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The Right Kind of Unexpected: A new adult, feel-good summer romance
Tess hasn’t experienced many kindnesses in her eighteen years. When her boyfriend abandons her at a small-town gas station, it’s not a surprise, just one more crappy event to add to the pile. Without a car, money, or cell phone, her options are limited, and calling her parents isn’t one of them, so when the family that owns the station throws her a lifeline, she grabs hold. Because even the worst situations can have a silver lining, and this one is a town called Jasper Creek, a diner everyone calls Earl’s, and a young mechanic named Colten Reed.
362 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 18, 2022
55 people are currently reading
720 people want to read
About the author
Rayna York
4 books62 followersRayna York grew up with hippie parents that moved a lot. Where change was the norm, books were her constant—a way to escape. As an adult, many careers came and went, but writing has always been her passion. Her books tend to be based on dreams, and since that’s the way inspiration strikes, she wakes up every morning and writes them in her notebook with barely an eye open. When she’s not tucked away in her writing shack, she’s pursuing other passions, like chocolate, reading, or movies/TV series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 144 reviews
September 6, 2022
talk abt the slow burn SHEEESHHH. such a good book.
June 20, 2022
A modern-day fairy tale of love growing in the most unlikely places and enduring through the harshest of trials. When Tess is dumped by her fair-weather boyfriend in the backend of nowhere, she is left in somewhat of a predicament. With no money, belongings, phone, or ID, and with no one to call upon for help, Tess has little choice but to accept the charity of strangers.
Yet sometimes life can give us exactly what we need, precisely when we need it. Strangers may be the friends and found family we never realised we wanted and when real life finally catches us with Tess, it is a bigger wrench to leave than she ever imagined it would be.
Charming and beautifully written, “The Right Kind of Unexpected” is a gentle, heart-warming tale of redemption, hope, discovering who you are meant to be and finding the one place in the world you can call home. This is a story that echoes back to the old-fashioned notion of working for what you want, having the patience to wait for something and being prepared to take a chance on love.
An easy read, I devoured this book in two days and was left wanting more. With relatable characters and a relaxed pace that is comforting to fall into, what more can I say, other than I loved this book and am awarding it an easy five stars.
Yet sometimes life can give us exactly what we need, precisely when we need it. Strangers may be the friends and found family we never realised we wanted and when real life finally catches us with Tess, it is a bigger wrench to leave than she ever imagined it would be.
Charming and beautifully written, “The Right Kind of Unexpected” is a gentle, heart-warming tale of redemption, hope, discovering who you are meant to be and finding the one place in the world you can call home. This is a story that echoes back to the old-fashioned notion of working for what you want, having the patience to wait for something and being prepared to take a chance on love.
An easy read, I devoured this book in two days and was left wanting more. With relatable characters and a relaxed pace that is comforting to fall into, what more can I say, other than I loved this book and am awarding it an easy five stars.
June 12, 2022
This was a cute summer read. She ends up getting abandoned at a small town gas station/diner after a crappy boyfriend takes off with her car, cell, and wallet. She finds the nicest people in existence who just happen to have an age appropriate super hot son. They give her a safe place to live and work and she finds everything she was missing from her life up in NYC.
There's a time jump and I didn't mind it one bit. I think the story needed it. I just wish she had kept in touch with everyone at least a little bit in the off page time. I appreciated her relationships with everyone in the book but really liked how she won over Jed, the grumpiest of grumpy old men.
Thank you to Netgalley, Toad Tree Press, and Rayna York for a copy in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.
There's a time jump and I didn't mind it one bit. I think the story needed it. I just wish she had kept in touch with everyone at least a little bit in the off page time. I appreciated her relationships with everyone in the book but really liked how she won over Jed, the grumpiest of grumpy old men.
Thank you to Netgalley, Toad Tree Press, and Rayna York for a copy in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.
August 16, 2022
This is a YA romance novel that tells us the story of 18-year-old Tess who has just graduated from school and travels with her boyfriend Dax from New York to Disney World. They stop at the gas station near a small town called Jasper Creek and while she goes to the bathroom, Dax leaves Tess there taking her car, purse, wallet, and phone.
That's when Tess meets Colten, the son of the owners of this gas station. Conrad works in the garage, his father Earl is a chef at the diner, and his mother Twyla is a waitress there (and she really loves art). Also, Colten has a younger sister Josie, who is a genius. Colten's parents offer Tess to stay at their place and work as a waitress at their diner this summer. Tess decides to accept their offer since she doesn't want to stay in NYC alone (her parents are in Europe right now).
I'll start with the cons of this book. First of all, I'm not a fan of insta love. Give me some slow burn! Here we have kinda both. Tess and Colten fall in love at the first sight, but they don't want to ruin their friendship for a pretty long time (there's almost a friends-to-lovers trope here). Also, Colten was hella annoying for the first half of the book. I'll give you an example (that's a quote from the book):
“Why are you so obsessed with my parents' money?” I mean, frick. Every conversation we have seems to circle around to it.
“I'm not.”
“You are! You're always making comments on teasing me. Colten. It's. Not. My. Money.”
Yes, our main character, Tess, is a rich girl from NYC. And Colten is an ordinary guy from a small town. BUT I literally couldn't stand him for like 50% of the book! He CONSTANTLY reminded Tess that she's rich and tried to insult her with her parents' money at every opportunity. And you know what? He was doing that even though he knew that Tess's mom is abusive and Tess's dad doesn't care neither about Tess nor about his wife being abusive to their daughter. Is it okay to insult anyone with their parents having a lot of money when this person isn't doing anything bad? No. Is it okay to do that, when you kinda like this person and know that her parents aren't even loving? NO.
One more thing I didn't like about this book was the writing at some moments. Like there were a lot of scenes when we didn't get to see some events, instead of that author described them to us through Tess's thoughts or just dialogues. Like, for example, Tess's life before being abandoned by her boyfriend at this small-town gas station.
Also, here is a four-year time jump. To be honest, I wasn't prepared for that and I personally don't really like time jumps in books/movies/etc. But it made total sense, considering the plot. However, what didn't make sense is that the characters didn't act like they hadn't seen each other for those four years. I wish they were acting more surprised and distant, you know?
Now on to my favorite part of the book. As I already said, I didn't really like main characters of this book. Sometimes they acted stupid, and Colten was annoying most of the time. BUT. Side characters. They're literally the best. I want to live in this book. I want to visit Jasper Creek. I want to visit that diner and try Earl's food, talk to Jeb (probably my fav character! <3), look at Twyla's art, and just spend some time with Naomi, Sri and Josie. All of them are SO NICE, and the cozy atmosphere in this book was just heartwarming. Loved that!
I read this book in July and, trust me, this was a perfect summer read. I would recommend it to anyone who likes young adult because now I want to spend the rest of my summer in Jasper Creek.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this arc in exchange for an honest review.
That's when Tess meets Colten, the son of the owners of this gas station. Conrad works in the garage, his father Earl is a chef at the diner, and his mother Twyla is a waitress there (and she really loves art). Also, Colten has a younger sister Josie, who is a genius. Colten's parents offer Tess to stay at their place and work as a waitress at their diner this summer. Tess decides to accept their offer since she doesn't want to stay in NYC alone (her parents are in Europe right now).
I'll start with the cons of this book. First of all, I'm not a fan of insta love. Give me some slow burn! Here we have kinda both. Tess and Colten fall in love at the first sight, but they don't want to ruin their friendship for a pretty long time (there's almost a friends-to-lovers trope here). Also, Colten was hella annoying for the first half of the book. I'll give you an example (that's a quote from the book):
“Why are you so obsessed with my parents' money?” I mean, frick. Every conversation we have seems to circle around to it.
“I'm not.”
“You are! You're always making comments on teasing me. Colten. It's. Not. My. Money.”
Yes, our main character, Tess, is a rich girl from NYC. And Colten is an ordinary guy from a small town. BUT I literally couldn't stand him for like 50% of the book! He CONSTANTLY reminded Tess that she's rich and tried to insult her with her parents' money at every opportunity. And you know what? He was doing that even though he knew that Tess's mom is abusive and Tess's dad doesn't care neither about Tess nor about his wife being abusive to their daughter. Is it okay to insult anyone with their parents having a lot of money when this person isn't doing anything bad? No. Is it okay to do that, when you kinda like this person and know that her parents aren't even loving? NO.
One more thing I didn't like about this book was the writing at some moments. Like there were a lot of scenes when we didn't get to see some events, instead of that author described them to us through Tess's thoughts or just dialogues. Like, for example, Tess's life before being abandoned by her boyfriend at this small-town gas station.
Also, here is a four-year time jump. To be honest, I wasn't prepared for that and I personally don't really like time jumps in books/movies/etc. But it made total sense, considering the plot. However, what didn't make sense is that the characters didn't act like they hadn't seen each other for those four years. I wish they were acting more surprised and distant, you know?
Now on to my favorite part of the book. As I already said, I didn't really like main characters of this book. Sometimes they acted stupid, and Colten was annoying most of the time. BUT. Side characters. They're literally the best. I want to live in this book. I want to visit Jasper Creek. I want to visit that diner and try Earl's food, talk to Jeb (probably my fav character! <3), look at Twyla's art, and just spend some time with Naomi, Sri and Josie. All of them are SO NICE, and the cozy atmosphere in this book was just heartwarming. Loved that!
I read this book in July and, trust me, this was a perfect summer read. I would recommend it to anyone who likes young adult because now I want to spend the rest of my summer in Jasper Creek.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this arc in exchange for an honest review.
June 20, 2022
{4.25 ☆} HAPPY (belated) RELEASE DAY The Right Kind of Unexpected!!
I read this book in a surprisingly short amount of time especially given the fact that it’s exam season and I should be doing other things right now (oops).
In this novel, 18-year-old Tess is travelling to Disney World with her boyfriend Dax who ends up taking her car along with her wallet, phone and other things leaving her stranded and shell-shocked at a gas station in a small town called Jasper Creek where she knows no one. That is until she meets Colten and his family.
Colten is a boy around Tess’s age who works in the garage attached to the gas station. His parents, the owners of the gas station and diner next door offer Tess a waitressing job and a place to stay for the summer. She chooses to take the job so that she doesn’t have to spend her last summer before starting her first semester at NYU alone in a house where she’d be surrounded by her two negligent parents.
This novel gets a 4.25 out of 5 from me! Tess and Colten are absolutely adorable together and being able to see them fall in love was amazing!! This is a great summer read, I definitely recommend it and will 100% reread it at some point.
Thank you so much NetGalley and Toad Tree Press for this Advanced Readers Copy!!
I read this book in a surprisingly short amount of time especially given the fact that it’s exam season and I should be doing other things right now (oops).
In this novel, 18-year-old Tess is travelling to Disney World with her boyfriend Dax who ends up taking her car along with her wallet, phone and other things leaving her stranded and shell-shocked at a gas station in a small town called Jasper Creek where she knows no one. That is until she meets Colten and his family.
Colten is a boy around Tess’s age who works in the garage attached to the gas station. His parents, the owners of the gas station and diner next door offer Tess a waitressing job and a place to stay for the summer. She chooses to take the job so that she doesn’t have to spend her last summer before starting her first semester at NYU alone in a house where she’d be surrounded by her two negligent parents.
This novel gets a 4.25 out of 5 from me! Tess and Colten are absolutely adorable together and being able to see them fall in love was amazing!! This is a great summer read, I definitely recommend it and will 100% reread it at some point.
Thank you so much NetGalley and Toad Tree Press for this Advanced Readers Copy!!
June 24, 2022
This was such a great YA book! I was really, really invested in Tess’s story and journey of found family, love, friendship, identity and standing her ground.
The characters in this book are just so good, I want to give them all a big hug. I want to eat Earl’s food, have a verbal brawl over coffee with Jeb, go to dinner with Twyla, mix ice cream creations with Naomi and Sri, play trivial pursuit with Josie and take my car to Colten’s shop. It was like being in a less eccentric Stars Hollow and I ate it up!
I also loved that the queer side character was a great friend, successful and ends up in a happy, queer relationship.
This is an easy five stars!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank You to NetGalley and Toad Tree Press for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The characters in this book are just so good, I want to give them all a big hug. I want to eat Earl’s food, have a verbal brawl over coffee with Jeb, go to dinner with Twyla, mix ice cream creations with Naomi and Sri, play trivial pursuit with Josie and take my car to Colten’s shop. It was like being in a less eccentric Stars Hollow and I ate it up!
I also loved that the queer side character was a great friend, successful and ends up in a happy, queer relationship.
This is an easy five stars!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank You to NetGalley and Toad Tree Press for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 26, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I requested this ARC hoping for a cute summer read, and while the premise of the book definitely fitted my expectations, the book itself did not. However if you're a reader who doesn't look too much into anything and you simply want a light hearted summer read, this is the book for you. Unfortunately, I'm not that kind of reader.
Starting off, she had little to no reaction when she found out her boyfriend left her in the middle of nowhere, but for the sake of being a 'rom com' book, I decided to brush it off and hoped that it would get better from there.
But it didn't. The romance between Tess and Colten was insta love and fastburn. They had all the right tropes and groundwork, but the lack of depth and chemistry between the two characters made the romance seem unrealistic and flimsy. Also the part where Tess dumped her entire life story on him in the first 24 hours after they met,, like who does that??
The dialogue was very off, not just between Tess and Colten, but also with the side characters as well. The book also suffered from telling but not showing syndrome. I felt like that we should have gotten to see Tess' backstory instead from her info dumping us through shitty dialogue, along with her character development during the timeskip.
I actually found Tess' relationships with the other side characters more interesting. But just like her relationship with Colten, it lacked well written development.
I requested this ARC hoping for a cute summer read, and while the premise of the book definitely fitted my expectations, the book itself did not. However if you're a reader who doesn't look too much into anything and you simply want a light hearted summer read, this is the book for you. Unfortunately, I'm not that kind of reader.
Starting off, she had little to no reaction when she found out her boyfriend left her in the middle of nowhere, but for the sake of being a 'rom com' book, I decided to brush it off and hoped that it would get better from there.
But it didn't. The romance between Tess and Colten was insta love and fastburn. They had all the right tropes and groundwork, but the lack of depth and chemistry between the two characters made the romance seem unrealistic and flimsy. Also the part where Tess dumped her entire life story on him in the first 24 hours after they met,, like who does that??
The dialogue was very off, not just between Tess and Colten, but also with the side characters as well. The book also suffered from telling but not showing syndrome. I felt like that we should have gotten to see Tess' backstory instead from her info dumping us through shitty dialogue, along with her character development during the timeskip.
I actually found Tess' relationships with the other side characters more interesting. But just like her relationship with Colten, it lacked well written development.
June 20, 2022
"Sometimes we found ourselves right where we need to be."
This book start immediately with the MC being abandoned in an unknown city by her ex-boyfriend but ended up having the best summer time she ever had compare to the life she had on NYC.
I love this small town-Jasper Creek and the people in it, everybody is so friendly and welcoming.
I feel happy for Tess finding out what she's been missing her whole life like the wonderful friendship she had with Naomi and Sri as well as the feeling of someone looking out for her which she find in Colten's family.
I feel slightly annoyed at some parts of the story because I was anxious for the main characters to get together already.
Nevertheless, I love the romantic build up between Tess and Colten, I was touched with what they had. They are the definition of the right person-wrong time-kind of couple.
"I suppose our meeting was a gift as well as a curse."
The time jumps felt slightly too sudden but I understand it was necessary for the characters development.
Although, I also wish there's more to that epilogue!
Overall, this is a satisfying quick and cute summer read which'll bring out all kinds of emotions and teach us that family is not always the people bound by blood to us.
I'll definitely be reading other books from this author!
Actual rating: 4.5⭐
Thank you to Netgalley, Rayna York and Toad Tree Press for granting this review copy to me. I'm leaving this honest review voluntarily!
This book start immediately with the MC being abandoned in an unknown city by her ex-boyfriend but ended up having the best summer time she ever had compare to the life she had on NYC.
I love this small town-Jasper Creek and the people in it, everybody is so friendly and welcoming.
I feel happy for Tess finding out what she's been missing her whole life like the wonderful friendship she had with Naomi and Sri as well as the feeling of someone looking out for her which she find in Colten's family.
I feel slightly annoyed at some parts of the story because I was anxious for the main characters to get together already.
Nevertheless, I love the romantic build up between Tess and Colten, I was touched with what they had. They are the definition of the right person-wrong time-kind of couple.
"I suppose our meeting was a gift as well as a curse."
The time jumps felt slightly too sudden but I understand it was necessary for the characters development.
Although, I also wish there's more to that epilogue!
Overall, this is a satisfying quick and cute summer read which'll bring out all kinds of emotions and teach us that family is not always the people bound by blood to us.
I'll definitely be reading other books from this author!
Actual rating: 4.5⭐
Thank you to Netgalley, Rayna York and Toad Tree Press for granting this review copy to me. I'm leaving this honest review voluntarily!
July 14, 2022
The Right Kind of Unexpected by Rayna York took me by surprise. This is not my typical genre of choice, but I decided to read the book anyway. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.
Tess and her boyfriend planned a romantic road trip. However, things did not go as planned. They argued constantly and got on each other’s nerves the entire trip. At some point, her boyfriend stopped for gasoline at a small, rural town. She decided to use the restroom, and when she got out and tried to return to the car, it was gone along with her boyfriend. He had abandoned her at a gasoline station in the middle of nowhere with no clothes, phone, or money. Luckily, there was a diner next to the gasoline station owned by a kind couple that took her in. The friendly couple had a super smart little girl and hunky son named Colton. In this small town and with this family she would learn the true meaning of friendship and what a loving home is supposed to be.
So what was supposed to be the worst time of Tess’s life, turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Something she had never expected. But, all good things must come to an end—or must it?
This is a well-written, sweet, and entertaining young adult romance that I’m happy to recommend.
Tess and her boyfriend planned a romantic road trip. However, things did not go as planned. They argued constantly and got on each other’s nerves the entire trip. At some point, her boyfriend stopped for gasoline at a small, rural town. She decided to use the restroom, and when she got out and tried to return to the car, it was gone along with her boyfriend. He had abandoned her at a gasoline station in the middle of nowhere with no clothes, phone, or money. Luckily, there was a diner next to the gasoline station owned by a kind couple that took her in. The friendly couple had a super smart little girl and hunky son named Colton. In this small town and with this family she would learn the true meaning of friendship and what a loving home is supposed to be.
So what was supposed to be the worst time of Tess’s life, turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Something she had never expected. But, all good things must come to an end—or must it?
This is a well-written, sweet, and entertaining young adult romance that I’m happy to recommend.
January 28, 2025
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
While I may be super behind on reading my arcs, I am pretty happy that I was able to carve out time to read this little gem. In The Right Kind of Unexpected you will meet Tess and Colten. They don't meet each other on the best of terms, but they eventually fall in love in a pretty cute way.
How do they meet exactly? Well, her boyfriend leaves her in this small town and takes off with her car. Yeah, her car. How does she react exactly? Well, she ends up thinking good riddance and decides to take a mini vacation from everything in this little town.
Then the slow burn truly starts to build between her and Colten. Now Colten's family is sweet as pie. They basically take her in with zero hesitation and make sure that she is okay. Due to the small town living, everyone finds out what happened to her pretty quickly. While these two cuties dance around one another, it's only a matter of time before they cross those lines and start to fall in love. Of course, once that actually happens, the drama is unleashed and they are torn apart.
In the end, they find their way back to one another, and the romance picks up rather quickly. It was cute and a little predictable. I'm happy that they were able to adapt to whatever challenges they faced and were able to still find a home in one another.
While I may be super behind on reading my arcs, I am pretty happy that I was able to carve out time to read this little gem. In The Right Kind of Unexpected you will meet Tess and Colten. They don't meet each other on the best of terms, but they eventually fall in love in a pretty cute way.
How do they meet exactly? Well, her boyfriend leaves her in this small town and takes off with her car. Yeah, her car. How does she react exactly? Well, she ends up thinking good riddance and decides to take a mini vacation from everything in this little town.
Then the slow burn truly starts to build between her and Colten. Now Colten's family is sweet as pie. They basically take her in with zero hesitation and make sure that she is okay. Due to the small town living, everyone finds out what happened to her pretty quickly. While these two cuties dance around one another, it's only a matter of time before they cross those lines and start to fall in love. Of course, once that actually happens, the drama is unleashed and they are torn apart.
In the end, they find their way back to one another, and the romance picks up rather quickly. It was cute and a little predictable. I'm happy that they were able to adapt to whatever challenges they faced and were able to still find a home in one another.
August 16, 2022
➳ Rate: 4,5/ 5 stars
This was honestly so so cute. I felt so much for Tess and all she was going through. But this book was the definition of everything happens for a reason and the reason was incredible.
Tess found a family, found her place, found love and the journey was so cute and beautiful. I loved Cole so much. His whole family was amazing. These two together were adorable.
After Tess went back home and lived the life she deserved, she comes back to that small town and gets the final missing piece back. Gosh, that moment was so incredible! These two were just meant to be.
➳ARC kindly provided by the author, in exchange for an honest review.
➳ Order at: Amazon US
➳ Follow me on: Instagram ⁕ Facebook ⁕ Tiktok
This was honestly so so cute. I felt so much for Tess and all she was going through. But this book was the definition of everything happens for a reason and the reason was incredible.
Tess found a family, found her place, found love and the journey was so cute and beautiful. I loved Cole so much. His whole family was amazing. These two together were adorable.
After Tess went back home and lived the life she deserved, she comes back to that small town and gets the final missing piece back. Gosh, that moment was so incredible! These two were just meant to be.
➳ARC kindly provided by the author, in exchange for an honest review.
➳ Order at: Amazon US
➳ Follow me on: Instagram ⁕ Facebook ⁕ Tiktok
July 10, 2022
I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Copy provided by Toad Tree Press.
Tess hasn’t experienced many kindnesses in her eighteen years. When her boyfriend abandons her at a small-town gas station, it’s not a surprise, just one more crappy event to add to the pile. Without a car, money, or cell phone, her options are limited, and calling her parents isn’t one of them, so when the family that owns the station throws her a lifeline, she grabs hold. Because even the worst situations can have a silver lining, and this one is a town called Jasper Creek, a diner everyone calls Earl’s, and a young mechanic named Colten Reed.
This books had cute moments but I didn't fell like there were anything particularly special or different from other books. I'm not a fan of books where the entire plot resolves around two characters not being together out of fear of breaking up. It just wasn't satisfying when the characters eventually got back together. I didn't like the time skips either. The story however, was really cute, although a little far fetched at times. The writing also felt very disjointed at times. There were many interesting characters in the book and is definitely a cute summer read. I did enjoy it but didn't love it. If you're looking for a fun, summer romance meets drama, then this book is right up your alley and I would recommend giving this book a shot.
Tess hasn’t experienced many kindnesses in her eighteen years. When her boyfriend abandons her at a small-town gas station, it’s not a surprise, just one more crappy event to add to the pile. Without a car, money, or cell phone, her options are limited, and calling her parents isn’t one of them, so when the family that owns the station throws her a lifeline, she grabs hold. Because even the worst situations can have a silver lining, and this one is a town called Jasper Creek, a diner everyone calls Earl’s, and a young mechanic named Colten Reed.
This books had cute moments but I didn't fell like there were anything particularly special or different from other books. I'm not a fan of books where the entire plot resolves around two characters not being together out of fear of breaking up. It just wasn't satisfying when the characters eventually got back together. I didn't like the time skips either. The story however, was really cute, although a little far fetched at times. The writing also felt very disjointed at times. There were many interesting characters in the book and is definitely a cute summer read. I did enjoy it but didn't love it. If you're looking for a fun, summer romance meets drama, then this book is right up your alley and I would recommend giving this book a shot.
September 11, 2022
3.5☆
If I had read this when I was 16, I would have absolutely loved this. However, I am 22 and have (I'd liked to think) matured my taste since then. Although, I did stay up until 3 am to finish this in one sitting.
Plot
So, the plot was pretty basic. I could see where the plot was going from page 1, but it didn't diminish my enjoyment (that much).
I liked the first half of the book. I enjoyed reading about her working at the diner. The Reed family was so sweet and I love them. Then, we get a time jump, I personally dislike them. In this case, it didn't feel like it'd been 4 years since she left. More like a few months. As for the ending, I didn't care for it.
Romance
Tess and Colten had some nice tension at times. It was insta-lovey though, which I dislike. They lacked chemistry and felt very much teen fling vibes even though they're adults. Also, I don't really like books about people who refuse to date for fear of breaking up and I hate lying/being mean to break up for the other person's sake.
Characters
Tess was okay. Some of the things she said to her "poorer" friends annoyed me. I feel like a normal person wouldn't just spout stuff like that. She dumped her entire life story on Colten in the first 24 hours after they met. I feel like we should have gotten to see Tess' backstory instead of her info dumping us.
Colten was a little annoying in the first half of the book. Constantly refused to be attracted to her and also he was weirdly obsessed with shitting on her because her parents are rich (and did this constantly).
The side characters were fun. I loved Jeb and Twyla. But, I'm gonna be honest, at times I didn't know who some characters were.
Overall, I'd recommend this to older young adults, but it was just ok for me.
This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
If I had read this when I was 16, I would have absolutely loved this. However, I am 22 and have (I'd liked to think) matured my taste since then. Although, I did stay up until 3 am to finish this in one sitting.
Plot
So, the plot was pretty basic. I could see where the plot was going from page 1, but it didn't diminish my enjoyment (that much).
I liked the first half of the book. I enjoyed reading about her working at the diner. The Reed family was so sweet and I love them. Then, we get a time jump, I personally dislike them. In this case, it didn't feel like it'd been 4 years since she left. More like a few months. As for the ending, I didn't care for it.
Romance
Tess and Colten had some nice tension at times. It was insta-lovey though, which I dislike. They lacked chemistry and felt very much teen fling vibes even though they're adults. Also, I don't really like books about people who refuse to date for fear of breaking up and I hate lying/being mean to break up for the other person's sake.
Characters
Tess was okay. Some of the things she said to her "poorer" friends annoyed me. I feel like a normal person wouldn't just spout stuff like that. She dumped her entire life story on Colten in the first 24 hours after they met. I feel like we should have gotten to see Tess' backstory instead of her info dumping us.
Colten was a little annoying in the first half of the book. Constantly refused to be attracted to her and also he was weirdly obsessed with shitting on her because her parents are rich (and did this constantly).
The side characters were fun. I loved Jeb and Twyla. But, I'm gonna be honest, at times I didn't know who some characters were.
Overall, I'd recommend this to older young adults, but it was just ok for me.
This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 29, 2023
This book was completely unexpected. I was going through kindle unlimited books and saw this and was like okay, cute summer story. Man. Did this catch me off guard. At first I wasn’t sure if I could get into it. It kinda just starts off. And it makes you feel like you’re missing a whole other story. But then you get more into it and you get sucked in by it all. Tess is amazing. The way she changes throughout the book is wonderful. She’s not your regular spoiled kid from New York. She’s got grit and sass and so much personality. Colten. I love Colten. He ticks me off at times but he has good reasoning. Noemi and Sri. I love them so much. And Jeb. Ugh. Jeb has my heart. Was a gruff but loving old man. Twyla and Earl are my absolute favorite. And the way their family is so loving and kind. This story is absolutely wonderful!
August 14, 2022
I'm stuck between giving this book 2.5 or 3 stars, but I'll explain why.
Things I liked:
>The writing in this book was really interesting to follow and easy to visualize. Especially the small town diner atmosphere. It reminded me of Schitt''s Creek which I enjoyed a lot!
>Everyone in Jasper's Creek was so friendly and forgiving. A bit too forgiving after the time skip, but I'll let it slide. They all treated Tessa as their own, and I liked how the secondary characters were drawn out.
>I liked how Tessa started becoming more independent and responsible at the diner, even making friends with Jeb. The relationships she built with everyone felt wholesome and the I loved the revelation that Naomi and Sri were her first genuine friends.
>Twyla was an awesome character! She was so straightforward and honest, especially when it came to her family which was refreshing because sometimes they really needed a calm but stern reality check.
Things I disliked:
>The fact that everything Colten said which was logical and understandable, turned out to be seen as a wrong??? While he wasn't the best character, he actually made really good points which were just thrown back in his face.
>The emotionally maturity gap between Colten and Tessa. She really should've tried Josie's methods of reasoning when it came to her spur of the moment decisions on her future.
> I thought Tessa would realize Colten was right about them when she got older. Except that didn't happen, and she still blamed him even going as far as telling his MOM, the lady that took her in when she was quite literally abandoned, that it was Colten's fault they severed ways.
>Tessa deciding to cut all ties with everyone from Jasper Creek without even saying goodbye, while they were at the hospital by the way, because she was so angry after fight with Colten. That moment felt so ironic because she had just said she couldn't live without them. Yet she continued living for four years without a word to them.
>Uhhh how about her boyfriend who drove off with her car and everything else she had, and Tessa didn't even react much. She could've been in serious danger, but nothing was done about it. Jail time for him, please.
>I kept trying to reason and remind myself that she's only eighteen. But *heavy sigh* she kept saying things that showed just how out of touch she was with everyone else who grew up in a different environment from her. It was almost like a "grass is greener on the other side" complex.
Overall I think this was a pretty good book. The only thing that kept me from giving it more than three stars was the main character. Although she was likable, I think Tessa needed to develop more because she still had the same way of thinking at twenty two, compared to when she was eighteen. (Which I hoped would change.)Plus I would have liked to see their relationship get out of the insta-love type phase, because it had a lot of potential to be more than simply than a two week thing.
Things I liked:
>The writing in this book was really interesting to follow and easy to visualize. Especially the small town diner atmosphere. It reminded me of Schitt''s Creek which I enjoyed a lot!
>Everyone in Jasper's Creek was so friendly and forgiving. A bit too forgiving after the time skip, but I'll let it slide. They all treated Tessa as their own, and I liked how the secondary characters were drawn out.
>I liked how Tessa started becoming more independent and responsible at the diner, even making friends with Jeb. The relationships she built with everyone felt wholesome and the I loved the revelation that Naomi and Sri were her first genuine friends.
>Twyla was an awesome character! She was so straightforward and honest, especially when it came to her family which was refreshing because sometimes they really needed a calm but stern reality check.
Things I disliked:
>The fact that everything Colten said which was logical and understandable, turned out to be seen as a wrong??? While he wasn't the best character, he actually made really good points which were just thrown back in his face.
>The emotionally maturity gap between Colten and Tessa. She really should've tried Josie's methods of reasoning when it came to her spur of the moment decisions on her future.
> I thought Tessa would realize Colten was right about them when she got older. Except that didn't happen, and she still blamed him even going as far as telling his MOM, the lady that took her in when she was quite literally abandoned, that it was Colten's fault they severed ways.
>Tessa deciding to cut all ties with everyone from Jasper Creek without even saying goodbye, while they were at the hospital by the way, because she was so angry after fight with Colten. That moment felt so ironic because she had just said she couldn't live without them. Yet she continued living for four years without a word to them.
>Uhhh how about her boyfriend who drove off with her car and everything else she had, and Tessa didn't even react much. She could've been in serious danger, but nothing was done about it. Jail time for him, please.
>I kept trying to reason and remind myself that she's only eighteen. But *heavy sigh* she kept saying things that showed just how out of touch she was with everyone else who grew up in a different environment from her. It was almost like a "grass is greener on the other side" complex.
Overall I think this was a pretty good book. The only thing that kept me from giving it more than three stars was the main character. Although she was likable, I think Tessa needed to develop more because she still had the same way of thinking at twenty two, compared to when she was eighteen. (Which I hoped would change.)Plus I would have liked to see their relationship get out of the insta-love type phase, because it had a lot of potential to be more than simply than a two week thing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 4, 2022
Thank you NetGalley for providing me a e-copy of this book for a honest review!
It is a cute, summer romance about love which comes in unexpected places :)
Rich girl, abandoned in a small town gas station by her bad-boy-boyfriend who left her there with nothing - no phone, no keys, no cash.... She's angry. Angry beacuse she doesn't want to get her parents or police involved. But then she meets HIM - really cute and handsome car mechanic who lives there with his family... they offer their help to her - she can stay for the summer, she just need to work for them in a diner. Slowly she fells in love with these people - not only Colton's family but with everyone. She wants to stay there forever but we all know it- it's just some cute, summer romance which is not going to be serious... Right?
I really enjoyed the writing. I've read it in one evening!
Colton is such a golden retriver boy. I oft prefer morally grey characters or some enemies-to-lovers type of books, but i really liked him. He is such a nice guy who would give you everything he could.
I didn't mind skipping that much time but i was angry on Tessa for not reaching out to her two best friends or even Jeb - i just don't understand that :(
But anyway, it's a perfect summer book so if you're a fan of this type of stories - you should definitely read this one.
It is a cute, summer romance about love which comes in unexpected places :)
Rich girl, abandoned in a small town gas station by her bad-boy-boyfriend who left her there with nothing - no phone, no keys, no cash.... She's angry. Angry beacuse she doesn't want to get her parents or police involved. But then she meets HIM - really cute and handsome car mechanic who lives there with his family... they offer their help to her - she can stay for the summer, she just need to work for them in a diner. Slowly she fells in love with these people - not only Colton's family but with everyone. She wants to stay there forever but we all know it- it's just some cute, summer romance which is not going to be serious... Right?
I really enjoyed the writing. I've read it in one evening!
Colton is such a golden retriver boy. I oft prefer morally grey characters or some enemies-to-lovers type of books, but i really liked him. He is such a nice guy who would give you everything he could.
I didn't mind skipping that much time but i was angry on Tessa for not reaching out to her two best friends or even Jeb - i just don't understand that :(
But anyway, it's a perfect summer book so if you're a fan of this type of stories - you should definitely read this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 13, 2022
This had cute moments but felt pretty standard.
I'm personally not a fan of books where the entire plot resolves around two characters not being together out of fear of breaking up. To me, it causes the story to become frustrating and makes it no longer satisfying when the characters eventually get together. It felt like the only obstacle Colten and Tess overcame was just changing their minds.
I didn't really like the time skip in this one either. Time skips can be done well, and I understand why it was necessary for this story, but it felt like the time skip should have been positioned either closer to the middle of the book or closer to the end. Time skips really slow down the momentum of a story, and the way it was positioned made a lot of the post-time-skip events feel like filler.
I did enjoy the writing, so even though this particular story didn't work for me, I'd be interested in reading another book by this author.
Content: a few fade-to-black scenes, some language
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
I'm personally not a fan of books where the entire plot resolves around two characters not being together out of fear of breaking up. To me, it causes the story to become frustrating and makes it no longer satisfying when the characters eventually get together. It felt like the only obstacle Colten and Tess overcame was just changing their minds.
I didn't really like the time skip in this one either. Time skips can be done well, and I understand why it was necessary for this story, but it felt like the time skip should have been positioned either closer to the middle of the book or closer to the end. Time skips really slow down the momentum of a story, and the way it was positioned made a lot of the post-time-skip events feel like filler.
I did enjoy the writing, so even though this particular story didn't work for me, I'd be interested in reading another book by this author.
Content: a few fade-to-black scenes, some language
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
July 6, 2022
* Requested on Netgalley in return for an honest review*
Sweet! I have to say, I had my doubts when I was about 6-7 chapters in. Tess was not my type of person. I found her a bit of a brat and she did not make it easy for me to really enjoy this book. Colten saved the day! He's an adorable guy, realisticly portrayed.
Luckily, it started to get better and better. Tess became a more likeable person for me and enjoyed the storyline itself. A YA-cliche here and there, but also some surprising moments. Really loved Colten's family.
When it comes to the writingstyle, for me personally, there were parts where there was too much info-dropping that I felt weren't really necessarily. Also felt that certain dialogues seemed to be put down in a rush, many short sentences which made it a fast read but also a bit hectic at times.
But, since I did enjoy it, especially the 2nd half, and Tess became a nicer character to read about, I'm giving it a 3.5. Definitely a nice read if you like the general YA-genre and have a thing for the nice guy next door! No bad boys in this one 😄
Sweet! I have to say, I had my doubts when I was about 6-7 chapters in. Tess was not my type of person. I found her a bit of a brat and she did not make it easy for me to really enjoy this book. Colten saved the day! He's an adorable guy, realisticly portrayed.
Luckily, it started to get better and better. Tess became a more likeable person for me and enjoyed the storyline itself. A YA-cliche here and there, but also some surprising moments. Really loved Colten's family.
When it comes to the writingstyle, for me personally, there were parts where there was too much info-dropping that I felt weren't really necessarily. Also felt that certain dialogues seemed to be put down in a rush, many short sentences which made it a fast read but also a bit hectic at times.
But, since I did enjoy it, especially the 2nd half, and Tess became a nicer character to read about, I'm giving it a 3.5. Definitely a nice read if you like the general YA-genre and have a thing for the nice guy next door! No bad boys in this one 😄
July 6, 2022
✅️ YA /New Adult
✅️ Summer Fling /True Love ❤️
✅️ Small Town Romance
✅️ Single POV (h)
Tess gets abandoned in a small town in North Carolina by her now ex-boyfriend. Little does she know, this will change her entire future. 🥰
Great small town romance that is super sweet to watch as their relationship unfolds. They had great chemistry and wasn't very steamy, so if you are looking for a fade to black kind of romance book- this is it! Loved it!
I also want to say, that I loved the insta-friendship between the small town girls and Tess. We need more of this in the world! Even though she was from New York, they welcomed her so quickly and easily! 😍🥰
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this eARC!
✅️ Summer Fling /True Love ❤️
✅️ Small Town Romance
✅️ Single POV (h)
Tess gets abandoned in a small town in North Carolina by her now ex-boyfriend. Little does she know, this will change her entire future. 🥰
Great small town romance that is super sweet to watch as their relationship unfolds. They had great chemistry and wasn't very steamy, so if you are looking for a fade to black kind of romance book- this is it! Loved it!
I also want to say, that I loved the insta-friendship between the small town girls and Tess. We need more of this in the world! Even though she was from New York, they welcomed her so quickly and easily! 😍🥰
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this eARC!
July 13, 2022
The premise of this book starts with Tess going on a road trip to Disney with her (now ex-) boyfriend Dax...who ends up abandoning her in the first chapter, leaving her stranded (at a gas station) without any of her belongings (including her cell phone and wallet) in the middle of nowhere (small town, Jasper Creek). So, of course, she meets these super nice people who, of course, have a super hot son (Colten), and the family ends up helping her (they offer her a place to live and a job), and she's happy! Sooooooooooooooooo a nice small town romance ensues. I would classify this book as between older young adult and new adult (Tess is eighteen, fade-to-black scenes). Would recommend this book for fans of Sarah Dessen (especially Along for the Ride)! The story is pretty standard but York's writing is very enticing. Would recommend :)
June 22, 2022
This was a very cute read! One I smashed through in one evening.
At first, I wasn’t sure, a few things seemed a little bit too far fetched for me, and mostly felt thing were moving too quickly. I also got annoyed by Tess’s obsession with her family money and couldn’t help to eye roll whenever she complained about it.
However, I really liked the vibes between Tess and Colten, as well as the friendships and family love. The chemistry & tension were also 10/10, and I enjoyed the time jump - wish we got a bit more of that!
Overall, it’s a nice summer read and if I read it in one sitting, it’s definitely one to recommend.
At first, I wasn’t sure, a few things seemed a little bit too far fetched for me, and mostly felt thing were moving too quickly. I also got annoyed by Tess’s obsession with her family money and couldn’t help to eye roll whenever she complained about it.
However, I really liked the vibes between Tess and Colten, as well as the friendships and family love. The chemistry & tension were also 10/10, and I enjoyed the time jump - wish we got a bit more of that!
Overall, it’s a nice summer read and if I read it in one sitting, it’s definitely one to recommend.
September 14, 2022
my review in simple terms: it was fine.
i liked the beginning of the book. it was fast-paced, and i loved meeting all the characters. i found myself smiling and giggling while reading about the blossoming romance between tess and colten. i was certain this would be a five-star read, but the last third of the book came along and knocked off two stars.
i hated the time jump. i thought it was very random and unnecessary. four years is a long time, but it seemed like only a few weeks had passed, and nothing had actually changed.
i think i would have liked this more if i were younger.
i liked the beginning of the book. it was fast-paced, and i loved meeting all the characters. i found myself smiling and giggling while reading about the blossoming romance between tess and colten. i was certain this would be a five-star read, but the last third of the book came along and knocked off two stars.
i hated the time jump. i thought it was very random and unnecessary. four years is a long time, but it seemed like only a few weeks had passed, and nothing had actually changed.
i think i would have liked this more if i were younger.
May 29, 2022
I enjoyed this book, a lot. Having read York’s other two books, this story shows so much growth as a writer and I can really see it in these characters. Tess and Colten are both flawed and yet I couldn’t help but want the HEA for them. And Colten (fans self). New book boyfriend. 😁 I recommend this new adult book to fans of Sarah Dessen’s Along for the Ride and Elle Kennedy’s Good Girl Complex (with less spice).
July 8, 2022
‘The Right Kind of Unexpected’ is a sweet and heartwarming love story which is sure to make you smile!
At the beginning I was confused why we didn’t get more of the run-up to Tess being left at the station but quickly it made more and more sense that this was not the story being told, instead it’s a cute story of finding your own path and place despite what may be against you which I thought was very sweet. I would recommend to anyone looking for a light and cosy read!
At the beginning I was confused why we didn’t get more of the run-up to Tess being left at the station but quickly it made more and more sense that this was not the story being told, instead it’s a cute story of finding your own path and place despite what may be against you which I thought was very sweet. I would recommend to anyone looking for a light and cosy read!
July 9, 2022
What a perfect summer read. A romance with a little bit of everything. I feel in love with this book from page one until the last page. The author kept me wanting to know what would happen if these two would make it or not. Might try something else by them next.
August 7, 2022
To keep it short and sweet (and spoiler free)… I found this book while browsing through kindle selections and I’m happy that I decided to read it. Such a fun, loving and emotional read on so many levels. Would definitely recommend reading.
September 2, 2022
DNF @ 25%
*I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
I had to DNF this book about 25% of the way through. While I initially liked the plot of the story, rich girl gets stranded in small town by shitty boyfriend and gets a job working at a diner where sparks fly with the owner's son, I didn't connect with the writing style or the characters. Aside from what I was being told about the characters, I didn't feel like I knew them or their motivations. The writing style itself was a bit odd and juvenile at parts which is what ultimately made me stop reading.
While I may not have connected with this book, I don't necessarily think it's bad, it was just not the book for me.
*I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
I had to DNF this book about 25% of the way through. While I initially liked the plot of the story, rich girl gets stranded in small town by shitty boyfriend and gets a job working at a diner where sparks fly with the owner's son, I didn't connect with the writing style or the characters. Aside from what I was being told about the characters, I didn't feel like I knew them or their motivations. The writing style itself was a bit odd and juvenile at parts which is what ultimately made me stop reading.
While I may not have connected with this book, I don't necessarily think it's bad, it was just not the book for me.
July 9, 2025
Dnf 17%
Great premise but the execution was too unbelievable and annoying. How was she not at all bothered that her boyfriend abandoned her and stole her car?
Great premise but the execution was too unbelievable and annoying. How was she not at all bothered that her boyfriend abandoned her and stole her car?
July 30, 2025
4.5⭐️ Such a cute read! Loved it😍
June 19, 2022
I liked the premise of this story - a wealthy girl, from Manhattan is dumped at a gas station on the way to Disney World by her boyfriend, who leaves with her car and all of her possessions while she’s in the bathroom.
Being abandoned turns out to be a blessing in disguise, as she finds a home in Jasper Creek. She falls in love with the town, the community and the cute mechanic whose family has taken her in. Eventually, she has to make a choice between this new life she’s started to build or the old one that is calling her back.
I found it challenging to finish this book. The characters didn’t have much depth and the writing and dialogue was hard to engage with. Again, I liked the idea of these characters and thought they could be fleshed out more.
The thing I did appreciate about this story was that Tess fought for her happiness and tried to build a life different to the one she had been given.
Being abandoned turns out to be a blessing in disguise, as she finds a home in Jasper Creek. She falls in love with the town, the community and the cute mechanic whose family has taken her in. Eventually, she has to make a choice between this new life she’s started to build or the old one that is calling her back.
I found it challenging to finish this book. The characters didn’t have much depth and the writing and dialogue was hard to engage with. Again, I liked the idea of these characters and thought they could be fleshed out more.
The thing I did appreciate about this story was that Tess fought for her happiness and tried to build a life different to the one she had been given.
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