass before it is even emptied."
🎬 "To be honest I'd rather have two more miserable days with you than two okay days without."
🎬 "For this call to end, she will have to hang up because I never will."
🎬 "But I can't switch countries every time I fall for a boy."
🎬 "It doesn't matter that the flat is small, I don't want space between us anyway."
🎬 "We were too different. And the life she wanted was not mine."
May 27, 2023
4.5 stars!
"She pulls back and gives me a smack kiss. 'There. Better?' 'Do it again,' I say and kiss her hard and she laughs through her nose. My lips now taste of grapefruit and oil, and her lip balm is added to the smells my brain will associate with her. Another day, wanting to be transported back to this tube ride, I will only have to buy a grapefruit."
When I heard that Jenny Mustard was releasing her own novel, I knew I HAD to read it.
'Okay Days' follows Sam and Lucas, who meet at a party in London and find an instant connection. Ten years later, despite complications between them, all they want is to be together and we follow their paths to fight the expectations set before them. Mustard's use of environmental descriptions allows us to be transported to sweltering summer days in London and icy autumn nights in Stockholm.
For lovers of Gabrielle Zevin's 'Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow', 'Okay Days' depicts complex and flawed characters that may not often make the right decisions. I really enjoyed the use of the first-person p.o.v. that would switch between Sam and Luc so we are able to experience both sides of their story. The romance is not overly-fluffy, and I found it to be very realistic, as imperfect traits from both Sam and Luc are exposed. It's a truly brilliant summer read to get lost in!
Content Warnings: abortion, drugs
Read via Netgalley, and thank you to Hodder & Stoughton for providing an advanced copy in exchange for a review.
"She pulls back and gives me a smack kiss. 'There. Better?' 'Do it again,' I say and kiss her hard and she laughs through her nose. My lips now taste of grapefruit and oil, and her lip balm is added to the smells my brain will associate with her. Another day, wanting to be transported back to this tube ride, I will only have to buy a grapefruit."
When I heard that Jenny Mustard was releasing her own novel, I knew I HAD to read it.
'Okay Days' follows Sam and Lucas, who meet at a party in London and find an instant connection. Ten years later, despite complications between them, all they want is to be together and we follow their paths to fight the expectations set before them. Mustard's use of environmental descriptions allows us to be transported to sweltering summer days in London and icy autumn nights in Stockholm.
For lovers of Gabrielle Zevin's 'Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow', 'Okay Days' depicts complex and flawed characters that may not often make the right decisions. I really enjoyed the use of the first-person p.o.v. that would switch between Sam and Luc so we are able to experience both sides of their story. The romance is not overly-fluffy, and I found it to be very realistic, as imperfect traits from both Sam and Luc are exposed. It's a truly brilliant summer read to get lost in!
Content Warnings: abortion, drugs
Read via Netgalley, and thank you to Hodder & Stoughton for providing an advanced copy in exchange for a review.
April 16, 2023
Summary:
Okay Days tells the story of the relationship and love between Sam and Lucas.
Sam meets Luc while temporarily working a job in London at a top Marketing Agency. Their relationship has an expiry date when she returns to Sweden. But despite it all they can’t let each other go.
The story tells the highs and falls of their relationship.
Review:
‘So our working theory is that our differences would either hold us both back from the lives we want, or evolve us into calmer looser future selves? So either catastrophe or quite sublime?’
This is a refreshing, modern take on love and relationships in the real world. There is no ‘they lived happily ever after’ but the more realistic version means their love for each other means so much more.
I found Sam hard to like at first but as the book progressed, the author really brings her to life and shows the complexities of thinking that lead to some of the questionable decisions she makes.
I loved Luc and loved that he grew stronger as the story progressed. I wanted to shout at Sam to hold onto him tight and never let him go.
The side characters added to the story and I loved the friendship dynamic between them all.
An inspiring story about love, loss and maturing. I wholeheartedly recommend.
Fans of Sally Rooney will love this book.
Okay Days tells the story of the relationship and love between Sam and Lucas.
Sam meets Luc while temporarily working a job in London at a top Marketing Agency. Their relationship has an expiry date when she returns to Sweden. But despite it all they can’t let each other go.
The story tells the highs and falls of their relationship.
Review:
‘So our working theory is that our differences would either hold us both back from the lives we want, or evolve us into calmer looser future selves? So either catastrophe or quite sublime?’
This is a refreshing, modern take on love and relationships in the real world. There is no ‘they lived happily ever after’ but the more realistic version means their love for each other means so much more.
I found Sam hard to like at first but as the book progressed, the author really brings her to life and shows the complexities of thinking that lead to some of the questionable decisions she makes.
I loved Luc and loved that he grew stronger as the story progressed. I wanted to shout at Sam to hold onto him tight and never let him go.
The side characters added to the story and I loved the friendship dynamic between them all.
An inspiring story about love, loss and maturing. I wholeheartedly recommend.
Fans of Sally Rooney will love this book.
July 4, 2023
I’m so picky with literary fiction but this WAS A MOMENT.
Without saying too much this follows the struggles of a relationship that feels monumental in a way that might just be too consuming.
It’s messy and raw, and really quite emotive at times. It’s about timing and want, and how those things may not always coincide.
Mustard’s writing is so beautifully strung together with descriptions that are poetic and at times utterly heartbreaking.
It was 4 stars for me due to slight repetition of emotions and scenes in the middle portion, but this was my only issue with the novel.
Thank you to Jenny for sending me a copy for review.
TW’s listed below, please skip if you don’t want vague spoilers.
Tw// alcohol, scenes with sex, death of a parent, abortion mentions, drug mentions & use, mentions of vomiting.
Without saying too much this follows the struggles of a relationship that feels monumental in a way that might just be too consuming.
It’s messy and raw, and really quite emotive at times. It’s about timing and want, and how those things may not always coincide.
Mustard’s writing is so beautifully strung together with descriptions that are poetic and at times utterly heartbreaking.
It was 4 stars for me due to slight repetition of emotions and scenes in the middle portion, but this was my only issue with the novel.
Thank you to Jenny for sending me a copy for review.
TW’s listed below, please skip if you don’t want vague spoilers.
Tw// alcohol, scenes with sex, death of a parent, abortion mentions, drug mentions & use, mentions of vomiting.
June 4, 2023
I adored this book. I’m struggling to comprehend how this is the authors debut, because it feels like a seasoned pro wrote this. I loved reading through the buddy romance between two people, that initial honeymoon phase where everything is new and shiny, and then when the feeling of bliss subsides and some problems arise, just how quickly their differences can tear down the walls.
We go between dual timelines of the past and present as we work through it all and the pacing was beautiful, I was never truly sure where their story would end though as the two were drawn to each other even while seeing other people.
This is an incredible book that should on everyones TBR.
Thank you to Sceptre for sending me a proof of this one.
We go between dual timelines of the past and present as we work through it all and the pacing was beautiful, I was never truly sure where their story would end though as the two were drawn to each other even while seeing other people.
This is an incredible book that should on everyones TBR.
Thank you to Sceptre for sending me a proof of this one.
July 7, 2023
Oh my, this book and the VIBES 🥹🤌It is quite hard to summarise why I fell so hard for this book but the sparse yet sharply observant prose of the mundane - everything that we feel and do - felt so real and held so much meaning in a given scene. The story of Luc and Sam is a modern love story. They first met as teenagers where they showed signs of affection for each other. A decade later, Sam and Luc meet again in London as Sam is on a summer placement from her home town in Stockholm.
During the summer months, Sam and Luc build a relationship that is intense, passionate and loving but also fraught with bursts of insecurities, anxieties and misunderstanding. They so desperately want to make their relationship work but given their own headspace and mental health struggles, the relationship is bumpy, painful and I felt torn whether they should be together or not. I love that Jenny shares the narrative through both Sam and Luc’s perspective, giving us an insight into how they both interpret the other and realistically shows two sides to any relationship.
As mentioned in my stories, I chewed over the prose slowly and savoured every word, moment and feeling. It is a stylish and sexy read. I also found parts of the dialogue quite funny, particularly Sam’s blunt observations. I loved both characters but interestingly I found myself siding with Luc more as Sam’s behaviour felt quite self-absorbed and immature at times. The ups and downs and push and pull of the relationship was so relatable and I did empathise with them both. Also special mention to Diwa and Luc’s father who are both delightful.
Lastly this book is a love letter to London which forms the backdrop to this story. Sam feels torn leaving this love of her life, in addition to Luc. The descriptions of London, good and bad, are vivid and immersive. As a Londoner myself, it feels so great to read a book that shows so much love for this great city particularly in the sticky summer months like in the book!
If you love Sally Rooney, character driven books like Cleo and Frank, then I highly recommend this beautiful read which is out now 💛
During the summer months, Sam and Luc build a relationship that is intense, passionate and loving but also fraught with bursts of insecurities, anxieties and misunderstanding. They so desperately want to make their relationship work but given their own headspace and mental health struggles, the relationship is bumpy, painful and I felt torn whether they should be together or not. I love that Jenny shares the narrative through both Sam and Luc’s perspective, giving us an insight into how they both interpret the other and realistically shows two sides to any relationship.
As mentioned in my stories, I chewed over the prose slowly and savoured every word, moment and feeling. It is a stylish and sexy read. I also found parts of the dialogue quite funny, particularly Sam’s blunt observations. I loved both characters but interestingly I found myself siding with Luc more as Sam’s behaviour felt quite self-absorbed and immature at times. The ups and downs and push and pull of the relationship was so relatable and I did empathise with them both. Also special mention to Diwa and Luc’s father who are both delightful.
Lastly this book is a love letter to London which forms the backdrop to this story. Sam feels torn leaving this love of her life, in addition to Luc. The descriptions of London, good and bad, are vivid and immersive. As a Londoner myself, it feels so great to read a book that shows so much love for this great city particularly in the sticky summer months like in the book!
If you love Sally Rooney, character driven books like Cleo and Frank, then I highly recommend this beautiful read which is out now 💛
June 24, 2023
To say I devoured this book would be an understatement. I just picked it up one day, and couldn’t put it down until I had turned the last page.
Okay Days tells the story of Sam and Luc, from alternating perspectives, as they navigate life in their 20s both together and individually. But, to quote the famous lines from a film I love, ‘This is not a love story. This is a story about love.’ It’s at times chaotic, at times messy, and at times deeply romantic, but always an absolute joy to be part of.
I can’t pinpoint what exactly it is about this book that made me fall for it so hard. The beautiful writing? The relatable characters? The city I love? Or perhaps just the combination of it all, and how it manages to create something extraordinary out of the ordinary lives of two strangers that so quickly became part of my life. It got under my skin in the best way possible, and tugged right on my heartstrings. Jenny Mustard has such a specific talent in the way her writing oozes emotion, both characters’ perspectives so characteristic, both uniquely heart-wrenching yet blissful to observe.
And how atmospheric it all is. London, the third main character in this story, comes alive so spectacularly in the writing that it’s impossible not to sense it all around you. Experiencing Sam and Luc go to the places I go to regularly, see things similarly or differently, and above all just feel at home here made me fall in love with this city all over again. As real as the relationship is between the two characters, so is the relationship between Sam and London, and, as someone who still feels lucky to be home here when not long ago I was an outsider, to have my feelings and experiences be mirrored in this was was such a treat.
Please pick up this instant new favourite this summer. Just a note that some of the more delicate topics tacked in the story are body dysmorphia, reproductive rights, and the loss of a parent.
Okay Days is out 27 June, and is a great match for sunny days to come. Thank you to Sceptre for sending me an advance copy of this gem!
Okay Days tells the story of Sam and Luc, from alternating perspectives, as they navigate life in their 20s both together and individually. But, to quote the famous lines from a film I love, ‘This is not a love story. This is a story about love.’ It’s at times chaotic, at times messy, and at times deeply romantic, but always an absolute joy to be part of.
I can’t pinpoint what exactly it is about this book that made me fall for it so hard. The beautiful writing? The relatable characters? The city I love? Or perhaps just the combination of it all, and how it manages to create something extraordinary out of the ordinary lives of two strangers that so quickly became part of my life. It got under my skin in the best way possible, and tugged right on my heartstrings. Jenny Mustard has such a specific talent in the way her writing oozes emotion, both characters’ perspectives so characteristic, both uniquely heart-wrenching yet blissful to observe.
And how atmospheric it all is. London, the third main character in this story, comes alive so spectacularly in the writing that it’s impossible not to sense it all around you. Experiencing Sam and Luc go to the places I go to regularly, see things similarly or differently, and above all just feel at home here made me fall in love with this city all over again. As real as the relationship is between the two characters, so is the relationship between Sam and London, and, as someone who still feels lucky to be home here when not long ago I was an outsider, to have my feelings and experiences be mirrored in this was was such a treat.
Please pick up this instant new favourite this summer. Just a note that some of the more delicate topics tacked in the story are body dysmorphia, reproductive rights, and the loss of a parent.
Okay Days is out 27 June, and is a great match for sunny days to come. Thank you to Sceptre for sending me an advance copy of this gem!
June 29, 2023
Okay Days follows our two characters Sam and Luc as they navigate life in their 20s in London (and sometimes Stockholm). It is a gritty heartfelt story about their relationship and questions not "will they won't they? but should they shouldn't they?" (quote from the lovely author).
This was such a refreshing story about not just falling in love but also what happens afterwards when you start to question if your connection is enough. Both Sam and Luc had such distinct voices I never had to question whose chapter I was reading. The timeline of the novel was a perfect depiction of how Sam and Luc lose track of time in the intensity of their relationship. At times their relationship was heart wrenching, sometimes chaotic and always beautiful. The writing is written so well that you are fully immersed into the minds of these characters and empathise sincerely with them.
There was something about the simple pleasure of mundane things like sharing spotify playlists. No matter how small these mundane things carried great significance throughout the novel. It's made me want to make a spotify playlist of all the songs mentioned so you can listen to it while reading the book.
Let me tell you the way Jenny described London just made fall in love with the city over and over and over again. I might even be tempted to move there now. It was so lovely recognising places I've visited and seeing it from the character's perspectives.
Jenny touches upon themes of male eating disorders, parent loss, imposter syndrome and women's reproductive rights.
I have been following Jenny on social media for 7 years so when she started writing a book I was so so so excited. It's been a pleasure to follow Jenny on her writing journey from her talking about her short stories to a fully published novel. Jenny did not disappoint with this novel. The book felt like a breath of fresh air on a Sunday morning. I cannot wait to see what is in store in the future with Jenny's writing career.
"I'd rather have two miserable days with you than two okay davs without."
This was such a refreshing story about not just falling in love but also what happens afterwards when you start to question if your connection is enough. Both Sam and Luc had such distinct voices I never had to question whose chapter I was reading. The timeline of the novel was a perfect depiction of how Sam and Luc lose track of time in the intensity of their relationship. At times their relationship was heart wrenching, sometimes chaotic and always beautiful. The writing is written so well that you are fully immersed into the minds of these characters and empathise sincerely with them.
There was something about the simple pleasure of mundane things like sharing spotify playlists. No matter how small these mundane things carried great significance throughout the novel. It's made me want to make a spotify playlist of all the songs mentioned so you can listen to it while reading the book.
Let me tell you the way Jenny described London just made fall in love with the city over and over and over again. I might even be tempted to move there now. It was so lovely recognising places I've visited and seeing it from the character's perspectives.
Jenny touches upon themes of male eating disorders, parent loss, imposter syndrome and women's reproductive rights.
I have been following Jenny on social media for 7 years so when she started writing a book I was so so so excited. It's been a pleasure to follow Jenny on her writing journey from her talking about her short stories to a fully published novel. Jenny did not disappoint with this novel. The book felt like a breath of fresh air on a Sunday morning. I cannot wait to see what is in store in the future with Jenny's writing career.
"I'd rather have two miserable days with you than two okay davs without."
April 13, 2023
4.5⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this advanced e copy in exchange for an honest review.
This may be the best literary fiction novel I have ever read, and the fact that this is Jenny Mustard's debut makes it even more impressive.
Mustard removes the common miscommunication trophe and highlights that the reason why her protagonists' relationship is so turbulent is because of differences both Luc and Sam are keenly aware of. Fundamental differences which are equally understandable and justified.
This awareness accompanies a lack of pointless, unrealistic arguments and provides a refreshing will-they-wont-they situationship tale that made me dread doing any distraction from reading. While centred around a romance, this novel explores immigration imposter syndrome, the death of a parent, and male eating disorders with delicacy and empathy. These issues were not discomfortingly described or portrayed in depth, but they were frequently discussed and I found Mustard's depiction of how two people may cope with these issues to be insightful and realistic.
My one issue with this novel the colloquial writing style, which made some sentences difficult to read. While I often adored Mustard's casual descriptions and felt the first person dual narration worked excellently for this novel, how thoughts and actions were written as one would narrate them in real life sometimes did not make grammatical sense.
In short, I adored this novel, struggled to put it down, and can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy and to read more of Jenny Mustard's work in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this advanced e copy in exchange for an honest review.
This may be the best literary fiction novel I have ever read, and the fact that this is Jenny Mustard's debut makes it even more impressive.
Mustard removes the common miscommunication trophe and highlights that the reason why her protagonists' relationship is so turbulent is because of differences both Luc and Sam are keenly aware of. Fundamental differences which are equally understandable and justified.
This awareness accompanies a lack of pointless, unrealistic arguments and provides a refreshing will-they-wont-they situationship tale that made me dread doing any distraction from reading. While centred around a romance, this novel explores immigration imposter syndrome, the death of a parent, and male eating disorders with delicacy and empathy. These issues were not discomfortingly described or portrayed in depth, but they were frequently discussed and I found Mustard's depiction of how two people may cope with these issues to be insightful and realistic.
My one issue with this novel the colloquial writing style, which made some sentences difficult to read. While I often adored Mustard's casual descriptions and felt the first person dual narration worked excellently for this novel, how thoughts and actions were written as one would narrate them in real life sometimes did not make grammatical sense.
In short, I adored this novel, struggled to put it down, and can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy and to read more of Jenny Mustard's work in the future.
May 4, 2023
Wow, what a piece of literary brilliance. Okay Days celebrates the mundanity of life, normalises struggling with mental health and epitomises the reality of hardships one faces when they branch out on their own as a young adult. The writing is relatable to the point where my heart broke for both the characters and my own self while reading.
I never quite understood what made a book someone’s comfort read, but in a heartbeat this became mine. I will be returning to this book many times over and recommending it far and wide.
I never quite understood what made a book someone’s comfort read, but in a heartbeat this became mine. I will be returning to this book many times over and recommending it far and wide.
December 4, 2023
Zamolila bih sve na svetu da Sally Rooney prestane da bude etalon za svaku "milenijalsku" knjigu, a naročito za Jenny Mustard zato što je veoma obmanjujuće i moja ocena je ogledalo toga.
Instagram influenserka koja može sebi da priušti da se igra pisca i objavi knjigu. Njen feed pršti od estetike, nema šta. Ali to nije dovoljno. Sally Rooney bi možda okačila sliku trule jabuke i mi bismo tu videli odgovor na sva pitanja univerzuma, dok Mustard nema ni jačinu, ni dubinu, ni umeće.
"Okay Days" mi nije ni okej. Jednostavno je pokušaj loše kopije "Normal People." Malo sam kopala i shvatila da autorka ovde forsira priču o sebi i svom mužu. Hajde da svi pišemo o svojim dosadnim vezama.
Ne daje nam radnju, ne daje ni vajb, nema psihološke dubine likova, nisu za poistovećivanje, sve je tako prozaično.
Sally možda nema navodnike, ali Jenny ne stavlja zareze i velika slova tamo gde ih očekujemo. Sally nam daje teme za razmišljanje, politički i društveno angažovane. Jenny piše o junakinji koja ne zna šta će sa sobom pa se tako šetka svaki čas od Stokholma do Londona, uvek ima para i misli da ima najbolji muzički ukus na svetu zato što sluša Lua Rida.
Totalno bez poente.
Instagram influenserka koja može sebi da priušti da se igra pisca i objavi knjigu. Njen feed pršti od estetike, nema šta. Ali to nije dovoljno. Sally Rooney bi možda okačila sliku trule jabuke i mi bismo tu videli odgovor na sva pitanja univerzuma, dok Mustard nema ni jačinu, ni dubinu, ni umeće.
"Okay Days" mi nije ni okej. Jednostavno je pokušaj loše kopije "Normal People." Malo sam kopala i shvatila da autorka ovde forsira priču o sebi i svom mužu. Hajde da svi pišemo o svojim dosadnim vezama.
Ne daje nam radnju, ne daje ni vajb, nema psihološke dubine likova, nisu za poistovećivanje, sve je tako prozaično.
Sally možda nema navodnike, ali Jenny ne stavlja zareze i velika slova tamo gde ih očekujemo. Sally nam daje teme za razmišljanje, politički i društveno angažovane. Jenny piše o junakinji koja ne zna šta će sa sobom pa se tako šetka svaki čas od Stokholma do Londona, uvek ima para i misli da ima najbolji muzički ukus na svetu zato što sluša Lua Rida.
Totalno bez poente.
September 10, 2023
A love story with the air of sally rooney, but the gift of a non-toxic male lead. in a world filled with heartbreak and disheartening stats on relationships, Okay Days shows us how love can prevail —
what it can look like when both parties make the decision to fight for it. to take a chance on it. to choose one another
that it’s okay for preconceived ideas of your future to change. for your vision to morph from someTHING to someONE, and the new portrait of life to begin and end with one person. that everything will be alright as long as you are with them.
h i g h l i g h t s
🥂 set in London
💖 sam + luc
✨ beautiful prose
🫶 witty banter
💛 women’s reproductive rights
This book could be inhaled in a day or marinated over several. I didn’t want it to be over so I chose the latter. laying in the spices of the world, characters, and storytelling. spending days stuck within chapters, living in the tender swirling world of Sam and Luc.
Thank you NetGalley and publishers
what it can look like when both parties make the decision to fight for it. to take a chance on it. to choose one another
that it’s okay for preconceived ideas of your future to change. for your vision to morph from someTHING to someONE, and the new portrait of life to begin and end with one person. that everything will be alright as long as you are with them.
h i g h l i g h t s
🥂 set in London
💖 sam + luc
✨ beautiful prose
🫶 witty banter
💛 women’s reproductive rights
This book could be inhaled in a day or marinated over several. I didn’t want it to be over so I chose the latter. laying in the spices of the world, characters, and storytelling. spending days stuck within chapters, living in the tender swirling world of Sam and Luc.
Thank you NetGalley and publishers
June 18, 2023
Huge thanks to Netgalley! Saw a couple reviews on insta and wanted to get my hands on this book immediately. I LOVED THIS BOOK. I've recently been digging the no plot just vibes thing in books and the vibes in this book were immaculate ✨. Sam is in London only for a short time and then she'll go back to Sweden, her job and her life. In London she meets Luc, and she falls for him, the way he makes her feel, and the way he treats her. They are both very much attracted to each other and are sad about the fact that it's going to be a short lived relationship but decide not to be too smart about it and just live life as it is, with their little him and her traditions/routines. This book had Cleo and Frank/Alone with you in the ether vibes and that is exactly the kind of romance I've been liking lately.
July 4, 2023
Amazing début about the start and end to a relationship, set over the moody landscape of London. Excited to see what the author releases next!
October 18, 2023
Such a breath of fresh air to have characters in their late twenties, who act their age but are also not entirely settled and unsure where life will lead them.
It’s more of a romance novel than I’ve expected it to be and I think that my own expectations let me down a bit in the last 100 pages of this book. It is a novel full of hope and happiness and for some reason I was expecting a bit more darker themes or a more bleak picture of life.
One thing I really appreciated was the reality of living in London. It felt relatable and true. Most novels have a glamourised version of the city and honestly it is sometimes tiresome to see as it is often quite clear who has lived in London versus who has only spent some time there just studying, on a year abroad or on a holiday. London is amazing, big, full of opportunities and diversity. But it’s also a very lonely, expensive, harsh and fleeting city. The way characters interacted and spend their free time just made sense for their age and socio-economic status and I really appreciate this realistic depiction.
Luc and Sam were interesting in their relationship but I found Luc way less interesting on his own. The odd thing is that, as the chapters are divided between his and hers chapters, i preferred his chapters but that’s because of the way he was seeing Sam. Whereas because Luc is quite bland as a character and he seems to be mostly reacting to his surroundings and acting the way people expect him to instead of actually having his own opinion and thoughts, he appeared as very average in Sam’s narration which made her chapters way less interesting to follow. Luc has surprisingly way more insight into Sam’s good and bad points, whereas Sam seems to just want Luc because… well because of exactly what? This imbalance can especially be felt in the last 100 pages where they’re not together but they still interact and text, and Sam seems to just be a bit spoiled and want what she doesn’t have until she gets it and then doesn’t want it anymore. It’s hard to really pinpoint what I actually liked about their relationship because I didn’t specifically want them together but they seemed to weirdly fit at the same time. I think it might be the flawed relationship, full of hiccups where one realises that you can love someone for their shortcomings as well. It was maybe at times a bit pure and naive and I do feel like the conflict got resolved without really a proper talk and it just got pushed to the side.
Overall, it was actually a book that gripped me in the first half and I didn’t want to put it down. The second half got a bit more slow and predictable which wasn’t as dynamic as the beginning and that’s where it lost a star. But honestly, if you’re a fan of contemporary novels with a strong realistic romance plot then this is for you! Also something for fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid and Sally Rooney.
It’s more of a romance novel than I’ve expected it to be and I think that my own expectations let me down a bit in the last 100 pages of this book. It is a novel full of hope and happiness and for some reason I was expecting a bit more darker themes or a more bleak picture of life.
One thing I really appreciated was the reality of living in London. It felt relatable and true. Most novels have a glamourised version of the city and honestly it is sometimes tiresome to see as it is often quite clear who has lived in London versus who has only spent some time there just studying, on a year abroad or on a holiday. London is amazing, big, full of opportunities and diversity. But it’s also a very lonely, expensive, harsh and fleeting city. The way characters interacted and spend their free time just made sense for their age and socio-economic status and I really appreciate this realistic depiction.
Luc and Sam were interesting in their relationship but I found Luc way less interesting on his own. The odd thing is that, as the chapters are divided between his and hers chapters, i preferred his chapters but that’s because of the way he was seeing Sam. Whereas because Luc is quite bland as a character and he seems to be mostly reacting to his surroundings and acting the way people expect him to instead of actually having his own opinion and thoughts, he appeared as very average in Sam’s narration which made her chapters way less interesting to follow. Luc has surprisingly way more insight into Sam’s good and bad points, whereas Sam seems to just want Luc because… well because of exactly what? This imbalance can especially be felt in the last 100 pages where they’re not together but they still interact and text, and Sam seems to just be a bit spoiled and want what she doesn’t have until she gets it and then doesn’t want it anymore. It’s hard to really pinpoint what I actually liked about their relationship because I didn’t specifically want them together but they seemed to weirdly fit at the same time. I think it might be the flawed relationship, full of hiccups where one realises that you can love someone for their shortcomings as well. It was maybe at times a bit pure and naive and I do feel like the conflict got resolved without really a proper talk and it just got pushed to the side.
Overall, it was actually a book that gripped me in the first half and I didn’t want to put it down. The second half got a bit more slow and predictable which wasn’t as dynamic as the beginning and that’s where it lost a star. But honestly, if you’re a fan of contemporary novels with a strong realistic romance plot then this is for you! Also something for fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid and Sally Rooney.
June 12, 2023
"I'd rather have two miserable days with you than two okay days without."
Okay Days follows the development of Sam and Luc's relationship after they fall hard for each other one London Summer.
I don't want to say too much about this one as it will ruin the story, but the writing was lovely. I felt like I was floating down a slow-moving stream just taking in the world around me. It's very peaceful and tender, and looks at humanity and our desire for love in a way that's beautiful in its intelligent simplicity.
Okay Days follows the development of Sam and Luc's relationship after they fall hard for each other one London Summer.
I don't want to say too much about this one as it will ruin the story, but the writing was lovely. I felt like I was floating down a slow-moving stream just taking in the world around me. It's very peaceful and tender, and looks at humanity and our desire for love in a way that's beautiful in its intelligent simplicity.
July 10, 2023
Elsker så meget🤩 så smukt skrevet, så fine betragtninger - Jenny kan sætte ord på ting jeg har tænkt, men aldrig har kunnet formulere. En skøn moderne kærlighedshistorie🥹❤️
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