Thank you to NetGalley and The Dial Press for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
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How do you find yourself after you lose the one you loved the most?

Grieving the loss of her best friend, a young woman’s life is turned upside down when she meets a grumpy stranger who swears he can help her live again, in this heartwarming, slow-burn romance by the author of Ready or Not.

Lenny’s a bit of a mess at the moment. Ever since cancer stole away her best friend, she has been completely lost. She’s avoiding her concerned parents, the apartment she shared with her best friend, and the ever-laminated “live again” list of things she’s promised to do to survive her grief. But maybe if she acts like she has it all together, no one will notice she’s falling apart.

The only gigs she can handle right now are temporary babysitting jobs, and she just landed a great one, helping overworked, single mom Reese and her precocious daughter, Ainsley. The only catch: Ainsley’s uncle, Miles, always seems to be around, and is kind of. . . a walking version of the grumpy cat meme. Worse – he seems to be able to see right through her.

Surprisingly, Miles knows a lot about grief and he offers Lenny a proposition. He’ll help her complete everything on her “live again” list if she’ll help him connect with Ainsley and overcome his complicated relationship with Reese. Lenny doubts anything can fill the void her best friend has left behind, but between late night ferry rides, midnight ramen, and a well-placed shoulder whenever she needs it, Miles just won’t stop showing up for her. Turns out, sometimes your life has to end to find your new beginning.
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I heard all the buzz about Cara Bastone's last book Ready or Not on the socials, so when I saw Promise Me Sunshine come up on NetGalley, I was quick to request it. After reading Ready or Not, I was even more excited to read this new offering, and I was looking forward to making it my first read of 2025. No regrets at all.

As in her previous offering, this author has given us characters who are just so likeable. Lenny is so real and flawed and messy, and I just wanted to crawl into the pages of the book and give her a big hug. Miles is everything. The story manages to be both deep and meaningful while also being fun and lighthearted. The subplots are fully developed parts of a beautiful whole, and the entire thing is was just an amazing start to me reading year.

I am excited to see there is a back catalog of books from this writer, and I look forward to adding her to my list of auto-buy authors. Big thanks to social media for sending her my way!

Wow this book was amazing! 4.5 stars! One of the best romance books i have read in a while. Friends to lovers trope.

We follow Lenny who has lost her best friend to cancer and is trying to navigate her new life. She meets Miles who helps her through her grief.

This book had the perfect balance of sad and happy, funny and serious while it covered some pretty emotional topics.

The writing was great and had me hooked right from the start. The dialogue was written perfectly and the build up to the romance was even better. I don't usually highlight quotes to remember from books, but I definitely did from this one! This was my first book by this author but it definitely will not be my last.

And Miles, oh Miles. I could connect with him on so many levels. I thought he was written so beautifully. One of my favourite book boyfriends to date, hands down.

The romance between the two characters was beautiful. The banter was perfect and i found myself rooting for them early on.

The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was there were a few parts that were inconsistent with the storyline. Additionally, there was a big part of the plot that just straight up annoyed me and every time it got brought up I had to roll my eyes. I feel like the book could've been done without it, but I also see what the author was trying to add to the story by including it.

Also, the cover makes it seem like it would be summer vibes and although it is gorgeous, most of the book took place in the fall, even bordering into winter by the end.

Favourite quote:

"When everything is going dark and you can’t understand why … when the grief catches up to you again …. Just remember. Something good for you, something bad for you, and a change of scenery. That’s the winning formula.”


Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is one of my favorite books of all time. Infinity stars all the way. Cried my eyes out multiple times. So real and honest and satisfyingly, heartbreakingly perfect.

*swoon!*
Head's up for trigger warnings, as I wanted to share this book with so many friends but proceeded with caution for those who recently experienced loss.

This was such a beautifully written love story between Lenny and Miles, offering a deep dive into grief and their evolving relationship. From their initial animosity to becoming friends, best friends, and eventually lovers, they navigate Lenny’s mourning and Miles’ family dynamics with such ease. Fair warning, the story is emotionally intense and heart-wrenching at times, offering an unflinching, realistic portrayal of grief. Lenny’s struggle to rediscover life after the death of her friend is raw and poignant. At the same time, it weaves in a beautiful love story with plenty of humor and uplifting moments. The way the author balanced these two elements was incredibly impressive.
While this is quite a hearty book (400+ pages), I honestly didn't even notice because I was so wrapped up in the plot. The pacing worked perfectly, giving the characters the space they needed to grow and develop their connection instead of rushing through essential aspects of the story that made it so genuine and relatable.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group | Dial Press Trade Paperback for the opportunity to read this advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest opinions!

Beautiful and moving. Miles Honey is my new book boyfriend. An incredibly touching, slow-burn romance which celebrates love in its many forms. The love of a parent to their child, platonic friendship love, sibling love and the love of found friends and community.

Not always uplifting, plenty of dark and painful moments, but a lovely, positive message of moving on and living after a terrible loss. Both MCs have experienced tragedy and through their shared grief, they learn how to live and love and heal themselves and each other. I loved it and will recommend it to everyone!

Thank you to Net Galley and Penguin Random House / Dial Press for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

Final book of 2024! Lenny is recovering from the loss of her best friend, Lou, who passed from cancer. She meets Miles when she’s nannying for his sister/niece. This was a complex romance , friends to lovers, while navigating grief. I truly loved this book. Lenny, I hated and loved; it was clear she needed professional help versus using Miles for her “get back to life list”. I felt she was pretty selfish at times. Miles was just perfection, especially seeing him try to bond with his sister and niece.

I read Ready or Not by over the summer and rated that book 5 stars, so I was thrilled to read another book by Cara Bastone! Another 5 star read for me that I daresay I love even more from Cara Bastone. This book gave me everything I want in a contemporary romance - it was emotional, hopeful, heartwarming, romantic and laugh out-loud funny. While reading this book, I could also easily imagine this story and the dialogue as a movie. I adored Miles and Lenny, their friendship and slow burn love story, and the way they healed and grew with each other. This book was also a thoughtful look at grief without being too heavy. I was rooting for both of them individually and for their relationship and I am sad to not get to spend any more time with these two characters.

Please go and read this book if you are a fan of contemporary romance! I'm looking forward to seeing how readers react to this book when it is officially released.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House for the e-ARC and apologies for this review not doing this book justice!

This was a two-day read for me. It was beautiful but had triggering content to be aware of. The story could be seen as more romance adjacent since the romance is secondary to the FMC's introspection, grief, and healing. Lenny was a delight. I loved that Bastone gave you a glimpse into her old personality but didn't shy away from the serious impact of the loss of a loved one. Miles was so endearing. His being such a patient-giving caretaker seems like a fantasy, but his backstory made it a bit more realistic. Lenny and Miles's beautiful friendship made their love story seem like more than trauma bonding. It's a definite slow burn, but it is a delight to watch it unfold.

Read if you like:
•Slow Burn Romance
•Grumpy vs. Sunshine
•Friends to Lovers
•Complex MCs
•Found Family

🌶️🌶️🌶️ Open Door: At least one intimate scene with the reader present, euphemistic language for act and body parts.

I absolutely loved this book. LOVED. The inner dialogue of Lenny was HILARIOUS. And Miles… everyone needs a Miles. It was such a great story about growth, and recovery, and love. I will definitely be reading more of Cara Bastone!

*A sincere thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for providing the advance copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.*

I appreciated how this book discussed grief and how impossible it can feel to move on from a life altering loss. I liked how Lenny and Miles started out as acquaintances who helped each other through their ruts to really good friends to more. However, I just didn’t find myself connecting to Lenny or Miles as characters so I had a hard time caring for their story together. I will say that the book does have a lot of funny moments in between the main topic surrounding grief that I found myself laughing out loud at. I personally didn’t deeply connect to the characters, but I would recommend!

Thank you Random House for the ARC opportunity on this novel!

This was a cute novel that is very character driven. The FMC and MMC work through grief together and the FMC assists the MMC in building a relationship with his niece. There was nothing specifically about the novel that I did not enjoy however I was just not engaged enough. I think it was too low angst for me and that’s okay. I know tons of people will love this upon its release. I did enjoy this book, it just wasn’t a favorite of mine.

This book was emotional, heartwarming, and feels so realistic. I have my own “Lou”’s and can’t imagine life without them. I loved getting to follow Lenny on her healing journey. Thank you, Random House Publishing and The Dial Press, for this ARC!

Wow. This book will forever hold a special place in my heart- one of my rare 6-star reads. This book follows Lenny and picks up a few months after the death of her best friend. Lenny is not okay, but then we meet Miles. This grumpy guy is no stranger to grief and he agrees to help Lenny work through it.

Lou is described as Lenny’s soulmate. The kind of friendship that is in the very marrow of her bones. As someone who also has a friendship that strong- I can totally empathize with how that kind of loss would catapult someone out into the abyss without any sort of a lifeline. Lenny’s grief is inexorable and through her stream of consciousness I could feel the phantom weight of that grief on my own chest.

We get to be with Lenny when she is at her lowest low, and watch Miles as he brings color back into her cheeks. The slow burn of this friends to lovers romance was EVERYTHING.

Absolutely phenomenal.

Heartwarming, emotional, tender, everything I love in a Cara Bastone novel. Cara Bastone writes with so much voice and personality it reads like a conversation with a close friend. Having loved Ready or Not (which there happens to be cameos from!!) so much, I went into this book with very high expectations and it exceeded every single one. Lenny and Miles are one of those book couples that are going to live in my brain forever.

I can't remember the last time I rated a romance five stars! I enjoy Bastone's novels, but this one was so much more. It's a study of what it takes to keep living when life hits you with grief that steals your breath. Yes, it is quirky and has a lot of laughs, but the pain and sadness come across as relatable. Most important is the fact that the main character isn't magically healed because she falls in love.

The death of her best friend Lou leaves Lenny a shell of her former self. These two were the kind of friends that become inseparable and have a million inside jokes. Lenny feels untethered. She's been avoiding the apartment they shared, her parents, and her "live again" list to help her move forward. Lenny has found a new part time job as a nanny to the daughter of a single mother. She finds herself shadowed by judgey Uncle Miles. When a little time passes Miles realizes there is a method to her madness when it comes to babysitting. Once he understands that Lenny is weighed down by loss, he offers to help her navigate her "live again" list in exchange for her help in bonding with his reluctant half-sister and niece.

This is a slow burn with an emphasis on healing. I love when a novel brings up a plethora of emotions for me and this one sure checked that box.

I related to Lenny avoiding going home. I've been there and couldn't help, but nod along.

Grief and healing aren't linear and boast no shortcuts and I like how this novel gave voice to that. This one was also a great reminder that the messy bits of life can sometimes be the loveliest.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for providing an Advance Readers Copy. These are my unbiased opinions.

Lenny is a hot mess after losing her best friend, Lou, to cancer and is taking odd babysitting jobs and sleeping on the ferry (instead of the apartment she shared with her best friend) just to get by. She takes a job babysitting Ainsley, where she meets Ainsley's uncle Myles who thinks Lenny is unqualified for the job. He follows her onto the ferry one night and discovers that Lenny is drowning in her grief. Lenny initially turns down Ainsley's mom's (Reese) offer to become Ainsley's full-time nanny, but Miles convinces her to accept the job long enough for her to help him form a relationship with Ainsley and Reese. Miles also offers to help Lenny complete the items on her "Live Again" list, using his personal experience to help her through her grief. As they complete the items on the list, Lenny not only realizes she has, in fact, been living again, but also that she has somehow fallen hopelessly in love with the man helping her live again.

Where to start?? This book is perfection! It will deserve every ounce of hype that it is sure to get. However, this is NOT a rom-com!! The themes of grief are HEAVY! Lenny's grief journey was raw and painful, but it made it feel so real. The reader can really understand her pain through the flashbacks with Lou. The flashbacks were heart-wrenching. If you have experienced any kind of grief, Lenny's emotions will feel like a gut punch.

I loved Lenny's personality - she was funny, imaginative, fiery, and unapologetically herself. Myles was a black cat on the outside but a golden retriever on the inside. King of acts of service! He was constantly doing things for Lenny to make her life easier or to make her happy.

I loved Lenny's relationship with both Ainsley and Reese, as well as seeing Myles and his relationship with his sister and niece become stronger throughout.

I loved the side characters in this book. Lenny's new friends were great and I loved the dynamic of the friends, Lenny, and Miles. Also, Ethan from Ready or Not makes a cameo as one of Miles's old friends!!

All in all, this book was incredible, and I cannot recommend it enough!

How do you write about a book that tore your heart out in the best way possible?

I have to say that I’ve never experienced extreme grief, but after reading this masterpiece I feel like I understand it and can completely imagine the soul-churning, gut-wrenching way that it eats away at you, and trying to comprehend how there can be moments of sunshine that mix through all the haze and agony as you start to live your life again without half of yourself.

The writing style and use of metaphor was beautiful; a true joy to savor this writing. I also laughed out loud at certain sentences.

My only critique is that when the romance finally came to the point that I’d been anxiously waiting for, it fell flat. Delicious tension leading up to Miles and Lenny’s relationship, but the intimate scene needed a lot of tweaking in my humble opinion.

I will recommend this work of art to many of my friends who appreciate the psychology of the human experience.

This was a heavy book but really enjoyed it. The main character, Lenny, recently lost her best friend to cancer. Lenny works as a nanny for a family and becomes friends with the grumpy uncle. The grumpy uncle, Miles helps provide friendship and support for Lenny as she navigates the world without her best friend.

My ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

To say I didn't cry during and after I read this book, I'd be a lying liar! This book was amazing all around. From the beautiful and emotionally deep writing, flawed yet raw characters that have gone/going through probably one of the most challenging times in life, and a storyline that draws you in from page one and keeps you invested, cheering on the main characters as they navigate life in the after, high and lows (sometimes both at the same time) was a breath of fresh air. I didn't realize how much I needed this book as much as I did while I read it. This is such a memorable read! The topic of grief was written in such a way that those who are experiencing it or have experienced it in the past will resonate with both main characters. But those who haven't been touched by grief can experience it vicariously in Bastone's writing and be there for those who have. You will fall in love with these characters and wish they were real so you can give them the biggest hug and be their best friend! I can't wait to share my full thoughts after March 4th.
I highly recommend that you read this book when it comes out and take the time to absorb every word written because you will be changed for the better after you read it!
Thank you, Random House Publishing and The Dial Press, for this ARC!

Oh my goodness, what an absolutely gorgeous story about love, loss, friendship and the incredible strength it takes to heal, care for yourself, and love again! This book shot straight into my top 3 of the year—no contest. Cara Bastone, you are pure magic. Your books are an auto-buy every single time, and no one captures raw, heartfelt human emotions quite like you!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️