Well, That Was Unexpected

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What to expect

“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.

Critics Review

  • 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 cornerBuzzfeed

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