This is another fabulous book from Debbie Johnson that sensitively deals with the complex emotional issues as well as the trials and tribulations of youngsters being in care, mental health issues, alcoholism, unwanted pregnancy and adoption.

This is not a predictable story, it's very poignant and heartwarming whilst also touching upon the very real traumas that occur for lots of youngsters when put into care. I instantly cared for the characters and there were twists and turns in the book which stopped it from being predictable and superficial.

Having read many of Debbie Johnson's books I feel that this was a grittier story than the other books that I have read/listened to by her (that I also loved) I highly recommend to others that they give it a listen too!

en tiny fingers, ten tiny toes”.
Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Muse and especially Louise Williams for sending me the ARL copy of this book. From the very first minute, I was all in. 16 year old Gemma giving birth to a baby girl, and because of her home/ family situation, decides to give up “Baby” for adoption. Years pass and Gemma is now a history teacher suffering from anxiety and a need for counting, well almost everything. Due to an unstable and emotionally traumatic childhood, history and numbers give her a sense of security and stability. She finds herself now at what will be the 18th birthday of Baby and wondering if this will finally be the year they are reunited.
This book was so special for many reasons. I appreciate the way anxiety is portrayed. I also suffer from anxiety and the fear of unknown can be too much at times. Having stability is important. Gemma finally allows herself to feel and be loved from the found family she makes. Such a great story of self healing. I loved this so much! Narration, story, characters, all of it!

I really loved this story. Gemma is a hot mess, but a character you can definitely relate to. She hasn’t had a very life and at the ripe age of 16 has to make a huge life altering decision. Gemma gave her daughter up for adoption, to give her a better life that at 16 she cannot provide. The decision she makes sets the stage for the rest of story. Watching Gemma navigate life, wondering if her new student could possibly be her daughter that she gave up for adoption. You watch Gemma, who is used to running and starting over when life gets hard try to be the kind of person that builds a life instead of starting over. This was a good read!

This was not what I was expecting, but I really enjoyed it anyway. It was slow to get into, the whole maternity bit wasn't for me, but once I got through that I really enjoyed the story. it's a bit quirky, which I like. The narrator was wonderful, a perfect voice for the story. Also, I've found a new author to read! That is the real bonus here!

Thank you Netgalley for the early listen!

Gemma Jones, high school history teacher, looks like she has it all together on the surface, but things a little jumbled up. She grew up in foster care (her mother was a drug addict), she compulsively moves positions every 1-2 years, and the biggie, she became pregnant at sixteen with no support system and gave up the baby to adoption. Every single, solitary decision is clouded by this. Gemma can't stop picturing and wondering what happened to her daughter. She caries so much shame.

The constant moving has made it impossible to grow roots, but she stays in Liverpool for a couple of years. Gemma starts to build community. But, this is the year baby girl turns 18 and she may find the identity of girl. Will she open up about her past and let her new friends in?

This one was excellent on audio as a single POV, first person tale. Hearing Gemma being so difficult on herself for the full first third of the book was hard! It was fantastic seeing her growth and I was on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next!

Thank you Harper Muse and Netgalley for the audio arc! Statistically speaking is out now. Grab the tissues.

First off, I really enjoyed the narrator’s voice. So many books can be ruined with the wrong narrator, but the cadence of her voice was just lovely.

I really enjoyed the story as well. I don’t want to give any spoilers, but golly there were lots of tears. There was laughter as well, but this was an emotional journey for me. I am not directly affected by adoption, but the story is told so well that I could feel the emotions of the MC. Thank you for opening my heart to something that I couldn’t have imagined previously.

Debbie Johnson is a new author to me, and I was excited to discover she has so many other books to explore! Statistically Speaking was heartwarming yet a bittersweet story that drew me in right away. I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook, narrated by Louise Williams, who did an excellent job.

Publication Date- December 3, 2024
#StatisticallySpeaking #NetGalley

I loved this book! It was such a heartwarming read and really explored the foster care system, adoption, and OCD. Highly recommend to everyone! And the narrator did an amazing job!

--I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.--

Absolutely loved this story of redemptive love, found families, and second chances. The atypical neurodivervent protagonist was a delight, especially considering we share a profession, as teachers. Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.

I’m a sucker for a good adoption story and found family! This was a great palette cleanser and written very well. I was hooked from the beginning and the pace was well done throughout. The narrator was also great. My only issue was that I was surprised the main character ended up becoming a history teacher. Seemed like she would have been a math teacher or in STEM in some way. Also the history club was a stretch…

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

A heartwarming read that suckered me in from the very beginning. The letter that Gemma writes to her baby that is to be adopted out was just beautiful. That set the tone for the rest of the story.

It ticks all the boxes for a fab read.
✅adorable but sexy love interest ✅mother-figure wise neighbour
✅new found bestie
✅emotional back story
✅mystery of who is her daughter
✅quirky counting habit
They all tie together to bring a beautiful story full of angst, love, laughter, sadness, anxiety, friends and family. The adoption side of things was handled brilliantly and I hope all adopted children get a letter like Gemma wrote. I'm sure it would help the process of understanding.

I listened to this on audio and Louise Williams did a wonderful job. I love her accent.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperMuse for the ARC. This review is absolutely my honest opinion.

This was a bit predictable.



Review copy provided by publisher.

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"D he was called, David or Daniel or Dumbeldor. Who knows?" This book had its moments for me. While it was very well written, the story being an interesting look into the eye of someone who gave their child up for adoption for all the right reasons and managed to make a life for themself while never forgetting their child, the book did have parts where it started to feel like it was dragging on and on a bit and then some funny phase the the quote for the beginning of this review would be said and since it made me laugh, I was pulled back in. Overall a good, albeit as mentioned, occasionally slower, story I would still recommend this one for a good sit down, calmer read.

The found family! The friendships! The romance!
This book was everything!

The story follows Gemma, a high-school teacher who had given a child up for adoption 18 years prior. And this was the year she could potentially finally get in contact with said child.

I listened to the final chapters of this book in public and I was fighting for my life to not cry...

I loved the characters in this book and the plot was enjoyable!


Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an audio-arc in an exchange for an honest review.

I just finished listening to Statistically Speaking by Debbie Johnson, and I have to say, it was such a fun and heartwarming audiobook! The story had the perfect balance of wit, romance, and a touch of real-world relatability. The main character’s obsession with numbers and probabilities was such a unique angle—who knew math could weave into a love story so well?

The narrator really brought the characters to life, making the humor and emotional moments hit even harder. I found myself laughing out loud one minute and tearing up the next. Plus, the pacing was just right—never dragging, but also giving me time to soak in the moments that mattered.

If you love smart rom-coms with quirky characters and a bit of an emotional punch, this one’s worth a listen. Highly recommend for fans of uplifting love stories with a twist!

Thank you to Harper for the ARC!

As far as the audiobook production, I thought that was very well done!

When it comes to the characters, I struggled to connect with the main character Gemma and while I thought the plot overall was interesting enough, I really had to push myself to want to continue to pick it up and read it. I will say that the beginning was very well done and hooked me instantly with her story!

While I don't think it was for, I do think this will resonate with a lot of people. I hope it's a big success!

Gemma has mad a lot with her life. But one thing she's always wondered about is the Baby girl she gave up fir adoption when she was 16. She knew with herself in and out of the system she wanted to give her baby the best life she could possibly give her. But it doesn't mean she has spent her life moving from place to place and thinking about what her daughter would be like. Now she's about to turn 18 and Gemma wonders if its possible to ever meet her or wonders if she knew about her. As she navigates this year and the life choices she has to make. Will she finally settle down in one place and give the people around her her whole self? Will she ever know what became of Baby.

This had a lot of ups and downs and going through it with Gemma was hopefully and sad.

Thank you NetGalley for this Audio Arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was lucky enough to receive an audiobook and earc from the publisher in exchange for my review.

This was a beautiful story that will make you cherish the small moments of life. I thought this novel was a breath of fresh air. If you enjoy Bridget Jones, I would definitely recommend this book. I also thought that the narrator did an amazing job and I really enjoyed her voice

I really enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it. But maybe have some tissues nearby?!

Gemma is a great main character and I enjoyed this quirky audiobook. The adoption elements were particularly heartwarming.

Statistically Speaking had an interesting premise, and an intriguing beginning, but my interest soon plateaued. I felt like too much attention was paid to the wrong things. There was a lot of hemming and hawing about Gemma's adoption/Baby, and the repetitiveness grew tiresome. Although there is some storyline development with Margie and Karim, I felt there was a missed opportunity to delve more into those relationships and Gemma's own personal development, than continuing to let the adoption define her.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.