A review by cover2covertx
Well, That Was Unexpected by Jesse Q. Sutanto
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This was my first young adult book of Jesse Q. Sutanto. I fell in love with her writing style and characters after reading Dial A for Aunties and wanted to give this book a try when I saw that I could request an ARC.
It did not disappoint at all! Everything you love about the family dynamics, characters and humor of her Dial A series is fully in this book but through the eyes of a young teen girl named Sharlot, displaced for the summer when her mother takes her back to her home country of Indonesia.
Sharlot goes from having a very cynical, Americanized view of the beautiful country and the bustling city of Jakarta, to a growing fascination and love for her family’s birthplace after she’s thrust into a fake dating relationship with the handsome son of one of Indonesia’s most influential families.
The descriptions of the settings & cultures- specifically within Jakarta & Bali were some of favorite parts of the story. It opened my eyes to how beautiful & interesting the culture of Indonesia is. The love story between the two main characters was sweet and full of typical awkward teenage moments and experiences that brought back so many memories. And as always with Sutanto’s books, the relationship between the main character and her mother really stuck with me.
I really appreciated the discussions of heavier topics (specifically misogyny & LGTBQ+ equality and how it differs in different parts of the world) in such a light fun book because it adds more depth to an already amazing story.
Fantastic story overall and would highly recommend to any YA romance fan!
TW/CW: misogyny, sexism, homophobia
**Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for this ARC to review**
It did not disappoint at all! Everything you love about the family dynamics, characters and humor of her Dial A series is fully in this book but through the eyes of a young teen girl named Sharlot, displaced for the summer when her mother takes her back to her home country of Indonesia.
Sharlot goes from having a very cynical, Americanized view of the beautiful country and the bustling city of Jakarta, to a growing fascination and love for her family’s birthplace after she’s thrust into a fake dating relationship with the handsome son of one of Indonesia’s most influential families.
The descriptions of the settings & cultures- specifically within Jakarta & Bali were some of favorite parts of the story. It opened my eyes to how beautiful & interesting the culture of Indonesia is. The love story between the two main characters was sweet and full of typical awkward teenage moments and experiences that brought back so many memories. And as always with Sutanto’s books, the relationship between the main character and her mother really stuck with me.
I really appreciated the discussions of heavier topics (specifically misogyny & LGTBQ+ equality and how it differs in different parts of the world) in such a light fun book because it adds more depth to an already amazing story.
Fantastic story overall and would highly recommend to any YA romance fan!
TW/CW: misogyny, sexism, homophobia
**Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for this ARC to review**
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Misogyny, and Sexism