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Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting
Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting: A Novel | Clare Pooley
Nobody ever talks to strangers on the train. Its a rule. But what would happen if they did? From the New York Times and Globe and Mail bestselling author of The Authenticity Project, a heartwarming novel about unexpected friendships and the joy of connecting. Every day Iona, a larger-than-life magazine advice columnist, travels the ten stops from Hampton Court to Waterloo Station by train, accompanied by her dog, Lulu. Every day she sees the same people, whom she knows only by nickname: Impossibly-Pretty-Constant-Reader and Terribly-Lonely-Teenager. Of course, they never speak. Seasoned commuters never do. Then one morning, the man she calls Smart-But-Sexist-Manspreader chokes on a grape right in front of her. Hed have died were it not for the timely intervention of Sanjay, a nurse, who gives him the Heimlich maneuver. This single event starts a chain reaction, and an eclectic group of people with almost nothing in common except their commute discover that a chance encounter can blossom into much more. It turns out that talking to strangers can teach you about the world around youand even more about yourself.
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REPollock
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Pickpick

A fun book and a quick read. It gave me an identity crisis because it‘s the first book where I identified with a character clearly coded as “an eccentric old woman,” which I guess I am now.

Tamra Embrace it! 🥰 So much better than boring or the angst of youth. 4mo
Cathythoughts Great pic. ♥️ 4mo
15 likes2 comments
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Sharpeipup
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Soaking up sunshine and squeezing in a bit of reading during lunch.

peanutnine Beautiful picture 🌸 6mo
32 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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CoffeeNBooks
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#ReadingBracket2024
January's pick: Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting

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CoffeeNBooks
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Pickpick

This was such a great book! An interesting cast of characters (Sanjay, Martha, Piers, Emmie, David, and Jake) whose lives all intersect on the train, with Iona at the center. Iona was an icon back in her day, and now she writes an advice column in a magazine. Even though there are several characters, it's not hard to remember them and their stories, because they're all distinctive and memorable.

Continued... ⬇️

CoffeeNBooks This book has Lillian Boxfish and Eleanor Oliphant vibes, and it was just a really enjoyable read! #LitsyLoveReads

Another book finished during #JoyousJanuary! #ReadAway2024 @Andrew65
#FourFoursIn2024: Snarky Sparky @Lauredhel
#ISpyBingo @TheAromaofBooks @Clwojick
10mo
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 10mo
Andrew65 Excellent 👏👏👏 10mo
66 likes3 stack adds3 comments
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Honeybeebooks
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Pickpick

When a man chokes on a grape, Iona breaks one of her cardinal rules for commuting. What can you do? With this first breach, Iona proceeds to break every rule in order to help her train mates and herself. A little predictable, but the journey is a joy. A 4+ of 5 ⭐️ pick for this gem of a story.

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CoffeeNBooks
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Friday morning #coffeeandabook.

mcctrish I loved this book 10mo
CoffeeNBooks @mcctrish I'm enjoying it so much! 10mo
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Great mug ☕️ 10mo
CoffeeNBooks @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks One of my favorite movies! 10mo
68 likes3 stack adds4 comments
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Honeybeebooks
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This is fun! “The grape of wrath” kicks off a wonderful story of friendship and acceptance.

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BkClubCare
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My favorites in no particular order (possibly, most recent top left, actually 🤣) SO happy that I got a few classics in this year. And a few Nonfiction. My stats were eerily similar to last year in media, ratings, pages read, etc. And fascinating that my efforts to read women writers barely gets them a majority tally at the end of the year 🧐

Tagged = Fave of Favorites 🌟

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Summary post for blog up soon.

BarbaraBB We share so many favorites! I must check out that Anna Quindlen, I used to love her 🩷 11mo
bthegood Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you too - hope your holidays are going well☃️❄️ (edited) 11mo
BkClubCare @BarbaraBB - I will buy any and every AQ I see at a booksale 😁 I haven‘t read all that many of her books but they are a comfort read. 11mo
See All 8 Comments
BkClubCare @bthegood - back at you! Enjoy this week-between ❤️ I always set my book goals and affirmations and feel grateful during this last week of the year. 🤗 Hope you, too, feel a sense of calm and renewal for a wonderful 2024 11mo
bthegood @BkClubCare that sounds like a good idea - I'll start using this week as a gratitude week - thank you ☃️ (edited) 11mo
BarbaraBB I loved the ones I read. My favorite is 11mo
BkClubCare @BarbaraBB - thx! Stacked. Up next innhouse (but no idea when) 11mo
43 likes8 comments
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Amiable
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Pickpick

Yes, it‘s frothy and totally predictable. But also a lot of fun. I loved Iona‘s fierce and unapologetic personality, and I adored the community she created with her fellow commuters. I‘ve been riding the train to work for 10 years, and so much of this is relatable—especially the nicknames that riders give to each other. 😄

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BkClubCare
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Pickpick

I‘m on Holiday, seeing friends while husband has a work trip. Finished this wonderful book this morning AND LOVED IT! 💕 I originally bought it because I love yellow and pink together + I have an Alphabetical correspondence theme with a friend and this hits a lot of “I”s - thought it would be fun to send it to her. I hope she loves it as much as I do. It is smart, it is funny, it is touching and heartwarming; I adore a book that makes me 🤣 & 😭

BkClubCare Book 43 1y
46 likes1 stack add1 comment
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BkClubCare
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“ no one wants to find a finger in their shepherds pie” LOL 😂

This book is WONDERFUL! #iLovePie 🥧 #PieinLit

rubyslippersreads I guess the pie was made from actual shepherd. 🤣 1y
BkClubCare @rubyslippersreads - lots of funny quips in this book. I recommend it. 1y
39 likes2 comments
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BkClubCare
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Yes, yes - I bought this for the yellow and pink! 💛🩷💝 and all the “I”s for an alphabet exchange I‘ve got going with a PenPal… I‘ll read and then send it to her.

TheKidUpstairs This was a cute read. I hope you enjoy! 1y
BkClubCare I am pretty sure it is exactly what I need right now 1y
41 likes1 stack add3 comments
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mcctrish
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Pickpick

This is a delightful British feel good story centring around Iona‘s larger than life personality. She connects with an assortment of characters that meet her and subsequently each other exactly when they need to while commuting in and out of London‘s Waterloo station.

52 likes1 stack add
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mcctrish
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This is absolutely delightful so far

52 likes2 stack adds
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Amie
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Pickpick

I loved this! A cast of imperfect characters who meet on their train commute and form friendships. Much of it is fun and light-hearted, but each character is dealing with problems in their personal lives that are sad or troubling. Overall, heartwarming. Iona is a fabulous character.

37 likes2 stack adds
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Bookwormjillk
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Pickpick

What a fun book. Strangers on a Train if Maeve Binchy wrote it.

80 likes2 stack adds
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triplem80
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Pickpick

Definitely a "don't judge a book by its cover" pick for me! Based on the title and cover alone, I never would have picked this up...but I'm so glad I did. It was a delightful read, and a needed lift from my recent run of disappointing books.

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SheReadsAndWrites
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Pickpick

This was a great read. Such lovely characters and Iona is wonderful. I loved it - perfect for curling up by the fire and getting lost in the story.

RebelReader I loved this one too as well as The Authenticity Project which has that same sense of belonging and community. 2y
SheReadsAndWrites I really want to read that one! @RebelReader I like her writing. 2y
37 likes1 stack add2 comments
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vlwelser
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Pickpick

I'm a little sad that I finished this. It's adorable. And I 💘 Iona. This was my IRL book club pick for December. No idea where my friend found it, but so freaking glad she did.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 2y
36 likes1 comment
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Aims42
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Pickpick

I finished “Iona Iverson‘s Rules for Commuting” and it was a delight 🤩 Iona may be a new favorite fictional character.

Also, this was my first time using this style of audiobook, and it was great! It was such a breeze to use (especially while driving on the highway lol). Would recommend both the book and audio device 👍👍

49 likes1 stack add
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Aims42
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Visiting my family in Iowa this weekend, and fall has arrived! Overcast and 50‘s today (aaaaaand 70‘s and sun tomorrow and Sunday, gotta love the Midwest 🙄😆). I‘m doing an audio listen and reading a physical copy of this book and I‘m halfway through and it‘s delightful 🥰

PathfinderNicole I grew up in Iowa so I feel your pain on the drastic weather changes 😂😂 2y
Aims42 @PathfinderNicole LOL, yep! I think we‘re in “First Fall” right now 😂 Packing clothes wasn‘t easy, I brought tshirts and long sleeved shirts to cover all the bases 2y
janeycanuck I really enjoyed this one, too. If you haven‘t read her first one, it‘s not quite as good but close! 2y
Aims42 @janeycanuck Ooh, thank you!! Will definitely check that one out, I‘m loving Iona and her gang 😊 2y
51 likes1 stack add4 comments
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janeycanuck
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Pickpick

Oh, this was such a charming, heart-warming little read. It gave me the same vibes as Phaedra Patrick or Abbi Waxman, which are some of my favourite reading vibes. Every character was just so loveable (even Piers!) and I loved how everything came together, it was such a sweet, lovely book. I still don't miss commuting, though.

BooknerdsLife What a cute cover 😍 2y
45 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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Smartypants
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Mehso-so

So I had high expectations for this book based on reviews. It was ok, not amazing, but a cute story about strangers on the train in London and their interconnectedness.

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KristiAhlers
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Pickpick

I truly enjoyed this little read. What happens when during a normal commute one person chokes on a grape? This story. That‘s what. Populated by endearing characters and fun storylines I fully enjoyed every minute of this one. #blqsummerreadingchallenge #yellowcover

44 likes1 stack add
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Mpcacher
Pickpick

After enjoying this author's first novel I had to give this one a read and I was not disappointed. This is a delightful story filled with a varied cast of characters whose unlikely friendships change each others lives. It reminded me of Fredrik Backman's humorous novels, where a thoroughly entertaining story also manages to pass on life lessons...without feeling preachy. I look forward to more from this author. I gave it a 4.5/5.