I am sorry for the inconvenience but I don’t have the time to read this anymore and have lost interest in the concept. I believe that it would benefit your book more if I did not skim your book and write a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience.

4.5 Stars

✨ The Title/Cover Draw:
So many of Erin Hahn’s previous books were so enjoyable that I had to pick this one up. Thanks to @netgalley and Wednesday Books for letting me read this book ahead of publication!

💜 What I liked:
I felt like this book was speaking to me. I grew up in a conservative christian environment, where the church (and private school) showered guilt and shame on girls. To this day I am still inching to tattoos and a bikini, embracing myself and stifling the voices.

This book gets to the heart of this matter in a way that has been needed for a while, addressing prejudice and blame shifting, lack of non-judgemental mentorship. I could go on and on but I won’t. I will say too, Micah and Meg are respectful relationship goals.

😱 What I didn’t like:
I do wish that there was a hint of their story being continued. I only knocked off half a star because I felt like the adults weren’t as complex as the kids (in some cases but not all). Also I have heard people say that they weren’t religious enough for this book, and it may be true that people who didn’t grow up in a church environment may not connect as well. Regardless, there can be sympathy to their plight and even the basic lesson of how judgement can hurt can be learned here.

🚦 My face at the end: 😿

💭 5 Reasons to Read:
1. Non-preachy faith based book
2. 2 person point of view
3. Main characters are real and mature
4. Poignant topics covered
5. A much needed viewpoint (it needed to be SHOUTED!)

🕧 Mini-Summary:
Micah and Meg meet and share each other’s damaged backgrounds while still recovering from their faith being shook.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Received from Netgalley.

**Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. This in no way changed my rating**

In her author's note, Erin Hahn says "Meg's story will be polarizing" and I think that's an apt description. I've read Ms. Hahn's other two novels and LOVED them. I was even more excited when I found out that this book would be following Vada's friend, Meg, who was a really fun side character in More Than Maybe, which is my favorite of the two previous books. And Meg continues to be fun and interesting as a protagonist, as is her love interest/boyfriend, Micah, who is charming and very considerate.

That said, I think the heavy emphasis on church trauma and how Meg and Micah both navigate their personal relationships with God and organized religion will be a journey that may be hard for some, whether because it makes them uncomfortable, because they had similar experiences and it hits too close to home, because some will read this and conclude Meg is a bad role model for their Christian children, because they didn't grow up in a religious household and therefore don't feel much of a connection to Meg, etc. I think there will also be people who had similar experiences to Meg and Micah and will feel seen, that there will be people who needed a book like this to work out their own complicated relationships with organized religion or their faith, that there are people who will thoroughly enjoy this book because it's a coming-of-age story where the protagonist tries new things and pushes her limits and tests her faith. It's just a book that I think will have very outspoken readers on both sides of the main issues being discussed here.

The other thing I would like to note is that More Than Maybe and You'd Be Mine both feel very fluffy and feel good and while there are aspects of that in this book, there also are very heavy topics that will be triggering for some, as well. Just by my count, some of those triggers are church trauma, off-page sexual assault, implied homophobia from a parent, grand larceny, an incarcerated parent, internalized misogyny, and abuse of power. I'm probably forgetting something, but it's a HEAVY book in some respects. While there is nothing wrong with it not being as fluffy as its predecessors, I think if you're coming from the other two expecting more of the same, it could be jarring when this goes deeper.

I enjoyed seeing Meg come into her own as a person. Micah, as I noted was a great love interest and I think they are a great example of what communication in a relationship should look like. There is a lot of checking in with each other to make sure the other is comfortable and I really liked that. I liked Duke, who is a side character and, while dealing with a lot, was fun and someone I would like to see more of. I think Hahn shows off her strong writing skills once again and has a good sense of pacing in this title.

Overall, I ended up going with a 3/5 stars for this book. I just felt kind of middling about it (which, to be honest, More Than Maybe was always going to be really hard to top) and I think it's going to be a book that forms very strong opinions one way or the other.

This book was much too religious for me personally. However, I can absolutely see young teenage girls, specifically those in Christian/Catholic/religious families, get an immensely important message for this book. I was just not the right target audience.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

First off, this book discusses religion and Christianity quite a bit so if that makes you uncomfortable maybe avoid this one. It is an ok story though. Micah and Meg were enjoyable enough but I did enjoy reading Micahs chapters more.

3 stars

I knew this was a 5-star book when it completely moved me to tears about 40% in.

Even though I'm an adult, I really enjoy YA stories and I think Wednesday Books is doing wonderful things in this space. I'm sure it is not easy, especially in this climate, to have a book boldly address the effect certain religious teachings like purity, abstinence, pregnancy, or queerness can have on young people, girls especially.

I did not grow up like Meg, whose whole world is rocked at the beginning of this story and escapes her hometown, questioning her family, faith, and true self. But this book still really resonated with me. It has several tough messages but felt so important, with lessons that will stick with me as a parent.

If you haven't read More than Maybe and it's on your TBR, I suggest reading that first! Although this isn't tagged as the second in a series and certainly can be read alone, it will spoil a few of Veda's major plot moments. And just know the stories are very different--this felt very personal to author Erin Hahn and you see that not only in the writing but it's revealed in the author's note as well.

Thank you to NetGalley, Wednesday Books and St. Martins Press for an advanced copy of this and the opportunity to share my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I cant wait until this book hits the shelves, and I wish I had this book around when I was coming of age, going to church, and struggling with my own battles with the church, how I should and shouldn't act, how appearances are EVERYTHING. Thankfully I had a mom that was not very strict with me like my church friends parents. This book is so different it takes you into a world that not a lot of people really know about. People always pass judgements on the church life, but not all churches are the same, and like everything else in life people will always talk crap. But this book just made me feel so good.

I love Meg, she is every young woman, who was raised in the church and trying to live her own truth, Micah as a character made me feel so sad but this kid, well young man, is so full of wisdom, so is Meg, but MICAH is seriously the best! I love all of the characters in this book they were so likeable, and very relatable characters, even Meg's mom. Trust me there was so much going on in this book, with how Meg wanted to take a gap year to enjoy herself, but took a detour after she found out that she has a long lost family, then meeting Micah, and how everything came full circle, it was just amazing.

I was able to relate to a book for YA, that's an awesome thing because it shows that this book was be for everyone. The author even speaks about her own experiences, and how God is love, and him accepting you as you are, even if others don't, and OMG I FEEL THAT!!!!! I don't want to get all biblical on a review but this book touched my heart, made me open up my bible app, and start a new devotional, this book was exactly what I needed.

Thanks Netgalley and Wednesday Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Wednesday Books for an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

I have a lot of mixed feelings about this book, and to be perfectly fair, I don't think this book was written with me as the audience - and that is ok! This book is the meeting point Christian Fiction and Coming of Age/Finding Yourself YA literature, and it leaned a little too far into the Christian world for me. Full disclosure I am not Christian and so a lot of the things being described at this Evangelical church were, to me, a bit extreme and I was getting angry that people still think this way in 2021. On that note though, Erin Hahn does a good job trying to counterbalance the church teachings that I am assuming are still pretty prevalent, and what the world around us has become - especially after reading her Author's Note at the end of the book I can appreciate the efforts more. That being said, I definitely felt a lot of disgust(?) at some of the beliefs that were being spouted at these young and impressionable women, and I know they are still common in society.

Getting past some of the icky Christian feelings I had (again, not the target audience with this connection), the "finding oneself" story that was told through Micah and Meg was really sweet and genuine for 18/19 year-olds. They both had pretty big traumatic issues they were working through, and their growth in this book was realistic and impressive for their age. I loved all of the background characters (I would fight anyone who makes fun of Duke's hair or entire being), and it was nice to see Vada again from More Than Maybe. This was an easy enough read, I was able to finish it within a day, and while it was quick to read it didn't shy away from emotional topics.

Overall, this was an enjoyable book, but one I probably won't pick up again just because it was a little preachy at times for me, and some of the Christianity aspects made me uncomfortable. But I know that there are some people out there that will really connect with this book & find it important in their lives, and that is good too. 4/5

A week ago, Meg Hennessey was ready to begin heading west away from her parents and Ann Arbor, first working at a Bible camp and spending her gap year finding herself. That was until she found out her mother has been lying to her for the past 18 years, her parents are getting a divorce, and she has an entire family that she's never met but wants to be a part of. So her best friend Vada drives her to Marquette, a town which should help bring answers to the questions piling up in her head. There, Meg meets Micah Allen, a former pastor's son who has a complicated relationship with the church after his dad ended up in prison and his family was just shy of shunned from their community. The two of them are the king and queen of complicated relationships regarding the church, and as they help each other navigate feelings towards harmful childhood beliefs forever ingrained in their minds, a relationship of their own begins to develop, and Meg and Micah come to discover that sometimes all it takes is a leap of faith to find yourself.

First I would just like to commend Erin Hahn, as she is able to explore very complex family dynamics in every single on of her books. In You'd Be Mine, Annie is afraid she will end up just like her parents, consumed by the pressurse and fame and ultimately died tragically, and Clay feels like everyone that's ever cared about him, especially his brother, has died and left him. In More Than Maybe, Vada's perception of what a father should be is tainted by her birth dad bringing heartbreak to her life and refusing to help pay for college, while Luke is set on his idea for his future, which varies greatly from what his father thinks and that causes household tension. In Never Saw You Coming, Meg finds out that her mother had gotten pregnant outside of marriage when she was a teen, her birth father had died in a car accident before she was born, and the father she'd known her whole life married her mother to hide his own secrets. This causes Meg to really grapple with everything she's been taught - was her mother truly an advocate against sex before marriage because she believed that to be the right way to live, or did she not want Meg to make the same mistake she did? Micah's had a complicated relationship with the church and his father ever since he went to prison - it was discovered he was abusing his power as a pastor, sleeping with women outside his marriage, and stealing from the church. After the sentencing, Micah and his family were essentially shut out by the community, which confused his as he was always taught that you help and protect people in their time of need. He also struggles with the concept of forgiveness - people in Micah's life say he needs to forgive his dad, but his worldview was genuinely shattered and his heart still needs to be healed before he can even begin to consider it.

I really loved the friendhip, and eventual relationship, that develops between Meg and Micah. They are both dealing with familial issues, and while they lean on each other to help them through it's never a case where they are magically fixing the problems and making things ok. This is also the first time they both have been in a serious relationship, so they're constantly navigating boundaries, comfort zones, and new experiences, which is done with care. And while Meg is exploring these new experiences, there are times when she's responsible for other people's actions - an example is it's her fault that Micah is attracted to her on Halloween, because she's been drinking and wearing a costume that came be perceived as "revealing." It shows that even through self-reflection, there can still be instances when it's hard to deviate your way of thinking from how you've been taught your entire life. And sticking with Meg for this last point, her fairy wings are a big part of her identity. When we're first introduced to her character in More Than Maybe, not a page goes by where her wings are far behind. So when she leaves home at the beginning of the novel, before she starts her journey to find the family of her birth father, she leaves those wings behind. I think Meg needed to find herself, and be able to reconnect with her past in a way that didn't bring more pain and anger into her life. And when she finally gets to that place, or at least a better headspace that allows her to consider her parents actions more clearly, those wings make a reappearance in a really beautiful way. Without spoiling anything, Meg is able to hold onto that part of herself that makes her unique, while being able to grow into the person she knows she's capable of being.

In conclusion, this book will speak to people differently. It's dedicated to to church kids, and I hope those who read it will be able to question the harmful rhetoric used in teachings and be able to understand how much they are loved their creator, no matter what. It might not be the book for some people, and that's perfectly fine, but I hope that it reaches those who need it most. I, for one, shall be screaming about it until release day, and probably for long after as well. Thank you, Erin Hahn, for saying the things that I and many others needed to hear, wrapped around a precious romance that I will forever cherish. *Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Wednesday Books, for the e-copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own.*

Honestly going into this book I had my doubts. I thought this would come off as too “preachy” or too biblical, but this book took me by complete surprise. This author has a way to make in-depth characters with complexities that challenge and educate the readers on topics that are not addressed in typical YA books. The author writes characters that are expressive and articulate that make it easy for the reader to be empathetic and connect with both Micha and Meg. The author presents a realistic view and an honest conversation at the in-depth look at what it’s like to struggle with identity when it’s tied to your faith.

I was blown away by the dialogue in this book. The author perfected these characters with diverse knowledge and complexities that were interesting to watch grow. You are pulled into their world, though it might be foreign, and come out wiser and more understanding. I enjoyed how Micah and Meg not only grew as individuals, but also uplifted one another and encouraged one another to explore topics that they were too scared to face.

I have my own convictions and struggles with my own faith and I felt what Meg and Micah went through, even though my upbringing wasn’t as struck as theirs and their situations I have never been in, but the constant struggles to understand something that is beyond my capacity to understand. This book is heavily centered around faith and religion, but I think it’s message and enjoyment can be universal, no matter your religious preferences, if you go in with an open mind. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for this ARC

Okay, so I’ve discovered that a fair amount of books that I read make me tear up but when I tell you that I sobbed multiple times while reading this absolutely phenomenal book. I love Meg and Micah with all my heart and want nothing more than to wrap these phenomenal beans into a hug. Both characters found solace in each other as they struggled with various aspects of the church and how harmful/hypocritical it had been to them.

This book has been like a needed and validating hug. The cries are bittersweet. On one hand sad for the shared trauma/grief/turmoil caused by the church. But also thankful for the comfort of not being alone in it if that makes sense. I've already preordered the book so I can transfer all of the notes that I’m typing on my kindle arc to the physical copy.

LOVED:
-continuous faith: despite the fact that Meg and Micah both distanced themselves from the church itself, one of the things that I loved the most about them was the way that they kept such a strong faith in religion itself. This is something that I’ve struggled with a lot as I’ve gone through my own journey of deconstructing my faith over the past 8 or so years.

-Erin Hahn did a phenomenal job at critiquing the church and diving into a lot of hypocrisy within the church while also validating religion. I think that can be something that is difficult to tackle because oftentimes religion gets heavily intertwined with the institutions and manmade aspects of it that have been created.

WANTED MORE OF:
Sometimes I was wishing that the scenes were longer. I know that authors, especially YA authors, can be on crunch time in terms of page count but there are a few places, especially in the beginning of developing Micah and Meg’s relationship that felt cut short. I say this because I loved their chemistry so much that I just wanted more of them.

I read this author's first book, and while I didn't dislike it I didn't praise it. I had some issues with it, probably with how fantasy some of the situations and the end result of the conflicts and goals.

I think teens will enjoy this book but if you're walking into this book as someone older, you'll find the same issues that you probably had with her last book. I am not saying that books should be universal, some books are for certain audiences. But "I think" is a statement and not a factual one.

The author likes to write these very.... quirky characters who come off a bit insufferable on the page. To be quite honest, the main protagonist reminded me of her protagonist from More than Maybe.

While the issue at hand with her father(s) was something the main character was grasping, the religious aspect felt more tongue in cheek than an actual issue and dilemma the main character was facing.

It's a strange book which handles serious topics but I don't think the author quite hit it for me. Others will disagree.

I used to not be the biggest fan of realistic fiction, preferring to drown myself in fantasy and sci fi worlds instead. As I began to get back into reading more actively, I was granted an ARC of More Than Maybe by Erin Hahn and immediately fell in love with what realistic fiction had become and just how swoon worthy and basically like a tv show it was. It quickly earned its way onto my favorites shelf. The moment I head we'd get another book, this time all about the beautiful fairy-wing-wearing Meg, I knew I would love it just as much.

I'm going to preface this review with just a brief note about how important this book is for the classroom. As I teach high schoolers, they often continue to struggle in figuring out who they are and where their morals and beliefs lie. Many want to forget about religion because they believe it can only be handled one way and it's the way your parents raised you to be. In reality, your morals and your beliefs are just that: YOURS. And one thing this book unapologetically does is let you know you are loved no matter the form your beliefs take. That there are people who will get you and understand you and, while it may take your family time to come around, it doesn't mean you have no support system. Always, always to thine own self be true.

So, sappy preface behind, Never Saw You Coming takes everything we loved about More Than Maybe, but from dear sweet Meg Hennessey's (and Micah Allen's) narration. Taking place at the end of More Than Maybe, we get to read the Meg who has had all the tables turned on her, secrets revealed that she's not sure she wanted to know, and a family she was never told about. Taking a page from her BFF Vada's book, she decides that maybe she should focus on herself for a bit and do the things she feels is right. Packing up her bags in an attempt to obviously run away (as she phrases it), she takes off to meet the great-grandmother and family she never knew she had and learn more about her birth father. It's there she runs into Micah who seems to be everything she needs and doesn't actually want at the time. But she trusts Micah was brought into her life for a reason and here we are given the most genuine, authentic, and swoon-worth courting I've ever seen and loved.

I know this book might not be for everyone and that's okay. Some people may struggle coming to understand the book's take on religion. But, here's the thing: as Erin Hahn says in the author's note, there are more children than we know who deal with these kind of situations daily. And not to minimize Meg's journey, but some don't even have as welcoming a support system as she does. I guess what I'm trying to say is understand this book is a good read, but it's the underlying message Erin does an excellent job at conveying. It's real and it's authentic and I'm to be teaching in a world that has books like this published.

As a Christian and youth leader I'm supposed to hate this book.
As a Christian and youth leader I'm supposed to tell you all the reasons why this book goes against the Bible.
As a Christian and youth leader I'm supposed to say this will lead our children down the wrong path.


As a person who is not perfect, has felt the affects of purity culture and experienced church hurt I want to share this book with EVERYONE!!! Especially to Christians.

I can relate to both Meg and Micah. If you were a youth in the church during the time of strong period culture then you know all the struggles that Meg is facing when it comes to her feelings with Micah. You follow Meg as she's filtering through the lies she was told and the internal struggle of what's right and wrong. As an adult I'm still dealing with the shame I feel about things due to popular ideas from my teens (There are many great reassures out there that cover the good and bad about purity culture). For her to filter these things out as a young adult is encouraging and I hope impactful for this generation.

Micah has been deeply hurt by the church because of what his dad did. We see his struggle with trying to deal with it and learning to let go. A place that should be trying to help him feels more like judgement. His faith doesn't look the same, then. when he meets Meg you see this change starting in Micah. I saw a bit of myself in him and remembered the anger and hurt I've experienced. I also group up listening to the End of Silence album by Red so I really enjoyed the Micah playing the drums.

Erin Hahn writes a book that is relatable to teens from the past and today. Whether you are a Christian or not she's able to capture the feelings of a teen dealing with the pressure from others and the struggle to figure out what you believe in at a young age. How she addresses things at the end are really insightful and have helped me know ways to discuss things with my youth group so I don't make the same mistakes. If you ever been a teen this book is for you. I believe this book with help teens and adults shake the old mindset that caused pain for many and will help shape the future. If you've even been hurt by people you trusted and loved this book is for you. If you ever been a teen this book is for you.

As a Christian, youth leader, sinner, person who is still trying to figure things out. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK!!!!

I have read and enjoyed this author's works before, and have found them to have religious tones without being too overt, but this one was a bit more in your face and got in the way of the story a bit for me.

Recommended if you like that tone to your stories.

I love Erin Hahn. Her writing is so relatable. 😍 As someone who grew up in the church and never feeling accepted, my relationship with the church is similar to her love interest, Micah. It is not quite my cup of tea, but I loved how well Hahn was able to express this.

Meg Hennessey is set to enter college when her whole world implodes. It turns out the father she thought she knew is not her father at all. The revelations coming to light destroy her family, and Meg is left questioning her faith while taking a year off to find her roots. She discovers her biological father is dead; however, his mother and uncle are alive. Meg travels to meet them and ends up taking a job in their town. Micah Allen is a pastor's kid whose dad went to prison for stealing church money and as a sexual predator. The events that followed robbed Micah of his home, community and faith. His anger has prevented him from finding forgiveness for his father and now there's a chance his dad will get probation. Micah finds himself questioning everything he ever believed including the church. When Meg and Micah's paths cross, two lost souls find a friend, someone who understands and cares. The life lessons that follow will carry them into the future together.

Never Saw You Coming is an inspirational story that deals with some heavy handed issues like faith, beliefs, sexual awakening, family, and finding one's true self and purpose. It's a book of loss of hope and faith, but also a story of letting go of the childhood ties that bind us - letting go of the anger and disappointment and embracing the future. Meg and Micah's story is beautiful to watch as they find first love and heal family relations. Hahn's expertly woven everything together in a warm, heartfelt story that will inspire readers of all ages. Highly recommended to fans of young adult.

4.5
okay so i absolutely love erin hahn’s work. i enjoyed more than maybe and finding out meg was getting her own book? HECK YEAH!!

this book dealt a lot with religion and purity culture and wow it was a lot to unpack. while both meg and micah were dealing with their own individual issues, i was so glad that they found each other. i absolutely adored them and their relationship; it was so nice seeing them bond so quickly. WE LOVE FOUND FAMILY TROPE duke was great i just wanna protect him LUKE AND VADA MY BABIES !!!!!!

also THE NAME OF THE BOOK??? we love a good tswift reference!

ps: that dedication was so sweet and the authors note made me cry

I really enjoyed reading this book! It was such a cute read and probably my favorite read of the year! This book takes place after More Than Maybe but in Meg's pov. You don't have to read More Than Maybe to understand the characters or the book because this book is its own standalone novel. I enjoyed the writing of this book a lot. It takes place during the summer and I always enjoy books with a summer vacation plotline. It's perfect for a contemporary romance like this one. I enjoyed the two separate points-of-view of both of the main characters because they have their own struggles and problems they need to solve. The pacing was well-paced and perfect for the book. There were so many cute scenes that I will never forget and some great drama.

I enjoyed the main characters of this book. I felt connected to both Meg and Micah. They were such strong characters that had problems they need to solve and helped each other solve them. I enjoyed their character development throughout the book and their romance was just great. It was really cute and the trope was kind of like enemies to lovers, fake relationships, and instant-love but all combined in one book. I also enjoyed the side characters of this book, especially Micah's best friend. He also had some problems that he solved and it was just great to see how the side characters were very involved in the book.

This book had a great ending with an epilogue. I was sad to have finished the book because I needed more Meg and Micah. Their relationship is just pure. I had no problems with this book of course but my favorite thing about this book was the romance and the characters. I really recommend reading this book especially to the fans of contemporary romance.

I was curious whether I'd like this one, with its overtly Christian protagonist. And then I loved it. Her struggles felt real, as did the budding relationship, and I like how everything resolved with her families. A very true-feeling YA book, and one I hope will circulate well with the library teens in my fairly conservative city.