There is so much love in this book, no different from Cara Bastone's debut, Ready or Not (which I also loved). The character development throughout this whole novel is fantastic, and the emotional issues that each character faces only makes them more real. The main character's a little quirky but I can move past that because everything else about this was perfection. The way he cares for her regardless of any circumstance is so admirable, there's no way anyone wouldn't fall for this man. I'm so excited for anything Bastone writes - it's so honest and emotional.

I really, really loved it! Cara Bastone is really knocking them out of the part. I loved her last novel, and this one was great, too. The mature adult relationship with very little miscommunication: REFRESHING! The kid: ADORABLE! The journey through grief: TOUCHING.

Just a really nice story about some really nice people. Cannot wait to read what she writes next!

promise me sunshine handles grief so beautifully, bringing us on a journey of coping with loss and learning to live and love again.

the character arcs were incredible! i loved seeing raw and vulnerable moments from not only the lenny and miles, but also from the side characters. it explores the characters being in different stages of grief, how they each live and learn to cope, just like how one does in real life.

it was refreshing to see a natural progression of a friends to lovers relationship, one that took time to slowly develop. it allowed so much time for the characters to work on themselves individually, before the romance unfolds and you see them gradually fall in love.

i loved that lenny and miles gave each other a purpose in life, a connection that runs so deep. lenny deserved the biggest hug throughout. i wanted to shield her from the pain of this world, and to have miles by her side was everything. he came into her life at the time she needed most, dragged her back from hell, and brought her back to life. miles is one of the loveliest mmc with the way how he shows up for people he cares about and is so attentive to other’s needs.

this book left my heart bursting to the seams and flipping the pages with the beautiful quotes is so heartfelt.

thank you so much to dial press and netgalley for the arc! i can’t wait to read more from cara bastone <3

I HATED this one, and its devastating how much I did. This should have been right up my alley, and through the first 25% I had the 5-star feeling in my bones. But things quickly began to unravel from there. For a story about grief and a romance being built on working through that grief, it was all so surface level and...annoying. Lenny is so self-absorbed and makes her pain her personality, which was like a cartoonish characterization of her grief. I wanted to know more about Miles' backstory, his pain, literally ANYTHING, but he was used as a plot device and outlet for Lenny's many mental breakdowns. By the end, he felt two-dimensional, and that is frankly such character assassination. Also the babysitting was a fun quirk that I wish was further explored later in the novel, but the resulting family drama felt forced?

I understand the point of everything is for them to go on adventures around the city to complete the list, but its a tired storyline that I've seen executed way better in countless other romance novels. Speaking of romance, I couldn't root for them in the end because of how Lenny used Miles. Their relationship felt weird from the beginning with how quickly they cling to eachother and trauma-dump, but them finally getting together felt like a half-assed destination and neatly-tied ending to make it a "feel good story". This fact takes away from the heavier themes of the novel in its entirety.

4.5 stars! ❤️‍🩹 Uptown Girls vibes!!
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
This was kind of a slow start for me, but once I got to know the characters I grew so attached. 🥹 The story of Lenny and Miles is SUCH a perfect depiction of supporting someone through grief, and was a breath of fresh air from all the overwritten tropes in the genre right now. The characters are complex, imperfect people who I found myself rooting for. If there had been a bit more closure of Reese and Ainsley at the end this probably would been five stars for me! Cara Bastone, you have a new fan 🫶🏻

Don’t let the beautiful cover fool you, this book is heavy. Heavy, but beautiful. It is such a real picture of grief. What it feels like to lose someone & feel like you’ve been left behind. I saw so much truth in the feelings I experienced when my mom died, but also in the ebbs & flows I have watched my dad go through. Even the grief I have watched a friend go through from a lost marriage. It is beautifully written & so respectful of such a sensitive time.
Aside from the heaviness is a funny, quirky main character you can’t help fall in love with. The romance is a smaller subsection of the book, but also done well & avoids most of the pitfalls & cliches many romances have.
Overall, so well done. If you like the way Abby Jimenez approaches hard real life struggles, Cara Bastone may be your next favorite.

I don’t handle grief well. Let’s just put that out there. I’m terrified of losing anyone that I love. When I saw that Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone was about a woman getting over the death of her best friend, I knew I had to read it. This was such a beautiful story. It isn’t just a romance book. It’s also about learning to live again. I am so glad that I read it!

My Thoughts on Promise Me Sunshine:
The romance genre generally isn’t my favorite to read, but I loved this book. I instantly liked all of the characters. Do you know someone who says whatever she thinks, goes to the extreme in what she does, and loves with her whole heart? That’s Lenny. Do you know someone who comes across as gruff, but is a big teddy bear? That’s Miles. Ainsley is a crack-up and a lovable kid. Reese, her mom, is working through the grief of losing her own dad. All of the characters are well-developed in the story, and you can’t help but cheer each of them on.

I love that Lenny made up stories about the people she meets, especially if she feels they could be a love interest. How her future looks with that person always made me laugh. I like doing that about people also.

The Story Line:
It is the story line that truly grabbed me, though. I, too, have a best friend that I met when I was five, just like Lenny and Lou. I can’t imagine life without her. I cried so many times as Lenny learns to deal with her grief. Bastone, the author, does a wonderful job of showing how someone works through the grieving process. It was a list that was created when Lou was sick that takes Lenny on a wonderful adventure, and it’s Miles that shows her how to love life again.

I did have a question about one part of the story. At one point, Lenny and Miles don’t have any electricity, and they have to search for things in the dark. Why didn’t they just use the flashlight on their phone? A minor point, I know, but it made me curious.

I gave this book five out of five stars. I couldn’t wait to get back to the story each time, and that tells me how much I like a book. I like when a book makes me laugh, cry, think, and wish I knew the characters. I definitely recommend it.

This was such a beautiful thought-provoking book. I loved how grief and love can be about any relationship - best friend, parent, cousin etc. This book makes space for grief for any important relationship in your life (made me appreciate my best friends). I thought the love story (friends to lovers) was well done and the slow build was done incredibly well. I was invested not only in the romance, but in the main character growing and making space for the friend she lost and new relationships in her life.

A book about love and about grief. Cara Bastone was able to capture both so perfectly within this book, and i loved every second of it.
Miles and Lenny are two characters that needed each other in the most cosmic of ways. They healed each other in the deepest of ways and you couldn't ask for a more perfect couple. Watching Miles pick Lenny up from the ground and put her back together was such a gift to behold. And he redeemed himself so quick after being the "asshole" character in the beginning. I mean, total 180! I didn't know it could be possible while keeping the large parts of his character so completely intact.
Lenny. Oh, Lenny. I want to give our girl the biggest hug. Watching Lenny's story helped me feel brave to make friends, put myself out there, process grief, show up for loved ones, and be the sunshine for others. While Lenny's story is sad, and her grief is such an integral part of her character, she was a delight to be around and read. I want to be more like Lenny in every way. I want to feel as deeply as she felt and inspire others as she did. This is one of those books where I learned so much about myself and what I want my life to look like.
There was a before-this-book version of me and now there is an after-this-book version of me.

While reading this book, my inner dialogue went something like this: Wait, Miles is a jerk? Oh, maybe Miles isn’t a jerk. Yeah, Miles isn’t a jerk. Well, Miles is perfect.

Grief comes in all shapes and sizes. For Lenny, who just lost her best friend/soul sister/other half of her heart to cancer, that means riding the Staten Island Ferry all night, going to dance parties that last from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., frequently forgetting to eat, and not washing her hair — mostly because she doesn’t want to go back to the apartment she shared with her friend. But Lenny still needs to pay the rent on her apartment (even if she won’t set foot inside), so she takes on odd jobs as a nanny. And on her first day with a new family, she meets her charge’s uncle, Miles. Grumpy, jerky-ish (or not-so-jerk-ish) Miles, who is estranged from his sister and niece but wants to do better and be part of their lives. So he makes Lenny a deal: He’ll help her with her grief if she helps him connect with his family.

Lenny and Miles are both complicated people. Neither is perfect, but they’re both trying to show up — however they’re currently able to in whatever shape that can take. Their characterizations felt real, and their growth was fulfilling. Lenny isn’t perfect, but she’s doing her best to make it through each day. She’s stronger than she gives herself credit for, and she has a warmth that draws people to her. (Plus, she’s a fan of a K-pop boy group, so I trust her implicitly.) She’s vulnerable, and she isn’t afraid to show people that she’s hurting. And boy, is she hurting. Miles is sweet and gentle and patient — and he never tries to “fix” Lenny, he just wants to be there to help her when she needs him. He’s dealt with his own recent grief, so he has a good idea of how to help Lenny process her loss — he never minimizes or trivializes how she’s feeling and just keeps being there for her as best as he can. Honestly, everyone deserves a Miles.

I loved how Cara Bastone had their relationship unfold. Neither made a good first impression on the other, but they grew to trust each other and rely on each other as they helped each other achieve their goals, first as friends, then as lovers. Bastone’s banter is playful and full of affection, and the two are a wonderful balance to each other. This is definitely a romance book, but it’s so much more than that. It’s a poignant and raw look at grief — how overcoming loss isn’t a linear process and how everyone handles it differently. Bastone infuses these pages with humor and romance and real, raw, messy emotions. I laughed, I cried, and I loved every moment of reading this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for providing me with an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

5⭐️!! Yes, absolutely yes. You really should give this a shot if you haven’t already. There are one liners in here that made me cackle. To give you a taste, let’s just say the bend and snap is used. If you know, you know. The raw emotion Lenny expresses and the gentle way Miles seeks to help were pure gold. Warning that this book deals with loss of loved ones (car accident and cancer) and severe grief. But it is handled well in my opinion. The SLOW burn!! Chef’s kiss. Seriously, I will recommend this one forever.

♾️⭐️ for the narration of the audiobook by @finkeboutit. You are a phenomenal narrator. That emotion throughout was so palpable and beautiful. I can’t recommend the audiobook enough.

Thank you to @netgalley @carabastone and Random House for the advanced e-copy.

Promise Me Sunshine is a beautiful story about Lenny, our main character, grieving the loss of her best friend. As she struggles with every day life, Lenny has to learn to accept her new reality and begin to process in a way that helps her cope. I personally would classify this book more of a women’s fiction, because there wasn’t much romance throughout the book, although we all know how that ends,
Miles has recently dealt with his own grief and he tries to help Lenny rediscover what it means to live life and be happy. He becomes her support, anchor, friend, and her person as he helps her navigate through these difficult feelings and emotions.

Lenny has such a fun personality and I love that we get to see that even through her stages of grief. The friendship that develops between her and Miles is truly unique and Cara did a wonderful job of bringing these characters to life. Every single person experiences grief throughout their lifetime, so as readers were able to have that connection with Lenny. It makes you think about how you have handled or would handle the same situation.

This book is technically a 3.75 star rating for me, although I did round up to 4 stars here. I felt like it was a bit long and the middle of the story sort of drug out & became repetitive. I do look forward to what Cara Bastone will release next, because her writing is artistic and truly beautiful.

beautiful exploration of grief. this book changed my perspective in so many ways. the power of love in any form is truly what life is meant for. I hope to read many more books by Cara Bastone and continue to explore topics of life in such powerful and relatable ways!

So incredibly heartfelt and earnest. There's healing, hope, laughter, and struggles all rolled into one story. It somehow managed to be both raw and comforting.

"When I met you, I feel like I met myself."
This boooooooook. *chef's kiss*
Seriously so good. It feels like a warm hug by an author that I have come to love! I read Ready or Not earlier this year and fell in love with Cara Bastone's writing. She has hints of my favorite authors - Abby Jiminez and Emily Henry - with her ability to beautifully deliver the hard topics that aren't talked about often, but definitely should be. These characters are so charming yet grounded, you can't help but fall in love with all of them.

I typically am not the biggest fan of slow burns but this one was just perfect. It had other tropes like grumpy x sunshine, found family, and friends to lovers. All the makings of an amazing story!

This book explores grief and how difficult it can be along with how beautiful the healing journey is. The way Lenny was able to let go of her hair made me realize how many memories I am holding on to with my hair. It is time to let go!

I cannot wait to get my hands on the physical copy as well- it is just that good.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for giving me the eARC! This is my first ARC and I am so glad it was!

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC!

Wow, this book will likely stick with me a while. Lenny’s story resonated with me and likely anyone that has experienced any kind of grief will be able to relate as well. In Promise Me Sunshine Lenny in mourning the loss of her lifelong best friend. Lou was basically her other half and Lenny is not handling it well. She meets Miles when she takes a new nannying job. Miles is the grumpy uncle and is less than impressed with Lenny based on first impressions. Once he realizes she’s grieving and not just strung out he offers to help her through the grief since he has experience with that in exchange for her help with getting closer to his niece Ainsley. What follows is a sweet, heartwarming, slow burn, strangers to friends to lovers story that hit all the marks for me. I love emotional stories and this one packed a punch. Five stars, no notes!

I’m honestly at a loss for words—where do I even begin? This book made me feel so deeply, I cried a bucketful of tears, screamed my lungs out, and laughed until I couldn’t breathe. It’s not every day a story touches your soul in such a profound way, but this one did. This is my first time reading a book by Cara Bastone, and let me just say—she’s now earned a forever reader in me.

I requested an e-ARC of this because the title, cover, and description caught my attention—even though I was scared of it, knowing it would make me cry. I wasn’t wrong—it shattered me in the best possible way. Despite my initial fear of diving into a story that would undoubtedly make me cry, I took the chance, and I’m so glad I did.

Lenny. She’s one of the most well-rounded and relatable characters I’ve ever encountered in a book. Her grief is so authentic and raw that it feels almost tangible, something many readers will see themselves in. Losing someone so important—someone who’s been a constant presence in your life—leaves a void that’s impossible to fill. Lenny’s journey shows how grief can make us feel lost for an unbearably long time, and in the process, we often fail to notice the people who are still there for us. The way the loss of her best friend affected her was heartbreaking. They had been inseparable for as long as they could remember, and the fact that her friend didn’t pass away suddenly but faded slowly over time made it even harder. Lenny carried the weight of every memory and every moment leading up to the loss, and it was written so beautifully that it would resonate deeply with anyone navigating grief.

Miles. His character completely stole my heart. I can’t begin to imagine the pain he’s endured to reach a point where he considers himself an “expert” on grief. It’s clear he’s had to go through so much—more than anyone should—to gain that level of understanding and resilience. What I loved most about him was his quiet strength. It felt like he’d spent years learning to navigate his grief, but the journey wasn’t easy. He had to fight through the hardest moments, where his present self desperately needed the version of him that existed in the past. The complexity of his character was so compelling—he was dependable, loyal, and loving in his own way that other people might not see past it. His struggle to connect with Reese and Ainsley broke my heart, but watching the progress of their relationship brought me so much peace—he deserves all the love in the world.

One of the things that stood out to me the most was how the book captured the unpredictable nature of grief. I remember reading somewhere that grief is strange because you can go months without crying, and then, out of nowhere, it hits you and the pain feels as fresh and raw as the day it began. This book captured that sentiment perfectly. There were moments where Lenny felt like she was starting to live again, but when she was alone with her thoughts, the grief crept back in, reminding her that it’s still there—that her best friend is gone and isn’t coming back.

Overall, this book is everything to me. It’s engraved in my soul, and I’ll always remember it as one of the “great loves of my life.” My expectations were high because of how stunning the cover is, and it did not disappoint. Every tear I shed while reading this was absolutely worth it—it also brought me so much joy.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group, and the author for the ARC in exchange of my honest review.

I usually write really thought out and thorough review but I don't have the brain power to put into the words how this book altered my brain chemistry and will stay with me forever. Wow wow wow a masterpiece of contemporary romance. It is profound and warm and sad and FUNNY and cozy and cold. It is the sunshine on your face on the first warm day after a long, long winter. It is perfect and I am so grateful it exists.

initial thoughts: a great follow up to Ready or Not?, a charming rom-com with great characters and a look at how difficult grief can be.

5 ⭐️
this was absolutely exceptional. where do i even start? i knew this was going to be a life changing, soul crushing book from about 30% through, and at 50% i knew it was one of my favorite reads of all time. i was reduced to tears from a single line more times than i can count. i laughed so much, i cried tears of joy and sadness, and in the end i was just in awe. as someone who has dealt with mounds of grief in her life, cara did a wonderful job of representing what grief is. the writing was simply excellent. i cannot stress enough how wonderful this was. absolutely my favorite book of the year.
miles... i don't even have words. he was such a wonderful mmc, truly all i'd ever want. caring, kind, patient, a little grumpy. lenny is a character that i relate to so heavily, she was so well rounded and well written. i cannot stress this enough- go. read. this.