𝘞𝘩𝘺 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴? 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘣𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘸𝘢𝘺?

Lines like that made me fall head over heels for this unconventional YA coming-of-age story.

Meg was raised by very religious, conservative parents but after graduating high school, she learns that the man she thought was her father isn't and that he and her mother have been lying for her entire life. She leaves them behind to travel to meet the family she never knew existed and finds herself questioning her faith and her beliefs in the process. Micah's father is a disgraced pastor which has soured him on the church. When he and Meg meet, there's an instant attraction and as they navigate these new feelings, they also have to figure out how what they've been taught in the past applies to their future.

Religion and the restrictions it imposes (primarily on girls) is a central focus in this book and I can see how it might not be for everyone. I thought Hahn handled the topic with sensitivity and was pleasantly surprised by some of the issues she raised. This isn't a book that's anti-God; rather it's anti- the conservative church's antiquated views on things like purity and people who identify as LGBTQA and it calls out the hypocrisy of its leaders. The author's note is a must-read to understand where the premise came from and her reasons for writing this story.

That being said, Micah and Meg's romance is beautiful, with terrific banter and sweet moments, and I loved the secondary characters, like Meg's "new" grandmother, her BFF Vada, and Micah's best friend, Duke. They're all dealing with what it means to become an adult and I found their struggles realistic and well-developed. I rooted for these characters to find the love, acceptance and joy they sought from religion in each other instead, and was happy to be along for the ride as they did.

Thanks Wednesday Books and NetGalley for a copy to review.

This is the type of faith-based young adult fiction the world needs more of, frankly. This is the story of two adolescents, Meg and Micah, who, for individual reasons, are struggling with their relationships with the church, the church community, and their parents.

It's heartwarming and light while delving into very difficult, very real topics. As someone who has a complicated relationship with religion, when I realized how big of a focus religion was in this story, I was a little nervous. But this is the book I wish I read when I was Meg and Micah's age. It tackles the hypocrisy that occurs in religious groups and teases out what that hypocrisy means when it comes to living a faith-based life. I also loved that the characters tried to figure out how best to keep their relationship with God scared while also exploring human relationships.

It's a story of first love and forgiveness and I'm so glad young readers have this as an option.

Meg watched her whole life fall apart overnight. Resolved to make her gap year something really different, she goes to meet a family she doesn't even know. Upon arriving in the small town of Marquette, she is faced with new sensations, new feelings, new experiences, new friends and a boy who is perhaps her long-awaited love.

Micah has suffered a lot since his family also fell apart and his entire church and small town have turned against them. Trying to escape this pain, he becomes a very different person than he was six years ago when his world came down, but a mysterious and stubborn visitor can start pulling him out of his bubble.

Micah and Meg need to rediscover the meaning of their lives and together they can be exactly what both needed. Right away they tease each other but as they get closer they realize they have a lot in common. Between cliff jumps, walks and conversations, I fell madly in love with this cute couple.

In volume 2 of More than Maybe, writer Erin Hahn brings a complex and challenging love story involving belief in Jesus and how people become judges and keepers of God's law. I was super happy to see again Vada and Luke from book 1, also it was nosthalgic remembering my church youth group and the challenges of living my teenager years, love Jesus and follow the rules presented by the church.

I loved meeting Duke, James, Dani, Betty and cute Noel. I want more of them, it'd be great to see a TV movie.

The book brings many reflections but without a doubt the most important for me was the question of how to face the female body and the prejudices that instill in our minds about it. A wonderful book that should be read, analyzed and discussed.

I was so excited to receive an ARC of Erin Hahn's newest novel, Never Saw You Coming. More Than Maybe was one of my favorite YA novels in 2020 and knowing some characters from it were in this new book was exciting. Plus her books appear to take place in Michigan a lot and that's my home state!

I will start with what I loved - the characters. Meg and Micah were great! I loved them and the struggles they were facing felt real even if I could not relate to them. I also loved the setting of Marquette, though I wish it had been a little more prominent in the story. Or maybe not, the UP of Michigan is like a hidden treasure and I don't want it ruined with too many tourists.

I can only give this three stars because of the heavy religious talk in the story. Oh my goodness the whole chapter with the youth group made me want to put the book down. I felt it was preachy and too much for a light YA novel. I get the gist of what Hahn is trying to accomplish with this story, but it felt really heavy handed at time. I know there is an audience for this book, but I was not it.

However, Hahn's writing is so engaging and her characters so real I will not hesitate to check out her future novels. Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

I was surprised to start reading this book and instantly realize it was about God and Christianity. My fault for wanting to go into books blind all the time! I was a bit nervous because I will be honest and say I’ve been struggling with “Christians” and what they represent presently. I, myself, am a Christian but my version of faith and what I’m seeing in the world today are not the same. I ended up loving the message this book represents. It comes down to one thing: God loves everyone and he doesn’t care who you are or what you’ve done. Like Erin says, we are messy.

Meg’s whole world has been turned upside down and everything she knows is a lie. She’s grown up in a very conservative Christian church. She’s been homeschooled and quite sheltered. She decides to take a gap year and when she finds out she has more family, decides to visit them. She ends up learning a lot about herself and questioning her beliefs. I love that Meg is aware of her battles and is constantly trying to find out what is true to her. Her faith has never wavered but her faith in the church has, rightfully so. She’s one of those characters that you can just feel the light and sunshine come through the pages.

Micah is another great character, who is going through a rough time. His father is in prison and Micah is still living with the consequences of his father. He’s struggling and feels broken. Another thing that Erin focuses on is how the church can ostracize you when something doesn’t go “their way.” His father is the one who committed these felonies but the family suffers greatly. Instead of being there for them and helping them in their time of need, they turn their backs on them.

Meg and Micah’s relationship was so sweet and so inspirational. They are both going through so much but end up helping each other find their way out of the dark. They are both trying to find their footing on their path and their beliefs. I really enjoyed watching them grow in and outside of their relationship. I found myself laughing at a lot of their conversations. It was just a very beautiful romance.

One thing that I didn’t like about this book was how it just glossed over some of the major “talks.” For example, all the stuff with her mom and we don’t really get a conversation about that. We just get a paragraph with her saying they had to work on it. I needed a deep discussion on what happened and how her mom felt. We get more from her stepdad than her own mom.

I read this book in one day! I flew through it because it was just such a wonderful read. Even though, there’s a lot of intense topics it read very light. I think that Erin Hahn did a fabulous job toeing the line between a romance and Christian alternative fiction. I never thought it felt too preachy to me either.

This will not be a book for everyone. There’s a lot of religious discussions and there’s going to be people who don’t agree with the message. It does hit the nail on the head for present day issues with teens and even adults. It’s plain and simple.. love thy neighbor means EVERYONE, no exceptions. There’s a quote in the book that says, “Please enlighten me. Just what did God look like when he came down from heaven and asked you to be his judge and jury?” I will forever use that! Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I flew through it and I was just so in love with Meg and Micah! A very sweet romance about finding who you are in the world.

I want to thank Wednesday Books and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this ebook for review!

Never Saw You Coming by Erin Hahn published 9/7, and man oh man, am I ever been glad this book exists in the world. This book brings so much to the table and I hope it reaches as many young adults (and older adults) as possible.

First off, Meg and Micah have my whole heart. They are so imperfect, yet perfect at the same time, learning and growing and respecting each other. I loved getting to meet them and watch them find each other. I'm also now convinced I need to read More than Maybe, so I can learn more about Veda and Luke's love story. Also, Duke is precious and I want him to be happy and loved and accepted and I love the supportive friendships these young adults form in this world. I loved that they each had their own journeys, but those journeys weaved together seamlessly.

As someone who grew up in church communities of varying levels of conservatism, this book really spoke to me. I'm a pastor's kid, but I can GLADLY report my experience was very different than Michah's. While my home church did not resemble the church communities described in this book, I was exposed to them. While I think even those who didn't grow up with religion or church being a part of their lives can get something out of this one, I know it will be impactful for those who grew up asking questions about the role and influence of the church. And to indulge one more sentence of religion talk, I absolutely loved that while there were a lot of questions about the role that church would play in Meg and Micah's lives going forward, the issue of God and God's love were never up for debate; I think this makes it really accessible to those who may identify with this book most.

I give this one ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

CW: Mentions of suicide, incarceration, conservative Christian ideology

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the romance between Meg and Micah, and I really related to Meg. As a girl who grew up in church, I found myself in Meg's shoes a few times throughout the book. With this being said, it seemed like the book was trying to say a little too much about Christianity for my taste. While it is unfortunate that some are subjected to the religious extremes in the book, it isn't representative of the entire religion, and I felt that this was where the book lacked a little representation. The writing was beautiful, and the characters and plot were well developed. I would definitely continue reading Erin Hahn's work.

“Just what did God look like when he came down from heaven and asked you to be his judge and jury?”

‘Never Saw You Coming’ by Erin Hahn was a VERY cute YA romcom complete with good morals and humor. I would consider this book, alternative Christian young adult fiction? New genre?

So, I LOVED Hahn’s last book, ‘More Than Maybe’ (one of my top reads of 2020) and this book is the follow up. It follows one of the characters, Meg, on her journey after high school ends. Meg is very spiritual 18 year old who decides to take a gap year before college. Some family drama goes down and she heads solo up to the UP (Upper Peninsula, Michigan if you’re unaware) to find herself. There she meets Micah, who has his own troubled family life. Together they learn to stand up for themselves, forgive those who’ve wronged them, deal with uncomfortable truths and to love- family, themselves and each other.

Oh! I loved Micah’s friend Duke. He was the coolest and I want a story about him next!! Hint, Hint @erinhahn_author. 🤩

This book was really cute. I feel like this story is relatable to many young folk who are questioning religion, spiritual guidance or just wondering what else is out there. I also really enjoyed reading the authors note about her own experiences growing up conservative.

This book was HIGHLY anticipated for me as I LOVED ‘More Than Maybe.’ And while I liked this one and it read quick, I liked MTM more. Still good though and I’ll still pick up everything Erin writes. 😁😁

Thank you @netgalley and @wednesdaybooks for allowing me to read this advanced digital copy! This one comes out September 7, 2021!

🖤🖤🖤

I loved this book! I am not going to lie. I almost didn’t read this book. I downloaded it without a lot of thought since I really enjoyed the author’s debut novel and wanted to read more of her work. A few weeks ago I opened up the book to start reading and realized that religion would play a big role in the story. As a general rule, I do not read religious books. I decided to read something else that day. Later, I decided to give the book a chance and I am really glad that I did. The characters are religious and their faith is a big part of who they are but I didn’t feel like the book was preachy in any way. I fell in love with Meg and Micah and was thoroughly entertained by this story.

Meg has been raised in a very conservative religious family. Everything ht she thought she knew is turned upside down when she learned that the man she thought was her father isn’t. It turns out that her mother became pregnant with her after a one-night stand at a youth group conference when she was Meg’s age. She was planning to take a gap year before college so she decides to head north to get to know her father’s family. Micah knows all about scandals. He looked up to his father, a pastor, and considered him to be his best friend. But then his father went to jail for the things he did and Micah’s world fell apart.

Meg and Micah were wonderful together. They had so much in common with each other and seemed to understand each other almost immediately. They both were very strong in their faith but were questioning some of the things that went on within the church. It was great seeing these two connect, and I really loved the way that they watched out for one another. I just really felt like these two were good for each other. The secondary characters were also very well done and I loved how important they were to the story. I especially like Duke and would love to see him featured in future novels.

I would recommend this book to others. This book was a wonderful surprise and I think that a lot of readers will find something to relate to within these pages. I definitely plan to read more of Erin Hahn’s work in the future.

I received a digital review copy of this book from Wednesday Books via NetGalley.

4.25 stars.

Never Saw You Coming is the first book I’ve read by Erin Hahn, despite having had her previous novel, More Than Maybe on my TBR since it was released. And while I was fairly confident I would enjoy this YA romance that also deals with young adults struggling with their faith, I didn’t expect it to be somewhat healing for me, as well.

It’s not something I talk about often, but I was raised in a conservative Christian church. (Let me clarify, when I talk about the church, I mean the institution. Not God, not faith. Those are different topics that I won’t even try to get into here.) In fact, it’s only in the last three to four years that I’ve stopped attending church. And it’s not a coincidence that the timing coincided with a certain president-who-shall-not-be-named’s election. I still have unresolved feelings and thoughts about church, and I’ve pretty much been content to ignore them for now. I know it’s something I’ll deal with eventually but it’s true that when you step away from something that has had such a powerful influence over you for so long, it takes time to let go of those influences. When you wake up one day and feel like you’ve been mislead all your life, it’s hard to reconcile that quickly.

But I’m not here to talk about me (or at least I’ll try not to 😉), I just wanted to share where I’m coming from and why I might have connected with this novel differently than someone who’s never been in church… or someone who still is. And I will say that if you’ve never attended church and you pick up this book, it may shock you a bit; it may even make you think it must be embellished. But it’s not. Sadly, this is the experience for many who attend church here in the US. But, even saying that, some of the religious aspects of the novel were a little heavy-handed for me. Without giving any spoilers, I couldn’t understand how Meg, after everything she’s been through, still wanted to attend a church. But it does become a plot point so I was okay with it in the end.

When I started this book I didn’t know that Meg was a side character in Hahn’s previous novel. It didn’t take me long to figure it out. The main characters from More Than Maybe make an appearance and now I need to go back and read it, as well, because I’m so intrigued by them.

Hahn has done a superb job of making her characters real. They’re well-rounded, flawed, and very recognizable. Meg is brave and individualistic. I fully expected her to be another timid and quiet heroine, typical of many YA female characters, but she is quite the opposite. It’s refreshing.

And despite what Meg’s going through—realizing her whole life is a lie—she is just what Micah needs. I adored watching these two find their strength and each other, fully disproving the old theory that you have to find yourself before you find love. Sometimes we need other people to show us our best selves. Their story is sweet and romantic and inspiring.

I highlighted so many passages in this book that hit close to home. One of the many, many reasons we left the church is the toxicity of the purity culture. When our then-teenage daughters began to point out how unfair it was—the double standards for females as opposed to males—we couldn’t ignore it. Sadly, it never occurred to me when I was a teenager myself to even question it. This book questions it and illustrates how harmful it is. It can lead to many mental health issues, including depression and anxiety, issues I know about first hand now.

This may not be a book for everyone, but I would especially recommend it to readers who’ve been hurt by the church. It’s a less intrusive way to ponder some heavy and serious issues. Well-written and engaging, it’s also just a sweet love story.

I need to preface this review with the caveat that I am NOT the target audience for this book.

I normally love YA love stories, especially when there is an element of family drama involved in the main characters lives. However, I just could not connect with the faith based issues that Micah and Meg were going through. Faith ad the Church were such a central part of the plot and also the relationship between our characters that I just didn't really feel sucked into this story. Aside from those points, I mean the love story itself was pretty cute.

Overall, this one wasn't for me, but if you enjoy YA and are a religious person or have ever had a break in faith I think this may be a good read?

3.5/ 5 stars

Never Saw You Coming is a Young Adult contemporary romance coming of age story that deals with faith and religion.

The book has alternating male and female 1st person POVs

The female narrator is 18 year old Meg. She takes a gap year after high school to find herself.

The male narrator is 19 year old Micah whose father was involved in a church scandal.

This book focuses a lot on family and friends. And church, religion and faith play a key role in the story.

It honestly took me a little while to really get into this story. I like learning about different cultures and religions. But I don't like overly preachy characters. And while this story was more about the characters deciding what role they wanted the church to play in their lives...I still disliked a bunch of the judgy supporting characters.

I really enjoyed the romance. And I liked Meg a lot. I loved seeing her interact with her family especially Betty and James.

The last half of the book was quite good. And I did end up enjoying it. However I think maybe the book focused a bit too much on church and faith for me. But I applaud the author for trying to tell this story. The author's note was fascinating and wonderful.


*The main character in this book was apparently a side character from More Than Maybe. And the couple from that book has a supporting role in this book.

I admit that I flinched a little when I read the blurb for this on receiving the Wednesday Books circular. How much would I, a progressive Muslim, find in common with a bunch of evangelical Christian church kids? Apparently, quite a lot! I'm glad I put my trust in Wednesday Books on this: when they do "controversial" they do it right.

Meg Hennessey is 18 years-old when she discovers that her entire life has been a lie. Raised and home-schooled by devoutly Christian parents (the kind who would characterize themselves brightly as "Christian!" when asked which denomination, probably without even realizing the cynical marketing behind the turn away from their Pentecostal roots -- yes, I have THOUGHTS,) Meg is informed by her mom that the man who raised her isn't actually her biological father but the best friend Mom married when she found out that she was pregnant and that the guy who'd knocked her up was dead. After this confession, Dad takes off altogether, leaving Meg feeling betrayed, rudderless and alone. When she discovers that her paternal great-grandmother lives ten hours upstate and desperately wants to meet her, she decides to take her gap year up in Marquette, Michigan in order to try to get to know that side of her family better.

Micah Allen used to be the quintessential pastor's kid until his dad was imprisoned for embezzlement from the church. Between that and the sexual relationships, occasionally coercive, between Micah's dad and certain church staff, Micah's completely blind-sided family was shunned and worse. Micah's mom eventually remarried and had several more kids, but Micah never really recovered. Though his faith in God is still strong, he no longer goes to or believes in the church.

When Meg and Micah meet, they first think the other is an extreme weirdo, but as circumstances keep throwing them together, they find themselves falling in love. But are they each too much of a mess to be able to really connect? Can they come to terms with the past in order to build a better future together? And while they share a deep love of God, will the teachings of the evangelical church tear them apart?

Fundy parents will <i>loathe</i> what Erin Hahn terms an "alternative" Christian romance. The teenagers swear, drink, make out and either aren't straight or are accepting of non-heterosexual lifestyles, and Ms Hahn has the temerity to suggest that none of this means they're anything less than Good Christians. While I don't agree with her "one and done" doctrine, I do agree that there's a lot of petty nonsense and misogyny that fuels many, many religious spaces, and think she's done a brave and necessary thing writing so boldly about this. As a fellow God-believer, tho not in the traditions she or her characters follow, I share her impatience with people who use religion to control and shame how women dress and behave instead of expending that considerable energy to feeding the poor and helping the needy. We need fewer, ideally zero anti-abortion protests and many, many more diaper drives and nursery creches, in addition to comprehensive sex education so people can make informed choices. And let me tell you, learning about the biology of sex and pregnancy in science class put me off the idea for a very long time! Sex ed isn't meant to be a manual on pleasure, as some weirdos think it is. It just explains the processes and options (and SHOULD also explain the different forms of birth control) so naive kids don't get coerced into doing things they don't want to and end up facing life-altering, possibly -ruining, consequences.

And while I didn't agree with certain aspects of doctrine, there were a lot of things I did agree with, such as the incredibly wise

<blockquote>"Forgiving someone before you mean it is useless. And a lie. So why force the issue?["]</blockquote>

Never Saw You Coming is an important YA novel that might not be for everyone but will 100% save lives. A faith in God isn't everyone's thing but it can be a real comfort, especially for people born into strict religious traditions who find themselves questioning the overt misogyny and, frankly, close-mindedness of those in power. As a Muslim, I didn't find this Christian novel any more preachy than necessary, tho it was still very devout. It's an excellent attempt at reconciling religion with the demands of the real world -- and don't think I don't lol when Protestant "Christians" complain about co-religionists proclaiming a faith in God while daring to break away from the church, as if Martin Luther hadn't set <i>that</i> precedent centuries ago.

Never Saw You Coming by Erin Hahn was published September 7 2021 by Wednesday Books and is available from all good booksellers, including <a href="https://bookshop.org/a/15382/9781250761248">Bookshop!</a>

This is a great story dealing with the complication of religion & the stance of the church for young girls. Meg is a great representative for young girls & Micah is a good partner to help her along the way. I enjoyed reading this story & thought it was very well written. Highly recommend it!

Never Saw You Coming is an apt title for a story that I truly did not see coming. Equal parts YA Contemporary and Christian fiction Meg and Micah’s story opened my eyes to a community that was supposed to be about support but instead seemed restrictive, especially towards women. Meg was brought up in a strictly religious household. Her church taught their girls to not catch the eye of a boy, wear clothing that covered their skin, and to keep themselves pure for God and their future husband. When she found out her mother got pregnant when she was a teenager with someone she met from youth group (who died shortly after) and her “father” was her mom’s best friend, all of that strict upbringing seemed totally hypocritical. Instead of taking her gap year like she had decided Meg drives upstate to visit her real dad’s family and see if she can make a connection to them and to her lost faith.

I don’t usually read Christian fiction. Well, I don’t go looking for it anyway but have been pleasantly surprised by a few novels in the past. Never Saw You Coming hit me like a freight train. Meg had this innocence from her sheltered upbringing that brought a joy to the decisions she made when she got to Marquette. When she meets her great-grandmother and uncle she brings to their lives that same joy, and it’s not surprising that she wants to delve into that relationship a bit more. Meg was also homeschooled and didn’t have a ton of friends so is pleased that she seems to have no trouble making friends in Marquette. Especially making friends with Micah who she shyly finds attractive.

Meg and Micah are both secure in their relationship with God, but they aren’t as secure in the way that faith seems to be addressed through Church. This is a topic that is deeply explored in this novel and which, truthfully, opened my eyes. I found this look into their faith fascinating and was really pleased with how the characters explored their questions, rejecting some attitudes, and accepting others. It seemed a realistic viewpoint and although I was a little horrified at how this religion treated Meg, I was pleased with how the men in her life stepped forward claiming that treatment unacceptable. (Thank goodness!)

As with other Erin Hahn novels, I really enjoyed this story! She is a truly talented author and while this topic isn’t my usual I could tell that it meant something to the author and I’m glad she told this story as I think it needed to be told. I’m a bit older than her target demographic but I think this is a message that was well told and needs to be heard. I will definitely be keeping an eye for this author’s next novel as she is quickly becoming a go to author for me. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest.

I was a little hesitant going into Erin Hahn’s new novel Never Saw You Coming because of its focus on religion. I have very complicated feelings about religion myself and worried that my own feelings might get in the way and make this a less than enjoyable read for me. I was pleased to discover that the exact opposite happened – this book and its main character, Meg Hennessey, really spoke to me mainly because Meg shares many of the conflicted feelings I’ve always had so I found her very easy to relate to.

What I found most relatable about Meg is that regardless of whatever conflicted feelings she has about church and her fellow Christians, those conflicted feelings never spill over into her feelings about God. Her relationship with God is strong; she just takes issue with those holier than thou Christians who somehow think they have the right to act as judge and juror over everyone else’s morality. I also like that the author uses very realistic scenarios to explore Meg’s conflicted feelings. Her feelings, for example, really come to a head when she finds herself attracted to a young man named Micah and wonders if exploring any kind of intimate relationship with him makes her a sinner. Meg also has to contend with a parent from the church deeming her unfit to lead the church youth group because Meg has purple streaks in her hair and because the parent witnessed Micah leaving Meg’s house late at night.

I really liked Meg and felt especially sympathetic toward her because at the beginning of the story, she has recently learned that her entire life has basically been a lie and that her parents have been keeping a huge secret from her. She runs away looking for answers, not just about religion, but really, about her entire sense of self and identity.

While I enjoyed watching Meg explore her faith and work through all the questions she has, I also really loved her growing relationship with Micah. He too has a complicated relationship with religion and so he and Meg are able to have some pretty frank and enlightening discussions about faith and purity and sex.

I also loved that the religious themes didn’t completely take over the story, but instead meshes very naturally into the budding romance between Meg and Micah. The author does a lovely job keeping the two parts of the story well balanced.

Overall, Never Saw You Coming is both a sweet romance and an exploration of faith that will leave readers with plenty of food for thought.

I absolutely LOVED this book. Just go in blind! Just do it! You will love it with no preconceived notions of what it’s about and watching the story unfold!

This story is very cute, but can get very heavy handed on the topics it is trying to discuss in a way that it can come off forceful in a way.

3.5 stars

This, in the end, was very cute. I enjoyed the characters and seeing Meg grow as the story developed. While this is heavy on certain aspects of religion it is also heavy on acceptance of who you are and who others are. Love seeing Vada and Luke from More Than Maybe.

I have read everything Erin has written and I will continue to do so.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/ Wednesday Books for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

This book is a work of love and highly personal for the author as it looks at her conservative upbringing. Let me preface this with, this book was written with such heart and detail. It is not ‘extremist’ in any way but explores two young adults who question their upbringing.
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I went into knowing the content, and while I had a very different upbringing, I found this book incredibly moving and found myself not wanting to put my kindle down.
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I loved Meg and Micah. They are both hurt by things they’ve experienced as a result of their parents. They are perfectly imperfect characters and grow throughout the story. Meg was first featured in More Than Maybe, which I previously enjoyed.
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This may not be for everyone and that’s ok. This is a love story and as I said, is deeply personal to the author.
It is not political, it’s not bashing, it’s rooted in her lived experiences. The 2-piece swimsuit is pivotal to the story line and the underlying implications Meg has with wearing it.
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Thank you @netgalley @stmartinspress and @erinhahn_author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. #toepick