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

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

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

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

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

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

Perhaps the most profound lesson of this novel is that sometimes the best plans are the ones that aren’t planned at all, but the ones that happened while you were living.

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

Available on my blog now: https://jessicareadsit.wordpress.com/2021/09/07/book-review-never-saw-you-coming-by-erin-hahn/

I'm not sure what to think about this book. I enjoyed it, but it had some really heavy undertones that I wasn't expecting. I think I would have liked it more if I didn't read it in the middle of a hurricane. My fault though, and that will not impact my review.

This book is so important as it deals with the stigma of the church on young girls. So many girls are taught that they need to be pure, covered, chaste, etc and if they aren't, they're basically inviting themselves to hell. This book shows otherwise, while still being fairly modest and respectable, it's possible to wear a two piece bathing suit, kiss a boy, etc without damning yourself.

It's a sensitive topic for many, and because it's so heavy on religion, I think some people won't like it.

3.5 stars

I love this author so when I was given an ARC I was so amazed and grateful (thank you NETGALLEY!) I knew before going into this I would love it, and I did! Erin Hahn just has a way with words. The characters felt so real and their struggles were just so relatable it was hard to remind myself this book was fiction! The pacing was beautifully done and I really have no critiques on this book because, in my opinion, it was perfection. Another 5 stars from me for Erin Hahn!

Meg Hennessy was raised in the evangelical church by conservative parents but when a family secret is revealed she moves to Marquette, MI for a soul searching gap year. Here she meets Micah, who has had his own trauma with the church.

I was not the intended audience for this book. And honestly if I had known what it was about I likely wouldn’t have read it. It was too convenient, coincidental and oversimplified in a cliche kind of way. It was heavy handed with the theology and honestly I found Meg to be rather annoying. To be fair, I was raised without religion, I find it cultish and just another way to repress women/lgbtq people. From the outside it is so clearly about control and not “loving your neighbor” etc. But that is my perspective and like I said I wasn’t the intended audience. I did appreciate that the author attempted to dismantle the purity narrative. But this was a miss for me. I’m glad I went into it blind and still appreciated reading books outside what I typically enjoy.

Erin Hahn is quickly becoming one of my go to authors. If I see she has written a book, I will immediately make plans to request a review copy and/or buy it. Why, you may ask? Because this is one author who knows how teens think and behave. Her books are honest, and don't settle for a quick resolution in order to make a happy ending. While still being lots of fun, her novels are realistic about the issues facing young people.

Never Saw You Coming is set in the same universe as Erin Hahn's previous book, More Than Maybe, with a few characters from that book making an appearance in this new one. This story follows Meg (the best friend of Veda, the main character in More Than Maybe). Meg has been raised in a very conservative environment. She has been homeschooled, goes to church often, and tries to dress modestly as her church has taught her. But when several revelations about Meg's parents surface, she is thrown for a loop, and she begins to question everything she has been taught to believe.

Meg travels to a new town to meet her great-grandmother, and sort out her feelings. While she's there, she also meets Micah. Micah is a year older than Meg, and has had a tough time due to his father's illegal behavior. He had looked up to his dad, and now with his illusions shattered, he feels completely alone. When Meg and Micah meet, you just know something wonderful will happen.

I loved this book for it's honest look at the transition from teen to adult. From being spoon-fed your values to deciding them for yourself. This book shows how important religion is in some teen's lives, and how those beliefs are often re-examined as teen's get older. With wonderful characters, and an straight-forward look at teen sexuality, this is a very special novel.

What I Liked:

Characters:

While Meg's situation is extreme, the influence of most parents starts to diminish after their kids graduate from high school. Young people begin to think for themselves and they may not see eye to eye with their parents values. That is what much of this book is about. Meg must find a way to balance how she's been raised with how to live her religious beliefs as an adult.

As she begins to fall for Micah, Meg wonders how she can be "pure" while also being attracted to her boyfriend, and this causes lots of guilt. She also starts to notice how girls are shamed in her church. Why are girls taught to be modest? So boys won't be tempted. She starts to understand how this kind of teaching removes a boy's responsibility for their own behavior, and puts the onus, and blame, solely on girls.

Micah, the other main character, also is dealing with looking at his parents realistically. His dad, a pastor, is in prison for a number of crimes, and his family has been ostracized by the community. Aside from the betrayal of his father, he also feels betrayed by his church. But he still has a strong faith. Can he forgive his father? More importantly, should he forgive his father?

Meg's uncle James is a youth leader in his church. They don't know each other very well. But as Meg gets to know him, she finds him to be very supportive of Meg and Micah. But he is still a pastor. When someone accuses Meg of having sex, James shames her instead of hearing her side of the story. James is a man in his thirties, and dates women, staying out late himself. Hypocrisy much?

Teen Sexuality:

While most religions teach that sex is only okay inside a marriage, the author takes an honest look at a teen's emerging sexual feelings. This is not a book that is trying to show that sex is either good or bad. It is just another aspect of a person's life. Meg, having been taught that sexual feelings are sinful, feels very conflicted about her feelings. But I wouldn't say that the moment she gets a boyfriend that she abandons her beliefs. She needs to come to terms that her feelings are normal, and not to feel guilty about it.

Story:

I enjoyed how Meg becomes her own person throughout the book. From making the decision to reach out to her newly found relatives, to getting a job and a place to live, Meg is a person who gets things done! Micah is also blazing his own path, training to be a search and rescue worker (along with his awesome dog!). Seeing how these two people find each other, and support each other was really fun and romantic!

Religion:

Religion plays a key role in this book. And while the book points out much of what is wrong with religion (shaming girls, using guilt to control others), it balances this with the many positives that Meg and Micah feel. They each find great comfort in prayer, and church music. And while the community can be very judgemental, it also can provide support.

Never Saw You Coming is not my favorite Erin Hahn book, but appreciated the overall theme and love story. It gets a little too preachy and religious in places. There are bible quotes and lots of discussions about Jesus and God's plan. And there’s almost church group inside jokes that are referenced. With that said, I liked its take on purity culture. It approached it very differently than other novels I’ve read with similar plots.

Meh, this story was not for me. I was initially intrigued by the description, but it ultimately ended up being too religion heavy. I appreciated the attempts to discuss common perceptions and realities in various organized religions (ie. brainwashing, influence, manipulation) and the character's self exploration of what role they want religion to play in their lives. Ultimately, I did not enjoy this book; but understand I am not likely not the primary target audience.

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Never Saw You Coming – ARC review
Posted on September 7, 2021 by Cheri

Never Saw You Coming
by Erin Hahn
Release Date: September 7, 2021
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Standalone
Number of Pages: 320
Kindle Edition
Source: NetGalley ARC
YA Romance
Ages 13 and up
CW: discussions of self-harm and suicide

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

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

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

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

There are a few things about this book I want to talk about before getting to the meat of the story. If you read More Than Maybe, this story is about the best friend from that story. You absolutely do not need to read that one to read this one. I don’t believe it’s even being marketed as a series. But if you loved Meg in that book, you get see her go on a heartbreaking and joyful journey in this one. I mention this because, as someone who did not grow up in a church culture, I wasn’t sure if I’d “get” this story. If it would impact me the way it would someone else. I was curious about what the author had to say since I follow her on social media and know this is a story that is very dear to her heart. Knowing it was Meg’s story pushed me the rest of the way to wanting to read this. I actually got more from this story, in a way that I found surprising, than I thought I would.

It doesn’t seem as though Meg ever really thought of herself as a strong person, per se. But from the moment she learns her mom’s secret I think she shows a ton of strength and tenacity. For someone who was homeschooled and didn’t have a lot of interactions outside of her church circle, it took a lot of bravery and grit for her to pack it up and go off on her own in such an unsanctioned way. While Meg may have lost faith in her church and the teachings of her church, she never lost faith in God. So, even though she’s having a crisis of faith, it’s not faith in her religion that’s the problem. It’s faith in people.

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Never Saw You Coming – ARC review
Posted on September 7, 2021 by Cheri

Never Saw You Coming
by Erin Hahn
Release Date: September 7, 2021
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Standalone
Number of Pages: 320
Kindle Edition
Source: NetGalley ARC
YA Romance
Ages 13 and up
CW: discussions of self-harm and suicide

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

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

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

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

There are a few things about this book I want to talk about before getting to the meat of the story. If you read More Than Maybe, this story is about the best friend from that story. You absolutely do not need to read that one to read this one. I don’t believe it’s even being marketed as a series. But if you loved Meg in that book, you get see her go on a heartbreaking and joyful journey in this one. I mention this because, as someone who did not grow up in a church culture, I wasn’t sure if I’d “get” this story. If it would impact me the way it would someone else. I was curious about what the author had to say since I follow her on social media and know this is a story that is very dear to her heart. Knowing it was Meg’s story pushed me the rest of the way to wanting to read this. I actually got more from this story, in a way that I found surprising, than I thought I would.

It doesn’t seem as though Meg ever really thought of herself as a strong person, per se. But from the moment she learns her mom’s secret I think she shows a ton of strength and tenacity. For someone who was homeschooled and didn’t have a lot of interactions outside of her church circle, it took a lot of bravery and grit for her to pack it up and go off on her own in such an unsanctioned way. While Meg may have lost faith in her church and the teachings of her church, she never lost faith in God. So, even though she’s having a crisis of faith, it’s not faith in her religion that’s the problem. It’s faith in people.

“…nothing can get between me and my God. Not even the church.”

~ Meg Hennessey

Micah, more so even than Meg, has lost his faith in the people of his church. With good reason. His relationship with religion is very different than it was just 5 years ago. Not bad, just different. He’s been looking in from the outside for long enough now to understand what Meg is feeling and to see the problems with the way the church structures things. Meg and Micah meet at the exact right time for both of them. They are both so strong, but it’s nice to have someone to help hold you up in the bad times. Especially someone who understands the world you grew up in and are now not so sure about.

As I said, I didn’t grow up with organized religion. My parents didn’t hold any of their kids back from attending church, and it could be any church we wanted to try out. But we didn’t attend as a family and we didn’t belong to any congregation. I think of my family as quite spiritual in many ways, but not religious. I had many friends in school who were very into their church and I will admit sometimes I felt jealous. I was jealous of the perceived camaraderie and the total and absolute faith I felt they had. That perception made me think they lived easy and beautiful lives. There were many things I didn’t understand and didn’t like, such as the way they looked down on young women who were doing nothing wrong or, at the very least, nothing different than the young men. I really didn’t like how judgmental many of those church-going people were. So, I was never jealous enough to actually want to join on any church group on any sort of recurring basis. This story really brought all that back up for me. I had truly forgotten how I had those feelings. It helped me to see that we all have our own pains and confusions. I’ve seen many of these same young people grow up to be very well-adjusted individuals, but I’ve seen the same ratio (if not more) have major life issues just as us non church goers have had. I have always felt there is no right or wrong in the church or no church issue, as long as you’re a truly good person. This story really helped hammer that home even more for me.

There is a lot that is dealt with in this book and I don’t want to spoil anything. It’s no secret that a huge issue in the story has to do with purity, as the author herself has been posting quotes from the book that deal with that. The word “purity” feels very church specific to me. Yet the feelings and experiences Meg has with this issue throughout the book are universal to all young girls to a certain extent. A cis female teenager not raised in the church will not have the same level of shame for a heavy make out session, but she will still often be shamed and blamed by others if word gets out. As though she did something wrong and her partner did not. (Not to mention teens who are not cis and straight!)

Listen, this is a beautiful and brutal story that I think young and old can get something out of. Church goers, former church goers, never church goers. There is a universal message for us all. There is love for us all.

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

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

This is heavy stuff but Hahn handles it deftly, crafting a sweet love story even as both Meg and Micah deal with their beliefs about Christianity. Thoughtful and nuanced, this is a good love story and a great novel about faith. Very highly recommended.

This one in some ways is hard to rate because of the subject matter. While overall I enjoyed the story I feel like there should be a note in the front of this about the heavily religious aspect of the book. Christianity and faith is the center of this book and the struggle that kids go through. We are following two characters in this book and the first is Meg who was raised in a very conservative house finds out that she was a product of a teen pregnancy and the man she thought was her dad is not. The second person we are following is Micah who is a former pastor's kid and his dad is now in prison. Meg and Micah's story was one I could identify with on so many levels as I also grew up in a conservative and religious household. I really enjoyed this one and the growth that both Meg and Micah went through it was a great story to read. Thank you Wednesday Books and Netgalley for my gifted copy.

Meg is reeling from the shock of discovering that the man she has always known as her father is not in fact her father. Her biological father died in a tragic car accident before he even knew Meg existed. This sets off a tidal wave of jarring changes, including a divorce and subsequent breakup of the only family Meg has ever known. Distraught, Meg decides to take a gap year in the upper peninsula where she searches for connection outside of her immediate family, moving miles away to an unknown town in search of her biological father's grandmother. Micah is going through his own struggles centered around the church. After serving five years in prison for embezzlement as well as other sins against the church, Micah is resistant to attend his father's parole hearing. Still regaining his balance after his world imploded, leaving Micah scrambling to avoid reporters, he is loathe to revisit that part of his life. When Micah and Meg meet, they form an almost instant connection that deepens into something more, as the pair learn to trust and depend upon one another.
Never Saw You Coming is a sweet story centered around the deep connection formed between two lonely and hurting teens, and the love and growth that stems from their friendship. The author doesn't shy away from difficult topics such as religion, homophobia, and sexual awakening but instead tackles them straight on in a refreshingly daring and realistic manner. Hahn has a way of making the experiences of Meg and Micah so heartbreakingly honest, vulnerable, and relatable, even for those of us who have never experienced anything close to what these two are going through. While the story does at times delve quite deeply into religion, the story is centered mainly around family, love and self discovery. Never Saw You Coming expertly conveys the religious world as well as the struggles that real Christians deal with on a regular basis in an honest and forthright manner, while conveying the message of love and acceptance with no strings attached we all so desperately crave. The epilogue brings the book back full circle in a nice succinct manner. Sparkling with Hahn's trademark humor and extraordinary prose, Never Saw You Coming is the truly one of those remarkable stories you might note have coming but so desperately need in your life.

3.5*

Never Saw You Coming is an apt title for this book, as I never saw the storyline coming. I believe there's a definite audience for this book, but the blurb needs updating to reflect how faith-based this story is, how big of a part religion plays in the lives of the main characters, so that those readers who would benefit from reading it are made aware. Having read More Than Maybe, the book where Meg was first introduced, (you do not need to read MTM before this one by any means), I guess I just didn't realize how wrapped in religion her story was going to be.

I liked the idea of Meg getting out there and spreading her wings, striking out on her own after finding out something that threw her whole life into an upheaval. She needed a chance to process everything that happened and get to know the new people in her life.
Micah was a real sweetheart, my favorite character in the book. He was dealing with his own family issues, ones that had been weighing on him for years- a lot more than an 18/19yo should be saddled with.

As someone who broke up with the Catholic church years ago and doesn't follow organized religion of any sort, I did find myself disconnecting a times, with some of the things this book dealt with, especially when it came to the girls always having to be modest and pure. There were a couple of scenes that were definitely "in your face" when it came to the religious aspect of the story, which leads back to the thought that the blurb should be clearer that this is a story about a church kid, no matter what else is going on in the book. Yes, the book does deal with some important issues, things that many people can probably relate to, but it can come across as heavy-handed at times.

I did like that Meg started to question things, and realized not everything is black and white- especially when it comes to religion. I liked how she and Micah kind of balanced each other, when it came to questioning their faith, they were good sounding boards for each other. Their romance was sweet.

While I'm ultimately not the target demographic for this book, I think it will resonate with a lot of readers and probably be a comfort to some. I appreciate what Ms. Hahn has written, even if I couldn't really relate

A heartfelt coming of age YA summer story. I really enjoyed the relationship between Micah and Meg and the pangs of first love. This had a good balance of light and heavy although I wasn't the biggest fan of the religious aspects of the story. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advance review copy.

[thank you to the tagged publisher for the free book] •

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

I connected very much to this book, the characters and topics in it. An honest look at the Christian faith and the double standards that are often found in churches. Growing up as a church kid, I could relate to the character's struggle as she grappled with what she was taught and how the purity culture was actually harmful and hurtful. I have read fiction books about the Christian faith before and find they often lack authenticity and are overly optimistic. This book felt extremely honest and personal. It is very much centered around religion and I could see how that might turn readers away from this book. However, if you enjoy YA coming of age definitely give this one a shot.


😍loved || low steam, but sex is a topic

🤟authentic, coming of age, emotional

📚Emery Lord

🎶Look Up Child by Lauren Daigle

⚠️suicide, church purity culture

(Thanks to Wednesday Books for my e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!)

Erin Hahn is already an auto-buy author of mine, but Never Saw You Coming took my adoration to a new level. Purity culture and toxicity within the church come under fire in this searing YA story about love and trusting God with all the messy parts of us.

Meg loves Jesus and the church in which she was raised, but her trust in the latter is shattered when she learns her whole life has been a lie. Micah walked away from the church when it turned its back on his family following his pastor dad’s incarceration. They both have complicated feelings about faith and the church, and when they meet, it’s an instant bond that neither one can deny. They make each other better, stronger, and if their hearts have a chance of healing, it’ll be that they heal together.

This book was like a mirror into my growing up years. I ached with Meg and Micah. I felt it in my gut when Meg wrestled with shame and guilt. From the swimsuits to the licked Oreos and keeping my bra straps tucked away from teenage boys lest they stumble into lust, I’ve lived it all, and man--this book needed to be written. I’m glad Erin had the courage to sit down and share Meg’s story with us--because Meg is so many of us. I finished with tears in my eyes and a sob caught in my chest. It was so familiar and painful and yet so full of hope. God isn’t done with us, even when we question or doubt. This is a book I’ll be passing around to the teen girls I know, and the teen boys if I can convince them to read it. Absolutely incredible. Bravo, Erin, from one youth group girl to another!

Erin Hahn has quickly become an auto-read author for me. When I read her first two books, You’d Be Mine and More Than Maybe, I knew anything she wrote would be an easy sell. She writes books that have heart and tackle real issues. And she especially did that with her 3rd book, Never Saw You Coming. Not only does Hahn tackle friendship and love in this book, she also tackles the complicated feelings that come with growing up and religion, and she did an amazing job doing it!

Never Saw You Coming is the story of Meg, yes that Meg from More Than Maybe, an 18 year old girl that was raised in a very conservative family. She find herself on a journey to find family she never knew existed after a secret is revealed changing everything she ever knew. Now spending her gap year in a new place trying to put all the pieces together of what she thought she knew and what is true she meets Micah, a 19 year old guy on a journey of his own. While Meg is trying to put her life together, Micah is trying to run from his past and more specifically his ex-pastor father that is in prison and the damage he left behind. Both on different journeys, both Micah and Meg have one thing in common and it is figuring out how they feel about the church teaching they know and what it means to have faith.

First and foremost I think it is import to say that Never Saw You Coming is not a preachy book. While religion is a HUGE theme and thread in the story, it is more talked about than forced on you. Meg was raised very conservatively. She never had a boyfriend, never been kissed, never able to date. She was raised in fear by her parents on past mistakes and Meg has to figure out what that means to her. Micah on the other hand has to deal with the fact that the father he worshiped, that was a pastor, was not what Micah thought him to be. He had to make peace with the crimes his father committed and what that connection did to his faith in the church and his community. Meg and Micah had complicated feelings they had to deal with and that right there was what I liked best about this book. They were learning who they are going to be and what that meant for their past. And that was the star of the book.

Never Saw You Coming didn’t take me by surprise. I knew I would love it since it was an Erin Hahn. What did take me by surprise was how invested I was in Meg and Micah’s stories and how I wanted them to heal and learn and understand that it is okay to go your own way and make your own path. You don’t have to have the same faith as your parents or make the same decisions as your friends. It’s okay to forge your own way. Definitely have this one on your TBR.

Never Saw You Coming is a young adult novel about struggling with your faith. Meg Hennessey just found out the super conservative, Christian mother that raised her has been lying to her for eighteen years. All the lectures to be prim and proper flow from her hypocrite of a mother who had a one night stand and resulted in baby Meg. Struggling with her faith, Meg travels to upper Pennsylvania to meet her real father's family and finds a new boyfriend, Micah. Micah Allen struggles with his faith too and has not set foot back in the church since his pastor father was sentenced to prison. His father's impressive list of sins, including cheating on his mother and stealing from his flock, has followed Micah's family around like a bad stain. Micah and Meg find their way together to their own faith in God while dealing with the holier than thou attitude that seems to make some of the church members not very Christ like. A voice for tolerance and a wake up call for "judge not", the book tackles tough topics and brings to life real issues for today's youth and religion where "God is love" should always win out. My voluntary unbiased review is based upon a review copy from Netgalley.

Last year I read Erin Hahn’s sophomore novel, More than Maybe, and fell in love with the story and its characters. When I found out that Meg would be getting her own spinoff novel, I was thrilled and added the book, Never Saw You Coming, to my TBR ASAP.

Never Saw You Coming had an interesting plot style – there was a lot of skipping ahead in time. I think for this story – these time jumps made sense, though they were a little tricky to get used to at first. Meg’s journey to self-acceptance was a long one and telling the story across a longer period helped fully realize her story/journey.

Meg and Micah were too stinking cute together – they supported each other emotionally and their mutual respect was so lovely to see. As they both struggled through major events in their life (Micah with the release of his father from prison and Meg with her ongoing reconciliation with her faith), their connection grew through their support of each other. I loved how Micah respected Meg’s boundaries at every turn – and stood up for her when she needed it.

The big story of this book was Meg taking a step back from her life and beginning to reconcile her relationship with the church and with her Christian faith. While this was a relatable storyline for me (former bible camp kid here, who got told she would go to hell for listening to Katy Perry), I found the overall themes and tones of Christian theology to be overwhelming. The book tackled topics like the treatment of young women in the church and modesty and purity culture, but then it never truly reconciled these topics. I think one of the prime examples of this was when Meg was removed and as a youth group leader for her (so-called) immodesty. Her uncle, a pastor in the church, stood by and allowed the church to walk all over her. When he was called out on it, he gave a half assed apology but ultimately fell back on his faith saying that culture was ok. I saw this as an ultimate betrayal of Meg and an example of the overwhelming theological themes undermining the story.

Overall, I think this is an important story and would likely be appreciated more by someone who is actively engaged in religion or has closer ties to it than I do. I did enjoy reading Meg and Micah’s love story, though and the plot about Micah’s father. If you haven’t already, definitely check out More Than Maybe. 3/5

When I first saw this book on NetGalley, I knew I wanted to read it and I wasn't disappointed at all. This book was exactly what I needed to read.

Full disclosure: This book while it is a sweet YA romance, it also talks about faith and the Church. Now, if you don't like reading about Christianity, then this book isn't for you. But I will say as someone who grew up in the Church, this was the most honest portrayal of Christianity that I've read.

After finding out that her whole life is a lie, 18- year-old Meg Hennessey starts to question everything she's been taught. Instead of going to college, she decides to take a gap year and travels up North to find connect with the family she never knew existed. As she tries to figure out what she believes and what her relationship with the Church is, Meg meets Micah Allen, a former pastor's kid who is dealing with his own complicated feelings about the Church. Although Meg's plan was to discover herself, she never planned on falling in love with Micah.

This book captures the complexity of faith and church - and how those two things are actually separate. This book challenges some of the behaviors endorsed by the church and the hypocrisy that exists. Faith and church stuff aside, I loved this sweet romance between Meg and Micah - it will give you all the feels ❤️. I couldn't help but root for them not only as a couple but for their growth as characters.

This book hit a personal note for me because I saw myself in Meg and Micah. I wish I had this book at 17, but so happy it exists now and hope that it continues to spur some much needed conversations.

I loved this book so much and highly recommend it! Thanks to NetGalley for a free arc of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

With You’d Be Mine and More Than Maybe already read, I just KNEW Erin would forever be an auto buy for me! When this one became Read Now on NetGalley & the @=loveARCtually crew voted to have it as a club read I could not have been more excited and it blew me away.

I know many of you know about my synopsis avoidance, preferring to go into books without much in the way of preconceived ideas and it worked really well for me in regards to this book. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I adored the story, never having been a church going kind of gal — which I understand many readers can have strong feelings on. For me, this book was an incredible discussion starter and as someone leading a virtual book club who devours books together and on our own, this book was refreshing and real and completely different from anything I had read before.

Meg and Micah are both struggling with their faith, and will their personal struggles open them up to falling in (first) love? Tackling obstacles with the help of family and friends, these two teens will make you FEEL, and manages to make you think about what you believe in.

& hearing Erin’s own words on her own experiences and these characters just reminds me why I love reading + connecting through books, and that reading can truly be for anyone. I went into it with an open mind, and while I don't attend church, I can still relate to the questions asked, and the issues this book touched on.

While this title has a character that appears in another book by Hahn, I love that they each can stand alone, with incredible + unique story lines that give something special to YA readers. I love that this one felt like a friend, and I’ve heard so many say they felt seen in this book which is just swoonworthy!