Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the advanced reading copy. Review contains my own thoughts and opinions.

Poor Josie - life is not going her way. Pregnant by her cheating soon-to-be-ex husband and back living with her parents, she finds out they are also moving. Her seasonal job shuts down and she feels completely lost & alone. Enter two of her best friends from high school, Kevin and Ben. They’re roommates who also need to get their acts in line. So they form a pact to figure out their personal, professional, and love lives - all within one year.

This book was completely charming, if a little over the top at times. I snort-laughed during several chapters, especially when they were shopping at the baby store. This is very light on romance, but what does happen is sweet. Definitely a funny and delightful book!

This one sounded right up my alley, the synopsis said if you like romance and found family this is for you and unfortunately I found it lacking in the romance department. I’m all for a story with no romance but when I’m told it’s a romance I can’t help being disappointed when it’s not. Expectations are so important to me and had I known before I started that this was fiction with a small amount of romance I probably would’ve enjoyed it more. Anyway, take my opinion with a grain of salt because this wasn’t bad by any means, just not what I thought it would be and I couldn’t help feeling underwhelmed in the end. There was so much immaturity with Josie and her two roommates and friends and it was hard to believe three thirty somethings would have such a lack of maturity. I did switch to audio and I love Sophie Amoss narration so that really saved it for me and probably is the only reason I actually finished. I guess I could recommend this to the right reader but that reader isn’t me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I received and Advance copy of this book from Netgalley and am leaving this review voluntarily.

When I first read the synopsis of this book, I thought that maybe Josie, down and out on her luck, moves in with friends that are a gay couple. I thought that was an interesting premise. I wasn't expecting it to be a "Two Men (a Mother) and a Baby" type situation.

Having said that, I was drawn into the story and found it an entertaining, sweet and funny read.

Josie, Kevin and Ben find their way to happiness through their friendship with each other and a pact to make the most of their lives.

I have to admit, at the beginning, I despaired of these thirty year-olds, and their diet made me cringe the whole way through - but that's just the old lady in me and not a real criticism. I suppose their hopelessness at the beginning provides a contrast to the end of the book.

I will say, though, that I found the other characters lacking in depth. Particularly Grant and Josie's brother and fiance. It would have been nice to see some development in their characters, or at least in Josie's interaction with them.

All in all a light, fun read.

Josie and Grant’s marriage has failed. When they tried to get together one more time in hopes of fixing things, Josie ends up pregnant. Grant does not want children and has turned his back on her as they head to divorce. She is now back in her home town, living with her parents, and working at a little job that has now ended with the season. Josie is a history teacher and hopes to do some substitute work.

With a craving for a corn dog, Josie heads to the county fair where she runs into her old school friends, Kevin and Ben. She had had a crush on Ben many years ago in school which led to nothing. Today, Kevin is working for his father in his insurance company with the promise that he will inherit the business one day. Oh, joy. Ben works second shift, is divorced, and father to a testy pre-teen girl. With both men struggling to keep finances together, they have moved into together.

When Josie’s parents tell her they are selling their house and downsizing, she needs to find another place to live. So, Ben and Kevin step up and invite her to move in with them. The house is pretty bare bones and she only has a blow-up mattress in her bedroom, but she decides to grin and bear it.

Life with Josie, Ben, and Kevin is like kids home alone eating junk food and making a mess. The junk food consumed here is incredible. But there are sweet parts, times where they are really acting like grown-ups, and maturing. Readers will find humor, love, and lots of clean laughs. I enjoyed this book and look forward to more by this author.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I absolutely adored The Unplanned Life of Josie Hale. It is sweet and lovely and was exactly what I needed to read at the time. Josie is newly separated from her husband, and has just found out that she's pregnant. While drowning her sorrows in county fair corn dogs, she runs into two of her best friends from high school, with whom she had fallen out of touch after graduation twelve years ago. Kevin is a complete goofball, full of life and energy and is a complete riot. Ben is quieter but so sweet and endearing, and just so happens to be Josie's secret crush from back in the day. Kevin and Ben invite Josie to come live with them to share on rent and expenses, and together they come up with the Corn Dog Pact. The goal of the pact is to support each other as they resolve to improve their lives in the areas of money, jobs, and love.

If you are looking for a romance, you'll need to be patient, because this one is the slowest of slow burns. But this book is about so much more than romance. It is first and foremost a story of friendship. Friendship that endures even after years apart. Friends that will see you through the highs and the lows of life, the challenges and the successes. Add in a spunky preteen and a baby on the way, and this chosen family tale is exactly the right recipe for cheek-cramping grins. Your heart will melt and you will wish that you too could be a member of the Hale/Romero/Lawrence household.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

4.5/5 -

So I really went in kinda meh about the description of this book, but I loveeeeed it so much! Josie’s ‘midlife’ crisis of being newly divorced, pregnant, and without a job was something I could imagine and felt realistic. Her two best friends, Kevin & Ben, were the best friends everyone remembers having in school, and wishes to have lifelong. The underlying romance for Ben and Josie was so sweet that I wasn’t even upset that it was so ‘clean,’ because the will they/ won’t they had me so intrigued.

Brief Plot: Newly divorced and newly pregnant, Josie is going through a crisis, living with her parents, who are moving into a condo. Josie needs a plan. At a local carnival, she runs into her two high school friends, Kevin and Ben, who offer to let Josie move into their home while she figures everything out. The three enter into a “Corndog Pact” where they all promise to work on themselves and achieve their goals: work, happiness, and love. But things are a little awko-taco, because Josie had a MAJOR crush on Ben in high school, but how do you put yourself up there when you’re pregnant, working through a divorce, and sharing a room with your crushes 10 year old daughter?

Thank you NetGalley, Dreamscapes Media, and Sourcebooks Casablanca, for the eARC copies of the audiobook and digital copy of The Unplanned Life of Josie Hale, by Stephanie Eding, and narrated by Sophie Amoss. This is my honest review, in exchange for the eARC access!

This was such a sweet book. I read the whole thing in one sitting, the characters were so well thought out, the story progress was realistic, it felt like something that could happen and not overdone to make readers happy.
We follow Josie Hale who has just divorced her husband after she found out that he has been cheating on her. The more surprising thing happens when she finds out that she is pregnant (which was what she wanted in hopes that she could save her marriage but alas it was too late, with the marriage over). This is when she runs into her old friends(Ben and Kevin) from high School. They decide to live together. With that they create a pact to improve their lives, with Josie making plans for the baby, Ben trying to create a bond with his pre-teen daughter and Kevin to finally get with the woman that he really likes.

The three of them become a family, helping each other achieve their goal. For Josie, she has to put her crush on Ben on the backburn as she helps him navigate his relationship with his daughter while also helping out a student in her class who might be pregnant. For Ben, he has to hold off any advances towards Josie as he is not sure if he will be able to care for her and her child when he cannot care or create a bond with his own daughter. And finally for Kevin, he has to decide which comes first, his ego or his love for his nurse (okay just being cheeky with Kevin), he has to watch Ben and Josie dance around each other.

It is such a wholesome story and I highly recommend it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for the eARC of this title.

2.5 stars

While the premise of this book appealed, ticking many of my favourite narrative elements (second chance romance, found family, slow burn romance), unfortunately for me, it ended up being a very uneven read for me and ultimately did not come together into a satisfying experience.

What I liked:
- At times, the dynamic between Josie and her "guys" was sweet and funny (think New Girl-ish).
- Super cute chapter titles (Deep-fried Emotional Support, Surviving on Hope and Pop-Tarts, Nachos Fill the Cracks in the Heart)
- Plenty of yummy, indulgent food mentions
- The idea of having 2 roommates a bit later than expected in life was a fun one and there were moments when I enjoyed how this was explored (I would've liked even more here).

Howevers:
- I found the writing to be pretty flat and sometimes awkward, especially the dialogue. The voices of the characters did not feel differentiated.
- For 30-something characters, they came off as much younger, giving the story an odd YA feeling.
- Sometimes the relationship between Josie and Kevin felt condescending, less like a friendship and more like she needed "looking after" and he was going to swoop in when he needed her. Also, really did not enjoy all of his nicknames for her - it was too much and created an almost paternal vibe that was icky.

Overall there wasn't enough in this story to make it memorable for me, no real depth behind the basic premise. If you like Hallmark movies (sometimes I do, depending on the movie), you might enjoy this one. It's a quick read with some entertaining moments and a tidy resolution. Just not for me.

This was a really nice, easy and fun read. Really enjoyed the feelings this book evoked in me. A found family, second chance story that was very heartwarming. Loved the characters and the relationships developed. Highly enjoyed and would definitely recommend.

This one gave new girl vibes and had a delightful energy. Looking forward to more from this author, hopefully more life upended ones.

Cute, everything about the premise is cute. Living with former high school classmates, including the one you had a crush on.....cute. Being pregnant and a substitute teacher....cute. Nicely written. Not too meaty but cute. 3.5 stars

Read/Listen if You Like:
❤️ Pacts for Self-Improvement
❤️ New Girl
❤️ Rom-Coms
❤️Getting your life together storylines

Book Review:
This one started a bit slow for me but as it progressed I really started to enjoy the story of Josie and her roommates.

Josie and her husband were having marital problems and she caught him cheating when they were trying to make to work so after she left and moved back home with her parents she found out she was a couple months pregnant when the book starts.

Once Josie is home her parents let her know that they are downsizing and offer to help her find somewhere on her own. When she goes to the fair to eat some fried food while feeling down, she runs into two old friends and thus the corn dog pact to self improvement and moving in with them begins.

It was a little cheesy and predictable that she would end up with her high school crush and that it turns out he had a crush on her too… but their journeys to self improvement was a good message that no matter what life throws at you, you have the ability to choose to turn things around if you are willing to put in the work.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the advanced copy of this one!

I was severely disappointed with this book. I read the blurb and I was so excited by this type of story, Josie Hale is an absolute train-wreck in the literal sense of the word.

After discovering her husband in the arms of another, Josie decides to move back home with her parents. Only she has just discovered that she is pregnant. In her shock, she has wandered into her county's fair for comfort foods. It is there that she is reunited with her high school best friend and her high school crush. As they catch up they begin to realize how much of a mess all their lives truly are. They decide to band together and change their lives with a pact.

Now, here is where my problem lies.

Josie was a completely unlikeable character in my opinion. In all honesty, I didn't find any of the characters special. I found that Ben, Kevin, and Josie were barely real adults. I know that is the point of this here story but it felt like their immaturity was both unbelievable and embarrassing. This read like a coming-of-age story instead of a found-family/second-chance romance. The story lacked depth. There is potential here for this storyline but the execution was poor.

My biggest complaint would have to be the romance factor. I consume everything in the romance genre. That was the big hook for me. This is NOT a romance. There is seemingly zero connection between Ben and Josie. I appreciate playing coy and shy advances. I really do. But this wasn't it. This book didn't deliver on a second chance romance. There was no inside development of their relationship. It kind of just happened... at the very end with just one kiss.

I felt misled while reading this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the opportunity to read this ARC

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks for the arc, all thoughts are my own.

This was such a wholesome, character driven book. I loved how Josie, Kevin & Ben moved in together & had their own little household filled with shared jokes, family drama, silly puns, matchmaking schemes, pregnancy moods and completely unconditional friendship.

The slow, subtle relationship between Josie & Ben was so pure especially the banter with Ben's teen daughter.
But for me Kevin was the show stealer. What an amazing, selfless guy is was!
I truly enjoyed the growth of these 3 friends together & separately.

Well, I just loved this adorable book! The characters are so fantastic, and they just steal the show!

Josie is a wonderful person, and she's been crapped on a bit with life, but when she bumps into two friends from high school, her life takes on a new trajectory. Pregnant, getting divorced, and being nudged out of her parents' house, an offer to move in with Ben and Kevin. These two goofballs make life so fun. I loved having them in the story. They are well-meaning, big hearted, and loving friends, and watching their relationship with Josie grow was wonderful.

I loved Josie's exploration of what she wants in life. I think this was a beautiful story, and it created realistic characters that a reader will love instantly.

I would highly recommend this one for anyone who enjoys stories of personal growth, found family, and making one's own way in life.

The Unplanned Life of Josie Hale was an absolutely perfect book for me. A perfect mix of humour, banter and strong friendships it is the perfect uplifting book.

Josie Hale is in the process of divorcing her cheating husband she finds out she is pregnant. She is craving corn dogs from the Fair and runs into her high school friends Ben and Kevin. All three are not where they would like to be in their lives and they make the Corn Dog Pact to turn their lives around by the time they reach 31 years. In a hilarious twist, Josie moves in with Ben and Kevin to help reach their goals.

I absolutely loved the camaraderie of the trio. They bounced off each other so well and their interactions brought me so much joy as a reader. While Josie was going through a life altering experiencing, Ben & Kevin were the ultimate in support.

If you are a fan of the found family trope, you will not be disappointed with this hilarious book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for gifting me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

More Like a 2 and ½ rounded up to 3. =(

A huge thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and Dreamscape Media for my advanced copies.
I was approved for the digital e-arc and the audiobook.

What I Enjoyed-

*The Audio- The Unplanned Life of Josie Hale is narrated by Sophie Amoss. She did a great job narrating this story. It is because of her that I made it all the way through this book.

*The Cover- Super Cute. A+ on marketing.

*The Idea- The synopsis of this book sounded great.

Why This Book Lost Stars-

I wasn't invested. I personally felt disconnected to the characters. Especially Josie. She wasn't unlikeable. I just didn't care for her.
I didn't care about the romance in this book either.
This book just left me feeling meh.

Overall- Don't recommend.

2 ⭐️ // Josie discovers she’s pregnant after an attempt to save her marriage, but before she knows of her pregnancy, she catches her husband cheating on her. Going through the motions of filing for divorce, she escapes to her hometown’s fair in search of the corn dogs she’s craving. Once there, she runs into two of her high school best friends, Kevin and Ben. Life isn’t going as excepted for any of them, so they form the Corn Dog Pact to get their lives on track. Shortly after, she moves in with them, and the story follows their journeys.

On NetGalley, I “wished” for this book and was randomly selected to receive this ARC. Unfortunately, I wasn’t captivated by the story, and it was a slow read for me. Even though the characters are in their early thirties, the book read like a YA book. There weren’t many plot twists, and it was fairly predictable. Plus, there was minimal romance.

I really wished I liked this book more, but it wasn’t for me.

Read this book if …
♥️ “Found Family” is one of your favorite tropes
🔥You like slow-burn romance
👩‍🏫 You dream of being a teacher
🍟 Fast food is your remedy to all problems
📝 You have a plan to get your life on track

TW: divorce, infidelity, pregnancy

Thank you, NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca, for providing me an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A charming funny story about second chances, good friends, family and corndogs. Was it somewhat predictable? Yes! But you don't care. Because it's an very entertaining en relatable read about how life may not turn out exactly as you expected but that doesn't matter as long as you have your tribe to support you!

I got this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Sometimes you just can’t pick a side so here I am in the neutral zone. Josie Hale’s life deviations, found family, and journey into motherhood did not produce strong feelings within me either way.

The story was cute, but it wasn’t something I fell madly in love with. I expected it to tug at the heart a bit, but it didn’t accomplish that for me. Still, the friendships were sweet, I laughed a few times, and there was a little bit of character growth to celebrate.

Had I felt some level of tension between Josie and Ben, I might have found myself more involved with the story. There simply wasn’t anything that made me care whether or not they got together.

This is the type of book where you know what point B will be when you begin at point A. The question is whether or not the path there is entertaining enough to make it worthwhile. For some, it may be, but the impression it made upon me is not going to stick down the line.

The Unplanned Life of Josie Hale is a light, easy read. It’s more of a black tea than a chai latte, in terms of spice, so if you enjoy clean romance with some humor and drama, it’s definitely worth trying. Don’t read it on an empty stomach, though, as the chapter titles are sure to make you hungry!

I am immensely grateful to Sourcebooks Casablanca for my digital review copy through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.