After her life is turned upside down, believer of Jesus and raised in a strict Christian household, Meg, embarks on the journey to find that missing piece of her that has been kept secret. With just days to go before his father is released from jail, former child of Christ, Micah, tries with everything he has to push the memories and stares to the back of his mind. In the wonderfully captivating work of art, we meet two souls who are just trying to stay on the path that is destined for them. With their unlikely meeting, they soon learn that together, any challenge and bumps that come their way, can easily be overcame.

loved, loved, LOVED this beautiful story! I don’t think I have been so excited to be approved for an ARC before. This book surpassed all of my expectations and then some. Everything was so fluid and so heartwarming. I cried, and laughed, and became angry. Basically, every emotion I could feel, I felt at one point or another at this lovely book. I shall now be getting Erin Hahn’s other books! The character development, the story line, everything was so dreamy and pleasantly placed. I can’t wait to read her other works!

Homeschooled, church group Meg from Ann Arbor has lived a sheltered life with her strict religious life at the center of all she knows. Her devout moral code is steeped in Jesus and the Bible to the point where she has a hard time separating her beliefs from how to best live her life. As Meg is about to take her life in one direction, a gap year before she starts college, she learns a secret that sets her on a different path, questioning everything she holds dear.

Micah's former pastor father is in jail. And he deserves to be there. Since his father's gone to prison, Micah, who lives in Marquette, has turned his back on his church, especially since his father has broken a lot of the strict rules of church life. But now his father is set for parole and all the old hurt is coming back.

And then Meg goes to Marquette to discover who she is. And she meets Micah. Hello, fireworks.

Told in alternating points from Meg and Michah as they get to know each other, they both deal with breaking free of the opinions of others. Especially the church's antiquated approach to dating. Honestly, if a person has never had experience in church life, this story will come as a gigantic shock - the rules are crazy. Offering feminist ideals shaped from the mixed messages women get about their bodies and how they act Never Saw You Coming is a heavy hitter. It belongs on every YA library shelf because it is guaranteed to be the story a lot of young girls need - but it seems it might be a challenge to get it into the right hands. I'd expect it will be banned (which makes it even better).

I thought this was a cute read with a sweet romance. Meg and Micah both have complicated relationships with their parents and are trying to figure out what to do after high school. Meg can be bold and funny and takes Micah by surprise when they meet at an overlook. I enjoyed their banter and how well they clicked.

The reason I rated this lower is because of how much this story pushes God. It addresses the issues with Christian churches, the judgement and hypocrisy, but always comes back to loving God and trusting him. I'm fine with reading books where the characters are religious, this just went overboard. Whether I'm religious or not, I don't want to hear about your faith and how God will get you through and make everything okay constantly. If this had been toned down, this could have been a five star read for me.

I felt really bad for Meg that people in her life kept judging her and making her feel like a bad person. I was really liking her uncle until he told her that appearances are what matter and she was basically coming across as a slut. Wow, that's not okay. It kind of ruined his character for me.

Micah is a great boyfriend and friend and I really adore him. I was happy that he and Meg didn't have much relationship drama and stood together through everything. They're definitely a couple that will stay together long term. Also, shout out to Cash for being a good doggo!

This is an easy read and definitely has it's cute moments. As long as you're okay with the strong Christian presence, give it a try.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the copy.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Never Saw You Coming had it's preachy moments. Which kind of annoyed me and by kind of - it really truly did. Now I'm catholic but none of these things were particularly forced on me. Abstinence? Laughable in my household. Yeah, I'm sure I would be shamed for having a kid out of wedlock but my parents wouldn't banish me for it. Heck, they would be like it's about damn time you popped out a kid. Since my sister is a plant killer parent, I'm a dog mom, and my brother likes video games.

They should be lucky if we even give them grandchildren at this point. Grandpuppies is always an option in my book. Just saying.

In this, you will meet Micah and Meg. Both have brainwashing moments and dive into wonderful talks about sins and stuff. They also had really cute moments and I liked seeing them get close to one another. Especially since it kind of shocked Meg into the real world and she started to stand up for herself and what she believes in.

Both were okay and likable but I honestly wanted to slap them multiple times throughout this. I'm not even sure I have a favorite character either because once I started to like someone.. they would annoy me instantly. It's like they could sense someone liking them and they were like - oh no, not this.

In the end, not a big fan of preachy books but I did like how realistic the struggles were.

Meg finds out that her dad isn't her biological father and this was kept from her until she turned 18. Her bio father died before she was born and her dad assumed the role. Meg's mother is ultra-protective of her and endowed her with beliefs about sexuality being a sin, homeschooled her, and surrounded her by Christianity as a way to try to prevent what happened to her to happen to Meg. Meg graduates early and planned to take a gap year. Instead of working at a Christian camp, she decided to go to her father's hometown where she meets Micah--a pastor's son whose dad is in jail.

They both have lots of religious trauma and purity programming to work through. Meg is eighteen and has never even been kissed before and worries about being "dirty" and sinful when she wants to explore her sexuality.

It was such a good read especially as someone who grew up enveloped in these types of ideologies and reminded me of my own journey that I hadn't looked back on. I think that if you've never really questioned your faith or overall religious experience, this book might be uncomfortable for you but it's still worth reading to understand how it can be damaging and problematic.

This book is well-written and the characters are personable, warm, and experience some amazing growth.

This was a very cute story. I liked the main characters and the interesting struggles they were having. It's not often these issues are tackled in books and I'm glad that, here, it was handled with grace and respect. I really loved the supporting characters - the best friends on either side, the new family and even the little puppy.

But the message is a little heavy handed and I wasn't expecting it to be quite...so much. It's just not really my cup of tea - the whole Christian Fiction, but I know this story is so good for so many that need to hear it, so I'm glad it's out there.

<i>A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.</i>

Absolutely amazing! I've been hooked on Erin Hahn's writing since the first few chapters of You'd Be Mine. After More Than Maybe, she became a go to author for me. I've been hesitantly excited for Never Saw You Coming since it first started being talked about. Excited because I wanted more from her. But I was hesitant as well. I'm more like Vada in regards to church than how Meg is. While I have my beliefs, I have issue with some things in regards to churches.

I was honestly a little worried about how this topic would be end up going. I was pleasantly surprised with it though!

I don't like to read the synopsis for a book prior to reading it, so I went into the book not knowing much. I honestly even forgot that the Meg in Never Saw You Coming was the same Meg from More Than Maybe.

I adore Meg! I really loved her in More Than Maybe and I was so excited to get her story. Micah is a great new character and I loved that we also get his story.

One thing I love about Erin Hahn's books is the dual POVs. I love getting both perspectives during the story and think she does it so well.

Like her previous two books, she is able to interweave these tough topics into a beautifully written story that has so much love and special connections. I always think she handles these so well and can't wait to see what she write next.

This was a wonderful YA romance and the author's writing was so strong. The characters all grew so much throughout the story and in very believable ways. I really enjoyed the religious aspects of the story and found everything very realistic. I think this book provides a much-needed critical look at purity culture and contemporary Christianity while not tearing it down. It will be very relatable for teens who attend church and youth group.

Book Review for Never Saw You Coming
Full review for this title will be posted at: @cattleboobooks on Instagram!

I loved this book so much! I don't usually go for YA books, but this exceeded my expectations. As a fellow pastors kid/church kid I related to so many aspects of Never Saw You Coming. My story is not as dramatic as either Meg's or Micah's but the concept of purity culture that Erin, the author, addresses is so prevalent. I thought the book related to what growing up in the church is like in the best way! The book didn't put down the church or tell you it was a bad thing to go, but still showed that it is a flawed culture. I applaud her for doing it so well and not being political or preachy either. Seriously could not recommend the book enough! I want to go give it to all the people who I grew up in church with.

Thanks NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC ebook.

This book wasn’t the right fit for me as a reader, but I think others will really enjoy it. A story about two teens managing different familial issues, faced with confronting their religious beliefs. Great for people who love YA romance & Christian belief systems.

I was initially interested in this book after seeing that it was written for former evangelical audiences. I think the concept was awesome, but the story hit a little too close to home for me so at times it was hard to read. That said, I think other readers will enjoy this book, especially if they are looking to learn a little more about what it's like to grow up in an evangelical community!

I loved this book so much, I not only adored the call backs to the previous books in this series. I also really just loved Meg and Micha so much. I really loved how this book explored church life and church expectations. I am a fan of large casts in small towns and this book was just what i needed. It is also rare to find a YA book set after high school and not only in the summer. It liked all the unique elements that made this book so much fun. Puppies and little kids made this story even more fun. I also really loved how this book focused on finding your own way in the world. I loved seeing Veda and Luke again. I would kill for a book about Duke.. Such a prefect summer read!! Hahn as done it again!

Wow. This was a book I didn’t know I needed to read until I did.
I was swept up by the beginning with beautiful imagery and compelling characters, could barely put the book down until I finished it, and have been left thinking about it well afterward. As a Midwesterner raised in the Christian church, I feel strongly that Hahn’s tackling of purity culture, hypocrisy, and sin in light of the 21st century is not only refreshing but also long overdue in young adult literature.
I know if I had read this at a younger age, I would have had to endure less shame, stigma, and guilt. More importantly, I may have been able to avoid toxic relationships, both romantic and platonic, that thrived in this environment of secrecy and self-blame.

On a less thematic level, the characters felt whole and unique, the plot was both intriguing and realistic, and the descriptions were oftentimes poetic. As a writer myself, I often have trouble getting sucked into a story (as I find myself analyzing it) but I was completely immersed in this book.

The only thing I would have wanted different is a personal stylistic preference— I didn’t love the dialogue as much as the rest of the book.

All-in-all, this is a book that anyone raised in a Christian environment needs to read, especially if they are female-identifying. Hahn is a talented writer and has brought to life realistic characters and important themes in a way that will stick with you long after the book is over.

The characters of Meg and Micah were cute together and multidimensional. Although I liked the idea behind this it was religion heavy it may not be something all young adults can relate to. I received this book as an advanced reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was so happy to get a copy of this through Netgalley. I absolutely loved You’d Be Mine and I loved this one more. I’ve always struggled with faith due to the amount of horrible things that go on in the world so this was just the perfect book, we are not all perfect but we can strive to be better, understanding and accepting. Meg and Micah are the sweetest couple and so mature for young adults. I cannot reccommend this book enough, it is a beautiful read, and was perfect to escape the realities of life in 2021!

As a product of youth groups of the late 1990s/early 2000s who did the True Love Waits pledge, I find this story fascinating. The author works through many of the same thoughts I have processed about purity and sex since meeting my husband and getting married. As a parent now, I understand why parents and pastors promoted purity pledges. I don’t disagree with the principles behind it. However, I do disagree with the guilt and shame that came with it so that when/if we messed up, we may as well just give up because there was no hope.

While I loved the characters and the inner conflicts they were facing and how they dealt with them, I can’t recommend this book to teenagers. To adults, especially those of us who are in the church, who need to consider how our approach to sex shapes the next generation, yes, I’d definitely recommend. For teenagers who are working on shaping their worldviews, I just have too many concerns with parts of it to be able to encourage a teen to read it.

*2.5*

This book was okay. I'll start with the good. Meg and Micah were great main characters. Neither of them were perfect, and they were both trying to find themselves in different ways. Additionally, I loved their relationship. It was so sweet and dynamic. I loved the side characters as well, especially Duke, Betty, Vada, and Amanda. I feel like they all had their own personality, and they weren't just present as plot points (especially Duke. Duke was my favorite character by far)

All of that being said, Micah and Meg's relationship happened too quick. There wasn't too much development. Also, this book was extremely religion-heavy. Obviously that isn't a bad thing, I just wasn't expecting it, and I wasn't a huge fan. There wasn't any real conflict overall. One thing I will say is that I'm really glad that Hahn spoke about some of the sore topics related to religion, namely the topics of sex before marriage and certain sexist principles.

Overall, it was a decent book. I didn't feel too much of a connection to any of the characters except for Duke and Meg (and even then, not a significant connection).

I have never read a faith-based book quite like this before. The closest I would say, that I've read, is Melody Carlson, which had a huge impact on me as a kid. I'm so glad this book is being released into the world, and I hope it's the first of many. This is a story about learning your parents aren't perfect and what it takes to forgive them.
Meg is a good girl, homeschooled, dedicated to her church and her relationship with God. She even has a picture perfect family... or so she thought. When she discovers that her dad isn't really her dad and she was the result of a one night stand at a youth group conference, everything she ever thought she believed is thrown out the window.
The son of a pastor, jailed for his crimes against the congregation, Micah is just getting out of the shadow his father left him shrouded in. As his father's Parole hearing draws closer, the details surrounding the crimes come to surface once again. Can Micah and Meg find forgiveness for the mistakes of their parents? My favorite part has to be near the end, where Meg's Mom meets Mrs. Sanderson. We really do need a t-shirt. I can't wait to see what more this author has in store for us.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. This book had its moments, but in the end it was not for me. While I applaud the book for talking about religion in a book for teens (which is not commonly done) it was almost too much at times. This managed to draw me out of the story at times.