Gabrielle Tozer, The Unexpected Mess of it All, HarperCollins, May 2024, 352 pp., RRP $19.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781460714478
The Unexpected Mess of it All is a coming-of-age story about awkward moments, tough times and those few people and places that can really make you feel alive. The novel is a humorous ‘enemies-to-will-they-won’t-they’ romance that explores emotional growth and the unpredictability of young love.
Jamila Dakhoul is desperate to escape her life. Year 12 is already painful enough without the added drama and bullying. Her only friends are strangers on the internet who follow her vlog, Jam and Scream, and to top it off, a fire destroyed her family home. Now, Jamila is stuck in a tiny caravan on the property of her ex-best friend, Billy Radcliffe, when she wants nothing more than to forget about him. Next thing she knows, her nemesis (and Billy’s ex-girlfriend) Grace shares Jamila and Billy’s private letters with the rest of the grade. A fight breaks out between the two girls and Jamila soon finds herself at the centre of high school gossip and scrutiny.
Grounded and with her phone confiscated, Jamila reluctantly spends time with Billy and their former friend Daphne at their families’ annual holiday park trip on the weekend of the biggest party of the year. Over the course of the weekend however Jamila confronts her own insecurities with the help of a few dares, an amateur talent show and an impulsive skinny dip in Grace’s lavish pool.
The Unexpected Mess of it All is a relatable novel that unpacks adolescence, friendship, and the complexities of life. Ideal for readers aged 14 and older, this is a must-read for anyone who has ever felt like an outsider or struggled to find their place in the world.
Reviewed by India Boon
Read Kay Oddone’s review here.