The Girls Who Grew Big by Leila Mottley is a powerful and poignant exploration of young motherhood, self-discovery, and the complexities of girlhood. Adela Woods, a sixteen-year-old who is pregnant, finds herself banished from her privileged life in Indiana to her grandmother's home in the small town of Padua Beach, Florida. There, she meets a group of other young mothers—Emory, Simone, and the rest of the Girls—who are all navigating their own struggles and dreams amidst the challenges of motherhood.

The Girls, despite being outcasts in their town's eyes, are on a journey of their own, figuring out what it means to grow up while also taking on the responsibilities of raising children. The story emphasizes the resilience and strength of these young women as they face judgment, betrayal, and the contradictions of their lives. Mottley weaves these difficult subjects with empathy, creating a narrative that is raw yet full of heart.

What stands out in this novel is Mottley’s ability to create a vivid, authentic portrayal of young women who, though perceived as lost, are searching for love, belonging, and their sense of identity. The novel resists easy stereotypes, allowing each character to be multifaceted and deserving of compassion. The warmth and humanity of the writing draw you into their world, making you care deeply about their struggles and triumphs. It's a beautifully written and emotionally charged story that leaves a lasting impression.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

This is a story about teenage pregnancy in southern America. It begins with a harrowing first chapter from Simone who births twins in the flatbed of a truck and continues, alternating between Simone, Adela, sent to live with her grandmother away from the family for the nine months she is pregnant and Emory who chose to have a baby and is now wondering how she can finish high school and go to college. Together with several others, these girls create a family group who support each other with love and friendship as they go through all sorts of battles with family and society.
Although I couldn't relate directly to the stories the girls were telling, it is an emotive read, often pitting society's expectations against the wants of these young mothers. It is also clear how little support there is for them from the authorities. It is a powerful and moving read.
With thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Random House UK for an advanced copy in return for an honest review.

Adela returns to high school with her new born baby strapped to her chest. Simone, ringleaders of the Girls, a group of young mothers galvanises them as they create a village together. Emory joins this unlikely band of sisters. The Girls dance, breastfeed, raise their children and themselves .
‘We knew risk and failure and worry. We knew release and reckonings and all kinds of regret. But we also knew what it was to expand beyond what you believed of yourself”. The Girls together knew more. Together they did not unwish themselves as mothers. Best of all they find themselves and their way. The Girls Who Grew Big is gentle, tender, funny, honest and so full of heart, love, energy, wisdom and compassion. It succeeds in navigating what it means to be a young woman, a daughter, a mother and a friend. Leila Mottley has written a much needed book.

I really loved this author’s novel Night Crawling which I read pre-publication a year or so ago so when I saw this one on NetGalley UK I immediately requested it and it went straight to the top of my to be read list
This is the story of a group of girls mostly young teenagers in a Florida beach town who get together to support each other through teenage pregnancy. It’s a story of female support and friendship in the situation where these children are subjected to misogyny and distrust from most of the adult population of the area. It’s a story of how women together are stronger than on their own and the strength, fat mothers of any age go to protect their children.
The novel has immense heart. I found it deeply moving in places whilst at all times being optimistic. The difficult subjects are managed with extreme poise this is a highly skilled author and this book is perfectly put together
The author has a beautiful poetic way of writing which I particularly enjoyed. There were several sentences that I highlighted as they were so perfect “there was nothing more devastating than the slagging air in our house after that Child was swept out the front door “.
The issue of abortion is raised. She’s very topical in the USA currently with the reversal of the Roe v wade law
I would very strongly recommend this book. It’s going to be on one of my lists of top books for 2025 and Leila Motley is now one of my favourite authors..my immediate feeling is that if you like Where the Crawdads song by Delia Owen’s then you will love this book .The only similar book I’ve read recently is Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix I FB you like me enjoyed either of these books you will love this one too
I suspect that this book will make a fantastic movie and would expect the rights to be taken out quickly likewise I suspect this book is going to sell very well
I read an early copy of the book on Net Gali UK and return for an honest review. The book is published on the 10th of July 2025 by Penguin general UK-Fig Tree
This review will appear on NetGalley UK, Goodreads, StoryGraph, and my book blog bionicSarahSbooks.wordpress.com. After publication will also appear on Amazon UK.No

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

Nightcrawling stuck in my head very deeply, so I wanted to try this. It gives a completely different perspective on teen motherhood and delves deeply into the emotions it brings. My only critique is that sometimes, the way in which the characters were shown to have these deep inner lives and philosophical thoughts, felt the same across each character. But a book I really enjoyed reading.

"The Girls Who Grew Big" by Leila Mottley is a touching and impactful novel about three teenage mothers in Padua Beach, Florida. The story follows Adela, Emory, and Simone as they navigate motherhood and discover their own identities. Adela, sent away by her parents, finds herself in unfamiliar territory, meeting Emory, who attends school with her newborn, and Simone, the leader of a young mothers' support group that gathers in her red truck.

Simone's character experiences considerable growth throughout the novel, balancing the responsibilities of leadership and motherhood. She learns to redefine her role and set boundaries. Adela and Emory face their own challenges; Emory is determined to succeed despite societal judgments, while Adela copes with her family's rejection. The characters are intricately drawn, capturing their youthfulness and the maturity forced upon them.

The novel masterfully explores themes of personal agency, societal expectations, and the power of community. These young mothers, often judged and marginalized, make courageous choices that highlight their resilience and determination. The atmosphere is vibrant and hopeful, despite the hardships, as the girls create a sense of family and support for each other.

Leila Mottley's writing is lyrical and engaging, with a narrative structure that seamlessly weaves together the perspectives of the three protagonists. Her use of language is evocative, painting a vivid picture of the Florida Panhandle's rugged beauty and the girls' inner lives. The tone is optimistic yet realistic, never shying away from the difficulties faced by these young women.

Personally, this book left me deeply moved, reflecting on the societal pressures and judgments faced by young mothers. It challenges readers to consider their own biases and privileges, making it a thought-provoking read. One area for improvement could be the more nuanced development of Emory and Adela's characters, as some readers may find them less fully realized compared to Simone.

The novel offers a unique perspective on young motherhood, focusing on the women's strength and solidarity, setting it apart in contemporary fiction. Comparable to Mottley's debut, "Nightcrawling," both explore vulnerability and resilience.

Overall, "The Girls Who Grew Big" is a heartwarming and inspiring read that prompts reflection on societal expectations and personal biases related to motherhood.

Predicting that this will have a firm placement in my favourite releases of 2025!!

Mottley's writing is beautiful and graphic and unapologetic; this is a story that commands your attention, even - and especially - when it's difficult. Each of the main characters felt real, all complex and flawed individuals, but I felt deeply affectionate of them all and was rooting for them throughout.

Thank you to Penguin Random House for sending an advanced copy my way!

What a book! If, like me, the newborn phase is recent or etched in your memory, you will find so much relatable here. Both a cracking story and a warts and all depiction of the challenges of motherhood, this is a must read for anyone feeling isolated and alone in the bubble of baby-rearing. I loved the way the book celebrates the power of women coming together against the judgements of the world. Very real, relatable and warm characters suck you into their world and defy you to maintain your prejudices. I loved it!

The Girls Who Grew Big about a couple of teens; Adela, Emory, Simone and their circles. Each chapter is told by the POV of one these characters, and the themes are teenage pregnancy, family, friendships, and youth.
I was invested in Emory's character arc, and the highlight of the book was its honest conversation about poverty, circumstances and youth.
The writing, plot and characterisation were all 3.5 stars in my experience, rounded up because of its generally well-execution of the above delicate themes.

I was invited to read this book by the publisher and having heard such excellent things about the author’s debut novel, I was very excited. I really enjoyed the book and especially the characterisation. The narrative is shared between 3 of the titular girls - Simone, Emory and Adela, each at different points of their motherhood journey. The story is slow, but the changing relationships within the book are compelling. It’s at times heartbreaking, grim, squeamish and hopeful. The sense of community created by the girls is powerful and truthful.

Thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for this arc. This is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time and it was a pleasure to read ahead of publication. A moving and important story about young motherhood and the judgement from society. I loved the structure, the stories and how each girl entwined with the next- an excellent and moving read, highly recommend.

You know you've arrived at a five star book and a new favorite author when she is able to make you feel part of a world that has nothing to do with your reality or your past. I've never been through anything similar to what happens in the lives of the girls Mottley describes and yet she still made me feel part of the group.

Perhaps this ease of entry into the story is due to her way of describing girlhood and the relationships and complicities that emerge between us. I understand the loyalty Simone shows to her friends, Emory's need to help another girl she doesn't know but empathizes with, and Adela's attraction to the group of girls even though she doesn't quite trust them. It perfectly portrays sorority, that ability to care for and love each other even when there are fights, contradictions and difficulties in between, which makes this book a little gem that feels a bit homey.

Be that as it may, I finish this book with the feeling of having read something brilliant and looking forward to reading everything Mottley writes from now on.

Thank you for writing something so beautiful and so moving and thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to enjoy it with an advanced copy.

This lyrical, hard-hitting account of a group of teenage mothers in a rundown beach town in West Florida will have you crying and cheering and holding your breath as they each find ways to rise above the assumptions of others, and the lives mapped out for them by circumstance. A joyous, breathless read.

Leila Morley burst onto the scene with the 2022 Booker long-listed Nightcrawling, making her the youngest nominee for the award in its history. She is back with her second novel, and still only in her early twenties. The Girls Who Grew Big is a "Big" novel thematically - young mothers in America's sunshine state, which feels as much state of the nation as a novel can be, albeit from an angle most Big American Authors wouldn't tackle, or have the insight to do so. I don't know Mottley's history, but this novel feels authentic, gritty and real, like she knows these women who form the centre of her novel, that she is simply reporting on their lives. It is very human, very engaging and very well written. The women at the heart of this tale - Adela, Emory and Simone - are very well drawn, you can imagine them so easily, and you are really taken into their lives here. Great stuff.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

I was invited to read an early copy of this book by Penguin Random House UK. The author is new to me and I was hooked by the blurb which states she was Booker nominated, so I expected good writing and an enjoyable read. I was not disappointed.

The Girls Who Grew Big by Leila Mottley is a story centered around teenage pregnancy and our attitudes towards it. Adela moves to Padua Beach in Florida to live with her grandmother as her parents do not want her pregnancy to be seen in their hometown. She becomes friends with Emory, who has recently given birth to Kai and returned to school. Through Emory, Adela meets Simone and The Girls.

Each chapter of the book features either Adela, Emory or Simone and is narrated by them in their own voice. Colloquial language is sometimes used, which brings their voices to life and I really felt as though they were speaking the story to me. You get some insight to their hopes for the future as well as their disappointments and the things they have had to give up or fight to retain. Everything felt very real, from the descriptions of the place to the attitudes of those around them.

This book is both modern and timeless. Modern due to the way it is written and the language used but timeless because it is not focussed on things that might date it - social media, TV programme titles, characters glued to their phones etc, I liked that these things were largely missing from the text and felt the story could exist as easily in the 1970s or 80s as it does now.

My only criticism, and these are small details, is that there were a few points which made me stop and think, no, that's not right. The best example I can think of is Simone making a fire on the beach and cooking ground beef and cheese for her children. They had been on the beach for several hours at this point and I wondered where the food had come from. Was there a fridge in the truck they lived in? I didn't think so, it didn't fit with what had been described before. It might be that the image in my head of the truck was quite different to that of the author. I mostly admired Simone and the way she tackled motherhood, despite a mostly absent father and extremely difficult living conditions.

This novel has the theme of prejudice towards teenage pregnancy throughout but it is also a study of family and support. I really liked the way the girls came together to support one another and the ending of the novel demonstrates this really strongly.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Penguin Random House UK, for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Although I found the pacing slowed in the middle, overall I really enjoyed this book and Leila Mottley's writing. Definitely recommend.

The Girls who Grew Big is the story of three teens living rough near a beach in a poor area in Florida, Alabama. Two of the girls are already mothers; the third is pregnant and had been sent to this area by her parents to avoid embarrassment. The three girls are part of an extended “family” who group together to create a village. Central to the store is Simone - her truck acts as a home and hub for the girls who are trying to make a life for themselves and their children. The girls are united by motherhood, hardship and an overwhelming instinct to survive for the sake of their babies. The author focuses on several themes throughout the story, including emotional stress, physical and emotional abuse, race, sexuality, gender roles, religion and education. The girls are subject to manipulation by family and part time fathers, who mostly abandon their responsibilities to suit their own lifestyle.

This is a gritty and heartbreaking story, not for the fainthearted or squeamish. The author describes the girls suffering through self-induced abortions, the symptoms of unplanned and unwanted pregnancies, and giving birth to their babies without any qualified medical support.

Despite the grim events and appalling situations the girls face, the author has managed to portray some optimism throughout the book, such as survival, tenacity and the power of a community.

Leila Mottley has succeeded in writing a book that paints vivid pictures of the complexity of teenage pregnancy. The writing is strong and hard hitting. The descriptive passages of the area where the girls live are detailed and imaginative. The main character in the book (Simone) is well portrayed, however there is not a lot of background on the other two main characters. The author has however aptly portrayed the effects of events that those characters face and their various reactions to those events.

Overall it was an interesting story that could have been improved with further character studies of the secondary characters. I have scored the book 3 stars out of 5, my rating would have been higher if these points had been addressed. The book will appeal to readers who enjoy uncompromising stories with contemporary themes.

I really loved this book and it also gave me a lot of food for thought. It was very engaging - I was rooting for all the main characters. It was sad in some ways and joyous in others. Well worth a read and thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for the early copy.

I was thrilled to receive an early copy of this as Leila Mottley's debut was one of my favourite books that year. This is set in Florida and is about teenage/youth mothers who don't receive support from their family. The Girls have built a community where they support each other through pregnancy and with their young children. It's a strong bond and this novel takes us through the ups and downs the girls/women have. It's a good read but I found that it wasn't overly gripping and took me much longer to get through than normal. It's good but not as good as I expected.

Awesome Novel, well writen very emotionally challenging at times. A real eye opener it's a gritty tale from the view point of 3 women ones expecting the other 2 are already Mothers

Adela is aren't to get Gandma's to hide away simply because of her parents respond to her getting pregnant. So hidden away in Florida she meets a group of mothers all ostracised simple for being pregnant outside of marriage.

Simone was the first to be pregnant and although had a partner was alone with the twins she had and found herself helping others in similar situations including the births, she has an interesting time but I will let you read it. This terms the story from a very different angle to the normal mother and baby clubs and well it's a a take that needs to be told. It m us a work of fiction but the attitudes of others and their stories will echo with far more Young Mums than any of us truly know.

So it's a week thought out researched tale or novel to be more respectful to Liela who wrote it. I highly recommend this read its not my normal read but I was hooked by the whole storyline and the way it's told excellent to our it mildly, I'm so glad I came upon it.