Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone follows Lenny and her healing journey after losing her best friend. Lenny is moving through grief, taking life one day at a time. Work-wise she takes on a temporary nanny position and meets Miles.

Miles is a complicated character who comes off as closed off and cold. Miles understands what Lenny is going through and the two begin a friendship. Miles has previous experience with grief and wants to help Lenny with her grief.

I was not sure about Miles at first but I enjoyed watching the friendship between Miles and Lenny. These characters have so much depth and handle a heavy topic so well. He was sweet, lovable, and a little quirky.

I thought there was a great balance of humor and lightness alongside the heavy moment. Over all the story feels like a warm hug.

If you are in the mood for a heartwarming story about how to live again after loss, with a sweet romance then this book is for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

What a beautifully written book about love and loss and picking up the pieces after. Lenny and Miles have some of the best banter of any characters I’ve read and seeing the friendship that Lenny and Lou had in snippets was really beautiful. In my opinion, this book was pure perfection. I absolutely adored it and need it added to my physical shelf.

Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone
4 stars/5

Oh, I loved this book! Although it started out a little slow, it took almost no time to draw me in with the tale of Lenny, a girl trying to deal with the grief of losing her best friend. Immediately, I knew I would lay down my life for Ainsley, the little girl that Lenny comes to nanny for while dealing with her grief. In accepting this job, Lenny also inherits Miles, Ainsley's uncle, who offers to be a sort of grief guide for Lenny, in exchange for learning how to better relate to his family.
Typing it all out like that makes it sound kind of silly, but it's really a beautifully told story about the way we deal with our feelings, and our family. All the characters are well-rounded and I came to love every single one of them.
Looking forward to reading more Cara Bastone in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley, Dial Press publishing and the author for this advance copy of Promise Me Sunshine, in exchange for this review. Promise Me Sunshine is available today!

I loved Ready or Not last year, and really connected with this author’s writing style, and there’s something about her writing that makes her books feel like you can read 250 pages in one sitting just getting lost in her world. This was such a complex exploration of grief and how it can get to you with no warning, linger and sometimes there is no right thing to say. I lost my dad unexpectedly almost 2 years ago and some days, I’m still hit with waves of emotion that come out of nowhere - take it for what it’s worth, this book may have hit more of a punch because I’ve felt similar feelings of loss, and could relate to the characters so much more.

Speaking of characters, Lenny and Miles were so charming - this one is definitely a SLOW burn, I was getting impatient for a second, but I think this was a realistic depiction of falling in love, but knowing your partner has some things to work out first. I loved their journey together.

Thank you again to the publishers and NetGalley for this ARC. Pub date: 3/2/25 / out now!

I really loved this book!!
This author gives me Abby Jimenez vibes and I love that author so much. This book makes me want to read all of this author books. The relationship between the two main characters was so good and real. PLUS THE COVER!!! so pretty!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book deserves ALL of the stars! It made me laugh and cry. A beautiful story about grief with a romance subplot.

Lenny is quirky and Miles is an absolute treasure. The banter between these two had me cracking up and was so needed to break up the heavy grief plot.

A book everyone should add to their TBR. I highly recommend!

PROMISE ME SUNSHINE did a great job of tackling the subject of grief.

What I enjoyed:
-NYC setting
-love that the romance wasn’t rushed
-not overly steamy
-found family themes
-no third act breakup 👏🏻
-cinnamon roll hero

This was my first read by Cara Bastone and I can’t wait to read more!

Thank you Netgalley and Random House for the arc ☀️

Promise Me Sunshine
By Cara Bastone
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

I have had @carabastone's "Ready or Not" on my TBR for awhile but I still haven't picked it up yet and now I realize... that was a mistake! I absolutely loved "Promise Me Sunshine" - a beautiful love story about learning to live again when you're so lost you aren't sure how or why. It's about living fully and accepting the full human experience: Adventure. Joy. Loss. Healing. Sadness. Love. Laughter.

In "Promise Me Sunshine" we meet Lenny. She is grieving the loss of her best friend, her soul mate, Lou, who died of ovarian cancer. Lenny is barely living. She doesn't seem to know how. She can muster the energy to fake it for a bit with people who don't know her (short term nannying gigs) and avoids those who do (her parents, etc).

She meets Miles, the blunt and scowly uncle of her current nannying charge - and like it or not - he SEES her. Miles is no stranger to grief and so, he is able and willing to join Lenny in the depths and then... helps her climb out. A grief doula. A friend in sunshine and in shade. And the first man Lenny ever truly falls in love with.

Grief stories always get me in my feels because I truly believe you cannot live without feeling the full range of human emotions & grief tends to be the one people try their hardest to avoid. We placate. We joke. We talk of silver linings. Grief is uncomfortable. It is hard to endure, it is hard to witness, it is hard to be reminded of it in reality and even in books.

These are the books we need before we know we need them. I hope you'll pick it up. I'm so glad I did.

Thank you to @randomhouse for the #Netgalley access to this wonderful story. "Promise Me Sunshine" is out so be sure to add it to your TBR, pick up a copy, or request it at your local library. I'll be buying a copy for myself to own. 🧡

Wait, how am I supposed to ever move past this book?!

This novel was, in layman’s terms, amazing. Honestly, I can’t seem to put into words how incredible and meaningful this story was enough to give it justice. Not only was this book hitting me with awe and incredulity time and time again while reading, I can’t help but continue to think of this book even after the last page was read.

This is one of those books where the story is going to get to you right down to your core. I definitely am one to appreciate certain passages but I wouldn’t say I am one to highlight them, which is exactly what I did with this novel. The accuracy of the pain, that despair. Once again, the words fail me. People will relate to this story, the feelings, and the emotions. Unfortunately, even if they do not relate now, they will one day. C’est la vie.

This story and the writing style, while fully its own, also reminds me of something similar to the writing styles of Emily Henry and Carley Fortune. Again, this story is very much its own and uniquely different but I make this comparison for readers to give this book a chance if they also liked the works from those authors.

This is going to be a book that is going to sit with me for a long time and one that I will return to. It’s an incredibly emotional story of grief, love, relationships, strength, and life. I know for certain that some will find this book exactly when they need to.

***Thank you to the publisher for supplying me with an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

This book was incredibly heartbreaking and beautiful. I absolutely loved it, I laughed, I cried , and overall just had a very good time!

This is my second book by this author, and I am in love with her stories. They are not typical romance novels. They have more real characters and situations. She does slow burn which leads to real and lasting feelings. She does complex and flawed characters that seem to find the way to the happily ever after which I love.
I love the writing style. It is almost like a stream of consciousness where you really get to live in her characters heads and Lenny was just such an amazing character to get to know. She was kinda of all over the place, kinda of like a Gilmore character. While the book is touted as a romance novel, I would really say it is more fiction with a touch of romance. It is so much more about how someone deals with grief, how to deal with your life after someone you love dies. How do you laugh again, how to do learn to come back to yourself and be okay with the world.
I love how Miles slowly helps her through her pain, shows her how to have friends and make it through her list. I loved how patient and amazing he was. I could see him in love and she was just lost in her own world and he was waiting for her to be better before he started anything. I love the banter between the two of them. I loved living in Lenny's head as she slowly comes back to herself. Her relationship with her parents, making new friends and work just made me love her so much. I want to be best friend with her.
I can't say enough good things about this book. It will make you laugh, it will make you cry ( multiple times for me). It is the feel good lovely story that just makes you happy.

Absolutely Beautiful and Heart-Wrenching—A New Favorite!

I have loved all of Cara Bastone’s books, but Promise Me Sunshine is hands down my favorite. This book took me on an emotional journey that had me laughing, crying, and completely falling in love with these characters.

Lenny’s grief is raw, deep, and so incredibly real. After losing her best friend, Lou, she is barely holding on, just trying to exist in a world that no longer makes sense. Enter Miles—grumpy, skeptical, and not at all convinced that Lenny is in the right place to care for his niece, Ainsley. But as their lives intertwine, something truly beautiful happens. Miles—who knows grief all too well—becomes Lenny’s reluctant but determined lifeline. Their connection is built slowly, through stolen moments of honesty, humor, and heartache, and watching them help each other heal was absolutely stunning.

Miles is the definition of "boyfriend goals"—tough on the outside but unbelievably kind and supportive underneath. The way he encourages Lenny to take steps toward healing, how he gently but firmly pushes her toward the happiness Lou wanted for her, is just chef’s kiss. And Lenny, in turn, helps Miles strengthen his relationship with Ainsley, proving that even in the depths of grief, love and joy can still be found.

Beyond the beautiful love story, the side characters are hilarious and relatable, adding warmth and levity to an emotionally heavy story. I cried so many times, but I also laughed, swooned, and felt my heart swell with hope. This book is a stunning, deeply moving reminder that even in our darkest moments, love and connection can pull us back into the light.

Promise Me Sunshine is an absolute must-read. Just make sure you have tissues handy! 💛

(Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!)

I loved Ready or Not, Cara Bastone’s 2024 release, so I’m really not surprised that I thoroughly enjoyed Promise Me Sunshine. Bastone’s writing does such a good job sucking the reader into the story. I loved Lenny as a character and found her so easy to root for as she navigated her grief journey. Miles was endearing and watching him constantly show up for Lenny was heartwarming.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC

3.5? I had a hard time liking this FMC which made me struggle a bit with enjoying the read. I appreciate the theme of this novel and know firsthand that grief affects people in so many different ways. I wish we were given more glimpses into the ways the other characters handled it. I laughed out loud a few times which is always a win. And I loved the ending. I look forward to reading other stories by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC!

This is the second book I have read by Cara Bastone and I love her books. I am rounding this book up to 4 1/2 stars. There is so much to unpack. This book tackles the hard topic of grief in a way that makes it digestible, endearing and at times funny. You think the book is going to be about a woman who helps to nanny a young child. And then you realize the book is really about the woman's journey through grief. She recently lost her best friend. And she is trying to move on. In comes the grumpy uncle, who isn't as grumpy as everyone thinks. And while he is not lost in grief he is lost in his own way. They help each other navigate their struggles in life and find happiness on the other side. I also want to add that I listened to the audiobook version. I saw one review where the reader hated the narrator. I loved her! That is what makes the reading experience amazing. Everyone has an opinion!

Thank you to Dial Press for an E Galley copy!

This is a book that deals with healing and living through grief. Miles and Lenny, lost in their lives, find each other, and heal together in New York City.

Lenny lost her best Lou from childhood to cancer. Miles lost his mother and cousin in a terrible car accident.

As Lenny and Miles get to know each other, Miles makes a proposition to her: he'll help her get through her grief and healing process if she would help him have a better relationship with his half-sister Reese and niece Ainsley. What follows is an emotional journey of healing and an unexpected friendship and romance between them.

While helping each other's healing journey, they found each others only lifeline. This is more than trauma-bonding. The transition between their friendship onto something more was genuine and I just appreciate how they still trying to include those they lost into their lives.

Cancer and grief are major themes in this story, though the tone is hopeful and not depressing.

There were so many humorous moments that broke up the heavier feelings. The pacing kept you moving along but also allowed you to feel their growth (and setbacks). It was authentic and emotional.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Cara Bastone for yet another good book!

📣 stunning

Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

📖 what was your last 5 star? This was mine!

There are some losses that tear you to the bone and Lenny Bellamy in Cara Bastone’s Promise Me Sunshine is faced with one of them.

Lenny’s best friend died recently & much of the book deals with her tremendous & overwhelming grief.

As she mourns, she becomes friends with Miles, a grumpy grump who has also experienced grief & who offers a trade of sorts: Lenny will teach him how to relate to his recently discovered niece, & he’ll help her process her loss.

This book is important & big & it will reach the hurting, sensitive parts & make you feel the love too. Lenny & Miles’ story is beautiful; like always, Cara writes characters I absolutely love & a romance that feels so good, even as the leads are both dealing with heartache of sorts.

If you haven’t read Cara Bastone yet—& one of my friends said this recently—you absolutely must. Her characters will become part of your personality & heart.

5 ⭐️. Out 03/04.

[ID: Jess holds the book in front of sunflowers.]

I enjoyed this for the most part, but I did have a few issues. It was cute and I could have sworn I was watching a movie and because of how real it felt. This is textbook realistic fiction and in that way, I LOVED it.

Ok so like I said, the thing that made me love this was the way it felt so real. I don’t know how to explain it, but everything they went through was something that I could see happening in real life too. But the way it was written made me feel like I was watching tv. And because of that, when I tell you I felt every emotion in this book, I mean it. My heart hurt in so many places and it swelled so big in others. I loved this aspect so much.

Now I’m not going to lie tho, I did think this was a little too long. And for it to have been so long and with the slowest burn to only have like 3 scenes of them in a relationship was torture. (Ok maybe I’m exaggerating, but you know what I mean) I know it was cute to see them flirting and pining, but it didn’t even really have that. For the most part he hated her, and then he didn’t want her to think he had taken advantage of him. and then she ran away from him AND THEN they finally got together. It was a lot.

As for the small things, I didn’t care for the fact that we don’t get the entire list. (Or at least the audio doesn’t.) Maybe I should try to find a physical copy. I think it bothered me so much because I knew what it looked and felt like because of how descriptive Bastone was, but I still didn’t know what her handwriting looked like exactly and Idk, it just kept niggling at me. On the flipside I liked that she icluded their flashbacks. They were all so emotional. I was constantly placing my hand over my heart trying to keep it together long enough to finish the book.

This didn’t come without it’s flaws, but I still loved it more than I thought I would. This was my first book by this author and now I don’t plan on it being the last. I need more if this is how they all are. I can’t wait to read more.

There is nothing I love more than reading books that have the same sense of humor as I do. Lenny was using phrases that I thought I was the only person who said them and I of course really enjoyed that writing! Along with Lenny’s personality, I loved the realistic and raw storyline of her grieving and healing through it. I’m also a sucker for an enemies to lovers trope and Miles was the sweetest male character I’ve read in a long time. My only con is that it was a long book and at times I felt like it dragged a little. But overall it was a cutie love story, laugh out loud funny, and a profound journey about loss all wrapped into one. I highly recommend!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing - Dial Press Trade Paperback for the privilege of reading the ARC of Promise Me Sunshine! And to Cara Bastone for writing it.

This book was so incredibly beautiful, I wish I had all the words to describe it. "Promise Me Sunshine" is a romance book, but to its core, it is a story about grief. The book is heartachingly honest and full of so much depth while reminding you of all the beauty that comes with being alive.

The book picks up a few months after Lenny, the FMC, loses her best friend to cancer and then her meeting Miles, the socially awkward uncle at her new nannying gig. This book is probably one of the slowest burns I have ever read! Watching their relationship blossom slowly throughout the book was so lovely to read.

"Lenny, when I look at your face, I feel like I'm finally home after a really long day at work."

Miles, Miles, Miles! He is one of the sweetest MMC I have ever read. The way he is there for Lenny during her healing journey was so beautiful. His own experience with grief allowed him to understand all of the conflicting emotions Lenny experienced throughout the book.

Lenny's story of grief was so captivating and deeply emotional. It's one I've been trying to find the words for how much I love it, but I honestly don't think I could. It's one that needs to be read.

🌇"I don't know. Just thinking about all the experiences other people have. Through all the, you know, grief, I've kinda forgotten that the entire world is filled with all these other realities... possibilities ... that I've never even considered before."

The book felt like receiving a warm hug that pulled on all my heart strings. The book really drives home the idea that even indepths of unimaginable pain, there is still so much beauty to be found and so much to live for.

Tropes:🫂
~friends to lovers
~forced proximity
~slow burn
~hurt x comfort
~found family
~healing journey