NEVER SAW YOU COMING

Two teens questioning their faith find love together.

Meg was supposed to go to a summer church camp to start off her gap year but decides instead to spend time with her newfound biological family in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Her life was turned upside down after accidentally discovering that her strict, controlling Christian mom actually got pregnant with her following a one-night stand at a church youth group event and then hid the identity of her biological father, who died before learning she was pregnant, for 18 years. While visiting her paternal great-grandmother and uncle, she meets a boy called Micah who has his own issues with faith after his pastor father engaged in sexual misconduct and then went to prison for embezzling church funds. While Meg and Micah fall for each other, a sweet dog, a high-stakes rescue, and exploration of complicated family relationships complement their emotional journey. Alternating chapters showing Meg’s and Micah’s perspectives provide a close look at their views on faith and relationships with God. The characters affirm a belief in God and love of Jesus as the nuanced narrative includes their frank questioning of their religious communities’ treatment of the vulnerable and stances on modesty and purity culture, abstinence education, and homosexuality. Readers of Hahn’s More Than Maybe (2020) will remember Meg as a secondary character, but this work stands alone. Main characters are White.

A powerful coming-of-age story about growing in faith and self-awareness.