I love stories that are rooted in self-discovery. The ones that acknowledge that things aren't always easy - life is messy and we make mistakes. But there can also be opportunities to learn, to change and to grow. Statistically Speaking by Debbie Johnson does just that.

When we meet Gemma she is sixteen years old and giving birth to a baby girl. She can't totally wrap her head around how she got pregnant, but she knows that she is in no position to be a mother. She has grown up with a lot of instability - her own mother suffers from addiction and other rmental health issues and Gemma has been in and out of foster care her entire life. So when she holds Baby and gives her away, she is both heartbroken but confident in her decision.

Eighteen years later, Gemma is a teacher in Liverpool. She doesn't have a relationship with her mother and has moved around a lot. She has found ways to cope with her anxiety - most of which revolve around counting items. She has slowly formed a friendship with her downstairs neighbor and humors the flirting of her coworker. She has built a nice little life for herself - but as it approaches what would be her daughter's 18th birthday, she can't stop thinking about what her life is like.

This was quirky, sweet, heartbreaking, funny and uplifting. I got very invested in Gemma, her friends, and their journeys. I thought author Debbie Johnson handled sensitive topics well. A very enjoyable book that is out in the world on TUESDAY!! Big thanks to my friends at NetGalley and Harper Muse for the sneak peak!

*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*

Content warnings for STATISTICALLY SPEAKING: teenage pregnancy, adoption, drug abuse by parent, mental abuse, foster care, mental health struggles

At the young age of sixteen, Gemma made the heartbreaking decision to give her baby (and herself) a chance to break the poverty/abuse cycle by placing her newborn daughter up for adoption. And since that day, Gemma has been haunted by the what-ifs of her unknown daughter's life. After graduating from Uni, Gemma has rarely spent more than two years in a single place, traveling and working all over the United Kingdom as a history teacher; running from settling down and running from her own heartbreak.

However, after eighteen years of wondering, Gemma suddenly finds herself face-t0-face with a young woman who could be her daughter; while every instinct tells her to run, Gemma decides to stay. Stay and see if this student is her child, stay and continue her friendship with her unconventional downstairs neighbor, stay and find what happens with the P.E. teacher, stay and watch what happens when she starts to place roots in a community.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING is the tender tale of Gemma Jones' life and her struggle to love. Johnson tackles the importance of found family and what it means to 'grow up' when struggling with childhood trauma. The cast of characters is delightful and funny, and the ending was everything I could have hoped for.

Some readers may find the story slow, and Gemma's back and forth attitude frustrating, but it felt realistic to a person's growth journey. Healing is not a straight line, it takes time and work and there are often set backs, but I thought Gemma (and her found family) were great examples of being patient with yourself and others while healing and changing for the better.

This is on my top 3 favorite books list this year! Just a really sweet story with lovely characters. Explores the mistakes we make while young and how doing the right thing can be the hardest decision. This has all the feels. Love it!

Oh, Gemma. Damaged, vulnerable, hurting Gemma. Debbie Johnson has written a character so achingly real that it’s impossible to not want to embrace her and give her the love and acceptance she so desperately craves.

Gemma’s childhood is far from ideal. The daughter of a mom battling serious mental illness and addiction, Gemma has been in and out of the care system. She’s learned to isolate herself and avoid attachment. When she finds herself pregnant at 16, she makes the agonizing decision to give her child up for adoption. Though “Baby” is not part of Gemma’s life, she is a constant part of her thoughts and heart.

18 years later, Gemma’s life has followed a pattern. Against all odds, she has completed university and has a career as a history teacher. What she doesn’t have is roots; moving frequently to avoid the human connections that nurture the soul. Then one day things change. A neighbor with a friendly dog, a handsome colleague who takes an interest in Gemma, a chance meeting at yoga class, and a new student who Gemma thinks might be the daughter she’s carried in her heart all these years. They converge to have Gemma question whether it’s safe to open her heart.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING is a tender examination of trauma and healing. Gemma is the underdog of underdogs and you’ll find yourself rooting for her to find the peace and healing that has alluded her. Ms. Johnson has gifted us a story that redefines family. My heart will never be the same.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

A powerful and emotional read on accepting what’s happened to you, the decisions that you make, and how this all affects your life. You can feel all of the moments Gemma feels, whether you’ve been in her place or not, and you learn to love her and her progress with vulnerability and community even more.

I typically read synopsis when I apply for books but by the time I get to them I have no clue what im about to read and I just trust past me. I went blindly into this book and I was hooked from chapter one, by the time it ended I wanted more. Such a good read, and I'm happy to come across it. It was such pleasure to have a look into Gemma's life and who she is as a person. At some point I cried happy tears because I was so proud of her growth as a person and I was overwhelmed by the different love she had found in her life.

Thank you to the publisher and to netgalley! This book took me surprise and really was the right time and I think it also really connected to me as a teacher personally connecting with students. Following the MC Gemma who is a history teacher who is grappling with the long held wonder of a baby she gave up for adoption almost 18 years ago. It’s a story of found family, motherhood and overcoming our fears. The pacing lacked at times but the cast of characters drove the book for me.

SO good! This had all the elements I love- a “broken” character that finds her way through life only wanting to do better by learning to love not just herself but others.

Thank you to @netgalley for the ARC, which will be available to purchase 12/3.
Gemma is the daughter of a teen mom. She spent a lot of her time in foster care growing up and became a teen mom herself at 16.
This book begins with teen Gemma in labor and her giving her daughter for adoption.
The story is about her as an adult. We learn that she is a teacher and does not stay in any one place for too long. Statistics, counting things, helps her focus.
As she stays at her current school, she starts to let life in. Will she meet her long ago adopted daughter? Will she stay where she is at? Can she be vulnerable?
I really enjoyed this book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#statisticallyspeaking

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the advanced reader copy.

This was a bittersweet story about figuring out how to be family for yourself when your biological family isn't there. Gemma is a lovely main character whose desire to both be connected to the baby she gave up for adoption, when she was sixteen, and the fear of getting close to anyone, creates a tension that pulls the reader through the story.

This was such a sweet book about forgiveness, family, anxiety, and love. I related with Gemma, our main character, in many ways, especially her desire to run when things got uncomfortable. The found family aspect of this book was so precious, especially knowing the hardships Gemma faced/faces as a mother and daughter. Truly wonderful book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I enjoyed this book very much. Gemma was a quirky character and I loved her. I can see how she would get on some readers’ nerves but to me, she was just trying to get over a troubled past the best way she knew how. I admired how well she’s done in life despite having a mentally ill and drug-addicted mother. I guess now would be a good time to mention the heavy topics in this one including mental health issues, addiction and teenage pregnancy.

I could relate to Gemma’s counting of everything. Now that I’m older I hardly ever do it but I can remember being a little kid and counting everything, even syllables in words. The counting had to end in an even number or a multiple of five. It was just my childhood mind trying to control a world that was out of control for me. This book reminded me that family isn’t always blood and that we can create our own tribe as we see fit.

There is a bit of romance in this story but it isn’t the focal point of the book. It’s more about women helping women, friendship, motherhood and facing our fears. The writing flows nicely and the characters are true to life and so is the story. I have this author’s other book The Moment I Met You on my to-be-read pile. I might just have to bump it up my list.

I absolutely devoured this book in one day. I was hooked from the very beginning & could not put it down. Whether it was. the story itself, the writing or just how incredibly well constructed Gemma's character was (all the characters really), it is hands down one of the best books I've read this year.

The book dealt with some fairly complex emotions & topics in such a beautiful way, while tastefully incorporating humour to break things up. I found myself laughing out loud more than once while reading Gemma's POV. She was such a real & raw character with extremely relatable thoughts (especially when she wanted to punch everyone in the birthing suite). The secondary characters were also extremely likeable, each bringing something special to her life. It was such a joy watching them each burrow their way in & help her work through past & present traumas.

The entire book was a roller coaster of emotions & I loved every single second of it. If I could give this book more than 5 stars, I would. It was just that good.

I read my first book by Debbie Johnson just last month when I read A Very Irish Christmas. I absolutely loved it so when I saw another one by her, I jumped at the chance to read it (bonus points that it was also dubbed a "quirky British novel" as if I wasn't already sold!). When I was already chuckling and liking the MC right from the first few pages, I knew I was in for another treat.

This is such a heartfelt story, and I was captivated with these characters from beginning to end. You can't help but love Gemma and all of her quirks and hope for her to find the answers she's looking for and the happiness she deserves. Karim is a wonderful, witty, and charming man, and I fell for him quickly. Margie is the sweetest motherly neighbor. Katie and her adoptive mom Erin are instantly endearing and hard not to love as well (the wonky cushion and the dance it out's were some of my favorite highlights).

I kept wondering which route Debbie was going to take these characters; was Katie the daughter Gemma gave up, or was it all a lot of crazy coincidences? If she wasn't, would Gemma find and meet the real Baby? No matter what, this plot had one of my favorite tropes: found family. All of these characters are carrying their own past traumas/ struggles/ emotional baggage in some way. I just wanted all of these beautiful souls to find happiness within themselves and with each other.

Debbie's writing and storytelling are so easy to fall into that she's now officially cemented herself as an autobuy author for me and one who I will watch for releases and proceed to read her backlog.

Thank you to Net Galley and Harper Muse for the eARC!

I loved this book more than I expected. The story is both heartbreaking and heartwarming. Gemma is portrayed in a very relatable and human way.

This book deals with the themes of adoption, anxiety, forgiveness and also contains one of my favorite tropes ever - found family.

Bravo to the author for such a great novel!

Gemma, a 34 year old teacher, gave up her baby when she was only 16 years old. As she prepares to teach history A-levels, she grapples with the fact that her daughter is the same age as her students. One of her students looks like Gemma and was adopted, leading Gemma to jump to conclusions. Gemma, grew up in care, and now struggles to put down roots. Despite this, she has a loveable cast of characters, and a steamy love interest ready to help her through her struggles. The difficult subject of adoption is handled with grace and care in this excellent novel.

Highly recommend!

Thank you to Net Galley and Harper Muse for the eARC! All opinions are my own.

Statistically Speaking by Debbie Johnson ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Harper Muse
Pub Date: 12-3-24

Thank you @netgalley and @harpermuse for this eARC.

"I have missed her every single day since she was born. I have dreamed of her, and yearned for her, and never stopped thinking about her. But still, I know that I did the right thing. I repeat this to myself over and over again, until I feel its familiar truth, sad but consoling."

Sixteen year old Gemma - living in care and pregnant - makes the difficult decision to proceed with adoption for her newborn daughter. She lets go of her newborn with a heartfelt letter, all her love, and the hope that she will have a better life than the one Gemma could provide.

Fast forward eighteen years . . .

Gemma, a teacher in Liverpool, has wondered over the years if one of her students could be the baby she gave up for adoption. The new school year brings a new student to Gemma's classroom, Katie.

Katie has red hair - just like Gemma. They also have the same build. When Gemma discovers Katie is adopted and that she shares the same date of birth as Gemma's daughter, Gemma's mind goes into overdrive. What are the odds this could be her daughter?

Statistically Speaking presents adoption from each perspective - birth mother, child, and adoptive parents - with compassion and thoughtfulness.

This story contains a lot - adoption, anxiety, family dynamics, forgiveness, found family, heart, humor, romance, and more. A sweet, quick read. I loved all the primary characters and the relationships among them - Gemma, Katie, Erin, Margie, and Karim.

#statisticallyspeaking #debbiejohnson #harpermuse #netgalley

Debbie Johnson's Statistically Speaking absolutely destroyed me -- in the best way possible. This book is an emotional joyride of laughter, grief, growth, pain, restoration, and hope. The characters were all so well written and the relationships between them were heartfelt. I love Gemma especially. Even though I couldn't relate specifically to her loss (giving up her baby for adoption as a 16-year-old pregnant teen in foster care), the way that she processed her experiences struck an emotional chord with me over and over again. I'd very highly recommend Debbie Johnson's Statistically Speaking. It's a feel-good contemporary women's fiction with found family, romance, self-journey, and an ending that will make you smile.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read this ARC 🙏

My heart feels so warm and I'm honestly a little choked up. Getting to witness Gemma's growth in the story us beautiful, touching, and inspiring 😭

The story opens with Gemma, a 16-year-old girl doing the best she can with the shit hand she was dealt, which includes giving up her baby for adoption. She knows this is the right decision for her child, and knows the ramifications of a mother not fit to be a mother all too well, but it still hurts.
18 years later, Gemma is a teacher in Liverpool and slowly, the walls she has built around herself start to unravel. We see her come to terms with the isolation she's been comfortable with, and just how much you can blossom when you allow yourself to trust others and be uncomfortable. At the end of the story, there is so much love in her found-family I just want to move to Liverpool and try to be a part of it!!

Statistically Speaking follows a high school teacher as a young girl enters her life who has similarities to her baby that she gave up for adoption 18 years prior. I loved Gemma's idiosyncrasies and the friendships developed throughout the book. I didn't connect with the romance and felt a little ambivalent about the mother/daughter relationships for some reason.

Narration performed by Louise Williams was outstanding.

I received an ARC and ALC from HarperCollins Focus | Harper Muse via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.