Assessment:

Plot: Told in alternating sections by Southern mechanic Levi and successful New England writer Alice, Unexpected recounts how the lives of two twentysomethings suddenly unanchored from their dreams and expectations collide when they meet by accident in a bar. After a steamy rebound weekend together, Alice decides it’s time to move on, but soon she discovers she is pregnant and heads back to Georgia. When Levi’s ex turns up and refuses to leave, Levi and Alice are forced to make some decisions about what’s next in their lives.

Prose/Style: The prose feels inelegant and the sex scenes crude, lacking nuance. The many punctuation, spelling, and consistency errors, such as in Alice’s surname, detract from the narrative.

Originality: The story moves forward exactly as one would expect with no surprises and only a couple of minor crises. It will appeal to readers who want a novel that turns out exactly as they might have hoped.

Character Development/Execution: The protagonists have the emotional bandwidth of junior high -schoolers throughout the novel. They are consistent, but both are extremely self-centered and not particularly likable.

Date Submitted: July 19, 2021