What do you think?
Rate this book
Taking Chances #1
Welcome to Your Life
Pregnant and alone. That wasn’t how Tonya expected to end up. After breaking up with her high school boyfriend, Tonya tried to move on. But that wasn’t possible when her stomach started to grow and memories of the boy she left remained.
Life became about struggling to adjust to her new normal. Tonya attended college, worked, and kept pushing her ex away. He wanted her in his life again. However, she wasn’t sure that was the best idea.
When paired with a handsome guy in class, Tonya knew he’d never be interested in her. No one as good looking as him ever had before. Then he was.
Emotions ran high as Tonya tried to figure out what she wanted. Her ex was still there, begging for her to come back, but he wasn’t the only guy vying for her attention.
Decisions had to be made and she wasn’t the only person she had to factor in anymore. With a baby on the way, life became very complicated.
Life became about struggling to adjust to her new normal. Tonya attended college, worked, and kept pushing her ex away. He wanted her in his life again. However, she wasn’t sure that was the best idea.
When paired with a handsome guy in class, Tonya knew he’d never be interested in her. No one as good looking as him ever had before. Then he was.
Emotions ran high as Tonya tried to figure out what she wanted. Her ex was still there, begging for her to come back, but he wasn’t the only guy vying for her attention.
Decisions had to be made and she wasn’t the only person she had to factor in anymore. With a baby on the way, life became very complicated.
206 pages, ebook
Published August 3, 2017
1172 people are currently reading
1733 people want to read
About the author
Katrina Marie
43 books729 followersKatrina Marie lives in the Dallas area with her husband, two children, and fur baby. She is a lover of all things geeky and Gryffindor for life. When she’s not writing you can find her at her children’s sporting events, or curled up reading a book.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 151 reviews
July 21, 2017
I'm not one to throw one stars out like candy, but for this book, I had to be honest with myself and give it a one star, because this book is messy. It could have told an important story about teen pregnancy and the internal struggle that leaves not only the MC with, but the family. Instead we got a cheesy love story, that tried to tell a more important narrative, but instead it just fell flat.
The writing was just not to the level it needed to be at to get published, especially the dialogue. It just felt very off and unnatural. The characters seemed to lack chemistry, whether it be between the MC and her mother, or the MC and Jason, the character relationships weren't believable because of how choppy the dialogue was. For example, when the MC is about to give birth, Reaf is with her, and the way their interaction is written just seems... off.
" Maybe I should call your parents."
" No, don't do that," I say while trying to maintain my breathing. ' What if this is a false alarm? I don't want to end their date night and come home just to realize that I'm not having a baby yet."
" Sweetheart," he says while rubbing my arms to keep me calm. " I don't think this is a false alarm. Do you want me to call Caroline instead?"
A) Don't use sweetheart as a pet name, it seems unrealistic for freshman in college. I have never heard young couples use the word sweetheart to address each other.
And B) Any person would just immediately call the pregnant lady's parent regardless of if she wanted them to or not when she's having contractions and needs to get medical help, so the question just irked me.
The passages like this throughout this book are endless. The random pet names, the awkward dialogue, it was chock full of it.
The characters had little dimension, especially Reaf. So little information was provided about him, but at least we know that he's Mr. Perfect and devastatingly gorgeous. The MC is just enamored by him, and that's all the relevance he had, no backstory, little personality, nothing. I don't know about you, but when I read a book, I would like my characters to have some depth, not to be used as the pretty boy nearby. He had potential to either be a badboy with the cliché yet interesting past, or the boy next door, except he was neither, In the beginning he's this moody jerk, but once he works with the MC on their art project, he's this sweet, innocent guy. Talk about inconsistency! He gives a lackluster excuse and all of the sudden the MC just disregards how much of a jerk he was. From there it's just sunshine and rainbows.
Then we have the MC, who was painted to be this flawless manic pixie dreamgirl. She didn't think she was beautiful, but once she gets the validation of Reaf, all of the sudden she's confident and strong. She is underdeveloped. If you asked me what I knew about her, I could maybe tell you three things, and those relate to the plot, not her character,
Then we have the romance, which was super insta lovey, Reaf was initially attracted to the MC, yet she's pregnant. I'm not saying that pregnant women are unattractive, but what freshman in college would attach himself to a pregnant girl, knowing there would be tons of commitment without previously knowing her? That just doesn't happen. Their mutual attraction just didn't seem logical, and the pet names were cheesy, and unbelievable. They didn't seem natural at all together. They didn't have cutesy banter, their chemistry was very off, which may be a bit of a problem considering this is a romance.
Overall, Welcome to your life was extremely disappointing, and it breaks my heart to have to write such a negative review, because the premise sounded wonderful. 1/5 stars
The writing was just not to the level it needed to be at to get published, especially the dialogue. It just felt very off and unnatural. The characters seemed to lack chemistry, whether it be between the MC and her mother, or the MC and Jason, the character relationships weren't believable because of how choppy the dialogue was. For example, when the MC is about to give birth, Reaf is with her, and the way their interaction is written just seems... off.
" Maybe I should call your parents."
" No, don't do that," I say while trying to maintain my breathing. ' What if this is a false alarm? I don't want to end their date night and come home just to realize that I'm not having a baby yet."
" Sweetheart," he says while rubbing my arms to keep me calm. " I don't think this is a false alarm. Do you want me to call Caroline instead?"
A) Don't use sweetheart as a pet name, it seems unrealistic for freshman in college. I have never heard young couples use the word sweetheart to address each other.
And B) Any person would just immediately call the pregnant lady's parent regardless of if she wanted them to or not when she's having contractions and needs to get medical help, so the question just irked me.
The passages like this throughout this book are endless. The random pet names, the awkward dialogue, it was chock full of it.
The characters had little dimension, especially Reaf. So little information was provided about him, but at least we know that he's Mr. Perfect and devastatingly gorgeous. The MC is just enamored by him, and that's all the relevance he had, no backstory, little personality, nothing. I don't know about you, but when I read a book, I would like my characters to have some depth, not to be used as the pretty boy nearby. He had potential to either be a badboy with the cliché yet interesting past, or the boy next door, except he was neither, In the beginning he's this moody jerk, but once he works with the MC on their art project, he's this sweet, innocent guy. Talk about inconsistency! He gives a lackluster excuse and all of the sudden the MC just disregards how much of a jerk he was. From there it's just sunshine and rainbows.
Then we have the MC, who was painted to be this flawless manic pixie dreamgirl. She didn't think she was beautiful, but once she gets the validation of Reaf, all of the sudden she's confident and strong. She is underdeveloped. If you asked me what I knew about her, I could maybe tell you three things, and those relate to the plot, not her character,
Then we have the romance, which was super insta lovey, Reaf was initially attracted to the MC, yet she's pregnant. I'm not saying that pregnant women are unattractive, but what freshman in college would attach himself to a pregnant girl, knowing there would be tons of commitment without previously knowing her? That just doesn't happen. Their mutual attraction just didn't seem logical, and the pet names were cheesy, and unbelievable. They didn't seem natural at all together. They didn't have cutesy banter, their chemistry was very off, which may be a bit of a problem considering this is a romance.
Overall, Welcome to your life was extremely disappointing, and it breaks my heart to have to write such a negative review, because the premise sounded wonderful. 1/5 stars
July 14, 2017
Let me first say that I am not in the demographic that this book is written for and that this is the author's first book. This is a story about teenage pregnancy. Tonya finds out she is pregnant the summer after graduation and she has previously broken up with the father of the baby. After finding out she is pregnant she still has no plan to reconcile with the father which is for the best as he is defintely not ready to be a husband or a father. Tonya goes to the local community college in the fall for her freshman year and there she meets a new boy. He is a great guy who likes her, for her, even though she is pregnant. They grow closer and spend more time together during the semester. One thing I had a problem with is that we hear constantly how hungry Tonya is. She is always eating but the problem is the food she eats isn't healthy. Another issue I had was that she didn't attend any prenatal classses or have a birth plan whatsoever. She just proceeded through her pregnancy with no apparent thought to any of this. She doesn't feel the baby kick until the seventh month and then seems surprised. Once she goes into labor we hear she went to one Lamaze class but felt it was a waste of time. Once labor starts she is again surprised about the strength of the contractions. Even though she lives with her parents they haven't really prepared her for what's ahead. I felt that this was not the way pregnancy and teenage motherhood should really be portrayed in a YA book. I reviewed this book for Netgalley. It is released on Aug 3, 2017.
August 12, 2017
http://rpmbt-blog.com/rpmbt/review-we...
What a beautifully written debut novel from Katrina Marie! Welcome To Your Life is a coming of age novel that deals with real life issues and follows the story of Tonya as she deals with graduating high school, finding out she’s pregnant, and moving forward with her life while dealing with her whole life changing around her. This story is sad, yet beautiful, and I couldn’t help but fall in love with the characters in this book!
A few weeks after graduating high school and breaking up with her jerk of a boyfriend Jake, Tonya finds out she’s pregnant, and her plans for the future are about to change. She’s a mess, but she takes life by the horns and decides to accept her fate. With the help of her best friend Cami and her mom she starts to make plans and accept that her life has changed. Her father isn’t on board but slowly starts to accept that his daughters life is about to change, and is disappointed that she allowed this to happen to her, but begins to help her as well. When Jake finds out she’s pregnant, all hell breaks loose, but I was proud of Tonya sticking up for herself and not taking him back just because she was pregnant.
As the months go by and Cami off at college, I hated that Tonya pulled into herself and didn’t do anything accept work, go to school and sleep, until she met Reaf. Reaf pulled her out of her shell and really allowed Tonya to be herself again. He was protective of her and became a really good friend to her as well, and then so much more. He didn’t care that he wasn’t the baby’s father, he just wanted Tonya and to make her happy. Things between these two moved fast, but at the same time, seemed natural for them. He showed her what it was like to really have someone who cares for her, what it was like to truly be happy.
When Jake makes his appearances in this book I wanted to smack him, he definitely wasn’t my favorite character, but by the time the book ended, he kind of grew on me. He definitely grew in this book and while I don’t necessarily agree with how he handled things in this book, I can respect the decisions he made towards the end. I will say he matured throughout this book, but so did Tonya. She wasn’t the most mature character in this book either. She would through fits, pull into herself and sometimes be selfish when it came to things, but by the time this book ended you can see how much she’s grown as well.
While this book was a beautiful story, there was some choppiness in writing at times, and I really wish the epilogue would have been longer and we would have had some more closure into Reaf and Tonya’s story. I adored Cami’s character and I would love to see a story on her, especially with how unhappy she is in her situation. All in all this was a great debut novel, and if you’re looking for a light read, I suggest putting Welcome To Your Life by Katrina Marie on your TBR list today!
What a beautifully written debut novel from Katrina Marie! Welcome To Your Life is a coming of age novel that deals with real life issues and follows the story of Tonya as she deals with graduating high school, finding out she’s pregnant, and moving forward with her life while dealing with her whole life changing around her. This story is sad, yet beautiful, and I couldn’t help but fall in love with the characters in this book!
A few weeks after graduating high school and breaking up with her jerk of a boyfriend Jake, Tonya finds out she’s pregnant, and her plans for the future are about to change. She’s a mess, but she takes life by the horns and decides to accept her fate. With the help of her best friend Cami and her mom she starts to make plans and accept that her life has changed. Her father isn’t on board but slowly starts to accept that his daughters life is about to change, and is disappointed that she allowed this to happen to her, but begins to help her as well. When Jake finds out she’s pregnant, all hell breaks loose, but I was proud of Tonya sticking up for herself and not taking him back just because she was pregnant.
As the months go by and Cami off at college, I hated that Tonya pulled into herself and didn’t do anything accept work, go to school and sleep, until she met Reaf. Reaf pulled her out of her shell and really allowed Tonya to be herself again. He was protective of her and became a really good friend to her as well, and then so much more. He didn’t care that he wasn’t the baby’s father, he just wanted Tonya and to make her happy. Things between these two moved fast, but at the same time, seemed natural for them. He showed her what it was like to really have someone who cares for her, what it was like to truly be happy.
When Jake makes his appearances in this book I wanted to smack him, he definitely wasn’t my favorite character, but by the time the book ended, he kind of grew on me. He definitely grew in this book and while I don’t necessarily agree with how he handled things in this book, I can respect the decisions he made towards the end. I will say he matured throughout this book, but so did Tonya. She wasn’t the most mature character in this book either. She would through fits, pull into herself and sometimes be selfish when it came to things, but by the time this book ended you can see how much she’s grown as well.
While this book was a beautiful story, there was some choppiness in writing at times, and I really wish the epilogue would have been longer and we would have had some more closure into Reaf and Tonya’s story. I adored Cami’s character and I would love to see a story on her, especially with how unhappy she is in her situation. All in all this was a great debut novel, and if you’re looking for a light read, I suggest putting Welcome To Your Life by Katrina Marie on your TBR list today!
October 1, 2017
***3 Stars***
It’s taken me awhile to figure out just how I feel about this book and how to put it down into words. The first half of that equation I’ve come to terms with, the second is still in limbo, but I need to get it out of my head so we’re just gonna do a little verbal vomit-y thing and see what comes of it.
My issue is that while I did enjoy the book, it was an easy read to get through and low on angsty drama ~ which I was actually okay with ~ I still feel like I needed more from it because while there was some drama it was resolved quickly and relatively easily considering the circumstances and that’s why I’m stuck in limbo with this one. I liked the direction the author took with Tonya’s pregnancy, but I never got that emotional gut punch from any of the trials she went through. I mean I did feel some frustration for her and with her, but nothing overwhelming and that pretty much sums up the entire story for.
It was enjoyable, but nothing totally overwhelmed me on the emotional level.
Despite the lack of an emotional gut punch, I must say that I enjoyed the author’s writing style and voice. I was drawn in from the start and had no problem turning the pages. This is her debut novel and I see great potential in her writing and will be keeping an eye out for what she has coming out in the future.
~ Copy provided by via NetGalley & voluntarily reviewed ~
It’s taken me awhile to figure out just how I feel about this book and how to put it down into words. The first half of that equation I’ve come to terms with, the second is still in limbo, but I need to get it out of my head so we’re just gonna do a little verbal vomit-y thing and see what comes of it.
My issue is that while I did enjoy the book, it was an easy read to get through and low on angsty drama ~ which I was actually okay with ~ I still feel like I needed more from it because while there was some drama it was resolved quickly and relatively easily considering the circumstances and that’s why I’m stuck in limbo with this one. I liked the direction the author took with Tonya’s pregnancy, but I never got that emotional gut punch from any of the trials she went through. I mean I did feel some frustration for her and with her, but nothing overwhelming and that pretty much sums up the entire story for.
It was enjoyable, but nothing totally overwhelmed me on the emotional level.
Despite the lack of an emotional gut punch, I must say that I enjoyed the author’s writing style and voice. I was drawn in from the start and had no problem turning the pages. This is her debut novel and I see great potential in her writing and will be keeping an eye out for what she has coming out in the future.
~ Copy provided by via NetGalley & voluntarily reviewed ~
August 28, 2017
My Highly Caffeinated Thought: A wonderful debut filled with heart, quirk, and a bit of romance.
WELCOME TO YOUR LIFE is the debut novel for Katina Marie. This book has so many elements that I love in a new adult romance. It has all the feels, the emotions, the pivotal moments when the character struggles with what will be her next steps, and of course, a decent amount of Harry Potter/Buffy references. The last one is obviously the most important. 😘
For me, the real beauty of this book is with the relationships Tonya has with those around her especially her best friend Cami. The way that the author writes the dialogs seems authentic and real. Though sometimes I wanted more, I feel that we will be getting that in the next book.
Highly Caffeinated Rating of… ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕
✦ ✦ ✦ ✦
Follow the Highly Caffeinated Victoria Colotta:
Website | Facebook | Twitter @vcolotta | Instagram | Goodreads
✦ ✦ ✦ ✦
WELCOME TO YOUR LIFE is the debut novel for Katina Marie. This book has so many elements that I love in a new adult romance. It has all the feels, the emotions, the pivotal moments when the character struggles with what will be her next steps, and of course, a decent amount of Harry Potter/Buffy references. The last one is obviously the most important. 😘
For me, the real beauty of this book is with the relationships Tonya has with those around her especially her best friend Cami. The way that the author writes the dialogs seems authentic and real. Though sometimes I wanted more, I feel that we will be getting that in the next book.
Highly Caffeinated Rating of… ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕
✦ ✦ ✦ ✦
Follow the Highly Caffeinated Victoria Colotta:
Website | Facebook | Twitter @vcolotta | Instagram | Goodreads
✦ ✦ ✦ ✦
April 8, 2019
I received this book in exchange of a review. I usually don't pay attention to the reviews a book has before reading it and in this case I read them and I must admit I don't agree with most.
I really loved this story, maybe because I can relate to it, since I got pregnant with my daughter by my first boyfriend while I was 19. I also found true love in another person some years after.
I think the author focused on her life as a young adult while being pregnant, not the struggles of the pregnancy. Tonya was very matured, deciding to still go to school and live her life. Just cause you're expecting doesn't mean your life has to end. She tackled everything that came her way, school, work and took a chance at love. Also she has amazing people surrounding her.
Reaf is adorable. He's a gentlemen, sweet, loving and caring. He takes his time and respects the fact she'll be a mom soon and chooses to be part of their life.
I also agree you don't have to be with someone you don't love just because your having a baby together. At the end it'll be more benefitial to that baby instead of growing in a home were no one is happy.
Congratulations on your first book Katrina. Looking forward to read more of your work in the future. Maybe a little more on T and Reaf's life years from now.
I really loved this story, maybe because I can relate to it, since I got pregnant with my daughter by my first boyfriend while I was 19. I also found true love in another person some years after.
I think the author focused on her life as a young adult while being pregnant, not the struggles of the pregnancy. Tonya was very matured, deciding to still go to school and live her life. Just cause you're expecting doesn't mean your life has to end. She tackled everything that came her way, school, work and took a chance at love. Also she has amazing people surrounding her.
Reaf is adorable. He's a gentlemen, sweet, loving and caring. He takes his time and respects the fact she'll be a mom soon and chooses to be part of their life.
I also agree you don't have to be with someone you don't love just because your having a baby together. At the end it'll be more benefitial to that baby instead of growing in a home were no one is happy.
Congratulations on your first book Katrina. Looking forward to read more of your work in the future. Maybe a little more on T and Reaf's life years from now.
November 6, 2017
Just when I thought it couldn't get better, IT DID. This book, ugh, it was just so amazing. Poor Tonya thought her world had really started to change for the worse and she was swept off her feet by Reaf. This really made me wish I had a Reaf in my life, he's so amazing. This book had everything that someone could ever want in a book, it had an awkward situation, a great love story, some angst, happy moments, sad moments, it had it all. I really love how Katrina was able to turn a not so great situation into something for the better. Being 18 and pregnant would be really hard, but Tonya had the best people in her life and such a great support system. I also really love how art and music played such a big roll and her and Reaf's lives, because that is very real in a young persons life. I really hope t see them in a mother book one day!
dnf
March 16, 2020*DNF*
Copy kindly received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Not for me. The writing is good but I’m just not really interested in this one right now. It’s maybe a little too young for me at the moment. I think it would be a good coming of age story dealing with life circumstances but just not for me right now.
Copy kindly received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Not for me. The writing is good but I’m just not really interested in this one right now. It’s maybe a little too young for me at the moment. I think it would be a good coming of age story dealing with life circumstances but just not for me right now.
Read
October 26, 2021This has been retitled as Breaking All Doubt now, right? This is me we're talking about so I could just be confused. lol
July 26, 2017
The second I read the synopsis I got hooked right away and yes, the author has made an amazing job written a beautiful story about a girl named Tonya who is pregnant and struggling in try to figure how to be strong for herself, for her study, work, putting trust on a new guy who enters her life. Life has never been easy for her when she has broken up with her high school boyfriend and right after that only she knows about her pregnancy.
So far, the plot is okay. I love how straight forward it gets. Not so much conflict happened in the book except her ex boyfriend, Jake bugging her to be together back again because of the baby and that is that. Despite those, she meets Reaf, a guy from her art class and the love start to blooms between the two of them.
As for the characters, Tonya, she is a very strong woman, knows what is the best for her and know her stand though she did slip few times when Jake bugging her. Fortunately, she choose Reaf. Her relationship with her parents is wonderful. They are very supportive of her and always stand by herside. Whilst, Reaf, well he is very gentlemen. One in a million guy. Tonya is definitely a lucky girl!
So far, the plot is okay. I love how straight forward it gets. Not so much conflict happened in the book except her ex boyfriend, Jake bugging her to be together back again because of the baby and that is that. Despite those, she meets Reaf, a guy from her art class and the love start to blooms between the two of them.
As for the characters, Tonya, she is a very strong woman, knows what is the best for her and know her stand though she did slip few times when Jake bugging her. Fortunately, she choose Reaf. Her relationship with her parents is wonderful. They are very supportive of her and always stand by herside. Whilst, Reaf, well he is very gentlemen. One in a million guy. Tonya is definitely a lucky girl!
July 20, 2018
I loved this story. I found myself referring back to days when I was a friends "Cami."
Tonya finds after graduation that her boyfriend Jake isn't a great boyfriend. He is a complete jerk, so she ends the relationship. Later in the in the summer she discovers she is pregnant. Since she has very supportive and loving family and friends, she doesn't have as many of the struggles that teen moms have. She gets a part time job, goes to community college, and doesn't let an unplanned pregnancy overturn her life. I love that about her story! She did struggle with whether or not to tell Jake; and whether they should get back together, and give it another try for the baby.
The whole time her best friend Cami was there listening to her and helping her with her emotional struggles. You could tell by what you were reading that Cami and Tonya have the life long type friendship. Cami doesn't hold back and tells Tonya the truth, even when she doesn't want to hear it.
At first, I disliked the thought of Tonya getting involved with someone at her college while she was still in such turmoil over the situation with Jake. In the end I think Katrina Marie made a great decision in the way she turned the story and introduced Reaf. We all have a checklist of what we want in a partner, and Reaf ticks most of those boxes. He's the knight in shining armor who loves Tonya for who she is, not what her situation is.
I really wanted more of their story, but I can see how it can fold out in subsequent books. I could see it being something like Debbie McCombers Cedar Cove series. If you haven't read it, each person/couple in town has their own book, and then their characters and relationships develop in the next book giving you more of their story. I could see Katrina Marie getting a minimum of 5 or 6 books continuing with character development in each story! I know we will see Tonya and Reaf again!
Overall it was a great read!
Tonya finds after graduation that her boyfriend Jake isn't a great boyfriend. He is a complete jerk, so she ends the relationship. Later in the in the summer she discovers she is pregnant. Since she has very supportive and loving family and friends, she doesn't have as many of the struggles that teen moms have. She gets a part time job, goes to community college, and doesn't let an unplanned pregnancy overturn her life. I love that about her story! She did struggle with whether or not to tell Jake; and whether they should get back together, and give it another try for the baby.
The whole time her best friend Cami was there listening to her and helping her with her emotional struggles. You could tell by what you were reading that Cami and Tonya have the life long type friendship. Cami doesn't hold back and tells Tonya the truth, even when she doesn't want to hear it.
At first, I disliked the thought of Tonya getting involved with someone at her college while she was still in such turmoil over the situation with Jake. In the end I think Katrina Marie made a great decision in the way she turned the story and introduced Reaf. We all have a checklist of what we want in a partner, and Reaf ticks most of those boxes. He's the knight in shining armor who loves Tonya for who she is, not what her situation is.
I really wanted more of their story, but I can see how it can fold out in subsequent books. I could see it being something like Debbie McCombers Cedar Cove series. If you haven't read it, each person/couple in town has their own book, and then their characters and relationships develop in the next book giving you more of their story. I could see Katrina Marie getting a minimum of 5 or 6 books continuing with character development in each story! I know we will see Tonya and Reaf again!
Overall it was a great read!
Want to read
March 14, 2020💝 FREE on Amazon today (1/1/2018)! 💝
Blurb:
A month after breaking up with her high school sweetheart, Jake, Tonya discovers she’s pregnant. Pregnant and alone. But does she have to be alone? Should she tell Jake? The decision is out of her hands when he spots her at the mall and insists they get back together.
As Tonya struggles to adjust to working, attending classes at the local college, and pushing off Jake’s insistence they be together, she’s paired with Reaf. He’s the good looking guy from her art class who she’d never thought would give her the time of day. Until now.
Can Tonya find love, herself, and a mother amongst the confusing emotions swirling through her brain and heart? Or will the drama surrounding her life destroy her chances at a happily ever after?
April 9, 2021
This is a well written book with a strong teen ,unmarried and facing pregnancy. The author does a beautiful job painting her scenes as she brings all the emotions and shows the love and support from family and friends. She moves the story fluidly delivering a realistic and interesting read.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and freely given.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and freely given.
March 17, 2018
This was an Great book. I couldn't put this book down. I never read this author before now I found a new one to read. Great Book
July 3, 2017
Welcome to Your Life is a great debut novel by Katrina Marie!
I really liked the main character, Tonya. i like the way she leans on her family for support during a hard time in her life. I like that although she is pregnant and trying to deal with that, she is able to stand by her best friend when she needed Tonya the most. She was able to stick to her guns and not fall for the lie that says that a baby’s mother and father have to be together for the sake of the baby. I really love that she was able to think situations through before making any rash decisions. Throughout this book, Tonya is pregnant, she is starting college, falls in love, and she holds a part time job. AND she is able to juggle all of it, and she does so responsibly. All of these traits make for a great character that is going to turn into a great mother. Although, the author does not allow us to see how things go past the birth of the baby, I’m sure that Tonya would have been able to handle herself beautifully.
I also really liked the love interest, Reaf. Isn’t he just every girl’s dream?? I mean, he is cute, educated, creative, loving, empathetic, and parents love him! At first, I was skeptical of him, as it is slightly hard to believe that an 18 year old boy is going to be okay with having a girlfriend who is pregnant with another boy’s baby, but I grew to really love that about him.
I also like Jake. Now, now, hear me out. Jake is the baby’s father. And he is a total jerk. However, his character grows a lot in this book, and I really feel that he isn’t given enough time in the story. I would have liked to see more of his story. I liked reading the conversations between Jake and Tonya, and I think that the story just needs a few more interactions between the two of them.
I’m giving this story 4 stars because although it is a great story, there are still some room for improvements. It is hard to believe that the only roadblocks this pregnant teenager ran into was her dad giving her the silent treatment for just a little while, and her baby’s daddy not adjusting to the news as well as we all hoped. I love that her family and friends are all very supportive of her, but pregnancy is hard and I would really have liked to see Tonya struggle a little more with it. I also would really have liked to see Tonya talk more about her pregnancy. She references her Little Bean (which I totally love her nickname for the baby!), but the readers are not privy to doctor’s appointments or even too much thought about the baby from Tonya.
All in all, I really did enjoy this book. It was a quick read that is perfect for anyone who wants a beach read, or a book to read on the weekend. I recommend this book!
The author graciously gifted me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I really liked the main character, Tonya. i like the way she leans on her family for support during a hard time in her life. I like that although she is pregnant and trying to deal with that, she is able to stand by her best friend when she needed Tonya the most. She was able to stick to her guns and not fall for the lie that says that a baby’s mother and father have to be together for the sake of the baby. I really love that she was able to think situations through before making any rash decisions. Throughout this book, Tonya is pregnant, she is starting college, falls in love, and she holds a part time job. AND she is able to juggle all of it, and she does so responsibly. All of these traits make for a great character that is going to turn into a great mother. Although, the author does not allow us to see how things go past the birth of the baby, I’m sure that Tonya would have been able to handle herself beautifully.
I also really liked the love interest, Reaf. Isn’t he just every girl’s dream?? I mean, he is cute, educated, creative, loving, empathetic, and parents love him! At first, I was skeptical of him, as it is slightly hard to believe that an 18 year old boy is going to be okay with having a girlfriend who is pregnant with another boy’s baby, but I grew to really love that about him.
I also like Jake. Now, now, hear me out. Jake is the baby’s father. And he is a total jerk. However, his character grows a lot in this book, and I really feel that he isn’t given enough time in the story. I would have liked to see more of his story. I liked reading the conversations between Jake and Tonya, and I think that the story just needs a few more interactions between the two of them.
I’m giving this story 4 stars because although it is a great story, there are still some room for improvements. It is hard to believe that the only roadblocks this pregnant teenager ran into was her dad giving her the silent treatment for just a little while, and her baby’s daddy not adjusting to the news as well as we all hoped. I love that her family and friends are all very supportive of her, but pregnancy is hard and I would really have liked to see Tonya struggle a little more with it. I also would really have liked to see Tonya talk more about her pregnancy. She references her Little Bean (which I totally love her nickname for the baby!), but the readers are not privy to doctor’s appointments or even too much thought about the baby from Tonya.
All in all, I really did enjoy this book. It was a quick read that is perfect for anyone who wants a beach read, or a book to read on the weekend. I recommend this book!
The author graciously gifted me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 19, 2018
Welcome to Your Life is a well told story of teen pregnancy and all the emotions and struggles it brings to everyone involved. Tonya finds out she's pregnant after she graduates from high school. What makes it even harder is that she and her boyfriend had been broken up for awhile by the time she finds out.
As she struggles through pregnancy, she has to deal with hormones, not knowing how she'll be able to attend college and whether or not her ex is going to be a father to their baby. And then she meets Reaf and suddenly she's crushing on him. But, can the guy she disliked at first possibly be her new love when she's pregnant with someone else's baby? And can she ever repair her relationship with her father, who is really disappointed in her?
I found Welcome to Your Life to be particularly poignant because I lived through teen pregnancy myself, not because I got pregnant at a young age, but because my brother became a father when he was 18, and he, my family and I all struggled through it. It was the hardest thing we'eve ever been through as a family and the hardest thing my brother ever went through. Pregnancy is hard enough, but as a single teen?! Even harder, much, much harder.
I liked Tonya, Reaf, Tonya's parents and Tonya's friend Cami. I had a harder time with Jake, Tonya's ex, because he didn't step up the way he should have. Yes, he was young, but if you're old enough to have sex, then you're old enough to accept the consequences of having that sex. Period, end of. I know if my brother hadn't have stepped up when he found out his ex was pregnant, I would have been seriously disappointed in him, even if I would have felt bad for him because it was so hard for him to wrap his head around. Jake was no different, he didn't step up, so for that reason I couldn't bring myself to like him. Other than Jake, though, I surprisingly enjoyed Welcome to Your Life. I say surprisingly because normally YA is not my thing. It's well written, well paced and the struggles and emotions everyone experienced rang true. Kudos to Katrina on her debut novel.
I received an ARC through NetGalley for an honest review.
As she struggles through pregnancy, she has to deal with hormones, not knowing how she'll be able to attend college and whether or not her ex is going to be a father to their baby. And then she meets Reaf and suddenly she's crushing on him. But, can the guy she disliked at first possibly be her new love when she's pregnant with someone else's baby? And can she ever repair her relationship with her father, who is really disappointed in her?
I found Welcome to Your Life to be particularly poignant because I lived through teen pregnancy myself, not because I got pregnant at a young age, but because my brother became a father when he was 18, and he, my family and I all struggled through it. It was the hardest thing we'eve ever been through as a family and the hardest thing my brother ever went through. Pregnancy is hard enough, but as a single teen?! Even harder, much, much harder.
I liked Tonya, Reaf, Tonya's parents and Tonya's friend Cami. I had a harder time with Jake, Tonya's ex, because he didn't step up the way he should have. Yes, he was young, but if you're old enough to have sex, then you're old enough to accept the consequences of having that sex. Period, end of. I know if my brother hadn't have stepped up when he found out his ex was pregnant, I would have been seriously disappointed in him, even if I would have felt bad for him because it was so hard for him to wrap his head around. Jake was no different, he didn't step up, so for that reason I couldn't bring myself to like him. Other than Jake, though, I surprisingly enjoyed Welcome to Your Life. I say surprisingly because normally YA is not my thing. It's well written, well paced and the struggles and emotions everyone experienced rang true. Kudos to Katrina on her debut novel.
I received an ARC through NetGalley for an honest review.
September 29, 2017
This copy was received via goodreads and the author in exchange for an honest review.
Usually, teen pregnancy books are set in high school but this one puts the main character, Tonya, pregnant right after graduation with college on the horizon. I found this a refreshing and interesting take.
Before she found out she was pregnant, Tonya broke it off with her boyfriend, Jake, who gets drunk and belittles her in front of everyone at parties.
"That's okay bitch, keep walking. Now I don't have to deal with your moody ass anymore."
That night's episode of douche bag boyfriend behavior was the straw that broke the camels back and she declares, "I'm tired of this shit, and can't take it anymore." and flips her now-ex the proverbial bird.
*Insert fist pump*
Once Jake discovers she's pregnant, he tries to win her back and rationalizes that it's only right that they be together for the baby. Tonya, however, cannot romanticize the idea and struggles to make a decision. A child brought into an already toxic, young relationship isn't going to get any better for anyone.
The characters were well done with Tonya portraying a typical kid today with a nice serving of smart girl, sprinkled with a lot of nerdy name dropping to things I could relate to like Harry Potter, Buffy, and Netflix. She still had her perfections and her faults, though, which made her more real. Now, insert a cute boy, a best friend, and an ex boyfriend and you've got some good drama. Plus, if you want to read a book where the parents are actually THERE for their daughter instead of kicking her out, you've got the right book.
We get to see this pregnancy through to the end and witness the development and struggle of Tonya's balancing act of emotions, love life, school, work, and baby (nix the social life).
I'm glad the ending wasn't tied up completely because really, this is just the beginning for Tonya.
Usually, teen pregnancy books are set in high school but this one puts the main character, Tonya, pregnant right after graduation with college on the horizon. I found this a refreshing and interesting take.
Before she found out she was pregnant, Tonya broke it off with her boyfriend, Jake, who gets drunk and belittles her in front of everyone at parties.
"That's okay bitch, keep walking. Now I don't have to deal with your moody ass anymore."
That night's episode of douche bag boyfriend behavior was the straw that broke the camels back and she declares, "I'm tired of this shit, and can't take it anymore." and flips her now-ex the proverbial bird.
*Insert fist pump*
Once Jake discovers she's pregnant, he tries to win her back and rationalizes that it's only right that they be together for the baby. Tonya, however, cannot romanticize the idea and struggles to make a decision. A child brought into an already toxic, young relationship isn't going to get any better for anyone.
The characters were well done with Tonya portraying a typical kid today with a nice serving of smart girl, sprinkled with a lot of nerdy name dropping to things I could relate to like Harry Potter, Buffy, and Netflix. She still had her perfections and her faults, though, which made her more real. Now, insert a cute boy, a best friend, and an ex boyfriend and you've got some good drama. Plus, if you want to read a book where the parents are actually THERE for their daughter instead of kicking her out, you've got the right book.
We get to see this pregnancy through to the end and witness the development and struggle of Tonya's balancing act of emotions, love life, school, work, and baby (nix the social life).
I'm glad the ending wasn't tied up completely because really, this is just the beginning for Tonya.
July 4, 2017
Tonya and Jake are both it the situation of becoming parents at eighteen. With a turbulent relationship in their past, their baby with be brought up with split parents as Tonya wants and she has plenty of support from Cami, her best friend and her parents.
However in college she meets Reaf a guy in her art class and they hit it off, he wins her parents around and is super supportive over her decision to keep her baby. However, Jake returns from university and hates the idea of her dating someone else while having his baby and gets angry.
Tonya is a strong girl who knows what she wants to do. It's a great book to finally have supportive parents in towards a teen pregnancy and Reaf was a lovely and caring character to read about, if only all guys could be more like him!
Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!
However in college she meets Reaf a guy in her art class and they hit it off, he wins her parents around and is super supportive over her decision to keep her baby. However, Jake returns from university and hates the idea of her dating someone else while having his baby and gets angry.
Tonya is a strong girl who knows what she wants to do. It's a great book to finally have supportive parents in towards a teen pregnancy and Reaf was a lovely and caring character to read about, if only all guys could be more like him!
Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!
June 28, 2017
** I received a copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**
I promised an honest review so here it is.....
Welcome to Your Life was a great debut novel. Breaking up is hard to do, but in this case it was best for Tonya because she deserved better than the way Jake treated her. Rafe was perfect in everyway; caring, considerate, loving and protective, respectful. He was everything Jake wasn't. Tonya had the most supportive parents and a really great best friend; I really liked Cami. I wonder if Cami will have her own story. I enjoyed a few laughs while reading this story and I look forward to my next read from this author.
I promised an honest review so here it is.....
Welcome to Your Life was a great debut novel. Breaking up is hard to do, but in this case it was best for Tonya because she deserved better than the way Jake treated her. Rafe was perfect in everyway; caring, considerate, loving and protective, respectful. He was everything Jake wasn't. Tonya had the most supportive parents and a really great best friend; I really liked Cami. I wonder if Cami will have her own story. I enjoyed a few laughs while reading this story and I look forward to my next read from this author.
November 10, 2017
I think my favorite thing about this book was the relationship between Tonya and Cami!! It was great to see the way Cami was determined to stick by her friend. I found both Jake and Tonya to be a little selfish. Jake's whole attitude just made me mad, and I didnt agree with Tonya about not telling him the news from the start. I was glad when Reaf came in the picture and things started falling into place. I will be looking forward to reading more from this author.
August 12, 2017
*
Read more of my reviews at Whoo Gives A Hoot
*
Review coming soon!
Review coming soon!
October 4, 2017
Tonya is a sweet woman with a good head on her shoulders. With support from her parents she makes the tough decision to raise her baby on her own. She's dedicated, intelligent, and determined to make a good life for her and her child. Reaf is a true gentleman. Doesn't hurt that he's super attractive and thoughtful. The two of them coming together was a joy to experience.
November 1, 2017
This book was okay for me. I liked the characters well enough, but I struggled to really connect with them. At times this book seemed to drag and go nowhere, yet it also seemed to gloss over some real issues pregnant/teen moms face. All in all it was a decent story, it just fell a little short for me.
July 20, 2018
This story, is so relateable from the very start. I love how close to home it hits and doesn't hold back.
The writing honestly pulls you in and captivates you. Keeping you in the story.
I love how real all the emotions from everyone feel, and come out through the words.
I really like how her mom is there for her, from start to finish. But at the same time she tries to push her to not just sit around and hide from the world, but to get out there and still be young and do things, becaise she may have done something and is now seeing the "consiqueses" so to say she's still young and shes still doing a good job staying on the right path.
I lovehow no matter what she wants to keep things slow. Its such an up beat and amazing story. I think its definitely something to take and make you cry happy tears and just enjoy.
The writing honestly pulls you in and captivates you. Keeping you in the story.
I love how real all the emotions from everyone feel, and come out through the words.
I really like how her mom is there for her, from start to finish. But at the same time she tries to push her to not just sit around and hide from the world, but to get out there and still be young and do things, becaise she may have done something and is now seeing the "consiqueses" so to say she's still young and shes still doing a good job staying on the right path.
I lovehow no matter what she wants to keep things slow. Its such an up beat and amazing story. I think its definitely something to take and make you cry happy tears and just enjoy.
July 30, 2018
WOW! What a way to start with a debut novel!
This story has emotions, love and humor.
I loved the characters and the plot.
Can't wait for next one.
This story has emotions, love and humor.
I loved the characters and the plot.
Can't wait for next one.
December 3, 2020
2.5 stars ✨
October 30, 2017
Beautiful story
When a just graduated high school student finds herself pregnant and she breaks up with her boyfriend what is she supposed to do know! She than meets another guy and ends up changing her world in a good way! Amazing book loved it!
When a just graduated high school student finds herself pregnant and she breaks up with her boyfriend what is she supposed to do know! She than meets another guy and ends up changing her world in a good way! Amazing book loved it!
November 5, 2017
This is again a debut novel but it is good! I won't know it is her first novel just by reading it. This revolves on a girl who focuses on what she must do instead even if she's a single mom, a teenage single mom. The personality is so strong! She helped herself get up! and like her, I won't stay with someone just because he is the father of the baby. This is empowering. Great first book for Katrina!
August 4, 2017
I got an arc to do a honest review
May 15, 2020
Lovely well written story about teenage pregnancy and young love.
Tonya has been the girlfriend of the school hunk and golden boy but he isn't the best boyfriend so the story starts with her ending the relationship . She then finds out she is pregnant but is strong enough to not take him back just because she is pregnant.
As she joins a local college she has to work with another student Reaf on a project, he isn't phased by her pregnancy and they grow closer even though Tonya is wary. Reaf almost blows their relationship until some family advice makes Tonya see sense.
A great read
Tonya has been the girlfriend of the school hunk and golden boy but he isn't the best boyfriend so the story starts with her ending the relationship . She then finds out she is pregnant but is strong enough to not take him back just because she is pregnant.
As she joins a local college she has to work with another student Reaf on a project, he isn't phased by her pregnancy and they grow closer even though Tonya is wary. Reaf almost blows their relationship until some family advice makes Tonya see sense.
A great read
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 151 reviews