What do you think?
Rate this book
Unexpecting
Juno meets Heartstopper in this poignant and emotional story about found family, what it means to be a parent, and falling in love.
Benjamin Morrison is about to start junior year of high school and while his family is challenging, he is pretty content with his life, with his two best friends, and being a part of the robotics club. Until an experiment at science camp has completely unexpected consequences.
He is going to be a father. Something his mother was not expecting after he came out as gay and she certainly wasn’t expecting that he would want to raise the baby as a single father. But together they come up with a plan to prepare Ben for fatherhood and fight for his rights.
The weight of Ben’s decision presses down on him. He’s always tired, his grades fall, and tension rises between his mom and stepfather. He’s letting down his friends in the robotics club whose future hinges on his expertise. If it wasn’t for his renewed friendship (and maybe more) with a boy from his past, he wouldn’t be able to face the daily ridicule at school or the crumbling relationship with his best friends.
With every new challenge, every new sacrifice he has to make, Ben questions his choice. He’s lived with a void in his heart where a father’s presence should have been, and the fear of putting his own child through that keeps him clinging to his decision. When the baby might be in danger, Ben’s faced with a heart wrenching realization: sometimes being a parent means making the hard choices even if they are the choices you don't want to make...
Benjamin Morrison is about to start junior year of high school and while his family is challenging, he is pretty content with his life, with his two best friends, and being a part of the robotics club. Until an experiment at science camp has completely unexpected consequences.
He is going to be a father. Something his mother was not expecting after he came out as gay and she certainly wasn’t expecting that he would want to raise the baby as a single father. But together they come up with a plan to prepare Ben for fatherhood and fight for his rights.
The weight of Ben’s decision presses down on him. He’s always tired, his grades fall, and tension rises between his mom and stepfather. He’s letting down his friends in the robotics club whose future hinges on his expertise. If it wasn’t for his renewed friendship (and maybe more) with a boy from his past, he wouldn’t be able to face the daily ridicule at school or the crumbling relationship with his best friends.
With every new challenge, every new sacrifice he has to make, Ben questions his choice. He’s lived with a void in his heart where a father’s presence should have been, and the fear of putting his own child through that keeps him clinging to his decision. When the baby might be in danger, Ben’s faced with a heart wrenching realization: sometimes being a parent means making the hard choices even if they are the choices you don't want to make...
304 pages, Hardcover
First published August 22, 2023
18 people are currently reading
6948 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 283 reviews
July 16, 2023
3.5 stars
Benjamin Morrison is an enthusiastic student who one-day dreams of passing through the doors of MIT. Ben's involved with the STEM club and loves the days he gets to hang out with his best friends Mo and Maxie. Ben thought the hardest thing in his life was coming out to his mother. But now Ben has to tell her and his newest stepfather, Roger, that he's going to be a father. Although his mother is stunned by this news, she promises to stand by Ben and help him in any way she can.
A story about family, fatherhood, friendship, and love.
I didn't have a lot of expectations going into this coming-of-age story. I appreciated the fact that Jen Bailey gave us a character that is different from other teen pregnancy novels. I loved Ben's mother who always seemed to know what to say. I love how she supported Maxie as well and encouraged Ben to also consider his friend's feelings. I wasn't at all surprised by how the book ended. As soon as certain characters were introduced, I saw the end of the story. Yet, I kept reading because I enjoyed the journey.
On the other hand, I didn't really think the romance storyline for Ben was quite necessary. It was a distraction for me and I admit that I was impatient to just focus on what was already a good story. Makes for a good sequel though. But that is just my personal take!
All in all, a solid story.
Goodreads review 15/07/23
Expected Publication 22/08/23
Thanks to St.Martin's Press for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.
Benjamin Morrison is an enthusiastic student who one-day dreams of passing through the doors of MIT. Ben's involved with the STEM club and loves the days he gets to hang out with his best friends Mo and Maxie. Ben thought the hardest thing in his life was coming out to his mother. But now Ben has to tell her and his newest stepfather, Roger, that he's going to be a father. Although his mother is stunned by this news, she promises to stand by Ben and help him in any way she can.
A story about family, fatherhood, friendship, and love.
I didn't have a lot of expectations going into this coming-of-age story. I appreciated the fact that Jen Bailey gave us a character that is different from other teen pregnancy novels. I loved Ben's mother who always seemed to know what to say. I love how she supported Maxie as well and encouraged Ben to also consider his friend's feelings. I wasn't at all surprised by how the book ended. As soon as certain characters were introduced, I saw the end of the story. Yet, I kept reading because I enjoyed the journey.
On the other hand, I didn't really think the romance storyline for Ben was quite necessary. It was a distraction for me and I admit that I was impatient to just focus on what was already a good story. Makes for a good sequel though. But that is just my personal take!
All in all, a solid story.
Goodreads review 15/07/23
Expected Publication 22/08/23
Thanks to St.Martin's Press for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.
December 8, 2022
You know those books that just get better and better as you go along? This is one of those books. The premise was enough to hook me, the plot hit the ground running on page one, the characters completely had me wrapped around their fingers, and the emotional stakes just increased with every page turn. By the 70-80% mark, I was in tears.
Ben is the sweetest kid. He’s 16 and an excellent student, super smart, responsible, a hard worker, but now he’s struggling to make sense of his life now that he’s found out he got his friend pregnant. He’s also gay. So there’s a bit of angst and drama but Ben ends up learning a lot of important lessons with the help of his amazing support system of family and friends.
Ben has grown up with a revolving door of stepdads. His own father died before he was born so he’s determined to raise his child and be the father he never had. But the baby’s mother wants to give it up for adoption. Ben is willing to put in the work to make this single-parenting arrangement happen - including getting a job and attending parenting classes - but as he becomes more and more overwhelmed, he slowly learns how much he must sacrifice and how much dedication parenthood will require.
My heart truly broke for Ben. I wanted him to not have to go through such pain and anguish. I wanted him to be able to enjoy what time he has left being a kid and not have to sacrifice the promising future he’d worked so hard to make possible for himself. And his heart is always in the right place which makes it all the more difficult to watch him struggling to come to terms with what has to be done. I was so proud of him too for listening to all the advice he was given, learning from his mistakes, and realizing that what he wanted wasn’t necessarily the right way to go.
One thing that stood out to me was that you don’t often see a teen pregnancy told from the father’s point of view. Jen Bailey handles this extremely well as it could have easily been a #notallmen / MRA / anti-woman message but it wasn’t (thankfully). In fact, Ben learns that he needs to make more of an effort to understand the baby’s mother’s experience and to ask himself why he’s doing what he’s doing. Part of his journey in this book is centered on him growing up and learning to put others’ needs before his own desires when necessary. I applaud Bailey on the careful and thoughtful way she navigated these tricky topics.
And again, like with another recent book I read, I suspect Ben is neurodivergent, likely on the autism spectrum. He admits to struggling with picking up nuances in conversation, is awkward in social situations, and exhibits rigid thinking, among other things. He even acknowledges knowing his whole life that he’s “different” from everybody else. I appreciate the subtlety Bailey used in conveying these elements of Ben’s character. They were never shown as obstacles or portrayed as negative. Props to the author for handling this aspect of his character so beautifully.
I enjoyed this so much. I would absolutely recommend Unexpecting for anyone of any age. It’s categorized as YA and the marketing compares it to Juno (which is a very apt comparison. If you liked Juno, you’re sure to enjoy this) but it’s a story for all ages, relatable and heartfelt, and highlights many important things along the way. It’s a beautiful story and will fill your heart with all the best feelings.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing the digital arc.
Ben is the sweetest kid. He’s 16 and an excellent student, super smart, responsible, a hard worker, but now he’s struggling to make sense of his life now that he’s found out he got his friend pregnant. He’s also gay. So there’s a bit of angst and drama but Ben ends up learning a lot of important lessons with the help of his amazing support system of family and friends.
Ben has grown up with a revolving door of stepdads. His own father died before he was born so he’s determined to raise his child and be the father he never had. But the baby’s mother wants to give it up for adoption. Ben is willing to put in the work to make this single-parenting arrangement happen - including getting a job and attending parenting classes - but as he becomes more and more overwhelmed, he slowly learns how much he must sacrifice and how much dedication parenthood will require.
My heart truly broke for Ben. I wanted him to not have to go through such pain and anguish. I wanted him to be able to enjoy what time he has left being a kid and not have to sacrifice the promising future he’d worked so hard to make possible for himself. And his heart is always in the right place which makes it all the more difficult to watch him struggling to come to terms with what has to be done. I was so proud of him too for listening to all the advice he was given, learning from his mistakes, and realizing that what he wanted wasn’t necessarily the right way to go.
One thing that stood out to me was that you don’t often see a teen pregnancy told from the father’s point of view. Jen Bailey handles this extremely well as it could have easily been a #notallmen / MRA / anti-woman message but it wasn’t (thankfully). In fact, Ben learns that he needs to make more of an effort to understand the baby’s mother’s experience and to ask himself why he’s doing what he’s doing. Part of his journey in this book is centered on him growing up and learning to put others’ needs before his own desires when necessary. I applaud Bailey on the careful and thoughtful way she navigated these tricky topics.
And again, like with another recent book I read, I suspect Ben is neurodivergent, likely on the autism spectrum. He admits to struggling with picking up nuances in conversation, is awkward in social situations, and exhibits rigid thinking, among other things. He even acknowledges knowing his whole life that he’s “different” from everybody else. I appreciate the subtlety Bailey used in conveying these elements of Ben’s character. They were never shown as obstacles or portrayed as negative. Props to the author for handling this aspect of his character so beautifully.
I enjoyed this so much. I would absolutely recommend Unexpecting for anyone of any age. It’s categorized as YA and the marketing compares it to Juno (which is a very apt comparison. If you liked Juno, you’re sure to enjoy this) but it’s a story for all ages, relatable and heartfelt, and highlights many important things along the way. It’s a beautiful story and will fill your heart with all the best feelings.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing the digital arc.
December 5, 2022
found it hard to empathize with ben because he's just so stupid
2.3 hours
2.3 hours
Read
August 13, 2023E-ARC generously sent to me by Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!
DNF at 33%. While the premise of Unexpecting was interesting, I’ve just found that I don’t like books about teen pregnancy.
DNF at 33%. While the premise of Unexpecting was interesting, I’ve just found that I don’t like books about teen pregnancy.
April 26, 2023
2023 reads: 130/350
not all science camp experiments have such dire consequences, but when ben finds out his best friend maxie is pregnant with his baby, he realizes his experiment cost more than he anticipated. now, he’s not only known as the gay kid, but the gay kid who got a girl pregnant. but maxie and her parents want ben to sign over his paternal rights, and ben wants to keep them.
what i liked about this book is how it explored how hard teenage parenthood is, and single teenage parenthood at that. though the majority of this book takes place before maxie gives birth, it’s shown how hard parenthood can be even before the baby arrives. it also did a good job of demonstrating that not all family is blood-related and that those family members are just as meaningful as those who are.
oftentimes ben just viewed maxie as the girl carrying his baby (if that) and not at all as a friend or even as someone going through a stressful situation. this did get somewhat better over the course of the book, but there still wasn’t enough reflection to make it completely better.
additionally, i’m still not sure what to think of the romance aspect, small as it was. the love interest is the main character’s ex-stepbrother, and in the beginning makes comments that make me feel he still views him as family. it was a bit weird, but again, the romance aspect wasn’t super prevalent, so it didn’t bug me too much.
not all science camp experiments have such dire consequences, but when ben finds out his best friend maxie is pregnant with his baby, he realizes his experiment cost more than he anticipated. now, he’s not only known as the gay kid, but the gay kid who got a girl pregnant. but maxie and her parents want ben to sign over his paternal rights, and ben wants to keep them.
what i liked about this book is how it explored how hard teenage parenthood is, and single teenage parenthood at that. though the majority of this book takes place before maxie gives birth, it’s shown how hard parenthood can be even before the baby arrives. it also did a good job of demonstrating that not all family is blood-related and that those family members are just as meaningful as those who are.
oftentimes ben just viewed maxie as the girl carrying his baby (if that) and not at all as a friend or even as someone going through a stressful situation. this did get somewhat better over the course of the book, but there still wasn’t enough reflection to make it completely better.
additionally, i’m still not sure what to think of the romance aspect, small as it was. the love interest is the main character’s ex-stepbrother, and in the beginning makes comments that make me feel he still views him as family. it was a bit weird, but again, the romance aspect wasn’t super prevalent, so it didn’t bug me too much.
January 5, 2023
I was offered the opportunity to review “Unexpecting” and I’ll be honest, I didn’t read up about it before I accepted so I went in blind…and that is the best possible way to read this book. This book a is a hit punch of emotions from page one all the way through to the end that you need to be completely unprepared for in order to get the full effect. Due to this: I’m going to try and right as spoiler free of a review as possible. What I will say is: this book had me hook, line, and sinker. I was immediately drawn in to Ben and his inner turmoil, devotion, and dedication to his unborn child and the means he was going to go to to make sure that the end result was what he felt was best for his baby. Faced with such a difficult decision so young, I feel Ben did everything to the best of his abilities. Very chapter brought a new layer, a new heartbreak, a new obstacle that was at once hard to read and powerful to read at the same time. This book is a must read for everyone, regardless of age or sexual identity. So much can be learned from this book aimed to YA audiences, and this author tackled such a heavy topic with care and ease. The fact this is a debut novel is astounding and makes me so excited for what this author will do in the future.
August 27, 2023
Review to come
April 8, 2023
Would it really be me if I wasn't writing a review for a book not releasing for another 4 months while I have two-year-old arcs gathering dust and ghosted emails from publishers?
I love a good story of single parenthood and resilience, and while this one isn't quite along those same lines, it's deeply impactful and emotional. Ben is gay, but he wanted to ~make sure~ before coming out. The end result? His best friend got pregnant.
This is a YA book about teen pregnancy told from the father's POV, and I think it was done beautifully.
TW: anxiety, panic attacks, vomiting, toxic parents (not MC’s), on-page blood, queerphobia (challenged)
CW: teen pregnancy, adoption process, custody battle, past death of a parent (war), discussion of abortion, divorce
Pitched as Juno meets Heartstopper (which is a perfect comp, BTW) the main core of UNEXPECTING is becoming a teenage parent and the realities of that decision. It's not always easy to read, but it was also refreshing to be in the head of a father who genuinely wants the kid and adores them. So often in stories (and real life) the father is the one who abandons; Ben fought hard for custody.
However, Maxie isn't written off at all. She's given a full arc and agency in the story as the mother, and I loved her. She and Ben are in robotics club, which does play a significant role in the story (unlike most YA books where the hobbies only play a part at the very beginning or end), and there's plenty of angst. It's YA angst, but it's about tricky, adult topics, so I think adult readers would still enjoy the drama and heart of the story.
This book does not meander into its plot and uses each one of its pages meaningfully. There's a romance subplot that is interesting, but doesn't pull too much focus from the main plot. I definitely think Ben is neurodivergent, something I wish the author leaned into a bit more. He has anxiety and panic attacks, but some of the ways he approaches life remind me of myself, someone who is extremely neurodivergent lol. Also, some other reviews point it out too!
I honestly don't remember what didn't exactly work for me, but there was definitely something. I just took bad notes (re: I took zero notes besides content warnings), hence the 4 stars instead of 5. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone and I look forward to Jenn Bailey's future books because I believe this is a debut!
Sad this book seems to have such a low average rating months before release (3.68), because I think it'll turn off many readers. But then again, I am rare in that I love emotional, heavy, angsty YA books by under the radar and/or debut authors. Those tend to be downplayed on Goodreads.
Rep: gay MC, bisexual MC, Black lesbian sc
Thank you to Wednesday Books for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
I love a good story of single parenthood and resilience, and while this one isn't quite along those same lines, it's deeply impactful and emotional. Ben is gay, but he wanted to ~make sure~ before coming out. The end result? His best friend got pregnant.
This is a YA book about teen pregnancy told from the father's POV, and I think it was done beautifully.
TW: anxiety, panic attacks, vomiting, toxic parents (not MC’s), on-page blood, queerphobia (challenged)
CW: teen pregnancy, adoption process, custody battle, past death of a parent (war), discussion of abortion, divorce
Pitched as Juno meets Heartstopper (which is a perfect comp, BTW) the main core of UNEXPECTING is becoming a teenage parent and the realities of that decision. It's not always easy to read, but it was also refreshing to be in the head of a father who genuinely wants the kid and adores them. So often in stories (and real life) the father is the one who abandons; Ben fought hard for custody.
However, Maxie isn't written off at all. She's given a full arc and agency in the story as the mother, and I loved her. She and Ben are in robotics club, which does play a significant role in the story (unlike most YA books where the hobbies only play a part at the very beginning or end), and there's plenty of angst. It's YA angst, but it's about tricky, adult topics, so I think adult readers would still enjoy the drama and heart of the story.
This book does not meander into its plot and uses each one of its pages meaningfully. There's a romance subplot that is interesting, but doesn't pull too much focus from the main plot. I definitely think Ben is neurodivergent, something I wish the author leaned into a bit more. He has anxiety and panic attacks, but some of the ways he approaches life remind me of myself, someone who is extremely neurodivergent lol. Also, some other reviews point it out too!
I honestly don't remember what didn't exactly work for me, but there was definitely something. I just took bad notes (re: I took zero notes besides content warnings), hence the 4 stars instead of 5. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone and I look forward to Jenn Bailey's future books because I believe this is a debut!
Sad this book seems to have such a low average rating months before release (3.68), because I think it'll turn off many readers. But then again, I am rare in that I love emotional, heavy, angsty YA books by under the radar and/or debut authors. Those tend to be downplayed on Goodreads.
Rep: gay MC, bisexual MC, Black lesbian sc
Thank you to Wednesday Books for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
January 15, 2023
Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this book!
I was really excited to read this because the concept seemed promising. A single gay teen dad, and it was compared to Heartstopper, which I really don’t get… there were no similarities at all.
This book wasn’t exactly what I was expecting, but as the plot picked up, it got really predictable. I have mixed feelings about Ben because at times he was acting so stupid and immature. Yes he’s young, yes he’s basically a child, but come on man. He didn’t care about Maxie for majority of the book. “I’m going into this whole parenthood thing with my eyes wide open.” boy no you’re not. I’m glad he realized it at the end but his attitude really pissed me off. And Mo… he was so dense too. The best characters were Eliza and Roger, his mom and his step dad. And Maxie, god I felt SO bad for her the entire time until the very end. She deserved so much better and I am so mad about it. “We created that life, Maxie, but that baby isn’t ours. I don’t think she ever has been.” What the hell. Truly, what the fuck. Not one person bothered to ask her what SHE actually wants. Not one person seemed to care enough to LISTEN to her. Yes, Ben did ask her once, but even then, she couldn’t open up and he definitely should’ve tried harder. Adoption is a controversial topic as it is, and Maxie not truly having a say in what happens to her baby made everything worse. The whole time it was about Ben and Maxie's parents, but what about Maxie??? You could really tell she was unhappy at the end. The last 20% of the book just infuriated me so much and I didn’t like the direction it took at all.
I was really excited to read this because the concept seemed promising. A single gay teen dad, and it was compared to Heartstopper, which I really don’t get… there were no similarities at all.
This book wasn’t exactly what I was expecting, but as the plot picked up, it got really predictable. I have mixed feelings about Ben because at times he was acting so stupid and immature. Yes he’s young, yes he’s basically a child, but come on man. He didn’t care about Maxie for majority of the book. “I’m going into this whole parenthood thing with my eyes wide open.” boy no you’re not. I’m glad he realized it at the end but his attitude really pissed me off. And Mo… he was so dense too. The best characters were Eliza and Roger, his mom and his step dad. And Maxie, god I felt SO bad for her the entire time until the very end. She deserved so much better and I am so mad about it. “We created that life, Maxie, but that baby isn’t ours. I don’t think she ever has been.” What the hell. Truly, what the fuck. Not one person bothered to ask her what SHE actually wants. Not one person seemed to care enough to LISTEN to her. Yes, Ben did ask her once, but even then, she couldn’t open up and he definitely should’ve tried harder. Adoption is a controversial topic as it is, and Maxie not truly having a say in what happens to her baby made everything worse. The whole time it was about Ben and Maxie's parents, but what about Maxie??? You could really tell she was unhappy at the end. The last 20% of the book just infuriated me so much and I didn’t like the direction it took at all.
January 5, 2023
I enjoyed this novel and was able to read it very quickly. I feel like this is a slightly different type of read for me. Overall the story I liked but it was predictable.
Particular things I found unique about this book:
- the perspective of teen pregnancy from the father's POV
- diverse character's
- variety of LGBTQIA+ rep
Things that I think could have been executed a little bit better:
- In the begining I found the writing choppy and many short sentences which made reading less enjoyable. Later in in the book I don't know if it got any better or if I got more interested in the story and ignored the type of writing a little bit.
- I feel like Ben is written as being younger than 16.
- I didn't enjoy the scientific analogies and comparisons in every situation.
- I felt like the end was rushed. I already knew what was going to happen so I think I would have liked to see a little bit more
- The miscommunication bothered me. I understand that he didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings but the situation he was in required open communication.
Questions I still have:
- Is Ben neurodivergent?
- If Ben's mom is a guidance couselor why hasn't Ben been to therapy to deal with the lack of a father figure in his life and his anxiety?
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this e-book.
Particular things I found unique about this book:
- the perspective of teen pregnancy from the father's POV
- diverse character's
- variety of LGBTQIA+ rep
Things that I think could have been executed a little bit better:
- In the begining I found the writing choppy and many short sentences which made reading less enjoyable. Later in in the book I don't know if it got any better or if I got more interested in the story and ignored the type of writing a little bit.
- I feel like Ben is written as being younger than 16.
- I didn't enjoy the scientific analogies and comparisons in every situation.
- I felt like the end was rushed. I already knew what was going to happen so I think I would have liked to see a little bit more
- The miscommunication bothered me. I understand that he didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings but the situation he was in required open communication.
Questions I still have:
- Is Ben neurodivergent?
- If Ben's mom is a guidance couselor why hasn't Ben been to therapy to deal with the lack of a father figure in his life and his anxiety?
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this e-book.
March 25, 2024
I throughly enjoyed this book Unexpected by Jen Bailey.
It’s a story about a boy who decided to have sex with his best friend just to see if he is really gay. At the same time the best friend is wanting to do this for a social experiment. Not knowing that decision would have consequences Maxie reveals she is pregnant and wants to give the baby up for adoption. Where Ben wants to take custody of the baby and raise the baby.
I really enjoyed how this story moved. I really enjoyed that it was from Ben’s point of view. So good.
Thank you Netgalley and Wednesday books for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
It’s a story about a boy who decided to have sex with his best friend just to see if he is really gay. At the same time the best friend is wanting to do this for a social experiment. Not knowing that decision would have consequences Maxie reveals she is pregnant and wants to give the baby up for adoption. Where Ben wants to take custody of the baby and raise the baby.
I really enjoyed how this story moved. I really enjoyed that it was from Ben’s point of view. So good.
Thank you Netgalley and Wednesday books for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 8, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝙅𝙪𝙣𝙤 𝙢𝙚𝙚𝙩𝙨 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙣 𝙖 𝙥𝙤𝙞𝙜𝙣𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮, 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙖 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚.
I honestly struggle with my rating on this book, while I completely respect the concept, I just didn’t really find it impactful - maybe it was just that I wasn't too attached to the characters…
Ben finds out his best friend Maxie is pregnant with his baby… he’s gay and wanted to experiment with Maxie, but neither of the two was expecting the outcome.
There’s a huge theme around teenage parenthood, which I really did find enjoyable. I think it’s so important for more books to discuss such themes. I also loved the found family between the characters to be so impactful.
I also did enjoy the diversity of the characters and LGBTQ+ representation throughout the book.
It does at times feel too juvenile, but again, it is a Young Adult story so it’s meant to be written that way. I just really struggled at times to connect with the story. The characters, especially Ben, sometimes had thoughts that just didn’t make sense.
While I do think the majority of the book is a coming-of-age trope, there is a small romance aspect I didn’t really feel attached to. I did find the ending to be rushed and there were also a few miscommunication moments I didn’t love.
Overall, I understand what the purpose of this story was. I liked it for what it was, I just didn’t feel too attached to the characters. I do still think it’s a great story and will resonate with an audience out there.
Thank you so much NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the review copy in exchange for my honest review!
•𝗧𝗪/𝗖𝗪: Pregnancy, Homophobia, Panic Attacks/Disorders, Death Of A Parent
𝙅𝙪𝙣𝙤 𝙢𝙚𝙚𝙩𝙨 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙣 𝙖 𝙥𝙤𝙞𝙜𝙣𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮, 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙖 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚.
I honestly struggle with my rating on this book, while I completely respect the concept, I just didn’t really find it impactful - maybe it was just that I wasn't too attached to the characters…
Ben finds out his best friend Maxie is pregnant with his baby… he’s gay and wanted to experiment with Maxie, but neither of the two was expecting the outcome.
There’s a huge theme around teenage parenthood, which I really did find enjoyable. I think it’s so important for more books to discuss such themes. I also loved the found family between the characters to be so impactful.
I also did enjoy the diversity of the characters and LGBTQ+ representation throughout the book.
It does at times feel too juvenile, but again, it is a Young Adult story so it’s meant to be written that way. I just really struggled at times to connect with the story. The characters, especially Ben, sometimes had thoughts that just didn’t make sense.
While I do think the majority of the book is a coming-of-age trope, there is a small romance aspect I didn’t really feel attached to. I did find the ending to be rushed and there were also a few miscommunication moments I didn’t love.
Overall, I understand what the purpose of this story was. I liked it for what it was, I just didn’t feel too attached to the characters. I do still think it’s a great story and will resonate with an audience out there.
Thank you so much NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the review copy in exchange for my honest review!
•𝗧𝗪/𝗖𝗪: Pregnancy, Homophobia, Panic Attacks/Disorders, Death Of A Parent
July 21, 2023
Before Benjamin came out, he wanted to make sure he was really gay, and his best friend Maxie wanted to lose her virginity, so they had sex. Some time later, they must deal with the consequences—Maxie is pregnant. But while her parents won't accept an abortion, Ben, who lost his father as a baby, doesn't want to give his child to adoption. Can he, however, give up his ambitions of passing to a good university to work to have enough to raise a child by himself?
I won't lie, I didn't like all aspects of this book. So I'd say it's more of a 3.5 rounded up. Ben was unbelievably naive about how his future would be raising a child for someone who is supposed to be smart, and his friendship with Maxie was hard to buy, as it fell through much before Ben showed that he was willing to fight her family in court for the child. A little of Ben's drama didn't feel natural and deserved a little more development, it's what I mean.
But to compensate, the book focuses elsewhere, on points you don't always see stories about teenage pregnancy cover. Ben's mother trying to make he see the level of responsibility that he'll have even before the baby is born is the best part. Also, the meaning of family. The side characters were all charming (I mean, almost all), I loved them.
We've also got a budding romance with the boy, Gio, who works at the place Ben needs to start work to save money. Gio is very cute, I'm in love with him, especially. Even if the point of the book isn't romance, it's also worth it.
Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.
I won't lie, I didn't like all aspects of this book. So I'd say it's more of a 3.5 rounded up. Ben was unbelievably naive about how his future would be raising a child for someone who is supposed to be smart, and his friendship with Maxie was hard to buy, as it fell through much before Ben showed that he was willing to fight her family in court for the child. A little of Ben's drama didn't feel natural and deserved a little more development, it's what I mean.
But to compensate, the book focuses elsewhere, on points you don't always see stories about teenage pregnancy cover. Ben's mother trying to make he see the level of responsibility that he'll have even before the baby is born is the best part. Also, the meaning of family. The side characters were all charming (I mean, almost all), I loved them.
We've also got a budding romance with the boy, Gio, who works at the place Ben needs to start work to save money. Gio is very cute, I'm in love with him, especially. Even if the point of the book isn't romance, it's also worth it.
Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.
March 29, 2023
First off, thank you to the publishers for sending me this ARC through NetGalley!
This didn't work for me! None of the characters really felt like they had personalities, and I didn't think that there was anything particularly special about the ways that the themes of pregnancy, family, or queerness were treated.
Maxie's experiences throughout the book are traumatizing and very shallowly explored. Within the story, she is treated as a womb holding Ben's child, and as such is continually dismissed.
The entire journey of the book was about shifting Ben's perspective on parenting and family, there was some strange gender essentialism happening in this, and the way it all resolved felt very clean and strange given the actual events of the book.
I also did not love that the romance (which wasn't actually very romantic) in this book borrowed from the Clueless (1995) school of love interests.
Pregnancy should be addressed in YA because it is an experience that teens have! But, I don't feel like this had much to offer aside from having a gay main character. This just didn't land!
This didn't work for me! None of the characters really felt like they had personalities, and I didn't think that there was anything particularly special about the ways that the themes of pregnancy, family, or queerness were treated.
Maxie's experiences throughout the book are traumatizing and very shallowly explored. Within the story, she is treated as a womb holding Ben's child, and as such is continually dismissed.
The entire journey of the book was about shifting Ben's perspective on parenting and family, there was some strange gender essentialism happening in this, and the way it all resolved felt very clean and strange given the actual events of the book.
I also did not love that the romance (which wasn't actually very romantic) in this book borrowed from the Clueless (1995) school of love interests.
Pregnancy should be addressed in YA because it is an experience that teens have! But, I don't feel like this had much to offer aside from having a gay main character. This just didn't land!
May 4, 2024
A beautifully, messy, REAL look at found family and a complicated YA teen pregnancy situation where two friends end up having sex as a summer camp experiment of sorts and one ends up pregnant while the other reaffirms, he is indeed, gay.
What follows is an at times painful story of trying to find the courage to do what's right, be a good friend, make hard sacrifices, step up as a soon to be parent and embrace new relationships - romantic and paternal. I absolutely loved this book and wish I hadn't waited so long to finally pick it up.
HIGHLY recommended for fans of the movie Juno or the book Concrete rose by Angie Thomas. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review. I wish this book was available on audio but maybe one day it will be soon.
What follows is an at times painful story of trying to find the courage to do what's right, be a good friend, make hard sacrifices, step up as a soon to be parent and embrace new relationships - romantic and paternal. I absolutely loved this book and wish I hadn't waited so long to finally pick it up.
HIGHLY recommended for fans of the movie Juno or the book Concrete rose by Angie Thomas. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review. I wish this book was available on audio but maybe one day it will be soon.
August 17, 2023
Thank you to Wednesday Books for gifting me with an ARC of this book.
This is such a great book, which is why it pains me to say that I will not be able to purchase it for my Texas High School Library due to some of the content.
Ben & Maxie are pregnant, Maxie's parents expect her to carry the baby and then give it up for adoption. Ben wants to keep the baby and is prepared to fight for his right to do so.
The book takes us through Ben's thought process of WHY he wants the baby and what all he is willing to give up to raise the baby. His entire world is changing, he has to make so many adult decisions at 16. We also see how he struggles with his new reality and expectations leading up to the baby being born.
Content: LGBTQIA+, Teen Pregnancy, abandonment, death of a parent, adoption,
This is such a great book, which is why it pains me to say that I will not be able to purchase it for my Texas High School Library due to some of the content.
Ben & Maxie are pregnant, Maxie's parents expect her to carry the baby and then give it up for adoption. Ben wants to keep the baby and is prepared to fight for his right to do so.
The book takes us through Ben's thought process of WHY he wants the baby and what all he is willing to give up to raise the baby. His entire world is changing, he has to make so many adult decisions at 16. We also see how he struggles with his new reality and expectations leading up to the baby being born.
Content: LGBTQIA+, Teen Pregnancy, abandonment, death of a parent, adoption,
Want to read
December 29, 2022december 1st, 2022
arc acquired >:) thank you wednesday books for pulling through once again
arc acquired >:) thank you wednesday books for pulling through once again
May 18, 2023
A novel that shares the other side of teen pregnancies, with a very happy ending.
This is not the type of novel that I typically like to read, but I am glad that the publisher reached out, because I would’ve missed out. Following Ben, Maxie and their families, this shares the ups and downs of a teen pregnancy that was not supposed to happen, and shares what goes on in the father’s side of things. This would definitely appeal to those who want a unique story and all the happiness.
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and the author for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.
This is not the type of novel that I typically like to read, but I am glad that the publisher reached out, because I would’ve missed out. Following Ben, Maxie and their families, this shares the ups and downs of a teen pregnancy that was not supposed to happen, and shares what goes on in the father’s side of things. This would definitely appeal to those who want a unique story and all the happiness.
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and the author for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.
June 26, 2025
Ok this book was unexpectedly really cute. Plot was interesting, with fun and different characters. Gio was adorableeee and I loved the Monica and Lisa together💕 overall, very much a light and cute read, and not super (I mean just a litttle🤷♀️) predictable!
April 25, 2023
3 stars
Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an arc of this book!!
Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an arc of this book!!
October 14, 2023
Wow. I adored this.
February 11, 2023
good book! thought it had a good storyline and nice vibe. and cute cover!
August 16, 2023
Two months ago, Benjamin Morrison sat his mother and stepfather down and came out as gay, which it why it comes as a huge surprise when he sits them down again to tell them that he is going to be a father after an experiment with his best friend Maxie at summer camp. What surprises them even more is that he wants to fight to keep the baby and raise them as a single parent. To prove his commitment to being a father, Ben works hard to balance school, robotics club, a new job, and parenting classes, but it proves much harder than he anticipated and his schoolwork and relationships with his friends start to suffer. Despite his passionate reasons for wanting to raise the baby, Ben starts to have doubts with every challenge he faces and every sacrifice he stares down. When an unexpected complication arises, he starts to realize that being a parent means making the hard choices, even if they aren’t the ones you want to make.
I knew from just reading the description of this story that it would break me - and I was right. I sobbed like a baby, so hard in fact that my eight year old daughter walked in and asked if she needed to bring me tissues because “I can see your boogers.” For reasons I’d rather not get into, a lot of this story resonated with me and hit me deeply.
This story is pitched as Juno meets HEARTSTOPPER and, while I can’t speak to the second part (I may be one of the only people right now who hasn’t read or seen it), it definitely gave a lot of the same vibes from Juno. The story is told strictly from Ben’s POV and it definitely is the POV that provides the biggest gut punch when it comes to the emotional aspect of the story. He is determined to do what he believes is right, but he is also a teenager who had grand plans for his future. His complicated relationship with his stepfather (and father figures in general) plays a big part in his motivations and it allows the reader to really understand how much it means to him.
There are a lot of big feelings in this book, not just from Ben, but the supporting cast around him as well. Bailey treats each character with such respect and gives them their own moment to have the big feelings that Ben doesn’t realize that they are having. I’m not sure if it is intentional, but it felt to me like Ben is neurodiverse (or at least coded as such) and that nuance to his character made a big impact on how he interacted with those he loved, which added even more depth to the story.
One of the biggest takeaways from this story is the concept of family and what it means to be a parent. Ben goes on a huge journey that teaches him (and reminds us) that family does not always just mean blood. This story is one that will leave you battling all the emotions as Ben goes through all the ups and downs that come with growing up and with parenthood, especially those that happen prior to birth.
While it may be obvious from reading the description of the story, I’d also like to give some trigger warnings because I feel like they are some pretty big ones. This story contains depictions of teenage pregnancy, pregnancy complications, and bits of homophobia and bigotry.
Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher for free and have voluntarily written this review.
I knew from just reading the description of this story that it would break me - and I was right. I sobbed like a baby, so hard in fact that my eight year old daughter walked in and asked if she needed to bring me tissues because “I can see your boogers.” For reasons I’d rather not get into, a lot of this story resonated with me and hit me deeply.
This story is pitched as Juno meets HEARTSTOPPER and, while I can’t speak to the second part (I may be one of the only people right now who hasn’t read or seen it), it definitely gave a lot of the same vibes from Juno. The story is told strictly from Ben’s POV and it definitely is the POV that provides the biggest gut punch when it comes to the emotional aspect of the story. He is determined to do what he believes is right, but he is also a teenager who had grand plans for his future. His complicated relationship with his stepfather (and father figures in general) plays a big part in his motivations and it allows the reader to really understand how much it means to him.
There are a lot of big feelings in this book, not just from Ben, but the supporting cast around him as well. Bailey treats each character with such respect and gives them their own moment to have the big feelings that Ben doesn’t realize that they are having. I’m not sure if it is intentional, but it felt to me like Ben is neurodiverse (or at least coded as such) and that nuance to his character made a big impact on how he interacted with those he loved, which added even more depth to the story.
One of the biggest takeaways from this story is the concept of family and what it means to be a parent. Ben goes on a huge journey that teaches him (and reminds us) that family does not always just mean blood. This story is one that will leave you battling all the emotions as Ben goes through all the ups and downs that come with growing up and with parenthood, especially those that happen prior to birth.
While it may be obvious from reading the description of the story, I’d also like to give some trigger warnings because I feel like they are some pretty big ones. This story contains depictions of teenage pregnancy, pregnancy complications, and bits of homophobia and bigotry.
Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher for free and have voluntarily written this review.
March 23, 2023
Major thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts:
Came in expecting some BL and all I got was BD:
Baby Daddy! 😭 😭 😭
A gay baby daddy at that.
Don't worry. This all happens on the first page. No spoilers.
Bailey understands what it's like to be young and go through so much. Though elevated at high stakes, she perfectly captures the very pressures of being a senior in high school. SAT's, mounting tasks too much for a small little body, the overthinking, the friendships we create and destroy as we Sisyphus our way out towards some kind of freedom.
Bailey manages to create a loving cast of characters that make us think we actually have it good. There is someone in my circle that loves me. And maybe I should thank them for being there for me.
Every chapter comes with a fun little jest that makes it completely bingeable in a Netflix kind of way. With the right balance of humor and drama, Bailey captures the resilience of our high school selves. I couldn't help but think of my own high school motto:
Perseverance always wins!!!
Came in expecting some BL and all I got was BD:
Baby Daddy! 😭 😭 😭
A gay baby daddy at that.
Don't worry. This all happens on the first page. No spoilers.
Bailey understands what it's like to be young and go through so much. Though elevated at high stakes, she perfectly captures the very pressures of being a senior in high school. SAT's, mounting tasks too much for a small little body, the overthinking, the friendships we create and destroy as we Sisyphus our way out towards some kind of freedom.
Bailey manages to create a loving cast of characters that make us think we actually have it good. There is someone in my circle that loves me. And maybe I should thank them for being there for me.
Every chapter comes with a fun little jest that makes it completely bingeable in a Netflix kind of way. With the right balance of humor and drama, Bailey captures the resilience of our high school selves. I couldn't help but think of my own high school motto:
Perseverance always wins!!!
August 27, 2023
A Joyfully Jay review.
3.75 stars
Unexpecting by Jen Bailey gives us the story of teen pregnancy through the eyes of the expectant father, as the story is told from Ben’s sole POV. I think the approach works well in some ways and is less successful in others. We meet Ben as a super smart, albeit socially awkward, high school junior. He excels at school and is on track for a top-tier university in a couple of years. Ben is a science kid with a science brain and he approaches most things with logic and order, but this may be the exception, as it is clear his feelings about fatherhood are based on emotion. Ben wants to raise the baby because he missed out on that father figure in his life and he wants to give that to a child. So while Maxie’s family wants him to sign away his parental rights so they can put the baby up for adoption, Ben is clear he wants to raise the baby. Ben (quite mistakenly) is sure he understands what is involved in raising a child and throughout the book we see him coming to terms with what fatherhood will really entail.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
3.75 stars
Unexpecting by Jen Bailey gives us the story of teen pregnancy through the eyes of the expectant father, as the story is told from Ben’s sole POV. I think the approach works well in some ways and is less successful in others. We meet Ben as a super smart, albeit socially awkward, high school junior. He excels at school and is on track for a top-tier university in a couple of years. Ben is a science kid with a science brain and he approaches most things with logic and order, but this may be the exception, as it is clear his feelings about fatherhood are based on emotion. Ben wants to raise the baby because he missed out on that father figure in his life and he wants to give that to a child. So while Maxie’s family wants him to sign away his parental rights so they can put the baby up for adoption, Ben is clear he wants to raise the baby. Ben (quite mistakenly) is sure he understands what is involved in raising a child and throughout the book we see him coming to terms with what fatherhood will really entail.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
August 25, 2023
I am not sure if this relates to Juno or Heartstopper, those are still on my tbr and tbw.
But it is about two friends who perform an experiment during camp to see if the one is really gay which results in a teen pregnancy. It puts stress on their friendship, the parents, their high school lives and shifts the way they have to think about living. They are still children in some ways so having to mature through each new stage is a struggle and some are a little slower to catch up.
I think this did represent a lot of protections women have when pregnant and also the experience of how powerless you can feel when you are in this kind of situation.
I was happy with how everything resolved itself at the end. And for teens who don’t want to be in a similar situation this can show you a lot of the struggles of starting a family that young. It is not always the right choice for everyone.
Check triggers since pregnancy is involved and she's not really advocating for herself cause no one is even checking in with her; they are just trying to handle the situation. His family was a bit more supportive but had some of their own triggers.
Thank you wednesdaybooks for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.
3.75⭐
But it is about two friends who perform an experiment during camp to see if the one is really gay which results in a teen pregnancy. It puts stress on their friendship, the parents, their high school lives and shifts the way they have to think about living. They are still children in some ways so having to mature through each new stage is a struggle and some are a little slower to catch up.
I think this did represent a lot of protections women have when pregnant and also the experience of how powerless you can feel when you are in this kind of situation.
I was happy with how everything resolved itself at the end. And for teens who don’t want to be in a similar situation this can show you a lot of the struggles of starting a family that young. It is not always the right choice for everyone.
Check triggers since pregnancy is involved and she's not really advocating for herself cause no one is even checking in with her; they are just trying to handle the situation. His family was a bit more supportive but had some of their own triggers.
Thank you wednesdaybooks for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.
3.75⭐
August 19, 2023
This is an example of ‘great idea, poor execution.’ I found the whole story very mediocre, given the really interesting subject matter. The majority just dragged on and on for me, and while I’m very aware that Ben is a teenage boy, his lack of self awareness and disregard of his friends and family, made this hard to read.
Ben, I think, is very clearly neurodivergent in some way and I would have loved for that to be touched on more. Anyone aware of his panic attacks or mood swings, never appears to worry about what it means or why it happens and that was odd to me. I just couldn’t find myself liking any of them, really except Maxie. Which isn’t saying too much considering she isn’t given nearly as much development in the book as she deserved.
My connection to these characters only really hit in the last ten percent of the story, when everything was wrapping up. Everything came to a very sweet conclusion but for all the turmoil, it seemed as though it all came together too perfectly. They spent almost the entries pregnancy at odds or fighting, only for it to all be completely fine and perfect with one single decision. It didn’t seem realistic to me. Also, the relationship with Gio could have easily been omitted since it never amounted to much.
I do think the message behind this story is important though and teenage pregnancy is a heavy topic that should be discuss in all its variables. It can be thoughtful at times and I did appreciate the conversations Ben was having with others. It simply missed the mark for me, in particular.
Thank you to Wednesday Books for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Ben, I think, is very clearly neurodivergent in some way and I would have loved for that to be touched on more. Anyone aware of his panic attacks or mood swings, never appears to worry about what it means or why it happens and that was odd to me. I just couldn’t find myself liking any of them, really except Maxie. Which isn’t saying too much considering she isn’t given nearly as much development in the book as she deserved.
My connection to these characters only really hit in the last ten percent of the story, when everything was wrapping up. Everything came to a very sweet conclusion but for all the turmoil, it seemed as though it all came together too perfectly. They spent almost the entries pregnancy at odds or fighting, only for it to all be completely fine and perfect with one single decision. It didn’t seem realistic to me. Also, the relationship with Gio could have easily been omitted since it never amounted to much.
I do think the message behind this story is important though and teenage pregnancy is a heavy topic that should be discuss in all its variables. It can be thoughtful at times and I did appreciate the conversations Ben was having with others. It simply missed the mark for me, in particular.
Thank you to Wednesday Books for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 21, 2023
4 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Thankyou to Netgalley for this eARC, for an honest review!
**""Look at what we did, Maxie. Look at their family." I nod toward Lisa and Monica. "It may have been the result of questionable decisions, and it was hard, but look at what we did. We created that life, Maxie, but that baby isn't ours. I don't think she ever has been. Look how happy they are, how perfect. That's thanks to you.""
Ugh 😭
What a GOOD book!
I am feeling all the feelings.
Honestly, I didn't know what to expect going into this book .. I guess you could say I was "unexpecting" 😂 ... I know bad joke! BUT it's true, I had no idea how I was going to feel about this book. After reading it, I am so happy that I did.
This was truly a coming of age book. You have a sixteen year old boy who ends up losing his virginity to his bestfriend as a sort of experiment to understand for him, if he is truly gay and for her, a way to not make a big deal out of it with someone she trusts. Welp, now there's a baby on the way. Since the MMC struggled with father figures his whole life, he is set on raising this child, while the FMC is barely getting along with her parents and wanting to turn back time.
I had a feeling of who was going to end up adopting the baby ... but that changed NOTHING when it came to all of the emotions I was feeling about it.
I have now said enough. Please pick this book up. It's a must read!
Thankyou to Netgalley for this eARC, for an honest review!
**""Look at what we did, Maxie. Look at their family." I nod toward Lisa and Monica. "It may have been the result of questionable decisions, and it was hard, but look at what we did. We created that life, Maxie, but that baby isn't ours. I don't think she ever has been. Look how happy they are, how perfect. That's thanks to you.""
Ugh 😭
What a GOOD book!
I am feeling all the feelings.
Honestly, I didn't know what to expect going into this book .. I guess you could say I was "unexpecting" 😂 ... I know bad joke! BUT it's true, I had no idea how I was going to feel about this book. After reading it, I am so happy that I did.
This was truly a coming of age book. You have a sixteen year old boy who ends up losing his virginity to his bestfriend as a sort of experiment to understand for him, if he is truly gay and for her, a way to not make a big deal out of it with someone she trusts. Welp, now there's a baby on the way. Since the MMC struggled with father figures his whole life, he is set on raising this child, while the FMC is barely getting along with her parents and wanting to turn back time.
I had a feeling of who was going to end up adopting the baby ... but that changed NOTHING when it came to all of the emotions I was feeling about it.
I have now said enough. Please pick this book up. It's a must read!
July 27, 2023
I was so invested in this unique storyline. It follows Benjamin Morrison who is going into his junior year of high school. He loved science and was a part of the robotics club with his two best friends.
Benjamin is gay, but plot twist he is now an expecting father. The girl who is pregnant is his best friend and her and her parents want to put the child up for adoption.
They begin to go through the whole adoption process, interviewing potential parents. Benjamin refuses to let that happen. He wants to raise the child and is willing to be a single father. He does whatever it takes, from getting a job to taking parent classes.
I really loved the way everything turned out. This will definitely make you feel a variety of emotions. This was a great book.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press Wednesday books for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Benjamin is gay, but plot twist he is now an expecting father. The girl who is pregnant is his best friend and her and her parents want to put the child up for adoption.
They begin to go through the whole adoption process, interviewing potential parents. Benjamin refuses to let that happen. He wants to raise the child and is willing to be a single father. He does whatever it takes, from getting a job to taking parent classes.
I really loved the way everything turned out. This will definitely make you feel a variety of emotions. This was a great book.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press Wednesday books for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
August 25, 2023
Perfect for fans of Saved! And Juno. What an eye opening story about what it means to be family, and what it means to be a good friend. This story encourages opening up and talking to people about your feelings. Honestly, I found myself saying “wow, this is a wonderful piece of therapy” many times while reading this. Roger and Gio have some lovely insightful things to say to Ben. The plot itself is a pretty unique one: Two high school robotics team best friends have sex for science! Oh, but Ben is gay and is now unexpectedly going to be a father. This book is a beautiful coming of age story. I received this eARC through Netgalley.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 283 reviews