A poignant story that manages to be heavy and light at the same time. The portrayal of Lenny and her story shows a raw and honest look at grief, and a reminder that grief does not follow reason or a timeline. This book is more than a love story of girl meets boy, it’s about Lenny falling in love with living again and her life after loss.

Although I enjoyed the story, I did find Lenny to be a tad selfish and immature for an almost 30 year old, she was pretty frustrating and cringy at times. It was hard to believe she was almost 30 and not a teenager with her lack of responsibility.

Overall I liked it and recommend for anyone seeking an emotionally rich, slow-burn story that transcends the boundaries of a traditional love story.

3.5 stars rounded up

I love this book! Lenny has lost her best friend, or rather soul mate to a brutal cancer. She is stuck in a spiral of depression and heartbreak when she meets Miles. He make proposition to help her learn to live with her grief if she helps him get to know his niece. The love and consideration that is written into this book is so apparent on the page. A grumpy/sunshine romance and also a love letter to the ones who leave us too soon.

I'm gonna say it loud and proud but this is one of favorite read to start the the year!!
This was so heartwarming and I was laughing out loud at so many parts. I seriously adore Lenny and Miles so much, this will have you in your feels.
It's a slow burn about grief and finding yourself again, with strangers to friends to lovers and all the fun adventures in between! One thing I did hope for was an HEA epilogue to see how they ended up and all the side characters. But I loved this book and got myself a physical copy and I will be recommending this book to my friends! Cara is now added to my must read authors here on out!

4.5⭐

Thank you Netgalley and The Dail Press for this ARC

4⭐️

what a sweet book. cara bastone really hit the nail on the head when it comes to writing about grief and healing through it in such a beautiful and realistic way.
the over all lesson of healing and that everybody goes through grief and heals in their own retrospective ways.

i loved lenny so much, she was entirely relatable and even through her struggling with grief and losing her best friend, she is SO strong. the way she was with reese and especially ainsley melted my heart!

miles started out so grumpy but the way he actually showed up and cared for lenny and sat with her in her grief only to pull her out of it? i adored it so so much! and the fact that he was also grieving and healing made it all the more heartfelt and genuine.

i adored their slow burn romance, and the way they started as friends & slowly developed into real feelings for each other. they were adorable! i wanted more of their romance though.

i would highly recommend promise me sunshine! thank you to netgalley & dial press for the ARC ♡

This was a 5⭐️ read for me because I know I will be thinking about it for a while to come. It’s already sticking with me and it’s one I’ll recommend. I really liked so much of this book, but there were parts of it I didn’t like too. I never really connected to the female main character, Lenny. I’ve never thankfully dealt with big grief like hers but I found her actions at times immature and irresponsible. She was a grown woman actively avoiding life and responsibility and making her family worry. I know the grief journey is different for everyone so I tried not to let that form my opinion of her too harshly, but it was hard at times not to be frustrated with her.

At the same time though, I empathized with her so much on the loss of her best friend Lou. The more I read about their long friendship (like sisters really) the more I wanted my own best friend to swear to me she’ll never die. Her hurt and grief were palpable.

The writing was stunning. There were moments that gave me goosebumps and made me cry. Moments I grinned happily. Miles was a true spot of sunshine in this book. The subplot of him getting to know his niece and sister was delightful and poignant and really made the book for me. He had his own grief he was still working through and was such a kind soul. I loved the way he showed his love for Lenny. The wolf tattoo cemented him in my heart.

While this book is marketed throughout the romance genre, I didn’t feel like it was a romance book. Lenny only realizes her feelings for Miles towards the end, and there are no spicy or romantic scenes until close to the very end. While they certainly have fallen in love slowly and beautifully over the course of the book, it felt like more general fiction with a dash of romance. While the author isn’t standing out to me as a romance author, she is certainly a lovely writer that I will continue to read future work from!

After falling in love with Cara’s writing in Ready or Not, I was SO EXCITED for Promise Me Sunshine. I just knew this book was going to emotionally destroy and put me back together again. Everything in this book was perfect. I have zero notes, zero complaints, and if I could tattoo Promise Me Sunshine on my soul, I would. Cara is able to bring so much emotion and heart to her writing and characters. Books like these are why I read and this will be categorized as one of the best romances of all time. This story was heartbreakingly real and beautiful. I adore Miles and fell in love with him along with Lenny. Lenny’s growth and processing of her grief was lovely and so, so accurate. Thank you for bringing this story into the world, Cara. I loved every word and every page!

Thank you to Dial Press, NetGalley, and the author for sending me an early copy!

Thank you NetGalley and Dial Press for this eARC!

Lenny has lost her best friend in the entire world, and is trying to figure out how to exist in a world without her. She meets Miles, who is grumpy and standoffish, when she starts nannying for his niece. Miles sees right through her "everything is okay" facade, and soon they form a connection over the grief of losing people close to you. Lenny learns to live again with help from Miles. Miles learns how to interact with his sister and niece and how he fits in their lives.

This was a beautiful story centering around how grief affects us and those around us. How to move through it, how to accept it, how to live again in spite of it. I highly recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC!

Rating 4.5 Stars

Promise Me Sunshine is such a heartwarming story and I really loved it! It follows Lenny, who just lost her best friend who was like a sister and soulmate to her. She is not handling it well when she meets Miles, who offers to help her get through this season, as he recently lost his mom and cousin and wants to make sure she is okay.

Lenny's humor through all that she went through was inspiring, and the banter between Lenny and Miles was amazing from the start. Miles is such a grumpy grump but underneath he’s such a softie! I also really enjoyed Miles getting to know his niece and half sister better. It was so sweet to see him connect with little Ainsley.

Miles!! The man that you are! The acts of service! The constant care! We love a man who shows up no matter what every time she needs him! This is such a lovely friends to luv-ahs story (as Lenny would say). It was definitely a slow burn but worth the wait. Reading their journey to love and healing after losing the people they were closest with was heartbreaking but I also appreciated the fact that there wasn’t a one size fits all/unrealistic approach to grief. Even by the end it’s not like the grief is just gone and magically healed but Lenny comes alive again and it’s beautiful to see it happen.

I truly ate this up. Even though it was difficult at times to sit in the grief with Lenny and Miles, I loved how Bastone added humor and fun to the story too. It was a great balance and even with the very slow burn of the romance, I felt like the pacing was well done and I was very engaged in the story.

This is a great reminder to live life to the fullest & not shy away from the hard stuff. As Miles said, “the only way out is through”.

Tropes:
Grumpy x sunshine
Strangers to friends to lovers
Slow Burn
Hair washing
He takes care of her

TW:
Grief
Cancer

Quotes:
“He’s wearing his new reading glasses, and I almost reflexively slap them off his face. He’s not supposed to be hot. That’s not part of our deal.”

“She’s not a mess,” he says in a low voice. “She’s perfect.”

“Lenny, I’ll do anything you ask me to.”

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

“But with you, Len, when I met you … I sort of feel like I met myself.”

Promise Me Sunshine follows Lenny as she tries to navigate life after the death of her best friend. Enter Miles, the grumpy uncle of the girl she ends up nannying. They both need help: her with her grief and learning to "live again", and him with connecting better with his niece. Lenny and Miles have experience with what the other needs help with, and so an unlikely duo is formed.

I had a real interest in this book after reading Bastone's previous release, Ready or Not, and I am so glad I had to opportunity to read this before it released. I don't think I have ever been so happy to cry every other chapter while reading a romance book? The intense grief that Lenny is grappling with the entirety of this book was absolutely heartbreaking. But the way that Miles was there at every turn, no matter if Lenny needed immediate help or just someone to validate her feelings, was perfection. The dynamic between not only the two main characters but all of the supporting characters was exactly what I need in a romance book. And the slow burn build up of the friends-to-lovers plot line was, in my opinion, exactly what Lenny and Miles needed. You can feel the care that Bastone takes with these characters in how she handles them navigating their grief. I firmly believe that all romance readers will enjoy Promise Me Sunshine but please be sure to check all content and trigger warnings. The content of this book is heavy, and I definitely found myself needing to take breaks , but it was 100% worth the read.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the eARC

Have you ever finished reading a book and all you want to do is flip back to the first page and reread it right away? That’s how I felt about this book. I loved every second of it. This book tells a beautiful story about grief and love that I think everyone should read.

Promise Me Sunshine follows Lenny who lost her best friend, Lou, and in the process of grief, makes an unexpected friend in Miles, uncle of the kid she is babysitting. They make a deal: he will help her complete tasks from her live again list and she will help him get closer to his niece, Ainsley and his sister, Reese. Their relationship grows deeper as they spend time together.

I absolutely love every part of this story. The writing, the characters, and the relationships.
The writing is clear and illustrative, helping me picture the story and each scene vividly in my mind. The first person narrative allowed me to be in Lenny’s head, and see her raw thoughts, something I really enjoyed. From the start, I loved Lenny’s character. Lenny is funny and caring and real, she is also messy and grieving. Miles is so caring and kind, he is also misunderstood and awkward. The characters are a big reason for why I love this book.

I loved the way Lenny and Miles' friendship and bond slowly grew. I couldn’t put the book down because I wanted to keep reading and seeing their interactions. There were so many beautiful moments between them that had me smiling so hard. These scenes showed how well they understood each other. I loved the buildup of Lenny and Miles. I'm a huge fan of friends to lovers and this book shows exactly why. They start off as strangers but the reader gets to see their relationship develop into friends and then more than that. I can’t put into words how much I love their characters and their story. You will just have to read the book to understand it!

This book is also about Lenny and Lou’s friendship and the grief Lenny experiences from her loss. We see glimpses of Lenny and Lou’s friendship throughout the story. Lenny’s love for Lou is seen through the way she talked about her and the grief she experienced.

This was a beautiful story about a girl experiencing grief, friendship, and love. I felt so many emotions. I went from happy to sad to laughing. I cried so many times. This was my first five star read this year! I think everyone should read this book, but don’t forget a box of tissues!

Review was published 03/04/25
Review was published on my Wordpress blog, mreadsandreviews.wordpress.com on my Instagram page, m_readsandreviews and my goodreads profile. All links are below:
https://mreadsandreviews.wordpress.com/2025/03/04/promise-me-sunshine-promises-a-good-cry/
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7233138691
https://www.instagram.com/m_readsandreviews/

This book was an absolute gem and, without a doubt, an easy 5-star read for me. From the very first page, I was hooked. The author’s writing style is nothing short of phenomenal. She has this rare ability to weave together humor, heartache, and romance in a way that feels so natural and effortless.

Finished this right in time for publication!
Cara Bastone wrote a beautiful book about finding y0urself after dealing with grief.
Lenny lost her best friend Lou to cancer. She is struggling through everyday tasks, and even has issues going back to the apartment they shared. Lenny takes a job as a nanny and meets Miles, who is the girls uncle. Miles decides he will help Lenny deal with her grief in exchange for Lenny teaching him how to interact with his niece.
I loved this book, but be warned that you should have some tissues close when reading it. As someone who has lost a best friend I really wish I had a Miles to help me through it. Cara Bastone did a wonderful job of dealing with such a heavy subject. This book will stay with me for a long time.
Thank you to Random House, NetGalley and Cara Bastone for the advance readers copy.

5!! Cara Bastone has done it once again, matching the excellence of Ready or Not with this incredible sophomore novel. This book was an emotional rollercoaster—I laughed, I cried, and I felt everything in between. There’s just something about Bastone’s characters that will irrefutably stick with you.

Lenny is going through a rough time after losing her best friend to cancer. She’s dealing with it completely alone and sees no way out—until she meets Miles. Their first meeting isn’t exactly great, but as it turns out, Miles is the only one who truly sees her pain. They make a deal: Miles will help Lenny complete her “Live Again” list, and in return, she’ll help him connect with his niece.

This was a true slow-burn romance, and for good reason. Lenny and Miles build a friendship that feels raw and real because of how much trust they put in each other. To hold up their end of the bargain, they have to let their guards down and be vulnerable. And even with everything they’re going through, it’s so heartwarming to see how they still bring each other joy and laughter. They are also lovable characters on their own,

I can’t express enough how beautifully written this story is. No matter where you are in life, this book has a message that will resonate with you. Please read!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dial Press for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I’m not sure that I accurately have the words to describe how much I loved this book, but I’m going to give it my best shot!

Grieving the loss of her best friend, Lenny doesn’t stop moving from place to place (literally, she sleeps on a Ferry). She takes short term nanny jobs because the commitment of getting close to anyone else is overwhelming. When she takes one of those short term jobs, she meets Miles. He’s the grumpy uncle of a seven year old that Lenny’s taking care of. When he finds Lenny in a bind and again on the ferry, he begins to recognize her grief and takes Lenny under his wing to help her begin to live again.

Lenny’s charm and wit had me crying with laughter, and Miles’ sentiment had me swooning through tears. Miles is more than boyfriend material, he’s husband material!

Read this one if you like grumpy/sunshine, strangers to lovers, rom-coms, healing from grief, matching tattoos, found family, and he takes care of her.

A big thank you to NetGalley, Random House and the author Cara Bastone for the gifted e-arc. All opinions are my own.

This was one of the best books I've read in a really long time. I was laughing one second and crying the next. Lenny is trying to learn to live without her best friend that died and she's a mess. She starts nannying for Reese and her brother Miles is always there. Miles has his own thoughts about her and thinks that she isn't good for Reese's daughter. He appeared to be a bit of a grump when Lenny first meets him. Miles quickly discovers what Lenny is going through and takes her under his wing. He also went through his own grief and helps her start to live again. He is kind, patient, and has the best responses for things. I loved everything about this and if I didn't have to work I would have read it in one sitting. This book does great at showing how people grieve and how they feel that they can't go on. I loved Lenny and her quirkiness. She has this thing that she does with every guy she sees that she makes up a scenario of how they end up together. I got quite the chuckle out of that every time she did it. There was so much packed into this book. I'm sad it's over but it was definitely one of my favorite reads this year so far.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this ebook for my honest review.

This book tells a story of grief and finding yourself after losing someone so important and finding love. I LOOOOVED this book. Cara Bastone can do no wrong in my eyes. I have suffered loss in my own life and reading this book has opened my eyes completely in a different way on grief.

I put off reading this ARC for a while because I was worried about the content, but I should have known that Bastone wouldn't write this book without the care and love she has shown in all of her other books. I thought Lenny's journey and growth was really well done - not too saccharine, not too over the top, And the love story as lovely.

EASIEST 5 STARS of the year! I know it will be on my 2025 Top 5 Books of the Year. I absolutely adored Lenny and Miles' friends-to-lovers journey. They each had something to teach the other on their personal journeys. Their connection was so genuine, and their growth was truly inspiring. Miles being completely DOWN BAD for Lenny was just chef's kiss.

I highly recommend this slow-burn romance book. Please be aware it does touch on some heavy themes, including grief and loss. Lenny's best friend recently lost her battle to cancer, so she is learning to live again with a list she created with her best friend Lou.

The character development is superb, and the relationship between Lenny and Miles is incredibly heartwarming and realistic. Cara Bastone has crafted a beautiful story that will resonate with readers long after they finish the final page.

Would Recommend: Yes
Date Reviewed: 03Mar2025

Thank you to @netgalley @randomhouse @thedialpress for an early copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

After Lenny's best friend passes away from cancer, she's left feeling completely lost. Then she meets Miles, and he decides to help her find herself again using the list Lenny's best friend left her. As they make their way through the "learn to live again" list, Lenny and Miles become close friends and slowly fall in love.

This is an emotional, hopeful book about learning to live again after losing someone you love. It's about finding yourself and love. I absolutely loved this story, but as someone who also lost my best friend to cancer, it was hard to read at times, but so worth it!

♡ friends to lovers
♡ grief exploration
♡ found family
♡ slow burn

Thank you to Cara Bastone, NetGalley, and Random House Publishing Group for gifting me the ebook ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to @prhaudio for the free audiobook and to @thedialpress and @netgalley for my free digital copy!

This one deserves allllll the hype! I literally cannot imagine someone NOT loving this book. I recently listened to Cara’s debut, Ready or Not, on audio, and this sophomore effort may be even better! It’s hard to choose because they are both SO good.

This one deals very heavily with themes of grief and loss, and the romance in my opinion took a backseat to them. I was completely okay with this. Much of the suuuuper slow burn here is due to Lenny and Miles developing such a SOLID base of friendship and trust. Miles helps Lenny through some dark days, and is the only person in her life who truly knows and can empathize with what she is going through.

I genuinely loved both of the main characters, but the patience Miles has for Lenny is just next level. 🥹 Both of them are incredibly well written—REAL in a way I’m not sure I’ve experienced in another book. The banter and dialogue literally reminded of conversations I have in my life, and Lenny especially is WEIRD—in the best way. 🤣 She’s super relatable.

I’d grab the tissues for this one! It is touching, believable, and overall just such a lovely story.

🎧Alex Finke narrated this one and she also narrated Ready or Not. She’s a fantastic fit for Cara’s characters and honestly makes you BELIEVE she IS the character. Her voices, inflections, vocal mannerisms, etc. are unlike any others I’ve heard! A fabulous listen.