Never Saw You Coming

by Erin Hahn

Raised by conservative parents, 18-year-old Meg Hennessey just found out her entire childhood was a lie. Instead of taking a gap year before college to find herself, she ends up traveling north to meet what’s left of the family she never knew existed.

While there, she meets Micah Allen, a former pastor’s kid whose dad ended up in prison, leaving Micah with his own complicated relationship about the church. The clock is ticking on Pastor Allen’s probation hearing and Micah, now 19, feels the pressure to forgive - even when he can’t possibly forget.

As Meg and Micah grow closer, they are confronted with the heavy flutterings of first love and all the complications it brings. Together, they must navigate the sometimes-painful process of cutting ties with childhood beliefs as they build toward something truer and straight from the heart.

In Erin Hahn’s Never Saw You Coming, sometimes it takes a leap of faith to find yourself.

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, Contemporary, Fiction, Audiobook, Summer, Religion

320 pages, Hardcover

First published September 7, 2021

About the author

ERIN HAHN is the author of the young adult novels You'd Be Mine, More Than Maybe, and Never Saw You Coming as well as the adult romance Built to Last. Romance is her vibe, grunge is her soundtrack and fall is her signature color. She fell for her flannel-clad college sweetheart the very first day of school and together, they have two hilarious kids who keep her humble. She lives outside Ann Arbor, Michigan, and has a cat named Gus who plays fetch and a dog named June who doesn't.

Reviews

[jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

this is a complicated one for me to rate.

the story is cute enough in general and i did enjoy the bond between the two MCs (micah is absolutely precious).

however, this is too religious for my liking. its actually really quite heavy-handed at times. i have no doubt there are readers who will see themselves in meg and micahs’ shoes, however, im not one of them and, to me, its a bit much. i do appreciate that there are some attempts at being inclusive. there are LGBTQ characters and other topics mentioned that go beyond the traditional christian beliefs (in the authors words, this is an alternative christian story), but they are often overshadowed by all of the heavy theological content.

so while i do think this has its moments, and the authors note at the ends helps a lot, i just dont think i am the right audience for this particular story unfortunately.

thanks for the ARC, st. martins press/wednesday books.

↠ 2.5 stars

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is incredibly sweet, absolutely thought provoking, bold and truly heartwarming, healing, inspirational reading! Let me tell you something Meg and Micah are the most amazing, the sweetest, earnest, most lovable young couple the author created!

I feel like they switch places with their parents at the entire book because they acted so mature. As both of their worlds crumble into pieces, they still find a way to stand on their feet. As their faiths, realities are tested and they keep losing everything in their lives, they find each other.

Meg Hennessey realizes her 18 years long life consists of lies. The man she knows as her father is not her real father and as soon as the truth reveals, he leaves her family, wanting to divorce and her mother confesses that she is product of a special one night stand at a youth camp. When she learned she was pregnant to her, before talking to Andrew who was the biological father of Meg lost his life at a tragic car accident.

Meg finds out she has grandmother and an uncle are still alive. She decides to spend her gap year by reconnecting with her roots and discovering who she is after living under strict rules of conservative mother: she’s never been kissed, held a boy’s hand, watched R rated movie, homeschooled, mostly lived in her parents’ protective cocoon!

Now it’s time to free herself from her chains and discover her roots by traveling to north and moving to the town where her dad was born.

Micah,19, is still chased by the big scandal his father created which ripped apart their family. Now he is broken, questioning his own belief when his pastor father/ his best friend/ his mentor is put behind the bars because of siphoning church’s money and labeled as sex predator!

After being stalked by reporters, shunned by public, losing her home, their entire savings but mostly saying goodbye to his innocent childhood, Micah manages to bottle up his boiling anger and resentment for his mother’s sake who finally remarried and reinstated a better life with new kids. After 5 years later, his father will be released from prison and his parole hearing is approaching but Micah has no intention to go and be part of it!

At the time when he truly needs a friend who can truly understand his suffer, his path crosses with Meg who just set her foot on the town to meet with her grandma.

As she connects with her family, finding a job at the cafe next door where Micah works, selling sports goods, she slowly learns to enjoy her new life by forming deep connection with Micah.

I loved their blooming friendship, innocent, honest, genuine connection and extremely sweet, heartfelt, true romance!

Meg is witty, sweet pie, kind hearted but she also bold, risk taker, amicable. Her self discovery journey after being lied for her entire life never gets out of control. She acts responsible from the beginning and it’s enjoyable to see how she discovers sweet happinesses of the life and shares it with Micah!
Micah was also best book boyfriend, patient, loyal, caring and standing up for his girl at the toughest times.

I loved the daring, realistic approach of the author to the sensitive issues: church, religion, beliefs, homophobia, sexual awakening, family, self discovery.

But I honestly fell in love with those characters. And it was nice to see Vada and Luke’s cameos from More than maybe. Vada is best eccentric, artistic, loyal friend.

Overall: this book should be prescribed for grumpy, pessimist people who lost their way in their life to consume at least three times a day so they can absorb each inspirational quotes our characters tell and they can heal from their dark moods with feel good power of this exceptional reading which guarantees to put permanent smile on our faces! It’s absolutely amazing!

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/ Wednesday Books for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Note: I received a free copy of this book. In exchange here is my honest review:

While I didn’t grow up in a very religious household myself, I did grow up in a predominately religious area. 🥸 and while this is a work of fiction, I feel like this is would be a useful book for many YA religious readers.🤓 The human nature of things versus the guilt of wrongdoing weighs so heavy on young adults. In the end, we should not be judging others so harshly for being human. ❤️

Thank you @goodreads @erinhahn_author and @macmillanusa #goodreadsgiveaway

[Susan's Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
I was mentally and emotionally challenged by this one. We met Meg in the second book in this stand alone series. She was the modest "fundamentalist friend" of the Way-Out-There Vada.

. . . . .


Meg's life and beliefs are turned upside down when her mother reveals a life-shattering truth. Meg feels betrayed and sets off on a gap year, away from her home and church to try to come to terms with her mother's "secret life" and the hypocrisy of her own very strict upbringing.



Many people will object to the constant references to God, the bible (and the constant assertions that while everyone and everything else might let you down, God never will - because it says so in the bible. Yes, I know, very circular thinking...)



Meg also finds the rock bottom source of her beliefs in the bible - which truly dismayed me because I've never felt that we should look to anyone or anything as a crutch. Too many people refuse to loosen their grip on scripture as their foundation for their beliefs. Why do we need labels? Why do we need to use religion as a tool for self-hatred and conformity? This is partly what the author is trying to get across, but she still clings to her bible as her shield against the vicissitudes of life. Meg often exhorts her youth group students to study their bibles - she repeatedly assures them that all of life's answers are in there. Big sigh: to each their own, but many readers will probably spurn this book because of its religious content. I didn't, because I do support freedom of speech and religion, and this is Meg's story. I decided to stick with it and find out where she landed.



I did groan a bit at all the goody-two-shoes thinking that was often followed by cussing and swearing. What was that all about? I can swear like a sailor myself, but in Meg, this seemed out of character. Meg was a "Believer" - she still believed in God and wanted to conform to her church's "pure standards," but she was confused, angry and disillusioned. She wasn't sure exactly what standards she should conform to, and whether they had any basis in real life.

When her Uncle James "slut-shamed" her and advised her that she had to maintain an appearance of abstinence (and stop being seen with her boyfriend Micah in compromising situations) in order to be a better example to the young girls she was mentoring at her uncle's church, Meg had an even greater crisis of faith - this time, in herself.

Did I agree with how everything got resolved? Frankly, those were such baby steps, that I wasn't convinced anything much was going to change for the better. The female evangelical population was still going to have to carry the unfair burden of maintaining "purity" in their fold. This double standard is so glaringly obvious and downright infuriating. I would refuse to be part of any group or religion that held such narrow and sexist views.



Religious fanaticism has been the cause of so much strife, division and war. In my twenties and thirties, after much reading and investigation, I decided to refuse to jump on any bandwagon or join or identify with any formal religious or spiritual group. No more labels, no more hard and fast rules for salvation or righteous living. It is still hard to shed my early catholic upbringing (and yes, I am deliberately refusing to capitalize the first "c") but like so many things in life, we, as a society, make our own lives miserable by trying to live up to one socially acceptable standard or another.

After all the strife and drama, Meg and Micah decide to forge their own religious path, together. Theirs was a cute story and I loved the banter between them. Erin Hahn always does great dialogue. Unfortunately, many of the side characters did not ring true to me: the various parents, great-grandmother Betty, and Micah's errant father, to name just a few. They were usually one-dimensional, even though the author did try to humanize some of them by their clothing choices or hair colour.

I did like the author's ultimate message. In her world view, God loves everyone just as they are: you will never lose God's love. In her Acknowledgement at the end of this book, she explains the event that got her started on the path to writing YA fiction - and the ultimate reason for this novel about Modest Meg (who turned out not to be so modest whenever Micah was around!!! Go, Meg and Micah!)



I'm rating this one a 3.7 out of 5 stars because there were times when I thought that the author was backtracking on her stand against body and slut shaming young girls. But maybe that was just Meg, who had drunk the Kool-aid and was having a hard time flouting religious authority figures and learning to think for herself? (It wasn't clear to me, is what I am saying: at one point she was advocating pre-marital sex, and in the last few chapters, both Micah and Meg indignantly proclaim that they have not had sex and were still proper good little virgin evangelists. Not sure what THAT was about, and why they even had to protest their "innocence". Also, Micah's previous relationship with Emily did not come across as very "pure"... Hmm!) I did enjoy many parts of this novel and it certainly gave me a lot to think about, but I will always encourage people to QUESTION EVERYTHING and NEVER RELY ON YESTERDAY'S TRUTH BECAUSE TOMORROW MAY REVEAL THAT THE EARTH IS INDEED ROUND - IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN!?!?!

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

NEVER SAW YOU COMING hooked me from the very beginning with two main characters with a lot of angsty, angsty drama going on in their lives. Meg and Micah have both been through a lot at the hands of their parents. Meg discovers before the book opens that her father who raised her for 18 years is in fact not her biological father. This shock is compounded by the fact that as soon as the truth is revealed, he decides he can no longer go along with the marriage to Meg’s mother, which was purely for the benefit of saving face. Meg goes to the upper Michigan peninsula to seek out family on her father’s side.

Micah is the son of a former pastor who had affairs, used his position to take advantage of female churchgoers sexually, and stole from his congregation. He’s been in prison for five years and Micah’s mom has remarried. These were both just such intense set-ups. Micah and Meg were both raised in the church and faith is a big part of their lives, so they struggle to figure things out and how it relates to their faith. I really enjoyed this book. I would recommend it to readers who don’t mind a book with very strong Christian/church themes as that is a big message of the book and present throughout.

[Erin Hahn]

I've had a couple people ask, so just a quick reminder, NEVER SAW YOU COMING is spin off of MORE THAN MAYBE featuring Vada's bff Meg Hennessey. Yes, there will ABSOLUTELY be cameos of your MTM faves, but this story is all about Meg (and newcomer Micah Allen).

Also, as I'm not going to be hanging around Goodreads much, I want to be clear here that this story is not anti-God AT ALL, but it is *very* critical of the evangelical church, particularly in regards to the purity movement, shady leadership practices and treatment of LGTBQA identities. God is love, the Church should be too.

You've been warned.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

This is my second book by Erin Hahn and I loved it even more than the first I read (More Than Maybe). It features Vada’s best friend from that book, Meg. This was such a relatable book for me, as I was a lot like Meg as a teenager. This is one of the first books I’ve read about Christian teens that isn’t specifically a Christian book, if that makes sense.

This is a coming of age story for both Micha and Meg, and it’s also a lovely romance. It does have a big focus on faith, which after reading a previous book by this author I wasn’t really expecting. I enjoyed (for the most part) the way the author tackled this subject. I especially loved how Micah, who had so much church hurt never lost his faith.

I loved how the author showed that churches can and will let you down, church leaders, Christians, and human beings in general will let you down, but God never does. Micha and Meg navigate through so much and it was fantastic to watch them both figure things out and also watching them fall in love. Though this one wasn’t perfect for me there were some things that I felt were a bit misleading and not quite biblical, I could overlook it because everyone has different experiences and I don’t think this book was trying to be overly religious, even though it had a strong faith element I loved so much about it and recommend it to anyone looking for a contemporary YA romance.

Audio book source: Audible
Story Rating: 4.5 stars
Narrators: Jessica Almasy & Michael Crouch
Narration Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Contemporary/YA
Length: 9h 9m

[Emma Lord · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oof, my HEART. This book is unlike anything I’ve ever read — heartfelt and brutally honest and romantic, just a messy, beautiful coming of age for both characters full of striking introspection that often made me pause to reread and turn the words over in my head again. I was not raised religious (despite my last name LOLOL sorry, had to) and am largely unfamiliar with a lot of the conventions and upbringing that set this plot into motion, but Meg and Micah’s voices provide an easy lens to understand it and empathize and connect with it. A gorgeous story of love and acceptance and setting your own path in the world, and hopefully a story that will reach readers who need it most. (PS, 11/10 would die for Duke, the audacity of Erin to give us all a collective BFF but only fictionally!!!)

[Kathryn in FL · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unpopular Opinion Alert

Erin Hahn is a talented writer. She brings two young people together through their mutual disgust of Christians. Meg and Micah have been lied to by their parents. As they struggle with their anger at God, their parent's own hypocrisy is criticized. Ironically, they both twist scripture and chose to "re-interpret" it to fit their own lifestyle choices. Essentially, both become hypocrites and allies, who despise hypocrites but ignore their own hypocrisy (no different than their parents on that one), while giving themselves a free pass. That is the story in a nutshell!

Essentially, Meg uses a popular argument that equates to "we all sin, as long as we have accepted Christ, we are forgiven of whatever we do". So extrapolating this believe, I guess murder is good too just as long as you are a follower of Jesus? This rationalization is what sometimes called "one and done".

Or explained this way, God knows we will sin so we are accepted and going to heaven, because we knows we sin and we know Jesus's death is the only thing that can save us, so go ahead and sin, life goes on. However, scriptures such as Jesus telling one man "go and sin no more" is totally ignored, likewise another scripture tells us specifically we shouldn't go and sin because it is covered by belief in Christ. Romans 6:12-16 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. 15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! 16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?

As this passage states, you can't keep sinning just because you believe Jesus is the son of God. There must be action that reflects your beliefs, a new life to reflect your believe that He died to give you!

This book outright promotes a false gospel message. I had no idea the direction the story would take this route nor its negative focus on Christians. There are other lies that I haven't noted but I will say that as I read it, so many scriptures were going through my head that stated the opposite of what was being stated about being in the Bible, I became beleaguered by this nonsense. As I finished, I was angry at the author and publisher for wasting my time immersed in the characters apostasy.

Others will probably enjoy the writing and the story. I just wanted to give a heads up as to the point of this story, which is not a true Christian message though it states that it is. If it had been thus it would most likely been a Christian publisher that released it.

I want to thank Goodreads, the publisher, Wednesday Books and author, Erin Hahn for the opportunity to read an ARC copy.

[Rosh ~catching up slowly~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is going to be too long, sorry. I doubt I have taken this much time to mull over the review of any book. There are some points that really spoke to my heart, and some that turned me off. But the mulling was necessitated by the fact that the book appealed to me in two distinct ways:

1. The cover, which promises a liberating and relaxing novel.
2. The blurb, which mentions a connection to the church (via a misbehaving pastor).

The first point appealed to the reader in me while the second called out to the believer in me. As a practising Christian, I wanted to see how the book tackles this controversial topic of misbehaviour by a church insider. Both these subparts of myself are now clamouring to give a feedback for this book. I’ll succumb to the demands of this momentary split personality and allow both of them a voice. But first, let me say thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. It turned out to be a thought-provoking experience, as is evident in this long rambling review.

Story:

Meg Hennessey is an eighteen year old who has lived her life as per the demands of her strict conservative Christian family. But now, she has discovered that her entire childhood has been a fabrication. Shattered by the extent of the deceit, she ends up travelling to the north to reconnect with the part of her family she had never known earlier. Will she ever reconcile with the past and allow herself the dream of a better future within the realms of her faith?

Micah Allen is a nineteen year old who is struggling to escape the skeletons in his closet. As the son of a pastor who has been imprisoned for his misdemeanours, Micah has lost his connect with the church, though he still hasn’t lost faith in God. Micah knows he is expected to forgive his father to prove that he is a true Christian, but is it ever that easy?

While struggling through their familial issues, Meg and Micah discover each other. But their budding romance creates new hurdles along the way of their faith and their togetherness. How will their relationship survive under the intense scrutiny of the “godly” people around them?

The story comes to us in alternating perspectives of Meg and Micah, with all chapters written in first person.

What the bibliophile in me enjoyed:
• I liked (liked, not loved) many of the characters in the book. Micah and Meg are pretty well-written and you will love them both. Their best friends Duke and Vada respectively are also adorable. Cash the dog and Micah’s parents and siblings are also loveable characters.

• The book is aimed at teenagers and I think it does pretty well for its target audience as it raises many issues that teens, especially those coming from such families, go through.

• I loved the audacity of the book in putting forth many issues that are hardly ever found in Christian fiction. This novelty factor worked very well in making me complete the story faster.

What the bibliophile in me didn’t enjoy:
• As a contrast to the first point above, some of the characters were too good to be true. There needed to be a bit more spice in them to make them realistic. I can’t believe anyone in the real world will be sooooo goody-goody.

• Some of the character sketching and their appearances in the plot needed work. Meg moves to the north mainly for her grandma Betty so it’s quite surprising to see that Betty is hardly present in the rest of the story. Meg’s mom and dad also come in minor appearances, which is unbelievable to be honest. What overprotective mother would allow a daughter to go off and live in a stranger’s house for months on end without checking in personally? Meg’s uncle James is in a relationship with a divorcee, a strict no-no for traditional believers. His going against Meg’s relations with Micah was also at odds with the rest of his character portrayal. Dani’s daughter Noel is mentioned in a couple of scenes but conveniently disappears when Dani is with James. Micah’s dad’s appearance in the story is poorly plotted. So there is a lot of convenience-based character plotting in the book.

• Sometimes, the content dragged because it became too preachy. (More on this below.) This killed the pace of the book.

• The cover makes you feel that this will be a light-hearted romance. It is not. The religious content takes centre stage, though there are many moments of humour. So the cover creates very wrong expectations about the story.

The bibliophile’s rating: 2.5 stars.

What the Christian in me loved:
Yay for its stinging censure of the fire-and-brimstone approach and finger-pointing tactics of conservative evangelical Christian practices. I loved all the points of criticism directed at the duplicitous behaviour of so-called practising Christians who forget that the basic principle of the religion is based on forgiveness and acceptance. When asked the greatest commandment of all, Jesus had said, “Love God with all your heart. And love your neighbour as yourself.” Most practising Christians forget this and jump to judge others.

When Micah says he loves God and the church but hates the people comprising it, I totally get what he's saying. As a practising Christian, and being active in the church choir and children’s ministries, I have seen first-hand how people proclaiming themselves as devout Christians are quite the opposite of Christian values when it comes to their work. One line in the book says, “Church folk aren’t any purer than the rest of the world; they just hide it better.” 100% true! There are many hypocrites in the church. Another line says, “The only time churches are worried about modesty and purity is when it comes to their teenage girls.” Again, absolutely true. (Though I think this is applicable to all faiths. Everyone wants to make rules only for girls.)

The Author’s note at the end of the book is a revelation. If you are in the habit of skipping this section in a book, don’t do so at least for this book. She says that she has opened a can of worms with this book, and I absolutely agree with her. But this was a can that needed to be opened. This book is going to ruffle conservative Christians a lot. And I want to applaud her for her bravery. To confront religious bigots without giving up on your faith is a big task.


What the Christian in me didn’t enjoy:
This is going to sound ironic. But there was too much of religious stuff in this book for me. I feel that the overload of biblical fervour and repeated espousals of God’s eternal love and mercies work counterproductively as it drives progressive believers away from the book. Conservative Christians will anyway shun this book for heresy.

Furthermore, the book represents only a specific subset of believers. To elaborate on why this is a problem, let me give an example. When I read a book on Indian religious mythology (which I rarely pick up due to my lack of familiarity with the content), I feel confused about the accuracy of the book and tend to take whatever is written to be true. Similarly, those who don’t have any clue about Christian mythology might take whatever is written in this book as representative of all Christian beliefs. But it is not. To highlight just one such discrepancy, the book mentions that James is the brother of Jesus. But this isn’t the accepted doctrine in all churches, and the word ‘brother’ is still being debated as to whether it indicates sibling or cousin. The extreme conservative beliefs as highlighted in the book are also only in some Christian denominations, usually in the evangelical ministries. So I hate the fact that outsiders to the faith might take this book as indicative of the entire Christian faithful.

The Christian’s rating: 4.25 stars.

Whom do I recommend this book to? I honestly don’t know. Conservative Christians, if you have the courage to accept the errors of indoctrination, please read this book. Progressive Christians, you might enjoy this book, if only to know that your being a liberal believer is a Godsend. Those outside the Christian faith, you might not be able to connect with many of the points in this book. Having some know-how about traditional (or should I say, conservative) Christian beliefs would help if you are picking it up. But if you can skip over the religious content and focus on the people, you will find an interesting story of a young girl and a young boy learning to accept themselves outside of religious and societal shackles. Remember though that it is a teen/YA book. Don’t expect a lot of maturity in the writing.

Overall rating: 3.4 stars, the average of above two ratings.




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[Tamar...playing hooky for a few hours today · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hate it when I do not enjoy a book, and I hate it even more when I write a disappointing review.

This book was not for me. I did not enjoy it, and I wonder how many Young Adults would. I suppose that those YA's who struggle with reconciling a restrictive religious Christian upbringing in the U.S. with the behavior and attitudes of youths their age from outside of their congregation, might be interested in the story. Both of the MCs, recently graduated from High School, have a parent with a troubling background, one who learns that the father who raised her is not her biological father but someone who stepped up to the plate when her mother's one-night stand with a musician at a Christian youth summer camp ended abruptly when he died in a car accident, and the other whose father was a Pastor who embarrassed his family with his infidelities and went to jail for embezzling from his congregation.....

I squirmed a bit watching the two young adults trying to come to terms with their sexuality and the guilt feelings that accompanied. Now someone less jaded might find it sweet (and I see that some did), but I just found it uncomfortable, unnatural, and immature.

Thank you NegGalley and St. Martin's Press Wednesday Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. The opinions expressed are my own. I wish I could have enjoyed this more and written a more upbeat review.

[Tucker Almengor]

Vicki Lame at Wednesday Books has acquired world rights to Erin Hahn’s (You'd Be Mine) third and fourth books,

YASSSSS! YOU GO VICKI AT WEDNESDAY BOOKS

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[Erin Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to come but spoiler alert: I freaking loved it!

Heartfelt and utterly genuine, NEVER SAW YOU COMING hit my soul in all the best ways. This is an important story to be told and Hahn's words resonate with truth and sparkle with her brilliant wit. I already want to reread it.

[book bruin · Rating 5 out of 5]

CW: Discussions of self harm and suicide, mentions of death related to drunk driving

4.5 stars

Never Saw You Coming is one of my most anticipated books of 2021. I was absolutely stunned when I received the notification that I had won an advance copy on Goodreads. This book was both everything I hoped for and also completely unexpected. It doesn't shy away from the hard questions and instead dives head first into an examination of faith, love, forgiveness, religion, family, and also hypocrisy. Even though I don't have experiences like Meg or Micah with church/religion, I appreciated the vulnerability and raw honesty of their journeys. Hahn made their struggles so genuinely heartbreaking and relatable. The love that blossoms between them was so tender and beautiful. The writing was incredibly heartfelt and the message of being loved just as you are, without conditions or exceptions, was so powerful.

Family relationships play a large role in the story and I loved how found families were just as critical (if not more so) than families of blood. Duke also definitely needs his own book now ;) The cameos by my More Than Maybe favorites was wonderful and the epilogue was a beautifully perfect way to bring everything full circle. Meg and Micah's journey isn't an easy one, but I really appreciated the author's note at the end, which helped put things into perspective for me. I can imagine that Never Saw You Coming might be quite polarizing for readers, but it will also be a great comfort to many as well.

*I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*

[paige (ptsungirl) · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Forgiving someone before you mean it is useless, and a lie. So why force the issue?"

°•*⁀➷

Sweet little summer read that I would have just adored if I were still a teenager. I wish I was in this moment, because this would have easily been five stars. To hold it to my current standard is just unfair. But since I am, don't take two stars to mean this was a bad book, just take it to mean it was a book that isn't for me.

I've had my eyes on this book for a long time simply because it's about a young girls journey with her religion. As someone who has been hurt by the church, as a lot of people have and continue to be, this felt so important as a work of fiction. And it is. It's an honest, respectful way to come to terms with how you feel about God and how that's going to affect you going further. It's a book about forgiveness and fear and trying to show respect for something you've grown up learning your entire life, while also knowing a lot of that needs to change.

I loved experiencing life with Meg for a little while because I know exactly how she feels and wish neither of us ever had to feel so alone.

- Paige

[Carole (Carole's Random Life) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/

I loved this book! I am not going to lie. I almost didn’t read this book. I downloaded it without a lot of thought since I really enjoyed the author’s debut novel and wanted to read more of her work. A few weeks ago I opened up the book to start reading and realized that religion would play a big role in the story. As a general rule, I do not read religious books. I decided to read something else that day. Later, I decided to give the book a chance and I am really glad that I did. The characters are religious and their faith is a big part of who they are but I didn’t feel like the book was preachy in any way. I fell in love with Meg and Micah and was thoroughly entertained by this story.

Meg has been raised in a very conservative religious family. Everything ht she thought she knew is turned upside down when she learned that the man she thought was her father isn’t. It turns out that her mother became pregnant with her after a one-night stand at a youth group conference when she was Meg’s age. She was planning to take a gap year before college so she decides to head north to get to know her father’s family. Micah knows all about scandals. He looked up to his father, a pastor, and considered him to be his best friend. But then his father went to jail for the things he did and Micah’s world fell apart.

Meg and Micah were wonderful together. They had so much in common with each other and seemed to understand each other almost immediately. They both were very strong in their faith but were questioning some of the things that went on within the church. It was great seeing these two connect, and I really loved the way that they watched out for one another. I just really felt like these two were good for each other. The secondary characters were also very well done and I loved how important they were to the story. I especially like Duke and would love to see him featured in future novels.

I would recommend this book to others. This book was a wonderful surprise and I think that a lot of readers will find something to relate to within these pages. I definitely plan to read more of Erin Hahn’s work in the future.

I received a digital review copy of this book from Wednesday Books via NetGalley.

Initial Thoughts
I am not going to lie. I downloaded this book without a lot of thought. I have had luck with this author in the past so I thought that this would be more of the same. Then I realized that this book would have a heavy focus on religion and I do not read religious books. I put the book off a bit and wondered what I had gotten myself into. Then I thought I should at least give it a try and I ended up loving it. Who would have thought? Meg and Micah were great characters and they have both through a lot in their lives.

[Lydia Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great story. After reading about the two main characters and the mess they were in I couldn't put this book down. It was interesting to see how they dealt with their problems. The story consisted of family , home life, searching for true love and putting down roots. I traveled across the world with these characters , and experienced their very different lives and the way they were raised. You will enjoy seeing how fate can bring people together no matter what. A beautiful tribute to the historical city, Liverpool. Erin Hahn is such a great writer. I could picture ever part of the story. Hurry and write another great tale. I am recommending we read this in our book club.








Td purpose. We travel across the world with the characters, experience two very different lives and upbringings, and see how fate can bring people together. It's beautiful and nuanced, nothing cheesy or boring, the story never dips and is at parts laugh out loud funny. I genuinely found it hard to put down. The sometimes short (and hilarious) chapters kept me eager and always trying to second guess every bump on the road! The change in perspective was very enlightening and I think she has captured the male Scouse charmer so well! A gorgeous tribute to a historical city, Liverpool and a journey into a relationship that is more real and engaging than most I have ever read about. (less)

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so excited to read this book for two reasons:

1. As a reader, I have loved Erin Hahn’s previous books so I could not wait to jump into another one of her stories!
2. As someone who grew up in the church and who is still a part of the church (my husband is a pastor), I was really interested to see what this story about church trauma and purity culture was going to be all about!

I read the book in less than 24 hours and now I can say that I loved it for two reasons:
1. It’s a good story with great characters. I have enjoyed the characters so much in all of Hahn’s books, and Meg and Micah might be my new favorites! Even though I am too old and not in their age group at all anymore, I felt like they could be my friends. Meg was adorable in More than Maybe, and I’m so glad that she gets to take the spotlight in this book. Drake was a great side character as well, and it was so fun to see Vada and Luke back again in this book.
2. While I may not fully agree with everything Meg and Micah conclude in this book about God and religion, I do agree with a lot of it, especially in regards to how the church has caused trauma for so many people. In my life, I have been fortunate to have been a part of mostly healthy churches filled with grace, who were welcoming to messy and imperfect sinners (that we all are!). But I also know the church world well, and I know that many churches do not offer this same grace and acceptance but rather focus on judgment and legalism. I can’t even count how many people I know of who have had a bad church experience that has caused them to turn away from God completely. What I loved SO MUCH about this book is that while it definitely shows the flaws of the church, it doesn’t shy away from God and the truth about God’s love.

And can I just say that Erin Hahn NAILS the church world setting in this book? Like I said, this is my world and I know it well, and she obviously does too! From the youth group teachings about modesty and purity culture to the simple things like being stuck in the nursery when a parent doesn’t pick up their kid or not being able to get the whole family ready for church because Dad has to play in the worship band (that was my life for so many years when my husband was the worship pastor!), so many little details get it exactly right. I don’t think I have ever read a book or watched a movie or seen the nuances of church life be portrayed so accurately and honestly before. It was so fun to read something that was so realistic to the world I grew up in.

I feel like this book is what Christian fiction SHOULD be like. It very honestly relays the struggles and questions that real life Christians deal with everyday. And yet, I have a feeling that a Christian publisher wouldn’t go anywhere near this book, which makes this is a perfect example of why I get so frustrated with Christian fiction. Because I have yet to find much Christian fiction that feels as authentic and genuine as this story. Meg hints at this a few times in the book—especially when teaching kids and teens, I think the church often tries to hide “sin” from them, as if they will fall into sin if they know it exists. Which is really ridiculous when you think about it! We are all sinners, and we will all fall into sin, no matter what. Wouldn’t it be so much better to talk about these struggles openly, to know that when we do sin, we have somewhere to go, a safe place to learn from our mistakes and try to do better? Maybe a place like the church?? As a parent and a church leader, that is what I want to create. I really appreciate this story and how it helped me to see how I can do better in creating that kind of loving environment in my home and my church.

I could see many Christian parents I know that would not want their teens to read this book for several reasons: 1. The characters use “bad” language, 2. The characters talk and think about sex, and 3. there are gay characters. But along with those things, there are some great conversations about God, some great talking points about faith, abstinence, homosexuality, the church…they would miss so much by not reading it! Again, I may not have fully agreed with every conclusion, but I most definitely agree with the overarching theme of God’s love being greater than the church’s judgment. If my kids were older, I would love to sit down and discuss this book with them and continue some of Meg and Micah’s conversations in real life. I’m sure my kids would hate sitting and talking to their old mom about these things, but still I would want to try. By refusing to allow teens to read about these real life things, we are doing them such a disservice.

I believe in God, and I think both Meg and Micah would be with me on that. I also believe in the church, and I’m not sure Meg and Micah would be with me on that one. But I do believe in the church, despite her imperfections. And I believe we the church can do so much better than we historically have done. But in order to do better, we have to first acknowledge what we are doing wrong, be honest about our shortcomings, and make some big changes in the way we teach.

This has turned into a very personal review from me, and it seems to be a very personal story for Hahn as well. I teared up a bit as I read her Author’s Note at the end. This story comes from a place close to heart, and I am so very grateful that she shared it with the world.

[Nursebookie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never Saw You Coming
By Erin Hahn

I really enjoyed reading this captivating story about Meg and Micah, two teens whose life takes a turn and whose friendship helps each other heal from their hurts. This young adult contemporary novel really packed a punch with complex family backgrounds and issues as the main themes of the story - in this case the teens were troubled because of the mistakes made by their parents in lying, hiding, or making wrong life choices.

This novel would make for a great book club discussion for its polarizing themes and the tough questions this book addresses. This was a great read that really surprised me.

[Larry H · Rating 5 out of 5]

What do you do when your faith is tested? Erin Hahn explores how two teenagers deal with this in her upcoming book, Never Saw You Coming .

Meg has always done what was expected of her. She sings in her church’s praise band, gets homeschooled, dresses modestly, and never really interacts with guys beyond a strictly platonic level. But when she finds out that her whole childhood has been a lie, her world is shaken.

Micah’s father was a preacher who is now in jail, found guilty of embezzlement as well as numerous infidelities. His father was his best friend, and his betrayal shattered their family. Six years later, his father is scheduled for parole and Micah isn’t sure if he wants anything to do with him, much less be drawn back into the scandal surrounding his crimes.

When Meg takes her planned gap year before college and travels to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to meet family she never knew she had, she starts to challenge some of the strict rules she lived under. And when she meets Micah, they bond quickly over their shared struggles with their faith and family, and when friendship starts to turn into attraction and love, things get even more complicated.

This book was beautiful and so thought-provoking, an exploration of faith and how it means different things to different people, and it was also a look at the hypocrisy that exists in religion, particularly in its treatment of women and girls and LGBTQIA+ people. But at its heart, this is a story about friendship, family, love, and finding your own path.

It’s funny, as a gay Jewish guy of a certain age I’m probably the furthest from Hahn’s “audience,” but I’ve loved every single one of her books. They just grab me from the start and touch my emotions in so many ways.

NetGalley and Wednesday Books provided me with a complimentary advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!!

Never Saw You Coming publishes 9/7.

Check out my list of the best books I read in 2020 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2021/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2020.html.

See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.

Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.

[Kathleen Glasgow · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoughtful, beautifully explored story about belief and finding the strength to stand up for yourself. Erin Hahn delves into some pretty weighty topics in this book and handles each with nuance, care, and compassion. Meg and Micah's stories are painful, but all too true. This will stay with me for a very, very long time.

[Ashley Schumacher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Erin Hahn’s Never Saw You Coming is a balm of comfort. Readers will find fall in love with the refreshing honesty of Meg and Micah, two teens who are heartbreakingly genuine in their struggles as they navigate a story that deals with questioning religion, faith, hypocrisy, and the true meaning of love and forgiveness. With her familiar humor and extraordinary prose, Hahn has created a world in which readers are invited to be still and know that they are more than enough just as they are. No conditions. No exceptions.

[Jessica Reads It · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been a fan of Erin Hahn since I read More than Maybe and I cannot express how powerful and emotionally thought-provoking her words are. In the acknowledgments of this book, Erin wrote that she takes her job writing for teens seriously as she is shaping hearts. Well, Ms. Hahn, I am happy to report that it's not only teens whose hearts you are shaping but also mine.

Never Saw You Coming is such a fabulously complex coming-of-age story about acceptance, self-discovery, and opening yourself up to the possibility of second chances. It poses a powerful but controversial question, "Can you separate God from the Church?"

Never Saw You Coming is a Christian romance that explores the story of Meg, a quintessential goody two shoes who experiences a crisis of faith as she realizes her mother has been harboring a secret that rocks the foundation of her prim and proper life, and Micah, who has faced years of public scrutiny and embarrassment due to a family scandal just wants to move on with his life.

There is something wholesome and pure about Meg and Micah's relationship that speaks to Erin's comprehension of her younger audience. Erin manages to capture the struggles of teenage life on the cusp of adulthood to perfection and she never ceases to surprise and amaze me with her ability to weave stories that are more than they seem.

Faith was such a strong theme discussed throughout this novel. The characters within the novel question, "How can you have faith when your life veers off track and you lose focus and you feel as if God has deserted you?" I admired that despite their issues with their religion/religious institutions they were still able to find solace in their spirituality.

Never Saw You Coming at its core is about forgiveness- forgiving yourself but also finding the courage and strength to forgive those who've wronged you.

Perhaps the most profound lesson of this novel is that life isn't meant to be planned, but to be lived.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press/ Wednesday Books and Erin Hahn for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Available on my blog now: https://jessicareadsit.wordpress.com/...

[Hannah Wright · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have a lot of thoughts about this book. First, let me give some context. I was asked to read this book by a student who read it and walked away with more questions than answers. So, I read it to be able to talk about it with her. As a (20-something) teacher at a Christian school, I find myself in a lot of conversations about healthy sexuality and God’s design for our bodies. As a product of purity culture myself, I know just how damaging such conversations can be if not handled with a lot of care.

That being said, I think that this book attempts to push against the damage done by purity culture (which is real and needs to be talked about); however, it swings to the opposite end of the spectrum and ends up with an equally damaging (and limited) message about the Church, our bodies, God’s design for relationships, and ultimately, human flourishing.

First, I found the description of the Church in general to embody an extreme stereotype. The conversations had about sex and modesty in particular are ones that felt incredibly limited. (Tank tops = sin, sexual attraction = sin, two piece swim suits = sin). I understand that such legalistic views are real and embodied by some places, but for every single representation of the Church/Church figures to parrot that message felt both unrealistic and extreme. To the Church’s credit, I have seen a lot of growth in this area since my teenage years. Granted, I can only speak about the environments that I find myself in, but as someone who both works and chooses to live within a largely conservative Christian environment, I found this depiction to be only a piece of the pie. I would have liked to see other Christ-loving characters who both supported God’s design for sex and marriage AND were not total jerks about modesty and sexual desire. Such a balance exists. There wasn’t a single positive Church figure in this book - even James, who had the most going for him, eventually slips into the same limited jargon.

Second, I had a hard time with the blatant celebration of sexual acts outside of marriage. Yes - God created our sexuality and it is a gift that is beautiful and good, a reflection of Himself. However, he is clear that such intimacy is to be celebrated within the covenant relationship that is marriage. Technically, Meg and Micah never have sex. But that is where they draw the line. Everything up to the line of procreative sex is celebrated. This is in push back to the legalistic lie that Meg believes: “Kissing is the gateway to sex” (209). For a girl who believes that to suddenly be cool with a guy fingering her two pages later (which is followed by a description of her orgasm) felt like a pretty rapid shift. Again, I understand that Hahn is trying to push back against the purity culture jargon that sexual desire itself is sinful, but this was a bit too far. The conversation before this moment is also problematic, as both Meg and Micah essentially come to the conclusion that the Biblical mandate for sex within marriage is archaic and a byproduct of a patriarchal culture (211). I can understand arguments for taking Biblical mandates in context (take the classic women covering their heads in church, for example), but when it comes to marriage, something that is clearly meant to be an embodied picture of the intimacy and beauty of the Trinity itself, I don’t think the same skepticism can or should be applied.

I could keep going (the argument Micah gives about sin and grace on page 146 is particularly problematic and directly contradicts Paul’s clear reasoning in Romans 6 that grace is not a license to continue sinning), but I’ll give my thumbs a rest.

In conclusion, I see and appreciate what Ms. Hahn attempts to do here. Purity culture and the loads of shame it has heaped on millions of women is not the Father’s heart for His daughters. However, there is a balance between living in Grace and walking in Truth, and we are called to do both. I think this book swings so far to the Grace end of the spectrum that is leaves a limited view of the Church, sexuality, and human relationship. True freedom is found in the person and work of Jesus - not in a boy and not in sexual expression, although both are good and beautiful things. But our purity will not save us. Our sexual expression will not save us. Only Jesus does that - and He promises to take our sin and shame and remove it as far as the east is from the west. He is who kneels down into the dirt and lifts us to our feet, but He is also the one who looks at us with eyes of compassion and love and calls us into a better way. Only in Christ - when we submit to Him and live within his boundaries, trusting that His design for our flourishing is for our good even when it clashes with cultural norms, is there more freedom and blessing than we could dream possible.

So…will I be handing this book to my students? No. But I’m glad I read it all the same.

[jessie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

RATING: 2.5 STARS


I don’t know about you but if I decided on a whim to run out of the house to stay with strangers, my mom would get on the first flight and drag my ass home.

I personally feel like I could give a valid opinion especially on the main issue this book is addressing. I too, come from a religious background, and while I don’t consider my family to be ‘conservative’ (they’re just normal believers BUT where I live is already a conservative place, so I think we would be very conservative for the US standards), I feel more Meg and I think we have a kinship over shared experiences, with me being the ‘rebel teen daughter’ just because I’m progressive.

I really appreciate the author’s efforts and intentions by writing this book. I appreciate it very much. While I don’t read books centered on Christianity, I agree there are people, especially young people, who need an affirmation or assurance that what they feel are valid and they are not just the rebel who challenges the church’s views. I like how the church is portrayed and how even though we have been taught all our lives that ‘Jesus is love’, that doesn’t necessarily mean it is reflected in the community that claims to follow Him. I like how Meg is someone who struggles with her faith instead of a random teenager having a moment of truth and hitting the gas on abandoning her faith. While the intentions and the main idea is good, I think it needs some nuance or a plot device that could further this point. What happened, in my opinion, is that this book seems to drive for the romance more than the faith issue or the issue that Micah is facing. Their struggles are―most of the time―background noise. It is mentioned occasionally while Micah and Meg are building their relationship, but it was done without much weight, and only picked up when the book is nearing its end.

While we are on the topic of romance, the romance in this book is so… vanilla. Meg and Micah fall in love pretty quickly and the only thing that happened in their romance (strictly the love story), is how Meg is struggling with her beliefs about sex.

The writing is easy to get into and while most of the conversations feel relatable and comes naturally, some still feels corny to me. Some of the scenes, however, still feel a little overly done for me.

I feel okay towards Meg and Micah and while I don’t hate them, that does not mean I like them. Meg annoys me and strikes to me as immature sometimes and she said some things that I personally find a little hurtful toward other people but since we are talking about a teen girl, she gets a pass for this one. There is also the part that I consider a little ‘meh’ when she assumed her dad was gay and said that without any context (and surprise surprise! She was right!) and let’s not forget that said dad appear like twice (but this book basically revolves around Meg, Micah, Duke, and the white Christians so I feel it further proves this book’s point but also like… why). What I find bothersome about this though is that Meg shouldn’t just assume someone else’s sexuality (like I said, she assumed this with no reasonings other than her dad never seemed to like anyone).

I’m also not a big fan of the ending. The ending is too rushed and anticlimactic. The matters we are dealing with are just tossed away so casually just to have an ending.

While my review is pretty mixed for this book, I’m honestly floored by the amount of bravery the author must have. This book to me, has a positive impact and I do appreciate her idea. It just needs polishing a little bit.

[T. Rosado · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

Raised in a devoutly Christian family, plucky Meg is blindsided by the separation of her parents and the truth about her father. In its wake, she takes off for Northern Michigan to meet the grandmother and uncle she never knew. While there, she makes friends and meets Micah, the son of a disgraced and ruined pastor. Together, Meg and Michah confront their pasts, make new decisions for their futures, and inevitably fall in love.

I enjoyed Meg and Micah. Meg’s transition from More than Maybe to this book was well-executed. I loved that she stood firm in her beliefs, would not conform to an imperfect standard, and readily admitted that she's still figuring things out. Her initial response to her parents and then her empathetic shift was a lovely example of her true character.

Micah had a rougher go of it in his past. His state of being was also realistically portrayed. Micah and Meg were great together and examples of young adults breaking away from their parents' precepts to discover life and faith on their own.

I did have a few issues, but they were fairly minor. 1.) Meg contradicts herself (philosophically) when expressing an opinion to a young girl she meets with and then later to Micah. The two contradicting comments were in reference to the Bible and its teachings, so it stood out to me. 2.) I’ll try not to sound petty here, but I felt like the foul language was overused. While I hold a different standard for YA lit, It doesn’t always bother me, but its overuse in this book felt incongruous to the characters.

As a whole, this story had a relevant and encouraging message that was delivered in an entertaining and romantic story. As a Christian who has seen some ugly truths in the church in the last few years, some of this book spoke to me on a visceral level. I loved the author's dedication and some of what she shared in her author’s note. I want to commend her for committing to her purpose of sharing what’s on her heart at a time when many young people have felt fear or shame while growing up in the church. Or, never attended because they were previously hurt. I want to clarify that when I say "The Church,” it's a vague reference to those institutions (not all of them) that have used the Bible as a yardstick to measure the worth of a person based on outward sin, rather than the Bible’s prevailing message of grace, mercy, and love.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really, really good depiction of growing up as a church kid and it leaving you conflicted about the church and maybe religion, but not really about God.

It's also maybe a new adult book? In that the characters are 18 and living fairly independent lives.

Erin Hahn is an author I've really enjoyed these last few years. Also now I need a book about Micah's best friend.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Never Saw You Coming is a thoughtful and moving look at growing up in the Christian faith and what can happen when you start to question it.

Meg, who has just found out her Christian mom lied about her birth father, goes to visit new relatives in Michigan. While she's there, she meets Micah, who is also wrestling with Christian faith after his minister dad not only had a #metoo reckoning but was also convincted of stealing from his church.

This is heavy stuff but Hahn handles it deftly, crafting a sweet love story even as both Meg and Micah deal with their beliefs about Christianity. Thoughtful and nuanced, this is a good love story and a great novel about faith--a rarity. Worth checking out especially if you or someone you know has wrestled with Christian faith/beliefs.

[Sydney | sydneys.books · Rating 5 out of 5]

if you use a Taylor Swift lyric as a title you know I'm going to add it to my tbr right

TW: slut-shaming (contested), purity culture, religious trauma, discussion of and attempted suicide, near-death experience

I don't have words for what this book meant to me and how perfectly I needed it.

NEVER SAW YOU COMING is faith positive, purity culture shaming, and sex positive. It's set in Michigan. There's a beautiful romance, a wonderful side character coming to terms with his sexuality, discussion of mental health, a search-and-rescue adventure, a v cute dog, a love interest described as Nick Miller, and fun adventures at part-time jobs. The main characters are 18 and 19.

"The uncomfortable truth is, while the church loves sinners in their pews, they don't want them in front of a crowd. It's the difference between acceptance and tolerance."

I don't want to get too personal in this Goodreads review [as I proceed to get incredibly personal], but recently I've been questioning my belonging within my church. I love God, I love His gospel, but WHEW His people leading the church? Some of the shittiest people I've ever met in my life. The amount of shame, judgement, and prejudice within the religion--a religion that believes loving God and loving your neighbor are the first two commandments--is stifling and toxic.

Not to get all cheesy and spiritual on you, but I know God is real because He prompted me to read this arc at this moment in my life. This book is going down as one that changed my life.

I've felt seen. Validated. And now I have the courage to actually set those boundaries with myself and my church and decide to take a step back. I feel like I'm leaning more towards Micah's position on church than Meg's, but all that to say, faith is a spectrum and is fluid. I can be more or less involved with a specific religion later in life too. And that is also something this book taught me.

"Call it my heterosexual white girl privilege (I do), but I've never had a reason to feel like I didn't belong."

Meg is such a deeply relatable character. She learned some things about her past that completely contradict everything she understands about her life. She runs away to find her biological dad's family and meets and falls for a boy shamed by his church after his pastor father cheated and scammed the whole congregation. She explores her sexuality, her identity, her life in a liberated and (relatively) judgement free place. Her "dark" past of reading smutty fan fiction and longing to wear a two-piece with her friends was my childhood, tenfold.

A crucial part of Meg's journey is also seeing the church's perspective on modesty and LGBTQ+ people. The blame and damnation assigned to everyone but the cishet men was an upsetting revelation, one she couldn't fully grasp living in the thick of things. Escaping her regular life led to her recognizing her privilege within her church--and in turn, my own--was eye-opening for both of us.

Micah was a top-tier love interest, and is actually inspired by Erin Hahn and her real-life meet cute with her husband! I wasn't a big fan of Hahn's debut, but this book completely changed my perspective on her writing. The vulnerability crackles on page. You can feel her real-life inspiration in every discussion on parental issues, the church, teenage sexuality, and embracing yourself.

A gorgeously coming-of-age story that I will think about for a very long time.

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the arc. All opinions are my own.

[Aly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was a cute read with a sweet romance. Meg and Micah both have complicated relationships with their parents and are trying to figure out what to do after high school. Meg can be bold and funny and takes Micah by surprise when they meet at an overlook. I enjoyed their banter and how well they clicked.

The reason I rated this lower is because of how much this story pushes God. It addresses the issues with Christian churches, the judgement and hypocrisy, but always comes back to loving God and trusting him. I'm fine with reading books where the characters are religious, this just went overboard. Whether I'm religious or not, I don't want to hear about your faith and how God will get you through and make everything okay constantly. If this had been toned down, this could have been a five star read for me.

I felt really bad for Meg that people in her life kept judging her and making her feel like a bad person. I was really liking her uncle until he told her that appearances are what matter and she was basically coming across as a slut. Wow, that's not okay. It kind of ruined his character for me.

Micah is a great boyfriend and friend and I really adore him. I was happy that he and Meg didn't have much relationship drama and stood together through everything. They're definitely a couple that will stay together long term. Also, shout out to Cash for being a good doggo!

This is an easy read and definitely has it's cute moments. As long as you're okay with the strong Christian presence, give it a try.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the copy.