“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. Without giving away too much, the two meet and come together to heal.

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!

Meg Hennessey grew up finding comfort in her faith. But her conservative parents also kept her sheltered based on their interpretation of the rules of the church. But at age eighteen, Meg learns her entire life was a lie. Instead of going to work at a church camp for a year, she heads to Marquette, Michigan to learn more about the family she never knew she had. There, she meets Micah Allen. Micah's dad is a former pastor who is now in prison. Micah adored and believed in his father, who let the church, his congregation, and his family down famously--the press still hounds Micah years later. With his father's probation hearing coming up, his mother wants him to forgive him, but Micah isn't sure he can. Meg and Micah meet and find themselves drawn to each other. But each struggle with what they've been taught about love, along with the pasts they may need to leave behind to move forward.

"Because the uncomfortable truth is, while the church loves sinners in their pews, they don't want them in front of a crowd. It's the difference between acceptance and tolerance, and it might catch on. God forbid."

This is a really lovely and moving story. While it includes a lot of religious themes and discussion, it never felt like too much--religion and forgiveness informs the story, rather than detracts from it. Meg is a side character in Hahn's excellent book, MORE THAN MAYBE, and we see glimpses of Vada and Luke from that tale (which is really fun). It's wonderful to see Meg fully explored here--Hahn writes her sections in a snappy and smart way, capturing Meg perfectly. She's so sweet, yet smart and tough. Her entire life has been upended, and Meg truly must rethink her whole faith and foundation. I think a weaker person would crumple at such a situation. Watching her grow is really fun; you cannot help but root for her.

And Micah is a great character, too. He too, has had his faith tested, as his father destroyed his church and Micah's belief in the church. Micah and Meg's romance is cute, honest, and real. Hahn's book explores how shamed these two feel by falling in love and how the church has conditioned them to feel that love, happiness, and romance can be wrong and even sinful. It tackles the pain of loving a Jesus/God who then censures you for loving. It's so adept at this and skilled at portraying their struggles. How can the love of these two sweet, earnest kids be wrong? And as they explore why bad things happen--especially as they believe so fully--the book makes you think and examine deeply. It deftly exposes the church's focus on female purity only, while often ignoring the males. Honestly, whether you're religious or not, this is a must-read, especially in these times, when so much of the control of a women's body seems not be our own.

Overall, I loved this book. It offers a charming romance, along with a timely look at religion and how it can affect young people as they make their way in the world. The side characters are excellent (I'm looking at you, Duke, and Cash the dog!). Hahn's writing is as excellent as ever. 4.5 stars. Please note the author's own note for a trigger warning for self-harm and suicide.

Let’s start with Meg. I loved Meg in More Than Maybe and I was so excited to see her as one of the main characters in this book. Meg is delightful and unique and in Never Saw You Coming, dealing with a lot of shit.

Her mom just let her know that her dad is not actually her biological dad and guess what?? She had sex outside of marriage which is against everything she ever told and taught Meg growing up.

Meg is pissed… to say the least.

With this news, Meg changes her plans for the summer and decides to go up north to the UP (upper peninsula) and visit with the family of her biological dad. He might be dead, but the people he knew and loved are still alive and Meg wants to know them.

And who is one of the first people she meets? Micah Allen.

Micah is a doubter and he has good reason to be. His father was the pastor of their church and defrauded it and harassed many of the women that worked for him.

He’s in prison (has been for years) and Micah is still dealing with the aftermath of the fallout, how the community treats him (still), and the reasons he no longer feels comfortable going to church.

Meg and Micah meet on a rock near the water. Meg has just arrived in town and decides to chill out and figure out her life sitting on a rock. But Micah has the audacity to be in the exact place she wants to sit. First of all, how dare he and second of all, HOW DARE HE.

He gives up his spot and they don’t expect to see each other again, but fate has other ideas. They meet again at Micah’s work and the connection is solidified.

While Meg visits her great-grandmother and finds a place to stay with her newly-found uncle, she finds herself seeing Micah again and again. And the sparks?? THEY FLY.

The more time she spends with her family and Micah, the more she realizes that maybe she doesn’t want to go back home. Maybe she belongs in this new place.

So she gets a job and starts putting down a few roots.

But this isn’t just a love story. This is also a story about hurt, lies, beliefs, and what believing in God means to each person.

Meg grew up in a church that taught her a lot of shit. Stuff about being modest and not “tempting” boys. Stuff about when sex should happen and when it shouldn’t, Stuff about what girls should wear and what they shouldn’t. And if you break any rules, well…you’re not going to a good place.

Throughout the story, she deals with all these things she/s been told to her over the years. She figures out what works for her and what is toxic bullshit. It’s great to see her unlearn a lot of the sexist shit she’s been taught.

When she bought a two-piece bathing suit, I was like YES, MEG! DO IT! I didn’t get the religious shame thing that she got, but I definitely got the “if you wear that, you’re to blame for whatever people say or do to you” so I TOTALLY got that scene.

Micah is also HIGHLY relatable to me with his angst and anger and feeling towards his father. I really enjoyed diving deep into his story and his feelings. He fit perfectly with Meg and their interactions are delightful, but he’s also just as interesting by himself too.

Also….DUKE!! What a delightful cinnamon roll! I just want him to be happy and accepted and I will punch anyone who tries to hurt him.

Let’s talk a little bit more about church stuff. I really loved the slow development of Micah and Meg’s journey back to church and how it’s done on their own terms.

Micah’s angry drum session?? Yes, please. Meg’s teen girl bible group….I have never wanted to be a part of a bible group before and yet…I would go.

I also LOVED Meg standing her ground when it came to talking about abstinence. She knew how harmful that was for her and she wasn’t spreading that nonsense to more girls.

And I don’t know why but Meg working at a coffee shop/bakery made me smile so hard. Just Meg and baked goods seem to fit perfectly.

Oh and no spoilers, but MEG’S WINGS. FUCK YES.

Obviously, I loved the shit out of this book! While not everyone will get the religious parts (depending on how or where you grew up), the love story and Meg and Micah’s individual struggles will have you staying up way too late to read “just another chapter”. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

Never Saw You Coming by Erin Hahn is available now!

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the free eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book had me feeling all the feels. It’s been over a week since I’ve read it and I’m still struggling to put my thoughts into words. It is a fantastic YA book.

Why I loved it:
*Meg & Micah’s love story
*Heartfelt coming of age story!
*Duke (Micah’s best friend)
*Meg’s great grandma & uncle
*Meg’s stepdad
*The main characters are wonderful, and the supporting characters make it that much more enjoyable.
*The difference between religion & faith intertwined throughout the book. I know this will be a turn off for some, but for others I think it will be exactly what they need.

Don’t skip over the author’s note at the end!

A cute book that shows how one's views can change and grow as one comes of age. Follow along and find yourself along the way, with two kids in love and learning what is right and wrong.

I'm not sure how I feel about this book and how to write a review on it. On one hand, it was a fun story with likeable characters. The romance is sweet and heartwarming. The coming of age story is done well. But I'm not sure how I feel about the religious aspects. As someone who grew up going to a conservative christian church and has had to reconcile those beliefs with my own as a liberal queer adult, I found it supremely relatable. However, I'm not sure how I feel about where the book takes it. I suppose I've never learned to separate those restricting beliefs that were imparted on me as a child with faith in general. I'm glad that the characters did, but it just didn't feel completely right to me. But I will say, I think I'll be thinking about this book for a long time.

Wonderful and impactful, Never Saw You Coming is another stunning work of Erin Hahn's. She weaves such witty banter, romance, and deep issues together in a way that keeps me hooked and turning the page! (Also would definitely die for Meg).

Erin Hahn quickly became one of my fav YA authors after I devoured MORE THAN MAYBE last year. She knows how to write about teenage angsty love and if you’re a YA love story fan, she’s your author. So when she announced a "spin-off" to one of my fav novels, I knew I had to get my hands on it.
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**Vulnerable/Real Life Review
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Wow. It has taken me a long time to put my words to the page. Let me start off with saying I am a Christian. My dad is a Pastor & has been basically my entire life. I, too, am an ordained Pastor & currently serve in ministry.
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In this story, Erin reveals a deep-seeded issue within Christianity which is (unfortunately) sometimes “the church” isn’t what God meant it to be.
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The biggest heart breaks in my life weren’t from boys or friends or family; they were from people who claimed Christianity then went against everything Christ stands for.
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I connected so much with Meg feeling the pressure to live a modest lifestyle and always having to “keep up appearances” (thank God we’ve since been delivered from that bondage, Meg included)
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And Micah. My heart. Being a Pastor’s kid can be such a tough job. Erin so beautifully portrayed how when “the church” can hurt you, it’s just that. People. People hurt you. Not God. He’s got you through it all.
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I know reading isn’t always about connecting with characters but I think to fully appreciate this book, you have to. You have to be able to relate to digest the brilliant writing & storytelling from Erin.
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Now please know my heart. I am not saying "the church" is horrible. I am not coming at anyone or judging anyone. We all have our own journey through life & I’m just sharing my own personal past.
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Thank you @wednesdaybooks & @erinhahn_author for this #giftedbook
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🚨Self Harm, Suicide

Thank you NetGalley, author Erin Hahn, and Wednesday Books publishing for giving me a free arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
4 stars
If you are looking for a coming-to-age story of finding out who you really are when all you have ever known is suddenly challenged with the reveal of a family secret, then this book is the one you have been looking for.
This book had some very realistically written main characters that were both facing their own hard truths against everything that have ever known including that of their spirituality.
I love how the author had each chapter in the pov of one of the main characters. I believe it made the story that much more emotional and made it unique from other coming-of-age stories that I have read. The writing and the pacing kept my interest until the very end. The author wrote about some very sensitive topics! I felt each was given it own purpose and handled with care and love by the author. I believe this will be a book that will be read by a lot of high school students in their classrooms. There are a lot of wonderful young adult topics that high schoolers/young adults face in the times we live in today. The ending was exactly what I expected and found it very satisfying! Overall, I would recommend this book to those who are looking for a coming-of-age story that will stay with you even after you close the back cover. I can't wait to read more books by this author in the future.

I struggled to finish the book because neither the plot nor the characters were compelling to me. I know that this has much to do with not being interested in Christian fiction, but my hope was that this novel would be a window into an experience that not everyone knows about. Unfortunately, I didn't feel any sense of realism in the characters. Perhaps this is how some adolescents talk/think/believe, but the writing did not lend any sense of realism to me.

What can I say? I read this at the right time! I needed a break from all the heavy books I have been reading and this was just the what the dr ordered!

Cute, fun Rom Com!!!

Thank you #NetGalley for the arc.

A strictly raised Christian girl, reeling from revelations about her parents, meets the son of a jailed pastor in Erin Hahn's latest triumph. This book holds so much heartfelt love and grace, with a rock-solid romance and beautiful exploration of familial relationships.

Never Saw You Coming
By Erin Hahn

I really enjoyed reading this captivating story about Meg and Micah, two teens whose life takes a turn and whose friendship helps each other heal from their hurts. This young adult contemporary novel really packed a punch with complex family backgrounds and issues as the main themes of the story - in this case the teens were troubled because of the mistakes made by their parents in lying, hiding, or making wrong life choices.

This novel would make for a great book club discussion for its polarizing themes and the tough questions this book addresses. This was a great read that really surprised me.

Meg learns that her childhood was a lie, her father is not her father and her mother was not married when she became pregnant. Her real father is dead but his family is still alive and she decides to go and meet them during her gap year. Meg is a religious person and even after her mother's lies that doesn't really change.
She will meet Micah, his father was a pastor but has been in prison for a while now and his relationship with the church is somewhat complicated.
They will get to know each other, appreciate each other, help each other and love each other.
Meg will also get to know her uncle, her grandmother and she will have to learn to forgive, whether it be her stepfather or her mother.
There is one thing I particularly liked about this book and I might be spoiling you a bit but at no point is Micah and Meg's relationship in danger;
One thing I like less and less in romances is the "drama", every time a couple is good together, something has to happen to break it up. And that annoys me to no end, so it's a joy to see that's not the case here.
I loved the author's writing, the story is beautiful and I had a great time with Meg and Micah.

Meg has been raised as a strict Christian. But when she discovers that her father is not her real father and she starts to question the importance of values the Church imposes, her faith takes a beating. Meg decides to take some time away from home to find herself and in the process, she falls in love with Micah, who too, has his own issues to sort out.

This book deals with some strong issues and I think it was just me and my situation, but it took me a long time to get through. I thought it was just an okay read but again, that could be because I was reading it while moving house and quite possibly I wasn't in the right headspace to fully get into it.

The author's note at the end is definitely worth a read to understand more about the book and why it was written.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy of Never Saw You Coming by Erin Hahn. All opinions are my own.

I'm an Erin Hahn lover and have absolutely raved about every book she's written. This one fell a little flat for me, but I think it's because I had a difficult time connecting with the characters.

To be honest, pretty heavy handed/a bit too precious for me, but I expect readers that need this will appreciate it more. The writing wasn't really pulling me in as much as I'd hoped.

Erin Hahn books are just automatic buys for me at this point and Never Saw You Coming is no exception! A tough look at purity culture and religion, this book is impactful and takes the same lesson that the things our parents do really shape our lives and psyches in ways we can’t really realize at the time.

Raised in a devoutly Christian family, plucky Meg is blindsided by the separation of her parents and the truth about her father. In its wake, she takes off for Northern Michigan to meet the grandmother and uncle she never knew. While there, she makes friends and meets Micah, the son of a disgraced and ruined pastor. Together, Meg and Michah confront their pasts, make new decisions for their futures, and inevitably fall in love.

I enjoyed Meg and Micah. Meg’s transition from More than Maybe to this book was well-executed. I loved that she stood firm in her beliefs, would not conform to an imperfect standard, and readily admitted that she's still figuring things out. Her initial response to her parents and then her empathetic shift was a lovely example of her true character.

Micah had a rougher go of it in his past. His state of being was also realistically portrayed. Micah and Meg were great together and examples of young adults breaking away from their parents' precepts to discover life and faith on their own.

I did have a few issues, but they were fairly minor. 1.) Meg contradicts herself (philosophically) when expressing an opinion to a young girl she meets with and then later to Micah. The two contradicting comments were in reference to the Bible and its teachings, so it stood out to me. 2.) I’ll try not to sound petty here, but I felt like the foul language was overused. While I hold a different standard for YA lit, It doesn’t always bother me, but its overuse in this book felt incongruous to the characters.

As a whole, this story had a relevant and encouraging message that was delivered in an entertaining and romantic story. As a Christian who has seen some ugly truths in the church in the last few years, some of this book spoke to me on a visceral level. I loved the author's dedication and some of what she shared in her author’s note. I want to commend her for committing to her purpose of sharing what’s on her heart at a time when many young people have felt fear or shame while growing up in the church. Or, never attended because they were previously hurt. I want to clarify that when I say "The Church,” it's a vague reference to those institutions (not all of them) that have used the Bible as a yardstick to measure the worth of a person based on outward sin, rather than the Bible’s prevailing message of grace, mercy, and love.

Never Saw You Coming is the second book by Erin Hahn that I read and it was a pleasant and lovely surprise.
The characters were interesting and so cute together. I loved both Meg and Micah, I likes that they were different and unique. I also loved Duke, and seeing more of Vada and Luke!
I know the book might feel heavy on the religion side but it was part of the story and it was OK for me.
I enjoyed reading about Meg’s feelings and thoughts as well as Micah’s and it was easy to read.
This is one of those books that gives a warm feeling and leaves a smile on your face; sometimes we just need those, so I do recommend it.