“The Unexpected Everything” was an Unexpected Surprise

This book was so stinkin’ cute. It was fluffy and sweet and, despite being over 500 pages, I was able to finish it in almost one sitting. But it wasn’t just a lighthearted summer read—the writing held a deeper sadness and understanding through the plot and characters.

Andie is the daughter of a politician and her father never seems to have time for her. Her mother died years ago, so Andie is on her own. This summer she’s stuck with her dad and her new job of dog walking.

Though romance was a center focus in this book, for once, it didn’t annoy me. Andie and Clark’s relationship felt much more mature than most relationships in YA books. They were adorable and awkward, but weren’t always perfectly happy—in fact, their first date went rather horribly. I felt like they were an honest portrayal of teen romance.

“I knew that this couldn’t last—that there were people waiting and he had things to do and this couldn’t go on forever. But in that moment it was like everything faded away and there was only me and Clark and the possibility of us.”

I loved that Clark was a writer, despite his young age. Matson showed the hard side of writers’ lives, how not everyone cheered for Clark being the bestselling author of a fantasy series. He couldn’t conquer his writer’s block and his books caused problems in his family—yet he never gave up doing what he loved.

The characters were all so wonderful. Andie had a great group of supportive friends who fought from time to time, but they always came together in the end. I loved Bri and Toby, for their silliness and fashion advice and that they truly cared for Andie.

Andie’s dad transitioned from being a rigid politician who didn’t know the first thing about being a father to learning to relax and cherish his time with his daughter. I think you could mark this a coming-of-age novel not just for Andie, but for all the characters.

If you weren’t a fan of Matson’s Since You’ve Been Gone (I wasn’t either, it was too silly for me), I’d wholeheartedly recommend you dive into this more mature, bittersweet novel.