Thank you to NetGalley, and the publisher for a copy of this book.

In this modern twist on the You’ve Got Mail premise, Kiki transfers to a new school only to be met with the realization that she is becoming friends with her online gaming bestie that thinks she’s a guy. What could go wrong, right? She’s also simultaneously bullied in real life, and relentlessly tormented by her schoolmates on social media.

My favorite moment in this entire narrative comes near the end when Kiki finally shared with her parents the reality of what has been happening to her. I work with teens in my real life, and I cannot oversell how important it is for parents to listen to their kids, and believe them when they alert them to harassment. I appreciated this authors attention to that in her storyline. It was wonderfully executed.

I do think I’m on the “almost too old to enjoy YA” side of my life, which is kind of sad. I guess it could keep me young? Some of the drama in this book could have been alleviated with one simple conversation, but then where would all that angst go?!

This book scores a 0 on the FOTMS scale, but had like a lot lot lot of language for a novel marketed as YA in my opinion.

I enjoy Jessie Q. Sutanto’s humor and wit, so I’ll probably read all the works she continues to put out— YA and otherwise.

I’m giving this one a 4/5 stars because it kept me up too late and gave me nostalgic 90’s Romcom vibes.

This book was light in tone but handled a lot of delicate/heavy topics (cultural expectations, bullying, sexism etc) very well! I really enjoyed Kiki as a character: I loved that she was fiercely independent and proud to be herself. But what stood out to me was the honest portrayal of her moments of struggle and doubt.

Sadly, it felt a little rushed at the end but overall I think this was an important story to tell. Perfect for YA readers.

Thank you so much Penguin Teen for my ARC!

3.5/5⭐️

This book does an excellent job tackling tough issues like sexism, bullying, and cultural expectations. I liked that it had characters come back from previous books make an appearance. This book works as a stand alone.

Kiki is sent to a new private school and her parents aren’t worried about her transition. Kiki gets bullied and starts to doubt herself. The frustration that Kiki feels when she talks to the principal radiates off the page. Nothing like telling someone they are being to sensitive to set them off.

The relationship that builds with Liam and Kiki is heartwarming to watch unfold. Sarah Jessica Parker and Eleanor Roosevelt are my favorite characters for being wise beyond their years.

Sutanto is one of my favorite authors. I am always impressed how she can write a variety of genre and nail it every single time. She has written young adult, thriller, romance, women's fiction, and mystery and I have enjoyed every single book. I really enjoyed Kiki's character and found her inspiring and empowering. I loved watching the romance unfold and I'm glad she got her happy ending.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Children's, Delacorte Press for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest reviews.

3.5 stars. This isn’t my usual genre, but I got a copy of this book for free, so I decided to give it a read. It was a cute story and it wasn’t so much focused on the romance that I couldn’t stand it. I really liked the gaming and bullying aspects of this book. It had me feeling really horrible for KiKi. But it also was like a Hallmark movie, where you just don’t understand why the main character can’t just tell the person the truth and that would solve everything. It seems so much easier than what they end up doing, but I guess there would be no story then. I was ok with that until she was blackmailed into dating Jonas and then I just didn’t understand at all. The ending was cute and a nice wrap up to the story. Overall, I enjoyed it.

Okay this book was adorable, from the cutesy names of the characters of Sarah Jessica Parker and Eleanor Roosevelt, to the main characters’ online gamer friendship. It made me so nostalgic, because for me, I used to be on book forums and befriend strangers on the internet when I was younger, and there’s just something about the anonymity of the screen that lets a person pour their heart out to a stranger without meeting them. Thankfully nothing crazy happened, and the people I befriended turned out to be who they said they were lol. But those friendships were just different, and it was super cute to see that in a book. The Asian school culture was totally accurate. That also took me back to when I grew up in India and the school culture in Asian countries. The seating arrangement, the uniforms, the students staying in one class while the teachers changed rooms, all of this was totally different when I moved to America and experienced the Western school culture. This book was also funny lol some characters made me actually laugh at times. It was a super short book and a quick and enjoyable read, so thank you to Random House and NetGalley for this ARC.

CW: bullying, online sexual harassment

Kiki Siregar is a girl gamer, but poses as a guy online in order to not receive threatening messages. She has made one really good friend on the game she plays online. This year, Kiki's parents have transferred her to a more traditional school, one where she can't be her fabulous self. She then finds out that her best friend online, who she is falling for, also goes to her school. Can she figure out who her best friend is?

Jesse Q. Sutanto knows how to write quirky fun characters. I fell in love with Kiki and cinnamon roll Liam. Kiki is just so sassy, and sure of herself until she gets bullied. I really do love the buildup of this sweet romance, and the antics that come between them reminds me of Crazy Rich Asians. Read this if you like sweet romance and also want to understand a serious issue.

3.5 ★

I enjoyed the majority of this sweet and fun book, but I was a little disappointed during the last 30% (I'll talk about that a little later in this review).

I respect the nuanced and sensitive way Jesse Q. Sutanto wrote about important topics, like harassment in online gaming and bullying in high school, while still giving readers that rom-com feeling through character interactions and hilarious situations. I've always appreciated this author's books because she's Indonesian-Chinese, and I personally understand many of the cultural references and dynamics in Asian families. Additionally, her characters are always so lovable, charming, and get themselves in some of the funniest situations. I think this book was particularly important because it shows the reality of "traditional" private schools in many parts of the world, and the challenges that female students face at those schools.

This is a companion novel to Well, That Was Unexpected, which I read last year and adored. While you don't have to read that book in order to enjoy this one, there are a few characters from the first book who make brief appearances in this follow-up novel.

The main characters of this story, Kiki and Liam, charmed me. I felt so invested in their happiness and so proud of the way they overcame challenges throughout this book. Their friends-to-lovers story was adorable, supportive, and genuine, and I wish this book had focused a bit more of them in the last 30%. Unfortunately, the author decided to add a twist at the 70% mark that was unnecessary and decreased my enjoyment of this story. I've read enough of Sutanto's book by now to expect some chaos and to be okay with suspending some of my disbelief, but it just didn't work as well as I hoped this time. The third act conflict was already pretty obvious and unavoidable early on the book, and I was okay with that, but the added twist felt like it was written for the sake of creating even more unnecessary drama.

Even though I didn't totally love everything about this book, I do recommend it if you're looking for a YA contemporary romance that's set in Indonesia and revolves around two gamers. This book also discusses very important topics that girls and women have to deal with in gaming communities and in school.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley and Random House; all opinions are my own.

Almost, but not quite, a light rom-com romp, but the themes of misogyny and bullying are too real and too harrowing to firmly land this book in that category. However, it is a great read, and based on my own experience and the experience of friends is absolutely true to the online experiences of women who play video games. While it isn't a purely fluffy read, it's one I would easily recommend all the more for its depths.

At this point, Jesse Q. Sutanto could write and share her GROCERY LIST and I’d read it voraciously. She is in a league of her own, and DIDN’T SEE THAT COMING is the latest proof. This budding love story between gamers is quirky and hilarious — and yes, it’s aimed for younger readers, but the tropes are packaged in a way that makes this accessible to any generation.

Above all, we love a rom-com queen who writes and celebrates diverse characters! Between the pages of DIDN’T SEE THAT COMING is another of Sutanto’s gorgeous odes to Indonesian and Chinese culture. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: This genre could use way more Southeast Asia rep woven into widely-read books for Western audiences. For now, Sutanto is trailblazing a path in the space that I hope inspires many more Indonesia-centric, YA storylines to come.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Although this book is portrayed as a story about a strong girl who overcomes odds, I was struggling with all of the bullying that went on - throughout the story. It was not a one time occurrence or just from one direction, no this was from all sides - classmates, administration, and pressure from her parents.
She was able to persevere but the constant attacks were draining for me. I had to put the book down several times because I wasn't enjoying the book. It was stressing me out.
It seemed like it was written for middle schoolers but at times I felt like it was geared towards a more mature audience.
The ending made the book bearable but it was a tough read for me.

Jesse Sutanto has done it again. In her typical combination of comedic and brutally relatable, Sutanto's second YA romcom is absolutely phenomenal. Going into this book, I expected Kiki's character to be full of fun and sass. What I didn't expect was a coming of age story so very poignant and relatable it bordered inducing tears. The slow burn romance, the emphasis on female friendship, and the complicated family dynamics make Kiki's story so very relatable. The deep dive into online gaming and the constant harassment faced by gamer girls is an excellent addition to a story that's already so wonderfully nuanced. Thank you Kiki (and Jesse) for reminding us all of the power of being exactly who we are.

Jesse Sutanto is a legitimate goddess and I would buy anything she buys. I remember reading the first book in this series/world and being utterly charmed by the characters. So, I was delighted to meet Liam and Kiki. This adorable, hilarious rom-com includes fake dating and friends to lovers. Adorable book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for an eARC of this book for my honest review!

From academic rivalries to burgeoning friendships to a "You've Got Mail" inspired romance, this book epitomizes all the elements of a great coming of age story. Devastation hits when Kiki Siregar, online gaming maven and cake enthusiast, is yanked out of the school she's been enrolled at for forever and thrust into the brand new world of an elite, renowned private school. Things begin to look bad as she deals with unexpected adversaries, but they take a turn for the worse as Kiki discovers that her online gaming best friend is a fellow classmate...the problem? The account she plays under assumes the identity of a guy and revealing herself might lead to some dire consequences 👀 👀

There's just something about Jesse Q. Sutanto's writing that makes it so easily devour-able and addictive; reading "Didn't See That Coming" felt like binge-watching a season of a teen rom com, complete with a spunky teen lead and high-stakes teen drama. The themes and plotline of this book felt unique and creative: though Kiki's experiences, Sutato highlights the rampant misogyny in areas from Southeast Asian schools/society to the online gaming community. It was also excellent to see a myriad of healthy behavior surrounding relationships in this story, from development/prioritization of female friendships to Kiki realizing how open and honest communication could begin to patch her mistakes.

However, at times, the perpetuation of Kiki's lying felt rather dragged-out, especially at the 2/3rds mark, where she'd give an abusive character sway over her life rather than tell the truth; teen drama can, understandably, be all-consuming and world-shattering, but the stakes in this book never felt high enough to resort to the measures Kiki decides to take. Additionally, despite the story being marketed as a rom-com, the romance felt a little flat and under-developed. Yes, Kiki has a previously established relationship with her love interest, but it would've been more compelling to see how that relationship translated from screen to real life.

At the end of the day, I had a lot of fun getting dragged into Kiki's drama and troubles, and though I wish a couple of the elements had been a bit more fleshed out, I'd recommend this book for those looking for a fun, lighthearted yet engrossing coming-of-age story.

Love Sutanto’s writing style! You’re literally laughing out loud not just as you read but later when you think about the book. I did not realize I was reading her next book until I heard George Clooney and I got so excited! This is a such a cute, clean story about the drama of high school, parenting and friendship. It’s a day read, page turner and all around good story.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I really like Jesse Q Sutanto books and this one didn’t disappoint I really like how it touches on the toxicity of the gaming world and how in that world it is easier to allow people to think you’re a man than deal with the BS they will put you threw.

Didn't See That Coming was such a cute YA rom-com. Jessica Q. Sutanto is becoming one of my auto must reads.

It was fast paced (I read this in two days), entertaining and I loved the banter between Kiki and Liam. While it was predictable...I still really loved and enjoyed it. I also loved that it has all the same lovable characters from Well That Was Unexpected.

Tropes you can expect to find:
Fake dating
False identity
Cinnamon roll
New kid in school
Friends to lovers

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children's publishing for this advanced eArc in exchange for my honest review.

That was cute as a button, though the not quite ending had me feeling feels, which (and pardon me for this) I just didn't see coming.

Jesse Q. Sutanto never ceases to surprise me with her ability to navigate various genres, including mystery, twisty thrillers, highly entertaining humorous women’s fiction, family dramas, and, of course, YA romance and fiction stories. I've never rated any of them lower than four stars because each genre is crafted with great intelligence. Her enjoyable writing style and the creation of likable characters allow me to engage with her books right from the opening chapter.

Even though this book is geared towards a younger audience and I'm not an avid gamer, I still found it easy to relate to the themes of cyberbullying, toxic masculinity, and class differences. These are universal issues that readers have either experienced or encountered at some point in their lives, making the book resonate on a broader level.

The tropes of fake dating and false identity are skillfully interwoven with high school drama. The blossoming love story between Liam and Kiki is sweet and, while somewhat predictable, it didn't bother me. When I read the blurb of the book, which brought to mind a blend of "You’ve Got Mail" and "Never Have I Ever" storylines, I was already anticipating how Kiki’s story would unfold, so the predictability was acceptable to me.

Overall, if you're looking for a clean-slate, teen-sweet romance with a thought-provoking perspective on cyberbullying, school bullying, financial inequalities, and the power of feminism, this book is a great fit for your interests.

I'm eagerly anticipating more of the author's work to continue being impressed by her highly proficient writing skills.

I extend my sincere gratitude to NetGalley and Random House Children’s / Delacorte Press for providing me with a digital review copy of this wonderful book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

title: Didn't See That Coming

author: Jesse Q. Sutanto

publisher: Delacorte Press

publication date: November 28, 2023

pages: 320

peppers: 1 (on this scale)

warnings: bullying, mention of vomit

summary: In this YA novel, Kiki has been using a hyper-masculine pseudonym to avoid the kind of comments she used to get with a feminine-sounding username on her online gaming community. Online, she makes a good friend, who shares his emotions believing he's talking with a boy. Meanwhile, Kiki's parents make her start at a new school because they want her to learn some manners to get along better in society. At the school, super-rich Jonas starts harassing her and she's slowly becoming friends with quiet Liam.  

tropes:

fake dating
false identity
I knew you before I knew you
great younger friends
super rich
mean teachers
new kid in school

what I liked:

This book did a great job of showing a lot of the garbage girls have to put up with in predominantly male spaces.
I liked how it showed Kiki's response to bullying.
Good girlfriend scenes

what I didn’t like: not much

overall rating: 5 (of 5 stars)