thank you to the publisher and netgalley for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review!!

i think it’s important to state before i get into this review that i know this book was not written for someone like me. as a british kid from a not-particularly religious family, i did find the subject matter a little hard to connect with, but i did still appreciate the way the issues facing “church kids” were written about. the only thing i’ll say about that is that the writing felt slightly too YA for a slightly more mature topic. i did really like this book, it was genuinely thought-provoking and helps you to understand the perspective of those negatively impacted by religion.

I've read all of Hahn's books because I really enjoy her sharp writing and realistic characters. Never Saw You Coming is different from her previous books in that evangelical Christianity is a main focus in the storyline. Growing up and still living in the Bible belt of the U.S., I am no stranger to the belief system of the main characters (mainly Meg) though I've never been a member of a particularly evangelical church. I found the story thought provoking and I know it will be important for so many youth (especially girls) who have grown up with the belief system that Meg is accustomed to though. Kudos to Hahn on another great novel.

Thanks always to NetGalley for the advance read. I honestly wondered if I'm either the perfect reader of this beautifully rendered, faith-based coming of age tale or the maybe the last person in the world who'd end up reviewing a book like this.
Mainly because I'd categorize myself as an independent Christian - a church-less believer with a strong distrust, disillusionment and suspicion of organized religion; Needless to say, everything I've seen of our supposedly Christian and/or Evangelical culture of the last few years has only reinforced these attitudes.
That's why I couldn't help but gravitate to Erin Hahn's two innocent raised=with-faith teens, Meg and Micah. They're kind, caring, good hearted souls who've had their lives and faith shaken, their families terribly upended by lies, hypocrisy and false double-standards ......much of it related to and ripping away the comfort zone of their Christian teachings.
Alienated from truths and beliefs they'd come to rely on, this separately damaged duo find each other.......and here is where the book took hold of me as its fan. What follows is one of the most sweetly put together renditions of a first love romance I've read in some time. You can't help but fall in love with Meg and Micah's blossoming relationship and you ache for them as they try to heal their own (and each other's) emotional wounds........Meg's from shattering family secrets revealed and Micah's from the criminality of his pastor father, the man he once idolized. .
And here's where I realized that maybe I WAS the right audience for "Never Saw You Coming" .....following these wonderful kids as they walk a tightrope while their love grows.......as they struggle to adhere to what's actually written in the Bible while bristling and rebelling against the holier-than-thou attitudes of adults around them who tend to bend and warp Christianity to legitimize their own prejudices and narrow-mindedness.
With all these big issues in play, I want to reiterate that even with all the pitfalls, heartbreak and melodrama that Meg and Micah face, the development of their love story keeps a reader sighing and smiling all the way through to the end. I'm not at all a regular reader of faith-based YA fiction, so I'll admit to being pleasantly surprised and startled at the teens talking like.....well, like real teens, language included.
The love story's adorable and the backstory couldn't be more timely - facing the great divide between Christian gospel and whether we're really putting it into practice in our own lives.....or perverting to fit an agenda that Jesus would have nothing to do with.
Thus endeth this 4 star reveiw.

This book was not written for me. And I still loved it. As someone who was raised in a secular Jewish family that was nominally progressive, I am certainly not a “church kid.” But. Enough of the people I care about were harmed by the church (thanks Lancaster!) and enough purity culture leaks out of the church into mainstream America that I think this is an important read for anyone who is a teen, was a teen, or knows teens. AND, the sweet romance is so well done. Also, I am fairly certain Erin Hahn and I could not have ideas about God that are more diametrically opposed, and this may be the first (and last?) alternative Christian fiction I’ve read, but I’m so, so glad I did. Definitely a window book for me, but probably a mirror book for many of my friends. Good on you, Hahn.

This book is pitched as a romance, so I want to preface my review by saying that if you're going to read this, don't go into it expecting the romance to be the driver of the central plot. Though it is focused around Meg and Micah and their new relationship, the conflicts in the story come from their own personal issues. The romance is something that is healing for both of them.

Meg has just discovered that the man she thought was her dad is not her dad. As a firmly believing evangelical Christian, Meg is very bothered by the news that she was actually conceived from a one night stand. Though her real father died in a car accident before she was born, Meg decides to spend her gap year bonding with her new extended family. There, she meets Micah, whose dad, a former pastor, is in jail with an upcoming hearing. Together, they are able to work through their individual doubts, struggles, and questions.

It's also important to note that this book is extremely religiously based. Though I would disagree with other reviewers who have said that it is preachy, I would say that it is more of just a strong focus. Both of the main characters are very critical of the church, especially relating to purity culture, but they are still believers. Here are a couple quotes relating to this that I enjoyed:
"If it was a blessing planned by God, how could it be a sin? Are sins just blessings being played in God's long game?" (Meg)
"This right here is why I don't go to church. It's a spiritual mind fuck every time." (Micah)
The author calls this "alternative Christian fiction," which is an interesting way to put it. I really liked what she had to say about the inspiration for the book--a story relating to her perception of purity culture--in the author's note. Having grown up Mormon, I can relate to a lot of the things they were taught and the mindbending guilt and questions that come with it. Also, along those lines, it was interesting for me to read a story from an evangelical perspective. With my religious background, I was always taught to demonize evangelicals, so I found it eye opening to read the characters' thought processes and get a bit more insight into evangelical culture.

I did feel like there were some pacing/continuity issues that hurt the story. Betty, Meg's new grandma, is introduced early on in the story, but she hardly makes an appearance again. I thought this was really strange because one of her main story goals was to bond with her new extended family, but this becomes only limited to her uncle James. Most of the effort is overshadowed by the relationship with Micah. There were some other side plots/side characters like Meg's mom, her supposed dad, and Micah's friend Duke who had storylines that felt like they were just kind of thrown in and never resolved in a satisfying way. Additionally, the pacing was a bit all over the place. It was really slow in general, and it often felt like there were big gaps missing at various places in order to move the story forward. But it didn't work very well. These issues are mainly why my rating is so low. It was a bit of a struggle to get through, and I didn't find myself very invested.

I struggled to get into this book. The writing felt a little bit YA for a topic that I didn’t expect to feel very YA, and I struggled to get into the book. Did not finish

I had the chance to read "Never Saw You Coming" by Erin Hahn before it comes out in September, and let me tell you. It was an absolutely thought-provoking. genuine story about finding yourself after having all you've ever known flipped upside down. It deals with hard-hitting issues such as religion and parental incarceration while portraying a wholesome journey to self-discovery and romance.

Perhaps I need to start off by saying I know this story isn’t for everyone. Author, Erin Hahn describes her writing as ‘alternative Christina fiction’. She does approach sensitive issues that most teens are face.

In this story, Meg Hennessey finds out at age eighteen that the man she knows as Dad is not her biological father. Mom confesses that her biological father Andrew died in a car accident before her mother could tell him she was pregnant. She never told her husband that he wasn’t Meg real dad.

Meg sets out to find her grandmother and as well as any members of that side of her life she never knew. While on her search, she meets nineteen year old Micah Allen

Yes! Meg and Micah are meant for each other. There is no doubt you will enjoy reading their story.

I always enjoy reading the Author’s Note. In this case this section is a story in itself.

Want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press ~ Wednesday Books for this eGalley. This file has been made available to me before publication in an early form for an honest professional review.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for September 7, 2021

This is a book I could see my students relating to and enjoying. The teen characters are very likeable and the content and topics relating to religion are very relevant.

Never Saw You Coming follows two teens, Micah and Meg, on a search for identity. Both being raised in conservative Christian households that when secrets and lies began to surface, they begin to question their truth and upbringing in the church. Never doubting the God of love, but doubting the principles and foundation in which they were brought up – the church, human’s sinful nature, scriptural interpretations, etc. When a chance meeting brings them together, they find comfort in each other and begin to believe that God allows bad things to happen and those bad things can bring about blessings.

Overall, I will not share my personal beliefs or testimony – as this is not my story, it is Meg and Micah’s. The story is well written and engaging. I believe captures many struggles of teenagers raised in church and Christian households (myself being one of them). The search for identity is so strong when you begin to notice the world around you, especially with the heartbreaking family situations that both Meg and Micah find themselves in. I think the author did a great job touching on this extremely challenging and malleable time in the lives of young Christians. It’s not easy.

I was hesitant about requesting this book as an ARC. I didn’t want to read about teens who turned their back on their faith and God because that breaks my heart when I hear stories like that, but I also felt it would be impactful and lead to important discussions. So, as I typically do, I read the Author’s Note first (at the back of the book). That was eye opening and I wish that it were located at the beginning of the novel because I believe it is a very powerful point and would resonate with readers prior to beginning the book. The author is working with a very difficult subject in the Christian community and I applaud her on her efforts to try and share those real conflicts, challenges, and desires. Was it a book I would have purchased for my library based on the summary? probably not, but would now that I have read it. Do I agree with all the thoughts and decisions made by the characters? Nope. But I am glad they are being shared and I think this is a very brave book that will be uncomfortable for many, but the points in it need to be acknowledged. Meg and Micah represent many real teenagers and young adults. Hopefully this book finds them, so they might not feel alone about their complicated feelings and struggles.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books for this ARC. I think this would be a good addition to our collection at school. Honestly, I wish I could one day meet the author; sitting down and having a cup of coffee to chat about theology and the church.

“I only started finding him attractive fifteen minutes ago when I met his dog.” Lines like these are why I read Erin Hahn’s books. She’s funny and she packs the wit, similar to Emma Lord. Never Saw You Coming is quirky and sweet, and drops in those witty one liners from time to time.

This book follows Meg and Micah. Meg is a Christian girl who has grown up as an active member of her church. She basically runs away when she finds out her mom and dad are getting a divorce, and whoops—her dad isn’t actually her dad. Micah is the son of a former pastor who has been sent to jail for assaulting female staff members and stealing from the congregation.

Christianity plays a BIG part in this book and I have a couple things I want to say about that. First, that was such a unique integration into the story. Religion is often missing in a lot of YA novels, so I love when it’s included. That’s a whole part of life that’s totally unacknowledged most of the time in this genre, so I was excited to see it included.

Secondly, I took a class once that talked about books being windows and mirrors: you can see the world, and/or you can see yourself looking back at you. As a Christian, this book was both a window and a mirror for me. I had the chance to see my religion and faith represented in a book, but also this was an entirely different experience than what I have ever had. In Never Saw You Coming, Micah and Meg both struggle with their views of the church and how that affects their beliefs. I haven’t had that struggle because I have been lucky to be able to form my own opinions in conjunction with my beliefs. It was interesting and eye-opening to see Micah and Meg make their own choices and maintain their faith.

Outside of religion, this book was cute and definitely a quick read, but it still hit heavy issues: abstinence, sexual assault, sexuality, and incarcerated parents among others. I liked that those topics were included, especially since they often aren’t. However! I wanted more on those. They all took a backseat and I would have liked to have seen a bigger focus on them.

With that, I like the direction the end took, but I wanted more. It fell a little flat. I wanted a little more strength behind that.

The romance in this book was cute and it was refreshing that it was simply different. Mainly, there wasn’t that big stupid fight that breaks up the couple before they realize that was dumb and reunite. It was more mature in that way, and I really appreciated being saved from that trope.

Also! I swear the authors actually listen to me sometimes. I’ve been pushing to have more college aged main characters in YA or adult books (18-25 year-olds pretty much don’t exist), and that was something about More Than Maybe that really bothered me as I could have easily seen those characters in college rather than high school (they worked in a bar and went to school like 0 times). As you can imagine, Never Saw You Coming’s 18 and 19 year old main characters gave my little book loving heart some hope!

In the end, Never Saw You Coming took big risks. It tackled tough issues, but could have delved deeper. It is refreshing as it uses new and rare components in the story, so that was fun. That said, I did enjoy More Than
Maybe more so. I would recommend Never Saw You Coming if you’re looking for something different or just want to read a new perspective.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/ Wednesday Books for the ARC!

Quirky, but a fun read. I enjoyed reading this while on a beach vacation. Very bold & heart warming! I will definitely look into her other books!

This book was a tough read for me, not only because of the topic but also due to all the mentions of religion. Overall I did enjoy the book, I just wish it didn’t talk about religion as much as it did.

Finally, a young adult book that is positive towards a faith in God, allowing for these young adults to have messy lives and find strength in each other and Jesus. Meg is devastated to find her parents have been living a lie. Her real father died before she was born and she sets out to meet his family in Marquette, Michigan. Here she finds loving family, a wonderful young man, and a faith in forgiveness. Her source of love she shares is from God, but she is far from perfect which makes this such a believable story. Touches on topics of purity, modesty, abstinence and “acceptable” behavior in the church.

Loved this book!! It discussed such an important topic-purity culture and shaming women. I loved how it tied in such an important message but also gave us a wonderful love story. The characters were so lovable and relatable. I will definitely recommend this book to others and continue to read books from this author!

This is the third YA book I've read by Erin Hahn and I continue to be impressed with her skills as a writer in approaching difficult topics. This coming-of-age novel doesn't shy away from questioning religion/faith and the double standards within the church's teachings surrounding purity, modesty, abstinence, and "acceptable" behavior. The prevalence of religion and the criticism of the church is probably not for everyone - but I thought she dealt with the hypocrisy of some of the church's teachings in a very smart way. I was thrilled that Meg from More than Maybe was getting her own story - I loved her sassiness. And Micah is an incredible character - his pain is still so raw, but he has such a kind heart and is adorable. Both Meg and Micah show a tremendous amount of vulnerability throughout and the friendship/relationship that develops between them is beautiful as they help each other heal and bring out the best in each other. Never Saw You Coming was a refreshing and heartfelt novel - made me laugh and cry. Definitely recommend it. Thank you to St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books and NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this novel.

I have been looking forward to this read since the moment it was announced. I am the child of a conservative home and a pastors kid. This book hit layers in my little world that other books just haven't been able to reach yet. I will be writing up a glowing goodreads and blog review soon, I just haven't been quite ready to go there yet. but, I will!

I want to give a summary worthy of this book so I can get to my review, here’s my best try.

Meg Hennessey is a good church kid, a bit free spirited, but for the most part a modest model of a teen girl in church. Then she finds out her life is a lie and her world turns upside down. Running away to find her family she meets Micah Allen. A boy whose life was ruined by the church, a rightfully angry teenager who has a lot to work through. Together they learn about love, not only between each other but the love of a God that never left them.

When Netgally sent me this book I was shocked. I had not even asked for it, I just received an email and there it was. Being the “church kid” I am/was I felt deep in my soul that this was God, because of course lol. Now after reading the book. I know it was God.

Here is a list of just a few things I have in common with Meg: worship leader, lied to about who my real dad was for most of my life, church kid, small group leader at one point, and the list goes on. When I found out I had all of this in common with Meg I felt seen. I also felt heartbroken because in this book I was convicted. Basically just a big church word for CALLED OUT. Because Meg’s battle with modesty and love in this book is what I went through and go through on and on. This book made me cry, HARD, because I had never felt like I would ever have a book written where it says I can still love Jesus and mess up in life. I can still love Jesus and not agree with the church at every turn. A book that accepts me and all my mistakes and says I can still love Jesus.
This book healed parts of my heart that have been broken since I learned what modesty was. I feel like I’m rambling but hear me out, especially you previous and current church kids, you need this book. If you have ever felt broken by the church, not heard by the church, or just angry at the church read this. In the right hands, this book can change the lives of so many people, not just teenagers. It made me check myself on how I view other people and myself. It opened my eyes to a lot of issues I need to work on and some the people around me need to work on.

In my life now, I’m a worship leader at my church. I love Jesus and am not a big fan of the “church” term or what it is associated with. I’m a girl who wears a two piece now even if someone might make a passive aggressive comment about it at church on Sunday. I’m also a mom. I’m raising two girls who I refuse to raise the way I was raised. Girls who will be proud of their bodies. Who won’t feel bad for wearing shorts or a two piece bathing suit. Who will stand up for themselves and others when they feel like someone is trying to tell them they are anything but loved by God. Girls who will show everyone love and acceptance, not hate speech and prejudice. This book helped me in these goals. Helped me see that there are still areas in my life where I need to rip religion out and replace it with love, joy, hope, and acceptance.

As I write this review I’m listening to Lauren Daigle’s song Rescue, a song I’ll probably sing tonight at church. Not only because I like it, but because I believe, we all need to hear that God will do whatever it takes to rescue us, even if it’s from ourselves. And when I was 13 and struggling with my whole world being flipped upside down I would have loved to hear these words.
“I will send out an army to find you, in the middle of the darkest night its true. I will never stop marching to reach you, I the middle of the hardest fight it’s true. I will rescue you.”- Lauren Daigle.

I really enjoyed More Than Maybe, enough that I was very surprised, so when Never Saw You Coming dropped, I had to read it. I have a very complicated relationship with faith and organized religion, but I thought this was handled so well and speaks to many different audiences. The romance is sweet, there are some great side characters, honestly I'd probably read another one in this universe.

I feel a little weird writing this review because this book deals very heavily with religious topics and I am very heavily NOT religious. That being said, the subject matter didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book. I actually really loved it. I just feel like my review is coming entirely from an outsider's perspective. Normally I don't like books that talk too much about religion because I can't relate at all. In this case, I could relate to Meg despite her very religious upbringing. Erin Hahn is such a wonderful storyteller, and the themes of a young person having to determine their own beliefs and decide who they want to be and what kind of life they want to lead are universal. This story highlighted issues within the Christian church like double standards and purity culture, and while discussing these things may offend some people, I think this is an important discussion to have. I really hope this book finds its way into the hands of teens who need it, ones who may be struggling with defining their own beliefs.

This book is written in dual POV, but I feel like it's really more of Meg's story, since she's the one who goes through the biggest transformation. I really adored Micah's POV, though, and I would have happily read an entire book of just his story. It was cute seeing how he felt about Meg, and I loved their romance. It wasn't rushed, and it was sweet and felt realistic. I already can't wait for Erin Hahn's next book. If she can make me love a book about religion, I'll read anything she writes.

(I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)