I chose to not finish reading this book. I appreciate the author's vision to address teenage pregnancy from a non-punitive stance and to instead use it as a real life situation to explore themes of responsibility, exploration, and family dynamics. However, I found myself struggling to engage with the plot and relate to the characters. From what I read, I would include this in a high school library and I believe it could be a just-right book for many students.

Jen Bailey's Unexpecting was absolutely phenomenal and completely unputdownable (that's not a real word, but it is now lol)! I wasn't sure what to expect going in, but I absolutely adored this

I found this book to be a really mixed bag. I absolutely hated the first half, as the main character is perhaps the most annoying character I've read about, however I appreciated the immense character growth in the second half. Still, I feel the narrative really leaves out Maxie in a way which feels uncomfortable, especially given the mention of her pregnancy being forced by her parents in the beginning with no follow through anywhere else in the book. Being forced to carry a pregnancy is extremely traumatizing, and I would've liked more justice done to that tidbit. I also found the romance to be completely unnecessary to the plot, and felt it took away from the larger story.

When Ben and Maxie decide to experiment at science camp and end up pregnant they have some big decisions to make.

Ben wants to keep the baby but at what cost? His grades are skipping, he's too tired for robotics club and he is working a lot. The boy

I fell in love with Ben and his growth. Unexpecting was really enjoyable and I wanted to root for everyone the whole time.

Thanks to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for this arc.

This is an incredibly timely novel that presents a unique perspective on reproductive rights! This could be an eye opening read for many teens.

Ben is a science guy, he values logic, experiments and testing hypotheses. So when the opportunity comes up to validate that he’s gay he takes it. When his best friend Maxie gets pregnant everything in Ben’s world is about to change. Ben wants to raise the baby but Maxie’s parents want the baby to be adopted and they quickly end up in a battle over what to do.

While the ending was easy to predict (it still made me happy), there are a lot of important points made along the way that make this a worthwhile read. One of these has to do with nobody asking what Maxie wants to do. This was a great point to make but even when told this Ben only bothers to ask what she wants once. Ben makes a big deal about not being wanted by his mother’s ex-husbands but I found this storyline difficult to believe when they were willing to help him right from the start.

Overall, this was an easy read with a fresh perspective that couldn’t be more timely!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

This is the story of an unexpected (#seewhatididthere) teen pregnancy - It is especially unexpected as Ben (the dad) has come out as gay. Throughout the story focuses on the experiences of Ben as things happen and decisions are made. More than anything, it focuses on how the relationships in his life shift and change, as well as how he figures out what he wants. This one did a really good job of centering Ben as he navigates this new normal and how it impacts his friendships, family, and other responsibilities. Rather than an after school special vibe (and I recognize that reference is lost on the people this book is actually meant for), it has more of a "feel good" story of a kid figuring out his voice and what he wants for himself and his life. Thanks to NetGalley for the early look at this August 2023 release.

I have somewhat conflicting feelings about this book. While it's an interesting take on the classic teen pregnancy story, I don't think it was done particularly well.

Poor Maxie. She dealt with so much throughout the book and then Ben, who was supposedly her best friend, abandoned her. His motivation seemed shallow and really just based on a childish desire to prove a point. The book could have gone very differently had he supported Maxie and asked what she wanted from the start.

I also think the basis of Maxie's experiment is, quite frankly, poorly written. I hate when books reference "trendy" things and the idea that her experiment started from a TikTok thread is honestly annoying. She's a person of science and the inspiration could have come from anywhere else.

Also, the dynamic between Ben and Gio was just weird. It's only briefly questioned but it would have been better for them not to be ex-step brothers in my opinion. Fine, their parents are divorced and fine they don't live together but it's clearly stated that Ben has liked Gio for years. It also seems like Ben's mom is still a mother figure for Gio. This adds in some questionable ethics things that I don't think the book needed or particularly handled well. Why couldn't their parents have just been friends and for that to have been the connection?

All that said, I liked the end decision for Maxie's kid, though it was predictable. While I'd still encourage reading Unexpecting if you find the description interesting, it wasn't a story I particularly enjoyed. Maybe others will have a different perspective.

This was a thoughtful and engaging look at a unplanned pregnancy from the expectant father’s viewpoint. I thought it was realistic and didn’t glamorize or stigmatize the situation. Although I saw the ending coming I still enjoyed the journey. A tiny bit of “romance” but not in the place you’d expect to find it. Well written with well developed characters. I especially enjoyed the relationship between the main character and his step father.

I received a copy of this book for free but my review was provided voluntarily and the opinions are my own.

This book may have been titled "unexpected" but overall it felt more like it was expected. It proceeded exactly as I anticipated but was cute. I would have loved the book to be longer so I could explore the relationships more. They were so complex that it definitely made me wanting more.

I definitely did appreciate the authenticity of all the issues surrounding teenage pregnancies.

While books about teenage pregnancy are not quite my go to, books with fall on the cover absolutely are. And so, I picked up Unexpecting by Jen Bailey. I have to admit, the comparison to Heartstopper also sold me a bit. There were a few expectations I had going into this book that turned out completely wrong. For one, I was under the impression based on the summary that Ben was a trans man who was pregnant and deciding to keep the baby. As it turns out, Ben is a cis gay boy who got his friend Maxie pregnant.

Unexpecting is about how Ben gets Maxie pregnant at summer camp and Maxie ends up keeping the pregnancy. Maxie and her family want to give the baby up for adoption. Ben wants to retain custody of the baby and raise the baby as a single father — with the help of his family. Frankly, Ben gets a dose of reality as to the sacrifices he may have to make — less time for robotics club, MIT, having to get a job, and more. Still, he remains determined due to some issues that he hasn’t really worked through. Oh and also, Ben ends up working at a restaurant with his ex step brother Gio who he carries a bit of a torch for.

I will admit I was ambivalent through a lot of this book. I did not love all the characters and thought Ben was kind of self absorbed. But then I remembered this is about teenagers and he is growing and learning and that’s okay. The ending had me all weepy because I am a sap. I liked the solution it came to. Also big fan of the development of the character of Roger who is Ben’s latest step dad. While this may not be my new favorite book, it’s a solid 3.5 star read and well paced.

A novel that shares the other side of teen pregnancies, with a very happy ending.

This is not the type of novel that I typically like to read, but I am glad that the publisher reached out, because I would’ve missed out. Following Ben, Maxie and their families, this shares the ups and downs of a teen pregnancy that was not supposed to happen, and shares what goes on in the father’s side of things. This would definitely appeal to those who want a unique story and all the happiness.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and the author for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.

This is a very cute premise. And honestly, it’s a cute story. But Ben drove me nuts. And that possibly is because he is so well written as a self absorbed, “scientist” boy. Ben makes everything about him. His baby. His baby. His baby. His reputation, his hard work, his sacrifices. What did Maxine ever see in this kid?!?
Alas, 16 year old boys are like that I guess.
And while being the smartest person in the room, he never did seem to grasp the fact you can’t go to summer camp and have a newborn! You can’t go to MIT with a 1 year old. “I’m keeping my baby!!!” But also… “Why does everyone say I can’t go to camp and college?!?” Because you can’t insist you are capable of being a single father and still not grasp you are giving up all those old plans.
I did love the way the story wrapped up. It was obvious from when that issue was introduced, how it would work out, and it felt good to be right.

The storyline for this book really intrigued and fascinated me. It felt unique and something that would open up new facets to an often-told narrative of teen pregnancy. I thought this delicate issue was handled intelligently and with sensitivity. The story is told from the father’s perspective, and while many may want the mother’s side, narrowing the focus allowed for unique discussions that felt raw and real. There are rarely easy answers in these situations, and I really felt for both families and our young teens grappling with their choices and futures. I definitely recommend this one so look out for it later in the summer.

4.5, oh this book. I cried through the last 20% which I didn’t expect since it’s “about the gay boy who got a girl pregnant at science camp”. This book takes off fast within the first few pages and is a very quick read, emotional and smart and witty. It even made the robotics club competition seem like fun. There are so many books about teen pregnancy, but it’s rare to have the point of view from the father. Watching Ben navigate all the feelings and emotions of impending fatherhood, and how that clashes with his dreams, was heart breaking. The winner of the book is definitely Roger. And while I saw the end coming from a mile away, it was 100% worth it to get there along with Ben and Maxie.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy and a chance to read this early. All opinions are my own.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

3.5 stars
Unexpecting is an emotional story about life and facing the unexpected. Ben thought telling his parents he was gay was going to be the hardest conversation he had with them. Then he decides to experiment with his sexuality at science camp and the next thing he knows he's going to be a dad. He decides he wants to keep the baby and raise on his own if he has too. Ben has to fight for his rights to the baby as the mom doesn't want to keep the baby. Unexpecting follows Ben as he deals with the weight of his decision to keep the baby. He has a hard time in school, he's exhausted and struggling. This was an emotional story with a unique perspective on teen pregnancy. It was nice to read about a boy wanting to keep the baby and raise it. I did think kinda threw Maxie to the side and it would have been nice to see more of her thoughts and feelings.

I typically LOVE queer YA.... but this fell very flat for me. I hated all of the characters. And it just wasn't what I was expecting at all?? And the ending was strange considering all that happened. This was a miss for me.

This was a great, heartwarming read that made my bisexual heart want to burst! I loved this story of turning an unfortunate situation into something wonderful! I seriously enjoyed this so much and would love to see more from this author! Also it was the happiest of endings.

This book wasn't exactly what I was expecting but it exceeded my expectations! For some reason I thought there was going to be a "suspend your disbelief" type of science experiment for how the pregnancy happened but luckily it was much more general teens exploring their sexualities and accidents do happen.

I think your enjoyment in this book will largely depend on if you like Ben as a character. For me, I felt like Ben was extremely real and reactions made sense for his age and experiences. It also felt to me a if Ben was neurodivergent, and for me that made him a character I was much more able to relate to. A 16/17 year old is very unlikely to handle an unexpected pregnancy in an emotionally healthy manner. It was extremely emotional for me to see what he was going through and how he felt about everything in his life.

This is an important book because teen pregnancies do happen, but don't often get talked about, especially with the nitty gritty of what is involved, even in just the preparation stage. The only place where this book failed is its treatment of Maxie. I think Ben should have had more growth in his treatment of her/her experiences with the pregnancy. While there's some, they're pretty estranged throughout the story, which makes it seem like she's more of an incubator. Overall, sweet, heartfelt, and just a good story.

This was a very powerful read full of unexpected things occurring in the main characters life. He went through lots in this book, and the way that the problems were resolved felt very realistic to how a teenage boy would have responded to it.
The book really felt realistic and I really felt like I was right there with Ben as he went through these challenges.
This book was really amazing and I’m so glad I got the chance to read it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for an eARC of this book.