I really enjoyed this book! Eve is a great protagonist. Events felt planned well. No, rushing through things. Shep is an absolute gem! This was my first book by Cara, but won't be my last.

When a one-night stand leaves her pregnant, Eve decides to take on motherhood on her own. She has a job that has potential for advancement, she thinks. She loves her home, and she will be ok. She meets a guy and they become friends, then reality steps in, and not all as it seems. Will she have to compromise to make things work? Thanks, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with an ARC ebook to read and review. My opinions are all my own.

I have quickly become a huge fan of this author. I found out about her from her audible originals. This book did not disappoint. A one night stand leaves Eve with a surprise pregnancy. While we have a friends to lovers romance between Eve and her best friend’s brother Shep, The growth in the relationship between Eve and the baby’s father, Ethan, was a pleasant surprise. Ethan had his own journey to go through after finding out about the baby. The relationship that grows between Shep, Eve, and Ethan was not without it’s complications but we are given a resolution that wasn’t easy to come to. Highly recommend this book and others by Cara.

This is a really cool story with some great tropes! Accidental pregnancy obviously, but then also best friends brother, kind of love triangle, kind of not. It really kept me guessing where the story was going to land re: the love interest.
I think the author depicted the emotions and experience of a single woman in a surprise pregnancy situation. Nothing was sugar coated but it still wasn’t too heavy. The humour was great! There were times I found the plot to be moving a little slow but the laughs kept me interested even during those times!
I recommend this book if you’re looking for a quick read that is light and funny!

I was gifted an ARC of this book by Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

With an unexpected pregnancy on her hands, this story follows Eva as she navigates impending motherhood, friendship dynamics and an unexpected romance. I really enjoyed Cara Bastone’s writing style— it was charismatic, easy to read and quickly sucked me into the charm and atmosphere of this NYC based story. I loved Eva as a character and found myself rooting for her from the off and wanting to see her succeed. Cara did a great job cultivating her voice and it was very easy to slip into her head. I loved her relationship with Willa and found their dynamic to be a foundational part of the novel and one that was handled with great delicacy and skill. As a friend, Shep was sweet and attentive and I enjoyed his particular brand of ‘golden retriever’ love interest. The romance didn’t feel very connected to me, chemistry wise, especially next to the more developed aspects of their friendship. I think as this was marketed as a romance I went in with very different expectations, which leads me to believe that it might find its readership easier if it was labelled as women’s fiction.

When Eve finds out she is pregnant as the result of a one night stand, she knows her life is about to change. She has to come to terms with being a single mom, figure out the role the father is going to play and see how her best friends and family will react. What follows is a story about motherhood, unexpected love and growth.

The unplanned pregnancy trope is tricky one for many readers, but I feel like Bastone knew exactly how to navigate it with great character development and an emotionally rich plot. I was also pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed the love triangle trope with the baby’s father and her best friend’s brother. I honestly had no idea who Eve would choose, and I loved the unpredictability of that. However, I felt like the book was just too long, which made me feel less invested in Eve’s journey and love story than I hoped for.

Read if you like:
-Surprise pregnancy
-Friends to lovers
-Slow burn
-Complex relationships
-Found family
-NYC setting

Thank you Dial for the ARC! Pub date. 2/13/24

Let me star by saying that pregnancy tropes aren’t my go-to, but I LOVED this one. There weren’t any cringe-moments, and I genuinely had a great time the whole way through. Maybe I was judging a book by it’s cover before, but this changed my outlook!

I usually am one to not pick up the pregnancy trope, especially because it can become quite cheesy, annoying, etc. But this book has proven me wrong. This book was a little frustrating at the beginning, especially given the stubbornness of both Ethan and the BFF Willa’s characters. But of course over time you see why they are that way. As someone who has never been pregnant, I unfortunately cannot connect deeply with the emotions the main character experiences, but I can only imagine that I will look back on this book in the future when/if I ever am pregnant. Overall, I think the true message of found family and loving others for who they are is something I found truly wonderful about this book.

This book touched my heart, broke it, then wrapped it a warm blanket to heal.

Pregnancy and all that comes with it is overwhelming. Having an unexpected pregnancy, a best friend with fertility is and feeling the guilt of having gotten pregnant so easily gutted me for Eve.

Navigating wanting to have a connection to your child’s father but wanting to have a really partner of your own is a lot. Then falling in love with your best friend during all of that, I felt so broken for Eve.

I absolutely loved this book.

Eve gets pregnant from a one night stand. Not exactly the typical beginning of a romcom! Cara Bastone has crafted a wholy unique premise that had me quite intrigued and eager to pick up this book. As a young professional in NYC, Eve is shocked to find out that a one-time hookup with local bar owner Ethan has resulted in two positive lines on a pregnancy test. She is quickly surrounded by a caring and supportive network of friends and family. Shep, her childhood friend, is eager to accompany her through this transition. While grateful for his encouragement, she is struggling with Ethan's inconsistent commitment to their child. Throughout her pregnancy, Eve begins to dream of her new life as a mother all while wondering if maybe Shep could be more than a friend.

I really loved the boldness of the plot: it was refreshing to read about a surprise pregnancy that does not result in conflict, utter poverty and despair, familial rejection. "Ready or Not" shows that being a single mom doesn't always mean forfeiting love or joy. The main issues for me were: the quality of the writing and the literal romanticization of a surprise pregnancy. I've never read anything by the author before and... I was not impressed. For reference, it's very similar to Colleen Hoover. I think this contributed to my frustration with the characters that mostly read like teenagers, not young adults. The dialogue was fairly cringy. There's also a fair amount of acknowledgement of the challenges of motherhood (paying for daycare, budgeting, work schedules, etc). but no real solutions provided. I guess we are meant to assume she "just figures it out." I think it's ok for a lighthearted book to be escapist and not dwell on the difficulties of real life, but this seemed really far fetched. Also, to be fair, this is an extremely difficult story to pull off within a post- Roe vs. Wade society where anxieties about motherhood are very high. As a love story, it's cute. But it's hard to ignore the extremely politicized backdrop of this romance even if it's barely mentioned by the author. I'm glad this book is out there and it will certainly connect with some readers even if Eve's almost cavalier attitude towards her own circumstances was too perplexing for me.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC!

This book was AMAZING - full stop! I didn't expect to love this book so much but after a certain point I couldn't put it down. Maybe it's because I just had my first baby last year and the pregnancy memories are all still so fresh, maybe it's because I love a good romcom - who knows? But I can say that this book was so well written and so lovely and I was sad to see it end.

The way that Bastone handled the conflict between the characters was so mature and not exactly what you expect. An unplanned pregnancy isn't an easy storyline in our current political climate, so I appreciate that it was handled with care and respect.

Thank you again for the ARC. Cara Bastone just acquired a new fan!

(A note: for those struggling with infertility, TTC or loss, this may be a book that isn't for you right now. Be gentle with yourself!)

Eve unexpectedly finds herself pregnant after a one-night stand and has to figure out what this means for her future. She knows pretty quickly that she wants to keep the baby, but avoids many of the realities that come with that decision. The baby's father is just as confused as she is, but luckily Eve has a great support system from childhood friend Shep, who is always there when she needs him. I loved that this book had no villains and both male leads want what's best for Eve and her child. This was a sweet, quick read and I'll be on the lookout for more by Bastone.

A totally delightful read! Unplanned pregnancy romances don’t usually work for me (too terrifying a concept), but this one really, really did. I couldn’t put it down.

I didn’t actually know the premise when I picked this up, just that I’ve enjoyed Cara Bastone’s writing in the past and that Ready or Not has a GORGEOUS cover. I’m not sure I would have gravitated towards it if I’d known the plot going in, so I’m actually really glad I judged this book by its cover.

Cara Bastone did so many of my favorite things so, so well here. Great voice, three dimensional friendships, a page turning slow burn, and an “I’ve secretly loved you for my whole life” hero. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

This was a good story. I liked how it was divided in sections based on trimester of pregnancy. Eve gets pregnant after a one night stand and her best friend's brother steps in to help. It's a realistic feeling friends to lovers story.

I’d like to start by giving a big thank you to Penguin Random House for sending me an ARC of this novel! I had never read any works by Cara Bastone, but when I saw that unplanned pregnancy was the main trope, I started reading immediately and I was delighted by this book <3 I give it 4.5 stars overall!!

I loved Cara Bastone’s ability to craft such a relatable and real FMC. Eve is so funny and a mess, and I felt like i was watching one of my friends navigate this journey because she is so 20-something year old woman coded.

Eve is such a genuine and likeable character, and I really truly did feel like I was there with her to experience every high and low during her pregnancy. She is such a refreshing main character and I really hope everyone loves her as much as I do!

The plot of this book was so fun and anxiety-inducing because….pregnancy. Bastone’s writing style and ability to create such a cohesive story and characters that just work is so effortless! All of the characters were unique in their own way and their character arc never felt forced, or clashed with the plot, and I was FLOORED by how wholesome and genuine the MMC’s were.

Shep is literally the most golden retriever male character to exist and I was continuously amazed by how GOOD he is. That man does not have a single bit of stereotypical man in him and I adored him.

I wanted to hate Ethan so much but the more I learned about his background, the more I realized he was just a man trying to figure out what was best for his child and I couldn’t find it in me to dislike him. Cara Bastone literally invented genuine men –– like I firmly believe the saying “he was written by a woman” was created for Cara Bastone’s male characters.

Who doesn’t want 2 hot men taking care of them and their baby post labor??? Eve won at life!!!

If you have lost faith in men as a 20-something year old woman in today’s dating scene, read Ready or Not to have that faith restored <3

What I liked:
- All of Eve's growth in her relationships, career, etc.)
- SHEP! He was so supportive and patient with Eve. Also his acts of service love language is so cute!
- the labor scenes where everyone came together for Eve!

TW/CW: miscarriage (side-character), parental loss (side and main character),

What a lovely surprise of a book! Eve Hatch is pretty content with her life, she thinks. Her job is okay (not the dream but close enough), she has great friends and a beautifully curated apartment. When Eve unexpectedly becomes pregnant after a one night stand she has to start reevaluating things.

This book had some unexpected depth that I appreciated. Her relationships with Willa, Shep and Ethan were all well developed and thought through. If you’re looking for a cozy, feel good, warm hug of a book this is it. Perfect for Valentine’s Day. If only life could turn out this well. 😆

Thank you Netgalley and dial press for the e-Arc in exchange for my honest review. I was instantly drawn to the super gorgeous cover and was excited to start reading it. The cover also drew Mr in as a big town Gilmore girls type book. Surprise pregnancy isn't always my favorite unless done well, and this was handles in the best way. I love a best friends older brother but for me the slow burn was just too slow and felt a tad bit Long as a result.

Ready or Not is a lot of sweet and a bit of spice romance novel with lovable characters and relatable storylines. The reader can't help but root for Eve, shocked by an unplanned pregnancy, as she navigates awkward conversations and an uncertain future. Bolstered by childhood best friends Willa and kindhearted Shep, Eve begins to come to grips with her life changing unexpectedly. Add a bewildered baby daddy and big career decisions and Eve is too overwhelmed and confused to see what's clear to those around her. Sometimes the ones who've loved you the longest, love you the best.

Life comes at you fast in Cara Bastone's "Ready or Not." After a one night stand Eve Hatch's universe is rocked when she finds out she is pregnant.

Eve works as an admin at a wildlife conservatory and is biding her time until a more influential role in conservatorship for saving the animals opens up at the company. She's very into the status-quo of how life is and isn't searching for more, when she finds herself plus-one. When she goes to the bar to tell the bartender she hooked up with, she finds out he's not just the bartender, but also the owner- yay! and also back with his ex-girlfriend- not so yay. At work she's approached to join the finance team- a step up but not in the direction she had dreamed of, and now with child Eve has all sorts of decisions to make. She leans on her bestie Willa, and Willa's brother Shep for guidance as she starts planning for this new direction of her life. Ethan - Eve's baby daddy, kinda wants to be involved, but his gf does not want him to be, more complications. Eve's hormones test her boundaries with Shep making her wonder if there is more there than friendship. Chaos all around, this book was a great vacation read and wonderful story. Enforced the thought that though things don't always go according to plan and life throws you curveballs, if you have faith in yourself it will all work out.

Thank you to @netgalley @penguinrandomhouse @carabastone #dialpress #readyornot.