Unplanned

Very excited to acquire this title and make it a book club pick. This is just such a unique fresh interesting concept. This reminds me of a good movie and I’m curious to know more about Zoe & Sams relationship and the life lessons Zoe learns along the way. Also will she land up herself or back with Sam. So many questions!


Heartwarming, funny and bold, Natalie K Martin’s Unplanned asks: what if the unplanned moments are what life’s all about?

Travelling the world for eleven years, Zoe and Sam have been living the dream—Sam’s dream. But when Zoe discovers she is pregnant, she decides it is time to find a new dream, even if Sam isn’t a part of it.

Back in London and sleeping in her childhood bedroom, Zoe’s new life at first seems nothing more than her old single life, but with a bump. But then her best friend, Nina, challenges Zoe to take the next nine months to complete a pre-baby bucket list.

Now forced to look at her life through a new lens, Zoe has to decide what she wants, and whether that includes a man or not. But after a decade of being part of a ‘we’, is nine months enough time for Zoe to find out who she is as a ‘me’?

I felt like this was such a fresh take on what can be a very "common" situation! The writing was fresh, exciting and kept me laughing throughout. The concept of a "pre-baby": bucket list sucked me in right away, I think we all need a friend like Nina!

The author did such an amazing job at building the characters, I was truly invested in their stories and wanted to know more and more about them!

This book truly was heartwarming and left me with a smile on my face!

Unplanned by Natalie K Martin tells the story of Zoe, who finds out that she's unexpectedly pregnant. Her boyfriend, Sam, is not interested in being a father, and Zoe is faced with the prospect of rebuilding her life.

I enjoyed Martin's take on this journey of self-discovery, and I thought Unplanned was sweet and fun. I do think there are some pacing issues (there are parts that drag and the pacing of the ending is a bit off to me), but overall this was an enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for an advance review copy! All opinions are my own.

I started this book yesterday and didn’t want to put it down until I finished. The characters were very well written and made me pause several times to reflect on similar times in my life. I look forward to reading more books from the author.

Zoe discovers that she is pregnant. Her long time photographer boyfriend, Sam, has zero interested in having kids. Zoe decides to move be back to London to be closer to family. With the help of her best friend, Nina, and Nina’s brother, Jude, Zoe works on a bucket list of things she wants to do before her baby is born.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I felt like the parts about pregnancy were pretty accurate to my experiences being pregnant. I like Zoe’s character development through the story. Some of the story line was a bit predictable. The flashbacks didn’t really add much for me.

Thanks to Net Galley I was able to read this book. I really enjoyed the story that Natalie K. Martin wrote and the way it unfolded as the main character finds her inner strength. I smiled and laughed many times as I was reading which to me always adds to the experience. I would recommend Unplanned to others.

such a fun ready - very well written and made me quite emotional which I wasn't expecting! Will be looking to read more by Natalie K Martin.

Having been through it recently, pregnancy isn't necessarily something I seek out as a theme in the books I'm reading, but the cover caught my eye and the idea of a woman who's already traveled the world making a pre-baby bucket list seemed like a concept I could get behind and I wasn't disappointed.

Well, mostly. There was a section in the middle where I thought the story dragged a bit and the flashbacks could've been handled differently but it was soon saved by the drama that had me gasping and really just a strong cast of characters. Tho I was afraid, the ends got tied just right and I don't know how I've never read Natalie K Martin but I'll make sure to start because this was simply refreshing.

Brief Summary of the Storyline: Zoe and Sam never wanted kids. So when Zoe find out she is pregnant, it throws a wrench into things. Sam doesn’t want the baby, Zoe can’t give it up. Now Zoe has to try to navigate her life in a way she never planned.

Tropes:
-Age Gap (kinda)
-Pregnancy
-Traveling

The Good: Very cute book. Loved the kind of community aspect and the character building. Found it to be a very heartwarming read.

The Not-So-Good: I felt like the flashbacks could have been handled a bit better? They personally didn’t add much to me and we probably could have gone without them. I also felt like her ending her 11 year relationship (first chapter) was very abrupt, and didn’t affect her as much in the beginning as I thought it should have.

Overall: This book drew me in with its intriguing concept. How often have you heard of a “pre-baby bucket list”? The book itself was of refreshing and real. I also really appreciated the diversity in it and how the culture really was just part of her life. The writing was really well done and you can really see how Zoe, and other characters, develop through out the book.

Pace: Even pacing. Slow-Medium.

Triggers:
-Age Gap (Kinda)
-Cheating
-Mentions of Abortions
-Minor Sexism

Diversity: Yes. Main Character is Jamaican and her culture is shown in the book. Side characters are also Jamaican.

Such a unique concept, I was hooked just on the description it self@! For me I related to this tory about becoming a young single mom and having to do it on my own ! I loved the writing each character was beautfuly written!

Thanks to Net Galley I was able to read this book.

Thank you #Netgalley for the ARC,

I loved this story and I loved Zoe.

As the title tells and the cover shows, Zoe had not plans to get pregnant. None what so ever, and is it really a surprise that her boyfriend Sam has zero desire to be a father. So Zoe must go at it alone.

Its a cute story about realizing what matters most in life!!

Zoe and Sam have been together for 11 years, and Sam has been set against having children for as long as he can remember. So it is certainly a shock to the system when Zoe falls pregnant. She soon finds herself back living with her mum in London. Zoe decides to create a pre-baby bucket list as a challenge from her best friend Nina.

I decided to read this book after the title, and the description intrigued me. Bucket lists are something that I enjoy writing, so I was interested to read about a pre-baby one. I was definitely not disappointed, this book had a great storyline. I loved the character development that took place, I didn't want the book to end! I also thought that the ending really tied the story together. One thing that I didn't like as much as a few of the flashbacks which tied up loose ends in the story, but also seemed a bit out of place. But overall, a book I recommend!

I was not ready for how much I would love this book. I was sucked in right from the beginning. It was amazing to be on this whole journey along side the MC as she rediscovered her own strength and ability to love her self while growing a human being. I would 100% recommend this for anyone looking for something sweet and wholesome.

Let me just preface this by saying I may have a bit of a bias as I was a minority single mom for a while. That being said, I truly don't think that my possible bias is the only reason I loved this book as much as I did. The prose was beautiful and descriptive, pulling you into every scene and making you feel like you're truly with Zoe on this life-changing journey. She is such a strong character, but also REAL and you have full insight to all the ups-and-downs she feels through the 9+ months of pregnancy. I was honestly hesitant to read this as so many books from a prospective mother's POV gloss over everything, especially if they're no longer with the co-creator, but I felt my own experience was well-reflected in her storyline. Sometime's it doesn't always end the way you want it to, but there's always the epilogue (as life does go on) to make up for it! The support system in this cast is just lovely and human and everyone was fully fleshed out where they needed to be. I kept waiting for there to be something to break the hold on me, but couldn't fault a thing. Maybe just that she was able to sit outside on a sunny day whilst 7 months along? Oh, there's my bias stepping in...(being outdoors was the bane of my existence)

TLDR: Do yourself a favor and pick up this book on pub day!

Thanks Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me the chance to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

The beginning of this story captures the thoughts and emotions of new pregnancy perfectly. Planned or unplanned the thoughts that Zoe has are so like what most of us feel at the beginning of a pregnancy that it makes the story entirely relatable.

I like the way Zoe's character and personal strength develops throughout the book. The storyline of this type has been done before but the author does a great job of keeping it fresh.

The writing style is easy going and it's a laid back and enjoyable read - perfect for on holiday or a lazy rainy afternoon!

I received this copy via netgallery in return for my review.

Zoe appears to be living the dream, travelling the world with her partner of 11 years, Sam. But what if this isn’t Zoe’s dream and she’s actually just playing a part in Sam’s ideal life? Upon finding out she’s pregnant, Zoe takes the opportunity to rediscover what her own dreams are, even if Sam isn’t part of them. With the help of her friend Nina, Zoe decides now is as good a time as any to say “yes” more, and do the things that she wants to do before the new adventure of parenthood begins. This story follows Zoe on a journey of self discovering, as she realises what got her to this moment in life and what she wants going forward.

I thought the concept of this story was really unique and found the book such a cosy read. It look me a little while to get into the plot and, although I do realise that it isn’t the most important part of the story, I wished there was more exploration of Zoe and Sam’s relationship before the pregnancy. There were elements of the story that felt slightly unnecessary and the pacing felt a bit odd in parts, but the overall experience of reading this was thoroughly enjoyable.

It was really interesting seeing some flashbacks to Zoe’s past that all make sense as to how she ended up where she is in her life today. The cast of characters in this were great and I can imagine so many readers falling in love with them (particularly Jude). I think Natalie K. Martin did a brilliant job of writing a story that depicts the struggles of being a new expectant mother, and in particular a single one, as well as promoting empowerment and self discovering, no matter what life throws at you!

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC of "Unplanned", written by Natalie K. Martin. It is slated to release on September 20th, 2022!

Overall, I rated this novel a 4/5 stars!

Thia book follows Zoe and Sam, who have been traveling around the world together for the past 11 years. This is something that Sam especially enjoys. Zoe ends up having to create a new dream for herself once she finds herself pregnant and Sam finds himself not wanting to be a father.

A lot of this novel centers on Zoe's friend Nina encouraging her to take the next 9 months to focus on herself and do things she's always dreamed of before parenthood sets in. Self-discovery is so important, and Zoe's was definitely fun to read about!

A brilliantly fun , immersive read that I really enjoyed .

•lots of relationship drama
• believable relationships that build over time .
• thought provoking
• funny
• no spice (some like it some don’t)
• main character evolvement which I loved and was so cute !

I loved every minute of this book , really difficult to put down . I can’t wait to read more from this author .

I was really unsure of this based on the first few chapters working out Zoe is pregnant and navigating her long-term partner’s feelings. For being together eleven years it did not seem like a healthy relationship so once we moved along and headed to London.

Zoe has a killer support system, between her mom and best friend Nina, this baby is set! The characters are all lovable (minus Sam- I couldn’t stand him or really Zoe while flashing back to her relationship with him). The banter, the adventures, the relatable anxiety and troubles all led up to a happy ending. With just a hint of romance and finding/creating your own family, this was definitely a feel good story. I only go into pregnancy tropes when it’s up front and expected such as this and I recommend if you’re looking for a quick read.

Unplanned by Natalie K. Martin is a story everyone should read. It sheds light on the trials and tribulations that women endure before, during, and after pregnancy. In fact, I would go so far as to say this should be required reading!!!

Zoe is a woman in a committed relationship of over a decade. However, finding out she was pregnant was the last thing she ever expected. Sadly, while she sees this as a blessing, her significant other, Sam, does not. This leads to the dissolution of their relationship and her moving back home to England. With the support of longtime- friends, family, and other expecting mothers, Zoe tackles her pregnancy head on.

Zoe, is a relatable protagonist. She willingly lays her insecurities, failures, and fears out for the reader. She makes no qualms about the fact that she has dimmed her own light to meet the needs of others. Her desire to please men in particular, has lead to her own unhappiness time and time again. If she had been firm in her wants and needs, a lot of the events in her life may not have happened.

The authentic portrayal of pregnancy, birth, and motherhood is excellent. Martin does not try to glamorize or skip through the hardships Zoe endures. Quite frankly, reading this book opened my eyes to some of the realities all women must face when bringing life into this world.

I loved the message that family is not always hereditary, it can be created. Zoe has a wonderful support system in place before the birth of her child and long after. Nina and Jude were two standouts for me! Every single mother needs friends like them to have their back.

This is a true four star read for me. I thoroughly enjoyed the writing. It was a beautiful look at single- motherhood, friendship, and family!

Special thanks to NetGalley.com and Amazon Publishing UK for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

Zoe and Sam have been together and living abroad for 11 years and have decided not to have children when Zoe finds herself unexpectedly pregnant. Sam chooses not to be involved, and Zoe surprises herself with how much she wants to have the baby. She moves home where her mother and best friend Nina become the village that help her throughout her pregnancy. Nina challenges Zoe to say yes to more things, which leads Zoe to create a pregnancy bucket list that includes tasks like make a belly mold and go to a festival.

The concept of this story is so unique. I’ve read books before where a character makes a bucket list, but never in relation to pregnancy. Zoe’s pregnancy is written very well, with all of the emotions and body changes that occur during those 40 weeks. Zoe is an interesting character who changes from a woman afraid to say what she wants to a strong woman who goes after what she wants. I adored her village; everyone deserves a friend like Nina in their life, and all of the secondary characters were well developed. I would rate this one as 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC of Unplanned in exchange for my unbiased review.

Travelling the world for eleven years, Zoe and Sam have been living the dream—Sam’s dream. But when Zoe discovers she is pregnant, she decides it is time to find a new dream, even if Sam isn’t a part of it.

Back in London and sleeping in her childhood bedroom, Zoe’s new life at first seems nothing more than her old single life, but with a bump. But then her best friend, Nina, challenges Zoe to take the next nine months to complete a pre-baby bucket list.

Now forced to look at her life through a new lens, Zoe has to decide what she wants, and whether that includes a man or not. But after a decade of being part of a ‘we’, is nine months enough time for Zoe to find out who she is as a ‘me’?

I don't normally gravitate towards pregnancy as a theme in a book but I have to say this really captivated me. It did take me a while to get into it and this isn't something that I really relate to but it was interesting and unique and I enjoyed it. I liked Zoe as a character. I thought the writing was good and I really did find myself relating to Zoe even though her story is very different from mine. I also enjoyed the flashbacks and the context it gave and that doesn't always work for me. The story did slow down a bit at some points but I thought the ending was really sweet. 4/5 stars.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for my free digital copy.

ARC through NetGalley - thank you!

I loved this so much! I’ve never read women’s fiction like that that centred so heavily on pregnancy, but I thought it was done so well.

I was a bit slow starting, struggling to get into the flow and worried it would centre entirely on whether Sam would come to his senses and be less awful. The last 55% was read in one sitting though. There is a light HEA, but I think this is really about the friendships (I love Nina, I think everyone needs a Nina).

5 stars, rounded up from 4.5.

Thank you netgalley for the ARC

I can't particularly say I'm in love with the book, because there are TMI's and I just had to skip those parts and that made it impossible for me to be totally invested in it. But I do like the storyline and characters, except for Steph and Jerome, those cheating couple and their excuse of love.

I love how the book portrayed that you shouldn't be in a relationship because of pity or shyness as that'll only subject you and your partner to grief that can be avoided.

If you're looking for something light to pass your time, then you should definitely read it.

Really enjoy this book, It was light hearted easy to read and just going though the emotions of unplanned pregnancy and the joys plus scary times of motherhood.

It brought back memories, beautifully written and really enjoy

Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for this book. I found it to be okay. I like the premise of the book but I did not like the pacing. At times the. book seemed forced because at times there is not much to talk about when it comes to unplanned pregnancies but I see the purpose of the book. I do believe we have these issues because of the stance we take in life. We need to protect ourselves a bit better and that is through following what is right and not what is wrong. I will not rate this book. low because it has a purpose but not the easiest to execute. Oh yeah...what was wrong with Zoe...right from the jump..she was just leaving herself to many issues.

I really wanted to fall in love with this book but just found that I couldn’t connect to the characters, and after really trying to keep myself interested I ended up DNFing the books.

An amusing tale of a young woman who finds herself pregnant to a partner who does not want children. Zoe decides to return from Australia to the UK to be with her family and childhood friends and face the pregnancy as a single mum. Her best friend Nina encourages Zoe to draw up a bucket list of things to achieve before the baby arrives. Working through this list, Nina’s brother Jude plays a supporting role to Zoe and over time their relationship develops. A predictable but humorous read with quite loveable characters.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this advance copy.

Enjoyable, easy read. Great for a lighthearted quick read although I did feel the characters lacked some depth. I read lots of pregnancy themed books when I was pregnant and would have enjoyed reading this one too.

Let me start by saying I absolutely loved this book!!! I was attracted to the cover and the title even before reading the description. All the characters except Sam you will adore as you can relate to them easily.

I cheered for Zoe and her journey to self discovery while pregnant! Everyone needs a friend like Nina and Jude is the kinda guy every girl needs!

Thank you Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for allowing me the privilege of reading this book for my review. I gave this book 4 ⭐

This book has a little bit of everything! A super slow burn romance, a woman finding her own path, degrees of motherhood from all angles and stages...overall, a decent read. I really enjoyed this slice of life style novel with the main focus being on the pregnancy journey. I felt the pacing lulled here and there, but overall I liked being a part a Zoe's pregnancy and the new life she was building. Solid 3 star.

Zoe is a 38 year old living a digital nomad lifestyle, traveling the world with her partner of over 11 years. When Zoe finds out she's pregnant, her boyfriend decides he isn't ready to be a dad. After 11 years together, Zoe must do what's best for her and for her future child - she leaves. She turns her life upside down and goes back to her hometown and starts the journey to single motherhood.

She creates a pregnancy bucket list at the start of the novel and I wish we saw more of that being completed! That was a fun aspect that I felt was sometimes forgotten about.

Having a baby is a life-changing experience and although Zoe is delighted to be a mum her long-term partner just doesn't want to know. Zoe starts a new life back with her Mum and best friends who together help her set up a new life for her baby. Of course, there is a bit of romance but this novel is about independence and learning to recognise your own needs. For Zoe having a baby makes her assess her priorities and stand up for her own beliefs without having to please others. This is a beautiful life-affirming novel celebrating womanhood and the scary but amazing journey that is becoming a mother.

I don't really seek out books about pregnancy and such but the cover looked cool, and Zoe sounded like she would be a great character to read about!

Zoe was in fact a fun character to read about and how she managed pregnancy "alone" and along the way found herself was interesting to read. It did pull at heart strings at a certain point but it was nice to know it wasn't for certain (if you know, you know)

Whilst reading this, I wished that when I was pregnant I could have done the stuff she did but whilst having whole day sickness and then in and out of hospitals that's kind of hard to do haha. But man doing a festival whilst pregnant that's amazing!

Thank you to Natalie K Martin for allowing me to read this ebook. And thank you Netgalley for allowing me access to this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This was a DNF for me. I really wanted to love it, but it just moved too slowly for my taste. I tried to relate to the characters to stay engaged and finally gave up.

**this is an honest, consumer review provided by NetGalley as an arc. I am doing this review voluntarily**

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It hit a nerve for me because I know some people with similar stories and I resonated with one of the characters stories in particular as well. It was an easy read and I found myself wanting to read more and more, not even paying attention to the time. The writing style was a perfect match for me and I would love to read more from this author. I enjoyed that there was some comedy to it as well between the two girl friends to lighten the mood a bit. Amazing read & highly recommend to people who are having some thoughts about child bearing and how it will affect their life.

This is a lovely story of strong women, great friendships and fantastic bonding experiences. I love the idea of the baby bucket list of self improvement and dream catching and was thoroughly invested in Zoe from the outset.
Sam is an excellent disinterested father character and who wouldn't want the Nina/Jude combo in their life?
A great read!

An enjoyable, easy to read book about Zoe's journey of self discovery as she finds herself unexpectedly pregnant.
3 stars.

Unplanned is a sweet little gem I found on NetGalley. Living in Australia with her partner Sam, Zoe finds out she in unexpectedly pregnant. This was not something the couple had planned for and fatherhood isn't something Sam wants.

So Zoe packs up and heads back to London to prepare for life as a single mother. With the support of her own mother and her best friend Nina, Zoe starts to rebuild her life and for once take the time to think about who she is and what she really wants before the baby comes. Nina challenges her to make a pre-baby bucket list to help her accomplish things she never was able to in the many years she was with Sam. As she checks off items on the list, Zoe realizes she is able to accomplish more than she gave herself credit for.

As a mother myself, I know firsthand how even just pregnancy can change you. While our circumstances are vastly different, I felt a connection to Zoe as I watched her navigate those nine months. Her story is inspiring and sweet, while not glossing over the real feelings and challenges that come with motherhood. I loved it and my only complaint would be that I wanted more before the ending.

I definitely recommend and when you read it let's talk about Jude!

A cute, heartwarming story, Natalie K Martin's 'Unplanned' introduces us to Zoe. At 38, she's been in a relationship for 11 years, they've travelled the world, settled in Sydney and they're convinced they don't want kids... Until she accidentally gets pregnant after a bout of food poisoning.

Her boyfriend Sam doesn't want the baby, but Zoe does, and just like that, a decade-long relationship ends and she moves back in with her mom in London.

Even though she's back amongst the people she loves most, Zoe feels adrift and decides to make a 'Before Baby' bucket list. On the list? Moving into her own place, attending a festival and learning how to make a fire, amongst other things.

As she ticks things off her list, she grows closer with a certain someone, gets to know her loved ones all over again and confronts some ghosts from the past, and while it was a really slow burn, I enjoyed 'Unplanned'.

I enjoyed how Zoe grew into herself and learnt to stand up for herself and what she wanted, and while she was often a damsel in distress throughout the book, it wasn't written in a way that made me cringe.

The last scene was a bit... Questionable, but still cute, and overall, it was a good read.

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from NetGalley. I really enjoyed this book. The storyline was engaging and it was well-written, and I was invested in the main character, the story and their potential relationship.

Have you ever read a book that had a pregnant woman as the protagonist? Neither had I.

This book was thoroughly captivating. Martin did an amazing job writing her characters. It also was a beautiful journey of self-love - WHILE having a baby on the way. Highly, highly recommend for fiction readers that enjoy human relationships.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, from Amazon Publishing UK and #NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to preview and review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

What happens when the unexpected happens? A story about live, love, loss and changing lives.

Unplanned
Author: Natalie K Martin

eARC and Book Review
Publish Date: September 20, 2022

For the past 11 years, Zoe and Sam have been traveling the world, seemingly living the dream together. When Zoe finds out she is pregnant, Sam has no interest in being a father. Taking matters into her own hands, Zoe decides it is time to find a new dream, even if Sam is not part of it.

Back living in her childhood room in London, Zoe's life is 'meh' again - this time just with a bump. When Natalie, her best friend, challenges Zoe to complete a pre-baby bucket list, Zoe embarks on a nine month adventure of self-discovery.

Unplanned features a woman finding her own path and the journey to motherhood.

While this book was quite different from what I normally read, I did enjoy it. It was very well written and shines a light on experiences that some women face.

Thank you Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for a chance to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book captivated me from the start. I finished this book in two to three days! I was very invested in Zoe's story. In this book, Zoe becomes unexpectedly pregnant with her boyfriend Sam. They have been together for 11 years traveling the world together. This baby throws a wrench in the plans Sam had for the two. Zoe chooses to keep the baby and intern change her life. She creates a pre-baby bucket list with her best friend Nina. Zoe now forced to look at her life differently realizes she must make choices about how she wants to live her life and how she wants her child's life to be.

This story is full of self-discovery and reflection. I loved the female empowerment and self-love that are themes in this book. I found the pre-baby bucket list such a great idea. I would consider creating one that I wanted to do while pregnant. I really enjoyed the idea that we decide our value that others see. Zoe truly comes into her own and it was inspiring. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to be inspired to find themselves.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for providing me a copy of Unplanned!

Summary: Zoe finds out she was unexpectedly pregnant and her long-time partner (we do not speak of his name) doesn't want anything to do with the baby. With this unexpected twist in her life, Zoe creates her own path and learns how to stand up for herself.

What I love about Unplanned is the very human relationship between Zoe and her support system. The love that they have for each other warmed my heart and I wish every person in the world has Zoe's wonderful family and friends. Although I found parts were slow-paced, I was excited to see how Zoe tackles her pre-baby bucket, which kept the story moving for me. Overall, I love the wonderful and empowering take on unexpected pregnancies while still showing the hard sides of it. A very unique perspective and I enjoyed how wholesome this story is.

I highly recommend Unplanned for those who love reflective books and main characters going through a self-discovery phase!

This book was everything I wanted it to be. It had me turned pages without even realizing. It was so good!

I was expecting this book to follow a very classic romance formula and was pleasantly surprised it was something entirely different. I enjoyed following along with Zoe's growth and perceptions on parenthood and was even more taken with Jude's character who, although this isn't necessarily a contemporary romance, is an ideal book boyfriend.
It fills the space of a coming-of-age novel but for people in their late 20s to early 30s and want something more digestible than emotionally taxing.

This was a good story - I can definitely see this being picked up by book of the month. I think it’ll be a good airport read.

I really enjoyed this book.

Zoe never planned to have children. She was content in a relationship with Sam, travelling and socialising. However, a surprise pregnancy makes her re evaluate everything. The story follows Zoe over those months from learning she's pregnant to having a baby.

I loved the way the author captured the essence of London, especially for those of us with Caribbean heritage.

The characters were likeable and had you rooting for a happy ending.

The story is more focused on Zoe's character development and how she overcomes a lot of upheaval to create a happy life for herself, as a strong independent woman.

I love the pregnancy trope in romance novels; but I have to say, it was very different to read this books. It wasn't focused on the couple itself but on Zoe so it was kind of refreshing. I also loved the end and how open it was. I loved this book.

Thank you Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for sending me an ARC of Unplanned,

I really enjoyed Zoe’s story! I felt like her story was really relatable, and would plausibly happen in the real world. The way she embraced being an unexpected single mom was such a graceful transition. I enjoyed how strongly her character was portrayed; how even in her times of uncertainty you knew as the reader she would still figure it out and find a way forward. The unexpected love story with Jude was such a treat, and I was living for those chapters that had the heat building between the two. Such a fantastic read!

I was a bit late reading this one. Some health issues going on, but I have to say it ended up a nice distraction.
It wasn’t what I expected. To be honest I wasn’t sure what to expect but I love books like this.

Very good, loved the characters and authors writing style. Definitely recommend!

I lost interest in the story fairly quickly and DNF. It's very well written but I didn't find it gripping and gave up 13% into the novel

A sweet story about a woman finding her way when she finds herself in a situation she wants to be in, but her partner does not. Zoe is able to build her new life with the help of her support network in London while navigating her pregnancy experience without her partner. A light read about staying true to what you really want.

Overall realistic, but still have some fictional parts. I loved The language and how it flowed seamlessly among the characters. I loved how the mother’s love story was incorporated into the main plot.

Okay...far be it from me to thoroughly enjoy a book that had no spice because I LIVE there, okay. But Unplanned was such.a.good.read. As a romance and fantasy girl, I venture out into pure fiction VERY rarely--I was so pleasantly surprised by this book!! Reading about Zoe felt like reading about one of my friends in a few years. As my current friend group gets closer to 30, everyone's life plans are shifting from what we all thought would be going on. Reading about this story felt like the most reassuring hug. I laughed, I got angry (yall her baby daddy stressed me OUT), I kicked my feet and I pumped my fists. What else could you want from a book? If you're loving for a read to make you laugh and give you the same feels you get when watching your best friend do well, this is it.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4998547013

Romance and chick lit isn't my usual genre, but occasionally I like to read something lighter. When I got the chance to review this on NetGalley I couldn't resist.

The story follows Zoe, a woman in her late 30s who to most people appears to be living the dream, with her high flying long term partner, travelling the world. That is, until she finds out that she's pregnant - and the world she knew crumbles around her.

Determined to be the best mother she can, Zoe moves back home to England and rebuilds her life. This book has a bit of everything - humour, tragedy and romance all entwined. I loved the overall message of the book and found myself not wanting it to end. The slow burn romance had me shouting at the characters, in the best way. Although a little predictable, it was a charming and easy read that I thoroughly enjoyed.

This book really surprised me. It had such a variety of different topics including romance, disappointment, sadness, humour and change. Zoe rediscovering herself with family and friends as she navigates this new landscape and chapter in her life is amazing and I really enjoyed it. This was heartwarming and cosy and I liked it a lot!

Unplanned is a perfect title for this book. Zoe finds herself pregnant and her boyfriend or should I say ex doesn't want anything to do with a baby. She is faced with the whole new advantage of rebuilding her life. The author has a unique take on the process of one's own self-discovery. The read is a little slower paced but it is an enjoyable story that I would recommend to my followers.

This book was an utter delight from start to finish. The themes of friendship, forgiveness, and moving forward were richly written with characters that I could have spent another 200 pages with.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

I have 2 babies so I definitely related hard to this book! All the pregnancies joys and drawbacks.. I definitely remember those good old days 🤣
I thought the writing letters to the baby throughout her pregnancy was totally adorable and I loved reading those parts.
I was so upset right from the beginning that Sam decided he didn’t want the baby 😡 I was hoping this was one of those stories where the girl leaves a total loser and then goes on to find a wonderful man that treats her right.
This was a little bit too slow of a burn for me, but I did enjoy the story.
Thanks so much to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for my ARC in exchange for my honest review 💕

I absolutely loved this and would love for it to be adapted for tv!
New author for me and Natalie Martin will go into my favourites list!

I actually really enjoyed this one, it was a sweet story and the characters were a lot of fun. I did make sure there was a copy in my library system. I would recommend this story to anyone who enjoys these types of romances.

A great easy read. I really enjoyed the characters especially Zoe and her relationship with her mum. It was great to see the references to Jamaican food and cultural beliefs.
Zoe finds herself alone and pregnant back in London, while her ex decides to stay in Australia.
Returning home to her mum and best friends, she gets the support she needs. With her growing bump she finds herself attracted to her best friend's younger brother; a dilemma that is like an invisible wall.

The cover caught my eye, and then the premise made me want to read it.

The way that Natalie Martin tells the story of knowing yourself, finding your strength, being brave and being scared all at once is lovely. Zoe's story is very different from my own, and while I enjoyed the writing, I did feel that the book dragged a bit in the middle. A sweet ending made up for it, but is the reason this book is a 3/5 for me.

I will be looking at the other books by this author and seeing if I connect better with them.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I really enjoyed the story that Natalie K. Martin wrote and the way it unfolded as the main character finds her inner strength. I smiled and laughed many times as I was reading which to me always adds to the experience. I would recommend Unplanned to others. Overall four stars!

This was a delightful read from the very first page. Very unique to everything else I have read this year and I look forward to hearing about more from this author.

Nothing better than a brit lit book about a woman making her own dreams happen. Enjoyed this beginning to end.

Thanks Net Galley.

Thank you for sharing this advanced copy with me. This novel was a delight to read. I thoroughly enjoyed sharing this journey with Zoe. Her fierce independence and self compassion was refreshing in a main character. I loved the strong bond between friends as well. A great read that I will recommend again and again.

I started this book yesterday and didn’t want to put it down until I finished. The characters were very well written and made me pause several times to reflect on similar times in my life. I look forward to reading more books from the author.

I'd like to thank Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a story about Zoe who finds herself unexpectedly pregnant. Zoe is in a committed relationship where her and her partner are both under the assumption that they never want to have children. Zoe discovers that she's pregnant and has a change of heart where as her boyfriend Sam still does not want to be a parent. After 11 years together Zoe leaves Sam and returns home to England and her family and friends to have her baby on her own.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story. I enjoyed how Zoe discovered who she is and not just following Sam along on his life. I loved how she gained an inner strength and that she became independent to raise this baby on her own. I also loved that she learned that she shouldn't be afraid to ask for the things she wants.

An endearing story of a single mother living life on her terms!
The initial thing that drew me to this book wasn't what actually held my attention. I thought it was going to be a super cutesy, sappy romance that would be an easy read. Actually I found this book to be emotional in parts, funny, very endearing, but mostly I was inspired by the FMC Zoe. She's someone I'd love to be friends with! The journey through this book was well paced, I loved the slow burn romance, but my only wish was that there was more of the bucket list. That seemed the most fun aspect to me, and I would have liked more of that. My favourite part was probably the letters Zoe writes to her unborn child.

This falls a very complex story with a lot of nuances about a woman being pregnant in a poly relationship where she wasn’t comfortable with the way he was and the standards he was at so they ended up breaking up and she moved home with her mum and then it starts her self healing journey and her falling in love with her baby and also falling in love with another man, but who is caring and Actually wants to get to know her instead of if she’s open for a multiple person relationship. I think of this book is very well written and holds a lot of stigma and stereotypes and correct them and I really like how it addresses in the forefront how women do a pregnancy and how they fall in love with there child . But also covers the hardships and the worrys that come along with it