Is it a romance? Is it women’s fiction? Is it coming-of-age? Like some of the best romance (see Jane Austen), Bastone’s latest, Ready or Not, is a romance and definitely a story about the heroine’s growth. (If there was less emphasis on a lovely romance, it could be WF, but thankfully, not.) Most importantly for readers of this blog, it’s really really really good. I’m thankful to a newfound ability to stay up past my bedtime because it gave me several hours of uninterrupted reading time. The fact Bastone’s story is wittily and well-written with wonderfully nuanced characters and good pacing to the HEA kept me from snoozing.

Ready or Not‘s opening captures the reader thanks to Eve’s wry voice. Eve Hatch is at an obstetrical clinic waiting to find out if she’s pregnant, convinced she is, given the three positive home tests. From that scene onwards, we watch Eve transform physically and emotionally: is it the pregnancy? In a sense, yes, it makes her rethink and re-evaluate her life and I loved that her decision to keep the baby (though abortion is discussed as a choice, which I also appreciated) doesn’t make her world sparkle with the fairy-dust of *heart eyes* saintly motherhood. It’s damned hard and Eve often messes up with the people who love her: her best friends, Willa and Shep Balder and the baby’s father, Ethan Rise (frankly, he’s a nice guy but he messes up way worse than Eve). What Eve realizes as the pregnancy proceeds and relationships shift is how she has shortchanged herself. More importantly and significantly, because pregnancy is irrevocable, Eve realizes she’s been “stuck” in certain patterns, ones she must break to make a fulfilling life for herself and baby. For a novel whose plot is growing a baby (her name ain’t “Eve” for nothin’), it sure kept me riveted. Why? Eve’s voice and her relationships as she navigates pregnancy and figures out the future.

Once again, I’m disappointed I can’t quote from Bastone’s romance because what will capture the reader is Eve’s funny, self-deprecating voice and jaundiced-eye view of the world. But she’s also good at understanding, observing, and analyzing the world and people around her, though she’s never quite sure of herself. An intelligent heroine? Bring it on. The first hint, early in the novel/pregnancy, is when she tells her best friend Willa, who reacts somewhat selfishly. Though Willa comes back from that and is supportive and loving, we don’t know exactly what has brought these two to this point. Once we do, near the due date, things are much clearer.

This is Bastone’s strength, no one is a villain and no one is a hero (well, Shep comes pretty close because, hey, ROMANCE); characters are three-dimensional, likable in many ways and yet, realistically flawed. Eve’s brothers come across as distant and yet, they’re wonderful by the end. It’s not them, it’s how Eve sees them. As Eve matures in her understanding of where the people in her life are coming from, she also gains in self-understanding. And not in a pop-psych way. Because she’s smart, but stuck in some ways, nothing heart-stoppingly tragic, just everyday-this-would-be-better-if-it-would-change way. Like her reevaluation of her job, which has as great an HEA as the HEA.

And speaking of HEA…well, it’s marvellous and subtly twisty in the best emotional way possible. First, there is the baby’s father, Ethan Rise, a one-night-stand encounter, a nice one, warm, friendly, sexy, fulfilling, but out of character for both. Eve is no “secret baby” mama; she seeks Ethan at the bar where they met and tell him she’s pregnant within days of confirming at the clinic. He cries; Ethan cries a lot and there be good reasons, but I also found it endearing. You’d think, with romance convention and cliché the way they are, Ethan would be hero-in-the-running. I loved that Eve has the desire, but not the cause, or emotional investment. She doesn’t know him and he doesn’t know her. This is so beautifully, realistically portrayed.

No, the romance narrative lies elsewhere and its development is a thing of beauty. It’s too delicious to spoil and because it’s definitely slow-burn, each reader should experience it in all its glory. Let’s say the cover does one lovely moment in the romance, justice. Like an aw-worthy moment. The working out of Eve’s relationships, with co-workers, family, friends, as well as her own sense of who she is and who she wants to be, are handled with humour, humanity, and subtlety. I absolutely loved it. There is QUITE a realistic rendering of birth-giving, but as dénouement, it’s as perfect a twist to the baby-filled epilogue as you’ll ever read. It’s during the fact, and in the fact, and after the fact. It’s not trite, or sentimental, but heart-felt and not-quite-beautiful in the details, but beautiful in the results. If you read one romance this year, make it this one. With Miss Austen, who’d have loved Bastone’s novel, we say Ready or Not is proof “there is no charm equal to tenderness of heart,” Emma. (BTW, Bastone wrote three fantabulous category romances for Harlequin, you should read those too.)

Cara Bastone’s Ready or Not is published by Dial Press and releases today, February 13th, a perfect Valentine’s Day present to yourself. I received an e-galley from Dial Press, via Netgalley. This does not impede the, note please, AI-free expression of my opinion.

I have very complicated feelings because I do think it was a very cute book but at the same time I didn’t particularly enjoy some things. Personally I thought it was a bit lacking in the romance department, I love slowburns and this had the right bones for it to be smashing but I really felt like there was very little to grab onto for most of the book and it was like very sudden how she got to the realisation that she had feelings.
It is very much focused on the pregnancy journey, which is fine for me but maybe I would have appreciated a little bit more around the romance.

Anyone who knows me knows that I have zero interest in anything related to babies or pregnancy, but there was something about this book, about the warm cover,
the description, and the funny first page that told me, “You have to read this book.” And I’m so glad I did. It’s a beautiful story about love and all the forms it can show up in. This will be a top book of the year for me!

This was such a heartwarming read that left me feeling all sorts of fuzzy and warm inside!

The absolute highlight of this are the characters, I adored every single one of them. Eve took a bit of getting used to, I think I was a bit surprised by her behavior in the first few chapters (but in her defense she was learning to come to terms with am unexpected pregnancy so totally understandable), but I absolutely adored navigating life and the story through her eyes. And Shep. Shep was, quite literally, the perfect MMC. To have such a selfless, loving character in this story who was willing to stand by Eve’s side regardless of whether or not she returned his feelings was so incredible, It’s just, wow. I love Shep, He was just so perfect for Eve and I feel so warm and fuzzy when I think about them. The side characters were incredible too, I loved the complexity behind everyone, especially Willa and Ethan, and adored Nurse Louise (that cafe conversation between her and Eve was so heart touching). I feel like, in the media or in other stories, it’s easy to villainize certain characters in these kinds of narratives, but I loved how this story didn't do that, and Eve's realization of how everyone around her has their own sets of circumstances and reasons for reacting to her pregnancy was beautiful to read.

The story itself was beautiful, I didn’t think I’d fall in love with it as much as I had. Getting to see this reconciling of a ton of different factors in Eve’s life occur over the duration of her pregnancy was incredibly empowering and touching by the end. I appreciated the absence of petty drama and a third act breakup, I felt like Eve took everything that came her way as head on as possible and it was really amazing to see so much growth from Eve and everyone around her from the beginning to the end.

This is the kind of book I want to pick up and reread when I’m a bit older and have more life experience under my belt in hopes of taking in this story and the characters in a new perspective, and I think it’s so beautiful that this story has elicited this feeling in me! I loved this book, 5/5 stars, and I'll definitely be checking out more of Cara Bastone's work!

Thank you to Net Galley and Dial Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Eve discovers that she's pregnant. It's NOT planned. In fact, she barely knows the father (Ethan). She barely knows herself. And she barely knows her actual feelings for the man who has been one of her best friends since childhood (Shep). But the impending due date pushes things into stark relief. And it changes EVERYTHING. Who will Eve end up with? The life that she's known is gone forever, but maybe the best adventure is what's to come!

This book was BEAUTIFUL!!!!! I ADORED it. ADORED. It takes the messy sides of life and people and shows us how compassion and understanding can create something gorgeous in the midst of imperfection. I love the idea that people are be flawed but still so worthwhile. I loved the slow burn between Eve and her big beautiful cinnamon roll hero of a man. The spice was fantastically emotional. Cara Bastone is often hilarious as well. Just about every sentence was so creative and delightful. I challenge anyone to open this book to ANY page and NOT be charmed by her writing!

Trigger warnings: pregnancy, miscarriage, infertility, unplanned pregnancy, deceased parents, mourning the death of a mother

I'd like to thank @randomhouse and @netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

I wouldn’t normally pick up a romance novel centered around an unplanned pregnancy, but after seeing so many glowing reviews for Ready or Not by Cara Bastone, I decided I needed to give this one a try. To be honest, the pregnancy aspect of the story was a little difficult for me to read, and it did take up a lot more of the story than I had anticipated, but I’m still glad I read it.

First of all, while I loved the baby daddy, Shep STOLE MY HEART. He is the most cinnamon roll of all of the cinnamon rolls; the most golden of all of the golden retrievers; the swooniest of all of the swoonies. He is just everything. I highlighted SO many things he said and did, all of which completely enchanted me. And when I noted my favorite things he said or did, I wrote them IN ALL CAPS because how could I not?

I loved seeing Eve’s journey, and watching her character develop as her pregnancy progressed and she moved closer to motherhood. The way the found family aspect was tied into her journey was beautifully done. I want Willa’s story now!

I also would love an epilogue; the ending felt a little incomplete. I wanted to see a little more of Eve’s life postpartum, to see how her found family is navigating this new dynamic.

But I could not put this down- I read it in one day!

4 out of 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you NetGalley for letting me read an early copy. All opinions are my own.

Cute Read!!! The cover is gorgeous and a perfect fit for this book! If you're not a fa of surprise pregnancy trope don't read. I enjoyed how Eve was a bit all over the place and Shep was great for her. The one thing bothering me is the absence of an epilogue. It had a realistic view of a lot of things that helped everything come together.

Thank you NetGalley, Cara Bastone and Random House Publishing for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. Thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ready or Not
Author: Cara Bastone
Source: NetGalley
Pub Date: Feb. 13, 2024

Ready or Not is going to be my favorite romance book of 2024. I don’t make that bold prediction lightly, but then again, this is an extraordinary book. Ready or Not is a LOVE STORY and not JUST a romance novel. This is the first book in a long time that I feel like I KNOW these characters, and they are so well-written that it was a privilege to get an early ARC of this book. It is not so easy to write a story about a young working girl, Eve, who gets knocked up after one night with a random guy in the middle of a years-long drought. We follow the various stages of Eve’s pregnancy, including telling the “sperm donor” and finding out, he has “issues” to realizing that the love of her life was never far away. I’m not a romance writer and this review may not sound very swoony, but I assure you, this is an outstanding, well-written, witty, charming, and addictive love story. It’s a real love story with real-ish people. It will be released tomorrow, Feb. 13th, and it’s the perfect book for the month of love. BUY THIS BOOK. You can thank me later. #love #pregnancy #romance #lovestory #sweet #charming #NewYork #fate #ReadyOrNot @carabastone @netgalley @randomhouse @penguinrandomhouse #dialpress #dialpresspublishing #babyonboard #pregnant #HEA
❤️

I received a complimentary copy of this ARC. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Thank you to the publisher, Netgalley, and the author for the opportunity to read this novel. Pub. Date: February 13, 2024.
❤️

#book #books #bookAddict #BooksOfInstagram #bookstagram #bookstagramer #bookshelf #reader #booklove #bookreader reader #reviewer

Listen. I'm a Cara Bastone STAN. Whenever a new CB audiobook drops on Audible, I drop all my responsibilities, turn on my bluetooth, and hit the road for a run while soaking in the good vibes. I've listened and re-listened to her Audible Originals countless times. SO you can imagine my excitement when I found out she would be releasing a full length romance novel?? Ear drums were shattered.

Now, I'm not much of a pregnancy trope fan (not a fan at all actually), but it was Cara Bastone so I gave it a chance. And I'm glad I did! While it wasn't my favorite of hers, it was still a cute, light, heart warming read. Perfect for a Valentine's week release. I hope many more readers discover the joy of Cara Bastone's writing and the characters she brings to life!

I just finished reading this book after receiving it as part of an E- advanced copy to receive my feedback.
I will start by saying that I enjoyed the storyline. Girl is pregnant and goes through the 9 months of ups and downs. She navigates a friend who isn't there for her and the friend's brother who wants to be there for her. The characters were well developed, unique, but also relatable. I just adore Shep! The foreshadowing was perfect. It was obvious enough to draw the reader's attention but vauge enough to keep you guessing.

I did not enjoy the author's beliefs being shoved at the reader multiple times within one scene. There were a few others throughout the book but the one scene had it repeated too much.

I did rate 4 stars because If you get past the bits with an agenda it was a cute romcom.

This was my first Cara Bastone book and I am so glad that I picked it up! This book has a wonderful rom-com vibe set in New York with very relatable characters. There is a surprise pregnancy, a friend's to lovers trope, and an extremely awesome slow burn romance. Do yourself a favor and get this book!

Thanks to NetGalley and Dial Press for the digital copy of the book for my opinion.

I have to admit, I love an unplanned pregnancy trope. We like what we like! Ready or Not by Cara Bastone does the surprise pregnancy to perfection. I loved the slow burn romance between Shep and Eve. It was beautiful to see him support her in her path to motherhood, and her grow to accept herself. Ready or Not was a really sweet and surprisingly funny friends to lovers/brothers best friend romance, that I absolutely recommend to everybody!

Thank you #Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review .

Oh how I loved this book!!! I’m not going to lie, I was super hesitant going in to the book, because the unplanned pregnancy trope is definitely not one of my favs. However, I’ve loved the authors previous book ( her audible novella series is so good ! ) that I knew I’d enjoy it. And I did… it made me me laugh and cry. The perfect combination. The slow burn romance between Shep & Eve literally warmed my heart, as did Eve’s journey into motherhood.

Definitely recommend treating yourself to this one if you enjoy a good …

- Slow burn
- Best friend’s brother
- Friends to lovers
and Unplanned pregnancy done right.

Thank you @carabastone , the tagged publishers and NetGalley for my advanced e-ARC! I loved it & can’t wait to see more book published by this author .

I am a sucker for a good pregnancy romance! I was so excited to read this one to step back into those pregnancy times and I'm so happy that this book delivered (pun intended).

I wasn't crazy about Eve as a main character at first. I am not a fan of indecisive people and Eve was so wishy-washy from chapter one. Now that I've finished the book, I can see that it was all a part of her journey into motherhood and becoming this new person. It makes sense now and I like her a little more now.

I loved that Cara Bastone included so many swoon worthy rom-com classic moments in this one. Guy leans up against a door frame in a sexy casual way? Check. New haircut that transforms our leading man into a whole new man? Check. First kiss up against a wall/tree with guy leaning on his arm over top of our FMC? Check and check! I am here for it and these moments can show up in every book if I had my way.

Now, that ending was a surprise. Not in a 'I did not expect THAT to happen' sort of way, but more of a I didn't expect to lose it the way I did. I think with most pregnancy books they will hit a little harder for moms or anyone who has gone through a pregnancy journey. I got so emotional at the delivery that I was a straight up blubbering mess. It brought back all those feelings of being a new mom and meeting the little bundle that you carried and grew for nine months. It was done in such a beautiful way that it really felt like the perfect conclusion to the story.

I gave this one 4.5/5 stars (rounded to 4 stars for goodreads)

Ready or Not by @carabastone is a sweet and funny novel about impending motherhood and love! 🥰🍼

🌟🌟🌟🌟.5

This was such a sweet friends-to-lovers pregnancy romantic comedy!!! I am such a huge fan of the accidental pregnancy trope and Ready or Not was incredibly well-written.

I fell in love with both Eve and Shep from the first page! Her journey into motherhood was both very heartwarming and hilarious. His willingness from day 1 to support her and her baby (even though it is not his) made me swoon/cry multiple times!!!

The friendship between Willa and Eve was so genuine!!! Willa was also supportive and happy as well, even though she is currently struggling to have a baby of her own. This found family was honestly amazing and I adored how that dynamic was written.

Now, I wasn’t a huge fan of the baby daddy! He seemed super wishy-washy at the beginning. However, he did turn around near the last part of the book. The ending was kind of abrupt, which was a little disappointing since I wanted more from these characters!!!

All in all, Ready or Not is a tender and emotional read about the woes and joys of motherhood. Plus, how love needs a village to grow and thrive! 👶💕

Thank you to @netgalley for the opportunity to read/review this ARC! 🤩📚

#readyornot #carabastone #review #bookrecommendation #bookobsessed #instabook #booklovers #instabooks #fiction #readingtime #currentlyreading #readmorebooks #author #amreading #novel #ilovebooks #booksofig #romance #bookishlove #authorsofinstagram #readersofig #igbooks #writersofinstagram #literature #bookaesthetic #love #booklife

A surprise pregnancy leads to even more life-changing revelations in this heartfelt, slow-burn romance of found family and unexpected love.

First of all, can we take a moment of appreciation for the cover 😍

Luckily, the story lived up to its gorgeous cover as I loved it all. It's effortlessly funny with great characters, complicated relationships, and sweet moments. We follow Eve through her pregnancy including the hormonal ups and downs as she tries to figure out her path forward with the baby daddy and the feelings for her lifelong friend that are starting to bubble to the surface.

I loved her chemistry with Shep and all the small but significant ways he showed up for her. It's a heartwarming story with relatable characters and I highly recommend picking it up.

I saw so many glowing reviews of this book on instagram and let's just say it almost entirely lived up to the hype. The romance aspect is top notch. It's a lovely, wonderful ride watching Eve realize that her best friend's older brother has always been right there, being steadfast and charming and devoted. It's so obvious early on that he's head over heels, but even without the romance aspect, he's just the kind of golden retriever of a character that is so kind and funny and supportive of his friends that you want him to get everything he wants in life.

The unexpected pregnancy trope doesn't always work for me, but it was so well done here. The romance wasn't two disconnected people coming together because they're having a baby. This baby and pregnancy storyline was really more about Even realizing she's capable, that she's settled enough to be a parent, that she can do so much more than even she thinks she can and she needs to stop limiting herself. I thought that was really lovely.

My only real issue is the baby daddy. And that's not to say it wasn't well written! Maybe it was too well written and realistic, because this man's back and forth, does he want to be a dad, doesn't he, ghosting and then being around act drove me completely insane. I guess I can't say more without including spoilers, but his scenes were just difficult for me and I never truly came around on his character.

I absolutely loved this book. From the very first page it had me hooked, and I truly could not put it down. I absolutely loved Eve and her journey through pregnancy. Shep is the perfect cinnamon roll hero, and even Ethan acts as a wonderful foil.

As we watch Shep and Eve fall more in love, I was concerned that maybe we were being misled and Ethan was going to be the "endgame" for her, so I was glad with the way the story played out.

Shep is the definition of a cinnamon roll hero that needs to be protected at all costs. I think we all need a Shep in our lives.

Thank you to Random House Publishing and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A friends to supportive lovers novel built on the surprise pregnancy trope. Eve had a one night stand that led to a pregnancy that upends her life, including her relationship with her BFF Willa who is dealing with infertility and Willa's brother Shep. Eve's got a big voice and a funny one, especially when she's in the ob-gyn's office. She's an assistant at an NGO but manages to live astonishingly well in NYC. Shep's always been around but now he's the one who show up, not the bio-dad, to help her. You know what's gonna happen, don't you? Bastone does a nice job in creating characters you will root for. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

I really loved this book and highly recommend it! It put me in the Valentine’s Day spirit. I loved the main character Eve, who gets pregnant and needs to traverse it all as a single woman.
Her experiences while pregnant were realistic. (It was not surprising to learn Bastone was pregnant while writing this book.) And I loved how Eve handled the non-ideal situation she was in. The author did a fantastic job of writing the thoughts going through Eve’s mind during her interactions with the supporting characters, which gives the reader a front row seat into her growth as a person. I wish I could be as understanding and generous as Eve is to the others in her life during the experience.
Many thanks to #Netgalley and #RandomHouse for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.