Not What They Were Expecting by Neal Doran

Name: Not What They Were Expecting
Author: Neal Doran
Format: ebook
Pages: 304 pages
Release date: 23rd April 2014
Publisher: Carina UK

Teaser

Life can be complicated. And complications are the last thing you need when a baby’s on the way.

But when Rebecca and James announce their joyful news, little do they know the road to baby bliss is far from smooth. Not only has James lost his job, but he can’t find another and can’t tell his wife why. Meanwhile Rebecca’s own family has picked the worst possible time to start to fall apart, and are relying on her to try and fix it.

As secrets begin to permeate their lives Rebecca and James end up wondering are they really ready to be parents after all…

But it’s too late now – and the expectant couple are about to learn that life doesn’t always turn out quite as you expect it.


My thoughts

I kindly received Not What They Were Expecting in exchange of an honest review by the publisher via Netgalley.

That's the book which has been the longest on my Netgalley shelf. The Netgalley month was the perfect opportunity for me to finally come around to read this novel. I heard a lot of great things about this book and Neal Doran in genereal so I was very looking forward to it.

Not What They Were Expecting tells the story of Rebecca and James. They've been married happily for a while and decided to go one step further. Having a child. The journey of Rebeccas pregnancy is turning out quite different as they were expecting and is overshadowed of events they have not seen coming. James is losing his good paid job, Rebeccas father gets arrested in a public toilet, but this is just the beginning. Rebecca and James are going through a whole range of emotions. Excitement, happiness, drama, grief, and also secrets. James is hiding something that happened in the past. When she finds out, their having a huge row just a few weeks the baby is about to due. It seems like their entire little perfect world is falling apart...

Neal Dorans Not What They Were Expecting was an entertaining read. I did giggle more than few times. I didn't know what to expect of this book either because it's the first time I've read a book by him. I actually expected a lighthearted rom-com read like the blurb promised. To be totally honest that's not what I got. I expected it to be a lot more funnier but it was quite serious at times. I'm not saying it's not a good book because it is, it just wasn't my thing exactly. The plot is a great idea, most of the characters are likeable too. I had some issuses with a few secondary character like Receccas farther. He was very absurd to me and I didn't get him. What I enjoyed nonetheless was that the story had its twist and turns that I didn't see coming at all. That's always a good thing in a book. Unfortnately the story dragged an awful lot for me. Although I would consider giving Neal Dorans books another go, becase the the writing was good. This one had might not been exactly my thing but maybe his debut novel Dan Taylor Is Giving Up On Women? I'll keep you up to date.