We Weren't Looking to Be Found by Stephanie Kuehn is a must-read if you're into gripping stories that delve deep into the complexities of mental health, friendship, and self-discovery. This novel is an emotionally charged journey that captures the raw and real struggles of two teens navigating their paths to healing.

The story follows Dani and Camila, two girls from very different backgrounds who meet at a treatment center for mental health. Dani is a privileged girl who seems to have it all but is battling depression and self-harm. Camila, on the other hand, comes from a less affluent background and struggles with the pressures of her family's expectations and her own identity. Their paths cross unexpectedly, and despite their differences, they form a deep bond that helps them confront their inner demons.

Kuehn excels at creating characters that feel real. Dani and Camila's voices are authentic, and their struggles are portrayed with sensitivity and honesty. Many readers will find parts of themselves in these characters, making their journey all the more compelling. The book does an excellent job of addressing mental health issues without sugar-coating them. It highlights the importance of seeking help and shows that healing is a process that requires time and support. This is especially important for teen readers who might be dealing with similar issues.

At its core, this is a story about the power of friendship. Dani and Camila's relationship shows how having someone who understands and supports you can make a huge difference. It's a reminder that we don't have to face our struggles alone. Kuehn's writing is engaging and easy to follow. She balances the heavy themes with moments of hope and lightness, making the book a page-turner.

The audiobook version of We Weren't Looking to Be Found is narrated by Luzma Ortiz and Sarah Hollis, whose distinct and compelling voices bring Dani and Camila's story to life. Their narration adds depth to the characters and makes the emotional journey even more immersive.

I enjoyed this book. It does an excellent job of portraying mental health issues, friendships, relationships, and family dynamics, showing how to navigate life's challenges. The bond between Dani and Camila is heartfelt and moving; both characters are strong, brave, and caring, even if they don't always see it themselves. The ending was bittersweet and sad, yet still beautiful.

My one critique is that the description and the first chapter suggest a mystery element that isn't fully developed. While there is a bit of mystery, the resolution feels more like a lucky discovery during their recovery. I felt this aspect could have been expanded more.

We Weren't Looking to Be Found is more than just a story about mental health—it's a story about finding hope in the darkest of times and the unexpected connections that can change our lives. It's perfect for teens who enjoy contemporary fiction with depth and emotional resonance. Whether you're looking for a book that reflects your own experiences or simply want to understand the challenges others face, this novel offers a powerful and poignant perspective.

In short, if you want a book that will make you think, feel, and maybe even cry a little, pick up We Weren't Looking to Be Found. It's a journey worth taking.

A really gorgeous and beautiful read. I found this book really unique and interesting to listen to!

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much to net galley and the publisher for sending me a copy or this audiobook. Immediately I fell in love with the characters and the story! I love it

Two girls from different socio-economic backgrounds - one rich from Houston, one poor immigrant - end up as roommates at a rehab facility. After making some mistakes, they have to work together to solve a mystery, bringing the girls closer together. Characters are compelling and narrative makes you sympathetic to their family dynamics. I really enjoyed it.

I will start by giving a content warning like the book does in the beginning: there are instances of self-harm and substance abuse. I really appreciated the author including this note. People have their feelings about trigger/content warnings, but I’d rather have them available for people to choose than to not have them at all.

We Weren’t Looking to be Found by Stephanie Kuehn would have been aligned with what I was into back in high school: books about angsty, tragic girls who were just looking to be loved and understood. The twist with this book, however, was that it was about girls of color like me, and that would have been super important to me. It doesn’t harp a lot on race, but it subtly touches on topics such as generational trauma and the surveillance pressure that comes with racial respectability, and how these things can contribute to mental health.

Camilla and Danielle are very different. Thrown together as roommates in the Peachtree Hills facility for girls, they forge an unlikely friendship. Even though they have vastly different issues, they are more similar than they thought.

One of my favorite parts about this YA novel is that it wasn’t centered around romance. In most YA novels I have read, there is always some boy (or girl) that knows the protagonist more than anyone, despite only knowing them for a short time. And while Camila and Danielle have only known each other for a short amount of time, they were able to see each other in such a vulnerable state (because there are few things more vulnerable than meeting in an institution) and build a relationship.

We Weren’t Looking to be Found facilitates this difficult conversation around mental health and youth in a way that doesn’t feel like a public service announcement. It may be triggering to some folks, and it is definitely not for the faint of heart, but it still can be such an impactful read.

This was my first book by this author and I really loved it.

CW: self harm, suicide attempt, addition

This book is a dual POV of two girls in a mental health facility. One struggles with addiction and the other struggles with self-harm. They are both dealing with things in their own ways and struggling in what feels like vastly different arenas but have so many similarities.

I read some reviews from people complaining about how this book opens with the content warning and complaining about how it doesn't bring anything new to YA and I disagree. First of all content warnings are super helpful and it's great if you don't need them but please don't shit on them for other people. If you don't need them just skip them. Who cares? I think that a lot of mental health narratives still center around white people and that is a dangerous narrative to have. Mental health and mental illness are not singularly affecting one group of people and it's really important to have diverse representation in all things but especially mental health so that people don't feel ostracized from help or treatment.

Dani and Camila are both Brown and have different familial structures that play into their addictions and self-harm. Coming from two ends of a spectrum, one with wealthy parents who are not very invested in their daughter's life and more of a middle-class family who really wants their daughter to succeed but can't afford to send her to art school. The parent/daughter relationships are really big part of the story and how the parents actions affect their daughters livelihoods and futures.

I honestly think my favorite part about this book was the ending. There's a mystery element that it's kind of just whatever but the epilogue was my favorite bit because I really needed this book to not cure mental illness. These aren't things that you can take a pill and be better and it is about coping strategies and learning to live with these additional struggles and it's not as easy as a quick fix. I really appreciated this book took about route.

Fantastic book book. The two narrators give two distinct voices to two the two characters and really make them come alive. This book showcases the two different girls who are in a treatment facility for different reasons. It shows what leads up to them being sent to the center, addiction and self harm/attempted suicide and then their experiences in the treatment facility. It gives hope that someone can overcome issues they have but is also realistic that relapses happen and it is important to be surround by people who care about you. It is a great book at getting an insight in the importance of getting help when needed. This book also goes between time lines and will engage teen readers.

Content warning: addiction, substance abuse, self-inflicted wounds, self-harm, suicidal ideation, suicide attempts

Bringing empathy to people whose trials in life may not mirror your own is the lot many creators take seriously. In her latest release, author Stephanie Kuehn delivers on this objective in more ways than one.

We Weren’t Looking to Be Found is a story about two different teenaged girls brought together during major lows in their lives. One, the wealthy and politically powerful Danielle, has gone through life trying to avoid gaining the spotlight that would incur her parent’s wrath for ruining their reputations—until she doesn’t. The other, a small-town dancer trying to keep her dream of becoming a professional alive, Camila has dealt with the disappointments that have come to punctuate so many of her aspirations in life in ways that secretly holds herself to blame. When each of their secrets come to light, they find themselves hesitant roommates in a rehab facility for teen girls who have similar concerns. While there, they find inspiration in each other’s strengths but also learn how to work through the resentments they hold for life both inside and outside of rehab. Lucky for them, there are enough distractions that help them work through the tumultuousness of their emotions while also helping them confront their needs.

Though I have never been in the shoes that either character embodies, I found a lot of similarities in my reasoning as a teenager with how Dani and Camila are overwhelmed by the stress in their lives. Seeing them work through their struggles by considering the other’s needs reminded me of how much becoming engrossed in someone else’s story also helps me to work through issues I’m facing. Once I learned that Kuehn is a trained psychological professional, the motions and message behind this novel struck me as a work with several levels of intentionality put into it for readers of several different age categories.

I loved this but it should not be marketed as a mystery!

It’s a really good look into the heads of two lost teen girls and their journeys to saving themselves and each other.

Two girls, from opposite ends of life, yet holding similar situations find themselves as roommates for the treatment facility for mental health. With obvious trauma and painful realities, they do not immediately get along. It is slow process of sharing their stories with one another that they start to see the person for who they are, not their illness. I would recommend this for young adult readers especially those who were fans of Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow.

A beautiful, raw and real portrayl of life of both of the two girls in this story. I was worried about this one after the reviews, but it was definitely not how I felt about it. I finished this one in under 24 hours. It was heavy read, but was easy to breeze through because I loved the writing style. It was beautiful and flowed easily throughout. Thank you so much for allowing me access to this book!

Thank you for this book We Weren’t Looking to be Found in exchange for my honest review.
Initially, I wanted to read this book because I could relate to it — I’ve never been to treatment but I am a recovering alcoholic. However, I found myself easily distracted and uninterested while reading the book. The writing style wasn’t my cup of tea.
The things I did like, though, were the dual viewpoints and characters I could put myself into. I liked that the two main characters were so different, yet they found a way to relate to each other.