3 Stars - Nothing special but didn't hate it. A story of a gay high school student who ends up getting his best friend pregnant. As someone who lost his father when he was young, he wants to keep the baby and be a single father but the best friend wants to put it up for adoption.

Likes
- Interesting synopsis as I haven't encountered a story of teenage pregnancy from the boy's perspective, or even where the father wants to keep the baby and the mother does not
- Loved the supportive family of Ben's specifically Roger and his parents!

Dislikes:
- Quite predictable
- Ben, as many teenage boys do, aggravated the heck out of me. His selfishness without really thinking of how his choice impacts his friends/family and ignorance to how what it actually takes to raise a child was hard to read at times.
- Was wanting to see more of the friendship between Maxie and Ben, and what lead them to actually sleep together to begin with.
- The romance is the book was lacking, or rather I felt it was trying to explore too many relationships romantic or otherwise and in the process didn't fully flesh out any of them

I was very excited to read this book. It is written from a boy/ man’s point of view when a pregnancy happens.
I couldn’t put this book down. It was written with such a thoughtful, light hand about very heavy polarizing topic.
From the reality of a living, breathing child, to having to give up or at least postpone the future you imagined, this book really hits all of the diverse things that affect a teen with the birth of a child.
I loved how the author kept the issues facing the teens and what they experienced in a true but soft way. The addition of step-parents, multiple ex’s, and a variety of friendships really made the book a community of support.
This book really made me think about all of the obstacles facing teen parents. It was well done and eye-opening.
And although this is about pregnancy, it is so much more.
Enjoy!

4.5 Stars

The plot of the book is character-driven and unfolds with a natural pace, allowing readers to witness the protagonist's growth and transformation. While there may not be high-stakes action or intense plot twists, the emotional depth and authenticity of the story keep readers invested in the characters' journeys. The author's ability to capture the everyday moments and quiet triumphs of motherhood adds a sense of realism and poignancy to the narrative.

Furthermore, Unexpecting addresses important social and personal issues surrounding motherhood, including the expectations placed on women, the challenges of balancing personal and professional life, and the power of female friendship and support. Bailey's exploration of these topics adds depth and substance to the novel, elevating it beyond a simple pregnancy narrative.

The premise of this book was very intriguing to me and it did not disappoint. I really enjoyed this book and following Ben's journey. The book is written so well and is unputdownable. Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC.

Really cute book! A story about high schoolers, but with real grown up issues. Its a story about coming of age, learning about responsibility and doing the right thing. It was a bit of a slow start for me, and when I first started reading I was too excited about high school drama. But I quickly realized it is so much more than that, and once I was invested I couldn't put it down!

This book had me hooked immediately. I write this review in a blur as my eyes are rather wet after that ending.

Many teens every year are faced with the same things Maxie and Ben are with Teen Pregnancy.

My aunt became pregnant when she was 16. She hid it for a long time as she was worried what would happen. But 34 years later she is thankful she made the choices she did and I have always looked up to her.

Parts of this book got me in the feels surrounding adoption, I adopted my daughter and got to watch her being born. I’ll cherish her for eternity.

I think this book is well done!!

I tore through this. Juno has always been one of my favorite stories of all time, so I was skeptical when the description was juno meets heartstopper, but this book delivered. The heart poured from this book, and I found myself so invested in Benji and Maxie, their families and friends and robotics club. And the ending, without spoiling it, had me tearing up, after a huge sigh of when the right choice was finally made. I adored this book.

It’s the beginning of junior year of high school and Ben feels pretty happy with his life. Sure, his family life is a bit complicated, but he has two fantastic best friends and feels like he’s on the path he needs to be on. Until an experiment at science camp goes wrong.

Ben is going to be a father. A track his mother wasn’t expecting, since Ben just recently came out as gay. Now, he needs to make a plan, since he’s decided he wants to raise the baby on his own. But the whole process is more complicated than Ben expected, leaving him wondering: is this the best decision for the baby? Does he have what it takes to be a good father?

Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for an advanced copy of Unexpecting by Jen Bailey to review! One of the comp titles for this book is Heartstopper, which means I obviously had to read it. Is it a good comp title? Eh. But the Juno comparison is definitely spot on!

What I appreciated about this book is that it’s a teen pregnancy story that focuses on the father’s story instead of the mother’s. We don’t see that a lot in YA, and it’s refreshing to get that perspective. Especially for the situation that they’re in. It adds an interesting element to the story, and adds a complexity to the overall emotional core.

However, I do think the characterization of Maxie (the mom) does suffer a little in comparison to Ben. Because we are getting Ben’s perspective, and he is a teenager, he does write off some of the difficult things she has to go through. I do think this book would have benefited from having POVs from both of them, making the overall story more rounded.

The romance on Ben’s side is sweet, a kind of a friends to lovers situation. They have some cute moments (like the whole “let’s practice kissing” thing. Adorable). I appreciated the way that he supported Ben through this, and their relationship evolves realistically throughout the book.

I still don’t necessarily understand Ben’s motivation for wanting to keep the baby, so I think a little more exploration in that area would have been helpful. But all in all, this is a strong study of teen pregnancy, and it hits strong emotional notes by the end.

16 yrs old boy tells mom and step dad he’s gay, no problem
Same 16 yr old boy tells same mom and step dad he’s going to have a baby just months later… stop the clock

Think Juno with a twist and throw it into a YA fiction book.

The perspective is from the male first person character and it dives into the emotional complications of finding out he got a best friend pregnant on a dare. But it’s his own childhood and multiple stepfathers who entered (and left) his life that makes him determined to raise the baby even when the mother wants to give it up for adoption.

The author sinks in to different emotions the teen has as he finds himself figuring out how to be supportive and a young parent without losing the idea of having aspirations for more. The book is a young YA IMO, but I can definitely see it being something that YA readers would read and love. It may be teenage pregnancy at the centre but the author tries to focus on emotions and connections more than the pregnancy.

It would be interesting to see what a teen reading it may think. Would it be something that they felt was preachy or one that felt too “tidy” at the end. I guess I would think it all depends on our own lens of life.

I enjoyed it. And appreciate the publisher giving me the opportunity to review it!


3.75 stars rolled to 4

Meh

I will mention that I hate the Juno movie and haven’t read heartstopper so the appeal of that mix is lost on me.I’m also in my 30s so this isn’t geared towards me.

The idea is better than the execution. I like that it’s from the perspective of a perspective father and he was true to what I observe my teen guy cousins. Unfortunately this also makes him fairly unlikable.The romance seemed forced and his friendships shallow.

I’m not sure who this is written for.

I truly wasn't prepared for the emotional rollercoaster of Unexpecting, and my heart ached for Ben! But, by the end of the story, I was happy with the outcome.

Though I have a lot of feelings about the journey, I feel each readers experience with Unexpecting will be different, and that's not a bad thing.

I give the author mad props for tackling a subject that it rarely reflected in fiction, let alone LGTBQ+.

I'm curious to see what Bailey will write next.

This book took me completely by surprise.

Ben is a 16 year old gay male who accidentally gets his best friend Maxie pregnant in an experiment to confirm his sexuality. There were so many emotions throughout as Maxie wants to put the baby up for adoption and Ben wants to keep their baby to raise himself. The ending definitely had me in tears as Ben and Maxie navigate through this tough time.

I think that overall I enjoyed it. Maxie and Ben's prior friendship didn't seem very apparent, and while the experiment of how she became pregnant was mentioned it wasn't really clear on why they chose to do this. Maxie's potential feelings for Ben were never made clear either.

I am the queen of not reading full synopsis before picking up a book, so I was very surprised that this book about a teen pregnancy was told from the perspective of the father of the baby. I don't think I've ever read about that perspective, but it was done really well in the book. You see the really tough and uncomfortable decisions that come with an unwanted and unexpected pregnancy. And as a lover of the pregnancy trope in general, I really did enjoy this book!

I honestly don’t know how to feel about this book. It was interesting to say the least and it was nice to read from a teenage father’s perspective. But, I feel like this could of been a lot better. This was just not what I was wanting from this book.

Heartbreaking and comforting at the same time, the story woven in Unexpecting is something we can relate to in different ways. At different times in our lives, we can see the connection and relevance to each facet of this story.

What happens when the gay kid at school gets a girl pregnant? Benjamin Morrison is about to find out when he finds out his best friend Maxie is pregnant after they…did an experiment at science camp.

Needless to say, Ben’s mom is shocked when she finds out about the pregnancy. But even more shocking— Ben wants to keep the baby as a single father. As he works to prepare for fatherhood, Ben has to grapple with what it means to raise a child, especially as a teen dad.

This book had some really notable strength— the cast of characters is very diverse, it was interesting to read a teen pregnancy book from the father’s POV, and the story moved at a pace that kept you engaged.

I know as someone in her late 20s that I am not the target demographic for this book, but Ben read much younger than he was. His thought process and fixations made him sound more like a 12-14 year old, making this book seem to weirdly toe the line of being middlegrade— but it’s about teen pregnancy.

I also think Ben was clearly written to be neurodivergent but it was never addressed. The of addressing this felt odd rather than purposeful, it made it sound like it was because Ben lacked a father figure. I had to go back and reread the first few chapters to make sure I didn’t miss this being addressed, but alas it remains a mystery.

I’m floating between 3-3.5 stars for this one. Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

4.5 STARS!!!!

This book had me sold from the first page-

I was super excited to read this and even more when i started it and saw how this book played out from a male perspective and to say the least... i was NOT let down! I just loved Ben and my heart ached watching him be forced to learn so many hard lessons so quickly at a young age. I can tell that the author put so much effort into writing an emotional book from start to finish. Very good.

This is an incredible story of real-life situations that will be so impactful for teens. I am thankful Jen Bailey chose to tackle this topic with such grace and realistic actions.

Unexpecting by Jen Bailey follows a young man who is facing down the prospect of being a father while trying to deal with friendships, potential romance, and responsibility. Ben's life changes when he impregnates his best friend and decides he wants to raise the baby. While his mom is supportive, he struggles to balance work, Robotics, and school (not to mention his crush on his co-worker/former step-brother).

Bailey's characters are interesting and complex, and there were scenes that made me laugh out loud or cringe in sympathy. That being said, I had trouble getting into the story. I'm not sure if it was just not the right time for me to read it, or some of the predictability was just not what I was looking for.

I think this book would be good for young people trying to balance a ton of things going on in their lives, for boys who are carers/fill a caregiving role in their families, for kids who like realistic fiction with tension and growth.

I received this book a few months ago, but I put off starting it for some reason. Was it the cutesy cover? or the subject matter? I am not sure, but I decided to give it a shot.

This book is about teenage pregnancy. And it is told from the father's point of view. Both of the parents are in high school, and very smart, and in the same friend group. Ben is also gay. (None of this is a spoiler btw.) I think it is important to note that this book is coming from the male point of view. If there was a book coming from the expecting mothers side, I am sure it would be very different. While Ben's struggles and frustrations are real, this book skims over the the mom's experiences and struggles.

Ben is faced with fatherhood, which also forces him to deal with his own feelings and emotions about his own father.

Overall, the book was easy to read and the characters were likable. About halfway through the book, you kind of know how the book will end, but in this instance, I am ok with that.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.