What a beautiful story! Gemma is the heroine you really want to root for, and it was just such a wonderfully told tale, the narration was perfect!

This book had me on the edge of my proverbial seat in so many different ways. Just when you think you know the twist and you're mentally going through the same process as the MC, there's a slightly different twist and the way all the different things are handled and all the different friendships, the relationships, the past and present dynamics are all beautifully explored and wonderfully written in human ways, not just the magic of the story. I loved it and have recommended it already several times.

#arc
#netgalley
#statisticallyspeaking

This book (and audiobook) has so much to love. Debbie Johnson is one heck of a writer! Sometimes, I wish I was one of those reviewers that comes up with all the big fancy words to describe books…but then I remember that I set out to NOT do that. So, I’ll try to explain what I love about Johnson’s writing in plain, uncomplicated English.

Here goes.

Johnson’s writing is just so…smooth. Her descriptions are detailed but not overdone, everything has a flow to it that made sense to me, and the characters are believable. There’s also a lot of wit, which I really appreciate.

Let’s take a peek at an excerpt. Here’s the opening paragraphs of chapter 11:

The Royal Albert dock is glittering in the early evening dusk. Lights from the busy bars and restaurants are dancing shadows across the grand colonnades and the covered walkways. And the wind is whipping up the dark water–eddies bumping the moored boats up against the dark walls, flags snapping, bells tinkling. It’s been a moody day with dark gray skies and wind that made the sand howl along the beach this morning. It is almost October, and it is showing.

We are a small and battered group, fighting the breeze as we walk. The students are chattering and excited, still on a high from our tour of the old dock. Discovered and excavated during the construction of the new shopping center, it was built in 1715, a precursor to the grand venue we are now exploring.

The docks have always been a favorite place of mine, the sense of immense history, of the coming and going of humanity over hundreds of years. Of the trade, the hope, the dreams. The sometimes dark past, the constant change and evolution. Of course, I also enjoy the numbers: the statistics of space and time. 23 million bricks, 3 football pitches, cast iron columns that are 25 feet high.

These passages, when read aloud by narrator Louise Williams, were just plain captivating. I loved them.

Now, our main character, Gemma, is also an object of my affection. Having gone through a pretty traumatic childhood, she allows one night of poor decision making and ends up pregnant. We meet her about 18 years after giving birth to the child and promptly giving her up for adoption. Although broken in some ways, she still manages to have a decent (although quite sequestered) life as a school teacher.

Gemma has the same problem as a lot of women protagonists seem to have in not being able to properly let anyone into her life. However, she’s unique enough to make that totally okay in my book. She clearly has some neurodivergence in her love of statistics and counting things, and can remember numbers and dates easily, making her an awesome team member for trivia night. At any rate, she was super likable and I was very much in her corner.

After finishing the book, I read a few reviews written by others, and they mention a bit of a slowness in the middle of the book. I didn’t notice anything like that–probably because I was so wrapped up in the beautiful writing and just swept up in the whole experience of the audiobook.

Overall, I highly recommend this audiobook! The story itself is heartwarming without being cheesy, there’s a lovely friendship with the older lady next door (and did I mention she has a cute dog?), a love interest, a very loud yoga fart, a very charming student, and more. I fully enjoyed the whole thing and recommend it to anyone who likes heartwarming and slightly quirky fiction like Remarkably Bright Creatures.

A full 5 stars from me!

This story was a cute finding family story- biological and who she surrounds herself with. I liked seeing a character that has OCD with her anxiety but still loves her life. I also enjoy that she finds herself in more ways than one!

There are very few contemporary authors that are must reads for me, but Debbie Johnson is the exception. I find her books stir the emotions and leave me feeling uplifted. This one did not disappoint. In a world where most families have more than their fair share of dysfucntion, I love stories about found family. You know what I mean; novels where the main character creates a family from the friends in their life because their real family is gone or estranged.. Gemma's past is a constant burden in her present life as she wonders every day about the baby she was forced to give up at sixteen. And now that her little girl is about to turn eighteen, Gemma looks for her daughter in every red headed teenaged girl she sees. When a new student moves into the high school where Gemma teaches, she sees so many similiarities that she's convinced the new student, Katie, is her daughter. As Gemma's anxiety goes into overdrive, its her friends that help Gemma get the answers she's needed about her past so that she can look to the future with peace. This was just a lovely tale and I couldn't help but binge listen. The author always writes a heart warming novel with loveable characters that you hate to leave by the last chapter. The narrator was excellent and added to the enjoyment of the book. Highly recommend.

Statistically Speaking shows us the story of Gemma Jones and what it’s like to be a birth mother. Meaning the mother of a baby you’ve put up for adoption. This book starts off when her daughter was just born and then time jumps almost 18 years from then. You get to deep dive into the mind of a mother who selflessly gave up her daughter in hopes that someone else would be able to give her a better life. When Gemma gave birth and had to make this difficult decision she was only 16. Through the book you get to see Gemma healing from what she had to do almost 18 years ago and starting to open up and come out of her shell. What really seemed to haunt Gemma was that she always wondered if she made the right choice and if her daughter was having a life better than she could have provided. I was adopted at birth so this book meant a little bit more to me than any other book. I think it takes an extremely emotionally intelligent author to write about this topic. Debbie Johnson Captured all the emotions and thoughts perfectly. She thought about all the people involved in an adoption, the birth mother, the parents adopting the child, and the child. Obviously every person experiences things differently so it is not the same for everyone but nonetheless I think this book captured adoption at its core. Sometimes you read books that will just fade away in your mind or blend with others but this one stands uniquely by itself and I will forever remember it. Thank you HarperCollins for the opportunity to read this book.

This is a beautiful story about Gemma and her struggles to open up her life to relationships. We follow her from the difficult moment of giving birth to a baby girl she immediately gives up for adoption to adulthood where she is learning how relationships add beauty to our lives even if they're hard. This is a romance, a story of found family, of adoption, of friendships, and of growing up. I loved spending a book with Gemma and watching her grow rich in relationships. Narrator did a great job as well.

Statistically Speaking was an emotional ride. I found myself reflecting on my own past experiences and situations. The story starts strong, but I feel it got shaky in the middle before ending strong again. I would recommend this read to anyone with experience in the adoption world.

I really wanted to like this book. It had the potential to be a heartfelt, sappy tearjerker which I typically love. Unfortunately, I just did not connect with the main characters and felt her to be droning and whiny.

I read another ARC by Debbie Johnson before Christmas that I absolutely adored, so when I saw this one come up by her, I had to request it! This book started off with a bang with Gemma, as a sixteen year old, giving up her baby for adoption. Then, as an adult constantly wondering how her little girl's life turned out. The pacing in the middle of the book slowed down a bit too much for me to stay as engaged as I did in the beginning though. I was still really interested in the ending though and I will continue to look for more by this author!

Thank you to Netgalley, Debbie Johnson and HarperCollins Focus for this ALC in exchange for my honest review.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."
I listened to the audiobook version of this book, and it was well composed and the narration was engaging. It was a quick and engaging read, with good story telling and chanracter development. There was one sub plot point I kept anticipating and was pleasantly surprised that it never developed; until the "new beginings" wrap up at the end I was a little disappointed that this niggling prediction had come to pass in the story line. Overall though I thought the book was really well done and I liked all the relationships interwoven into Gemma's life.

Statistically Speaking opens with 16 year old Gemma Jones in labor and delivering her baby.
She decides to give the baby up for adoption, as she is living in foster care and can barely take care of herself.

18 years later Gemma is a teacher. A student in her class shares a love of history and similar ginger hair ... and then she discovers that the student is adopted. Could it be her daughter?

The characters in Statistically Speaking are wonderfully written. I especially love Gemma's neighbor Margie (who isn't shy from telling folks exactly what is on her mind). Also love the "dance out" concept to get rid of stress.

A quote I enjoyed ... "Being with Kareem is like having a box of chocolates open on the kitchen table while you eat celery sticks."

Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Focus - Harper Muse publishing for approving my request to review the advance listen version of Statistically Speaking by Debbie Johnson in exchange for an honest review. I see that Debbie Johnson has many other publications; this was my first book by Debbie Johnson, but not my last!

The audio book is approximately 9 1/2 hours. Publication date ... Dec 3, 2024.

This one started off strong but fell flat for me, unfortunately. The character development become very predicatable. While this may be a feel good book for those seeking a happy Hallmark (although not in a Christmas/holiday way) kind of story, it wasn’t for me at this time.

Statistically Speaking by Debbie Johnson, is a story of a thirty something history teacher, Gemma Jones, who looks like she has it all together. Gemma’s childhood was unstable. Her mother was erratic with addiction and mental health issues. As a child, she was taken into foster care and had to learn to navigate the system throughout her adolescence. At sixteen, a pregnancy forced her to make the hard decision to give the baby up for adoption, wanting more for the child than she would be able to give. This decision would continue to haunt her throughout her life.

Despite her chaotic childhood, Gemma built a life for herself. She fought hard not to become a statistic, going to university and gaining her teaching credentials. But the guilt of giving her child away and dealing with her own abandonment issues still played out in her adult life. Gemma is reserved, keeps people at a distance and does not stay long enough in one place to settle down. This year is her daughter’s eighteenth birthday and Gemma is anxious and hopeful about the possibility of reconnecting with her.

Gemma’s orderly life suddenly takes a turn when new student Katies joins her class baring a resemblance to her. She feels a special bond towards the new arrival and wonders if this could be her daughter. Later, she meets Erin during yoga class and the two connect. It turns out that the pair are mother and daughter and soon become Gemma’s friends. Gemma discovers that Katie is adopted, and her birthday coincides with her own daughter’s birth. She is torn between sharing this possibility and is afraid it could end their growing relationship. This upheaval caused Gemma to examine the walls she has erected around herself and question whether she wants to continue to live in the sterility of her world.

Statistically Speaking is a beautifully written story about self-discovery, letting go of the past and embracing the future. The themes of childhood trauma, the various concepts of families, and strong female friendships is beautifully portrayed. The author skillfully intertwining humor with touching emotional moments and the cast of endearing characters had me invested from beginning to end. This was a great listen, and I enjoyed the narrator’s voice. Her narration brought the story to life. I definitely recommend this audio book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I love the cover of this book! Yes, I do judge a book by its cover. 😉 So I was excited to dive into it when I received my copy from NetGalley. The beginning was so sweet and heartfelt. I even found myself tearing up in parts. I had high hopes for the rest. It seemed to lose momentum for me though. I still thoroughly enjoyed this beautiful story.

Wow! I loved this book. The title, cover, and description immediately jumped out at me, so I figured I would like it, and it really met my expectations.
This is a story of 34 year old Gemma navigating life 18 years after giving her daughter up for adoption. Gemma is now a high school (I think…English schools are so weird) teacher who spends most of her time alone on purpose. She has an elderly neighbor and that neighbor’s dog that she sees daily, but that’s about it. She is also prone to obsessive compulsions such as counting *everything* and other neurodivergent behaviors. Unfortunately, the author seems to have purposefully left her as just a “quirky girl coping with trauma” instead of giving her a diagnosis and allowing readers to feel fully connected. The book focuses on Gemma meeting a student in her class who she thinks is her daughter, opening up to the people in her life, falling in love with the Man of My Dreams, and finding a family of her own for the first time.
It reminded me A LOT of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, but I enjoyed this much more!

Poignant and emotional, dealing with hard life choices while still able to add humor to the story. This book is a coming-of-age novel of sort, dealing with teenage pregnancy and adoption, living with grief and the road to redemption and happiness.

The cast of characters and the support given to the protagonist is palpable, even from the 4-legged characters.

Written with emotion and wit, the author draws you in, making you feel it all.

This was my first book by this author, but it won't be my last.

I highly recommend this novel.

Title: Statistically Speaking
By: Debbie Johnson
Pub. Date: December 3, 2024

Genre:
Fiction, Contemporary, Women’s Fiction

Trigger Warnings:
Drugs, Addiction, Anxiety, Teen Pregnancy, Foster Care, Adoption, Self-Discovery

Summary/Review:
Gemma Jones is a history teacher, whose life was altered by a decision she made years ago, a choice and the following consequence has filled her with bouts of regret. Now, as a woman in her thirties, Gemma is unable to release the grip of the past, she becomes consumed by the possibilities of what might have been, to the extent of fabricating possibilities. This obsessive pursuit becomes unhealthy and she remains blissfully unaware of its damaging effects. She only wishes she had a way to change it…how far will she go? Is this healthy? Or detrimental?

Statistically Speaking is a heartwarming, empathic, and introspective novel written with the realistic themes forgiveness, hope, and most importantly, love. Debbie Johnson has taken deep controversial subjects, and cleverly written them in an unforgettable way, a way in which the reader will always remember the overall themes of her story! I listened to the audio version and the narration was expertly done. The voices were clear, distinguishable, and masterfully read.

Thank you to Debbie Johnson, Harper Collins Focus, and NetGalley for the Advanced Readers Copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

#StatisticallySpeaking
#DebbieJohnson
#HarperCollinsFocus
#reluctantreaderreads
#advancedreadercopies
#NetGalley

This book was incredibly interesting and while there were times that I had trouble with some of the characters, I overall really liked the perspective of Gemma. It was interesting to see things through her eyes as she navigates her life. Gemma is sixteen and gives birth. She puts her baby up for adoption to give them both a chance at a brighter future. Being in foster care herself and the daughter of a mentally ill drug addicted mother, she doesn't see another viable option for her daughter to have a shot at a better life. Eighteen years later, Gemma has overcome many obstacles. She is a history teacher, but the past has left scars. Gemma is emotionally stunted from her dysfunctional upbringing. However, with a few new friends, a new love interest, she deals with issues. She wants to deal with her past to create a better future. The process of finding her daughter is a part of the story. I loved her female friend group and the generational relationships.
I listened to the audiobook version of this, and Louise Williams was excellent at bringing unique voices to each character. This one had a lot of emotions and laughter in it, and it was enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for providing the audio ARC to preview.

I liked the slow pace of this book. The constant pace of the book, the ups and downs of (almost) daily life, individuals' relationships, daily struggles, hesitations, thoughts made the book readable and enjoyable to me.
Gemma had her special issues, just like everyone of us.
I am glad how we witnessed a very important stage of her personal life.
Since being a mother, I appreciate certain things differently and I guess this book happened to be one of them.