Review: Not Going To Plan by Tia Fisher

 

Publisher:  Hot Key Books

Publication Date: August 2025

Source: Borrowed from library

Blurb: 

Marnie's really messed up this time - expelled and forced to change schools, the only empty seat in Marnie's new school is next to Zed, a nerd with zero tolerance for mistakes. Marnie (skilled at art and Spanish, struggles with numbers) can't wait to lose her virginity. Zed (brilliant at maths and physics, loathes languages) is a loner who can't stand being touched. They couldn't be less alike, but they both need good grades in the subjects they hate.

What starts as a trade in tuition turns into an unlikely friendship - and after Marnie has sex with a boy who lies about using a condom, she needs Zed's help to make the hardest decision of her life.

After reading Fisher's debut, Crossing The Line, last year, I knew she would become an author I would read everything she put out. 

Our main characters are going through a transition and a coming-of-age time in their lives. Marnie has just been expelled from her private school and has now been enrolled into public school. Zed has always been a loner, more intent on solving maths equations than making friends. When Marnie and Zed are thrust together, a beautiful, unlikely friendship forms. I really enjoyed reading about their friendship. They are total opposites but perfectly complete each other and build such a supportive friendship. I loved reading about Zed discovering his sexuality and from his point of view, we learn the way he interprets the world around him is very different to Marnie. 

Another character I unexpectedly loved was Marnie's mum. Although they argue, bicker and don't always see eye to eye - Marnie's mum is a real support system for her and in the end we leave the book hopeful that moving forward they will be a strong family unit. 

The main topic of this book centers around consent. When Marnie has sex with a boy, she asks him to put a condom on and he pretends he has. This results in serious consequences for Marnie including pregnancy, school rumours, bullying and deep feelings of shame for her. This topic although uncomfortable, is so important to see represented in novels, especially for teenager. Making teenagers aware of the importance of enthusiastic continuous consent and that this is not okay. I hope this book empowers readers to feel more aware of what consent is and how consenting to one act does not mean consenting to others.

Although I really enjoyed this book, I felt I did not love it as much as Crossing The Line. That being said, Tia Fisher's way of weaving a story through her poetic writing is captivating and enthralling. I will definitely be picking up any further books that they pen.