“She would never know a love as pure as the one I had for my babies, a love that began and ended the way oceans did: nowhere and everywhere, a thrashing constant.”

oh wow. this book was an experience. i went into it not expecting to be so deeply moved, but by the time i turned the last page, i felt like i had lived through every moment with Simone, Emory, and Adela. their journey as pregnant teens wasn’t just a story; it was a raw, honest reflection of resilience, love, and the complexities of friendship.

what i love most was the way their bond carried them through. even when conflicts arose; whether from personal struggles or the harsh judgment of the world, they remained each other’s safe space. their friendship wasn’t perfect, but it was real, and that made it even more powerful. they navigated their circumstances with a quiet strength, proving that sometimes, having people who truly understand you is enough to keep going. 🥺

this book isn’t just about teenage pregnancy; it’s about girlhood, womanhood, and the unspoken ways women hold each other up through life’s toughest moments. it was immersive, emotional, and left me reflecting on the ways we define family and support. if you’re looking for a book that explores these themes with depth and authenticity, totally recommend this. 😮‍💨

Thank you to NetGalley and ‎Knopf for the early read in exchange for my honest review.

The story follows a group of young mothers who create a supportive community while navigating the challenges of pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting without any help from their families. The story centers on three main characters—Adela, Emory, and Simone—and is structured around the trimesters of their pregnancies. As they face societal judgment, they find strength in their friendship while tackling the complexities of young womanhood.

The book tackles heavy themes like self-identity, societal expectations, and the search for acceptance, highlighting the pressures young mothers endure. Mottley also explores how a mother is willing to give up everything for her child, learning from mistakes, growing, and striving to be better for them. While I couldn’t relate to the characters or their individual stories, I enjoyed stepping outside my comfort zone to explore these diverse perspectives.

Witnessing how The Girls created a life for themselves with each other's support was inspiring. The portrayal of friendship during tough times served as a powerful reminder of the importance of community. I also loved how the author captured each character's voice, making sure they sounded their age—something that’s often overlooked in other books.

I’m giving this book a 4-star rating because, while it was beautifully written and effectively captured the characters' raw emotions, the timeline was confusing; what felt like days often turned out to be weeks, while what seemed like months was just a couple of days. This inconsistency made it difficult to fully engage with the narrative.

QUOTES I LOVED
"You can't predict what's gonna happen, Adela but you can take a good look at yourself and be honest bout who you are and what you want."
"Truth is, always gonna be somebody in this world who like how you look and somebody that don't and neither of 'em gonna change nothin' about who you is."

First things first, Leila’s writing has me awed beyond words. She writes with such emotion and depth and each character was so complex and their voices were never lost, even with it being multi pov.

I’m just in awe. Leila is only 23 years old and I just can’t wrap my head around how someone has such a gift for writing like this. The world is a better place because of her voice and her writing.

The Girls Who Grew Big follows the lives of three girls, Simone, Emory and Adela, in a nowhere town in Florida.

Simone, a teen mom of twins who is helping other teen moms find their footing as mothers, despite being lost herself.

Emory, a teen mom who has dreams graduating high school and coming to school, despite being a young mother.

Adela, who had everything going for her, scholarships, a path to the olympics, until she became pregnant and her family shipped her down to grandmother’s to have the baby away from their prestigious town so as not to sully their name.

Leila’s writing perfectly captures the teens youthful innocence while also highlights the struggles of growing up too soon. My biggest takeaway from the story is that despite everything, women will always look out for each other. Even when the truth is ugly, when life is hard, women will be there to uplift you, to keep you from falling apart. They support you and cheer you on, to push you to be better.

This is only Liela’s second novel and I can’t wait to see what she writes next.
The Girls Who Grew Big is available June 24th

Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

'The Girls Who Grew Big' by Leila Mottley chronicles the journey of some half dozen plus 'girls' who formed their own community of support as they went through pregnancy, childbirth and child rearing with little to no support from their blood families. Three of the girls' (Simone, Emory and Adela) journeys are chronicled in detail and the story is broken into the trimesters of pregnancy. As the girls become a self-made unit of support their lives tangle inextricably. The novel didn't draw me in as much as I thought it would. The voice of the girls is probably true to their age, station in life and current circumstance but at times I found it difficult to understand what they really meant or how they were advancing the story. The ending wasn't what I expected on a superficial level but in hindsight was certainly predictable given the thread of the story. In summary, the theme of the story is one that is at odds with the way most of us think but was expressed very well by Adela when she said ' Sometimes a dream isn't worth the life you lose on the journey there. Sometimes a dream is not meant for waking hours.' That is quite a testament to the level of maturity at least some of these girls reached while understanding they still remained very much young adult girl humans. I would like to thank Alfred A. Knopf Publishers and Netgalley for getting an ARC in my hands. I would give this read four stars and I do recommend it for all ages from late teenage through adulthood.

THE GIRLS is about the ways in which people cast judgement on teenage girls, specifically young black girls - the belittling of who they are, what their lives must be like and what their potentials must be.

As told from the POV of 3 such teenage girls, one of whom similarly cast those judgements herself thinking herself above and beyond them actually becomes one of them, one of the "Girls." Contributing to this sense of nobody-ness, they live tucked away in a small town in Florida, where the whole of the town doesn't seem to have any big dreams beyond the boundaries of their state. But keeping the girls down are the families, and supposed loved ones who should be providing support, who see a young pregnant girl as a having done something to deserve it.

Mottley also explores that ways in a mother will give up everything for their child, wandering through mistakes, learning from them, and inevitably growing, learning how to become better in order to be better for them.

I loved NIGHTCRAWLING so much, so am glad to report that I think I actually loved THE GIRLS even more. So much love for Mottley and can't wait to read what's next.

The Girls Who Grew Big wrecked me in the most beautiful way. I fell in love with this book—hard. I cried, I laughed, and most of all, I felt. Leila Mottley doesn’t just tell a story, she pulls it from you, like it’s been waiting inside all along.

The way she writes about girlhood, pregnancy, babies, and love—it’s so raw and real, I felt it in my body. In my motherhood. In the fierce, boundless love I have for my child. These girls and their stories cracked something open in me, and I’m still sitting in the pieces, grateful. This book is gorgeous and painful and so fucking beautiful. It’ll stay with me for a long, long time.

Beautiful, timely, honest, powerful. The Girls Who Grew Big is a reckoning with society’s view of motherhood and specifically teen moms. It is also an eye opening depiction of small town life and those left behind or forgotten. Leila Mottley is officially an auto-buy author for me. And at only 23 years old, I am sure there is a lot more to come.

I really wanted to love this story - the premise of teenage mothers navigating the realm of motherhood together really intrigued me being a newer mother myself (and also a Post Partum/Pediatric nurse who regularly sees younger mothers). I had hoped that this would be this heartwarming story of mothers overcoming all odds while still detailing the perils of motherhood....but I felt like the execution and language wasn't for me. The unique perspective of three different mothers really added depth to the story, but I found that one of the POVs was a little too "raw," almost bordering on crude. All three mothers are flawed in their own ways and the author does a fantastic job of really pulling at heart strings to tell their challenges each day. Others seem to have really enjoyed the language and portrayals of these young mothers but it just wasn't for me!

A coming of age tale and yet not at the same time. Teen mothers who are all forced to mature and grow for their children while still figuring out what they want for themselves. It was so well written while also being easy to read. An amazing story and message

This book had a bit of a slow start for me. Up until the halfway point, I wasn’t sure this book was for me. But then the story took a turn that caught me by surprise, and then I was hooked! This is a powerful story about motherhood, and womanhood in general. Add this to your TBR - I expect to see this book all over bookstagram once it is released.

This compelling story follows three unique but connected perspectives of teenage mothers. Presenting the raw feelings of guilt, shame, love, fitting in, and everything else that comes from these very emotional times of a woman's life. This was a very unique read that was atmospheric and painted the picture of these characters. As a mother in my 30s I found it relatable to the experience of motherhood but also felt connected to the emotions you feel as a teenager. The novel offers a journey through what those struggles and choices might be for young mothers, and all mothers.

I would like to thank Knopf and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book before the release date.

Follow Simone, Emory and Adela as they navigate the hardships of teenage motherhood in a small Florida beach town. The girls who are rejected and ostracized by the ones who should support them most, learn the true meaning of love and what it means to love yourself.

A superbly wriiten novel that will capture your heart from the beginning and have you invested in the outcome of each girl’s story. This is a must read!

Sometimes, you feel this overwhelming urge to wrap someone in your arms, hold them close, and let them rest against your chest, assuring them that safety is here. Home is here. That’s the feeling I get when I think of the young mothers in The Girls Who Grew Big. Do I have different thoughts about each girl, their decisions, and family dynamics? Absolutely. But there’s also this deep, nurturing connection I feel as I journey through pages filled with bold, vulnerable, and heartfelt stories of three young women—Adela, Simone, and Emory—intertwined by motherhood, a town that’s hard to escape, and the complicated presence of boys. Set in Padua Beach, Florida, these three girls bring their truths to life.

Adela is a young woman whose one night of romance leads to pregnancy, sending her off to live with her grandmother and leaving her feeling isolated. She would rather live in a world of lies and fantasy than confront the harsh reality of her life. Over time, she grows up, but in the meantime, she narrates a false story, one where her dream of making the Olympics is overshadowed by a relationship with a deadbeat father, whose baby mama is the source of nourishment she has. Though she lacks direction, Adela finds grounding in the love and acceptance her grandmother offers as she navigates the changes in her body, failed relationships, and the uncertainty of her future. Meeting women like Simone and Emory awakens her to the power of true friendship and teaches her the sacrifices of motherhood—there’s nothing like the fierce protection a mother has for her own.

Simone is the leader of the group. Older and wiser, she too loved a boy who was supposed to be a man but instead preyed on underage girls, keeping one foot in their lives and one foot out. After being kicked out of her home and disowned by her family, she finds herself raising twins on her own. Simone is the very definition of strength—resilient, resourceful, and determined to survive. Complex and often misunderstood, she’s a remarkable mother who makes a home out of a red truck. She teaches, nurtures, and, through all her struggles, must reconcile leaving behind her childhood to build something better for herself and her children.

Emory’s journey is shaped by abandonment. Dropped at her grandparents' doorstep because her mother was battling addiction, Emory has always felt unsure of herself and her choices. Raised by racist grandparents who hid their prejudice well, she contends with their shame over her baby’s father being Black. Smart yet fragile, Emory struggles to find her purpose, grapples with her sexuality and wrestles with her feelings toward a man who’s willing to give her everything. She’s caught in a battle to plan for a future she’s uncertain of, questioning what’s next for her life.

These three women are incredibly complex, each faced with the pressure to grow up too quickly. Through their conflict, shame, and struggles, they forge a strong bond as young mothers. Whether they’re sleeping in a red truck, selling jungle juice to make ends meet, or even facing the raw reality of life’s harshest moments, The Girls Who Grew Big reveals a world of resilience and survival. Leila Mottley has crafted a novel that feels like it’s been written with the utmost care. After reading her debut Nightcrawling, I was excited for her future works, and at only twenty-three, she continues to shine a light on Black girlhood and tell stories that matter.

I’m so torn with this book. The writing was spectacular, but the content was just not my thing.

The book is about a group of young (teenage) mothers in the swamplands of Florida who have formed a bond over their motherhood. They seem to spend most of their time hanging out in the oldest mother (Simone’s) truck, drinking and dancing and partying while their kids run around.

Simone is about to turn 21. Has 5 year old twins. Lives in the kids’ father’s truck after being kicked out of her parent’s house for getting pregnant. Is now pregnant again by the same man who won’t commit to their family.

Emory is a high school senior. She lives with her grandma and grandpa after being abandoned by her mother. Emory intentionally has a baby with Simone’s brother thinking it would make her family happy, but it does the opposite. Now she is determined to graduate high school but has to bring the baby to class with her.

Adela is a high school junior. A swim star in her home state of Indiana. Gets pregnant on the same night she loses her virginity. Her mother does not believe in abortion, so her wealthy parents ship her down to Florida to her grandma with the intention of Adela giving the baby up for adoption and returning home for her senior year.

The book does a great job of expressing a Mother’s love for their children. Watching the way the Girls’ family treats them is heartbreaking.

I’m torn because there was not a single character that I liked, except maybe Jayden, who just kept getting the short end of the stick. The girls, for the most part, were so selfish… which, I suppose, is how all teenagers are. I also had a hard time with the timeline. What would seem like only days would be several weeks, and what appeared to be months would only be a couple days.

Despite my misgivings about the content, the wonderful writing definitely made it worth the read.

What an impactful read! This was a new subject area for me. I loved the way this book was set up into the different trimesters, with multiple opportunities to hear from each of the girls and how they were feeling about each part of the story. Incredible writing about such a crucial subject. Mottley found a way to talk about race, socioeconomic status, teen pregnancy, and so many other important topics and how it impacts the individual and the world. Highly recommend.

Wow! This is an amazing story about courage, love, acceptance, maturity, and community.

It’s a great book that shares the experiences of teen moms who become mothers at a young age, exploring the decisions that will impact their lives. The young teenagers question their choices, consider their next steps, and reflect on what they thought was love. Through their bravery and tough decision-making, they made me rethink my own youth and how I view future generations.

We meet the main characters, Simone, Emory, and Adela, who take us on their journeys of motherhood and the choices that bring them closer as a family. Each character goes through significant changes and personal growth. Leila never disappoints with her writing, as she masterfully captures all elements of character development and maintains a unique tone for each storyline. You will feel a deep connection to each character's life because it’s portrayed so realistically and relatably.

Devoured this book like a thick slice of chocolate cake. Savored every bite and kept eating long after it gave me a stomach ache, unwilling to stop until every last crumb was gone. A celebration of women, motherhood, and female friendship. This one will stick to your ribs.

Raw, powerful, deep, moving, wise, poetic and much more. A group of teenage girls banding together, to grow, to survive, to take care of their children and ultimately to find their paths.

This book was SO good. It was heartwarming, empowering, and tragic. Women (and girls) are incredible, and this book highlighted just that. This book introduces a few different girls from Padua Beach in Florida. They all have one thing in common.... they are teen moms and have been outcasted and rejected by society. They have found a way to create their own family and community.

I would highly recommend this book!

The Girls who Grew Big is a story of Unexpected family and the push/pull we often feel in relationships. While there were some uncomfortable moments- Mottley is a master at pushing through the hard and gritting her teeth to get to what matters. I felt like I came out of this book with scraped knees and a broken heart- for the Girls, but I also felt like I understood the Girls more intimately than I ever expected. My only beef with the book was the Orca. To say that the entire chapter confused me and could be lifted right out without a second look back is an understatement.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.