A very funny and fraught ‘enemies-to-will-they-won’t-they’ romance between family friends Jamila and Billy.
Jamila Dakhoul wants to escape her life. Forget everything. Forget that her only friends are strangers on the internet. Forget that she’s stuck in a caravan after a fire destroyed her family’s house. Forget that Year 12 is a brutal hellhole where bullying is an Olympic sport. Forget Billy Radcliffe once and for all.
But as Jamila tries to untangle the messy threads of her life on a weekend away with her family, it becomes clear that she can’t outrun her past, no matter how hard she tries …
A coming-of-age story about falling apart, starting over, and the people and places you can’t live without from the award-winning author of Remind Me How This Ends, Can’t Say It Went to Plan and The Intern.
Recommended for ages 14+.
Buy a copy of The Unexpected Mess of It All here.
Read some great reviews from our Preview readers here:
YA novel The Unexpected Mess of it All introduces us to Jamila (affectionately known as Jam by family and friends). Jam faces many challenges and changes and on a weekend away to their family’s favourite holiday spot – Hamill Bay Holiday Park Jam finds that her “story” has been rewritten. She has become an even bigger and brighter version of herself. Her long-time childhood friend Billy and she weren’t on speaking terms after Jam and her family unexpectedly lost their family home in a fire. But when Billy and his family come to the Holiday Park he and Jam are temporarily on speaking terms only to realise they love each other as more than friends. Relationships are reformed and healed – it’s all in 6 days that changes everything in a will they won’t they romance/friends to enemies to lovers by author Queen of YA Gabrielle Tozer. Catherine, NSW, 5 Stars
When I started this book, the first couple of chapters had me worrying that it was going to be similar to so many other books in this genre. But as I persevered, the plot and characters, especially our heroine Jam, began to morph into something totally unexpected. Here we had a girl on the verge of womanhood, not scared to express her thoughts and opinions, even though she feels on the outside looking in to those around her, in a frank and honest way. Her best friend Billy is struggling as well to find his place, worried that he has to conform and move away from Jam to be accepted. Luckily, our second heroine Daphne appears to save the day with her coloured hair, new girlfriend and sense of adventure and fun, to remind everyone that being true to yourself is actually something to be admired, not hidden. As they embark on one last adventure together, Jam realizes how strong the bonds of family and friendship are, and their true meaning and importance in her life. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the transformation of these characters as they hurtle headfirst into a brave and exciting future together. Read and enjoy! Kathy, VIC, 5 Stars
I’ve never clicked so well with a book from the beginning. Jamila is an outsider at her school where she watches the rest of her classmates without being part of any Group. That is a until a long weekend away with her ex-best friend (Billy) changes it all. I’ve never connected well with a book better on a personal level than this one. While I wasn’t a loner is school, I was not part of the popular group and could sympathise with Jamila on her thoughts and feelings. I loved how the writing allows you to feel like you are the main character, and adds the humour of comparing moments to those that would happen in standard RomCom style movies etc. Another great read from Tozer. Nicole, SA, 4 Stars
A book that brings back memories of how awkward it is to be 18, at school, dealing with bullying, uncertain friendships and everyone thinking you are weird. That’s what Jamila (Jam) is dealing with. Add in an online community, her only friends, relationships are complicated. The novel is only a week’s duration. It’s funny and easy to read. It’s about teenagers on the brink of changing from school life. Good to have a laugh about this complex world. Helen, 17, QLD, 4 Stars
I really enjoyed reading Gabrielle Tozer’s The Unexpected Mess of it All. It tells the story of Jamila Dakhoul, a lonely Year 12 student who is currently living with her family in a caravan after a fire has destroyed her family home. Outwardly, Jamila seems confident as she broadcasts to her online fans, but we soon discover that she is an unsure young woman who pines for her childhood and the close friends that she seems to have drifted from. Although this novel is directed towards teenagers and young adults, as a mature woman I still connected with the characters and found myself reminded of my teenage years and the uncertainty I felt at times. I enjoyed the way the story was told over six days in Jamila’s life and was able to explore the feelings of nostalgia by having Jamila and her family return for a final holiday at their favourite family holiday destination. Tozer uses clever dialogue to reveal the complexities of the relationship between Jamila and her childhood friend Billy as they navigate their changing feelings towards each other. I recommend it to teenagers and now have my 13-year-old daughter reading it and loving it! Mary-Jo, VIC, 4 Stars
I really enjoyed ‘The Unexpected Mess of it All’. While it is a Young Adult book with 18 year olds as the main characters, I still enjoyed it and I think many teenagers and young adults also will. The characters were relatable and faced real life challenges that readers will connect with. There were laugh out loud moments and teary moments which were well written. I hadn’t read any of Gabrielle Tozer’s books before, but I will look them up now. Thank you for sending me this book to read. Melissa, VIC, 4 Stars
Feelings. This book was full of them. Although I am past this genre in age, my four children aren’t and it was nice to get a glimpse into the world of teenagers in this day and age. Jamila feels the weight of growing up when their home burns down and she grows up quickly, which is evident in how she handles her peers. Impatient but lonely. A great read for all ages and I surprisingly really enjoyed it. Carolyn, NSW, 4 Stars
Definitely a lovely book to read and lose yourself in. I loved the characters and their relationships with each other. It’s about that awkward time of not knowing where to from here and how much has and will change after Year 12. Two best friends Jamila and Billy who have know each other since birth have a falling out but their friendship and memories win in the end and bring them closer than ever. A devastating fire at Jamila’s family house see’s her living in a caravan in the backyard of Billy’s house and navigating living in the caravan with her brother and parents is a challenge. Every year on the long weekend Jam and her family camp at Hamill Bay with Billy and his mothers. This is were the memories start flooding in and Jam and Billy rekindle their friendship and find out their deepest secrets. I enjoyed this book easy to read and get lost in. Thank you to #BRPreview and HarperCollins for giving me this opportunity to review the uncorrected copy. Renae, QLD, 4 Stars
My first read from Gabrielle Tozer and I was not disappointed. The story pivots around Year 12 student Jamila Dakhoul, living in a caravan with her parents and brother after a devastating fire completely destroys her family home and property. Jamila (Jam) hosts a blog – ‘Jam and Scream’ where she shares her life and secrets with her followers, the ‘Screamers’ which she feels are her only real friends left in the world. Living in the backyard of childhood friend Billy Radcliffe, Jam’s life takes a turn for the worse, as Billy’s popularity rise at school leaves Jam behind and wondering why, after everything she has been through, he no longer wants to know her. Jam and Billy’s family take their traditional annual family trip to the Hamill Bay Holiday Park, where over a long weekend, secrets will be told, lives will unravel and friendships will be tested. A sweet Friends to Enemies – to something more story that takes you back to high school times, where what others think, can make or break you. The book was an easy read and I would definitely recommend this one to all of the YA readers out there. Suzie, 13, WA, 3 Stars
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