*I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
Title: The Unexpected Everything
Author: Morgan Matson
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication Date: May 3, 2016
ISBN: 9781481404549
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Andie had it all planned out. When you are a politician’s daughter who’s pretty much raised yourself, you learn everything can be planned or spun, or both. Especially your future. Important internship? Check. Amazing friends? Check. Guys? Check (as long as we’re talking no more than three weeks). But that was before the scandal. Before having to be in the same house with her dad. Before walking an insane number of dogs. That was before Clark and those few months that might change her whole life. Because here’s the thing—if everything’s planned out, you can never find the unexpected. And where’s the fun in that?
Matson’s The Unexpected Everything is a great, light read, perfect for the warm days of summer. This is a book I’d want to be reading in the sun at the beach or in the backyard enjoying a cool drink. It’s full of friendship, family, and romance that shows the struggle of being a teenager, discovering one’s first love, and learning to navigate changing familial relationships. The characters are quirky and fun. They’re silly enough in a way that makes them relatable and they’re really just out to have a fun time with their summer.
My favourite bits included a hilarious scavenger hunt where Andie’s dad (a Congressman) joins impromptu, the dorky t-shirts worn by Clark (the leading man) that make him seem incredibly adorable, a lost bet that results in Toby–a friend of Andie–only being allowed to text solely in emojis for the duration of the summer, and Andie really learning to admit her wrongdoings and accept responsibility for her mistakes. I hope these don’t spoil too much for you, but I hope they give you a glimpse into this endearing story.
My only complaint is that Andie, while wonderfully developed as a character, exhibits a characteristic of not knowing pop culture (i.e. Star Wars, Dr. Who, and John Wayne although due to her age I can forgive the last one). It was a stretch to believe that a 4.0 honours student set for the Ivy League doesn’t at least have the faintest sense of at least two of those three things. I understand it’s supposed to be a fun trait that perhaps makes her a more silly or down-to-Earth character, but for someone with this many academic goals, she’d have to be living under a rock to not know these references. My complaint is minor though! It’s not enough to take away from the story or diminish it in any way.
Overall, a lovely read to kick off my summer reading. I hope beach-goers everywhere will grab a copy of this book to read and enjoy. It’s the perfect thing to put you in the mood for summer fun!
Worn Pages and Ink 