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. I also enjoyed the characters, all the characters! Sharlot and George are terrific together, and they are truly meant to be, but of course, they don’t realize it for a while. And the side characters are so well developed and just a lot of fun. The way they all interfere with Sharlot and George’s life is hilarious, and I enjoyed both families so much.

The way this book delved so deep into Indonesian tradition and history and culture was an absolute blessing. I learned so much without even realizing it. 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. what i absolutely loved was the setting of the book in the country indonesia, in the cities jakarta and bali. seeing sharlot explore and learn more about the country and it's beauty definitely put it as a place i would love to visit one day! also the food descriptions? i was drooling 😭😭

Synopsis

THIS is how u do rom-coms and fake-dating, ladies and men (as if i’ve read a lot of fake datings 🤩). jesse q. sutanto SLAYS i loooove this book In this story of hope and endurance, we follow a scientist and her team during their search for the elusive 'Giant Arctic Jellyfish'. After Sharlot Citra's mother walks in on her clumsily exploring her sexuality, her mother freaks out. Things are going to change around here! 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! When George and Sharlot actually start to enjoy each other’s company they both have a huge secret pending because of their parents’ meddling.

And I’ll be honest - even if they hadn’t been Indonesian like me, I think I still would have fallen in love with this book. 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.” Sharlot and George’s story starts how all good love stories do – they’re catfished by their own parents Also, can we appreciate Eleanor’s existence? This child was chaos in the best way possible and I wish I had one of her in my life. Reading Bali through Sharlot’s eyes was a dream come true for me. Here’s a girl who’s never been to her mom’s home country and is being slowly awakened to the cultural richness of her heritage. I love it so much.George and Sharlot are both caught in embarrassing moments by their parents. Their parents have similar reactions, they both think their teenager needs better influences. Author Anna Kemp introduces The Hollow Hills, the sequel to her dark magical tale, Into Goblyn Wood. 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☠️) 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). So: word of George's furry proclivities (I swear he's being framed guys) spread, and George’s dad/sister decide to find George a non-furry girlfriend so that his (AMAZING) Eight Aunt will stop believing that he’s into bestiality (have I mentioned that this book is HILARIOUS? I was dying). At the same time, Sharlot’s mother decides that Sharlot should spend the summer in their native Indonesia so as to, you know, not lose her virginity. Since Sharlot is not exactly happy to be away from California, though, her mom decides to find a good Indonesia-based boyfriend for her daughter, so she won’t hate being there.

i found sharlot and george to be so cute throughout the story, though i most enjoyed this book near the very end when they finally knew each other's secrets and were just comfortable with each other without having the feeling of guilt that was present throughout the book. wish we got a little bit more of that :) Sharlot doesn’t know much about her Indonesian culture and doesn’t feel like she fully fits in anywhere. George is the only male heir in the famous Tanuwijayan family. He feels pressure to do things perfectly for his family and join their business. Set in beautiful Indonesia: Sharlot and George meet, discover new parts of themselves, and learn amazing lessons surrounded by the love of their meddlesome (but well-meaning) family members.Genres: Young Adult Fiction / Family / Multigenerational, Young Adult Fiction / People & Places / Asia, Young Adult Fiction / Romance / Romantic Comedy And Kiki. Must not forget the absolute icon Kiki. Seriously, if I could be any of the characters in this book I would take any and all of them gladly, but Kiki is my life’s ambition in a single person. When George Clooney Tanuwijaya's father (who is obsessed with American celebrities) fears he no longer understands how to get through to his son, he decides to take matters into his own hands. Well, That Was Unexpected is a multicultural rom com that delivers heart-warming, laugh-out-loud moments. Sharlot "Who knows why these English names are not spelled the way they sound?" is caught by her mum in a compromising situation with a boyfriend and is promptly whisked away to Indonesia, her mother's birthplace. Meanwhile, George Clooney Tanuwijaya, son of the most famous family in Indonesia, is caught having some "alone time" as his dad and younger sister walk in on him. They decide that he needs a real life, "nice" girlfriend and turn to a dating app to find him one. Sharlot and George are catfished by their own parents as Sharlot's mum sets up a fake profile for Sharlot and George's dad and sister begin messaging her. Neither parent has represented their teenager accurately, both portraying them as they would like them to be seen. So, when Sharlot and George meet for their first fake date, they aren't quite what each other was expecting! To keep up the Tanuwijaya family reputation Sharlot is whisked off to Bali where she gets swept up in a highly publicised 'romance'. As George and Sharlot are expected to spend more time together, will they fall in love for real?

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. 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. Thank you so much to Random House Children's for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review! What I didn't like: that the story's substrate was based on non-communication. I hate this trope, especially when there's a perfect opportunity right up front for two supposedly reasonable teens, left alone, to just clear the air. Instead, the story has to bang along with contrived ways to keep the non-communication going, when it wasn't necessary. I thought the story would actually have been a lot stronger if the two had been on the same team from the gitgo, instead of the manufactured "fights" built on no one having the brains to just say what was going on. In near future I plan to visit Indonesia to see those places and try their delicious food! The author’s depictions were mouth watering.This story is told via alternating perspectives from Sharlot and George. It was so fun seeing both of their sides to this unbelievable situation they found themselves in. I also liked being able to see both of their thoughts involving the evolution of their feelings towards one another. I continue to recommend Dial A for Aunties as one of the funniest books I’ve read. And I think this book flew under the radar a bit since it’s YA but it is so funny! If you liked Aunties you’ll enjoy this one too. 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.