Did share my reviews earlier, sorry this email/message is late. :-)

Another “new style” of hardship-romance, trying to scare me the reader of, by starting in a really hard spot. Or maybe it’s the time we’re living in. Even when you expect to get a light-hearted romance you get real pain and anguish. These books could all be published with those modern warning labels now. I am not interested in the “content warning” idea of later years, maybe because I don’t have any reading issues, but also because they’re spoilers and often over-used. But anyway, this book could come with loads of them. On StoryGraph for example, it’s warnings are in three different categories. *Graphic*: Addiction, (Teen) Pregnancy and Chronic illness, *Moderate*: Mental illness, Drug abuse and Death and *Minor*: Cancer, Grief as well as Death of parent. That’s a lot, right?

And this novel starts out in a harsh reality setting that is heart-wrenching. A 16 year old girl, Gemma, is giving birth to a child. We get to experience not only her birthing pain and loneliness at the hospital, but the loss of her child as well, not by death but by adoption. The adoption grief is the theme of the book really. Yes, Gemma is mature enough to decide to give her daughter up for adoption, as she realizes that she can not give the child the security of a home right now. She is still in school and living in foster care herself, because her own mother is not stable enough to take care of her. And because the book starts with this, you can probably imagine how this episode and that decision keeps haunting poor Gemma through the years.

She writes her daughter a letters to let her know she loves her and why she did what she did. Gemma really wants her daughter but she also want to make sure she grows up in a good home, without having to worry about drugs or if there’d be any food to eat at home. Maybe there’s also the lack of any kind of mother figure role model that makes her think she couldn’t do it herself? If affects her self-image and her confidence in any case. Unfortunately then she keeps thinking or her little girl, wishing she could know her, so much so that it keeps her from enjoying her own life in the following years.

18 years later, when the book gets going and Gemma has a good job and a secure life, her mind still keeps wandering back to that child all the time. She can not let it go. And since it’s been 18 years since she gave birth, she knows an encounter could happen now. Her daugher is old enough to seek her information out, if she wants to. This gives Gemma an increased boost of anxiety, an anxiety she’s been living with since childhood. Her coping mechanism is to shut everyone out, to not trust anyone, to move to a new city when life gets too much in her face - and to count in her head.

But now she finds a few female friends that she actually starts trusting and the very sexy PE teacher guy at work, Karim, asks her out. Maybe life is about to change in all kinds of ways?

Karim is the kind of character I can’t help but fall in love with, to be honest. He is just so yummy. Pushy but not too pushy, kind and understanding and simply “there for her” when she needs him. I love their interactions, but also Gemma’s female friendships and how she’s trying to find courage to live her own life, not because of the hot guy but side by side with him.

I really enjoyed this book. It’s a great romance but also so much more than that. I kind of feel like the romance is actually secondary to the plot, because Gemma does find her self without Karim. She finds that it’s time to let go of her dreams of what could’ve been and go into the future with what she has now. Maybe the message of the book is that it’s okay to have hopes and dreams, but you also have to be open to what your life actually consists of? I like that idea a lot.

Such an emotional read.
Debbie Johnson did a fantastic job at makin you feel connectet to Gemma (our main character) and making you understand her feelings and reactions throught the situations in the stoy. She created a complex well rounded character and it felt as if she was a real person. You could clearly see how her backround an memories affected her decisions and how her actions were not just creating conflict for the sake of the plot. You can also see her grow as the story progresses.
I tend to be very picky with the narrator of the audiobooks I listen to, since they have such a big influence on how you percive the characters, and I felt like Louise Williams did a fantastic job on this one.
Highly recommend this book if you, like me, are looking to broaden your reading scope and read about characters with realities different from yours, to learn more about the realitie of life of so many other people out there (wich for me is the whole point of reading).

Thank you to Harper Muse and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

This was a sweet story about a young lady who gave up her baby for adoption as a 16 year old and her journey. It is all about letting in a new man and finding friends. It is also her journey to reconnecting with her own mom. The whole journey is inspiring and amazing. Very heartwarming

Look, I don’t usually get emotional about math. But somehow Debbie Johnson made me cry over statistics, socks, and a PE teacher named Karim. So… here we are.

Statistically Speaking follows Gemma Jones, a high school history teacher who finds comfort in fixed dates and historical facts, mostly because her own past feels more like a chaotic clearance bin of mismatched socks. When she’s anxious (which is often), she counts socks. Honestly? Same.

But this isn’t just a story about a woman with anxiety and a charming cottage by the sea. It’s about the ache of what-if, the kind that quietly loops in the background of your life no matter how good things look on paper. Gemma gave up a baby at sixteen, and now that Baby (yes, capital B) is turning eighteen, Gemma is spiraling into the kind of soft, devastating what-might-be that feels like hope dressed up as denial.

Enter Katie. New student. Red hair. Same build. Same birthday. Same vibe. Is she the Baby? Or is this just anxiety’s version of bingo? What unfolds from there is one part emotional minefield, one part accidental sleuthing, and a full-on exploration of identity, motherhood, and whether we ever really make peace with our past.

Debbie Johnson writes with tenderness and wit, giving Gemma a voice that’s both deeply relatable and quietly hilarious. Like, “I cried, but I also snorted” kind of hilarious. The audiobook adds another layer—Gemma’s inner monologue sings when you hear it aloud, and the narration hits just the right balance between vulnerable and dryly funny.

If you like your fiction with emotional depth, clever narration, and at least one scene where you gasp and mutter “oh no no no” to yourself… this one’s for you.

Also, if you’re wondering whether you’ll ever look at your sock drawer the same way again, the answer is no. Not even close.

Gemma life was not perfect when she was 16 and expecting a baby. Deciding to give the baby up for adaption was one she thinks about every day. Since then she has not let herself connect with others instead finds comfort with numbers and order. When she relives she starting to lay down roots in her latest town she finds her fears of connecting with people might not be as painful as she thinks. A great adoption story bringing light to the struggles a mother who gives up a child face after the choice is made.

This was a quick read for me
I was hoping to love it but it was just ok for me.
The beginning had a lot of promise but after that is kinda lacked.

Very British so some word terms didn’t translate for me, I had to google them. LOL.

But otherwise an ok book and story.

Thank you NetGalley for the copy

𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 4.25⭐️
𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎: contemporary fiction/ romance📚

𝙼𝚢 𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜:
As a statistician, I was hoping for bigger statistic aspect. The story was heartwarming and sweet but I wish there had been a little more romance and a more wrapped up ending. But overall a fun and quick read.

𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎:
Character-driven stories
Quirky FMCs
Themes of adoption and foster care
Found family
Emotional and heartwarming reads
Stories of trauma and healing
Self-discovery journeys
Side of romance

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚍:
Mental health rep
The FMCs unique personality
Exploration of complex family dynamics
Heartfelt portrayal of personal growth and healing
The dog named Bill

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛:
The statistical theme wasn’t as prominent as anticipated
The romance subplot lacked depth and development
The ending felt abrupt, leaving some threads unresolved

𝙵𝚊𝚟𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚀𝚞𝚘𝚝𝚎𝚜:
★ “The world feels brighter. And warmer. And safer. And I make a mental note: on this day in history Gemma Jones finally loved someone and felt loved in return.”

Book Review: Statistically Speaking by Debbie Johnson

Statistically Speaking by Debbie Johnson is a fun and thought-provoking book. It weaves together themes of love, relationships, and personal growth with a unique mathematical twist. The story revolves around Charlotte, a woman who has a love of numbers and statistics. Charlotte is always thinking with a methodical mindset, but when it comes to matters of the heart, her logic and numbers is put to the test.

The book takes a deep dive into how Charlotte’s mathematical approach to life influences her relationships and decision-making. The author does a nice job of blending Charlotte's personal growth with her professional expertise. The characters are well-developed, and Charlotte’s journey could be relatable to many. The story was funny and engaging.

Statistically Speaking is a sweet story that blends romance and numbers. The characters were likable and engaging throughout the story and the narrator did a great job of bringing that to life. .

I have read several of the author’s books but they all fell into a certain genre style. They are women-centric, yet there is a difference I struggle to put into words. The series where people from a small geographical location or related to one another find romantic partners over a series of books also had some heart-felt moments and deep-rooted struggles, but both the previous book – Jenny James Is Not a Disaster, and this one feel more serious to begin with although they too end happily in their own time.

Gemma Jones has had a tough life. we see her as a teen and then jump ahead in time eighteen years. She has a semblance of a life now, but she is set to run this time as well. Gemma is not used to the idea of setting down roots but when a new girl joins her class her imagination gets ahead of her and opens her up to change. Unexpected things happened which helped make it an interesting read. It is very easy to want something nice to happen for Gemma.

I think the narrator did a great job in bringing the book to life. It was easy to picture the emotions and the flow of the story as and when things happened. I would highly recommend the book, the author and the narrator to fans of the genre.

I received an ARC thanks to Netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own listening experience.

"Statistically Speaking" is a story of overcoming obstacles and finding family. The MC, Gemma, was raised in foster care after being taken away from her mentally unstable mother, and it's been hard for Gemma to rely on anyone since.

When she was 16, she gave up her baby for adoption. She later became an A-level teacher, and when the time comes that her students are the same age her daughter would be, she can't help but wonder what the girl would be like. Was she happy? Did she have good parents? Would they ever get to know one another?

As Gemma struggles with these questions, one-by-one, people in her new village slip past her protective walls, including the student that might actually be her baby.

I really enjoyed this story, despite some of the sadness of it. There was always a glimmer of hope, especially as Gemma started to be surrounded by people who knew her and liked her for who she was, struggles and all. The encouragement and support of her found family helped her identify the changes she wanted to make in her life and helped her secure a future she looked forward to.

Thank you to Debbie Johnson, the publisher and NetGalley for an advance review copy. I truly enjoyed it!

While reading Statistically Speaking, I found myself really enjoying it. The emotional depth, especially in Gemma’s letters to her unborn child, was beautifully written and genuinely moving. Those moments tugged at my heart and added real weight to the story.

That said, now that a few months have passed, I realize how much of the book has faded from my memory. It was enjoyable in the moment, but it didn’t quite leave a lasting impact. The premise—a high school history teacher grappling with her past while possibly meeting the child she gave up for adoption—had a lot of potential, and there were definitely touching moments. But overall, it feels like a book I liked while reading but didn’t carry with me afterward.

I listened to the audiobook, and it was well done. The narration added an extra layer of emotion, especially during the more heartfelt moments. If you're into audiobooks, this is a solid way to experience the story.

If you’re looking for an emotional yet easy read with heartfelt moments, this one might be worth picking up. Just don’t expect it to stick with you long after you turn the last page.

thank you so much netgalley for the advanced audio version of this book. i thoroughly enjoyed this book! i was hesitant at first but truly enjoyed it.

On the outside, Gemma’s a successful history teacher who has her life together. On the inside she’s reminded daily of the little girl she gave up for adoption when she was sixteen years old. Gemma didn’t name her, referring to her only as Baby. This year Baby will turn eighteen and Gemma hopes it might be the year she’s able to meet her face-to-face.

Katie is a new student who has physical characteristics that resemble Gemma’s and against all odds shares the same birthday as Baby. Gemma can’t help but wonder if this new student happens to be the baby she gave up so long ago. Gemma unknowingly (at first) befriends Katie’s mother and worries that their friendship will fall apart if she is indeed Katie’s biological mother.

Gemma’s not sure how the year will play out and whether she’ll see Baby. At the very least she hopes to find herself and find peace, whatever that may look like.

I enjoyed the narrator for this novel and would choose other books narrated by the same person.

I’ve read several of Debbie Johnson’s books over the past few years and have enjoyed them all.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Focus for allowing me to listen to an ALC of this novel. #NetGalley #StatisticallySpeaking

What a great story. Kept me engaged and invested in all of the characters. The narration was great. What a heartwarming look at the choices we make for ourselves and our children and the need to have your village.
Loved!!

Statistically Speaking by Debbie Johnson is a heartwarming and introspective journey of self-discovery and healing. Gemma Jones, a high school history teacher with a love for numbers and certainty, has spent much of her adult life haunted by the baby she gave up for adoption when she was just 16. Despite her successful career, supportive neighbors, and a blossoming relationship with a charming PE teacher, Gemma struggles with the uncertainty of her past and the possibility of meeting her daughter, now turning 18.

When Gemma meets Katie, a new student who shares striking similarities with her long-lost daughter, the story takes an emotional turn. The odds seem too high to ignore: Katie shares Gemma's red hair, birthday, and physique. But with Gemma also becoming friends with Katie's mother, the question of whether or not this young woman is her daughter becomes more complicated.

Johnson’s novel masterfully explores the themes of anxiety, self-acceptance, and the tangled threads of fate. The writing is warm and relatable, filled with humor and touching moments. As Gemma grapples with the possibility of meeting her daughter while coming to terms with her past, the reader is taken on a journey that is both funny and deeply moving. Statistically Speaking is a poignant story of finding peace with one's past while embracing the uncertainties of the future.

To say Gemma Jones has Abandonment issues would be an understatement. Gemma’s mother gave her away at a young age and growing up in foster care is all she’s known. Also following in her mother’s footsteps and getting pregnant at a young age, Gemma had a baby, but unlike her mother decided to give her up for adoption. Counting down the years, Gemma predicts this would be the year of her baby daughters 18th birthday. When a new student arrives in her classroom, something eerily seems familiar to her. Will she finally meet her daughter?

I loved this book!!! I fell in love with the characters from the beginning, and it was just so cleverly written. Such a sweet story.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC in written and audiobook format

Debbie Johnson’s Statistically Speaking is a delightful and heartwarming novel that blends humor, self-discovery, and the complexities of family relationships. This quirky British tale is a testament to Johnson’s talent for creating relatable characters and engaging narratives.

This story follows Gemma Jones, a high school history teacher who finds solace in the certainty of the past—specific names, solid dates, and proven statistics. However, her own life is far from orderly. Gemma’s anxiety often leads her to count socks in her drawer, a coping mechanism that highlights her need for control.

Johnson excels in character development, particularly with Gemma. Her journey from a woman hiding behind routines to someone willing to confront her past is both touching and inspiring. The supporting cast, including the charming PE teacher Karim and the sweet neighbor Margie, add depth and warmth to the story. Katie’s presence brings a mix of tension and hope, driving the narrative forward.

Johnson’s writing is witty and engaging, capturing the essence of British humor while addressing serious themes. Her ability to balance light-hearted moments with emotional depth makes the novel a compelling read. The dialogue is sharp and realistic, reflecting the characters’ personalities and the dynamics of their relationships.

Statistically Speaking explores themes of identity, family, and the courage to face one’s past. It delves into the emotional complexities of adoption and the impact of unresolved issues on one’s mental health. The novel also highlights the importance of community and the unexpected ways in which people can come together to support each other.

Statistically Speaking is a charming and thought-provoking novel that offers both laughter and heartfelt moments. Debbie Johnson’s skillful storytelling and well-crafted characters make this book a standout in contemporary women’s fiction. It’s a story about finding peace with the past and embracing the uncertainties of the future.

Highly recommended for readers who enjoy character-driven stories with a mix of humor and emotional depth. Fans of novels like Bridget Jones’s Diary and The Amazing Grace Adams will find much to love in Statistically Speaking.

Statistically Speaking is a heartfelt and deeply moving story that slowly crept into my heart. At its core, it’s about Gemma, a woman who has spent years alone, navigating life without the support she needed. As the story unfolds, we watch her grow—emotionally and mentally—learning that true strength lies in accepting the love and community around her, something she never had as a young girl. Gemma is at a crossroads, torn between the ambitions she’s always pursued and the possibility of embracing a new kind of life, one where she’s supported and cared for. This internal battle is the heart of her journey, and I was captivated by her evolution throughout the book.

The book struck a nice balance, offering just enough romantic tension to keep me invested. The small, sweet moments between Gemma and Kareem added a lovely layer to the story. Kareem, with his patience and kindness, was the ideal counterpart to Gemma’s emotional walls, and I loved seeing how their connection grew. What really stood out, though, was Gemma’s development—her internal monologues provided such a rich window into her growth, especially as she comes to terms with her past and her coping mechanisms. The book also explores important themes like mental health representation and found family, which I appreciated.

The narrator was a great fit for the story, voicing the characters with warmth and depth that enhanced the experience.

Gemma loves to control things - and she is such a sweet, beloved teacher. She was a well-developed FMC who was beautiful and quirky - it was great getting into her head. When Gemma was 16, she gave a baby up for adoption - and Baby will turn 18 this year.

There was a lovely romance, but it wasn't the focal point - I loved the women supporting women theme. I cried A LOT reading this book, but it was worth it and the ending left my heart so full.

Louise Williams did an excellent job with narration, she really brought the characters to life.