Something Unpredictable

by Becky Albertalli

“An absolute delight."—Rachael Lippincott, New York Times bestselling author of She Gets the Girl
"Smart, surprising, and emotionally devastating in the best way." —Page Powars, New York Times bestselling author of And They Were Roommates
“This love-bomb of a book is Becky Albertalli at her finest." —Dahlia Adler, USA Today bestselling author of Cool for the Summer

#1 New York Times-bestselling author and rom-com queen Becky Albertalli (Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda) weaves two romances into one unforgettable novel–with a surprising twist.

Ellie Milton has never really been in love.

Then one night she stumbles upon wry tomboy Ashley – in the mall, trapped behind the gates of Hot Topic, of all places. Soon, squeaky clean Ellie finds herself drawn into Ashley’s secret world, lying to her own parents and friends to spend more and more time with her. But the pull she feels toward this girl… that’s just because Ashley needs her, right? After all, Ellie’s always considered herself to be straight.

Jane Sewell has fallen in love too many times – and always with straight girls.

If there’s one thing she knows, it’s that shooting her shot leads to guaranteed heartbreak. Which is why she’s going to be single forever, even if her goofball friend Phoebe gives her butterflies. And when her BFF Leo needs a wingwoman to occupy his crush’s big sister, Jane knows better than to fall for softhearted Stella. Because straight girls are straight girls, no matter how confusingly flirty their texts are.

Ellie and Jane’s stories of first love and second chances converge unexpectedly, showing that there’s nothing less predictable than what the heart wants.

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, LGBT, Queer, Contemporary, Fiction, Lesbian

Audible Audio

Expected publication April 6, 2027

About the author

Becky Albertalli is the author of the acclaimed novels Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda (film: Love, Simon), The Upside of Unrequited, and Leah on the Offbeat. She is also the co-author of What If It's Us with Adam Silvera. A former clinical psychologist who specialized in working with children and teens, Becky lives with her family in Atlanta. You can visit her online at www.beckyalbertalli.com.
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(Photography by Decisive Moment Events)

Reviews

[Larareads · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

Thank you to Edelweiss for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was so so fun! It's been a while since I've read a YA book and a Becky Albertalli book and she writes so so well! I loved both stories and the characters and love story was so beautifully written.

[Brady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Balzer + Bray and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. Another hooked from the first page! Something Unpredictable tells the story of two girls Ellie and Jane who are both young at getting to experience love for the first time. But also learning it doesn’t always look like you thought it would or with who you thought it would. Ellie’s at the mall, close to closing, doing some last minute shopping when she comes across a person locked in Hot Topic, a person who turns out to be her classmate Ashley. Soon she’s spending night in the Mall with Ashley, lying to her friends and family, but there’s something about Ashley that just draws Ellie in. She feels a need to be close to her and when they kiss Ellie can’t explain how wonderful it is. She’d know if she were into girls though right? Jane has had a crush on her friend Phoebe for a year but she’s been too scared to do anything about it. That’s how she always is around girls to scared to make a move. Then she meets her best friend Leo’s boyfriend’s sister Stella. Stella is effortlessly cool and so easy to talk to. Jane really likes her but she’s probably straight right? Should Jane put her heart out there? Should Ellie take the risk? As with all Becky Albertalli books I couldn’t put this down! A fast paced sweet and charming romance that gave me the warm and fuzzies! I was rooting for both girls! Lighthearted and heartwarming! Perfect for nostalgia of those first love feelings! Also while I was reading the book made me think of a book concept that would be really cool with two storylines like this and then thats exactly what Becky did, made me so happy!!

[Matthew Eppard · Rating 5 out of 5]

The way Becky manages to blow my mind every single time should actually be studied. Oh my GOD, this book is so good. Jane and Ellie’s stories are so so so cute and the way everything comes together was absolutely incredible.

I loved this story so much and it captured that Becky magic so well. Instantly one of my favorites of hers.

[Rudi McKay]

Something Unpredictable was such a sweet, funny, and genuinely fun read. I loved getting both Ellie and Jane’s stories and watching their lives slowly start connecting in ways I absolutely did not see coming.

I especially loved the queer representation and all the messy feelings around figuring out who you are, who you’re attracted to, and what happens when your heart decides to completely ignore the plans you had for yourself. There were definitely moments where I wanted to shake the characters a little, but that honestly made them feel more real.

And that twist. I had a feeling something was coming, but I did NOT see it playing out the way it did. Once everything clicked, I just sat there thinking, okay Becky Albertalli, I see what you did there.

This was a really enjoyable YA romance with plenty of heart, awkwardness, humor, and those complicated first-love feelings. As a lesbian reader, I especially appreciated how much of the story centered on queer girls figuring themselves out without making their stories feel like they were only about being queer.

A really fun read, and definitely one I’d recommend to anyone who loves YA queer romance with a little surprise waiting around the corner.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

[Carlyn Morenus · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this book. Alternating POV is normally fine for me, but for some reason I had a really hard time keeping the characters straight. I think their stories were too similar, and the writing voice didn't change noticeably. I'd love for that element to be adjusted in some fashion.
I liked the characters in general, and the eventual reveal was a delight. But overall I was a bit disappointed in this, especially given how much I've enjoyed Albertalli's previous books.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is made up of 2 separate love stories. It's not clear how (or if) they're connected at the beginning, but they come together in a really neat way by the end.

I felt a little bit sad for Ethan, so I hope that he gets a happily ever after too at some point. He's a minor side character, but I really liked him and would read more about him.

[Erica Larsen · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

I found Ellie's POV much more engaging than Jane's and for most of the book wished it was just Ellie's POV, but I appreciate how nicely everything wrapped up at the end. I did guess half of the twist pretty early on just based off vibes. Becky Albertalli's sweet teen romcoms will always make my heart happy.

[Alison G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

BECKY NEVER DISAPPOINTS. ALL THE STARS.