This book felt like watching Teen Mom. A train wreck that you can’t stop watching, all the while you’re rooting for the teen moms to pull it together and overcome adversity.

A group of teen moms find solace, friendship, and community in each other in a small Florida town. Faced with the judgement and backlash of being teen moms, the girls need as much support from each other as they can get. Still young and trying to do what’s best for their futures and their children, they stumble through the most complicated times of their lives together.

One decision can derail your plans or change your life, but it doesn’t mean your life is over. This book is a love letter to those young moms who’ve been abandoned by their loved ones, their friends, their community, and yet still persevered.

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

A heartfelt ode to mothers of all ages, especially those with support in slim supply. This was a heart-rending account of teenage mothers and pregnancies through the eyes of children becoming mothers before they were able to fully become women. Carefully crafted and set tenderly in the Florida panhandle, this book needs to be shared to understand what many pregnant teens experience. Thank you to Knopf and Net Galley for this ARC.

The Girls Who Grew Big centers around three teen mothers as they, along with the rest of their group, navigate young motherhood. The three main characters Simone, Emory, and Adela have heartbreaking and moving stories, while Simone's truck and their town of Padua Beach serve almost as secondary characters in the story. This book is so beautifully written and sheds a harsh light on the way teen mothers are perceived. Race and class themes tie the whole setting together. This book will pull at your little heartstrings, make you think, and leave you a little more empathetic. Strongly!! Recommend!!

Thank you NetGalley and Knopf for the ARC!! <3 <3

What a poignant and thought provoking novel! You are immediately swept up in the lives of Simone, Emory and Adela and their teenage pregnancies. All three girls come from wildly different backgrounds and each face a set of unique challenges. This novel pays true homage to the term "American grit." I couldn't love these girls more if I tried. They were raw and tenderhearted and scrappy. One of the things I loved most was how real and honest these girls were. Their whole lives were turned upside down by these pregnancies, but yet they still managed to find a way to go on and survive. This wasn't a book that glorified teenage pregnancies and their struggles cemented how strong and resilient these girls were.

Rating: 🤗/4.25
Review: Found family book of young moms who were discarded by those who supposedly loved them but found community and meaning with each other.
Giving vibes of Where the Crawdads Live. Beautiful writing about motherhood.

Format: 👩🏻‍💻
Source: #netgalley
Published on Goodreads 6/30/2025

4+ stars-Nowheresville, Florida, on the panhandle where even the tourists don’t really visit. A group of teen mom gathers at the beach, because they are that each other has, but that is enough. Most of the time. Simone lives on the beach in a truck with her four year old twins and acts as the matriarch.

Adela is working towards the Olympics in swimming when she meets a boy who promises her everything, until he doesn’t. It’s just a detour for her parents, go have this baby in Florida while living with your grandma, give it up for adoption, and come back to your dreams her parents say. Emory is pregnant with Simone’s younger brother’s baby when she brings Adela to the group.

So begins a story of the struggles of these single moms, their complicated relationships of their families, and the dads who are around when they are and not when they are not. Leila Mottley is a writer with extreme talent! She is able to write characters that you love and hate at the same time. There is so much depth to the story and truth that is human, it’s hard, and it’s raw and absolutely hard to know sometimes…but that makes her writing different in the best way.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the pleasure of the arc.

Leila Mottley made waves when, at just 19 years old, she released her debut novel Nightcrawling. That book became a bestseller, an Oprah Book Club pick, and a critical darling. It even landed on my list of favorite reads of 2020. Not bad for a first outing. When her publisher offered me an early copy of her highly anticipated sophomore novel, The Girls Who Grew Big, I couldn’t say yes fast enough. It's another raw, sobering character study about girls forced to grow up too fast and live with the consequences of their choices.

From the start, Mottley makes clear the kind of unflinching story she’s here to tell. We meet Simone, a pregnant teenager giving birth in the back of a pickup truck. The baby’s father watches in panic as she delivers fraternal twins, right there in the thick, humid air of small-town Florida. There’s a certain brutality to the moment, but also a revelation. For the first time in her life, Simone knows what real love feels like. She isn’t sure how she’ll provide for her children, but she knows she will. She has to.

Then there’s Emory, who was at the top of her class before she got pregnant. She never stopped doing her schoolwork—not during the pregnancy, not after giving birth. Every day, she arrives at school with her newborn in tow, determined to graduate and attend college. One mistake isn’t going to ruin her life. She won’t let it. Not for her sake, and not for her child’s.

Finally, we meet Adela, a sixteen-year-old swimming phenom with Olympic dreams—until her pregnancy sends those ambitions off course. Her parents send her away from their Indiana home to live with her grandmother in Padua Beach, Florida. It’s there that Adela meets Simone, now raising four-year-old twins, and Emory, along with the rest of “the Girls”, a makeshift community of teen mothers doing their best to raise their children and hold onto their futures.

From the outside, it may seem as though these girls have lost their way. But as Mottley makes clear, they’re just beginning to find it.

With The Girls Who Grew Big, Leila Mottley proves the success of her debut novel was no fluke. This new work revisits familiar themes—lost innocence, the impact of poverty, and the paradoxes of womanhood—but it’s far from a retread. Mottley expands her storytelling by shifting perspectives among three protagonists, each of whom faces the realities of teenage motherhood in her own way. Through them, we see how different personalities respond to the same impossible weight.

At times, it can be overwhelming to read. The stories are tragic in a way that makes you pause and reflect on them. But that’s the point. These traumas aren’t uncommon. For many young women, this is real life. The systems aren’t built to support them, and the social stigmas they face are relentless.

The Girls Who Grew Big is raw, emotional, and brilliant. Mottley takes big swings and grapples with even bigger ideas. The novel may feel rough around the edges at times, but that’s part of its power. This is writing with heart. It feels lived-in, honest, and bursting with truth. I have no doubt this book will end up on my list of favorites at the end of the year.

The Girls Who Grew Big is an outstanding piece of work that made me think so much deeper than a few teenage girls who got pregnant. I was locked in from the very first page! Everyone had given up on these girls, their families, teachers, even whole towns, but they never gave up on each other. Their bond is raw, unshakable, and beautifully real. I fell in love with each of them, flaws and all. And the truck? It’s not just a truck, it’s their shield, their escape, their home. It is their safe space, holding all their secrets, their laughter, and their pain. This book is about survival, girlhood, and choosing love in a world that’s turned its back. I couldn’t stop reading. I didn’t want it to end. This is my first book by Leila Mottley, but I guarantee this will not be my last. This story felt so real and personal. This book will make you think twice before passing judgement. I enjoyed Mottley's writing. Although this is not my typical genre, I was captivated immediately. I laughed, I cried, I felt the hurt and betrayals, but most of all I gained a new perspective and found a new respect for all Emorys, Simones, and Adelas who are going through these situations everyday in real life. That's what made this book different for me.

Thank you to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and NetGalley for the advance review copy. It did not disappoint.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this e-arc!

As someone who just recently started reading fiction, I thoroughly, THOROUGHLY enjoyed this story. The Girls Who Grew Big is messy, full of love and complicated coming of age tales, and so much more. I enjoyed getting to see the journeys of each girl. Purchasing the physical as soon as I can snag a paperback.

A raw, tender, beautiful and real look at young motherhood, girlhood and just learning to love yourself…even when the odds are so against you.

I mostly really enjoyed this book but there was a sort of side plot/theme about an orca that was washed up on the beach that kept popping back up occasionally and didn’t feel like it was tied in well with the rest of the story with me and overall felt like the book would have been better without it. But otherwise loved this story of a group of teen moms who support each other as they take care of their children and navigate difficult familial and romantic relationships.

This novel about a group of teen moms in a small beach town in Florida's panhandle with stick with me for awhile. The writing is so beautiful and she creates a group of characters you cannot help but root for, even when not agreeing with their decisions. Mottley really nails pregnancy and early motherhood well. Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced digital copy. 4.25 stars.

I really loved the first half of this book. The characters are compelling, and their voices are distinct. As the book progressed, however, and the plot thickens, it became a little melodramatic for my taste. The characters wax poetic far too often, and it began to feel soapy in an “after-school-special” kind of way. As a mom, there were also a couple inaccuracies surrounding pregnancy and childbirth that irked me.

If the writing in the second half had been tightened and focused, this would have been a four star read for me.

Eye opening, raw, honest, brutal…made me think about my views on things.
Teen mothers…so much baggage they carry. So much judgment we inflict. We all need to find more empathy for others. Beautiful story.

This story was phenomenal. I truly loved learning about how these girls got into their predicaments and grew “big” enough to overcome them. The depiction of this small beach town in the Florida panhandle was so gritty and real that I could truly feel the tension the girls felt from living in a place of invisibility and strife. The way they became each other’s family despite serious trials amongst the group was incredible to witness, and I found myself crying for them several times but rooting for them always.

Since I was such a big fan of Leila Mottley’s debut, NIGHTCRAWLING, her latest, THE GIRLS WHO GREW BIG was very high on my list—definitely one of my most anticipated of the year. This synopsis made me even more excited to read it:

“𝘍𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘖𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘩’𝘴 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘊𝘭𝘶𝘣 𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘠𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘳 𝘕𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘸𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘫𝘰𝘺𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘱 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘦.”

It follows a group of young girls who jump from girlhood to motherhood and then into adulthood VERY quickly. You can’t help but feel for these girls. There’s no shortage of judging eyes, hushed whispers, nasty stares, and disapproving family members. On top of all that, they still show up for their kids and each other as they navigate this new life, along with the constant struggles that arise. This is a survival story.

READ THIS IF YOU ENJOY:

- Florida setting
- Multiple POVs
- Female friendship
- Found family storylines
- Reflections on motherhood
- Coming-of-age stories
- Small town vibes

The writing is impressive, the characters are solid, and the subject matter is heartbreaking. Mottley explores themes like race, class, identity, sexuality, and teenage pregnancy exceptionally well. I didn’t get the full on “five star feels” for this one, but it was pretty darn close. 4.5/5 stars for THE GIRLS WHO GREW BIG! It’s out now!

Leila Mottley is the author of one of my all-time favorite books; Nightcrawling. To say I was excited for this book is an understatement. While I didn't love this one as much as Nightcrawling, it was still a great read.

I don't understand how Leila Mottley writes with such depth, beauty, wisdom, and maturity as such a young author. It's truly astounding to me.

This book about teenage mothers living in a small Florida town is a slow, quiet read, but one that still packs a punch. I love that it challenges the stereotypes and judgements that people have towards teen mothers. It is a book that is likely to make people think and even had me considering my own opinions about things (to the point that I texted a friend to discuss one specific topic).

The book primarily focuses on three specific characters (Simone, Emory, and Adele). They each come from different backgrounds and situations, but all three lack support from the people they most need it from. It was really interesting to be able to be inside each of their heads and understand their motivations, reasoning, and emotions.

They are all very real and flawed characters, but they are also incredibly resilient young women who are doing their best. I could respect and appreciate each of their journeys. It's easy to be the reader and to form opinions or judgements of these characters, but it's also easy to consider things from their perspective and ask yourself what you would have done in the same situation. I cannot say I would've been as strong or resilient as any of these girls, nor can I say that I would have made different or better choices. But I can tell you that after reading this book, I can respect each of their journeys.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book and Leila Mottley will continue to be an autobuy author for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf the galley of this book in exchange for my honest review.

📚: The Girls Who Grew Big by Leila Mottley
⭐️: 4.5/5 (rounding up on #goodreads)

“I fretted over scar tissue from cuts I hadn’t caused, ‘cause what if I was the source of all the ruin in our lives?”

Simone, Adela, Emory — three of many girls in a small coastal town in the Florida panhandle who grew big. As teenage moms, their town and families think they’ve lost their way and judge them harshly and shame them. In reality, they’re finding themselves as girls, as mothers, as humans — mostly with minimal to no degree of support systems.

This book was beautiful, heartbreaking, unnerving, and made me uncomfortable at moments — all that I feel a great book should do. It has a cast of characters that are so well developed and real that I’ll be thinking of this book for a long time after putting it down. (Side note: I ended up listening to about half of this on audiobook and the listening experience is truly incredible.)

Big thanks to Knopf via @netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. The Girls Who Grew Big is out now.

TW: pregnancy loss, traumatic childbirth

Have you ever read a book that was full of hurt and disappointment but also love and friendship, and it was so beautiful you wanted to cry when you finished it? I just did. 😭

I wanted to give every single one of those girls the biggest hug and all the love. They were reckless and steadfast, vulnerable and strong, all at the same time.

If you're human and have blood pumping through your veins, go read The Girls Who Grew Big by Leila Motley. Just when I think I've read the most insightful, exquisite sentence, I turn the page and she does it again. Motley has created a story that digs in and sticks with you.

Read this if you like:
• Coming-of-age stories
• Character-driven reads
• Books about teen motherhood
• Poetic prose
• Books that make you wanna give the characters a hug

Many thanks to @aaknopf for the complimentary copy! All thoughts and opinions are provided voluntarily.

Leila Mottley’s talent is unbelievable. Her first book, Night Crawling, is one of my favorite books ever and was written while she was in high school! Now she is the ripe old age of 23 and she has written another beautiful, heartbreaking book.
The Girls Who Grew Big tells the story of 3 young mothers living in a poor Florida panhandle beach town. They all face tremendous challenges: teenage motherhood, familial rejection, men who are not worth their time or energy but they continue to survive and even thrive all while raising their children. This book is sad but also hopeful as we see the bond between The Girls growing and we witness how they support each other.
Thank you to Knopf and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book.