

The Unexpected
- Author Ellen Wiles
- Narrator Gemma Whelan
- Publisher HarperCollins Publishers
- Publish Date 21 November 2024
- Run Time 12 hours and 6 minutes
- Format x-book®
- Genre Contemporary lifestyle fiction, Family life fiction, Fiction: narrative themes, FXT, Modern and contemporary fiction, Narrative theme: Love and relationships, Narrative theme: Social issues.
Click to open directly in the xigxag app.
Flexible Pricing & Rewards For Listening
At xigxag, the more you read, the less you pay* on select audiobook and x-book® titles, as in the table below. Pricing updates automatically in the app and resets one year after your first purchase. And you can always find a selection of brilliant titles available for only {book.integrated.discount}.
*Only the full price titles you buy count toward your personal pricing tier. Full price titles don’t include Listen for Less or other books bought with a voucher or discount code.
Titles Purchased
- 1-5
- 6-10
- 11-15
- 16-20
- Over 20
Price p/Title
- $13.95
- $12.95
- $11.95
- $10.95
- $9.95
Listen to a sample
What to expect
‘A novel that comes with a whole different way of thinking – it takes in a rich wide queer world of angelfish and allomothers, and it's a story of real love between friends' Daisy Hildyard, author of Emergency
'A heartwarming depiction of female friendship as a bond stronger than any other' The Times
'Loved this clever and funny novel’ Anna Mazzola
'Wonderful… all sorts of common assumptions about motherhood and family are turned on their head. It’s brilliant on friendship, identity, longing and resilience' Daily Mail
'An excellent book club choice! If anyone is looking for a very unique novel that explores motherhood, female friendships and raising a child from a different perspective, this is your book!' Tea Leaves & Reads Book Club
‘A thought-provoking and unputdownable story about the interconnectedness of female friendship, love, romance and family’ My Weekly
*********************************************************************************
Kessie and Robin have been best friends since they were small. Now they’ve reached their mid-thirties, and biological clocks are ticking loudly. But Kessie is single, Robin’s partner is ambivalent about trying for a baby, and single parenting sounds almost impossible.
When one of them gets pregnant, the other finds herself helping out to an extent that neither had expected. How far is a supportive friend supposed to go? What do you do when you feel like a mother to a child who isn’t yours? Are there alternative ways to conceive of a family?
*********************************************************************************
A funny, addictive and poignant novel about what happens when the lines between friendship, romance, and family begin to blur. For fans of Meg Mason and Dolly Alderton.
'Funny and heartwarming' Closer
‘Wiles writes with humour, tenderness and wisdom' Marianne Levy
'An intelligent, thought-provoking, tender and very real exploration of friendship, pregnancy and the changing face of modern parenting' Susannah Wise
'I didn't want this novel to end…offers a brutally honest portrait of motherhood in its joys and despairs. Radiant' Donna Freitas
'This novel reminds us that chosen families are as complicated, messy and thick with love as biological ones' Rowan Hisayo Buchanan
'Original, thoughtful, stimulating and highly readable' Vesna Goldsworthy
Readers love Ellen Wiles
'Absorbed from page one' Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'A fantastic read. I was completely gripped throughout' Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Communicates a difficult topic with incredible insight and poetic language. I became completely absorbed by the characters' Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Loved the characters and the way the story was told through them' Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Critics Review
'A novel that comes with a whole different way of thinking - it takes in a rich wide queer world of angelfish and allomothers, and it's a story of real love between friends' Daisy Hildyard, author of Emergency
'Loved this clever and funny novel' Anna Mazzola
'A heartwarming depiction of female friendship as a bond stronger than any other' The Times
'Wonderful... all sorts of common assumptions about motherhood and family are turned on their head. It's brilliant on friendship, identity, longing and resilience' Daily Mail
'An excellent book club choice! ... explores motherhood, female friendships and raising a child from a different perspective, this is your book!' Tea Leaves & Reads Book Club
'A thought-provoking and unputdownable story' My Weekly
'This novel reminds us that chosen families are as complicated, messy and thick with love as biological ones.' Rowan Hisayo Buchanan
'Moving and witty, smart and indelible on female friendship and chosen families' Rosie Dastgir
'Funny and heartwarming' Closer
'Wiles writes with humour, tenderness and wisdom' Marianne Levy
'Original, thoughtful, stimulating and highly readable' Vesna Goldsworthy
Praise for the author
'A book that makes you see the world differently' Jacinda Ardern, Former Prime Minister of New Zealand
'A wonderful book - brilliantly vivid and human' Maurice Wren, Chief Executive of the Refugee Council
'A fierce, big-hearted novel that celebrates the power of compassion and the resilience of the human spirit.' Joe Treasure, author of The Book of Air
'A sensitive, affecting novel' Francesca Rhydderch, author of The Rice Paper Diaries
'A deeply felt novel using a technique that literally 'gets behind the headlines' on asylum' Tim Finch, author of The House of Journalists
'A brilliant novel that gives voice to those often silenced or dispossessed' Paul Burston, author of The Black Path
'I absolutely loved it. It's beautifully written, fascinating, emotional, serious, brilliant'. Gemma Seltzer, author of Speak to Strangers
More from the same
Author
About xigxag and the x-book®
Discover the best audiobooks with xigxag, an innovative and user-friendly audiobook platform designed to simplify finding, purchasing, and enjoying your favourite books in audio format. Our flexible pricing model makes bestselling audiobooks affordable, offering the best audiobook deals without the need for a subscription. You can also give the perfect gift with our convenient audiobook gift cards and in-app audiobook gifting options.
A core differentiator of xigxag is our groundbreaking listen-and-read x-book® technology, which delivers a truly immersive digital book experience. This unique innovation seamlessly combines the audiobook, text, and images into a brilliant, integrated format, complete with exclusive audiobook features and a next-generation digital reading experience. Our growing x-book selection is easily discoverable by looking for the distinctive purple x-book® ribbon, or by simply filtering your search by ‘x-book’.
Beyond our technology, xigxag is committed to sustainability and ethical practices, ensuring a guilt-free listening experience from an exceptional digital book platform. As the only B Corp certified UK audiobook service, we stand as a leader in audiobook innovation and a compelling alternative to big tech. Our commitment extends to delivering extraordinary customer service, provided by our friendly UK support team.
Effortlessly search audiobooks, gain insights from honest audiobook reviews evaluating both the content and narration, and easily discover hidden gems. You can download or stream top audiobook titles anytime, anywhere, guaranteeing the best possible listening experience on the UK’s best independent audiobook app. Experience the future of audiobooks today.