Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting by Clare Pooley: Book Review

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From The Publisher:

Nobody ever talks to strangers on the train. It’s 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. He’d 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 you–and even more about yourself.

Book Review:

Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting is a wonderful, feel-good story of an eclectic group of commuter train passengers who find friendship. The book publishes on June 7.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters are interesting, well-developed and likeable. The setting on the commuter train is interesting and relatable. The book is written from the multiple perspectives of the train passengers which promotes the strength of the relationships as they are built. This book is also known as The People on Platform 5.

The diversity of this group and the bond that grows between them make for a cozy, feel-good read. Like most commuter travel, passengers normally keep to themselves, reading or listening to music etc. Initially, each of these passengers has a nickname for those around them and the reader is given insight into what each of them thought about one another.

When a medical emergency throws each of them together, the group make the effort to begin to learn about one another. The star of this unlikely group is Iona, a middle-aged woman experiencing changes in both her personal and professional life. Throughout much of her work life, Iona has been an advice columnist guiding her readers through some of life’s challenges. Iona is the cog in this train group’s wheel. As a middle-aged woman myself, I love when strong female protagonists are featured in books. We all want to feel like we are contributing and are respected.

There are some serious topics in this book including job loss, identity crisis, chronic illness and toxic relationships. The author does a great job of presenting this subject matter with care and compassion. There are several symbiotic relationships between members of the group which were a pleasure to read. I love how the group members with strengthened by these relationships and the care and support of one another that was built along the way.

Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting is one of my favourite books so far in 2022. It was a lovely read and one I will be recommending over and over again. I look forward to reading more from the author.

What I Liked:

• The use of multiple perspectives to gain greater insight into the characters
• The care and compassion used in handling sensitive topics
• Iona’s character living her best life

I Recommend This Book To:

Those readers who enjoy feel good stories with a diverse cast of characters.

Acknowledgments:

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for the ARC of this ebook in exchange for the honest review provided here.

Similar Books I’ve Reviewed:

The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley

Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

The Bright Side Running Club by Josie Lloyd