SO good! This had all the elements I love- a “broken” character that finds her way through life only wanting to do better by learning to love not just herself but others.

Thank you to @netgalley for the ARC, which will be available to purchase 12/3.
Gemma is the daughter of a teen mom. She spent a lot of her time in foster care growing up and became a teen mom herself at 16.
This book begins with teen Gemma in labor and her giving her daughter for adoption.
The story is about her as an adult. We learn that she is a teacher and does not stay in any one place for too long. Statistics, counting things, helps her focus.
As she stays at her current school, she starts to let life in. Will she meet her long ago adopted daughter? Will she stay where she is at? Can she be vulnerable?
I really enjoyed this book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#statisticallyspeaking

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the advanced reader copy.

This was a bittersweet story about figuring out how to be family for yourself when your biological family isn't there. Gemma is a lovely main character whose desire to both be connected to the baby she gave up for adoption, when she was sixteen, and the fear of getting close to anyone, creates a tension that pulls the reader through the story.

This was such a sweet book about forgiveness, family, anxiety, and love. I related with Gemma, our main character, in many ways, especially her desire to run when things got uncomfortable. The found family aspect of this book was so precious, especially knowing the hardships Gemma faced/faces as a mother and daughter. Truly wonderful book.

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

I enjoyed this book very much. Gemma was a quirky character and I loved her. I can see how she would get on some readers’ nerves but to me, she was just trying to get over a troubled past the best way she knew how. I admired how well she’s done in life despite having a mentally ill and drug-addicted mother. I guess now would be a good time to mention the heavy topics in this one including mental health issues, addiction and teenage pregnancy.

I could relate to Gemma’s counting of everything. Now that I’m older I hardly ever do it but I can remember being a little kid and counting everything, even syllables in words. The counting had to end in an even number or a multiple of five. It was just my childhood mind trying to control a world that was out of control for me. This book reminded me that family isn’t always blood and that we can create our own tribe as we see fit.

There is a bit of romance in this story but it isn’t the focal point of the book. It’s more about women helping women, friendship, motherhood and facing our fears. The writing flows nicely and the characters are true to life and so is the story. I have this author’s other book The Moment I Met You on my to-be-read pile. I might just have to bump it up my list.

I absolutely devoured this book in one day. I was hooked from the very beginning & could not put it down. Whether it was. the story itself, the writing or just how incredibly well constructed Gemma's character was (all the characters really), it is hands down one of the best books I've read this year.

The book dealt with some fairly complex emotions & topics in such a beautiful way, while tastefully incorporating humour to break things up. I found myself laughing out loud more than once while reading Gemma's POV. She was such a real & raw character with extremely relatable thoughts (especially when she wanted to punch everyone in the birthing suite). The secondary characters were also extremely likeable, each bringing something special to her life. It was such a joy watching them each burrow their way in & help her work through past & present traumas.

The entire book was a roller coaster of emotions & I loved every single second of it. If I could give this book more than 5 stars, I would. It was just that good.

I read my first book by Debbie Johnson just last month when I read A Very Irish Christmas. I absolutely loved it so when I saw another one by her, I jumped at the chance to read it (bonus points that it was also dubbed a "quirky British novel" as if I wasn't already sold!). When I was already chuckling and liking the MC right from the first few pages, I knew I was in for another treat.

This is such a heartfelt story, and I was captivated with these characters from beginning to end. You can't help but love Gemma and all of her quirks and hope for her to find the answers she's looking for and the happiness she deserves. Karim is a wonderful, witty, and charming man, and I fell for him quickly. Margie is the sweetest motherly neighbor. Katie and her adoptive mom Erin are instantly endearing and hard not to love as well (the wonky cushion and the dance it out's were some of my favorite highlights).

I kept wondering which route Debbie was going to take these characters; was Katie the daughter Gemma gave up, or was it all a lot of crazy coincidences? If she wasn't, would Gemma find and meet the real Baby? No matter what, this plot had one of my favorite tropes: found family. All of these characters are carrying their own past traumas/ struggles/ emotional baggage in some way. I just wanted all of these beautiful souls to find happiness within themselves and with each other.

Debbie's writing and storytelling are so easy to fall into that she's now officially cemented herself as an autobuy author for me and one who I will watch for releases and proceed to read her backlog.

Thank you to Net Galley and Harper Muse for the eARC!

I loved this book more than I expected. The story is both heartbreaking and heartwarming. Gemma is portrayed in a very relatable and human way.

This book deals with the themes of adoption, anxiety, forgiveness and also contains one of my favorite tropes ever - found family.

Bravo to the author for such a great novel!

Gemma, a 34 year old teacher, gave up her baby when she was only 16 years old. As she prepares to teach history A-levels, she grapples with the fact that her daughter is the same age as her students. One of her students looks like Gemma and was adopted, leading Gemma to jump to conclusions. Gemma, grew up in care, and now struggles to put down roots. Despite this, she has a loveable cast of characters, and a steamy love interest ready to help her through her struggles. The difficult subject of adoption is handled with grace and care in this excellent novel.

Highly recommend!

Thank you to Net Galley and Harper Muse for the eARC! All opinions are my own.

Statistically Speaking by Debbie Johnson ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Harper Muse
Pub Date: 12-3-24

Thank you @netgalley and @harpermuse for this eARC.

"I have missed her every single day since she was born. I have dreamed of her, and yearned for her, and never stopped thinking about her. But still, I know that I did the right thing. I repeat this to myself over and over again, until I feel its familiar truth, sad but consoling."

Sixteen year old Gemma - living in care and pregnant - makes the difficult decision to proceed with adoption for her newborn daughter. She lets go of her newborn with a heartfelt letter, all her love, and the hope that she will have a better life than the one Gemma could provide.

Fast forward eighteen years . . .

Gemma, a teacher in Liverpool, has wondered over the years if one of her students could be the baby she gave up for adoption. The new school year brings a new student to Gemma's classroom, Katie.

Katie has red hair - just like Gemma. They also have the same build. When Gemma discovers Katie is adopted and that she shares the same date of birth as Gemma's daughter, Gemma's mind goes into overdrive. What are the odds this could be her daughter?

Statistically Speaking presents adoption from each perspective - birth mother, child, and adoptive parents - with compassion and thoughtfulness.

This story contains a lot - adoption, anxiety, family dynamics, forgiveness, found family, heart, humor, romance, and more. A sweet, quick read. I loved all the primary characters and the relationships among them - Gemma, Katie, Erin, Margie, and Karim.

#statisticallyspeaking #debbiejohnson #harpermuse #netgalley

Debbie Johnson's Statistically Speaking absolutely destroyed me -- in the best way possible. This book is an emotional joyride of laughter, grief, growth, pain, restoration, and hope. The characters were all so well written and the relationships between them were heartfelt. I love Gemma especially. Even though I couldn't relate specifically to her loss (giving up her baby for adoption as a 16-year-old pregnant teen in foster care), the way that she processed her experiences struck an emotional chord with me over and over again. I'd very highly recommend Debbie Johnson's Statistically Speaking. It's a feel-good contemporary women's fiction with found family, romance, self-journey, and an ending that will make you smile.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read this ARC 🙏

My heart feels so warm and I'm honestly a little choked up. Getting to witness Gemma's growth in the story us beautiful, touching, and inspiring 😭

The story opens with Gemma, a 16-year-old girl doing the best she can with the shit hand she was dealt, which includes giving up her baby for adoption. She knows this is the right decision for her child, and knows the ramifications of a mother not fit to be a mother all too well, but it still hurts.
18 years later, Gemma is a teacher in Liverpool and slowly, the walls she has built around herself start to unravel. We see her come to terms with the isolation she's been comfortable with, and just how much you can blossom when you allow yourself to trust others and be uncomfortable. At the end of the story, there is so much love in her found-family I just want to move to Liverpool and try to be a part of it!!

Statistically Speaking follows a high school teacher as a young girl enters her life who has similarities to her baby that she gave up for adoption 18 years prior. I loved Gemma's idiosyncrasies and the friendships developed throughout the book. I didn't connect with the romance and felt a little ambivalent about the mother/daughter relationships for some reason.

Narration performed by Louise Williams was outstanding.

I received an ARC and ALC from HarperCollins Focus | Harper Muse via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Is Katie the daughter Gemma gave up for adoption? That's the question that's swirling in Gemma's brain when Katie becomes one of her students. This moves from Gemma's difficult youth in the foster system when she made the hard decision about her daughter to the present when she's established in her career as a teacher and has a found family. And a little bit of a romance. It's an emotional read that hits all the notes. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This will linger in the mind.

Gemma had a tumultuous childhood with a mom who struggled with mental illness, sporadic and then a ping term stay in foster care, and having her own daughter at 16, whom she chose to place in an adoptive home.

Despite this beginning Gemma is more or less successful now in her 30s. She’s a teacher and is mostly stable, although she has some questionable coping skills. But she struggles with relationships and is afraid to depend on anyone or put down roots.

These days she’s terrifyingly close to doing just that when she believes she’s met her daughter when a new student arrives at her school.

Throughout her story Gemma learns to be vulnerable, give and take, and the importance of chosen family beyond that just of birth.

Statistically Speaking by Debbie Johnson is an emotional rollercoaster that packs a punch. The story about Gemma, a woman reconnecting with the daughter she gave up for adoption, hits hard in the best way, especially if you're into books about overcoming past trauma and healing. The writing is powerful and the characters really come to life, but I did find the pacing a bit slow in places, and some moments felt a little melodramatic. It’s a great book for fans of emotional, family-focused stories, but it might not be for everyone. Rating: 3.5 stars.

I really enjoyed this book! I went in fairly blind, and at no point did I know what to expect. I thought this was a romance, but it really is more of a contemporary fiction - while there is a romance, it’s not the main plot, nor even the second or third or fourth most important thing going on in the book. I loved that - while I can definitely get lose in a romance, I appreciated how real this book felt.

Statistically speaking is a heartwarming and uplifting story, perfect for fans of authors such as Beth O’Leary.

I wasn’t sure what to expect, but thoroughly enjoyed this emotional and hopeful ride. Gemma was such an endearing character, and I loved her vulnerability and openness throughout the story. This is a novel about friendships and family, love and sacrifice. It dealt with heavier topics with care and respect, and I found the different perspectives on the adoption storyline interesting. Karim was such a sweetheart, and his relationship with Gemma had a maturity which was refreshing to read.

Thank you Haper Muse for an early copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

I tore through this uplifting novel! Much more than a light read, this gets into the ties of family and the strength of friendship in a very human way.

The story of a woman in Liverpool in her 30s who gave a baby up for adoption when she was 16. Although she had a complicated life when she was young, she has overcome it and is now a teacher. The community she creates for herself is fantastic and the plot held my interest. However, the book could have used better editing to tighten things up. It was longer than it needed to be and at times reading this book - which was mostly a joy - felt like a slog.