Well, That Was Unexpected
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4.2 • 9 Ratings
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- £2.99
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- £2.99
Publisher Description
“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
Crazy Rich Asians meets To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before in this an outrageous, laugh-out-loud yet heartfelt YA fake dating romcom, from the winner of the Comedy Women in Print Prize
Sharlot and George’s story starts how all good love stories do – they’re catfished by their own parents
When Sharlot Citra is caught with her very hot (but very secret) boyfriend by her traditional mother, she finds herself whisked away from LA to Indonesia for a summer of ‘getting back to her roots’. Or so her mother thinks.
Across the globe, George Clooney Tanuwijaya, tested with a name that is a daily embarrassment, is tested further when his father and sister, Eleanor Roosevelt, decide to take it upon themselves to find him a respectable girlfriend. His family—one of the wealthiest, most famed in Indonesia—has a reputation to uphold.
Sharlot and George’s worlds collide when they discover that their parents have secretly been pretending to be them online. They agree to meet once, just to shut their parents up. But when the media gets wind of their date, things quickly spiral and the two families get swept up in a highly publicised stunt where everyone has a role to play. And a secret to keep.
Reviews
PRAISE FOR WELL, THAT WAS UNEXPECTED
"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
"A hilarious, heartfelt rom-com with a refreshing take on matchmaking, complete with embarrassing, yet well meaning, parents and a social media twist."–Krystal Marquis, author of The Davenports
Really rich narrative’ – The Bookseller
"Charming and immersive, this book feels like taking a trip to Indonesia. Jesse Q. Sutanto writes such vibrant characters, with gorgeous descriptions of setting, culture, and food. Don't read this on an empty stomach!"–Nicole Lesperance, author of The Depths
PRAISE FOR DIAL A FOR AUNTIES
‘A deliciously frantic comedy caper, filled with absurd situations, hilarious dialogue, wonderful family dynamics and crackling with comic energy’ Joanne Harris, CWIP Prize
‘Brilliant, wicked and dead, dead funny’ Andi Osho, Asking For A Friend
‘Has redefined what “page-turner” means with laugh-out-loud humour and delightful twists and turns at every corner’ Buzzfeed
About the author
Jesse Sutanto is an author of books for children and adults. She is the author of Dial A for Aunties, and the upcoming books The Obsession, Theo Tan and the Fox Spirit and Well That Was Unexpected.
She received her Masters from the University of Oxford. She grew up in Indonesia and Singapore and currently lives in Jakarta with her husband and two daughters.
You can find out more about Jesse on her website www.jesseqsutanto.com and follow her on Twitter @thewritinghippo and on Facebook and Instagram @JesseQSutanto
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
The farcical plot of Well, That Was Unexpected is an entertaining vehicle for a sweet holiday romance between Sharlot and George, two teenagers from vastly different worlds brought together by their catfishing parents. After a courtesy meeting to please their meddling family members blows up unexpectedly—thanks to media interest in George as the sole male heir to a wealthy Indonesian dynasty—the pair are forced to fake-date in order to ensure the smooth launch of a new app that George has been chosen to be the face of. Sharlot and George’s perceptions of each other are initially coloured by the manicured versions of themselves presented in the online communication between Sharlot’s mother (as Sharlot) and George’s father and irrepressible little sister (as George), and even a friendship seems doomed to failure. As their PR trip unfolds, so too do Sharlot and George, revealing their true selves to each other and developing an affinity weighed down by the secrets that neither know the other is keeping. Jesse Q. Sutano approaches the plot and characters with wit and humour, but it’s the gorgeously evocative descriptions of Indonesia that give the book vibrance.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Sutanto's (The Obsession) uproarious rom-com follows Sharlot Citra and George Clooney Tanuwijaya, both 17 and of Chinese Indonesian descent, as they navigate familial and cultural expectations via a fake dating scheme. Southern California native Sharlot is sent to Jakarta for the summer after her mother catches her and her secret boyfriend, Bradley, who is white, on the verge of having sex. Meanwhile, George, who lives in Jakarta, has his own troubles after his father walks in on him masturbating and an internet tab mix-up leaves his family believing he's interested in furry porn. George and Sharlot's lives intertwine when, to encourage associating with "respectable" people, George's father and Sharlot's mother set the teens up on a blind date—posing as their respective children on a social media site and effectively catfishing each other. Though Sharlot and George immediately butt heads, they agree to date to keep up appearances, but as they strip back their misconceptions and preconceived notions, the pair fall for each other. Sutanto explores the richness of Indonesian culture and history through alternating first-person perspectives, a large and vibrant Chinese Indonesian cast, well-timed comedy, and soap opera–worthy drama in this summery read. Ages 12–up.
Customer Reviews
Well that was unexpected - it’s sooo good
Amazingly written, super funny- definitely recommend
Well, that was unexpected
Soooo good
I loved this book so much