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Unexpected
Birdie Walton’s life is unexpected. When she finds out she is pregnant after a one night stand at a college party, everything she had planned is ruined. This new revelation leaves her to decide if she has what it takes to be a mother, despite having never had one to look up to.
Then, she meets Miles, the grumpy, borderline alcoholic neighbor, and the two of them seem completely wrong for each other. But despite the fact they can’t stand each other, they spend moment after moment sitting on the porch of their duplex, learning about each other.
Within time, Birdie begins to chip away at Miles’s thick layers to find that he is rooted in devastation and sadness and haunted by his past. After getting to know him and more of his story, Birdie discovers that the two of them are intertwined in more ways than one and the secret she is keeping has the potential to ruin everything.
Will the secret be all it takes to push him away?
Or will the more time they spend together help them realize that the best parts of life happen when you least expect it?
Then, she meets Miles, the grumpy, borderline alcoholic neighbor, and the two of them seem completely wrong for each other. But despite the fact they can’t stand each other, they spend moment after moment sitting on the porch of their duplex, learning about each other.
Within time, Birdie begins to chip away at Miles’s thick layers to find that he is rooted in devastation and sadness and haunted by his past. After getting to know him and more of his story, Birdie discovers that the two of them are intertwined in more ways than one and the secret she is keeping has the potential to ruin everything.
Will the secret be all it takes to push him away?
Or will the more time they spend together help them realize that the best parts of life happen when you least expect it?
327 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 7, 2023
218 people are currently reading
1140 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
March 10, 2023
I don’t want to do this but
I have to leave MY honest review. I feel really bad because I actually follow this author on social media and have interacted with her over her hyping up the release of this book. She is a lovely lady, she really cares about this book and I can’t imagine how hard it is to write an actual book. I just consume them at a rapid pace, like I’m a serious reader. And I always leave my honest review. Which is subjective obviously. I end over 500 books last year and had maybe 20 five ⭐️ rated reads. I rate a book on how it makes me feel, during and at the end. And I was so very looking forward to the release of this book. And I believe it might be this author’s first book, not sure though. Anyways, this will contain spoilers so if you don’t want any stop reading now.
The cons of this book
The flow and transition was a freaking mess. Like a 4 or 5 page chapter then bam we are weeks and sometimes months in the future. It was choppy and did not have a good flow.
Miles, out MMC is a widow and an alcoholic with a complete lack of hygiene and will to move forward after losing his wife and daughter to a drunk driver 2years prior to meeting Birdy our FMC.
He is supposedly a financial advisor who owns his own business but lives in a cheap run down college duplex after finally leaving his beautiful family home. Makes zero sense but ok. I can see leaving his home but to move into a run down duplex with college kids…naw.
The main thing that made this book hard for me was that it was basically more of a love letter and play by play of his and his late wife’s love story. I am serious. We wee more than 67% into the book and most of his chapters were just reliving his love story with his wife, and in great detail. More so than him and our FMC Birdy’s story. It was uncomfortable because as a reader I am not usually a fan of widow/ widower’s second chance at love storylines. It’s a hard genre to sell to a reader. It’s a very thin line of showing the love between the couple and grief if losing them and yet not making the new love interest seem like second best. And this is where the book was an epic fail for me. Most of the chapter told from his POV were his love of his wife. Not even so much his daughter, it was definitely there but the focus was the wife. Like we literally went through the projection of their entire love story in detail yet skipped weeks and months when it came to him and Birdy. It was frustrating and uncomfortable to read after so long. I was mad even. Like enough already. There was way more focus in that story than the one the book was supposedly to be about.
Also, for my spicy readers this is a complete closed door no spice read. Like literally it was them kissing, talking about a condom, door closed next chapter was “ After we had our moment” which was even more frustrating due to the fact that there were more intimate scenes with the wife…still not what I would classify as spice per say as it was so so very tame…but it was more detail than the 2 alluded scenes our to MC’S had. And that it the next kill shot for me as a reader. I do not want to read about anything intimate with the MC you want me to love with someone that is not our current FMC. I felt like more went into his marriage in this story than the actual story it’s supposed to be about. I felt ick the entire time.
Also, I don’t know how a book can feel slow yet rushed at the same time but that is how it felt to me. I’ve never felt that from a book before. I downloaded this book the day it was released and there were 3 reviews, the 1st 2 being unverified purchases both short af 5 🌟 ratings, and then 1 singular verified purchase that was a 2 or 3 🌟. This was an accurate review IMO. Not sure if Lindsey had actual ARC or beta readers helping her along the way that were not friends and or family, but I highly suggest her getting some real book enthusiasts if she write another book. Because, despite this not being a great read for me, the storyline itself was something that could have been great. This could have been an epic love story. And honestly it was…for Miles and his late wife…
I admit I fell for this book by the hook that was published in a tik tok….when will I ever learn? I fall for it everytime. They take 1 line and make the book seem like something it actually isn’t really. Yeah he said the line but what was really the only hook it had and it wasn’t how he conducted himself in the book at all.
And this book made me have feelings, but not good ones. I was frustrated, mad, bored, then angry and totally turned off by the constant telling of his marriage and how much he loved his wife. It was absolutely book suicide for me. And the rushed ending and epilogue made me even madder. Like it was hurry up and cram this in a few pages so I can be done feeling….again I was resentful of how much of the other storyline I read but the one the book was supposed to be about felt incredibly rushed.
I have to leave MY honest review. I feel really bad because I actually follow this author on social media and have interacted with her over her hyping up the release of this book. She is a lovely lady, she really cares about this book and I can’t imagine how hard it is to write an actual book. I just consume them at a rapid pace, like I’m a serious reader. And I always leave my honest review. Which is subjective obviously. I end over 500 books last year and had maybe 20 five ⭐️ rated reads. I rate a book on how it makes me feel, during and at the end. And I was so very looking forward to the release of this book. And I believe it might be this author’s first book, not sure though. Anyways, this will contain spoilers so if you don’t want any stop reading now.
The cons of this book
The flow and transition was a freaking mess. Like a 4 or 5 page chapter then bam we are weeks and sometimes months in the future. It was choppy and did not have a good flow.
Miles, out MMC is a widow and an alcoholic with a complete lack of hygiene and will to move forward after losing his wife and daughter to a drunk driver 2years prior to meeting Birdy our FMC.
He is supposedly a financial advisor who owns his own business but lives in a cheap run down college duplex after finally leaving his beautiful family home. Makes zero sense but ok. I can see leaving his home but to move into a run down duplex with college kids…naw.
The main thing that made this book hard for me was that it was basically more of a love letter and play by play of his and his late wife’s love story. I am serious. We wee more than 67% into the book and most of his chapters were just reliving his love story with his wife, and in great detail. More so than him and our FMC Birdy’s story. It was uncomfortable because as a reader I am not usually a fan of widow/ widower’s second chance at love storylines. It’s a hard genre to sell to a reader. It’s a very thin line of showing the love between the couple and grief if losing them and yet not making the new love interest seem like second best. And this is where the book was an epic fail for me. Most of the chapter told from his POV were his love of his wife. Not even so much his daughter, it was definitely there but the focus was the wife. Like we literally went through the projection of their entire love story in detail yet skipped weeks and months when it came to him and Birdy. It was frustrating and uncomfortable to read after so long. I was mad even. Like enough already. There was way more focus in that story than the one the book was supposedly to be about.
Also, for my spicy readers this is a complete closed door no spice read. Like literally it was them kissing, talking about a condom, door closed next chapter was “ After we had our moment” which was even more frustrating due to the fact that there were more intimate scenes with the wife…still not what I would classify as spice per say as it was so so very tame…but it was more detail than the 2 alluded scenes our to MC’S had. And that it the next kill shot for me as a reader. I do not want to read about anything intimate with the MC you want me to love with someone that is not our current FMC. I felt like more went into his marriage in this story than the actual story it’s supposed to be about. I felt ick the entire time.
Also, I don’t know how a book can feel slow yet rushed at the same time but that is how it felt to me. I’ve never felt that from a book before. I downloaded this book the day it was released and there were 3 reviews, the 1st 2 being unverified purchases both short af 5 🌟 ratings, and then 1 singular verified purchase that was a 2 or 3 🌟. This was an accurate review IMO. Not sure if Lindsey had actual ARC or beta readers helping her along the way that were not friends and or family, but I highly suggest her getting some real book enthusiasts if she write another book. Because, despite this not being a great read for me, the storyline itself was something that could have been great. This could have been an epic love story. And honestly it was…for Miles and his late wife…
I admit I fell for this book by the hook that was published in a tik tok….when will I ever learn? I fall for it everytime. They take 1 line and make the book seem like something it actually isn’t really. Yeah he said the line but what was really the only hook it had and it wasn’t how he conducted himself in the book at all.
And this book made me have feelings, but not good ones. I was frustrated, mad, bored, then angry and totally turned off by the constant telling of his marriage and how much he loved his wife. It was absolutely book suicide for me. And the rushed ending and epilogue made me even madder. Like it was hurry up and cram this in a few pages so I can be done feeling….again I was resentful of how much of the other storyline I read but the one the book was supposed to be about felt incredibly rushed.
March 7, 2023
I don’t know how many more times I’m going to type these words out but here they are: Lindsey Cord has DONE IT AGAIN!!
This was such a cute, dual POV, haters to lovers, age gap romance with some good steam (no actual spice) and tons of sexual tension and banter. I loved it.
4.25 stars ♥️
What I loved
🫶🏼 so many good tropes!
- haters to friends to lovers
- single mom
- grumpy, bearded MMC
- semi-forced proximity
- age gap (10 years)
- neighbors
- small college town
- helping each other heal
🫶🏼 the MMC
He was honestly such a jerk at the beginning and I was worried I was going to hate him. Then he transformed into a big, grumpy, baby-whispering Prince Charming. Also he loves romance novels. And has a beard.
🫶🏼 Lucy - the best friend
I don’t know if I’ve ever loved a side character as much as I loved Lucy. I’m gonna need Lindsey to write her story ASAP because I can’t get enough of her
🫶🏼 the banter & tension
The back and forth between the MCs had me cracking up and the build up to the steam was great!! It was fade to black but the little peeks we got were 🔥
🫶🏼 no trauma shock
These characters have had some trauma (check TWs ⬇️) but Lindsey builds up to it so the reader can prepare and doesn’t just throw it in for the shock factor
🫶🏼quick conflicts
The anxiety-inducing conflicts between the couple were short lived and resolved realistically and maturely
🫶🏼 HEA
Why not 5 stars?
🍼 it was lacking the major, jaw dropping plot twist that I was expecting based on her other two books (Things She Never Said & Anything But Ordinary). There was still clearly a lot of thought that went into the plot and parts that got my blood pumping!!!!
🍼 the FMC was a tiny bit bossy/intrusive (but I grew to love her)
🍼 some lying by omission (resolved quickly, thankfully)
⚠️ Content / Trigger Warnings
.
.
- unexpected pregnancy
- alcoholic parents
- death of parents
- fatal car accident
- foster care
- past miscarriages mentioned
- loss of a child
- grief
- child neglect (not by MCs)
- memories of thoughts of suicide
This was such a cute, dual POV, haters to lovers, age gap romance with some good steam (no actual spice) and tons of sexual tension and banter. I loved it.
4.25 stars ♥️
What I loved
🫶🏼 so many good tropes!
- haters to friends to lovers
- single mom
- grumpy, bearded MMC
- semi-forced proximity
- age gap (10 years)
- neighbors
- small college town
- helping each other heal
🫶🏼 the MMC
He was honestly such a jerk at the beginning and I was worried I was going to hate him. Then he transformed into a big, grumpy, baby-whispering Prince Charming. Also he loves romance novels. And has a beard.
🫶🏼 Lucy - the best friend
I don’t know if I’ve ever loved a side character as much as I loved Lucy. I’m gonna need Lindsey to write her story ASAP because I can’t get enough of her
🫶🏼 the banter & tension
The back and forth between the MCs had me cracking up and the build up to the steam was great!! It was fade to black but the little peeks we got were 🔥
🫶🏼 no trauma shock
These characters have had some trauma (check TWs ⬇️) but Lindsey builds up to it so the reader can prepare and doesn’t just throw it in for the shock factor
🫶🏼quick conflicts
The anxiety-inducing conflicts between the couple were short lived and resolved realistically and maturely
🫶🏼 HEA
Why not 5 stars?
🍼 it was lacking the major, jaw dropping plot twist that I was expecting based on her other two books (Things She Never Said & Anything But Ordinary). There was still clearly a lot of thought that went into the plot and parts that got my blood pumping!!!!
🍼 the FMC was a tiny bit bossy/intrusive (but I grew to love her)
🍼 some lying by omission (resolved quickly, thankfully)
⚠️ Content / Trigger Warnings
.
.
- unexpected pregnancy
- alcoholic parents
- death of parents
- fatal car accident
- foster care
- past miscarriages mentioned
- loss of a child
- grief
- child neglect (not by MCs)
- memories of thoughts of suicide
March 7, 2023
3⭐️ 0🌶️
I found this through TikTok, I was suckered in by Miles’ quote of ‘you don’t deserve either of my girls’ and while I’m not super disappointed with it, I’m not exactly in love with it either.
The writing was great and the story kept a decent pace, I just don’t think I was expecting something so… tame?
Anything potentially ‘spice worthy’ happened off page, which in any other book I would have DNF’d but I was genuinely curious about Miles and Birdie.
The quote sucked me in because I thought he played a bigger part in Birdie’s daughters life but he really didn’t. I think five months had pass before he actually saw Lux again after getting her to sleep once. It was mentioned a couple times after that they spent time together, but we didn’t get to see it so the quote didn’t have quite the impact I was expecting.
Two things really irritated me though:
1) Birdie not being honest with Miles about who her parents were once she put two and two together.
2) Her treatment of Noah. Yes, he left. No, he had nothing to do with Lux. BUT, Birdie practically begged him not to be apart of the pregnancy. She wasn’t exactly over the moon about him and she didn’t bother to hide it, so I felt like her reaction to him but was bit much. Unfortunately, he turned out to be a dud anyway but still.
I would’ve liked to see the epilogue set out a little farther. Maybe when they lived together, potentially had more kids, etc.
I found this through TikTok, I was suckered in by Miles’ quote of ‘you don’t deserve either of my girls’ and while I’m not super disappointed with it, I’m not exactly in love with it either.
The writing was great and the story kept a decent pace, I just don’t think I was expecting something so… tame?
Anything potentially ‘spice worthy’ happened off page, which in any other book I would have DNF’d but I was genuinely curious about Miles and Birdie.
The quote sucked me in because I thought he played a bigger part in Birdie’s daughters life but he really didn’t. I think five months had pass before he actually saw Lux again after getting her to sleep once. It was mentioned a couple times after that they spent time together, but we didn’t get to see it so the quote didn’t have quite the impact I was expecting.
Two things really irritated me though:
1) Birdie not being honest with Miles about who her parents were once she put two and two together.
2) Her treatment of Noah. Yes, he left. No, he had nothing to do with Lux. BUT, Birdie practically begged him not to be apart of the pregnancy. She wasn’t exactly over the moon about him and she didn’t bother to hide it, so I felt like her reaction to him but was bit much. Unfortunately, he turned out to be a dud anyway but still.
I would’ve liked to see the epilogue set out a little farther. Maybe when they lived together, potentially had more kids, etc.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 3, 2024
4.5 stars.
🕊️ The vibes:
- unplanned pregnancy
- dual pov
- Next door enemies to friends
- Age gap
- A secret
- Found family
🕊️My thoughts:
I love Birdie’s personality and humor. I love the friendship between Birdie and Lucy (the way I celebrated when I saw that Lucy has her own book.). I loooved having both Miles’ and Birdie’s individual backstories. Their grumpy banter.
🕊️ My main gripe is that I really wanted a voice of reason when a secret was involved. When we lose our way (in a book but also in real life), I always wish to see at least one person who can help a MC course correct- and instead we got terrible advice. 🙈 I also think some therapy and group support would be nice to have seen considering the backstories of both characters. But overall- this is an incredible story and it was 100% worth picking up.
🕊️ If you enjoy Stacy Williams or Megan Reinking, I think you’ll enjoy this one. It has serious elements, bad words, and heavy topics while being hopeful and having good humor woven in. (Humor is not slapstick or antic-y.) Closed door with all the sparks.
‼️ Ok my final thoughts which include spoilers. Do not read if you don’t want to know spoilers. ‼️
For the entirety of this book we are fully immersed into Miles’ relationship with his former wife. How they met, their love story, etc. so in a lot of ways this feels like Miles’ and Melody’s love story also, which I didn’t mind at alll. I loved the backstory so much and it made the loss so sad to me. I know this is something some readers don’t connect with - as it’s almost a love story that isn’t focused on the FMC, but I personally found it very sweet.
🕊️ The vibes:
- unplanned pregnancy
- dual pov
- Next door enemies to friends
- Age gap
- A secret
- Found family
🕊️My thoughts:
I love Birdie’s personality and humor. I love the friendship between Birdie and Lucy (the way I celebrated when I saw that Lucy has her own book.). I loooved having both Miles’ and Birdie’s individual backstories. Their grumpy banter.
🕊️ My main gripe is that I really wanted a voice of reason when a secret was involved. When we lose our way (in a book but also in real life), I always wish to see at least one person who can help a MC course correct- and instead we got terrible advice. 🙈 I also think some therapy and group support would be nice to have seen considering the backstories of both characters. But overall- this is an incredible story and it was 100% worth picking up.
🕊️ If you enjoy Stacy Williams or Megan Reinking, I think you’ll enjoy this one. It has serious elements, bad words, and heavy topics while being hopeful and having good humor woven in. (Humor is not slapstick or antic-y.) Closed door with all the sparks.
‼️ Ok my final thoughts which include spoilers. Do not read if you don’t want to know spoilers. ‼️
For the entirety of this book we are fully immersed into Miles’ relationship with his former wife. How they met, their love story, etc. so in a lot of ways this feels like Miles’ and Melody’s love story also, which I didn’t mind at alll. I loved the backstory so much and it made the loss so sad to me. I know this is something some readers don’t connect with - as it’s almost a love story that isn’t focused on the FMC, but I personally found it very sweet.
March 8, 2023
So many emotions. I was anticipating this book for what felt like forever and I had to download immediately. This book lived up to every expectation I had and more!! The characters, the twists, the cheesy lines, the sprinkles of spice, the delivery of every emotion - all done so well. Also, appreciated the soap boxes weaved in! Women absolutely should not have to apologize for liking and wanting sex and yes, we want to know why our clothing has such tiny pockets!!!
The line that caught me though, “…you are a person AND a mom. Not just a mom.” 🥹🥹🥹 As a mother who spent most of the time it took to read this today, nap trapped by my toddler, I NEEDED to read those words.
Another well-written book with important topics, accurate trigger warnings and the appropriate pull of emotions, Lindsey delivered another 5-star read.
The line that caught me though, “…you are a person AND a mom. Not just a mom.” 🥹🥹🥹 As a mother who spent most of the time it took to read this today, nap trapped by my toddler, I NEEDED to read those words.
Another well-written book with important topics, accurate trigger warnings and the appropriate pull of emotions, Lindsey delivered another 5-star read.
March 12, 2023
Holy shit balls. I don’t even like children but here we are. This book almost…ALMOST…made me wonder what it’d be like to be a mom. Thank goodness I snapped out of it.
I was surprised by how much I loved this book. It was perfect. Perfect. Perfect. Perfect.
The characters were all lovable and all important to the story. They were each fleshed out the right amount and made me believe their relationships were genuine. The porch talks? Perfect. The banter? Perfect. The smut? A little PG-13 but I didn’t mind it. That’s how you know this was good.
Miles was perfect. He smelled like onions apparently. I happen to love onions though.
Birdie was strong and resilient and, you guessed it, perfect.
Thank you for sending me this, Lindsey.
Forever happy to see talented people like you get to do what they love! 🤍
If this gets turned into a movie, pick me.
I was surprised by how much I loved this book. It was perfect. Perfect. Perfect. Perfect.
The characters were all lovable and all important to the story. They were each fleshed out the right amount and made me believe their relationships were genuine. The porch talks? Perfect. The banter? Perfect. The smut? A little PG-13 but I didn’t mind it. That’s how you know this was good.
Miles was perfect. He smelled like onions apparently. I happen to love onions though.
Birdie was strong and resilient and, you guessed it, perfect.
Thank you for sending me this, Lindsey.
Forever happy to see talented people like you get to do what they love! 🤍
If this gets turned into a movie, pick me.
April 15, 2023
I loved this book!! The writing is good & that slow burn was amazing. It definitely didn’t lose my interest any. I loved watching Birdie & Miles’ relationship progress.
The heartache I felt for Miles & Birdie was unreal. They both went through so much, it definitely made me cry.
The heartache I felt for Miles & Birdie was unreal. They both went through so much, it definitely made me cry.
November 9, 2025
I was expecting to hate this because anytime there’s a pregnancy it’s a tough sell for me, but it was so good and despite all the messy parts, it hit me in the feels.
Spoilers ahead…
Hear me out. I know a lot of readers had an issue with the fact that a lot of Miles’s POV chapters were flashbacks of his relationship with his wife (who died 2 years ago). Many people felt like this took away from his love story with Birdie, but I totally disagree. I think it showed the reader what an absolute sacrifice it was for Miles to open up to the idea of loving Birdie and how amazing and special she was to him. This was not a man who thought he’d EVER love anyone again and not only did Birdie change that for him, but he was able to fully love her and her daughter despite the absolute despair he was living under. I thought the way this author structured this story made all the difference. It was hard seeing all the highs and lows in these character’s lives, but it’s what made them feel so real and well rounded. Two people who wanted a family desperately… one who had one and lost it and one who never had one coming together to make a family of their own.
Spoilers ahead…
Hear me out. I know a lot of readers had an issue with the fact that a lot of Miles’s POV chapters were flashbacks of his relationship with his wife (who died 2 years ago). Many people felt like this took away from his love story with Birdie, but I totally disagree. I think it showed the reader what an absolute sacrifice it was for Miles to open up to the idea of loving Birdie and how amazing and special she was to him. This was not a man who thought he’d EVER love anyone again and not only did Birdie change that for him, but he was able to fully love her and her daughter despite the absolute despair he was living under. I thought the way this author structured this story made all the difference. It was hard seeing all the highs and lows in these character’s lives, but it’s what made them feel so real and well rounded. Two people who wanted a family desperately… one who had one and lost it and one who never had one coming together to make a family of their own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 17, 2023
Immediately it did not catch my interest. It took me a few days to get into it.
Miles… if we’re trying to create a book boyfriend here maybe don’t immediately start with he’s an alcoholic who has BO that smells like onions.. cause if we’re being honest. immediately no from me.
43% of the way through this book and the characters are just now interacting regularly they haven’t really even flirted yet!! and he has moved on from smelling like onions to smelling like “grease and fried cheese” it is still not making me excited for them to be together. oh and this smell is making her “ravenous”… dude i can’t.
I’m a sucker for a happy ending. So yeah the ending was sweet for sure. It was happy and all wrapped up nicely. But overall just eh for me.
Miles… if we’re trying to create a book boyfriend here maybe don’t immediately start with he’s an alcoholic who has BO that smells like onions.. cause if we’re being honest. immediately no from me.
43% of the way through this book and the characters are just now interacting regularly they haven’t really even flirted yet!! and he has moved on from smelling like onions to smelling like “grease and fried cheese” it is still not making me excited for them to be together. oh and this smell is making her “ravenous”… dude i can’t.
I’m a sucker for a happy ending. So yeah the ending was sweet for sure. It was happy and all wrapped up nicely. But overall just eh for me.
March 8, 2023
*received an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review*
3.5 out of 5 Stars
First, I would like to say that I very much enjoyed the story and the characters. Second, I had no idea what I thought I was getting myself into.
I didn't know anything aside from the grumpy/sunshine & pregnancy tropes I knew I was getting from the cover. Just based on those tropes, I was hooked and immediately knew I was going to read it.
What I didn't know was that the book was a fade to black romance. That being said, I have ZERO issues with reading fade to black. HOWEVER, I felt like I was set up for disappointment based on Birdie's and Miles' interactions. At one point, Miles asks Birdie if the baby daddy at least made it worth it, in which she replies with no, then he goes on to say/think that he would've made it worth it. That set me up to think that I was going to see what that man thought of himself and his skills in the bedroom. I was disappointed that it was fade to black and didn't know beforehand, but it did not make the book any less great. I understand that it's not every authors thing, but I felt like there was a missed opportunity with the tension and interactions between the characters.
The characters were fantastic and I loved the relationship Birdie had with her friend Lucy. There were plenty of moments that made me laugh out loud. Everyone needs a Lucy in their lives and it was nice to see how they both stepped up to help bring Lux into the world.
I did feel like some parts of the book were rushed, given that the entire book spans about a year and a half or more with the epilogue. There were times I was confused about the timeline and had to read back to see if I missed something. I would have liked to see more of Miles interacting with Lux and his feelings towards her, especially after losing Rose. I felt like a lot of things were just skimmed across the surface when they were moments that could have dove deeper.
Overall, I LOVED their story and I'm glad they could be the little family that they both deserved! Would recommend to anyone looking for a low spice, grumpy/sunshine romance that is okay with pregnancy!
3.5 out of 5 Stars
First, I would like to say that I very much enjoyed the story and the characters. Second, I had no idea what I thought I was getting myself into.
I didn't know anything aside from the grumpy/sunshine & pregnancy tropes I knew I was getting from the cover. Just based on those tropes, I was hooked and immediately knew I was going to read it.
What I didn't know was that the book was a fade to black romance. That being said, I have ZERO issues with reading fade to black. HOWEVER, I felt like I was set up for disappointment based on Birdie's and Miles' interactions. At one point, Miles asks Birdie if the baby daddy at least made it worth it, in which she replies with no, then he goes on to say/think that he would've made it worth it. That set me up to think that I was going to see what that man thought of himself and his skills in the bedroom. I was disappointed that it was fade to black and didn't know beforehand, but it did not make the book any less great. I understand that it's not every authors thing, but I felt like there was a missed opportunity with the tension and interactions between the characters.
The characters were fantastic and I loved the relationship Birdie had with her friend Lucy. There were plenty of moments that made me laugh out loud. Everyone needs a Lucy in their lives and it was nice to see how they both stepped up to help bring Lux into the world.
I did feel like some parts of the book were rushed, given that the entire book spans about a year and a half or more with the epilogue. There were times I was confused about the timeline and had to read back to see if I missed something. I would have liked to see more of Miles interacting with Lux and his feelings towards her, especially after losing Rose. I felt like a lot of things were just skimmed across the surface when they were moments that could have dove deeper.
Overall, I LOVED their story and I'm glad they could be the little family that they both deserved! Would recommend to anyone looking for a low spice, grumpy/sunshine romance that is okay with pregnancy!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 18, 2023
I know I say this every time Lindsey Cord releases a new novel, but THIS one is truly my new favorite! Lindsey has found her voice in the romantic world, and it's wonderful.
I absolutely adored Miles and Birdie's story, and the unexpected friendship that they formed with each other over the time period of this book. The small, quiet moments with them on their porches at the end of their days was so wholesome, and I loved that they got to really know each other before anything romantic happens between them.
Miles wasn't my favorite at first, he's totally rude and not at all attractive sounding in the beginning of this book, but as Birdie slow chips away at his walls and we learn why he's the way he is...I just wanted to wrap him in a giant hug and apologize for not loving him right away. Because I absolutely, 100% fell in love with him and his rough exterior.
Birdie is another woman with the weight of the world on her shoulders, but this world involves another humans life that she is suddenly in charge of. Throughout this book she works hard on bettering herself in order to give her child the life she didn't get while growing up. She becomes her own knight in shining armor and proves that she doesn't need one to swoop in and save the day. Birdie is strong enough for herself and her child and I couldn't have been more proud of her by the end of this book.
Thank you so, so, much Lindsey for letting me be a Beta Reader for this one. I loved this one so much and I can't wait for the world to celebrate it with you on your birthday next month. You can get your own copy of Unexpected on March 29, 2023!
I absolutely adored Miles and Birdie's story, and the unexpected friendship that they formed with each other over the time period of this book. The small, quiet moments with them on their porches at the end of their days was so wholesome, and I loved that they got to really know each other before anything romantic happens between them.
Miles wasn't my favorite at first, he's totally rude and not at all attractive sounding in the beginning of this book, but as Birdie slow chips away at his walls and we learn why he's the way he is...I just wanted to wrap him in a giant hug and apologize for not loving him right away. Because I absolutely, 100% fell in love with him and his rough exterior.
Birdie is another woman with the weight of the world on her shoulders, but this world involves another humans life that she is suddenly in charge of. Throughout this book she works hard on bettering herself in order to give her child the life she didn't get while growing up. She becomes her own knight in shining armor and proves that she doesn't need one to swoop in and save the day. Birdie is strong enough for herself and her child and I couldn't have been more proud of her by the end of this book.
Thank you so, so, much Lindsey for letting me be a Beta Reader for this one. I loved this one so much and I can't wait for the world to celebrate it with you on your birthday next month. You can get your own copy of Unexpected on March 29, 2023!
March 8, 2023
💭 thoughts 💭
I really liked the strong ‘found family’ trope between Luciana and Birdie and loved that their relationship was so strong throughout the book. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the history Birdie had, but that’s only because it was too relatable to my own story in a sense and ‘triggered’ me if you will. (Still executed beautifully).
I definitely hated Miles at first because he was a grumpy old (age gap!!) neighbor who needed to lighten up – he also said the wrong things at the wrong time and it KILLED me. But once I hit the middle of the book, it really picked up and I started to like Miles a little bit more and more each chapter. I really enjoyed the dual POV, especially giving a background into Miles’ life, since we got a pretty good look at Birdie’s upbringing with her talks with Luciana.
I also thoroughly enjoyed the rawness, realness and transparency when it came to seeing Birdie as a new mommah – postpartum is so different for all women and I’m so thankful that Lindsey sheds light to that in some of her books. <3
💭 favorite quotes 💭
*potential spoilers* “It’s not that I didn’t care that my parents were gone; I guess, deep down, I probably did. It’s just that it wasn’t much different from them being alive.”
“Hey, it’s okay. Carrying a baby is no joke. Women are the absolute superheroes of the normal world. You can say whatever you want right about now, and I will still be amazed by you.”
“She needs her mom to go and have fun. Don’t forget, Birdie, you are a person and a mom. Not just a mom.”
🌟 rating 🌟
5 stars – it made me emotional, giddy, anxious and angry. Overall, a great read and I would expect nothing less from Lindsey 😉
I really liked the strong ‘found family’ trope between Luciana and Birdie and loved that their relationship was so strong throughout the book. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the history Birdie had, but that’s only because it was too relatable to my own story in a sense and ‘triggered’ me if you will. (Still executed beautifully).
I definitely hated Miles at first because he was a grumpy old (age gap!!) neighbor who needed to lighten up – he also said the wrong things at the wrong time and it KILLED me. But once I hit the middle of the book, it really picked up and I started to like Miles a little bit more and more each chapter. I really enjoyed the dual POV, especially giving a background into Miles’ life, since we got a pretty good look at Birdie’s upbringing with her talks with Luciana.
I also thoroughly enjoyed the rawness, realness and transparency when it came to seeing Birdie as a new mommah – postpartum is so different for all women and I’m so thankful that Lindsey sheds light to that in some of her books. <3
💭 favorite quotes 💭
*potential spoilers* “It’s not that I didn’t care that my parents were gone; I guess, deep down, I probably did. It’s just that it wasn’t much different from them being alive.”
“Hey, it’s okay. Carrying a baby is no joke. Women are the absolute superheroes of the normal world. You can say whatever you want right about now, and I will still be amazed by you.”
“She needs her mom to go and have fun. Don’t forget, Birdie, you are a person and a mom. Not just a mom.”
🌟 rating 🌟
5 stars – it made me emotional, giddy, anxious and angry. Overall, a great read and I would expect nothing less from Lindsey 😉
June 3, 2023
I picked this up because I heard some good things on tiktok, but unfortunately, it was not for me. I'm not a fan of the pregnancy trope, and while the author says the reader's mental health matters more to her, she chose to leave out some crucial trigger warnings for plots' sake. I feel that if an author cares as much as she says she does about mental health, she should list all of the trigger warnings. I would never have picked this up if I was aware of the use of a child's passing.
That being said, the story was mediocre, as was the love story. Honestly, I found more joy (and pain) in the flashbacks showing the male love interests relationship with his late wife. Most of his chapters felt like a love letter to a relationship that was lost. I also thought it was odd that he rarely seemed to think about the daughter he lost. It felt like she was a second thought, and while I know that was not the focus of this book, you would think a father who lost their child would think of her more.
As for the relationship between Miles and Birdie, it was very lackluster. It felt rushed and lacking in depth. The same can be said about Birdie as a character. I feel like aside from her horrible childhood and unplanned pregnancy, she had no depth. Not that those are character traits, but she was lacking in personality for the most part. Having neglectful and abusive alcoholic parents isn't a personality trait despite how hard the author tried to make it so.
All in all, I don't think this book was for me. I regret finishing off my reading goal with this one.
That being said, the story was mediocre, as was the love story. Honestly, I found more joy (and pain) in the flashbacks showing the male love interests relationship with his late wife. Most of his chapters felt like a love letter to a relationship that was lost. I also thought it was odd that he rarely seemed to think about the daughter he lost. It felt like she was a second thought, and while I know that was not the focus of this book, you would think a father who lost their child would think of her more.
As for the relationship between Miles and Birdie, it was very lackluster. It felt rushed and lacking in depth. The same can be said about Birdie as a character. I feel like aside from her horrible childhood and unplanned pregnancy, she had no depth. Not that those are character traits, but she was lacking in personality for the most part. Having neglectful and abusive alcoholic parents isn't a personality trait despite how hard the author tried to make it so.
All in all, I don't think this book was for me. I regret finishing off my reading goal with this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 6, 2023
There will not be a book written by Lindsey Cord that I don't read. I love her writing style and the depth she brings to her characters. I find myself getting invested and empathetic toward the characters, putting myself in their shoes, challenging my own thoughts or beliefs and sometimes forgetting they aren't real because she brings them so much to life. Because I've read others by this author, I'll be honest and say I was anticipating a major plot twist and was worried when I was more than halfway through the book and it hadn't come yet. While the beginning of the book wasn't full of over-the-top drama, it still kept my interest and kept me wanting to read more. I loved getting to know the main characters through their front porch banter. I kept thinking I would be able to predict where the story was heading, but then came the jaw-dropping moment that Lindsey is known for! I loved (/hated?) the unexpected way that their pasts were intertwined and it challenged my own thoughts a bit as the characters worked through their individual pasts. This book had me feeling all the emotions and I'm so excited this is going to be part of a series! I really feel like this one would make a great movie. I'm here for all of this author's work!
April 18, 2023
Okay, so this book gave me all the warm fuzzies. Not only did it touch on some of the same themes I loved writing in my own novel, Broken, like love after loss and the grump next-door, but it gave me even more to love about the tropes. Cord’s writing is deep and fun, as well as witty and authentic.
The way she addresses heavy topics in a gentle way is so well done. I was able to FEEL everything without completely falling apart in the process.
I absolutely loved Birdie as a main character and Miles is such a dreamy love interest. I really enjoyed stepping into his memories and getting the chance to understand his pain and longing for the life he lost on a personal level. Birdie’s role in his life is fresh and new and you can see him pulling her out of the depths of his despair in such a tender and heartfelt way.
Read if you love:
👶🏼 forced proximity
👶🏼 age gap
👶🏼 broody enemy to lovers
👶🏼 closed door romance
👶🏼 deep topics handled in a gentle way
October 27, 2024
⭐️⭐️
Honestly, there wasn’t much I liked about this book. The pacing was off and it felt rushed – months would go by in between chapters and it just felt wrong. There wasn’t much chemistry between Miles and Birdie – I felt more heat between Miles and Melody in the flashbacks.
Birdie was SO immature, even for a 22-year-old, and I was hoping she’d grow up after Lux was born, but nope. And what was with the stink? The mentions of Birdie’s BO and Miles’s onion funk? Gross.
It was quite obvious early on that it was Birdie’s parents and Melody and Rose were involved in the same car crash. If the author was going for a jaw-dropping plot twist, it fell flat. My jaw stayed in place when Birdie finally put two and two together.
Lastly, this book could have used a good top edit before being published. There were quite a few easy-to-spot punctuation and grammatical errors that I found distracting.
Honestly, there wasn’t much I liked about this book. The pacing was off and it felt rushed – months would go by in between chapters and it just felt wrong. There wasn’t much chemistry between Miles and Birdie – I felt more heat between Miles and Melody in the flashbacks.
Birdie was SO immature, even for a 22-year-old, and I was hoping she’d grow up after Lux was born, but nope. And what was with the stink? The mentions of Birdie’s BO and Miles’s onion funk? Gross.
It was quite obvious early on that it was Birdie’s parents and Melody and Rose were involved in the same car crash. If the author was going for a jaw-dropping plot twist, it fell flat. My jaw stayed in place when Birdie finally put two and two together.
Lastly, this book could have used a good top edit before being published. There were quite a few easy-to-spot punctuation and grammatical errors that I found distracting.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 14, 2023
Slow burn, HEA
I loved this book for many reasons. First off, I loved how the book was written. The characters were down to earth and believable.
I think Miles was the most shocking character, especially after the truth comes out. I expected much more fight and argument for him, but that man stepped up every. single. time. Talk about a book boyfriend!
Birdie is such a “could-be-me” character that I found myself often anticipating how she would react and speak. She was unapologetic, and I loved her for that.
Secondly, I am not a fan of slow burns, but I like that a natural relationships was built and true foundations were set for this couple. It was one of my favorite things about the whole story. How their relationship progressed throughout the novel.
Thirdly, and most important of all, avoid frat toga parties!
I loved this book for many reasons. First off, I loved how the book was written. The characters were down to earth and believable.
I think Miles was the most shocking character, especially after the truth comes out. I expected much more fight and argument for him, but that man stepped up every. single. time. Talk about a book boyfriend!
Birdie is such a “could-be-me” character that I found myself often anticipating how she would react and speak. She was unapologetic, and I loved her for that.
Secondly, I am not a fan of slow burns, but I like that a natural relationships was built and true foundations were set for this couple. It was one of my favorite things about the whole story. How their relationship progressed throughout the novel.
Thirdly, and most important of all, avoid frat toga parties!
January 4, 2024
Unexpected follows Birdie - a college senior who finds herself pregnant after a one night stand, and Miles her mysterious, borderline alcoholic, grumpy neighbor. Mild enemies to lovers in that, they aren't "enemies" but for half of the book, they can't stand each other for no real reasons.
Birdie comes from a broken home - she was taken by CPS multiple times during her childhood due to her parents neglect and substance abuse, who subsequently died in a drunk driving accident shortly after Birdie started college. Her baby's father has no interest in being a parent and offers no support.
Miles is a loner, once happily married with a little girl, but they're gone and he's miserable. Miles is in his early 30s and eventually he and Birdie strike up a sort of friendship, which slowly blossoms to them both having feelings for the other.
When Miles tells Birdie about his family she discovers something that links them and puts their new relationship to the test.
This is a slow burn, full of feet kicking moments. This is out of my usual genre of readings, but I really enjoyed the change of pace!
Birdie comes from a broken home - she was taken by CPS multiple times during her childhood due to her parents neglect and substance abuse, who subsequently died in a drunk driving accident shortly after Birdie started college. Her baby's father has no interest in being a parent and offers no support.
Miles is a loner, once happily married with a little girl, but they're gone and he's miserable. Miles is in his early 30s and eventually he and Birdie strike up a sort of friendship, which slowly blossoms to them both having feelings for the other.
When Miles tells Birdie about his family she discovers something that links them and puts their new relationship to the test.
This is a slow burn, full of feet kicking moments. This is out of my usual genre of readings, but I really enjoyed the change of pace!
March 10, 2023
Lindsey has done it again!
I absolutely loved this book! From the hurt and pain both characterbwent through, to the grumpy banter shared between the two. The flow between the characters was so easy and made it feel so real. Miles is top tier book boyfriend forever. Even after all the hardships the 2 went through in life, they manage to break those old traumas and instead of writhing in the past and staying there they make a better life. So much truth about pregnancy and the first years of life, not completely glorified and made into something it's now. It's real, it's raw, but it's so rewarding <3
I absolutely loved this book! From the hurt and pain both characterbwent through, to the grumpy banter shared between the two. The flow between the characters was so easy and made it feel so real. Miles is top tier book boyfriend forever. Even after all the hardships the 2 went through in life, they manage to break those old traumas and instead of writhing in the past and staying there they make a better life. So much truth about pregnancy and the first years of life, not completely glorified and made into something it's now. It's real, it's raw, but it's so rewarding <3
March 10, 2023
Did i read this in a short amount of time? Absolutely. Did i love it? ABSOLUTELY. Birdie is such a loveable and relatable FMC. Lindsey did such a good job writing Miles. You could FEEL his grief jumping off the page at you. Anyone who’s struggled or known someone who’s struggled with loss and addiction knows how angry and hurt you are at the whole world. Lindsey did a GREAT job depicting that. I wouldve loved a little more spice, BUT the tension is very strong. You can feel the love they have for eachother jumping off the page. As someone who’s been a single mom herself… the love Miles has for not only Birdie but for Lux as well… is heart melting. “My girls”? Ugh INSTANT SWOON.
April 11, 2023
This was a cute read! Not a favorite, but it was a cute, fast, palate cleanser read.
I really did enjoy the witty snarky banter between the two main characters, and their romance buildup. I’m a sucker for a grumpy male and sassy girl Romance…I wouldn’t necessarily call her “sunshine”, as she is dealing with a lot of hard stuff in this book. The romance buildup was well done, HOWEVER…
The fade-to-black romance scenes were RUDEEEEEE. Finally 70+% in, first “spicy” scene and they kiss, close the door, and THATS ALL YA GET. All the waiting, buildup up, and nothinggggg. ALMOST DNF’d right there and wanted to chuck my kindle, but I pressed on.
I really did enjoy the witty snarky banter between the two main characters, and their romance buildup. I’m a sucker for a grumpy male and sassy girl Romance…I wouldn’t necessarily call her “sunshine”, as she is dealing with a lot of hard stuff in this book. The romance buildup was well done, HOWEVER…
The fade-to-black romance scenes were RUDEEEEEE. Finally 70+% in, first “spicy” scene and they kiss, close the door, and THATS ALL YA GET. All the waiting, buildup up, and nothinggggg. ALMOST DNF’d right there and wanted to chuck my kindle, but I pressed on.
March 2, 2023
I went into this book not knowing much. I had only seen a few teasers on social media and became intrigued, I love the grumpy sunshine troupe. Lindsay Cord wrote two amazing characters. Miles was so buried in grief that you couldn't help but root for him to find his way out. Birdie let loose for the first time in a year and boom, unexpected pregnancy. What starts as dislike between neighbors turns to friendship and then love. I loved that the author gave Miles time to heal and didn't rush the story. Will definitely be reading more from this author. This is a slow burn, fade to black novel.
November 28, 2025
More time more chemistry more togetherness is what I needed from this book. Had a lot of fun honestly and the timeline made a lot more sense than most books. No smut which was absolutely refreshing. Time just flew by too quickly with these two. Love their banter and digs but more interaction during her pregnancy would’ve been lovely. Too many flash backs from Miles’ side of the story like I get it grief but I’m more interested in your story with Birdie. He was amazing with the kid and so supportive I absolutely loved it.
March 21, 2023
Very cutesy
This is a very cute and charming read. I'm not big on these kind of romance stories but honestly it was still a good read. The banter was quirky and flowed well, the characters were developed and multidimensional, the flow and structure moved fluidly and chosen family is one of my favorite tropes. I am glad I stumbled upon this on tiktok earlier, I needed an easy standalone.
This is a very cute and charming read. I'm not big on these kind of romance stories but honestly it was still a good read. The banter was quirky and flowed well, the characters were developed and multidimensional, the flow and structure moved fluidly and chosen family is one of my favorite tropes. I am glad I stumbled upon this on tiktok earlier, I needed an easy standalone.
March 26, 2023
love their relationship!
I love seeing relationships with banter and playfully being mean to each other! It’s exactly how my husband and I are and always have been! The writing was amazing! The characters are relatable. I didn’t realize when I started reading this that it was a fade to black, which I normally don’t read, but I am sooo glad that I did! It’s been a while since I’ve read a fade to black and I definitely need to read more.
I love seeing relationships with banter and playfully being mean to each other! It’s exactly how my husband and I are and always have been! The writing was amazing! The characters are relatable. I didn’t realize when I started reading this that it was a fade to black, which I normally don’t read, but I am sooo glad that I did! It’s been a while since I’ve read a fade to black and I definitely need to read more.
May 23, 2023
I only got 24% done with this book and can't continue. It's the not the premise, that's fine. It's the way the book is written. 1. It's super infodumpy. The author tells and never shows. 2. The back and forth between Mile's past and present is written poorly. I'm completely taken out of the story when it's his past. Also, I don't care about Mile's relationship with Melody...I'm reading a book about Birdie and Miles. Talk about his wife Melody, but I don't need a play-by-play.
February 15, 2024
Lindsey is very quickly becoming a must read author of mine. I related to soooooo much of Birdie.
TW UNPLANNED PREGNANCY
I found out I was pregnant my senior year of high school, very clearly unplanned. By the end of the first chapter, I was already hooked. I felt every single feeling that Birdie was, and I felt it hard. It’s so nice to know others have felt the same way I did back when I was freshly 18 years old.
TW UNPLANNED PREGNANCY
I found out I was pregnant my senior year of high school, very clearly unplanned. By the end of the first chapter, I was already hooked. I felt every single feeling that Birdie was, and I felt it hard. It’s so nice to know others have felt the same way I did back when I was freshly 18 years old.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 16, 2023
THIS IS EVERYTHING!!!
I love Miles and Birdie so much! I love their story and how they’re connected. I love that douchey Noah tries to come back and I love that Birdie didn’t need rescuing from him, she handled it herself cause she’s a badass. I just love love love it!
Lindsey my darling you knocked it out of the park, AGAIN.
I love Miles and Birdie so much! I love their story and how they’re connected. I love that douchey Noah tries to come back and I love that Birdie didn’t need rescuing from him, she handled it herself cause she’s a badass. I just love love love it!
Lindsey my darling you knocked it out of the park, AGAIN.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 1, 2023
This book was so sweet and refreshing. It was just a feel good love story. This is my first book by Lindsey and I really enjoyed her writing style and the development of the characters. Miles and Birdie are the unexpected love interests and reading them banter and throw barbs at each other, become friends, and then more ;) makes you feel those butterflies.
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