Well, That Was Unexpected

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As usual, Jesse Q. Sutanto’s book is filled with awkward moments and hilarious dialogues. It’s the kind that I can never look away from because I want to know what’s going on. I loved that we got to explore Indonesia in different parts. First, there was Jakarta and then Bali. There’s the element of a family involved as well. If you’ve read Jesse Q. Sutanto’s Dial A For Aunties, you know about huge, meddlesome families. Add in a wealthy family that can jet you anywhere you want with a snap of a finger. You know what wasn’t unexpected? Me falling in love with everything about this book. The characters, the romance, and the setting especially. After Sharlot Citra’s mother catches her in a compromising position, she finds herself whisked away from LA to her mother’s native Indonesia. It’ll be exactly what they both need. Or so her mother thinks. Will they like what they find? And if so, how will they ever clear the air about the truth behind their meeting in the first place? What other terrible things could go wrong?! spending time together, sharlot explores and falls in love with indonesia while slowly realizing that she's getting feelings for the boy who's very different from the online persona. and vice versa with george. both conflicted with their feeling for the person on front of them and the online personality that their parents had created.

A DELIGHTFUL, HILARIOUS, CAPTIVATING LOVE LETTER TO INDONESIA, AND COMING OF AGE IN A LARGE MEDDLESOME FAMILY, AND THE THRILL OF FINDING YOUR PERSON WHERE YOU LEAST EXPECT IT!" – ALI HAZELWOOD, NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE LOVE HYPOTHESIS I enjoyed the foodie talk too (the coffee as well!), I enjoyed the setting of the book (Indonesian and Bali) and I liked the characters most of the time :) An] uproarious rom-com…Sutanto explores the richness of Indonesian culture and history through alternating first-person perspectives, alarge and vibrant Chinese Indonesian cast, well-timed comedy, and soap opera–worthy drama in this summery read.” —PWTo ensure that their children find the right kind of romantic partner, Sharlot's mother and George's father do what any "good" parent would do: they strike up a conversation online, pretending to be their children.

Well, That was Unexpected is a delightful, hilarious, captivating love letter to Indonesia, and coming of age in a large meddlesome family, and the thrill of finding your person where you least expect it!” — Ali Hazelwood, New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis Well, That Was Unexpected by Jesse Q. Sutanto is a funny, heartwarming tale of family and love. I enjoyed this multicultural story, with charming side characters and a beautiful love story. And, one my fave parts of the story: INDONESIA. So: Sharlot grew up in the US, and she doesn't know much about her mother's culture. On top of that she's half white, half Asian: she feels at home nowhere, and often struggles to fit into her loving (but filterless) family. Over the course of the book, her relationship with Chinese Indonesian culture deepens. It’s complicated and layered and something Sharlot is very much growing into-and we, the readers, get to be right with her. So while Sharlot learns more about the history of Indonesia, Dutch colonization, Chinese Indonesian society and customs, and many other things, so do we. We get to experience Jakarta both from Sharlot and George’s point of view, and it's fantastic and unique. Yes, I am ready to visit. Thank you to TBR and Beyond Tour for choosing me as one of the participants in the #WellThatWasUnexpected tour. I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.Whisked away to Bali, Sharlot landed herself as George’s girlfriend. Though, this whole thing is fake. George’s relatives want him to settle with a respectable, obedient girl since he’s the only boy in his generation, the lifeline of the Tanuwijaya blood. Meanwhile, Sharlot finds out that her mother was best friends with George’s Eighth Aunt and hence finds herself as a fake girlfriend to one of the richest families in Jakarta. I knew going into this that Sutanto's sense of humor meshes really well with my own. I love how realistically she writes her characters thoughts, which are always so darn on point and witty.

After reading the blurb about YA romance story between Sharlot and George Clooney with a loud laugh, I was so excited to read this book!Genres: Young Adult Fiction / Family / Multigenerational, Young Adult Fiction / People & Places / Asia, Young Adult Fiction / Romance / Romantic Comedy First of all, Sharlot as a protagonist was absolute perfection. I loved her personality, I loved her narration style, and I loved how damn ready she was to tell people her opinions. She was a total queen and she managed to own the whole situation (aka all of the plot line) so readily. I am in awe. Thus, they do what any good parent would do and they both begin cat-fishing potential love interests via social media.

I open my eyes again and find that George has taken us off the main road and we’re now on a small road that goes alongside the cliffs overlooking a pristine beach. Wow. This time, my entire body relaxes. It’s impossible not to when I’m presented with this incredible view - the fine sand so yellow it looks like something a child might have drawn, the water a deep sapphire, all the robust tropical jungle around us. So different from the beaches of California. So much more untamed and magical.” That moment was everything to me. I never thought I would read a book where the main characters spoke my language and wore batik clothes. So, this book is masterful bc it has sooo many tropes layered one over the other. Because Sharlot and George end up going on vacay together to Bali and fake dating, but they also make some big assumptions on the other based on their first online interactions (which, let us remember, were basically parent-catfishing.) So there is a touch of enemies to lovers there, and ooooh, the flavor. Not to mention that George is part of a very rich Chinese Indonesian family so THE TABLOIDS are after them, and... it's a mess. The most perfect mess. Guys, I fell hard for this book. George’s dad wants George to have a nice girlfriend. Him and his teenage daughter start communicating with a girl online pretending to be George. David Almond introduces his new picture book, A Way to the Stars, a story about perseverance and finding a way to make dreams come true.Well, That Was Unexpected is the third Jesse Q. Sutanto book I’ve read, and I will continue to be a fan of her writing. Her books are the type of feel-good stories that make me smile until my face hurts. I was really excited about this book, and it delivered everything I wanted from a romcom set in Indonesia. I recommend this book with all of my heart, and I cannot wait to read what she writes next. Two parents decide to play a cat fishing game to match their children via dating app. Both Sharlot and George find each other boring, traditional after reading each other’s comments on the dating app. They have no idea written sections are filled by their parents. Guys… the online convos in which George’s dad pretends to be George and Sharlot’s mom pretends to be Sharlot are the best mix of How Do You Do Fellow Kids I WAS ROLLING ON THE FLOOR LAUGHING). both they're parents then decide to play matchmaker for their children. (not knowing the other parent was on the other end and not either sharlot or george☠️) When George and Sharlot actually start to enjoy each other’s company they both have a huge secret pending because of their parents’ meddling.