Well, That Was Unexpected by Jesse Q. Sutanto, who is the incredible author of Dial A for Aunties, release September 27, 2022!
Well, That Was Unexpected is one of the funniest, most heartwarming young adult romance novels that I have ever read. It’s also fantastic thanks to the location change with the book starting in LA & ending up with the majority of it taking place in Indonesia.
Sharlot Citra is whisked away with her mother to visit their family for the summer in her native Indonesia after being caught in a delicate situation. Thanks to catfishing from well-intentioned family members, both Sharlot & one of Indonesia’s most eligible teenagers, George Clooney Tanuwijaya,stumble into fake dating one another with a camera crew in tow. This book epitomizes teenage awkwardness mixed with incredible humor in dealing with precarious situations that makes for an amazing read. It’s a dual point of view love story, which I always adore getting both sides of the story!
The author mentions in the author’s note that this book is a love letter to Indonesia & you can absolutely tell. I was enchanted with the descriptions of this beautiful country as well as the culture, the history, the delicious food & even the coffee industry thanks to this book. I am always grateful to learn new things, so I really appreciate the author’s time, energy & ability to share & intertwine this beautiful romance into it.
This book had me accidentally laughing out loud at the grocery store! This book actually had me laughing throughout the entire reading & I absolutely adore the author’s writing style & the humor they bring. This story is full of adventure, growth, the freedom of learning to love being one’s most true authentic self & the most adorable love story. This book also tackles some serious issues with society, gender norms, unrealistic reality of social media, toxic masculinity & more, but it handles these nuanced topics with grace & humor in a beautiful way that wholeheartedly gave me hope for the future. I honestly cannot rave enough about this book.
If you’re looking for some laughs, an adorably lovely young adult romance &/or a glimpse into the beauty that is Indonesia, I highly recommend reading Well, That Was Unexpected by Jesse Q. Sutanto!

Massive thanks to NetGalley & Delacorte Press for giving me the opportunity to read an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Trigger warnings: This book mentions &/or contains loss of loved one & bullying.

I will post on Instagram this week as well as Amazon & Barnes & Noble after publication. I will add links once I do.

I've loved everything I've read by Jesse Q. Sutanto so far, so I wasn't surprised at how much I enjoyed Well, That Was Unexpected. This story is told in dual-POV, following both Sharlot and George as they navigate different pressures and everybody's else's expectations for their love lives. As readers we know the big twist early on that their relationship started from their parents pretending to be their children online, but the fun is in the anticipation of when they discover the truth, and watching them start to fall for each other in the meantime. They both have less than stellar expectations of the other, but they experience many surprises and unexpected moments throughout the story. There's so many wonderful elements – fake dating, nosy parents, annoying little sisters, celebrity glamor, families falling apart and coming together again. And plenty of sweet moments and romance-filled adventures. This book is great if you need something cute and light to warm your heart!

This book has many elements of a great YA rom-com, but another factor I loved about it was the exploration and portrayal of the Chinese-Indonesian culture. This definitely felt in part like a love letter to Sutanto's culture, and I always think it's so cool as a reader to feel invited into that. Sharlot is American-born, but after her mom catches her in a compromising position, she's whisked away to Indonesia, and she really gets to explore her own culture deeply for the first time. From her eyes, we get to see the beauty of Indonesia, its delicious food, the different types of people. And while I don't drink coffee, this book almost has me wanting to try a cup of Indonesian coffee, because it sounds like a truly magical experience. Sharlot's not just falling in love with a boy, but she's falling in love with her culture and her family's homeland. Such a wonderful part of this book!

The perfect YA rom-com! Though at the beginning, I wasn't sure it was going to be YA. Both main characters get caught by their parents in risque situations at the beginning of the book. This leads to both parents catfishing the other in hopes of helping their kids find someone respectable.

Overall an enjoyable read that had me rooting for the characters.

Thank you NetGalley, Jesse Q. Sutanto, and Delacorte Press for the eARC!

Honestly, I did not make it past the first chapter. The shallow characterization of Sharlot, who is obsessed with having sex with her boyfriend (that we see she doesn't even like beyond that he is "hot") was not a character that I could stomach reading about. She was extremely disrespectful to her single working mother as well. Maybe she was redeemed later in the book? I certainly hope so, because she was not a character that I would encourage any student to identify with or emulate.

It makes me sad to say….I have loved everything this author has written but this book truly fell flat for me.

In this book we follow Sharlot and George two teens. Sharlot is taken to India for the summer after her mother walking in on her and her boyfriend almost having sex while George got caught taking things into his own hands haha. Both their parents think they need a steady culturally appropriate significant other so make them profiles on a dating app and catfish each other. We follow their fake dating to real dating to maybe more.

I truly loved all the Chinese/Indian culture we get in this book from the descriptions of food to the historic places and how their culture changed through the years. Absolutely blew me away in that front! You can feel from her words how much she loves her culture. However the characters just needed development. Neither is terribly likable. Sharlot is really negative, constantly yelling at her mother and actually fairly angry at life. George is just apathetic. Their growth is not until the last few pages so for most of the boom you’re just stuck with these feelings that don’t endear them to readers.

I’d definitely read more of this author but this book just didn’t work well for me. Thank you Netgalley and publisher for this advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This story has strong Asian heritage vibes, is accessible by showing us such embarrassing moments from the beginning, and gives me “Never Have I Ever” vibes. I love it.

Favorite parts: DUAL POINT OF VIEW. I love that we get the guy and gal perspective here. It’s so cool to see the way these two teens interact with the world. Usually with Dual POV it’s all about the romance for me, and while it is a treat in that sense here, it’s also nice to see I’m the mind of a teen guy and teen girl. How the generation interacts with the world, the responsibilities of both genders in their family structures, the pressures (especially with George Clooney being the only grandson in a family structure that values sons so much). It’s well written and I like that I can see those things.

Relatability. Sharlot realizing that she doesn’t see her mom so clearly, that there are parts of her that she doesn’t know- I love that. I felt that way about my own mom, and like Sharlot there was some hurt that came with it. I love these dynamics with the families because it makes it more relatable.

New Here. I love the fish out of water trope… taking our FMC and putting her somewhere completely new to discover who she is out of her comfort zone. Love it. 👏👏👏

Well, That Was Unexpected by Jesse Q. Sutanto is an enjoyable heartwarming story of family and love. Did I mention it is funny too?!? I enjoyed this multicultural story, with charming side characters and a beautiful love story.

To say that I'm happy to finally read a book that was published in the US/UK and it sets in Jakarta and Bali, Indonesia is an understatement! I AM ECSTATIC BEYOND BELIEF!!!

I cherished this book a lot! It is close to my heart, it has so many Indonesian references that got me jumped in joy 😍 The way the parents of the characters keep saying "aduh" haha! Especially the no boundaries no privacy kind of thing. I'm pretty sure if you grew up in an Asian household you know how it feels, I mean like when your parents go barge into your rooms without knocking.

The funniest is the name thing though, which is a total fact! I have a friend named Brian but instead of calling him bry-yan, we call him bree-yan. Another friend of mine named Chris, but like in an Indonesian fashioned way, it spelled Kris 🤣

I LOVE Jesse describing Jakarta and Bali in the truest way! She even mentioned Pacific Place where George's sister begged to buy a cellphone there. Us peasants go to ITC instead 😂 I also love that she mentioned soda gembira, which is one of my favorite drinks ever!

She also gives the facts about Indonesia's wealthiest people are dominantly Chinese-Indonesia, that's also so true! A little fact from me, it was because, back in the day when Indonesia was colonized by the Dutch, indigenous people were considered the lowest class and couldn't own any properties/education. I remember my Dad told me that his Grandpa couldn't go to school/have an education because he was a local until one of a Dutch family adopted him. So yes businesses were mostly owned by Chinese/Indian-Indonesian.

Enough with the facts, now with the story. It was cute, sweet, adorable, even though I feel they're into each other far too soon and in just a span of a week (?) idk I can't really remember. But I like that Sharlot is growing up and being a better person, especially toward her Mom.

Jesse also talked about how Indonesia is such a very conservative country and the people could be very judgemental but she writes about that topic very well.

My input is that I wish the Indonesian words/food are in italic but I was reading an ARC so I'm not sure what the final one looks like.

Lastly, I cannot wait to read more books by Jesse!!!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book to review.

Jesse Q. Sutanto’s Well, That was Unexpected is delightful YA romcom involving mistaken identity; a large, well-meaning and meddlesome family; and multicultural adventure.

Sharlot, the main character, is caught in a compromising position when her mother comes home early from work. The result: Mom whisks Sharlot off for a summer in Indonesia to visit relatives she’s never met, despite having been unwilling to discuss her life there up until this point. The kicker: Mom goes online as Sharlot, catfishing for a nice young boy for her daughter.

George is part of an uber-wealthy Indonesian empire, whose father and younger sister set out to find him a nice girl after catching him in his own (very humiliating) moment. Sharlot’s and George’s family become overly involved in their budding relationship, while George and Sharlot navigate from disinterest in the characters their families created to genuine attachment.

The exploration of Indonesia and the constant humor move the story from a standard YA romcom to the next level. All of the characters are engaging, both Sharlot and George learn and grown throughout the book, and a secondary romance bring an unexpected depth and warmth to the tale.

I highly recommend Well, That was Unexpected to people of any age who enjoy a fun, heartfelt, and funny romance.

I’ll be honest, the beginning of this book took some willpower for me to get through. It’s not that it was bad, it just seemed soooo cliche. Single parent catches teenager in risqué position and overreacts. But I LOVED Dial A for Aunties, so I wanted to stick it out and I am SO glad that did because the rest of the book was a love letter to Indonesia. I ache for the food, locations, and everything else that was described, and yet I’ve never been there. And perhaps the best part is that not only did the book highlight what’s amazing about Indonesia, it touched upon ways it can be better and gave hope that those improvements will be made. So while George and Sharlot’s story was cute, the real star of this book is Indonesia and its culture.

Four and a half Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭒
Well, That Was Unexpected by Jesse Q. Sutanto is a funny, heartwarming tale of family and love. I enjoyed this multicultural story, with charming side characters and a beautiful love story.

Sharlot Citra just wants to be a normal girl in school in California. But, when her mother finds her in a compromising position with her boyfriend, her mother takes her to Indonesia to visit the family she barely knows. Sharlot doesn’t want to leave her friends in California, but her mother knows best.

George Clooney Tanuwijaya is the son of one of the wealthiest families in Indonesia. His father insists that he settle down soon and find a wife.

George’s father and Sharlot’s mother both begin texting each other as their children, not knowing that each are not the real George or Sharlot, and they decide to meet up. George and Sharlot know they are not right for each other from the start, but they continue to date, and after several amazing dates, they begin to wonder if their parents are right.

I just love the setting of this book. George and Sharlot travel through Indonesia on their many dates, and I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about the country and its beauty and customs. But, it’s really the humor in this book that kept me turning the pages and laughing and giggling as I continued reading. And I enjoyed watching Sharlot not only accept her heritage but embrace it.

I also enjoyed the characters, all the characters! Sharlot and George are terrific together, and they are truly meant to be, but of course, they don’t realize it for a while. And the side characters are so well developed and just a lot of fun. The way they all interfere with Sharlot and George’s life is hilarious, and I enjoyed both families so much.

I highly recommend Well, That Was Unexpected to anyone who enjoys romance. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you NetGalley, Jesse Q. Sutanto, and Delacorte Press for the eARC!

Sharlot's mother decides to send herself and Sharlot to Indonesia after finding Sharlot an interesting position (literally). Her mother believes that this will help find Sharlot a good, Indonesian boy. Insert George Clooney (yes, that's his name). His father takes matters into his own hands and signs George up on an Indonesian dating app.

To make sure that their children find the right kind of romantic partner, Sharlot's mother and George's father do what any good parent would do: they strike up a conversation online, pretending to be their children. When the kids find out what their parents have done, they cannot believe them. But as Sharlot and George get to know each other, they find out they're a lot more alike than what they originally thought.

Okay, I really enjoyed this! I loved the cringey YA aspect of it all - especially the humor! I found myself laughing a lot. It was just the perfect light weight RomCom that someone could want to get them out of a slump.

Thank you Penguin Random House International for providing me a Physical ARC.

Sharlot was getting annoyed when her mom ask her but never listen to her. Like, when her mom ask her if she wants a juice and told her no, her mother makes her anyway. When they land to Indonesia her mother confiscated her phone since then. But then when her mom gave it back to her with a happy smile because Sharlot’s mom made a dating app without knowing her and now George and Sharlot will finally meet face to face. She didn’t even know him even talk to him and she was really mad at her mom. When they all discovered that George was super rich like really Crazy Rich Asian they were shock especially her mother. Because what she catfish is not just a ordinary man but a millionaire.

I feel George how he compare his life to US and British tv shows, because in the US they have freedom in their life. But like us Asian we grow up to never go against our parents. His sister and dad make a dating app and pretend that it was George so he can finally have a girlfriend. When they finally met in person everything is a disaster until his aunt saw them together and she thinks that it was George’s girlfriend.

This is the best book I’ve read so far. The story has love, friendship, family, and LGBT representation. It also talks how to live your life as an Asian and it was really so hard. No matter what you do people will talk about you. It’s either good or bad. This is why I loved reading Asian books because I know I’m not the only one who experienced what I’ve been experiencing my whole life.

Genuinely laugh out loud. The delivery is so perfect and I had a lot of fun w this one. It’s such a cozy and funny mystery/romance and literally it’s just the perfect balance.

4.5 stars! I loved this! Jesse Q, Sutanto is so witty and she really knows how to tell a story. The characters are so relatable and funny; it's hard not to love them! The storyline flows so effortlessly and her humor is boundless. This book was absolutely delightful. It’s filled with heartfelt moments, hilarious situations (seriously laughed so hard at certain parts), and a sweet love story.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for this e-arc.*

While I did end up finishing this novel, it took me a while to get back to it. I saw so many great reviews and thought maybe I was missing something closer to the end!

Unfortunately this was not the case. While Sutano’s writing is funny at times, I found nothing drawing me back to the plot. The characters were not likable, and while I’m not usually one to turn away a story for this reason, nothing in the conflict nor banter could bring me back.

However, there are so many excellent reviews that I think this might just be my taste! If you’re looking for a lighter read I recommend taking a look at the reviews that enjoyed this novel.

"Shocking" beginning with a consistent theme. Author Jesse Q. Sutanto writes of Indo-Chinese culture from a refreshing lens. I've read her mystery novels and impressed that she branched out and attempted to read a middle grade novel. George and Sharlot are throne together because of their well-meaning families. Sharlot is American born and when caught in a near compromising position with her boyfriend in LA her mother whisks her to Indonesia. Sharlot has never been, so at seventeen years old it is her first trip.

George on the other hand is caught "red handed" by his single-Dad and his sister. Things are written in a humorous light, but the themes of ethnicity and identity, familial pressures, and being a teenager are consistent throughout the novel.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy. I'm unsure how to adapt this for my classroom but will definitely request that our library have at least one copy.

This was such a cute little YA romance book. I had never read anything by this author despite her prior titles being so popular, but I'm somewhat glad this was the first novel I got to experience.

I was slightly hesitant with the premise of two different parents catfishing online for a partner for their kids, however, this book had a lot of heart and sweet moments. I really did like the dissection of Indonesian and Chinese culture, as well as learning about family dynamics and history. I feel like everything blended together nicely and gave the reader some insight, while also offering a sweet romance book.

The romance in YA books usually does have a lot of shy and sometimes awkward moments, but this one gave the reader a sweet story to root for. Giving them a reminder of what it's like to fall in love for the first time. Such a cute story and I am looking forward to reading more by this author.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

Jesse Q. Sutanto continues to prove her versatility as a writer, pivoting to YA romcoms with Well, That Was Unexpected. There’s a somewhat similar comedic, chaotic flavor to Dial A for Aunties to the family dynamics, perfectly satirizing the extremes Chinese-Indonesian parents and other relatives will go to in order to meddle in their children’s lives.

I really liked both George and Shar. Both of them of course have preconceived notions of each other based on what their respective parents have presented them as when posing as each of them online. Shar in particular is very disconnected from Chinese-Indonesian culture, living in America, and really learns more about it while staying in Indonesia.

And I appreciate how both George’s father (and sister) and Shar’s mother end up taking accountability for their somewhat questionable choices. And ultimately both parents develop greater understanding of their children, and vice versa.

I also appreciated the frank discussions of teens’ sexuality. The inciting incident on Shar’s end is her being on the cusp of having sex with her then-boyfriend, and while her mother is initially horrified, I like that the narrative allows Shar to reflect on the fact that she wasn’t ready at the time. On George’s end, it was fun to see a boy exploring his own sexuality.

This book is so much fun, and just over-the-top enough without being too cringey. If you’re a fan of multicultural YA contemporaries, I recommend picking this one up!

This was a cute and funny story following two teenagers who get caught up in a catfish scheme cooked up by their parents. There are plenty of silly moments, along with beautiful scenery and a sweet romance. It was easy to jump into this and binge through the book.

My favorite part was learning about Chinese Indonesian culture. I enjoy when authors write about their own experiences with growing up in their culture and feel like it helps me get to see how others live. The food, the family expectations, and the daily life in Indonesia is so different from what I know and watching Sharlot balance everything was interesting. She's raised in Los Angeles so some things are different for her, but she still has a mom who comes from that culture so she's kind of stuck in between.

I didn't always like Sharlot, she could be mean and hurtful to her friends and family. She's also a teenager and I felt like we saw a lot of growing up on her and George's side. They also didn't like each other at first and it was a nice pacing of building their romance.

Overall a fun read with a beautiful setting!

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for the copy