Finding Jo by Frances Ive is a book that I found so easy to read. Made up of 51 short chapters, it is excellent for those of us that have busy lives and interruptions to our reading time.
Jo finds that everything in her life is getting on top of her. Her relationship with her boyfriend Rob is not what she had hoped it would be.
On top of that her family, with all its dysfunction, is just overloading her. Her mother’s constant sniping at her father, her brother’s wife who is so self-absorbed and all about money and status, her lack of a relationship with her brother, and the competition between her and her sister.
On the spur of the moment, Jo decides that she needs to escape, so without a word to anyone, she books a flight and takes off on her own to India. Once there she ends up at a retreat in the Himalayas. It is there that she discovers that she has the power to live a happy life and that how she lives her life is in her own hands.
Jo’s search for answers somehow seems to lead other family members on their own search.
I really loved reading this book. It was as if I was reading a close friend’s diary or their letters about their trip. I also found myself nodding and agreeing with the teachings at the retreat. I certainly found that I could relate. A great story with lessons to be learned.
ISBN: 9798588542630
Copy courtesy of Frances Ive.
A selection of our Beauty and Lace Club Members are reading Finding Jo by Frances Ive. You can read their comments below, or add your own review.
Im a Mum of 3 beautiful girls.
An avid reader that loves to travel but lacks the funds to venture far and wide constantly. A perfumeaholic with an addiction to beauty and skincare.
If not found with my head in a book or on a plane I can be found spending hours upon hour in Doctors and Hospital waiting rooms as part of my job as a Carer
I really enjoyed Finding Jo by Frances Ive.. Having had a reading slump for a while it took me a little while to get into but once I started I couldn’t put it down.
Jo has finally had enough of her disfunctional family and her controlling boyfriend and decides without notice to travel by herself to India.
She books into a wellness retreat in the Himalayas called Jasanghari and there Jo quickly makes friends with travellers looking for the same peace of mind as her.
After fully making use of all the activities and counsellors offered at the center Jo finds she is so much more relaxed and even becomes attracted to one of the members. She is very conflicted about going into another relationship which spoils a little of her enjoyment.
When her old life interrupts her new Jo explores more into what makes her who she is.
Finally returning home Jo finds that like herself her family members have all found a peace within themselves and their lives are all planned in different directions,
Thank you to Beauty and Lace and Frances I’ve for the chance to read Finding Jo. It is a book that would be easy to read again.
Thank you Beauty and Lace for the chance to read this wonderful book about finding yourself. It was such a lovely story, I found it very interesting and moving. It also helped me to find myself.
Thank you Beauty and Lace for the opportunity to read Finding Jo by Frances Ive.
A great easy, flowing read.
This story follows the life of Jo who has had enough of her overbearing family and possessive boyfriend so she sets off to The Himalayas to find herself.
A story of hopelessness, discovery and love.
I really enjoyed Jo’s journey, it makes you want to go in search of happiness and health. To get away from all the pressures of daily life.
Highly recommend ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Finding Jo, written by journalist Frances Ive, is a novel which explores the issues in families, how we don’t always know what our loved ones are going through and as a result can sometimes misjudge them. It also deals with expectations of society or the expectations we put on ourselves, how sometimes our lives go in a particular direction because we feel it’s the right thing to do not always thinking whether it is the right thing for us personally. So the novel covers responsibility, how we should do what we feel is right and take responsibility for our own actions. We should also be careful with judging people on first appearances and on our impressions of what we think their life is all about.
It took me a while to get into this novel, I didn’t particularly like some of the characters so wasn’t keen to follow their stories, I also found it a little predictable at times. However, I eventually got into the book and wanted to know particularly how the lead character, Jo, moved forward with her life.
Towards the end of the novel Jo’s life changed dramatically – very quickly – which after six months of life in the retreat seemed strange but I guess the book was saying that her time at the retreat meant she was ready to move on with her life and recognise the right opportunity, and right person, when he came into her life.
Thank you to Beauty and Lace book club and Five Press for the opportunity to read this novel.
Finding Jo by Frances Ive is an easy to read and enjoyable novel with some important life lessons to reflect on. What stood out for me was the message that everyone has their stuff in life and no matter how close you think you are to a person, you might not know what their real life challenges are and what they are dealing with in the deepest recesses of their being.
I enjoyed reading about main character Jo’s journey, those she met on the way and the setting of the retreat and Jo’s learnings whilst there.
Frances Ive has an easy to read style of writing and she tackled some pretty big issues – family and relationship conflict and discord and the need to feel accepted and “okay” by those who are important to us – really well.
Thank you Beauty and Lace and Five Press for the opportunity to read and review Finding Jo, which I would highly recommend.
Finding Jo is an excellent easy read. Jo needs to get away from her dysfunctional family and her relationship with Rob which isn’t going the way she wants. Without telling a soul she takes off to a retreat in India.
Yoga, mediation and cooking healthy food become part of her everyday. She bares her soul to the therapist. While there she finds peace in beautiful surroundings.
I enjoyed this book immensely as it felt like Jo was a real person discovering herself. I took many things within this book and hope to apply them to my life as well. This book makes a lot of sense.
Thanks to Beauty and Lace for my copy to read and review.
Finding Jo A heart-warming journey by Frances Ive.
I love reading a story that not only is inspiring but inspirational.
Finding Jo is about a independent and strong women who decides to go it on her own and travel to the City of Delhi india and then on the toy train to the magical beautiful peaceful Himalayas.
She leaves behind her dysfunctional family and possessive boyfriend to find herself .
Jo makes new friends but its still not short of turmoil.
Definitely as the books called a heart-warming journey .
Thankyou for the chance to read .
I think this book will inspire alot of women like myself who just want to get away from it all .
I am the author of Finding Jo and am delighted with the above reviews. I like people ‘getting’ the book and what message it is giving.
Just one thing, on Amazon it is currently saying ‘Large Print’ but this is a mistake. It isn’t Large Print, but normal size. There is no large print version.
In Finding Jo you find a lost part of yourself. Jo lives with you- now an image of beauty and tranquility as the fresh Himalayas and now as a gentle kind guide giving you courage to take the path of change. Jo is found initially in her dysfunctional family turmoil.
This is a deeply personal journey without end and Jo will take that journey with you.
The story unfolds through the author’s subtle insights into human nature in a well crafted structure binding seemingly casual introductions of characters into a strong canvas beautifully woven finished piece.