This is the type of book that I could see myself really loving if I had just read it while I was in a different mood. It’s incredibly sweet and full of cozy found family goodness. For some reason, though, I just didn’t quite connect with it. I think my biggest issue was that I couldn’t help but compare it to Mika in Real Life, which is hard to live up to for me.

I think I’d like to revisit this again at some point and see if I like more.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Muse for the ARC!

This was... fine? I really wanted to love it more than I did. I'm not sure what specifically was missing for me but I just found it a bit lackluster?

I loved the premise and the cover is stunning. Maybe I just read it at the wrong time?

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

Gemma Jones is a thirty-something history teacher who loves specific names, solid dates, and proven statistics but her past is a messy sock drawer.

At age sixteen, Gemma made the excruciating decision to give up her baby girl for adoption but she has thought of her little girl throughout her life, and this is the year that she turns eighteen years old and this has her wondering where and how her daughter is doing.

A new girl named Katie comes into her class, and it has Gemma wondering if this is her little girl, she has red hair like Gemma and the same birth date as the baby she gave up eighteen years ago.

Statistically Speaking, it was such a heartfelt story. It crept into my heart with all of the characters and blossomed into a spot that wasn’t filled and just kept me smiling and amazed at how Gemma grew as a character and is learning that she needs community and her newfound “family” that she didn’t have as a young girl. After years of being alone, she is finding that she is at a crossroads of does she wants the same thing she has always gone after or does she want to accept what is being offered to her, which is a community that supports her 100%. 4.5 stars

My gratitude to Netgalley and Harper Muse. All opinions expressed are mine and honest.

Despite many tough setbacks in life, Gemma pretty much has her life sorted- she's got a stable job as a teacher, a handsome love interest, and has even cultivated strong friendships. But as much as she's tried, she's never been able to forget the baby she gave up for adoption when she was 16.

Now that her child has turned 18, Gemma eagerly awaits for her daughter to reach out to her so she can reconnect with her and piece her heart back together. In the process, she also decides to open the door to reconciling with her mother who neglected and abandoned her as a child.

This sweet and angsty novel has plenty of banter, lovely characters, and a beautiful backdrop of seaside Liverpool. Recommended for fans of romance and women's fiction with a lot of heart and humor.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

I liked this book a lot especially the way it started and ended. However in the middle it sometimes was a bit of a mess. Some chapters felt like they went on for too long. But the main characters life is quite messy so it also makes a lot of sense that the story line feels messy in parts.

There was a whole found family aspect in this book which I loved and as someone who’s learning to become a teacher I loved that our main character is also a teacher.

Such a beautiful emotional read that dives into adoption, found family, and the ups and downs of love and friendship. The characters are super lovable, each with their own traumas and struggles, which really adds depth to the story. It’s a heartwarming journey that balances the tough moments with uplifting ones, making it a feel-good read that you won't want to put down.

First, this cover drew me in! I love it! Love it even more after walking with Gemma a little bit! Beautifully written! I'd love to display this book on my shelves face out!

The story starts with a 16 year old giving birth and then placing that baby for adoption. Despite the character’s significant childhood trauma, she is a successful adult. She’s a likable character. Unfortunately the plot fell flat for me.

I loved this book! The sisterhood between the characters was everything. Each character was so likeable, and I developed a soft spot for all of them, especially in the way they treated one another. The portrayal of female friendship was so healthy and refreshing to read.

The main character's struggle with her own shortcomings and weaknesses felt incredibly real. Her coping mechanisms didn’t feel like quirky traits but rather something deeply relatable. She was shaped by her environment, but watching her grow and learn was beautiful.

Gemma’s journey to rebuild her life after enduring so much pain is emotional, so be prepared to feel all the feels! But don’t be fooled—despite the heavy themes, the story is lighthearted and downright hilarious. Gemma’s bluntness, honesty, and wit make her narration comedy gold.
Huge congrats to Debbie Johnson for making me laugh out loud—something that’s rare for me when reading a book!

Debbie Johnson writes light "comfort reads" that I thoroughly enjoy, but she also writes books with considerably more emotional depth, such as Statistically Speaking. And this one affected me deeply, even though the protagonist is nothing like me.

Gemma Jones has worked hard to keep herself mostly aloof from others after a fraught childhood--partly with an unreliable mother and partly in foster care--and it has caused her to move around when she feels she is getting too close to someone. But it is her decision to give the daughter she delivered when she was just 16 to a loving adoptive couple that has irrevocably affected her life.

After receiving her degree, Gemma developed into an excellent and popular high school teacher, currently teaching history to students who will be attending university in a year or so. Gemma's daughter would be approaching age 18 as well, and when a new student has similar coloring and the same birthday as her baby's, Gemma can't help hoping that, by some miracle, Katie could be the daughter she had named only Baby. In the meantime, she has somehow added Katie's mother, Erin, to her small circle of friends that includes her disabled neighbor, Margie (finally a character with my own first name!) and the dog that she and Margie share. Then there's Karim, the gorgeous PE teacher who seems to be interested in a relationship with her.

No spoilers here, but I found Gemma to be easy to root for. I became emotionally involved in her struggles to have a meaningful life in the face of her deep regrets and her mild OCD. And I nominate Karim for a place in my own personal list of "best boyfriends" in literature.

My thanks to Harper Muse and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

Entertaining for sure & a great read. A palette cleanser read for me since I read so many mystery/thriller books!

I liked that it felt like there is a bit of Gemma (the fmc) in all of us. Whether it’s joining dating apps we never actually use to date or just being alone because of routine. I also loved the romance aspect of the book not feeling super cringy and not being like every other story we read.

Done right in a lot of ways but kind of just “ok” for me in others- I felt like the book was missing something as it kind of felt like it fell flat but I loved Gemma so much it deserved at least 3 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this fun book in exchange for my honest review.

The book opens with a powerful scene - a sixteen-year-old girl giving birth and making the difficult decision to give her daughter a chance at a better life and giving her up for adoption. The first chapter was promising, introducing a flawed yet likable main character. While the writing flowed well, I found the narrative interrupted by the main character's introspective thoughts, often centered on her damaged self, guilt, and closed-off nature.

The author excelled in developing relationships and introducing romantic elements, providing a lighter touch to the heavy subject matter. However, the conclusion left me questioning the relevance of a particular character's story. I also felt that the title seemed disconnected from the story.

Despite these shortcomings, the story beautifully portrays the protagonist's resilience and ability to forge friendships, giving life another chance despite overwhelming trials and tribulations
3.7 stars

Thank you, NetGalley and Harper Muse, for this opportunity

The beginning: brilliant.
The ending: brilliant.
The middle: a bit lacking but still great.
The whole storyline about the adoption/giving a child up for adoption was portrayed in a beautiful way and felt quite realistic to me. I love Gemmas and Karims relationship. He is a super sweet love interest. Also the way Gemmas anxiety was written was brillant.
But there were also some things that just seemed unrealistic to me. Mostly the interractions between Katie and Erin or between Katie and Gemma.

Statistically speaking it was good, but not great ( ahah )

The beggining and the end were quite good, but the middle was a hudge mess and difficult to read actually.

The description of the book made me think about Eleanor Oliphant but It wasn't like that, at all.

I think I put to much pressure in it and then felt a bit disappointed of the lacks and mess around this story.

Best described as contemporary women's fiction with a just a smidge of romance. This novel dealt with some heavier topics such as childhood trauma, substance abuse and adoption in a light-hearted way. I connected with the (implied) neurodivergent MC with her coping mechanisms of list making and counting and was charmed by the delightful secondary characters that made up Gemma's found family.

This book wasn’t my usual read. The descriptions of Gemma’s anxiety- I really empathised with. But I loved her development as a character.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I understand the woes and stressed of being a teacher, and I'm glad Gemma was able to handle her anxiety and make the best out of life.

Thank you to net galley for this book! More of a 3.5 but still a good and charming read. The main characters desire to know that the child she gave up for adoption (and would have just turned 16, the age she was when she gave birth to her) adds a layer that raises this up your average British light romance.

This book had a lot of potential, but did not deliver.

I did really like the witty nature of our main character Gemma and even though this story is really heavy and deals with emotional topics, it was delivered really lighthearted and with a lot of amazing humor that I quite enjoyed.
Gemma was an interesting character that really got me hooked in the beginning of the book, but I couldn't quite grasp her intentions, character or really anything about her the more I got into the story. She felt all over the place and maybe that was intentional, but it sadly threw me off completely.

There wasn't a whole lot of "plot" going on and I so wished for it to be more than just a "vibes only" book, because when there was a slither of a plot twist or revelation I really enjoyed it and thought that the author did quite a good job unraveling it.

The romance in this book kind of creeps up on you. It had its sweet moments, but I ultimately couldn't get into it.

3.75 ⭐
I had a great time reading this book! It's a mix of women's fiction with a bit of romance, and the story is super sweet, more about the vibes than a strong plot. We follow Gemma as she rebuilds her life after a lot of pain. It’s an emotional journey, but the story is often really funny. The characters are all super likable, and the way female friendships are portrayed is so positive and heartwarming. I really connected with Gemma's struggles and growth—it all felt so real, making this a beautiful and relatable read.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for this ARC