This was a phenomenal book! I really enjoyed reading it and it made me change my thinking on teenage mothers. It was beautiful and tragic, a perfect juxtaposition of beauty and ugly. She did a wonderful job with this masterpiece of storytelling!

One of the most evocative novels I've read about young motherhood, and what the experience is like for so many girls, by choice or by chance, all written in stunning prose. The writing about the Florida Panhandle was particularly noteworthy and enjoyable as well.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

I enjoyed this book a lot. It's told from differing POVs. It's about the growth and struggles of a small group of pregnant teens/teen moms in a small Florida town. It's raw and gritty and deals with all the ways that young mothers are looked down on and seen as less. It's a powerful read.

hank you to netgalley and knopf for the e-arc!

this book follows teenage mothers in the florida panhandle and the issues they face. the three main characters are simone, adela, and emory; and each of their stories were captivating in their own ways. i can't help but agree with the vp and executive editor, diana tejerina miller, i will never look at teenage mothers—or the florida panhandle—the same way again.

however, the reason i'm giving this book 2 stars is because i don't think this book was for me. this book was too mature for me in this moment as a 18 year old college student. i think someone older than me would enjoy this more. i also don't have children, and i believe it would mean more to me if i understood firsthand what being a mother was like.

nonetheless, i would recommend checking this out on june 24th if you think you would enjoy it!

OMG. This book was EVERYTHING.

Leila Mottley’s pen game? Immaculate.

The story of motherhood, friendship, love and family. The discovery of ones self. I couldnt put it down. I was fully drawn into every girl’s story and growth.

5 stars, for sure.

Padua Beach, Florida is definitely not on the tourist trail as it’s a forgotten wasteland. Here is where we meet the girls who grew big – Adela, Emory and Simone. Teenage mothers who the town believes to have well and truly lost their way and they judge them accordingly. However, although they do sometimes lose their way, they are far from lost as they navigate the challenges of motherhood and the pitfalls and problems that life throws at them. Adela arrives in Padua Beach to live with her grandmother as her parents cannot handle her pregnancy, Simone, who already has twins, Luck and Lion, is pregnant again and clever Emory wants to combine motherhood with continuing her education. Each one tells their stories as they interact and Leila Mottley gives them their own unique voice.

Leila Mottley is quite the talent. She writes with meaning and feeling, it’s powerful, often raw and painful, frequently heartbreaking and it has an authentic tone throughout the storytelling. Her novels are different, they’re creative, they shine a spotlight on certain groups to challenge thinking, just as she does in her first novel, ‘Nightcrawling’. The characterisation is exemplary with the individual personalities and circumstances they’re in being easy to see. All of them are resourceful and courageous, they’re resilient because they have no other option. They obviously have many worries, especially concerning their children but they have each other. There’s a strong bond, they’re united by their pregnancies, by motherhood by hardship and the need to survive throughout all the difficulties, some of which they have with each other, but they figure it out and find their way. In the face of the obstacles, the ultimate mood is optimistic. All three are a lesson in not judging a book by its cover.

The setting of Nowheresville, Florida is inspired and well chosen. Living in this part of the USA (eg. alligators, hurricanes ) presents yet more challenges, these are yet more obstacles to overcome and it further demonstrate their mettle.

Overall, this novel is hard hitting but written with warmth and empathy towards the characters, reinforcing the idea of resisting the rush to judgement and to stereotype. It’s beautifully written and I find myself rooting for each of them because the author makes me care.

Despite the fact that Leila Mottley's second book takes place at the beach, we're reading for the Girls.

The novel opens with Simone: head Girl, the oldest with two kids whose truck is home base for the Girls. Then we are introduced to others, including one of the second narrators: Emery. Later, Adela join us. All in all, there are seven Girls. The Girls are the "bad girls" that you were warned against: the teen girls who got pregnant and kept the baby. The ones sitting behind you in PreCal. The ones who look tough but under it all, have a veneer of butter. The Girls in Padua Beach don't have much but they do have each other. Readers are here for this: a story that values Black girl friendship, that says "f* you" to bullies and meanies. I love the way Mottley shows us what community care can look like: how we can show up for each other, teach each other what we know and along the way make life better for everyone. It's one of the reasons I asked for an ARC of this book. I LOVE the premise.

And three main narrators can also be a lot. Each chapter is told from the perspective of Simone, Emery or Adela. Each Girl is likeable, resilient and vulnerable which makes for a gorgeously textured read of the complexities of girl identity. But for me, it was one too many. Two narrators would increase the tension in a way that the story really needs because at midpoint, it plateaus. Not uncommon when a conflict is resolved but unfortunately, from that point on, the book stagnates. I read the same conversations, challenges, dreams and no one seems to be growing. The scenes, too, felt like they were on repeat. I didn't feel the mid-point slump in Mottley's first, single POV book, Nightcrawling...one of the reasons I wanted to reach this one. I enjoy Mottley's writing and her bad ass but tender characters. In short, there's much to love about The Girls Who Got Big but I struggled to keep going after mid-way.

I recommend The Girls Who Got Big to readers who love stories about resilience and personal triumph. Also readers who love the all-too-rare stories about Black girl friendships will appreciate this one and of course teen moms and anyone dealing with teen moms. 

Thank you NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for an ARC of this book!

My whole childhood, the one rule that hung like a sword over my head was don't have sex. Don't risk becoming a teen mom. There is nothing worse than being a teen mom, a statistic enshrined in the mid-2000s glut of MTV and TLC reality shows, in CDC campaigns and stilted sex ed presentations in grey high school classrooms.
But what if being a teen mom was a blessing? Not one that you specifically asked for, but one that swept you up and pivoted you towards a new life where you could cut yourself free from everything you were expected to be?
This book was a revelation, and a hymn. At times it's overpowering, and I wish the volume could be turned down jus ta bit, to let it sit in my brain and my heart and truly sink in, but I don't think we can blame Mottley for screaming her love for these women as loud as a Florida rainstorm.

The Girls Who Grew Big ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Leila Mottley

I’ve spent almost 2 weeks trying to put how much this book touched my heart, and I’m beginning to fear I could be here forever and not be able to do it justice.

When I reach for books, I tend to reach for fantasy before anything else. Something about The Girls just called to me, the same way that Simone (my personal favorite character!) seemed to call to all the Girls. Mottley’s writing reminded me that fantasies are not the only books with magic—there is plenty of magic to be found in community, in womanhood and in finding yourself.

I loved how, even without names over the chapters, each character’s voice was so distinct and developed that I could flip to a random page and know exactly whose brain I was in. I loved each woman’s approach to success and family. I loved how each character was laid out, flaws and all, and even when you wanted to hate them, you couldn’t help but love them anyway. I loved how much they loved each other.

In a world where women—most particularly Black women—are the target of campaigns hell-bent on taking away their bodily autonomy, Mottley’s exploration of the different approaches to motherhood felt incredibly crucial. The girls realizing there is no Right Way to be a mother or Do Right by your family is a difficult road to walk; sure, they stumble and fall, but they walk it nonetheless. They find their path their own way, with their own voices and a new shape to old dreams. I think I’ll be carrying Simone, Adela and Emory with me always. TGWGB was a reminder that even when she’s a mother, she is still always a Girl.

The Girls Who Grew Big follows three girls in a small Florida town as they find their way as mothers in a judgmental and unforgiving community. Mottley’s characters are beautifully developed, and I felt so deeply for Simone, Adela, Emory and all of “the Girls” who found a way to support each other when no one else would. I’m going to be recommending this book to everyone!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

While this book wasn't really for me, I know there are many who would love it. The writing is very raw and real and human in a way that so many would relate to, but it's also very provocative and holds nothing back. It's a little uncomfortable at times, it's a little too honest, it's also incredibly unapologetic... and for that, I respect it. There are some triggers in this story... sexual assaults of sorts, talk of abortion, graphic descriptions of sex and birth and loss.

This story follows a group of teenage girls into young motherhood and their stories are difficult to witness, but the author's hope is to shed light on the beauty of motherhood as a whole - whether planned or unplanned, whether single or married, whether to a grown woman or a teen girl... the love and emotion of motherhood claims us all regardless. These teen moms have discovered a love that is all-consuming and that is the overarching story told in these pages.

Giving this 3 stars because even if it wasn't my favorite content, this author has a gift for writing that is so poetic and deep and that doesn't go unnoticed!

I loved Leila Mottley’s book Night Crawling. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on her next book and was pleased to see that she hadn’t lost her touch. The story is about three young women who find themselves pregnant. Kids having kids.
Simone, Adele and Emory are in impossible situations where motherhood and abandonment force them into maturity. This is a book of a family of friends and the power of community. It is also one of class and prejudice. How different would their lives have been if they have been white?
Through all the trauma they experience the story also focuses on forgiveness and friendship and maturity. Choices must be made for the sake of oneself, and that takes maturity to see.
I would like to thank NetGalley for this ARC. These opinions are my own.

This was an interesting read that delves into young motherhood and the choices and sacrifices that women have to make for motherhood.

This story follows a group of girls who are pregnant teens and their lives during their pregnancies and the events that take place afterwards. Being happy/content with the choices and the way their lives are altered by them.

This had some drama throughout which makes sense because of the ages of the characters but I could relate to many of the internal conflict because of being a mother myself.

Would recommend and look forward to reading more by this author.

Intrigued by this book, to see how women make it through their youngest trials being pregnant actually together and surviving. A beautiful story of friendship and motherhood.
Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review

What a great story! I didn’t read Leila Mottley’s first book but I’ll certainly be on the lookout for it.

In “The Girls Who Grew Big” three girls join a group that meets together and describes their unplanned pregnancies. They find strength in each other thru their shared experiences and develop a bond that transforms them from babies having babies into young capable women. Written with stunning honesty the book is brilliant. A must read once it’s released in June.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars. I just finished this book, and I’m crying, but then, what else is new? Women are so incredible- all of them, and especially mothers who love their children fiercely, and with everything they have and are. I’ll never be a mother, but it’s a job I couldn’t imagine doing as a teen. This book was beautiful, at its core a story about a pack of girls raising both themselves and their babies. Motley is a gifted writer, and her words and the way she puts them together always amaze, impress, and touch me in a way that I can’t quite put my finger on. This isn’t a happy story, but, honestly, it kind of is. Community is be so necessary and so beautiful and so vibrant and life giving, and this novel is an ode and testament to that.

Leila Mottley’s sophomore novel was an emotionally resonant and skillfully written read, and showcased a striking maturity and depth for such a young author (she's only 23!). Her prose moved with intention—sometimes spare, sometimes lush—but always felt attuned to the emotional truths of the characters. The rotating perspectives among Simone, Emory, and Adela provided a multifaceted exploration of young motherhood, community, and the quiet heroism required to survive in a world that has all but written these girls off. There was a quiet power in the way Mottley rendered their decisions—often made in isolation, always with weight—and in the bonds forged under pressure, love, and necessity. This book was a testament not only to her storytelling ability but to her empathy as a writer, that each voice felt distinct and alive. Run, don't walk, to the bookstore when this hits shelves.

This book is told from 3 pregnant teenagers point of view.
Simone is a mother of twins and pregnant again. She is the leader of the “Girls”. Emory is pregnant and dreams of graduating and going to college. Can she make it happen? Adela is sent from Indiana to live with her grandmother in Padua Beach, Florida. Her father wanted her to live there during her pregnancy and to have her baby adopted because he doesn’t want shame on his family.

This is about Hope, dreams, survival and community. The Girls form their own village and are a family.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf for the copy.

Leila Mottley CAN WRITE. I just wished I had liked this book more.

I love a slice of life book but the characters melded together a bit for me. I loved their individual stories, emotions and fierceness. I loved their how they lived their lives authentically and unapologetically. I loved these girls. I just had a really hard time telling them apart - I found I kept having to check back to see the POV a chapter was from.

I will definitely continue to pick up this author's future work.

Do you have some go-to authors? Ones where you just automatically get anything they write regardless of genre, length, subject matter, etc? This is only Leila Mottley's second novel, but I can already tell that she's going to be a writer that I keep an eye on. The Girls Who Grew Big (like Mottley's debut book, Nightcrawling) is a book that you read slowly to absorb the power of Mottley's words. Told from different perspectives, each chapter brings the strong and distinct voice of the characters (teenage moms living in rural Florida). They navigate complicated relationships (family, friends, romantic interests, unrequited loves, etc.), shifting societal expectations and judgments, and the many ways mothering and motherhood can be defined. Even though there are difficult topics raised in the book, Mottley's writing through the eyes of the characters is sophisticated and nuanced - the subject matter isn't simplified or simplistic because in reality, these issues are complex and we see human reactions to tough challenges. This is definitely a story that will stay with me. Many thanks to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor for the opportunity to read an advanced copy.