Book Review for Never Saw You Coming
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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.

this is an (incredibly) easy-going romance-y-with-deeper-issues book that explores the longterm psychological impact of growing up in a conservative church. it's very sugary and vanilla, even when discussing fairly high impact issues. idk it wasn't my fave but was very readable. i think i was on board with the premise a lot more than the novel itself - it has a lot of untapped potential.

i haven't read her other book (more than maybe) of which this is apparently a spin-off, but i don't think it impacted the story at all.

I applaud the author for tackling religion, a topic you don't often see in YA. It brings to mind Cynthia Rylant's A Fine White Dust and Rae Carson's Fire and Thorns series in the way that it unhesitatingly delves into issues of religion and faith. There's also a sweet love story at the heart of it all. It's a read that's sure to bring about discussion, and I look forward to having a copy of this in our collection.

This book is really good. It was NOT for me, however. I recognize that this book is well-written and engaging, and its discussion of faith is... honestly, pretty interesting. Overall, I found this to be pretty run of the mill, but I think if YA faith-based romance is your jam, this will very much be for you.

Rating 3.5 stars, rounded up because I understand that personal preference is very much affecting my overall scoring abilities.

I’m just floored and impressed by the author, especially after reading the Author’s Note. The note brought it all together and put a personal stamp to the story.

I was hooked on the story, although I had some initial doubt. But I was soon pulled into the book and loved every minute. From the characters to the plot, the book was captivating.

Both Meg and Micah had such a unique and interesting background, both were connected to the church, but also connected differently. And both had pasts that brought them closer to each other, but also made their relationships to the church more complicated. I adored their relationship, they made me smile, chuckle and warmed my heart.

I thought the book was incredibly well done. And the story on its own will stay with me much longer than any other YA novel. Because in the end the book had heart, soul and substance.

NEVER SAW YOU COMING is a YA contemporary romance with all the swoon and first love excitement I expected, BUT it’s also so very different, even surprisingly different. I didn’t expect it to read like Christian fiction for teens. Nevertheless I loved it, and can only recommend it.

One of my favorite books of the year so far. It’s so rare to find a YA book that handles these topics, and I’ve never seen it handled with such grace. There are so many parts of Meg’s journey in particular that resonated with my teenage experience. I think many teens in church-going families who haven’t felt seen before in YA are going to feel seen by this book.

YA often ignores the existence of religion, holds it in contempt with no room for nuance or allows characters to hold their progressive values and their Christian ones simultaneously with no conflict. But Hahn eviscerates purity culture and calls out hypocrisy and double standards while also highlighting the beautiful aspects of faith and being in a church community. She acknowledges that changing churches’ misogynistic views and treatment of women is not an easy or overnight fix and something that has to be fought for but also that there are people within these structures willing to fight for it.

On top of that, each of the characters—from our two POVs to the large supporting cast—are funny, big-hearted, fully-formed human beings and the Author’s Note at the end deserves its own separate 5 star review.

5 Stars

This was a great book I never saw coming! The characters were great and the message even greater. This is a book all teenage, Christian girls should read. I can't recommend this enough. Speaks to my very teenage heart that grew up in church. Meg is an awesome hero. I can't wait to read more from this author.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for my free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a beautiful and eye opening book about finding and living your truth. It centers on faith and on issues I hadn't once given thought to prior to reading this. I loved Meg as I read about her in More Than Maybe but lived her even more throughout this. She is pure light and love. Micah was beyond bicep worthy. Read the book and you will get it.

An incredible, poignant, moving story. The characters come alive on the page, and Meg's faith journey is relatable for anyone who's looked to the church for love and found hypocrisy instead. I can't remember the last time I cried for most of a book, but Never Saw You Coming had me in tears from before I even hit the middle.