4.25 Stars.

I will admit that when Wednesday books sent me an email allowing me an e-arc of this to review I was super skeptical and almost did not read it. I am not a fan of the accidently pregnant storyline and having to be together for that reason, which is where I assumed this story may go. Well....ya know what happens when you assume....yep. I absolutely loved hearing this from Ben's POV and being inside his head. I felt everything he was feeling and loved the thought process of what he did. I really didn't want to put this down and wanted to pick it right back up when I did have to stop. From the friendships to the support to every family aspect in this was well done. It did lose a bit when the romance started to come into play but I was happy to see that it did not end up being the forefront.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for allowing me to read an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this title to read and review. This was a slow-going read for me, so it took me a long time to get through even though it's not a long or difficult book by any means. I was intrigued by the theme at first, but at many points through my read, I did think that it was going to be all premise. As in, a really great idea to explore, but ultimately nothing really new or special moving the story along. I thought the storyline had a great chance to go deeply into paternal rights, and LGBTQ+ parenting and adoption (in a way that I haven't personally seen YA fiction go into before), but I always felt it fell short of making an impact in those areas. I also do not love the trope of having sex exactly once as a teen leading to a whole catastrophe of life-changing events unfolding (pregnancy! school ostracization! custody battles!) - which I for sure for sure *know* happens, but I feel like it's been done a lot and is not where I want my reading to linger.

Sixteen-year-old Benjamin Morrison is in his junior year of high school and is on the way to a bright future. He is smart, motivated, and enthusiastic about science and robotics, and a top college seems to be on the horizon. Then Ben learns that an “experiment” at science camp to prove to himself that he is, in fact, gay has gone horribly wrong. Ben slept with his best friend, Maxie, and now she is pregnant.

Maxie’s parents have decided that she will have the baby and give it up for adoption, and they want Ben to sign away his paternal rights. But Ben’s father died before Ben was born, and the men his mother has dated and married have all left (Ben’s current stepfather, Roger, is number 3) and he is determined his child will know they have a father who wanted them. Ben wants to fight for custody and, while his mother is wary, she agrees to do all she can to help support him.

Things are much more complicated than Ben ever expected, however. His job to make money for the baby is taking up much of his after school time, leaving him exhausted and stretched thin. Ben never seems to be able to catch up on everything he needs to do, and his previously carefully controlled life now feels chaotic. Where once Ben excelled at school, now he is barely hanging on. Not to mention he is letting down his robotics team, his good friend is mad at him, and Maxie barely wants to talk to him. The only thing that seems to be going right is reconnecting with Gio, his crush (and former stepbrother). Now, as Maxie’s due date draws closer, Ben has to decide what he truly wants, and what might be best for the baby.

Unexpecting by Jen Bailey gives us the story of teen pregnancy through the eyes of the expectant father, as the story is told from Ben’s sole POV. I think the approach works well in some ways and is less successful in others. We meet Ben as a super smart, albeit socially awkward, high school junior. He excels at school and is on track for a top-tier university in a couple of years. Ben is a science kid with a science brain and he approaches most things with logic and order, but this may be the exception, as it is clear his feelings about fatherhood are based on emotion. Ben wants to raise the baby because he missed out on that father figure in his life and he wants to give that to a child. So while Maxie’s family wants him to sign away his parental rights so they can put the baby up for adoption, Ben is clear he wants to raise the baby. Ben (quite mistakenly) is sure he understands what is involved in raising a child and throughout the book we see him coming to terms with what fatherhood will really entail.

I will admit I found Ben frustrating as a character because he really is so clueless here. He says he understands the sacrifices he will have to make and, at his mother’s insistence, he gets a job and goes to parenting classes. But he is still shocked that he can’t go to science camp two months after the baby is born and it never occurs to him that having a child may affect his college plans. Also, while he is supposedly making plans for both the finances and logistics for caring for the baby, we never see him consider or decide who is going to take care of the baby all day while he is in school, where he and the baby will live, how he will afford to raise a child on a part-time salary while in high school, etc. Basically, the baby feels like an idea to him, not a person for much of the book and, while he thinks he knows it all, he very clearly does not. Ben is also frustratingly focused on himself and his needs without thinking much about his future child and without thinking at all about Maxie. She is one of his two best friends and he basically ignores her and barely pauses for a moment to consider her needs or feelings in this whole situation. What I think made this ultimately work for me is that we see growth from Ben over the course of the book in this regard. He is still a teen boy and it is not all perfect, but it’s positive change. I don’t need to always love a character if I can see them grow and develop in the story, and I felt satisfied in that regard here. That said, I think there may be some readers who are going to find Ben’s attitude too off-putting to fully embrace this story.

As I said, I think the sole focus on Ben’s POV is good and bad, and the positive side here is we get to see this experience from the viewpoint of the expecting father, which is an interesting twist. As a male (particularly a gay male who never expected to find himself part of an accidental pregnancy), Ben obviously has some unique perspectives. The problem is that the story relegates Maxie almost completely to the sidelines in a way I found problematic. It’s not just that 16-year-old Ben doesn’t consider her feelings in all this… it’s that no one does. It is pretty clear early on that Maxie’s parents are punishing her “transgression” by forcing her to carry the baby and give it up for adoption, which is frankly horrible. No one asks Maxie what she wants, no one seems to care about her feelings. Eventually Ben does realize Maxie is a real person and has real feelings, and her parents soften a bit late in the story when some serious stuff goes down. However, Maxie is left as a fairly undeveloped character who seems like she is there to carry the baby and not much more.

The other issue with the pregnancy storyline is that the ending felt very telegraphed by a scene early on and so I knew how it would end for a large part of the book (and I think most readers are going to figure it out immediately as well). Given that the major storyline is how Ben’s quest to raise the baby will play out, knowing the resolution took away any of that tension. Things also feel a bit rushed at the end as it all comes together. That said, I think the book ends exactly how it should and I was satisfied with how everything comes together. It was sweet and emotional and feels like a fitting ending.

The story’s main focus is on the pregnancy, but there is a light romantic subplot between Ben and a former stepbrother, Gio. Stepfather #2 owns a restaurant and he hires Ben to work as a busser to earn some baby money. Gio works for his father as well and, since the boys go to the same school and Ben doesn’t drive, Gio takes him to work. What I liked here is that Gio is a voice of calm in Ben’s often frantic brain. He is steady and supportive and is there for Ben when he needs someone to talk to. I appreciated that Gio is also the voice of reason, reminding Ben he needs to talk to his mom, or to consider Maxie’s views, etc. So Gio is a grounded character who nicely helps keep things steady. The relationship gets very little time in the story, however. While we know Ben is crushing on Gio and we get a kiss between them, the romantic subplot is just a very small part of the book and is backburnered for much of the story. We get a nice character growth moment for Gio, but mostly he is a background character and their relationship is definitely not the most important one in the story. As for the stepbrother angle, the boys lived together part time while their parents were married and Ben has crushed on Gio for a while (though he is clear it started after their parents were no longer married). Ben doesn’t seem to see Gio as “family” in any way, but it does seem like Gio views Ben’s mom with much affection and fondness from their time as stepmother and child. So I didn’t find it bothersome, but some readers may find their connection too familial.

The relationship I loved the most here is actually the one that develops between Ben and his current stepfather, Roger. When the book starts, Ben just sees Roger as the latest in a line of men his mother has dated/married who will eventually leave. He doesn’t have much of a relationship with Roger, by his own design, as Ben doesn’t want to get attached to anyone who isn’t going to stick around. Ben seems surprised that Roger sees him as family and seems to care about him and want a connection. Over the course of the book, we see their relationship grow and Ben slowly realizes he can count on Roger to be there for him. It is just a really sweet, lovely relationship and it aligns nicely with the way the story explores themes of what makes a family.

Last note… the blurb compares this story to both Juno and Heartstopper. I guess Juno works, as they are both stories with teen pregnancy, though the tone and POV is different in that movie than this story. But don’t go into this looking for Heartstopper. That story is much more romance focused, with the relationship at the heart of the story. Heartstopper also is unique in that it manages to be tooth-achingly sweet in a way that is incredibly endearing rather than off-putting. That is just not the tone or vibe here at all. Aside from the fact that the story is about teenagers and the romance (such as it is here) features two boys, there are really no similarities. That is no shade to this story, just want to be clear about what you are getting.

Overall, I found this an interesting story that offers a nice look at teen pregnancy from the father’s POV. The added piece of Ben being gay and how that affects his own feelings, as well as how people respond to the situation, adds a nice element as well. I enjoyed following along with Ben’s journey, even as I found myself frustrated and even angry at him for much of the book. I did feel like Maxie is relegated to baby carrier in a way that bothered me and I feel like her story needed to be told in a way that made her feel more like a real person with feelings and needs. But in the end, I enjoyed this one and I think fans of young adult romance may find this one particularly appealing.

This book has all of my heart! I'm a sucker for found families, and this book really did it for me. I'm happy I get to add another book on my "found family and loved it" shelf!

This is the first book I think I have ever totally agreed with it sell. This book definitely was a mix of Juno and Heartstopper and I loved ever minute of it.
Books don't often make me cry, they definitely make me feel but it can take a lot to make me cry and this one got me.
I really enjoyed our main character Ben as well, I thought he really grew throughout this book and was so glad about him and Gil in the end.
I think if you like cute ya romance this is Definitely a book for you.

2.5 ⭐️

Well, I can appreciate the story was supposed to be through Ben’s perspective. Him not having any relationship or genuine bond with Maxi through the majority of the story, made it less enjoyable to me. it was also very obvious where the story was going before the 50% mark so everything after just felt dragged out.

I think the premise is fresh and original, but I was little bored. I found myself skimming some pages and pushing myself to finish the book.

NI received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I found Unexpecting to be a good at the beginning, but found my interests weaning at about the halfway point. I found the premise not only important but unique in today's YA books. I enjoyed the focus on emotions and the realities of the effect of being pregnant and having a child as a teen.

It just got repetitive, being I Ben's head for so long. I skipped 6 chapters and didn't miss anything. It just had no umph to take us to the finish line. ROGER was hands down my favorite character

Ben is starting his Junior year of high school and while his home life is challenging at times he is happy with his life on the robotics team and focusing on his future. But when an experiment at science camp over the summer ends up with some unexpected consequences, his straightforward life takes some wild turns. When he learns he is an expecting father it takes everyone by surprise, especially since he recently came out to his family as gay. But his best friend, the expectant mother, wants to put the baby up for adoption and having never had a consistent father figure in his life, that’s the opposite of what Ben wants. Among the challenges of junior year and robotics Ben finds himself juggling a part time job, parenting classes, and a legal fight for custody. With each new challenge Ben finds himself learning what it means to be a parent and how the right decision isn’t always the one you want.

Wow. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started this book, but I really enjoyed it. Ben was such a great, well developed character and the story moved quickly and smoothly. The description of Juno meets Heartstopper seems spot on and I haven’t gotten around to watching Heartstopper yet. I loved the cast of characters, especially Gio and the front-of-house manager Monica. You don’t see a lot of stories told from the teen fathers point of view and it‘s a really great, unique perspective. I love how Ben was encouraged to learn and try to see the point of view of Maxi, the teen mom, especially with the challenge of what appears to be neurodivergence. I haven’t read a lot from a neurodivergent perspective, but have enjoyed everything I’ve read so far, it really helps open your eyes to other people’s learning styles. I applaud Jen Bailey on tackling such a difficult subject and can’t wait to see what she comes out with in the future.

I don't think this was a book for me. While it was an interesting take of teen parent hood I found I couldn't relate to this book, and I found the plot to be a little out there. It didn't make much sense to me.

I feel like you may enjoy this novel so I would give it a chance. It is well written and has good character development.

I DNf'd this novel but would like to thank Wednesday books and Netgalley for this ARC

Before anything else, I would like to give my heartfelt gratitude to the publisher for giving me access to this e-ARC.

Due to life's circumstances, I am, unfortunately, unable to read this ARC before it is archived here on Netgalley.

Again, thank you so much for this opportunity that you have given me.

really good book and kept me on my on my toes of what would happen. really enjoyed the characters and their journey and would read this author again.

Usually when I read a book about a teen pregnancy, it's about the girl and all that she goes through. This flipped the narrative and had the main character as the boy and showed how he was feeling. Ben has decided that he wants to keep the baby and raise it, especially since he knows how it feels to not have a father figure stick around. I thought this was a good change from the normal books.

Ben is sixteen when this starts out. He's great with math and science, part of the robotics club and hoping to get into MIT for college. While he's a smart kid, he does not think through what it will really be like to be a single dad to a newborn. Ben still thinks he can go to an out of state summer camp and live a regular life and I did get a bit frustrated with his attitude. Luckily, Ben's mom is awesome and is there to bring him into reality and give out some great advice.

I didn't really like Ben and his small romance plot wasn't that interesting to me. I was also mad that Ben thought mostly of himself throughout this and barely checked on Maxie and what she was feeling. She's supposed to be one of his best friends, but he acts like it's just him in this situation.

The plot was predictable, but it did have a happy ending and I think things worked out how they should have.

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

Ahh that was such a cute book! I binge read it in several hours when I definitely should have been sleeping because I just couldn't put it down.

I guessed what was going to happen about halfway through the book and the anticipation and excitement to see the end made it all the more compelling.

Ben is such a little cutie but homeboy really needs some help with the social cues. And while everyone knows that, it seemed like Gio was the only one who was willing to be patient about it when it came to the pregnancy.

I appreciated seeing how many things Ben had to juggle and struggle through to make the right decisions. This book made me cry several times but the ending was absolutely worth it.

Who doesn’t love an easy queer read? This book reminds you of so many other queer faves but it can definitely stand on its on.

I adored this book. The premise was really interesting before I even started reading and the further into the book I went, the better it became. It wasn't just that the story became more dramatic as time went on (although this is true), but it also gained more depth as the conversation branched off from "just" an accidental teenage pregnancy to exploring what it means to be a parent and what it means to be family and feel wanted in that way. What a great read!

This book is said to be Juno meets Heartstopper and that is exactly it! Such an interesting twist to read about teen pregnancy from the perspective of the father, especially since Ben is queer and (I assume) neurodivergent. I do wish we had been given more of Maxie’s perspective - I was so frustrated for her throughout when it seemed like she was being completely ignored. While Ben’s relationship with Gio was SO CUTE, the real winning aspect of this story for me was his growing relationship with his stepdad. It made my heart grow three sizes!!

Overall I enjoyed this one. It was a story I haven't read before. However, I feel like it just touched the surface of some very big issues and could have spent more time pulling us in to the story and characters. Feels like we just skimmed the surface of everything.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. I love books with Stem and science camps. I wasn’t to big on the teen pregnancy but it was very relatable. I loved that it showed real struggles people handle.

I wasn't sure whether I wanted to read this one, but the interesting premise and comparison to Heartstopper ultimately got me to give Unexpecting a try. The book was easy to read with approachable prose and a tight plot. There wasn't anything wrong with it, per se. I just think this was a case of the book not really being for me. The comp to Heartstopper didn't fit, either, which left me kind of annoyed.

I found the main character in Unexpecting really hard to relate to for most of the story. Ben was so smart and logical, yet also so incredibly clueless. I got the sense that he was autistic, but the book never addressed it outright. I think it might have worked better if the narrative, and the characters, had tackled it directly and focused on how the autism could have been impacting his decision-making. I did like Ben by the end, though, and his growth in the last quarter of the book was really emotional. I just wish it hadn't taken so much of the story to get there.

There were some things about Unexpecting that made me a bit uncomfortable. I think teen pregnancy stories probably just aren't something I enjoy reading. However, I also really hated how so much of the book discounted the mother's voice. I get that the perspective was Ben's, but the whole thing just made me feel icky for most of the book. His tunnel vision made the baby feel more like an object, and he treated his friends, including the baby's mom, pretty horribly. I get that it was probably on purpose to highlight his growth later in the book, but I almost DNF'd the book early on because of it.

The story in Unexpecting also failed to deliver what I wanted from the premise. I was intrigued by the idea of a gay teen dad and how the unexpected pregnancy would impact Ben's identity development. While the story touched on the strange nature of the situation and briefly showcased how other's reacted to it, there wasn't a ton of depth to the exploration of how it changed Ben's view of himself. So much of the story was just stuck in Ben's tunnel vision, and it got old fast.

The thing I loved most about Unexpecting was how it examined what it means to be a parent and a family. Ben's step-father was my favorite character of the entire book, and I loved seeing his relationship with Ben grow and become the catalyst for Ben to understand that blood doesn't make a family. I also enjoyed the romance subplot. Gio was such a great support for Ben, and their relationship was really sweet. I wish we'd gotten to see even more of it.

Overall, Unexpecting was a solid YA drama with cute romance and a beautiful message about family. I'm sure some people will love it. I just couldn't really get past how uncomfortable I felt about the teen pregnancy and the main character's reaction to it. Therefore, I rate this book 3.5 out of 5 stars.