Title: Unexpecting

Author: Jen Bailey

Series or standalone: standalone

Publication year: 2023

Genres: fiction, contemporary, LGBT+, romance, coming of age

*I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Image & summary from Goodreads*

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...

I really enjoyed this! It deftly tackles complicated family history and dynamics, friendship struggles, sexuality, and the big issue - what to do when you accidentally get your best friend pregnant. Ben is an earnest character and he's determined to do the right thing and raise the baby he's created, but he doesn't fully understand what that will mean for him and his plans. Honestly, this book stressed me out! It portrayed Ben's anxiety really well, and at times I felt just as trapped in his spirals of stress and worry. Thankfully, Ben has so much love and support from his family, and his new ally, Gio. I loved watching Ben and Gio get closer and how they were both able to open up about their struggles. Likewise, I liked seeing how Ben grapples with his issues of abandonment and loneliness, and finally starts to reach out and bond with his stepdad. I wish more time had been spent with Maxie but it made sense in the narrative why they couldn't spend more time together. All in all, an emotional and thought provoking read.

Hello, everyone! Today I’m reviewing Unexpecting by Jen Bailey. This YA queer story had an interesting premise, a cute cover, and a comp to Heartstopper, which made me jump at the opportunity to accept an ARC from the publisher. Unexpecting is available now wherever you get your books! Continue reading Untitled

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books Date of publication: August 22nd, 2023 Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, LGBT, Fiction, Queer, Romance, Realistic Fiction, Contemporary Romance, High School, Young Adult Romance Purchase Links: Kindle | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat Goodreads Synopsis: Juno meets Heartstopper in this poignant and emotional story about found family, what it means to…

While books about teenage pregnancy are not quite my go to, books with fall on the cover absolutely are. And so, I picked up Unexpecting by Jen Bailey. I have to admit, the comparison to Heartstopper also sold me a bit. There were a few expectations I had going into this book that turned out completely wrong. For one, I was under the impression based on the summary that Ben was a trans man who…