This compelling story follows three unique but connected perspectives of teenage mothers. Presenting the raw feelings of guilt, shame, love, fitting in, and everything else that comes from these very emotional times of a woman's life. This was a very unique read that was atmospheric and painted the picture of these characters. As a mother in my 30s I found it relatable to the experience of motherhood but also felt connected to the emotions you feel as a teenager. The novel offers a journey through what those struggles and choices might be for young mothers, and all mothers.

I would like to thank Knopf and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book before the release date.

Follow Simone, Emory and Adela as they navigate the hardships of teenage motherhood in a small Florida beach town. The girls who are rejected and ostracized by the ones who should support them most, learn the true meaning of love and what it means to love yourself.

A superbly wriiten novel that will capture your heart from the beginning and have you invested in the outcome of each girl’s story. This is a must read!

Sometimes, you feel this overwhelming urge to wrap someone in your arms, hold them close, and let them rest against your chest, assuring them that safety is here. Home is here. That’s the feeling I get when I think of the young mothers in The Girls Who Grew Big. Do I have different thoughts about each girl, their decisions, and family dynamics? Absolutely. But there’s also this deep, nurturing connection I feel as I journey through pages filled with bold, vulnerable, and heartfelt stories of three young women—Adela, Simone, and Emory—intertwined by motherhood, a town that’s hard to escape, and the complicated presence of boys. Set in Padua Beach, Florida, these three girls bring their truths to life.

Adela is a young woman whose one night of romance leads to pregnancy, sending her off to live with her grandmother and leaving her feeling isolated. She would rather live in a world of lies and fantasy than confront the harsh reality of her life. Over time, she grows up, but in the meantime, she narrates a false story, one where her dream of making the Olympics is overshadowed by a relationship with a deadbeat father, whose baby mama is the source of nourishment she has. Though she lacks direction, Adela finds grounding in the love and acceptance her grandmother offers as she navigates the changes in her body, failed relationships, and the uncertainty of her future. Meeting women like Simone and Emory awakens her to the power of true friendship and teaches her the sacrifices of motherhood—there’s nothing like the fierce protection a mother has for her own.

Simone is the leader of the group. Older and wiser, she too loved a boy who was supposed to be a man but instead preyed on underage girls, keeping one foot in their lives and one foot out. After being kicked out of her home and disowned by her family, she finds herself raising twins on her own. Simone is the very definition of strength—resilient, resourceful, and determined to survive. Complex and often misunderstood, she’s a remarkable mother who makes a home out of a red truck. She teaches, nurtures, and, through all her struggles, must reconcile leaving behind her childhood to build something better for herself and her children.

Emory’s journey is shaped by abandonment. Dropped at her grandparents' doorstep because her mother was battling addiction, Emory has always felt unsure of herself and her choices. Raised by racist grandparents who hid their prejudice well, she contends with their shame over her baby’s father being Black. Smart yet fragile, Emory struggles to find her purpose, grapples with her sexuality and wrestles with her feelings toward a man who’s willing to give her everything. She’s caught in a battle to plan for a future she’s uncertain of, questioning what’s next for her life.

These three women are incredibly complex, each faced with the pressure to grow up too quickly. Through their conflict, shame, and struggles, they forge a strong bond as young mothers. Whether they’re sleeping in a red truck, selling jungle juice to make ends meet, or even facing the raw reality of life’s harshest moments, The Girls Who Grew Big reveals a world of resilience and survival. Leila Mottley has crafted a novel that feels like it’s been written with the utmost care. After reading her debut Nightcrawling, I was excited for her future works, and at only twenty-three, she continues to shine a light on Black girlhood and tell stories that matter.

I’m so torn with this book. The writing was spectacular, but the content was just not my thing.

The book is about a group of young (teenage) mothers in the swamplands of Florida who have formed a bond over their motherhood. They seem to spend most of their time hanging out in the oldest mother (Simone’s) truck, drinking and dancing and partying while their kids run around.

Simone is about to turn 21. Has 5 year old twins. Lives in the kids’ father’s truck after being kicked out of her parent’s house for getting pregnant. Is now pregnant again by the same man who won’t commit to their family.

Emory is a high school senior. She lives with her grandma and grandpa after being abandoned by her mother. Emory intentionally has a baby with Simone’s brother thinking it would make her family happy, but it does the opposite. Now she is determined to graduate high school but has to bring the baby to class with her.

Adela is a high school junior. A swim star in her home state of Indiana. Gets pregnant on the same night she loses her virginity. Her mother does not believe in abortion, so her wealthy parents ship her down to Florida to her grandma with the intention of Adela giving the baby up for adoption and returning home for her senior year.

The book does a great job of expressing a Mother’s love for their children. Watching the way the Girls’ family treats them is heartbreaking.

I’m torn because there was not a single character that I liked, except maybe Jayden, who just kept getting the short end of the stick. The girls, for the most part, were so selfish… which, I suppose, is how all teenagers are. I also had a hard time with the timeline. What would seem like only days would be several weeks, and what appeared to be months would only be a couple days.

Despite my misgivings about the content, the wonderful writing definitely made it worth the read.

What an impactful read! This was a new subject area for me. I loved the way this book was set up into the different trimesters, with multiple opportunities to hear from each of the girls and how they were feeling about each part of the story. Incredible writing about such a crucial subject. Mottley found a way to talk about race, socioeconomic status, teen pregnancy, and so many other important topics and how it impacts the individual and the world. Highly recommend.

Wow! This is an amazing story about courage, love, acceptance, maturity, and community.

It’s a great book that shares the experiences of teen moms who become mothers at a young age, exploring the decisions that will impact their lives. The young teenagers question their choices, consider their next steps, and reflect on what they thought was love. Through their bravery and tough decision-making, they made me rethink my own youth and how I view future generations.

We meet the main characters, Simone, Emory, and Adela, who take us on their journeys of motherhood and the choices that bring them closer as a family. Each character goes through significant changes and personal growth. Leila never disappoints with her writing, as she masterfully captures all elements of character development and maintains a unique tone for each storyline. You will feel a deep connection to each character's life because it’s portrayed so realistically and relatably.

Devoured this book like a thick slice of chocolate cake. Savored every bite and kept eating long after it gave me a stomach ache, unwilling to stop until every last crumb was gone. A celebration of women, motherhood, and female friendship. This one will stick to your ribs.

Raw, powerful, deep, moving, wise, poetic and much more. A group of teenage girls banding together, to grow, to survive, to take care of their children and ultimately to find their paths.

This book was SO good. It was heartwarming, empowering, and tragic. Women (and girls) are incredible, and this book highlighted just that. This book introduces a few different girls from Padua Beach in Florida. They all have one thing in common.... they are teen moms and have been outcasted and rejected by society. They have found a way to create their own family and community.

I would highly recommend this book!

The Girls who Grew Big is a story of Unexpected family and the push/pull we often feel in relationships. While there were some uncomfortable moments- Mottley is a master at pushing through the hard and gritting her teeth to get to what matters. I felt like I came out of this book with scraped knees and a broken heart- for the Girls, but I also felt like I understood the Girls more intimately than I ever expected. My only beef with the book was the Orca. To say that the entire chapter confused me and could be lifted right out without a second look back is an understatement.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

4.5⭐️

First of all I can’t believe this author Leila Mottley is only 23 years old. She writes like a seasoned author.

This novel is about 3 young teen girls that are either pregnant or have had children. They all have lived different lives but ultimately come together and bond because of pregnancy and kids. They learn to live on their own with very little resources and help. It was amazing to see how the story develops and how they all matured and basically conquered whatever was thrown their way! This is a story of girlhood to womanhood!

*Spoiler mentioned in this review*

I really admired Leila’s debut novel and was thrilled to hear of the release of her second. To be honest, I debated requesting this given what I anticipated would be heavy themes and content after reading the synopsis.

I found the three POVs to be distinct and compelling and appreciated the range of experiences the author offered us. So much of Leila’s writing is beautiful and visceral. I thought the found family aspect was really beautiful and was so moved by how the Girls supported each other through the challenges of motherhood and poverty.

I have to be transparent and say I had to DNF this book at 45%. I understand the author’s aim at including really difficult subject matter, but I could not continue reading through the on-page home abortion scene. I consider myself a reader of many genres and generally comfortable with heavy content, but I could not continue to read past this portion of the story and had to put it down.

I think this book will work for a lot of people and would even make for good book club discussion, but for my own mental health I had to DNF.

Thank you to Knopf and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book to read in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This was so so so beautiful. Leila Mottley is insanely talented. I loved the writing style, which immediately captivated me. I loved all the characters with all of their flaws and strengths. The depth to the story, the characters, the themes, was EVERYTHING! The resilience of these women/girls was so beautiful to read about and I highly recommend this one.

Thank you to Knopf and NetGalley for the ARC.

‘…an astonishing new novel about the joys and entanglements of a fierce group of teenage mothers in a small town on the Florida panhandle.’

The Girls Who Grew Big was my first novel by Mottley and while much of the subject matter was difficult to read, this blew my hair back. Just wow! What an incredibly talented young author. I am an instant fan & I am so eager to see what she does next.

A group of girls who had to become young women overnight and then young mothers. Struggling to find their way, their place, their self worth, a means to survive. All intelligent and capable in their own way, can they overcome societal challenges, rejection, fear, and pain and be better, be more, excel and then some? Absolutely they can.

Such an impressive & poignant work.

Thanks to NeteGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for this arc in exchange for review.

Pub; 6.24.2025.

This was so incredibly hard to read, but also so incredibly beautiful, this is a book that, if you can handle the content, you absolutely should read, beautifully done

I really enjoyed this book. It kept me engaged and it only took a few days to read. I think this is going to be a good book club option for several clubs. I plan recommending to my book friends and I look forward to reading more by this author.

Leila Mottley has written a phenomenal story about teenage unwed mothers as they grow into young women, their hopes, dreams, and the reality of what they can accomplish with the encouragement and love they desperately need.
I became enraptured by each young woman’s story and their love for each other's well-being.
#LeilaMottley
#TheGirlsWhoGrewBig
#BoizoriBooks

I read this book in two days! I felt like I was reading a documentary (in a good way). I found myself rooting for the Girls and wanting them to find their way. This book is not any easy subject to write about but the author did so tactfully.

A powerful book about young motherhood and female friendships. There was strength in the three characters stories and in the writing. This book was emotional and I was invested from the first page.

Well done book through and through. Poignant writing style. Honest & thought provoking without romanticizing the struggles of these girls.
The subject matter, the characters, the plot - all of it just works.