She looked out the small window and watched the clouds roll by. The sun was beginning to rise, giving the fluffy cotton wisps a rose tint. She was destined for an unknown place for the summer, trepidation and angst filled her chest with worry and anger. She didn’t want to be doing this. The clouds gave way to showcase the land below as the plane made its descent. She took a deep breath. Here she goes.

Well, That Was Unexpected was a cute dual perspective YA Romance that made my heart swell with joy. Sharlot’s mom whisks her away to Indonesia for the summer and she’s not happy about. To make things worse her mom sets her up with a boy, George, in a way that has her questioning everything.

Fake dating, forced relationship, a YA romcom that had me laughing and smiling. The fact that these two end up having to fake date after their parents catfished them… too funny! Jesse writes such funny characters, but also makes you root for them. This was such a sweet story and I can’t recommend it enough.

If you’re looking for a YA romcom with great humor, characters, and the fake dating trope… then make sure you grab this book!

What a fun YA romance. We have George Clooney, whose sister’s name is Eleanor Roosevelt, and Sharlot, that end up fake dating due to some hilarious antics with their family texting for each of them to try and find them a boyfriend/girlfriend. Those names, right? This is my second book in a row with miscommunication also at the forefront, which is one of my least favorite tropes, but for some reason it just adds to the fun in this book. And I am always a fan of books based in another culture and this one takes place in Indonesia with family culture at the forefront.

There is great banter between the two as they pretend to date. But wait, are they pretending?

This was such a fun read. It was filled with laugh out loud moments, the beautiful back drop of Indonesia and catfishing parents. Not only was it about Sharlot and George’s sweet romance, it was about family drama and the Indonesian culture. I enjoyed every minute of it!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

📖Book: Well, That Was Unexpected
⭐️Rating: 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✍🏼Author: Jesse Q. Sutanto
📚Genre: Romance | Teens & YA
🗏 Pages: 339
⚠️Warnings: Sexism, Homophobia
🔖Readability: 4.5/5 minimal italic font is used
🥇First Line: "Bradley, I'm Ready."

Things to expect:
✨Opposites Attract
❤️Enemies to Lovers
💞Fake Dating
💛Hilarious Banter
🌺Catfishing Parents
🌼Love Letter to Indonesia

A hilarious rom-com with embarrassing but well-meaning parents. Jesse composes a love letter to Indonesia with a vibrant cast of characters, gorgeous descriptions, and a refreshing coming-to-age story. 'Well, that was Unexpected' is surprising, immersive, charming, and should be on everyone's must-read list. I loved the refreshing take on match matching in a modern setting with the parents being the ones who are getting the kids into trouble. I felt like this was an easy-to-read story, and I read the entire thing in one sitting. I am excited to see other things and other genres, Jesse. Q. Sutanto will get into.

Thanks to Netgalley and TBR Tours and Beyond, and Delacorte Press for the advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

I know what you're thinking, "Jesse Sutanto... that's a familiar name". As it should be! The author who wrote one of my top 5 favorite books of 2021, Dial 'A' For Aunties, gives us Well, That Was Unexpected.

Let me just say simple that I adore this book. Our main characters Sharlot and George Clooney (not the one you're thinking of) are two teenagers who are catfished by the other's family. It's hilarious and heart warming.

Our setting is in Jakarta and Bali, which I loved. I really enjoy books that explore countries that are vastly different (and yet, we are not all that different) and learning more about our characters' culture.

I highly recommend this YA novel and anything that Sutanto writes, she is just so dang good!

I really enjoy the author's adult book Dial A for Aunties, especially the insane situations and the humor that stems from it. Well, That Was Unexpected contains the same kind of humor as the authors' adult books, as well as an intense East Asian family dynamic. It also has a dreamy Indonesian setting.

The plot centers around two teens, Sharlot and George, who unexpectedly find themselves fake dating in front of the media. In theory I would enjoy this, and in practice there wasn’t really anything wrong with them. But they just felt a bit underdeveloped, and kind of bland to me. Something that made the reading experience a bit lackluster for me. More often than not it just felt like it was the same thing over and over again, and I had a hard time caring about the two of them. I honestly enjoyed the multiple side-characters way more than the main characters.

This just wasn’t for me unfortunately. But I’m sure that other people will love it!

This was a fun, cute novel which really gave me butterflies. I loved the peek into Indonesian culture, and while I found the novel slow for the first three quarters, overall it's a pretty sweet book.

Plot:

The plot, as you can probably tell from the synopsis, is so unique and fun to read! The inculcation of Indonesian culture enriched it deeply, and I just enjoyed reading it very much! I do feel like there were some inconsistencies and a lack in the plot development to the extent that it became slow at points.

Characters:

I enjoyed reading all the characters, but I feel like while George's character was well-developed, Sharlot's wasn't? Like I don't know it felt like early on her life revolved around Brendon and then George. Just a personal point of view. The other characters were enjoyable as well.

Writing Style:

It wasn't the best I've read, but it was honestly, decent enough.

Ahem, well, we started off very awkwardly with Sharlot’s mom catching her half-naked on top of a boyfriend Sharlot wasn’t supposed to have and George’s father finding him with his pants down in front of the computer screen. Whisked off to Jakarta, Sharlot visits her mother’s home country for the first time. For some reason, her mom has never mentioned why she didn’t contact her family for so long. Meanwhile, George is banned from his computer and phone.

What makes things more awkward between George and Sharlot is that both of their parents have been catfishing each other. Worried about him, George’s dad and young sister created a dating account and talked to Sharlot online. Turns out, Sharlot isn’t Sharlot but is actually, Sharlot’s mother. After finding Sharlot in bed with a boy, she’s determined to find a good Indonesian boy for her daughter. The parents shared false information about their child like how Sharlot loves cooking and that George’s favorite subject is Math. When they first met, Sharlot and George both had whole other expectations.

Whisked away to Bali, Sharlot landed herself as George’s girlfriend. Though, this whole thing is fake. George’s relatives want him to settle with a respectable, obedient girl since he’s the only boy in his generation, the lifeline of the Tanuwijaya blood. Meanwhile, Sharlot finds out that her mother was best friends with George’s Eighth Aunt and hence finds herself as a fake girlfriend to one of the richest families in Jakarta.

Although things were weird between George and Sharlot, each thinking that they aren’t compatible, the other is totally weirded out, and the whole meeting is just awkward. Sharlot realized that George isn’t that bad after all. He’s actually really passionate about the app that he’s been working hard on and is not a boring person. Similarly, George’s assumptions about Sharlot were debunked after talking to her for a while. They had really tender moments, talking about parents, love life, expectations of being an Indonesian-Chinese, etc.

As usual, Jesse Q. Sutanto’s book is filled with awkward moments and hilarious dialogues. It’s the kind that I can never look away from because I want to know what’s going on. I loved that we got to explore Indonesia in different parts. First, there was Jakarta and then Bali. There’s the element of a family involved as well. If you’ve read Jesse Q. Sutanto’s Dial A For Aunties, you know about huge, meddlesome families. Add in a wealthy family that can jet you anywhere you want with a snap of a finger.

I’m not too sure if Well, That Was Unexpected will develop into a duology or even a series, but I’m here for whatever the author is writing.

✨ PRINCEMAN REVIEW ✨

Which authors do you adore? For me, I appreciate Jesse Q. Sutanto because her books make me laugh SOOOOO hard! 😂 Thank you to TBR Beyond Tours for a GIFTED copy of this book!

📝 17 year old Sharlot just wants to live a normal American life. Across the globe, 🌏 Charlie may come from a rich Indonesian-Chinese Family, but he wants to contribute to the family's company. When both of them are caught in awkward situations by their parents, their lives go on a journey neither could have predicted.

What I 🤍:
😂 SERIOUSLY Hilarious Moments
📱 CATFISHING Parents
💕 Precious Opposites Attract Romance
🗣Own Voices Representation
✈️ Descriptions that Have Me Wanting to Travel to Bali ASAP!
🕰 Reminder of Teenage Years
🎤 Discussion of Sexism, Patriarchy Immigration, and the harm in labeling countries as "third world"

I absolutely adored this book. 👀There were so many hilarious, CRINGY, moments and I couldn't look away! 😂 Sutanto did a phenomenal job of capturing the essence of being a teenager while sharing the growing pains that go along with growing up. I also appreciated how many 'tougher' topics were talked about, but it felt safe, warm-hearted and you knew it would turn out okay. 😊

Prince's Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Passion: 🔥 (Kisses)
Read if ➡️: You loved Dial A for Aunties, Need a Summer Read

I highly recommend this new book, and I really hope it becomes an inspiration behind a TV show someday. 🤞

🌟 #wellthatwasunexpected is out now! 🌟

Jesse Q. Sutanto’s Well, That Was Unexpected is a YA rom-com that hits the mark perfectly.

Sharlot’s life is turned upside down when her mother finds her in a compromising situation, and subsequently takes her to her mother’s birthplace of Indonesia for the summer. Sharlot thinks this is the worst punishment ever… until she discovers her mom set up a social media profile for her and has made a date with a random guy that her mother approves of. Meanwhile, George Clooney Tanuwijaya is caught in his own compromising situation by his dad and sister, who then go online to find him a girlfriend to fix his loser status. What happens when two well-meaning but misguided parents catfish romantic interests for their teenaged children? Absolute hilarious highjinks, of course.


This laugh out loud funny book will have you cringing from secondhand embarrassment one moment and crying laughing at the witty banter the next. Though the situations these characters get themselves into are funny on their own, these particular characters and their reactions are what truly make this book so special.

Sharlot and George are adorably awkward together, but their humorous moments are nearly upstaged by their family members. George’s sister Eleanor Roosevelt is spunky, smart, and seriously knows how to make both of those things work for her. I am not so secretly hoping she gets her own spinoff book. Sharlot’s cousin Kiki is equally wonderful, both helping Sharlot through this wild ride of a situation while still learning and growing herself. Kiki’s and Sharlot’s willingness to be open and honest with each other makes this cousin-friendship bloom into one of my favorite parts of the book.

Yes, this book is laugh out loud hilarious. Like, take care reading in public because you will snort-laugh and then the other parents at baseball practice will side-eye you. Okay, that *might* just be me. But even though this book is absolutely hilarious, what makes it a five star read for me is that it also has serious depth.

Sharlot was born in the U.S., but her mother’s culture is Chinese-Indonesian. Her mom’s unwillingness to share about her family, homeland, and past has created a rift not only between Sharlot and her mom, but between Sharlot and her culture. Sharlot’s initial experience of Indonesia is strictly through the emotional lens of what has been denied to her, and that affects her perception of the place itself. As Sharlot learns more about her family’s past and connects to her culture, her perception shifts and she’s able to grow as a character.

Though the fish-out-of-water trope is often used primarily for humor, tying it to the emotionally complex topic of cultural identity added depth to the romance. Sharlot wasn’t only on a romantic journey with a person, she was falling in love with a place and learning how to incorporate all the different parts of her into one. The balance of this depth with humor is what makes this such a memorable read.

I can’t talk about this book without also mentioning the setting. From the city of Jakarta to the shores of Bali, the settings in this book are so swoony and gorgeous you’ll be looking into plane tickets before the cover finishes closing. The unapologetic decadence that makes much of the plot believable opens doors for humorous opportunities while also raising the stakes. I feel like this book has YA Crazy Rich Asians vibes with the private jets, fashion label name drops, and villas in Bali. These make for great settings and leave room for plenty of humor. But the juxtaposition of Sharlot falling in love with Chinese-Indo culture through her non-super-fancy experiences add to the depth, as well.

Well, That Was Unexpected is available September 27, 2022.

Thank you to the author, Random House Children’s, Delacorte Press, and NetGalley for an advanced e-copy such that I could share my honest opinions.

It’s always so awesome to read books centered around Asian households and navigating through the family dynamics and mother-daughter relationships. Family and societal values, as terrifying as they may sound, are supremely integral part of being an Asian. To the extent, that it’s nothing short of a crime if your relatives don’t know about the happenings of your life and you do something which will be most definitely scrutinized by the public eye. It’s likely your family will not have a personal problem with whatever you do with your life, but they’ll be concerned “how it will look in front of the society”. Now, it looks like it’s a terrible way of living, but… it’s quite alright. Family is family.

And that’s what “Well, that was unexpected” talks about. There are two essential dynamics about the book: a) the relationship of Sharlot with her mom and how George navigates through his family being “too much” and always in the public scrutiny; and b) how first impression shouldn’t be misinterpreted as last impression. Perceptions change and it’s likely the person you thought you knew was behind a mask all this time (for the better or worse… luckily it was for the better here).

Now, I wouldn’t lie… I was cynical about Sharlot a bit in the beginning. I have strong opinions about anyone who refers to Third World countries as… being helpless. Especially anyone who comes from the West -.- So, I treaded the book carefully but it was actually quite relieving to see Sharlot agreeing to her assumptions and white washed eyes to look at the emerging or developing economies. After all, as much as one would want, white washed lenses are inseparable, even if you have grown up in an Asian country. I am really glad that the author took this story arc and how the character development was brought about. Same goes for the dynamics between Sharlot and her mom.

Coming to George and Sharlot, they are a cute bunch I give you that. And George’s family is delightful as well! I am really on my way to read Dial A for Aunties.

The author describes the book as a "love letter to Indonesia," the country of her birth and current residence. This is a YA romance novel, with an Indonesian-American teen meeting family in Indonesia for the first time, and falling for a handsome young Chinese-Indonesian from a wealthy family.

I like that the two teens discover feelings and attitudes in common which are too modern for their traditional Chinese=Indo families. I also learned a lot about Indonesian culture, cities, geography, and food from following young Sharlot as she discovers her mother's homeland and is shown around by her new friend, George Clooney Tanuwijaya.

This indeed a love letter to Indonesia, and I came away with a new appreciation for its food, its cities, and a new understanding of its traditions. The budding romance between Sharlot and George is a plus to this YA novel, with its ups and downs along the way to their full understanding of each other.

Overall, Well, That Was Unexpected is definitely an unexpected read! I had such expectations that went lower at the beginning, but then it unexpectedly became good once Sharlot and George had so many forced proximities moment. I promise you, they’re really cute together! There’s a surprising LGBTQ storyline that might felt a bit out of place, but as whole really connects on Sharlot’s relationship with her mom, as well some other important issues that were tackled but not deeply. Still, it was a great read and definitely a great way to get introduced with Indonesia!

I adored Dial A For Aunties so I knew I wanted to read this one. It did not disappoint! Lots of great topics covered and the story was super cute

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review

If you love young adult rom coms with fake dating and the miscommunication trope, you will love Well, That Was Unexpected. It was the cutest thing and had me laughing, swooning, and cringing.

The book takes place in Indonesia and I loved the descriptions of food, coffee, and all the wonderful places visited by Sharlot and George. It really made me feel like I was there and I would so love to visit one day.

It also covers important topics like combating toxic masculinity, slut shaming, and the barriers LGBTQ+ people face in a conservative country.

If you are a fan of the author’s Dial A for Aunties, you might like this too. While there’s no dead bodies, there’s plenty of meddling family members who provide all the comic relief.

I liked that the story was told from George and Sharlot’s points of view — it was nice to read both of their perspectives and it helped us get to know them better since there were a lot of surface-level conversations between them before they became more comfortable with one another. However, one thing that bothered me was that this book focuses heavily on the miscommunication trope. It got a little tiring to keep reading about how the two of them felt bad about lying to the other about the origin of their private messages. All of that conflict could’ve been solved had they just been honest with each other. Although, I do understand their hesitancy as they didn’t know that their parents had done the same thing, and they didn’t want to hurt each other. I personally am not a fan of the miscommunication trope, so that could be why I found it a bit tiresome.

The side characters were actually my favorites in the book, especially Sharlot’s cousin Kiki and George’s sister Eleanor. Kiki was really fun and outgoing, and I loved how even though she had her reservations at first, once she and Sharlot connected, Kiki always stood up for her and protected her. Eleanor was definitely a bit chaotic, but what thirteen-year-old isn’t? She was very overdramatic (truly as all of George’s family was) and I really liked how she spoke her mind. The friendship that Kiki and Eleanor formed was just so sweet — I loved that sibling bond, especially since Eleanor was so young when she lost her mom and hasn’t really had any female figures in her life besides Eighth Aunt. I could’ve read an entire book about Eleanor and Kiki’s friendship, they really were my favorite part of the book.

For me, the scenes that really stood out were the scenes that explored Jakarta and Bali. The descriptions were detailed and vibrant and I just fell in love with Indonesia through Sharlot and George’s eyes. I loved reading about their latte art class (even for someone who doesn’t like coffee), white water rafting along the Ayung River, the beaches, exploring all that Jakarta has to offer, and the food! The food sounded simply incredible, and I really would love to be able to visit Indonesia one day and experience some of these things for myself!

This was a very unexpected read! I guess you can take the title literally, haha.

The book is told from two point-of-views and they come from Sharlot and George. One thing they have in common is that they both have meddling parents. I will say that this author always writes great families. I enjoy getting to know them and the meddling is always hilarious. Through their parents, they come into an arrangement to fake date. It’s a good trope and I think that it is done well in the book. It’s very awkward and dealing with family and fans don’t always go well which adds to the plot overall.

Sharlot and George felt like typical teenagers. They did things that any one would do and I feel like they will be relatable for a lot of people. Although I don’t think there was anything wrong with them, I felt like some of the things they did felt weird to talk about, especially one scene in particular with his dad and sister present. The humor wasn’t entirely for me, but I also have a different sense of humor than most. Again, I don’t think this will be a problem for most!

Their romance was very cute and I liked to see them put in different situations throughout their fake dating experience.

The author does a great job at talking about social issues and cultural aspects. It adds to the plot and gives a more serious note to balance out the humor. I don’t know much about Indonesia and I feel like I learned a lot while reading this book.

Overall, this was a fun read and I would recommend it to those who like a lot of humor, fake dating, and meddling families!

What a fun rom-com! There were several moments where I laughed out loud, and the premise itself is genius (two parents catfishing each others' children?? brilliant!) and lent itself to a lot of great tension and slow-burn romance. Another delight from Sutanto!

4.5. I've enjoyed Jesse Q. Sutanto's adult and middle-grade books, but I think her writing is best suited for YA--it's silly and fun while also pointing out social issues and highlighting cultural aspects.

Like her other books, Sutanto sets up some madcap situational irony to kick things off. In Dial A for Aunties, for example, we had an accidental murder and the hiding of a dead body; here, George and Sharlot's parents (and, in George's case, sister Eleanor) catfish their own children. Hilarity ensues.

Sutanto's description of Indonesian food, locales, and Indo-Chinese culture (including the conservatism and bias against LGBTQ+ folks) is the strongest aspect of her book. I didn't know much about Indonesia before reading this--aside from what I've seen on travel shows--so that was the most engaging part for me. While Sharlot is mildly annoying in the beginning, her character growth is visible throughout the novel, and her relationship with George (which, of course, involves both of their families too) feels as organic as it can for the set-up.

If you haven't picked up a multicultural YA book in a while (or ever), it might be good to start with this one.

Well that Was Unexpected by Jesse Q. Sutanto

This comedy filled family drama with misunderstandings had a great way to know about Indonesia and it's culture which was something fresh and exciting to read about.

Sharlot, was not great at the beginning. I didn't warm upto her immediately because of her attitude however she showed a great development and understanding throughout the book and made me understand her more.

George, I don't know why but majority of the books I have read makes me like the male leads immediately though sometimes they are utterly hopeless. Same goes with our George but I liked him throughout.

The author has give us superb characters whom I like so much, my favourite being Eleanor and Kiki. They were a package deal. The detailed writing and vivid world building with descriptions that will lead you to imagine, I loved knowing about Indonesia and the culture and being Asian I could related to so much with regards to everything specially the upbringing. The author was on point with what she gave us.

I loved seeing this place through her eyes and can see why Bali is such a desirable place for couples to go on honeymoon 😅 This was a great read with all the feels at the same time addressing important topics. I loved how the author portrayed it. I would recommend this book to everyone.

Some of my Favourite Lines ~

“I once read that scent is the one thing that can take us back in time”

"What is it about George that makes my thoughts zip around like they’re caught in a hurricane and my heart pound like … uh, like a mallet being pounded into a vat of glutinous rice to make mochi? Okay , clearly I need to work on my analogies."

"The guy gets away unscathed or with a reputation of being a player, which elevates his status instead of destroying it, while the girl is demeaned and shunned."