Debbie Johnson is a new author to me, and I was excited to discover she has so many other books to explore! Statistically Speaking was heartwarming yet a bittersweet story that drew me in right away. I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook, narrated by Louise Williams, who did an excellent job.

Publication Date- December 3, 2024
#StatisticallySpeaking #NetGalley

I loved this book! It was such a heartwarming read and really explored the foster care system, adoption, and OCD. Highly recommend to everyone! And the narrator did an amazing job!

--I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.--

Absolutely loved this story of redemptive love, found families, and second chances. The atypical neurodivervent protagonist was a delight, especially considering we share a profession, as teachers. Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.

I’m a sucker for a good adoption story and found family! This was a great palette cleanser and written very well. I was hooked from the beginning and the pace was well done throughout. The narrator was also great. My only issue was that I was surprised the main character ended up becoming a history teacher. Seemed like she would have been a math teacher or in STEM in some way. Also the history club was a stretch…

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

A heartwarming read that suckered me in from the very beginning. The letter that Gemma writes to her baby that is to be adopted out was just beautiful. That set the tone for the rest of the story.

It ticks all the boxes for a fab read.
✅adorable but sexy love interest ✅mother-figure wise neighbour
✅new found bestie
✅emotional back story
✅mystery of who is her daughter
✅quirky counting habit
They all tie together to bring a beautiful story full of angst, love, laughter, sadness, anxiety, friends and family. The adoption side of things was handled brilliantly and I hope all adopted children get a letter like Gemma wrote. I'm sure it would help the process of understanding.

I listened to this on audio and Louise Williams did a wonderful job. I love her accent.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperMuse for the ARC. This review is absolutely my honest opinion.

This was a bit predictable.



Review copy provided by publisher.

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"D he was called, David or Daniel or Dumbeldor. Who knows?" This book had its moments for me. While it was very well written, the story being an interesting look into the eye of someone who gave their child up for adoption for all the right reasons and managed to make a life for themself while never forgetting their child, the book did have parts where it started to feel like it was dragging on and on a bit and then some funny phase the the quote for the beginning of this review would be said and since it made me laugh, I was pulled back in. Overall a good, albeit as mentioned, occasionally slower, story I would still recommend this one for a good sit down, calmer read.

The found family! The friendships! The romance!
This book was everything!

The story follows Gemma, a high-school teacher who had given a child up for adoption 18 years prior. And this was the year she could potentially finally get in contact with said child.

I listened to the final chapters of this book in public and I was fighting for my life to not cry...

I loved the characters in this book and the plot was enjoyable!


Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an audio-arc in an exchange for an honest review.

I just finished listening to Statistically Speaking by Debbie Johnson, and I have to say, it was such a fun and heartwarming audiobook! The story had the perfect balance of wit, romance, and a touch of real-world relatability. The main character’s obsession with numbers and probabilities was such a unique angle—who knew math could weave into a love story so well?

The narrator really brought the characters to life, making the humor and emotional moments hit even harder. I found myself laughing out loud one minute and tearing up the next. Plus, the pacing was just right—never dragging, but also giving me time to soak in the moments that mattered.

If you love smart rom-coms with quirky characters and a bit of an emotional punch, this one’s worth a listen. Highly recommend for fans of uplifting love stories with a twist!

Thank you to Harper for the ARC!

As far as the audiobook production, I thought that was very well done!

When it comes to the characters, I struggled to connect with the main character Gemma and while I thought the plot overall was interesting enough, I really had to push myself to want to continue to pick it up and read it. I will say that the beginning was very well done and hooked me instantly with her story!

While I don't think it was for, I do think this will resonate with a lot of people. I hope it's a big success!

Gemma has mad a lot with her life. But one thing she's always wondered about is the Baby girl she gave up fir adoption when she was 16. She knew with herself in and out of the system she wanted to give her baby the best life she could possibly give her. But it doesn't mean she has spent her life moving from place to place and thinking about what her daughter would be like. Now she's about to turn 18 and Gemma wonders if its possible to ever meet her or wonders if she knew about her. As she navigates this year and the life choices she has to make. Will she finally settle down in one place and give the people around her her whole self? Will she ever know what became of Baby.

This had a lot of ups and downs and going through it with Gemma was hopefully and sad.

Thank you NetGalley for this Audio Arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was lucky enough to receive an audiobook and earc from the publisher in exchange for my review.

This was a beautiful story that will make you cherish the small moments of life. I thought this novel was a breath of fresh air. If you enjoy Bridget Jones, I would definitely recommend this book. I also thought that the narrator did an amazing job and I really enjoyed her voice

I really enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it. But maybe have some tissues nearby?!

Gemma is a great main character and I enjoyed this quirky audiobook. The adoption elements were particularly heartwarming.

Statistically Speaking had an interesting premise, and an intriguing beginning, but my interest soon plateaued. I felt like too much attention was paid to the wrong things. There was a lot of hemming and hawing about Gemma's adoption/Baby, and the repetitiveness grew tiresome. Although there is some storyline development with Margie and Karim, I felt there was a missed opportunity to delve more into those relationships and Gemma's own personal development, than continuing to let the adoption define her.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Welp, I didn’t expect to be crying over my tablet at the end of this story, but here we are 😢 My gosh, Statistically Speaking really hit me in the feels. An emotionally rich story about a woman, Gemma, coming to terms with her turbulent childhood and her decision to choose adoption for her child 18 years earlier. Having little order and safety during her formative years, adult Gemma thrives on privacy and routine. She doesn’t get attached to people and likes to move frequently to feel as free as possible. But, as the 18th birthday of the child she lovingly thinks of as “Baby” approaches, Gemma finds that the isolated life she has created doesn’t feel secure anymore. As she starts to let people in she realizes that being alone doesn’t save you from pain and that family comes in many forms.

I loved this book. A hearty dose of emotions and turmoil mixed with quirky characters, a smidge of romance, and a lovely bit of humor. Gemma is an amazing MC with a complicated thought process involving myriad coping mechanisms that are both fascinating and upsetting to witness. This book discusses adoption, mental illness, addiction and estranged family openly and respectfully. Very grateful to netgalley and Harper for this ARC. The narration is wonderful!

This was such a delightful romance. Quirky and unique and I fell in love with the characters. The narration was excellent as well.

I loved this book. It was heartbreaking and heart-warming all at the same time. The characters development was wonderful. I was fully invested from start to finish and only stopped listening to sleep. I enjoyed the narrator immensely. I felt as if I was actually listening to the characters themselves. The subject matter is difficult and touchy to write about but I thought it was exquisitely done with so much thought, feeling, and emotion. I will be recommending this title and looking for other books by this author!

Statistically Speaking is a heartwarming and beautiful story about the close bonds between female friends who are always there for each other as they tackle difficult life decisions.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁:

Found Family
Adoption and Foster Care
Bit of romance
Trauma and healing
Anxiety
Forgiveness
Self Discovery
Character Driven

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸?

Williams did such an amazing job with each character’s voice while bringing their personalities to life.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲?

Slow Burn and character driven

𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸?

If you are looking for a story where you want to hug every character, then grab this sweet story about self-discovery.

Thank you Harper Muse and NetGalley for this gifted copy in exchange for my honest opinions.

3.5 rounded up - Statistically Speaking follows Gemma, a teacher in Liverpool, as she navigates friendships, love, and family. At age 16 Gemma gave her baby daughter up for adoption. The book tells her story 18 years later as her daughter reaches the age that she could make contact through adoption services if she wants to.

The book is very heartfelt and charming as Gemma learns to accept things from her past and be more open to relationships going forward. I loved the "chosen family" support system that Gemma developed and the strong women supporting women aspect. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was pleasant to listen too.

The end did leave me wanting more though! I was so excited to hear what happened next and it ended! One more chapter to wrap it up would have been perfect.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks for the ALC for review.

4.75 ⭐

This is my first book by Debbie Johnson, but it will not be my last! I truly enjoyed the audiobook.

I was invested in Gemma's journey, from being a teen mom within the foster care system. I was with her while she put her daughter up for adoption.... knowing it was the best decision but the most difficult. I enjoyed the mental health representation.