I had heard great things about this author’s adult books so I was excited to try this one out! Unfortunately I found the beginning very abrupt and awkward which made it hard to get into the story at first. From there the plot did get a bit better but I wish that we could have had more character development. The concept of the plot was intriguing but could have used more fine tuning to make it more believable and balanced. What I really enjoyed about this book was the setting and learning more about Indonesian culture. The descriptions of the food were also great. I gave this 2.5/5 stars.

Dial A for Aunties meets Tokyo Ever After, this book features Sharlot being dragged to Indonesia for the summer by her mother--who catches her almost doing the deed with her boyfriend. Once there, Sharlot stumbles into a fake relationship with the only son of a billionaire, George.

Full disclaimer: I am an adult reading a young adult book. But this book felt a bit like a caricature of teenagers--like the author was trying too hard to capture teenagers' personalities and ended up leaning in too hard and making them overly annoying and disrespectful. There's a gratuitous amount of swearing--certainly not what I would have said around family or strangers--and Sharlot is outright cruel to her mother at times. Sharlot is pretty much the definition of a ungrateful, petulant child despite constantly insisting she is an adult. I read a decent amount of YA, and I'm closer in age to these teens than their parents, so I don't think the problem is me? But maybe 15 year olds will love this book.

It did have bright spots. Sutanto has a fresh sense of humor and integrates her culture into the story in interesting ways. And I love a good fake dating/billionaire trope. Who doesn't want to dream of falling in love with a foreign quasi-prince?

Thanks to Delacorte Press for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3 stars - 6/10

🌴 🇮🇩 Book Review 🇮🇩🌴

Well, That Was Unexpected by Jesse Q. Sutanto
4/5 ⭐️

I wasn’t sure I would like this arc that much since I haven’t read YA in a hot minute, and now I wish I had this book in high school.

This romcom follows Sharlot, a second gen immigrant, that gets whisked back to Indonesia after she’s caught with her bf 👀. Due to some meddling parties, she ends up fake dating George Clooney Tanuwijaya, the son of a rich family (yes, exactly like Crazy Rich Asians).

Jesse Q. Sutanto basically described the life of an Asian American going to their homeland for the first time, with a little fake dating trope for fun. Assuming that the country is mostly huts and being shocked that there are cities. The huge culture shock between conservative cultures versus American culture.

My favorite part of this book is the relationship between Sharlot and her mother. They don’t exactly see eye to eye; Sharlot wants freedom, and her mother wants to keep her close. I think as a daughter of immigrants, sometimes we’re quick to get angry and fail to realize why our parents act the way they do. The culture they grew up is vastly different from ours, and it takes having to see from the others POV to truly understand why. While it doesn’t excuse poor behavior on either ends, it shows how life isn’t black and white.

The relationship between George and Sharlot definitely gave high school vibes. Cringe, but cute. We all remember smiling at texts and trying to hide it from family or friends. Honestly it gave me PTSD but in a good way.

Thank you to @netgalley and @randomhousekids for this arc!! It’s been out for forever cause I suck 🙃

I was unprepared for how wild of a book Jesse Q. Sutanto’s Well, That Was Unexpected was going to be. It’s takes the whole fake dating tropes to insane but not great levels. I just couldn’t get over how little, say, Sharlot and George had in everything. I understand that this may be cultural as well as socio-economical since George is the sole male heir of a crazy rich Asian family but it just made me so uncomfortable how Sharlot was forced into an insane arrangement against her will after already being dragged to a strange, new country. Even if she and George had things in common, and were obviously physically attracted to one another, the romance didn’t feel properly developed as the two teens weren’t given any space and/or time to actually get to know each other.

On the other hand, what Well, That Was Unexpected does well is introduce readers to Indonesian-Chinese culture. The book is incredibly loud and proud of its Indonesian setting and characters, and it’s obvious through all the sights, smells, and tastes described in the book that the author takes great pride in her country. It also doesn’t shy away from local politics and criticism of certain aspects of Indonesian culture and society. I also enjoyed the surprisingly sweet subplot of Sharlot’s mom’s love story. This book definitely takes you on a ride; however, the incredibly unrealistic story just left me feeling exhausted by the end.

I'm a huge fan of Jesse Q. Sutanto! I've ready nearly all her books aside from her children's fiction novels and none of them has disappointed! She writes humor, romance, and thrillers perfectly! Genre doesn't matter when it comes to her books. This one was fantastic!

Super cute rom com with great characters and an awesome setting. I am a sucker for fake dating so that automatically made it a win in my book. This was an all around enjoyable read and I loved learning about a different culture.

Thank you NetGalley and Delacorte Press for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book was genuinely one of the best YA romances I’ve ever read. It gave very strong Crazy Rich Asians vibes. It was so fun, cute, and hilarious. I’ve honestly never laughed so hard while reading, and there was never a dull moment. It felt like I was watching a romcom the entire time. I loved the dynamic between George and Sharlot as well as their alternating POVs. Jesse Q. Sutano’s writing style was so engaging; I couldn’t put it down. I cannot recommend this book enough and can’t wait to read more of her work!

Well, That Was Unexpected by Jesse Q. Sutanto is yet another hilarious read by the author. This was my first YA book by the author and I thought the teenage relationships in the book were authentic and well-written. I loved the alternating POV's so we could see the insights of both characters. I will be recommending this book to all YA romance lovers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's- Delacorte Press for providing me with an ARC of Well, That Was Unexpected by Jesse Q. Sutanto in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely adored this book! I’ve read Jesse’s adult romances/mysteries, so this was my first YA written by Jesse and let me tell you, it absolutely lives up to the hype I had based on her previous works!

Sharlot’s mother immigrated to the US from Indonesia and Sharlot has largely ignored her mom’s past and memories of the country she left and loved. That is, until Sharlot’s mom finds her in a compromising position and decides to take her to Indonesia for the summer to reconnect as punishment.

George Clooney (yes, first and middle name after that famous actor) was likewise caught in new a compromising position. He has lived and grown up in generational wealth in Indonesia and has his family’s reputation to think about. His father decides that he needs a girlfriend to help with George’s public appearances.

What George and Sharlot don’t realize it that both of their parent’s are catfishing each other and when they are forced to go on a date, and get stuck in a lie, these two young adults are forced to fake date and spend time together where real feelings may catch on.

I loved the alternating POV between George and Sharlot and how they both needed each other to enhance their familiar relationships and their own relationships with their culture. This book made me hungry, this book made me want to visit both Indonesia and Bali, and this book was one giant ball of heart palpitations. I absolutely recommend it and need anything and everything that Jesse writes!

Jesse Q. Sutanto jumped into the YA world and I of course had to follow! I read Four Aunties & A Wedding earlier this year and sadly, it wasn't my favorite, but Well That Was Unexpected was exactly for me!!

Miles apart, George and Sharlot find themselves in similar circumstances, their parents catch them exploring their sexuality. George's meddling dad and sister and Sharlot's meddling mom decide to step in to right the path for their kids. Sharlot's mom whisks her away to Indonesia for the summer from LA and George's dad decides its time to find his son the perfect girlfriend. "Great" minds must think alike, because their parents decide to connect them on an app and pretend to be their kids.

When George and Sharlot meet, neither is aware of the other's deception. Worse, they can't imagine worse matches for themselves. However, as the two are forced to spend more time together beyond their disastrous first coffee date, the two start to see shimmers of sparks as their facades slip.

If you loved The American Royals by Katharine McGee and Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean this will be a read for you! I really enjoyed it! I tend to feel favorably toward YA books in a way I may feel critical in a RomCom for adults. What I appreciated a lot was Sutanto's emphasis on archaic traditions and gender roles through the dialogues and inner thoughts of the MCs. She explores gender, sexuality, and heteronormative assumptions. I hope she writes another YA novel!!

This was cute! It is definitely more YA but that is my fault not the books. I do think the pacing was a little slow but all of the authors books are such feel good stories they are always enjoyable reads

I got an ARC of this book.

I loved Dial A for Aunties, so when I saw there was a YA by Sutanto I had to try. Then I got distracted by life, so I am a few days late. I did manage to read this in just a couple of sittings. It took about 3-4 chapters before I was hooked. Chapter 1 was very much Never Have I Ever vibes. Chapter two hit me really weird. I doubt that Sutanto meant to be aphobic, but oh boy. If I never hear “healthy” again I will be happy.

As the story progressed, I had to face the fact that this was not going to be Aunties. It couldn’t be, it never promised to be. There just wasn’t the same level of busybody older women in this book. It was more YA. It was what it said it would be, but I was grumpy that Eighth Aunt didn’t get more page time. I NEED more Eighth Aunt. The side plots that happened around her gave me life. The way they were addressed felt a little odd at times, but also awkward in a teen way so I still appreciated it.

The story was goofy, very romcom. Follows the same general parents catfishing for their kids beginning that Aunties did. That probably set me up for comparing them more heavily than I normally would. So when I finally got that this was not going to be Aunties, I pouted for a few chapters. Then I was hooked. I wanted to know more. Goodreads lists it as a first book. Is there going to be a follow up about college?

I loved the casual queerness in some of the side characters. I loved that one guy just was like “yeah, I’m bi” and kept going. There was no huge coming out. There was not a ton of queer drama. It just was. That was a win for me. Little details like that made the story so vibrant. I want to eat every single thing mentioned in this book. It was just so full of little details that each deserved a little moment to full appreciate. I am not used to YA being this vibrant, especially in a book claiming to be funny. I enjoyed the humor, but it wasn’t a huge draw. It felt more like a romcom or a quirky book instead of a comedy.

I didn’t really ship the main couple at first. They didn’t know each other. They had no reason to know each other considering how they met. As the story went on, I started to understand what they saw in each other. It was brilliant. I slowly grew to love them as they slowly grew to know each other. It was the perfect pacing. Normally I am left behind in a romance, because it is instalove. This was not instalove. It felt more natural and I rooted so much harder for them because of it. It had the potential to be a fake date comedy, but it felt deeper than that.

Overall, it was cute. It was funny. If you can manage to not compare it to Aunties it will stand better. If you can’t help comparing the two then you will be a bit let down. This just isn’t as outrageous. It is very YA and wonderful, but it isn’t Aunties which is good.

3.5 stars rounded downnnn

this was cute! I laughed a lot and thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I wish it was a little deeper, but honestly what can you expect depthwise with a plot as unrealistic as this???

I would've liked the love story a lot more if Sharlot and George had told each other that they catfished each other earlier. that continuing drama just really wasn't necessary. it would've been better if they could've laughed that off early on and then fallen for each other for real. but c'est la vie

overall: this was so fun!! it really was a love letter to Indonesia. I absolutely want to go to Bali now

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

At times, this book gives Crazy Rich Asians vibes, but it is also very much its own thing. I enjoyed seeing Sharlot get to connect with her culture a bit more, and it was kind of neat to see the meddling parents thing get blown up a bit. The social media celebrity bit was...a thing, but made sense in context. A special shout-out to Sutanto for managing to address adult sexual identity in this novel as well, in a way that felt natural and somewhat progressive, considering.

I absolutely loved Dial A for Aunties so I was super excited to pick this one up. This one is definitely more on YA end and the beginning where our MCs get caught by their parents reminded me of the kids in Crazy, Stupid, Love. It felt crass and cringey honestly. It kinda put me off the book but my love for Dial A pushed me through.

It's written in multiple POV and the Asian dynamics were spot on! I loved learning about Indonesia - all the interesting places to visit and my mouth was watering thinking about all the food! I just had to keep reminding myself they're young and expected to make stupid decisions and be bratty and spoiled. I did enjoy the family dynamics! The banter is funny and I love the fake dating trope! The side characters are so fabulous!! Still it was mostly a fun and entertaining read!

This was such a fun YA novel. I enjoyed Suranto’s books skewed towards an older population, but i truly liked this one!

sweet fun YA read, some aspects reminded me of aunties and i like seeing them play out for teens (why do so many parents catfish LOL) both main characters are so sweet and funny

I can honestly say I have not laughed as much as I did with this book, ever. This was my first Jesse Q. Sutanto book, and it for sure will not be the last. Sharlot's mom catches her in the act of almost having sex for the first time. As punishment, her mom whisks her off to Indonesia, where she grew up. Meanwhile, in Indonesia, George gets caught literally with his pants down by his father resulting in embarrassment and his phone being taken away. George's dad and Sharlot's mother think they are helping their children out by creating online profiles for their children and end up communicating with each other and setting up a date for the two to go on without their knowledge. What ensues is laugh out loud funny and one fun ride. Thank you, NetGalley, for the eARC. 5 stars

Well, That Was Unexpected follows two teenagers who are forced into fake dating each other (wait for it) because their parents catfished each other. I’m not even joking. Our female lead, Sharlot, was caught by her mom almost having sex with her then-boyfriend, while our male lead, George, was caught masturbating by his dad and sister. After finding their children in these compromising positions, Sharlot’s mom and George’s dad both decide that they need to find their child the perfect significant other. George’s dad and sister take over George’s phone and on a whim decide to DM the fake profile that Sharlot’s mom set up to find the perfect boy. What results is a wild ride where Sharlot and George find themselves pressured to date each other, not knowing that the DMs they’ve used to get to know (and kind of loathe) one another were really just their parents bonding over the failure of the new generation.

I have to admit that I just saw Jesse Q Sutanto’s name on this tour and signed up without reading anything about the book. Going into this novel blind was an amazing experience because I had no idea what was going to happen. Was this going to be a love story for the kids or for the single parents? I have to commend Jesse for coming up with this premise because it is amazing.

Usually when a book describes itself as “laugh-out-loud”, I find myself disappointed with how little it actually makes me laugh. With Well, That Was Unexpected though, there were a few moments where I literally did laugh out loud, something that is rare for me when reading a book. Some of the scenes in this book are a bit absurd, and I’m not sure how realistic some of the dialogue is—do people really say ffs out loud as eff-eff-ess or blurt out things like “f*** your mom” without meaning to? Regardless, I can’t deny that I had a fun time reading it.

All of the characters in this book are both likable and realistically flawed. I honestly think I would have preferred for George to be more flawed, because I felt like most of the character growth fell on Sharlot’s shoulders. I also found myself at the epilogue wishing this book was longer by like 100 pages or so. I thoroughly enjoyed the fake-dating aspect of the novel and wanted to see more scenes with Sharlot and George fumbling over trying to be themselves while also being the online personas that their parents established. I did notice that this is listed as book one in an untitled series, so I’m excited to see what comes of it!