Giving up on Ordinary

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Overview

“Isla is the best, the funniest, the cleverest, the most enjoyable writer in Scotland today. . . . you would enrich your life beyond all measure by discovering Isla Dewar.” —-Robin Pilcher, New York Times bestselling author

In this funny and charming novel, Megs is a woman whose ordinary life is about to become absolutely extraordinary. . . .

When Megs became a house cleaner to make ends meet as a single mother of three, she didn’t realize that people would be so blinded by the cleansers and mops, they would fail to see her as an actual human being. As “the housekeeper” she’s become invisible to them all. Little do ...

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Overview

“Isla is the best, the funniest, the cleverest, the most enjoyable writer in Scotland today. . . . you would enrich your life beyond all measure by discovering Isla Dewar.” —-Robin Pilcher, New York Times bestselling author

In this funny and charming novel, Megs is a woman whose ordinary life is about to become absolutely extraordinary. . . .

When Megs became a house cleaner to make ends meet as a single mother of three, she didn’t realize that people would be so blinded by the cleansers and mops, they would fail to see her as an actual human being. As “the housekeeper” she’s become invisible to them all. Little do these upper-crust clients realize that her life is just as full as theirs, although perhaps a bit less high end.

Megs sings the sultry blues at a club each weekend, begins a secret affair, and drinks her troubles away with her saucy best friend, Lorraine—-all while trying to keep her children happy and her head above water. But with help from an eccentric professor whose house she cleans, her life is about to get a shot in the arm. Megs begins to speak her mind, stand up for herself, and live her life in color.

Poignant and incredibly witty, Giving Up On Ordinary is a heartwarming story with laughter and surprises on every page. Following in the incredible footsteps of Maeve Binchy and Joanna Trollope, Isla Dewar has established herself as one of the greatest voices in women’s fiction today.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly
Megs Williams, the single mother heroine of Brit author Dewar’s pleasant latest, is in a miserable spot: she’s wracked with grief over the recent accidental death of one of her three children, she’s pregnant and, having lost her job, now works as a housekeeper. Though she has a less than endearing tendency to lack self-control, readers will be able to relate as she and her best friend Lorraine dream of escaping their respective ruts. Things start looking up for Megs after Gilbert, the stuffy professor whose house she cleans, tunes into her beautiful singing voice. As Gilbert and Megs catch each other’s interest, more is revealed about Gilbert’s tics and aspirations (including his shame at how he met Megs). Refreshingly, Dewar (Secrets of a Family Album) shies away from easy solutions, and the conclusion is entirely believable and not at all what’s expected. Though some of the comedy—particularly that involving Megs’s mother—can verge on camp, the novel serves up a realistic, often moving portrait of a not-quite-conventional single mother. (Oct.)

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780312561611
  • Publisher: St. Martin's Press
  • Publication date: 10/13/2009
  • Edition description: Original
  • Pages: 320
  • Sales rank: 1,107,859
  • Product dimensions: 5.40 (w) x 8.20 (h) x 0.90 (d)

Meet the Author

Isla Dewar was born in Edinburgh. Her novels have been warmly acclaimed in the United Kingdom. She lives in Scotland with her husband, a cartoonist; they have two sons.

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  • Posted May 14, 2012

    This book should have been more aptly titled “Giving Up on

    This book should have been more aptly titled “Giving Up on Crazy”. There is nothing ordinary about Megs Williams; she’s havoc worthy of a talk show appearance. I adored this character’s wit. The supporting characters were certainly entertaining in their own right; peculiar clients, the gossipy/philandering best friend, the meddling mother, the jerk ex-husband, antics of teenagers as well as a precocious four year old. The humor certainly propelled the storyline along and I was curious to see what would become of the affair between Megs and Gilbert, the professor whose house she cleans. Gilbert is looked upon as being eccentric, but his antics are more of a man living with Asperger’s Syndrome. It was interesting to see these two personalities play out. I did enjoy this book; my only complaint was the ending. The ending seemed rushed and I felt like I was just left hanging after all the buildup.

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