I've had this author's debut novel Nightcrawling sitting on my shelf since before it was released, but still haven't read it. After reading The Girls Who Grew Big, I see exactly why Leila Mottley has received so much recognition and praise. I loved this novel. I was blown away by Mottley's writing style and immediately found myself immersed in the story and the lives of Adela, Simone, and Emory. As the characters in the book felt joy, hope, anger, sadness, or heartache it felt as though I was experiencing those emotions right along with them.

At some points throughout this book the girls behaved very much like naive, immature teenagers, but at other times I would completely forget how young they were because of how layered the story was. Throughout the book we see the emotional conflict and internal struggle of each of the girls which helped me connect with them beyond surface-level. Because this story is character-driven and focuses on the personal transformation that each of the them experience, I know this book won't resonate with everyone. For me, however, this will undoubtedly be one of my favorite books of the year. I recommend this one for those who enjoy powerful, poetic writing and narratives that explore themes of race, class, and the complexities of black girlhood.

This story hit hard, touching on strong themes just like Mottley’s first novel. I was really drawn to the premise, girls who’ve been cast aside by everyone else, but still show up for each other. The bond they built felt raw and real. Emory’s character arc stood out to me as the strength of the group. She always thought of others, even when it meant putting herself last. It broke my heart how they were all just left behind or cast aside by the people who should’ve loved them most.

Adela’s arc was messy but honest, being the outsider, the chaos, yet still embraced. Her antics were frustrating, but I appreciated her journey through her own storm. While these are only 2 of “the girls” there are additional POVs that carry this story that will break your heart to hear how these girls have to deal and approach series issues.

Simone, Adela, and Emory — the three main characters of The Girls Who Grew Big — are going to live rent-free in my mind for a long, long time.

Leila Mottley is unabashedly talent at writing gritty character studies, and this book takes us on a deep dive into teenage pregnancy in a small town in the Florida panhandle. These young mothers congregate around Simone, the oldest in the bunch, who has created a sort of community for girls pushed to the outskirts of society. It is a really poignant, direct look at some of the messiest aspects of girlhood; it is as much a story about friendship and found family as it is a story of motherhood.

Mottley is an impressive writer who easily created three distinct main characters, each with her own story that will really pull at your heartstrings. Each character has a specific way of speaking, which Mottley conveys very well through the writing. That being said, sometimes the writing feels a little overdone; at times in the dialogue, characters could become weirdly poetic in ways that felt unnatural and sort of took me out of the story. It isn’t a huge deal, but a bit of editing in those key pieces of dialogue would have helped. Especially toward the end, it felt as if some longer pieces of dialogue were simply there to help close the gaps on parts of the story while not feeling entirely authentic to the character speaking.

My only other critique is that in a couple of instances, it was unclear what motivated a character to act a certain way. I think there was groundwork for it exist, but maybe needed a little more development; I saw this mostly with Adela, whose backstory felt slightly less developed in general (still compelling, though.)

But really, this is an incredible book shining a light on aspects of society we don’t often see portrayed with so much tenderness. Mottley is well on her way to becoming one of the greats; it’s wild that she is so young and already had two stellar, emotionally gutting novels under her belt. To say I’m looking forward to whatever she does next is an absolute understatement.

My expectations for Leila Mottley's sophomore novel were high and I was not disappointed. THE GIRLS WHO GREW BIG swept me away into the lives of three young mothers and the community they built for themselves in a small Florida town. The novel was bursting with love. I love how Mottley acknowledged how others perceive teen moms and wrote against that into the truth of motherhood. These women loved each other and their children. Mottley's writes from the voices of three different mothers - Simone, a mother of four-year old twins and the mother of this group of young mothers; Emory, a new mom balancing her college goals and her newborn; and Adela, a pregnant teen sent to live with her grandmother. I loved how Mottley explores motherhood, the legacy of how we were parented, and the systems that punish these young moms. There is homelessness, identify formation, and community. I loved these girls. Highly recommend.

The Girls Who Grew Big is one of those books that sneaks up on you with its quiet power. Leila Mottley has this way of writing that feels raw and poetic all at once, and in this story, she brings us into the world of three teen moms—Simone, Emory, and Adela—trying to make something out of their lives in the Florida Panhandle.

The story is told from each of their perspectives, but there’s something magnetic about Simone—older, a bit more experienced, and providing literal shelter in the back of her pickup. The girls form this fragile but fierce bond that feels so real. What I loved most is that Mottley doesn’t try to romanticize or shame their situation. It just is—messy, complicated, and full of small hopes.

Each of them is trying to dream bigger while carrying the huge responsibility of raising kids. And layered over all of that are the challenges of race, poverty, and what it means to be seen—or ignored—by the world around them. The town of Padua felt like a character too, with its slow southern heat and undercurrent of judgment.

This is a story about girlhood, motherhood, survival, and the kind of friendship that saves you. It’s not always easy to read, but it’s honest and beautifully told. I personally connected a bit more with Nightcrawling because I knew the Oakland streets Mottley wrote about, but I’m really glad I got an early peak at this novel. We need more stories like this—ones that ask us to empathize, not criticize.

This is a 352 page poetic ode to motherhood and sisterhood! The characters are real, imperfect, and wonderful to get to know. Each one offers each other, the reader, and the world something beautiful and unique. While I do not imagine many people would actively seek out to be a single parent, these women take to the role with love and gusto, against all the odds. I am not sure how someone could read this book and not come away changed.

A beautiful novel a story of these young mothers teenage girls who form a tight strong bond.So well written the girls really come alive their feeling emotional coping skills.#NetGalley #knopf

The writing in this was captivating. It was hard to put down because the story drew me in. The emotions were raw and real. Honestly, I was surprised that the author wasn't a teenage mother herself, given the visceral prose.
This made me immediately put a hold on her other novel, Nightcrawling.

Thank you to Netgalley and Knopf for a copy. This book is out tomorrow!

I loved this book!

The Girls are a group of young moms helping each other get by in a small Florida town. Some of them live in a red pickup truck on the beach, and others just visit it every day. When privileged 16 year old Adela is sent to Florida to live with her grandmother until she has her baby, none of them could predict the impact she will have on all the Girls and vice versa.

If you aren’t comfortable with plots revolving around pregnancy, birth, motherhood, abortion, or miscarriage, this is not the book for you!

I absolutely loved the three main characters and how they approached motherhood in the face of adversity. This story has found family, strong women, resilience, love, and of course babies. Add this one to your TBR!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (I could be convinced to round up to 5 stars, honestly)

Thank you NetGalley and Knopf for the digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you to Knopf for the e-arc!❤️

After reading Leila Mottley’s debut novel, Nightcrawling, I knew I would be picking up this gem!

The Girls Who Grew Big follows a close knit group of girls who are finding their way through the journeys of motherhood, sisterhood, and self-love in the little town of Padua Beach, Florida.

The author’s writing is so profound and full bodied. This story gave me all the feels and I just wanted to be there with the Girls helping in anyway I could. I was cheering them on page after page. Seeing the Girls struggle with the meaning of love and loss and grief made my heart hurt. The Girls’ stories are so so big even though they know people look at them as if they are so small. This book definitely helped to better understand teen/young and single mothers. I have always had respect for them but that has grown 10x.

This book almost read like a documentary in my opinion being that each Girl had their own voice to speak on their upbringing, how they got to where they are, and what they yearn for. The Girls grew big in all the ways that mattered!The story is still fiction but it’s so raw and real and i absolutely loved that! Leila Mottley is definitely an auto buy author for me!

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for the eARC!
Wow! This was a raw and emotional read about the journey of 3 young mothers going through different stages of motherhood. Sent away to live with her Noni because she is pregnant, Adela meets “The Girls”- a group of teenage mothers that create their own village when they weren’t given one

I liked the characters and each of their stories- and all the ups and downs each one had.

This was my first time reading Leila Mottley and it certainly wont be my last!

Review will be posted to my bookstagram @bookofthemeg on pub day 6/24!

They say it takes a village to raise a child or children but what happens when that village abandons you? You create your own village! Simone, Emory, Adela will captivate you from the very first page as you get you get to know them and their friends. Their collective group is affectionately known as The Girls and they have an unbreakable bound. Grouped together through hardship, circumstance, necessity and support, they navigate life on their terms. I loved the enduring message of if there’s no way we’ll find a way throughout the book. You as a reader might not agree with the decisions the girls made but you will definitely understand the why behind their reason. I saw a little of myself in each of the girls and my heart ached for how hard things were for them. I loved their friendship, their strong will and despite anger they were still there for each other. There were some challenging moments to read especially as a mother but I know those moments were vital to the story. The character development was so good and touching, I’m sure I’ll still be thinking of each one of them for a long time. Thank you so much to Net Galley and Knopf for approving my request to read this ARC.

This story was phenomenal.

It follows 3 young mothers in Florida with different upbringings. Each has a different narrative to tell but they’re all interwoven. The story is beautifully told. I’m still thinking about it days later.

Mottley has done it again. When I first read Nightcrawling, I could not put the book down. Something about Mottley’s writing just grabs your attention and keeps you hooked on the story, the characters, until the end. And her characters stay with you for a while. The Girls Who Grew Big follows the story of three girls- Simone, Adela, and Emory. Simone got pregnant very young by a man who took advantage of her. Simone thought it was love, but as she grew older she learned it was not. When she gave birth to her twins, she created a community of other girls who became pregnant young and did not have support to rely on. Emory and Adela are part of this community. Throughout the novel, Mottley brings us, the readers, into the story, into these girls world. As you read, it’s hard to come out of this world. It’s heartbreaking, but also there are so many lessons to learn from this beautifully written novel. These girls held each other and loved one another so deeply because no one else would. They were judge and scrutinized by their own family because of the choices they made, but in the end, these girls chose their children and each other. I loved how Mottley gave readers a different perspective of teen pregnancy. She humanized these Girls, and let us into their world. I loved this book so much. Thank you to Netgalley and Alfred A. knopf for my advanced readers copy.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC. 4.5 stars! This author did a beautiful job telling the story of these girls. Everything was so well done I was able to see it all as I read. The growth was also beautiful to read about. I plan to check out other books from Leila Mottley as well now.

The Girls Who Grew Big is a powerful portrayal of the intricacies of teenage motherhood. Leila Mottley doesn’t shy away from the raw reality that many young women experience - in no way does this this book glamorize teenage pregnancy, but instead shows the necessity and beauty in building your own support system through sisterhood. I loved the bond these girls shared, and the way their relationships with each other ebbed and flowed throughout the novel.

The Girls Who Grew Big delivers an emotional impact made possible by Mottley’s stunning prose and storytelling! This is a story that will stick with you for a long time.

The Girls Who Grew Big by Leila Mottley is a stunning, emotionally rich novel that hums with lyricism and quiet power. Mottley writes with such care and tenderness, offering visibility and voice to girls so often overlooked—those navigating motherhood, hardship, and the aching need for something more.

The characters are flawed, fierce, and unforgettable. Each girl’s story is unique, yet they’re woven together with the kind of emotional resonance that leaves a lasting imprint. It’s heartbreaking and hopeful in equal measure—a powerful testament to resilience, sisterhood, and the will to rise.

This story reaches deep into your heart and pulls out every fear, every fragile hope, leaving you utterly moved. It’s not just a narrative—it’s a collection of lives so beautifully and painfully described that you want to reach out and hug each character, to help them through their struggles.

Each storyline is vivid and raw, making you reflect on your own fears and the complexity of human emotions. The author’s talent for portraying these struggles is truly masterful, creating characters whose pain and resilience stay with you long after the last page.

This is the kind of book that breaks you open, then quietly pieces you back together, leaving you with fresh insight and compassion. If you’re looking for a deep, emotional read that challenges your heart and mind, this is an unforgettable journey.

Leila Mottley, author of the acclaimed Nightcrawling, delivers another powerful and resonant story with The Girls Who Grew Big. This novel introduces us to Adela Woods, a pregnant sixteen-year-old exiled to a small Florida town, where she finds an unlikely sisterhood among a group of teenage mothers. Adela joins Emory, who brings her baby to school determined to graduate, and Simone, a mother of twins contemplating another pregnancy, along with their resilient circle known as "the Girls."

Dismissed by their town, these young women are, in fact, charting their own paths. Mottley beautifully captures their journey of self-discovery, navigating complex friendships, betrayals, and the profound joys and challenges of young motherhood. The Girls Who Grew Big is a heartfelt, hopeful, and ultimately explosive exploration of girlhood and the fierce bonds that empower young women to redefine their lives.

Audiobook Review🎧
4.5 ⭐️
𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲 :𝟲/24/𝟮𝟱
❤️Thank you @prhaudio @netgalley @leilamottley & @aaknopf for my ARC & ALC.

This is my second read by this author and I loved this one just as much as her book night crawling. I was so excited when I got this one early. Sometimes books with multiple POV are really hard for me but this one flowed so well. I highly recommend the audio. The narration was really great. The story is told from the POV of 3 teenage girls Simone, Adela, and Emory. It’s one of love.love of their children, themselves, and each other. The one thing they have in common is teenage pregnancy and loneliness. We all maybe know one person that dealt with teenage pregnancy but this book was a reminder of the difference in everyone’s circumstances. These girls fought for a voice. So many parts of this book made me sad because it was a constant reminder of the things we still face today. Abortion laws, racism, stereotyping, homelessness and child abuse/ sexual assault (within family) are just a few of the topics the author wove into this plot. She gave the reader a reminder that family and your village isn’t necessarily blood. I had my love and hate emotions with this one. I was pissed at these girls, their parents, the community for turning blind eyes, older man for being a predator of young girls , and a broken system of health care who is in a continuous cycle of failure. It was so much bc it was the same story we have heard all of our life. I applauded the author for this story because I’m sure it couldn’t have been an easy one to write. I encourage you to be in the right mind frame before starting this one. Every child no matter how old should always be able to come back home for help if they can’t go anywhere else.

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