The Unexpected Mess of It All

by Gabrielle Tozer

From the YA Queen of Rom-com comes a funny and fraught 'enemies-to-will-they-won't-they' romance between family friends Jamila and Billy.

Jamila Dakhoul wants to escape her life.

Forget everything.

Forget that her only friends are strangers on the internet.

Forget she's stuck in a caravan after a fire destroyed her family's house.

Forget that Year 12 is a brutal hellhole where bullying is an Olympic sport.

Forget Billy Radcliffe once and for all.

But as Jamila tries to untangle the messy threads of her life on a weekend away with her family, it becomes clear that she can't outrun her past, no matter how hard she tries ...

A coming-of-age story about falling apart, starting over, and the people and places you can't live without from the award-winning author of Remind Me How This Ends, Can't Say it Went to Plan and The Intern.

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, Contemporary

352 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2024

About the author

Gabrielle Tozer is the award-winning and internationally published author of young adult novels The Intern, Faking It and Remind Me How This Ends. She is a contributor to HarperCollins’ Begin, End, Begin: A #LoveOzYA Anthology, and her debut picture book, Peas and Quiet (illustrated by Sue deGennaro), is out now. Gabrielle's first middle-grade novel Melody Trumpet hits stores in 2019. Based in Sydney, Gabrielle loves sharing her passion for storytelling and creativity, and has appeared at festivals, schools and conferences around Australia.


Say hello: gabrielletozer.com, facebook.com/hellogabrielletozer, twitter.com/gabrielletozer and instagram.com/gabrielletozer.

Reviews

[Jessica Fuller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Firstly, I want to thank Harper Collins for sending me this book. this one was an unexpected five star read. I adored it so much. Jam and Billy had such an interesting story. The character dialogue was written so well and I found myself constantly smiing or laughing. l'l denitely check out more books by this author and I highly recommend checking this one out to anyone reading this review. It was such a fun, awesome, exciting book.

[hannah! (lowkey gone) · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was my fav cover of this year <3 its soooooooooooooooo pretty

i love gabrielle tozer and this was def one of her best books. jam and billy's story was the most adorable childhood friends-enemies-to lovers ive read

when i get home from school ill add my quotes so rtc

[Bookworm86 · Rating 5 out of 5]

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'The Unexpected Mess Of It All' by Gabrielle Tozer

This is a beautifully written book that has vivid and emotive descriptions that will drop you into Jamila's life and remind you of what it feels like to be 18 again. It will also take you to Hamill Bay Holiday Park where you will breathe in the fresh air, feel your heart warming and fall in love with the storyline and the characters. It takes you on a journey to Hamill Bay Holiday Park and I was devastated when I had to pack my case to come back home and leave it behind 😭 The title, synopsis and cover suit the storyline perfectly.

Where the heck have you been hiding all my life Gabrielle, seriously??!!! I absolutely Love, LOVE, LOVED this absolutely STUNNING, SWEET AND ESCAPIST page turner!! It was just absolutely beautiful and I was hooked from the very first page to the last!! An absolute must read!!! This may be the first book I have read by this author but it most certainly will not be my last!! I am genuinely shocked that I have missed out on her brilliant books until now!


This absolutely fantastic book may be aimed at young adults with the age rating Amazon has given being 14 years and over but, sadly, at the age of 39 I am no longer classed as a young adult but I absolutely adored it! I will also start by admitting that with this book being a young adult romance it isn't my typical choice of book genre so I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about the storyline but I was fascinated by the eye catching cover and intriguing synopsis and was looking forward to trying it out. If you are not typically a fan of YA or romance books then do not let that put you off, expand your reading genres and give this book a try!! I am extremely pleased as I absolutely LOVED it! It is such a sweet, clean and feel good page turner that will take you back to your teenage years! I am absolutely MIND BLOWN that I have not read any of this incredible author's books before now and am just absolutely landed that I have rectified that very, very silly mistake!!! I cannot wait to see what your previous and future books bring me, especially if this beauty is anything to go by! Even if the rest of her books are only half as good they will still be absolutely brilliant and addictive!!! This book has absolutely fantastic and evocative descriptions that set you straight in the scenes. I am ABSOLUTELY devastated to come to the end of this book and leave Jamila, Billy and Hamill Bay behind. I really cannot wait to get stuck in to all of Gabrielle's previous and future books!! I absolutely adored the gorgeous heart-warming and feel good storyline. As you may, possibly, have been able to work out I absolutely LOVED this captivating, stunning and addictive page turner from the very moment I even looked at the front cover to the very last word and beyond. What an absolutely feel good, heart warming, turn a frown upside down escapism! I fell in love with Gabrielle's writing skills and I am looking forward to reading more!! This gorgeous storyline is authentic and realistic as well as easy to read and heart-warming. It is just one of those absolutely beautiful books that promises that the reader gets completely lost in the pages for hours. Heidi truly does transport her readers from their reading spots to Hamill Bay, Hamill Bay High School and Hamill Bay Holiday Park where they will see the school, holiday camp, characters, surroundings and loads more come alive! I absolutely fell in love with everything about this beautiful book. It is a gorgeous story ram packed with romance, fun, friendship, teenage angst, drama, activities, feel good vibes, love, family, cringe worthy moments, adolescence, sass, dares, laughter and absolutely everything you could ask for and so much more!! It really does tick every single box in everything you could want in a brilliant page turner. It will have you feeling like you are a teenager again on a rollercoaster ride of emotions and going through teenage struggles, fun, angst, excitementand drama with Jamila. Gabrielle's beautiful, vivid fantastic immersive writing skills and gorgeous imagination will keep you sucked in from beginning to end. I completely devoured the book in one sitting of several hours while sunbathing on holiday in Cornwall picturing I was in Hamill Bay. It is one of those beauties where regardless if you are reading it in the sun with a cocktail or curled up next to the fire with a hot chocolate Gabrielle will transport you into Jamila's teenage life at the turn of a page!

Pack your bags, get comfortable, clear your schedules and get ready to go on a romance, fun and teenage drama filled break to Hamill Bay in this fun, sweet and addictive read!

You need to book the day off whatever you had planned as once you pick up this book and turn the pages I can guarantee you will not want to put it down!! I found myself picking it up every spare second I had and not wanting to put it down and devoured it in a few short hours!! AN ABSOLUTELY SWEET AND FEEL GOOD MUST READ!!

The characters were all unique with their own realistic traits, strengths, flaws, quirks and weaknesses. It was intriguing to watch and I was completely invested in each and every single one of them keeping my fingers and toes crossed for a happy ever after. I absolutely adored Jamila and her family who were down to Earth, larger than life and brilliant to "watch" and get to know. I also adored Billy although he annoyed me at times, Billy's mums Charlotte and Krista along with Grace. Gabrielle really does ensure they come to life at every turn of the page and I was sad to leave them when I came to the end and had to say Goodbye. The fact that Gabrielle truly cares about her characters is obvious in the way she truly brings them to life and ensures the readers can see, feel and hear everything they are. All characters worked perfectly with the storyline and I would love to see this made into a movie!!!

Well done Gabrielle Tozer on an absolutely addictive and heart warming page turner, I will definitely be looking for your books any time I need a gorgeous escapism and a smile on my face! You have definitely jumped straight in to my favourite authors list!

Overall a brilliant, sweet, clean, feel good, addictive and beautiful page turner!! An absolute must read!!


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[Deviki · Rating 1 out of 5]

Jamila’s Emotional Rollercoaster who that somehow still stayed Flat!!!

***Contains Spoilers*****

Wow. Just… wow. The main character, Jamila, has about fifty things happening in her life, but the real mystery is how I managed to feel absolutely nothing through all of it. Impressive, really. Her voice never felt real or relatable, and those so-called “emotional” moments? They just kind of floated by like half-deflated balloons. And don’t even get me started on the friendship drama—what could’ve been deep and meaningful ended up feeling like a rushed after-school special.

This might actually be the most unrealistic and unconvincing coming-of-age YA book I’ve ever read. Jamila isn’t just over the top—she’s orbiting a whole different planet. The entire story reads like a rejected script for a cringy teen movie that even Netflix would politely pass on.

I liked Jamila enough to finish, but she’s nowhere near a favorite. It’s like the author threw every possible teenage issue into a blender—bullying, identity crisis, family drama, social media fame—and then decided, “Yeah, let’s make one girl go through all of it at once!” Meanwhile, Jamila somehow runs a famous channel with a loyal audience. Like… when does she sleep? Or maybe she just powers up on pure melodrama.

We’re supposed to feel sympathy for her, right? But honestly, the only thing I felt was mild irritation. Actually, scratch that—I felt deep irritation. UGH!!!

Now, let’s talk about Billy. Supposedly her childhood bestie turned wannabe popular boy. He ditches her for his “cool” friends, ignores her when tragedy hits her family, then suddenly crawls back when his horrific talent show goes viral for all the wrong reasons. Because, of course, that’s the perfect time to rediscover your moral compass. And just when you think he’s learned something, he literally leaves her in the middle of the Dare Marathon to run back to his loser friends. Standing ovation, Billy. Truly inspiring.

And the emotional heart-to-hearts between them? Peak soap opera energy. They fight, cry, maybe almost kiss, and then by the next chapter—poof!—problem solved. Why does Jamila even bother with this walking red flag? Oh right, because deep down he “likes her more than a friend” but doesn’t know how to express it. Awww. How tragic. What is he, ten? *eye roll*

This book has a magical ability to make everything seem like a Big Deal, only for it to turn out to mean absolutely nothing. Viral scandals that nobody actually cares about? Check. A “popular, good-looking boy” mocked for one failed talent show from years ago? Double check. Logic apparently took a gap year.

And Jamila… oh Jamila. She’s out here making reckless decisions at parties full of her bullies, like she’s on a mission to embarrass herself for sport. Of course, we also get the mandatory cliché enemy kiss—because YA bingo wouldn’t be complete without it.

The only mildly interesting part was the Dare Marathon. Everything else? I was this close to DNF-ing. And when Jamila just forgave Billy and started dating him? That was my villain origin story.

Gurl. COME. ON.

[Chantelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐

What an unexpected little gem of a book. I haven’t related to a main character as much as I did with Jamila in a long while, all your friends ghosting and feeling alone honestly hit a bit too close to home. Where was this YA story when I was growing up? I needed it!! This was honestly just so good.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐️

RTC

[✰ BJ's Book Blog ✰Janeane ✰ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Copy received from Harper Collins Australia for an honest review

Oh boy, did this book bring back memories of my high school experience!

I wasn't a loner, I had my tight friends group, and I had friends, but I was never going to be the popular kid, I was never going to be the best looking, the one invited to all the parties etc.

There was the mean girls, the guys who though they were god's gift, the pettiness and the bitchiness.

Put it this way - I loathed high school, except it was where I met my best friend, and decades later, she is still my BFFF.

Jamila and Billy's friendship is one that we have all had along the way. Best friends, to no longer speaking to each other, with nostalgia brining friends back together.

So much is changing, but so much is still the same.

I could feel Jam's palpitations as thing happen in this book. A similar sort of thing happened to me in high school, when someone I thought was a friend betrayed my trust, so I get her hesitance to involve herself in a lot of things.

I laughed out loud, it was funny a times, and poignant, and there is bit of Jamila in all of us.

[Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gobbled up this sweet treat in 3 nights. The Unexpected Mess of it All, is Gabrielle Tozer in her best YA boots, parading majestically through fields of long grass in the perfect golden light. There’s a horse in the neighboring paddock (Chia) and memories being made and nostalgia making a lump in my throat.

I loved Jamila and Billy so damn much (and Daph!) Everyone is going through it in this book. Jamila’s family is surviving the loss of their farm to a horrific fire, living in a caravan in their best friends’ back yard. Billy is struggling in the aftermath of national humiliation bombing in a reality tv singing show. Daph’s lost and floundering at uni. And years of friendship looks almost lost.

It’s the last year of high school for Jamila and Billy, they’ve been friends their whole lives but things have turned frosty. The hurt and confusion is so hardcore relatable. High school bullying is rampant. (Gotta say, I love Jamila’s take no prisoners response to the ass-hattery.)

When the 3 old mates are thrown together at their favourite family holiday spot/camp ground the opportunity for many conversations/confrontations abound, in the funnest and funniest ways. Is there anything I love more than awkward (fictional - not in real life because I die) conversations?! No there is not. Jamila does not make things easy for poor Billy, but nor does he deserve an easy ride! However, I love that the deep foundations of friendship form this sturdy bridge to ‘something more’ even though that transition from friends to lovers is so tenuous and terrifying.

Subplot yumminess: Jamila and her mum. Their path from contention to reconciliation made me tear up. Daph and her less than ideal camping partner, Margot. I loved seeing a healthy resolution to their awkwardness.

Also, hard relate: I was I’m pretty sure I stayed at this holiday park last summer, run down, peeling paint, chipped enamel, graffiti, broken lights in the bathroom stalls and bugs, bugs, bugs! And loved every minute.

I love Gabrielle Tozer’s writing, the characters she brings to life and the world she builds. Her words are beautiful and the balance of sentiment and sass, never fails to squeeze my heart and make me smile. Also, this story ends with the most gorgeous final line.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh where was this book when I was a teenager?!! This YA - enemies to will they or won’t they be in love - covers so many topics relatable to all young adults, however this novel focusses specifically on the tricky Year 12 time of growing up from your childhood and what lays ahead in adulthood.
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This book covers topics such as bullying, friendships, family relationships, social media and that it’s ok to have childlike fun. Jamila, the main female character, has a lot of growth, and is ultimately a coming of age story. There are down to earth discussions throughout and that you should not be in a relationship where you cannot be yourself and are accepted as such. Billy, the main male character, is strong, shows emotion and ultimately grows too.
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This was very well written and I really loved that the story covered a long weekend of camping, of memories and traditions. It really made me reminisce of my family camping traditions growing up! It was a very clean read - a bonus as a parent!

[Renae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely a lovely book to read and lose yourself in. I loved the characters and their relationships with each other. It's about that awkward time of not knowing where to from here and how much has and will change after Year 12. Two best friends Jamila and Billy who have know each other since birth have a falling out but their friendship and memories win in the end and bring them closer than ever. A devastating fire at Jamila's family house see's her living in a caravan in the backyard of Billy's house and navigating living in the caravan with her brother and parents is a challenge. Every year on the long weekend Jam and her family camp at Hamill Bay with Billy and his mothers. This is were the memories start flooding in and Jam and Billy rekindle their friendship and find out their deepest secrets. I enjoyed this book easy to read and get lost in. Thank you to #BRPreview and HarperCollins for giving me this opportunity to review the uncorrected copy.

[SuzieLeigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story pivots around Year 12 student Jamila Dakhoul, living in a caravan with her parents and brother after a devastating fire completely destroys her family home and property.
Jamila (Jam) hosts a blog - 'Jam and Scream' where she shares her life and secrets with her followers, the 'Screamers' which she feels are her only real friends left in the world.
Living in the backyard of childhood friend Billy Radcliffe, Jam's life takes a turn for the worse, as Billy's popularity rise at school leaves Jam behind and wondering why, after everything she has been through, he no longer wants to know her.
Jam and Billy's family take their traditional annual family trip to the Hamill Bay Holiday Park, where over a long weekend, secrets will be told, lives will unravel and friendships will be tested.
A sweet Friends to Enemies - to something more story that takes you back to high school times, where what others think, can make or break you.
Happy reading

[Bec Condran]

DNF this book. I was over half way through but just wasn’t being captured by this book. It was easy to read and a few laughs but wasn’t for me.
Thank you to Harper Collin’s for sending me this advance copy as well.

[Erin Ezza Howard · Rating 3 out of 5]

I should get a medal for perceiving with this 😂

[Kathy Soltan · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I started this book, the first couple of chapters had me worrying that it was going to be similar to so many other books in this genre. But as I persevered, the plot and characters, especially our heroine Jam, began to morphe into something totally unexpected. Here we had a girl on the verge of womanhood, not scared to express her thoughts and opinions, even though she feels on the outside looking in to those around her, in a frank and honest way. Her best friend Billy is struggling as well to find his place, worried that he has to conform and move away from Jam to be accepted. Luckily, our second heroine Daphne appears to save the day with her coloured hair, new girlfriend and sense of adventure and fun, to remind everyone that being true to yourself is actually something to be admired, not hidden.
As they embark on one last adventure together, Jam realizes how strong the bonds of family and friendship are, and their true meaning and importance in her life. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the transformation of these characters as they hurtle head first into a brave and exciting future together. Read and enjoy!

[mavis · Rating 3 out of 5]

read this on a whim as i was looking for something to read at the library and recognised tozer's name from the intern! i do remember reading another of her titles in the past year and feeling let down but i picked this up anyway. i haven't been reading YA and i guess this genre's not really for me anymore...? the amount of...drama that went down in the first chapter was quite ridiculous and left me feeling embarrassed for the characters, and that wouldn't be the last time lmao. i found some of the dialogue so unreal and had me like "who speaks like that irl?" the story felt quite predictable too, nothing i've not seen before. my favourite character was probably grace since she was a bully in jam's eyes but actually from the beginning since their encounter on the bus i thought she was actually quite normal - i knew they would eventually become friends. still don't understand how jam runs a successful vlog channel but doesn't fit in at school when she doesn't hide her face in her videos and her personality remains the same.

[Blue · Rating 2 out of 5]

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Thank you Harper Collins for this book in exchange for an honest review

Okay, so The Unexpected Mess of It All had a cool premise—burned-down house, living in a caravan, Year 12 chaos, friendship drama... sounds juicy, right? But honestly? It just didn’t land.

The main character, Jamila, had so much going on, but somehow I still felt… nothing? Her voice didn’t feel real or relatable, and the emotional moments that should have hit? They kind of just floated by. And don’t get me started on the friendship drama—what could’ve been a deep, complex relationship just felt rushed and kind of flat.

The book tried to do a lot—family stress, bullying, identity, social media messiness—but ended up barely scratching the surface. I kept waiting for that "omg yes" moment, but it never really came.

Honestly, it had potential. I wanted to love it. But instead, I was just waiting for it to wrap up.

[Takealookinsideabook · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember this book popping up on my timeline and I knew I just had to read it! The cover drew me in instantly and I was intrigued to try a new author.

The Unexpected Mess Of It All is such a sweet and relatable story filled with emotion and love. This is a YA title but I think people of all ages will enjoy this book and find some aspect relatable.

We've all had friendships that meant everything to us but didnt work out or had a big fight and you're both too stubborn to make the first move and apologise. Emotions run sky high as a teen and I could feel how much our main characters cared for eachother as soon as I started this story

I was rooting for them throughout and absolutely loved their relationship.
Also the caravan situation bought back fond memories for me as they were the only types of holiday I knew growing up.

If you're in the mood for a sweet story about friends to enemies to lovers? Then i strongly suggestnyou pick up this book!

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a proof copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Miranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, my heart! I absolutely devoured this sweet, generous and genuinely funny book. I want to hang out with and hug all of these characters. A note-perfect love story about that bittersweet time in life when it feels like everything is changing, and a moving exploration of how to find your true self amidst grief and the chaos of life. A beautiful, funny and touching ode to friendship, love and the family holiday park!

[Scarlett · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did enjoy this book, it was an easy read and the characters were likeable. My main issue was despite the characters age they didn’t swear, I understand why this decision would’ve been made but in doing so I think it lacked authenticity after all this is a story following teenagers, in, I’m almost certain their last year of school??? Tbh I forgot to write a review for this one so I can’t remember all the details. Despite this, it was a nice story.

[Holly Cardamone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gosh I loved this! It perfectly captures all the emotional intensity of adolescence that exists anyway, but throw in a protagonist experiencing the trauma of homelessness post-fire, and struggling to find her place, and I'm one happy reader. I loved how the nostalgia of family holidays at the daggy old caravan park took on heightened importance and the shower block scene? Fabulous.

[Charlotte Duke · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this as a quick rom com enmities to lovers and friends to lovers trope however I found the main character a little annoying and didn’t relate heaps to her and got a bit of second hand embarrassment with this book but I suppose that is kinda half the fun of romcoms the cover was really pretty probably wouldn’t read again but enjoyed it

[Ellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5?

once again i am probably not the target audience. it was fine, i read it fairly quickly and easily.

bonus points for the author mentioning wagga wagga, which is around where my family grew up. i spent many hours in the city library, so that warmed me a little lol.

[Cassie Musetti · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 60%

Started a while ago, was somewhat enjoying but then got bored and put it down… have tried to get back into it MULTIPLE times but just can’t - I might finish sometime in the future but it’s just irritating me now

[prathaaaaaaaa]

was unexpected and was a mess

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this young adult novel about family, loss, friendship, memories, bullying and romance.

[Virginia O'Rourke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great, easy read, likeable characters and fast moving plot. Another great book By Gabbi Tozer!!

[Ella Missen · Rating 4 out of 5]

So damn cute!

[Amelia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Found this YA quite cringey and challenging to become engaged with.

[Sofia Dimas · Rating 3 out of 5]

super boring!

[Clare Snow · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know why I read this, when I don't like romance.