Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🫑

First off, thank you to NetGalley and Cara Bastone for allowing me to ARC read Promise Me Sunshine in return for an honest review.

Tropes
😢 Grief
💙 Slow Burn
😢 Grumpy x Sunshine
💙 Friends to Lovers
😢 Stand-alone

Blurb
After Lenny loses her best friend Lou to cancer, she is overcome with grief and goes off the rails. She avoids her parents, her shared apartment, and her “list”. In order to continue making money and living to some degree, Lenny takes part-time nannying jobs. This is where she meets our MMC, Miles, who is also dealing with grief and sees right through Lenny’s facade. He offers to help Lenny with her “To Live Again” list if she helps him connect with his niece and sister. As Lenny spends more time with Miles, she starts realizing that the grief will always be there but in smaller doses and that she can live her life again and still miss Lou.

Review
I enjoyed the character development that took place over the course of the book. Lenny had so much growth take place. She went from wild and out of control to understanding her grief with a new found family. For the most part, I liked Lenny as the FMC. She was lovable, quirky, and witty. However, at time she felt a little immature. There were times throughout the story where I felt like she didn’t take the task of dealing with her grief seriously.

I thoroughly enjoyed Miles as our MMC. He was mature, caring, loving, nurturing, attentive - all the things that you want in a golden retriever MMC. However, I felt like at times, he was overly attentive with Lenny and was a little smothering.

This book was the sssslllloooowwweeesssttt of slow burns which was fine. There were times throughout the story that I thought “just kiss her already”, but looking back at it now, it would have taken away from the theme of the story. I liked the relationship between the 2 MC’s and how they helped each other with what life has thrown at them. The scene at the end where they finally got together was super awkward and uncomfortable and I felt myself cringing a little bit at it.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. I thought the humor that Lenny brought to the story helped break up all the heartbreak and serious notes in the book. The writing was well done.

Review posted to GoodReads on 3/10/25
Review posted to IG on 3/13/25
Review submitted to Amazon on 3/10/25 (will update when post is live) - Review went live on 3/13/25

Lenny is grieving the loss of her best friend Lou and is trying to navigate life without her. When she ends up nannying the precocious Ainsley she ends up meeting the girl’s estranged uncle Miles. Miles has also dealt with loss and grief and sees Lenny is struggling. Miles agrees to help Lenny finish her list in memory of Lou if she helps him get closer to Ainsley. In the turmoil of all her darkest emotions Miles becomes a beacon of light Lenny didn’t know she needed.

This heartfelt and sweet romance hits you right in the chest in all the best ways and makes grief known and gives hope to us all. Highly recommend!

Never did I ever think that a book about intense, heartbreaking grief could also be fun and light, but Cara Bastone is a magician. This book was tragic, sad, and deeply emotional but it was also spirited, bright, and full of the best kind of hope and human connection. Lenny has lost her best friend Lou to ovarian cancer, and to say she’s not doing well is a major understatement. Enter Miles, the brooding uncle of Lenny’s nannying charge. He’s been where she is, and he’ll help her through it if she’ll help him with his relationship with his niece and sister. I am lucky to have not yet experienced the type of grief that Lenny has in this book, but it was still relatable and meaningful.

I loved the relationship between Lenny and all of the people in her life, including Lou. I loved how we really got to know Lenny and who she is as a character is a way that felt effortless and charming. She’s a little wacky and full of feelings, and I really appreciated how Cara wrote and expressed all of those things. It was a perfect combo. I felt like this book was really all about Lenny and her personal growth, with the love story with Miles as a secondary plot. This worked really well, and I liked it. But I would not pick up this book expecting to be completely swept off your feet in a romance. It felt like the vehicle to a larger story about a woman growing and existing in her world.

Cara’s books tend to feel very long to me, not in a bad or boring way but in a way where there is a lot of heft to them. They aren’t ones I tend to Zoom through or am obsessively compelled to keep reading past my bedtime. There’s a lot of story, in a way that is very unique to her.

I loved that in the end of the book, there was a list of ways to live again if you might be struggling. It made me think about what I would put on my own list!

Thanks to Dial Press and Netgalley for the eARC!

THIS BOOK!!!! My first 5 star read of the year! Sometimes when authors try to tackle difficult subjects such as grief they do it in a way that doesn't feel authentic. But not Cara Bastone. She wrote with such honesty, humor, and had characters that felt completely real. I fell in love with the story, the characters, the writing. This was no surprise since I loved her book last year, but I think I loved this one more. I need to get my hands on a physical copy to keep on my shelf! Definitely do not miss out on this one!

This is a beautiful story about living again after a major loss - a story of living again after a heart transplant, if you will.

Lenny and Miles friendship began as an exchange of Lenny teaching Miles to be closer to his estranged family while Miles teaches Lenny to live through life-changing grief. Cara wrote Lenny's emotion on this book so strongly that you can honestly feel her crying her heart out every time she misses Lou. Her struggles between holding on to her lifelong friend while learning that she can let go and somehow still remember her is a painful and awe-inspiring battle to see. Miles, on the other hand, is on a different stage of grief and therefore was able to assist Lenny to lift her out of the darkness. While entangled on each other's healing journey, they found each others only lifeline. But TRUST, this is more than trauma-bonding. The transition between their friendship onto something more was organic and I just loooove how they still trying to include those they lost into their lives. Lost a star bc I wish there's more about their meet-cute on the street, then on the ferry. Don't let the 4 stars deter you, it's still a perfect read for me.

Last year, Ready or Not was one of my favorite romances of the year. So, I was so excited to read Cara Bastone's new novel Promise Me Sunshine. The good news is that I loved it even more! Lenny is grieving the death of her best friend Lou. She's trying to recover from this loss on her own but isn't very successful. Enter Miles, the uncle of Ainsley who Lenny is babysitting. He's going through his own stuff but wants to help Lenny check off her "Live Again" list that she promised Lou.

There are so many aspects of this story that I loved:
* the banter between Lenny and Miles
* the slow burn
* Lenny's interactions with Ainsley
* the quick fantasy Lenny makes up about most men she meets
* Lenny's parents

Lenny's quirkiness and Miles' initial grumpiness are a great match and were brought to life through their dialog. Cara Bastone has become a "must read" author for me. Although there is a lot of grief in this book that made me misty, it also made me smile throughout. I'll be recommending Promise Me Sunshine to everyone!

Thanks to #RandomHouse #DialPress for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

Sometimes I just really need a book that hits me in the feels and Promise Me Sunshine was one I didn't know I needed. Cara Bastone takes us along in Lenny's life after losing her best friends. This book is the perfect combination of love, grief, family, healing, and learning to live again. I really appreciated how the author shows us that everyone grieves differently. There is no wrong or right way.

It's kind of hard to review this one, because it's one you won't really understand until you read it yourself. Everyone who has lost someone close to them will be able to relate a bit to Miles and Lenny in one way or another I think. The little flashbacks we got with Lenny and Lou were so touching. Following Lenny while she tried to live again felt so realistic. Some things started going well and sometimes things just became too overwhelming. Miles was the best along the way. Knowing what grief is himself, he was there any time she needed someone.

Their relationship is very slow burn and that really felt right for this story. Slowly Lenny and Miles become very important to each other. Besides this story, we also get a glimpse of Reece and Ainsley, who Lenny babysits for. Miles just wants to figure out how to get close to his niece while they're also grieving.

Promise Me Sunshine is such a touching story that I will think about often. No words can do this one justice. I already plan on reading this one again to annotate my favorite moments. Cara Bastone is officially an auto-buy author for me now.

My review will also be posted on https://thebookdutchesses.com on March 15th.

My thoughts:
I flew through this book—it completely hooked me from start to finish. This is a book that will make my favorites list at the end of 2025. I'll need to pick up a physical copy for my shelf. SO SO GOOD! 5 stars all the way.
At its heart, this story is about grief, and it unfolds in such a raw, touching way. It was both heartbreaking and uplifting, weaving together deep emotions with moments of hope. Lenny and Miles’ connection was one of my favorite aspects—they were there for each other in ways that felt so natural. The gradual shift from friendship to romance was beautifully executed.

The friendships throughout the book were another highlight. While I didn't tear up, I absolutely still felt every emotion. The characters were authentic and quirky and easy to root for. The way they supported each other made their love story feel all the more meaningful.

Going in, I honestly didn’t think I’d enjoy it as much as I did, but it completely surprised me in the best way.

Highly recommend for anyone looking for a heartfelt, emotional, yet ultimately uplifting read!

Thank you to Dial Press, Netgalley and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

“𝙂𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙛 ... 𝙞𝙩'𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣. 𝙄𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙪𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙮 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙗𝙤𝙗𝙪𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜. 𝘼𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨."

This book was EVERYTHING! It wrecked me and healed me all at the same time! Cara handled Lenny’s grief so perfectly and she was able to show us all sides of it. It was full of raw emotion, growth, and finding yourself after loss. Miles was perfect. He made it his mission to help Lenny live again, and I believe in doing so he was able to heal more of himself. I adored the relationship between Lenny, Ainsley and Reese. Ainsley was too cute! The friendships Lenny made along the way was also one of my favorite parts of the story. I highly recommend this book and if you haven’t already read Ready or Not, you should definitely add it to your tbr also! Promise Me Sunshine is one that will have an everlasting impression on me!

"𝙃𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙡?"
"𝙈𝙤𝙢, 𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙡𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙜𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙚 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙤𝙪𝙩."

"𝙇𝙚𝙣𝙣𝙮, 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙄 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙖𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙚, 𝙄 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙄'𝙢 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙚”

"𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙄 𝙛𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙞𝙣 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚'𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜."

Highlights:
🧡grief and healing
🧡found family
🧡strangers to friends to lovers
🧡slow burn
🧡grumpy x sunshine

I enjoyed Ready or Not by Cara Bastone, so I was excited to get my hands on her newest book. And boy am I glad I read this book. I typically don't like books that deal with grief, because to be frank, I don't want to be sad. However, this book proved me wrong. Promise Me Sunshine was heartwarming and powerful. Lenny has lost her best friend to cancer and is deep in the trenches with her grief. When she takes a nannying gig, she meets Miles. Miles has dealt with his own grief and agrees to help her through this season. This very well could be the best depiction of grief that I have read in fiction. Lenny's struggles were relatable and realistic, and boy did I love Miles. I want a Miles. Truly, this book showed me how to walk through grief with the people I love. The characters were lovable and relatable and this will be a top book for me this year.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

This book absolutely owns my heart! One of the most poignant, beautiful books on grief and the process of grieving. It is a delicate balance to showcase the emotional depth and darkness when dealing with depression but still give an uplifting narrative of hope. Cara Basone masterfully wrote a book which not only showed the desperation and despair of grief with grace and understanding but somehow leads you to the sunshine...

I adored everything about this book! Miles has moved up to the very top of book boyfriends!! His absolute compassion, patience, and purity of spirit despite his own brokenness was so lovely. He was so unselfish (while awkward) in his actions trying to do what was best for all those around him. His pure intentions of reaching Reese and Ainsley were as heartbreaking as it was heart lifting. And then his genuine care and concern for Lenny after his initial interaction with her. was so powerful.

I laughed. I cried. I swooned and smiled...I reached the sunshine!

5 stars

Lenny is struggling after the death of her lifelong best friend, Lou. She takes on a short-term nanny job and meets Miles. He is the grumpy uncle searching for a way to build a relationship with his sister and niece. Miles agrees to help Lenny with her "Live Again" bucket list if she helps him find a way to connect with his new family. An unexpected friendship develops as they learn from each other.

Cara Bastone does it again. After reading Ready or Not last year, I knew I had to pick this up. The writing is beautiful and heartbreaking while giving you so much hope. The characters were well developed. Even the side characters felt like important parts of the story. I felt like I was exploring NYC with Lenny and Miles. I also loved the snips of Lenny and Lou's past shown throughout. This author is becoming one of my favorites and I can't wait to read more.

Thank you NetGalley and Dial Press Trade Paperback for a copy of this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to @netgalley and @ransomhouse for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. And thank you to @prhaudio for a free download of this book.

Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone: A Tender Story of Grief and Unexpected Connection

Cara Bastone's "Promise Me Sunshine" delicately explores grief and healing through Lenny, who takes a temporary babysitting job to cope with her best friend's death. She finds herself drawn to Miles, the ever-present uncle of her charge, Ainsley. Their connection deepens as Miles, sharing his own experience with grief, supports Lenny through her emotional journey, showing her that life, even after loss, continues.

This is a masterfully crafted slow-burn romance. Lenny and Miles begin as wary strangers, but their relationship evolves organically, blossoming into a deep friendship before anything more. Miles's gentle support helps Lenny navigate her grief and discover new joys, while she, in turn, finds a welcoming community that accepts her wholeheartedly.

The audiobook experience is exceptional. Alex Finke's narration is a standout, bringing each character to life with remarkable skill and a touch of screwball comedy. Her performance elevates the story, making it a truly immersive and entertaining listen. Finke's talent has earned her a spot on my favorite narrators list.

"Promise Me Sunshine" is a heartwarming story about finding light after darkness, showcasing the power of friendship and the slow, beautiful process of healing. Highly recommended for fans of tender, character-driven romances, especially in audio format.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

#books #bookishlife #booklover #readingisfun #iowabookstagrammers #iowabookstagram #netgalley #prhaudiopartner #randomhouse #prhaudio #promisemesunshine #carabastone #sponsored

Well if there is something that Cara Bastone is really good at, it's making me softly weep at her books [laudatory].

Miles and Lenny meet under unusual circumstances, but with similar baggage: devastating loss and recovering from grief tie these two sad souls together. Miles' grumpiness and eventual forceful optimism drag Lenny out from the depths of grief after losing her best friend. Through completing a bucket list of sorts, Miles and Lenny find sunshine at the end of the grief tunnel.

Bastone is truly a marvel in writing characters that are dealing with massive choices and changes in their lives. Miles' growth from grumpy brother to Lenny's grief expert and unpacking his relationships with his family are heavy, but presented with such raw honesty that it really feels like Bastone ripped your heart out. And depictions of grief and its ebbs and flows, how Lenny thinks she's getting "better" and something small triggers her grief yet again are painfully beautiful parts of the book. And in the same package, you get a wonderful story of just a kid who is getting to know her uncle better and the fun times she has with her babysitter.

Bastone is an auto-read author for me now, but do wish her books came with a box of Kleenex.

“i’m never sleeping when i close my eyes like this with you.” “then what are you doing?” he pauses and i think he might not answer. but then he says, “i’m committing the moment to memory.”

This book isn’t just about romance, it’s about grief, identity, friendship, and self-discovery. It’s raw, it’s deeply emotional, and it’s absolutely beautiful. I laughed and cried multiple times throughout and when I found out the reason for the ferry rides it broke me. The only reason I did not give it a full 5 stars is because I felt like Miles and Lenny were more friends than lovers. Maybe getting some chapters from his POV would have helped but there was no indication or chemistry before she fell.

wow. WOW. my heart hurts - somehow simultaneously with grief and joy??? (no I’m not okay, thx) 🤭


1) if you tell me a book is set in NYC, I’m immediately interested

2) if you tell me a book is going to make me cry, guess what? I’m immediately interested


I really don’t even know how to begin with fully reviewing this book. It was the most beautifully complex, raw, and REAL journey through the ugliness of grief. It’s somehow heavy and light at exactly the same time - which honestly reflects the journey through loss and towards healing.

Lenny was everything to me. Her willingness to put every single emotion and thought and feeling on display to Miles was honestly inspiring. She has experienced the most monumental loss of her entire life and it’s so messy and painful, but her strength and desire to KEEP LIVING was so beautiful.

And miles??? He’s now the gold standard for book boyfriends. He was exactly what Lenny needed - even when she didn’t realize it - while at the same time being flawed and complex and processing his own journey through multiple losses.

Also, the family relationships (both by blood and found) were incredible! Everyone seemed so tangible and authentic and I loved them all so much!!

I found myself smiling, laughing, crying (and sometimes all three) so many times throughout this book. I cannot recommend it enough (but please check the content warnings - this isn’t for everyone) - it absolutely lived up to the hype!!

This was the first novel I read by Cara Bastogne and I absolutely loved it. HIGHLY recommend if you want an emotional, found family and slow burn romance. I enjoyed every bit of this story.

The characters felt very realistic and their character development was spectacular. This has become one my my new favorite stories and I will be recommending this to many people in the future.

Maybe it's because I read this book right after a close friend was diagnosed with cancer or maybe it's just that good, but this book ripped me apart in the best way. Its insights on grief and soulmate friendships and falling in love were so timely and perfect and I couldn't put it down. I cried several times, but I also laughed just as many. A fantastic read!

I can’t even properly review this book because I loved it too much. It made me laugh and cry and feel so many emotions. It’s an exploration of how messy grief really is and how hard it is to claw your way out of alone. Lenny and Miles are so good together, as friends, as supporters, as more. And the supporting characters are diverse and rich and add so much to the store. I genuinely can’t recommend this book enough.

Promise Me Sunshine should actually be tiled Promise Me you'll read this book because oh my god this was so dang good. I don't even know that I actually have the right words to describe this book because it was that good. The emotional chaos that this book brought out of me was unhinged. One minute I was laughing hysterically the next I was crying my eyes out. Lenny and Miles were honestly so great in my eyes. Each of them flawed in their own ways, trying to work through unimaginable grief while also trying to live their day to day lives. They both felt realistic to me and I felt like I could connect to them on such a deeper level. While there is some romance in this book, it definitely takes a back seat which I think was super appropriate for this story.

I was fortunate enough to listen to this one and I think that Alex Finke made this book a million times better. The way that she was able to take me out of reality and put me in this book setting like I was watching from the sidelines was so amazing.