Book Review: The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson

The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson

Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers on May 3, 2016

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Contemporary, Romance

Pages: 376 Format: Hardcover Source: Library

4.5/5 Stars

Image and Description Credit: 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?

---

Sucked in by an outstanding cover and some amazing reviews, I had to pick up The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson. Andie Walker’s summer plans are turned upside down when her father’s political career takes a hit. Now she’s in uncharted territory with a  new job, budding romance, and her father being stuck at home. Is it a disaster in the making or a blessing in disguise?

While you’ll have to read it yourself and find out, I absolutely loved this book. Matson’s writing is charming, witty, and beautifully composed. Everything seems to jump off the page and I was immediately invested in the story. There’s so much going on but nothing gets lost in the shuffle. From dog walks to dad drama and epic quests with a published author, this book has everything I could possibly have wanted.

 The characters in The Unexpected Everything pretty much solidified my love for this story. Andie Walker is all about the rules, living life with caution. She still manages to have quite a bit of fun though with her best friends Palmer, Bri, and Toby. Clark McCallister is a cute, awkward fantasy author that becomes entangled with their lives. Add Tom and Wyatt into the mix and it’s definitely one motley crew.

I think Matson does an excellent job of weaving difficult topics into her stories. It brings so much more to the fun, adventure, and romance. From dealing with loss and a disconnected father/daughter relationship to handling pitfalls in friendships and sharing your life with someone else, the author  handles it all with such care. It makes the story so much more relatable and honest.

Overall, The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson was an excellent contemporary that made for a great start to my summer. It was a perfect mix of friendship, family, and romance with plenty of ridiculous adventures along the way. Andie, Clark, and the rest of the gang were a wonderful cast of characters and I’ll definitely be recommending this book to everyone.

So, have you read The Unexpected Everything? Do you prefer light, fluffy contemporaries or ones with more heavy subject matter? Did the cover pull you in? Let me know all your thoughts in the comments below!