This one was not what I expected it to be but I was hooked right from the start when Josie was craving a corn dog and took herself to the fair and ran into her high school friends, Ben and Kevin. This was the start of "The Corn Dog Pact." Josie was losing her place to stay as her parents were downsizing and she was going through a divorce and Kevin and Ben offered her a room and they came up with a list of tasks to get all of their lives back on track and improved. With the upcoming birth of her baby this really needed to happen and who knew it would also come with a romance, strong friendship, making a great home for all three of them plus the baby plus Ben's 12-year-old daughter who he really needed to connect with. To say I enjoyed this one is an understatement. Let's just say it could be a great beach read and call it that!

This was an easy read, but I had problems with the casting and details. It also started to feel a little too long.

Overall, I enjoyed hanging out with this group of friends (Ben and Kevin are awesome), but I found Josie to be both exhausting and annoying. She really got on my nerves with how irresponsible she was and how she couldn't shut up or stop obsessing about Ben. Josie literally can't seem to go more than. a few seconds without talking about how cute Ben is, or how much she likes him, or how she's about to faint because he bumped into her... (she is beyond the annoying girl in most romances panting around like a pathetic little puppy.)

SUMMARY: 30 is not going so great for Josie. After catching her husband cheating, she moves back in with her parents only to discover she's very pregnant. She's also unemployed and her parents just told her they're downsizing to a condo so she's got to go.

While drowning her sorrows in funnel cakes and corndogs, she bumps into two guys she was buds with in high school: Ben and Kevin. She hadn't seen/talked to them in 12 years and all of them lament how their lives are in shambles. Having recently bought a house, Ben invites Josie to move in with him (Kevin is already a roommate). The 3 also make a pact to get their respective lives together by the time they are 31. For Ben, this means repairing his relationship with his 11yo daughter who seems to hate him, and Kevin needs to crawl out of his substantial debt.

The rest of the book follows Josie for the rest of her pregnancy, living with Kevin and Ben, and how the three of them progress towards their goals. Ben's 11yo daughter shows up sometimes and provides some comedic relief. Josie's mother (who is terrible) and also occasionally makes appearances.

By the end of the book, everyone seems to have met their respective goals as part of the pact and is much happier. Thank goodness for good friends that are family!

Problems I had:

1) The house Ben has. This "house" only has one bathroom and one bed room, but then has a loft AND a basement? Unless it's a townhouse I can't grasp this layout. It really irked me; particularly because the house was basically another character with how often it was detailed. Josie went up and down the stars A LOT. Ben spends a lot of time in the mysterious basement Josie has never been to.

2) Their age. I have a 30yo brother and a 32yo brother (I was also 30 once myself). While I can believe a 30yo might own his own home (my brothers both do; and many of their friends) one has to be at least a little "grown up" to take on such an endeavor, yes? These three had no furniture (just bean bags) no dishes and lived entirely off bagel bites, lucky charms, fruit loops, poptarts, and pizza. These food items were discussed so often I wonder if the author was getting paid for promotion. & While my brothers still eat a lot of pizza with friends, even they have matured past fruit loops and poptarts and grill meat, etc. I was especially horrified pregnant Josie was eating this garbage and nothing else. PSA, there are many great programs, like WIC, that can help poor mothers get fresh foods to eat.

3) Josie's pregnancy. Here I have to wonder if the author has ever met a pregnant women. Josie becomes very sick with nausea in the middle of her second trimester. Ugh, no. "Morning sickness" and fatigue happen in the first 13 weeks. While some unlucky women (e.g. Princess/Duchess Kate Middleton) have it their entire pregnancy, it's not a second trimester thing. Josie was also hosing down things like funnel cakes and corndogs every day in her first trimester. Most pregnant women have severe food aversions to fried foods/meat and a general lack of appetite. They're lucky to eat some crackers. They're not eating loads of fried corndogs. Gross. Josie was also eating an insane amount of Tums (antacids). As a PSA, pregnant women cannot have more than 6 per day. She also seemed to go into labor many weeks early (?) which umm again no. First babies tend to overcook.

Thanks net galley for my ARC.

This was a great audiobook! At some points I felt it got a little slow and uneventful so not sure it would have read as well but since I could listen while doing other things I enjoyed it. Great characters and relatable feeling of being 30 and making the most of your life. I’d definitely read more by this author.

The Unplanned Life of Josie Hall:
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!

DNF. Unfortunately, this was a book I started multiple times but could just not get into. I appreciate having the opportunity to read this book, it was just not a good fit for me as a reader. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my gifted review copy.

I very much enjoyed listening to this audiobook. The story started off like a cluster of all clusters for Josie’s life, and the ending had her realizing everything happened for a reason and she was able to forge a great life base to fall back on if needed.

The narrator was good. Her voice was nice and transitioned smoothly. She was easy to listen to for several story hours.

Thank you for NetGalley for allowing me to listen to an advanced copy of this eBook.

I read the synopsis and expected a cute romcom but this was so much more! Yes, there were some silly parts but all in all it was a beautiful story. I listened to the audio version and loved the narrator as well.

Title: The Unplanned Life of Josie Hale
Author: Stephanie Eding
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Pub Date: May 10

Read if you like:
Friends to lovers
Romance
Personal growth
Found family

My Thoughts:
I know 2 romance novels in a row! Who am I? This was my first audiobook and I loved it! I liked how this book didn’t show a perfect life, but instead talked about 3 friends who’s lives were honestly going pretty terrible and them helping each other get through it. I think a lot of people can relate to the main character, Josie, as she navigates going through a divorce, being pregnant, getting kicked out, and trying to navigate her new life. This book made me laugh out loud and could definitely be made into a rom-com!

4/5⭐️

The Unplanned Life of Josie Hale is a super sweet Rom Com surrounding a found family, corn dog pacts and starting over. I really enjoyed getting to know Stephanie Eding’s characters throughout this book and only wish we got a longer look into their future with a epilogue.


*Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I thought this would be a simple fluff book, but it was actually really good! I enjoyed the story. It tackled some tough issues with a good balance of humor. Sensible Josie was balanced out by her two goof ball male roommates that are trying to get their lives together as well. They all start at odd places in their lives, and take us through the journey of their personal growth and maturity. As a person that started over as a young adult, I appreciated many topics she spoke of.

I look forward to more books by this author! I appreciate the opportunity to read this prior to its release date through NetGalley.

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

Audiobook 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 Dreamscape Media for the advanced copy of this one one exchange for my honest thoughts!

I loved this book so much. Kevin and Ben are friendship goals. Such a sweet and funny story about 3 old friends finding each other when they needed it and making a life pack to do better. in their own lives. I didn't want to put it down or for the story to end.

#BookReview ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My latest #audiobook from #Netgalley & #dreamscapemedia #TheUnplannedLifeofJosieHale
is a refreshing escape from my usual thriller novels. These characters lives are a mess and it makes me feel better about my own adult life! When I was 23, I was going through a divorce and had also found out I was pregnant, so I could definitely relate to Josie having to move back in with her parents and all the stresses she was dealing with as a soon to be single first time mama.

This is a delightful story about friendships, family, and second chances! Three high-school friends are reconnected at a fair and they're all kind of at rock bottom. They decide to take the corndog pact and take on life together! Josie moves in with her old best friend Kevin & her past mega crush Ben (these two boys have such a Bromance). The story is predictable yet enjoyable. There is a slow burn romance, and some things were laugh out loud funny. This could definitely make a fun rom-com movie. Definitely a recommended read!

As I listened to the audio version, the narration isn't anything remarkable, but it gets the job done without annoying you.

Thank you Netgalley & Dreamscape media for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
Publishing date 5/3!! Add to your TBR right now!
•
#newbooks #romcom #friendship #foundfamily #secondchances #audio #book #bookrecommendations #bookshelf #bookstoread #friedfood #teamKevin

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.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the advanced copy of this audiobook - it was such a treat! 😍

I absolutely loved Josie, Ben and Kevin. They were a perfect little friend group and so so good for each other. The corn dog pact was so silly in the beginning but ultimately proved to be exactly what all three needed to get their lives back on track. It was just really sweet.

As a whole this book had all the perfect pieces to a comedic fiction/borderline rom-com story. There were our obvious heroes, a couple of villains, some cute kids, lots of laughs and a few tears - a little bit of everything for everyone. And the ending? ✨Perfection✨

The Unplanned Life of Josie Hale drops May 10 and everyone should add it to their TBRs!

Pregnant and going through a divorce, Josie makes a pact with two high school friends. They are going to get their lives together.

I liked the create-your-own-family aspect of this book. I also enjoyed how Josie, Ben, and Kevin interacted and their bond.

However, no thirty year old woman, with a marriage and career under her belt, can be that utterly helpless, immature, and ignorant. I cringed all the time. While I was not pregnant, at 31 I left my teaching job, moved into my parents' basement, and began subbing. (Granted, I did have an actual job lined up but it was awful and I quit after a few months. The sale of my house in another state also fell through and I could not afford rent on top of my mortgage. My plan was not to live with my parents and sub, lol. But I had to for 6 months and survived it.) So I have quite a few similarities to Josie when it comes to life events and experiences. The fact that three thirty year old adults lived in a house without furniture for months is just preposterous. (Also, is this a one bedroom house?! Ben sleeps in the basement. Josie in an attic loft. Who buys a one bedroom house?)

I listened to the audio version. It was unremarkable. Paced fine. Clear. Just nothing special, either.

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Poor Josie. Life has fallen apart after fleeing Chicago upon the disastrous end of her marriage. To top it all off, she now has a baby on the way as the result of a last ditch effort to salvage her relationship. Running into some old high school friends ends in a Corndog Pact and the chance to get her life back under control.
With a mix of humor and a relatable series of unfortunate events, Stephanie wrote a heroine I wanted to root for. Josie deserved all of the good juju and the support found in Ben and Kevin. Definitely would recommend to all of my women's fiction - with a side of a second chance/unrequited love romance - loving friends. Additionally, I cannot wait to dive into all of the fried foods at a local fair this summer.
I both read and listened to an advanced copy. The narration is done
Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and Netgalley for the advanced copy and Dreamscape Media for the alc. All thoughts in this review are my own.

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.

Thank you Net Galley for an audio ARC of The Unplanned Life of Josie Hale by Stephanie Eding. This audiobook was so enjoyable that I listened to it in one sitting. Josie Hale is a believable character that finds herself going through a divorce while pregnant. She moves in with 2 of her old school mates.

Truth, when I got the email that my wish was granted on NetGalley for this book, I kinda forgot that I asked for it at all. Definitely an impulse click. Anyway, I really liked this book! It was heartfelt and funny. I loved Josie Ben and Kevins little found family plus getting their lives together pact. I would say that this is more just fiction than it is romance. There is a slight romance plot line and Josie and Ben end up together obvi but it’s way more about her pregnancy and them all working on bettering themselves and getting their lives together. Ben repairing his relationship with his daughter was really sweet.
I would recommend if you don’t mind pregnancy in a book. It’s a pretty significant part of the story. Release date is 5/3! Thank you NetGalley & Sourcebooks Casablanca for the advance copy!