Wow, where to i even start?
Beautiful. Beautiful. Beautiful. From beginning to end just beautiful. Loved every single moment with this book.
The amount of emotion I went through reading this book, from feeling giddy to full on laughter to sobbing. This is so heart warming, I loved it so much. Beautifully written, the pacing is great! The story itself is chef's kiss.
It's that kind of book that you would re-read for comfort when you just want to be comforted.
I don't usually reread books but this is definitely one of the top books I'll revisit again! Will definitely buying a physical copy!

Please give me a Miles of my own, I need that, I need him in my life, my comfort. <33



thank you netgalley for the arc!

Cara Bastone has done it again. Another story that is beautiful and quirky and heartbreaking and joyful and such a journey.

I immediately connected with Lenny and how she was functioning day to day and contributing to society during the day while falling apart each night. And I immediately fell for Miles and his ability to see Lenny and be what she needed. When he told her he wouldn't let her drown? What an important moment. The way these two move through their struggles and grief together was so beautiful to read. Add in an adorable, quirky child and you have won me over for life.

This was absolutely beautiful. It captured what it feels like to grieve and live so perfectly but was also so funny. I cried and laughed. This was my second book by Cara Bastone and it did not let me down. I loved this so much. I think this book healed something in me. 10 out of 10 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Loved it. No notes.

5 outta 5 ⭐

The journey this book took me on was **chef's kiss**

We meet Lenny. She is in the thick of grief, having lost her best friend to cancer. And she is a mess. She's doing Mary Poppins side gigs and finds herself intertwined with a grumpy neighbor who thinks he can help her.

I was just sucked into this world and I was rooting for these characters. I found the love story to be gentle and tender and yet still built that romantic tension that keeps you turning pages to get to "the good stuff."

I enjoyed the third act (spoilers.... no break up) - no need to roll my eyes at some dumb miscommunication or I'm not worthy type break up.

Thanks to Netgalley and Randomhouse Publishing for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

When Lenny’s bestfriend dies, she finds herself struggling to want to live. But then she meets Miles and what follows are months of him nursing her back to life until she’s able to take care of herself again.

This is the first book that deals with grief where we don’t have a chance to bond with the deceased character before they die, but i still felt the pain as viscerally as if I were Lenny herself. It felt like I was grieving right along with her for the Lou that we were seeing through Lenny’s memories.

Then we had the beautiful dynamic between Miles and Lenny. Friends, but also, so much more.
Miles acts as someones who reminds Lenny of the beauty in living, even when it’s the last thing you feel like doing. Their relationship was tender and unique and the banter was so well written. Honestly? I would happily go the rest of my life looking at the world through the eyes of characters like Lenny and Miles.
Then we had Reese and Ains and they were the cherries on top! I liked seeing how these characters interacted differently with Miles versus with Lenny, and how even those relationships evolved throughout the book.

I also ADORED the pacing of the romance intertwined with all the character growth😩 the slow burn really slow burned in this one but the best part is that this was so much more than the romance.
It felt like a love letter to friendship and the people you let hold your hand when all you really want to do is let go.

I also loved that this wasn’t about suppressing the pain. It was about feeling all the glorious & awful feelings that we humans are destined to endure, and the beauty that comes when you’re out on the other side of it.

Overall, I love books that feel distinctly like the human experience. That show in such an obvious way how much it hurts to be human, but also how much wonder there is in living and loving and being loved. Cara Bastone’s book gave me all of that and so much more and I need everyone to read it.

If you love:
☀️ Complicated relationship with grief
☀️ Friends to lovers (& so much more than that)
☀️ Family dynamics
☀️ Grumpy x sunshine
☀️ Slow burn & sooo much pining

Then this one is for you🥹

Thank you to Random House, NetGalley and Cara Bastone for this e-arc ♥️

Cara Bastone has done it again with Promise Me Sunshine—a beautifully heartfelt, emotionally rich book that perfectly balances grief, healing, and the unexpected magic of human connection.

Lenny is a FMC you can’t help but root for. She’s raw, vulnerable, and trying her best to navigate life after losing her best friend. Her struggles feel sooo real. Enter Miles, the grumpy yet secretly soft-hearted MMC, whose own experiences with loss make him the perfect (if reluctant) companion on Lenny’s journey to healing. Their dynamic is perfection—grumpy/sunshine at its finest, with banter that’s equal parts hilarious and heartwarming.

Promise Me Sunshine is a reminder that even in the darkest moments, there’s still light to be found. A must-read for anyone who loves stories of resilience, found family, and slow-burn romance that lingers long after the last page.

This was such a gorgeous story. Deep characters, themes, and plot balanced perfectly with humor. Lenny and Miles were so good to each other and it was so refreshing to read a story about a mature relationship where the two are so accepting but also push each other to be better. Cara Bastone does such an amazing job striking a balance between heavy and heartfelt. An auto-buy author for sure!

I absolutely loved this book!! Although it is definitely a romance, it is also a story of friendship and grief. Lenny and Miles’ relationship was built in such a wholesome way that had me cheering for them the entire book! The comedic timing of Ainsley was perfect, and the cameo from Ready or Not was the cherry on top for me!! Ι’ve already purchased a hard copy to re-read in the future!

this book is a beautifully written story about learning how to live after a loss, how to handle grief. as such, it does get a bit heavier at times, but it was a realistic representation of this complex moment of life. when it comes to the romance storyline, it's definitely slow-paced and i felt like it was a secondary plot for most of the book, with only small and few glimpses of tender moments between the main characters. however, it completely makes sense within the story being told, and it's very sweet.

Lenny has been overcome with grief after the death of her best friend, Lou, who lost her battle with cancer. Lenny is avoiding a lot these days; her parents, the apartment she shared with Lou, and the list of things to help her live again that she promised Lou she would do. While avoiding anything that makes her feel grief, Lenny gets hired to babysit Ainsley. Ainsley and her mom, Reese are the perfect distraction. But, along with them comes Miles, the grumpy uncle/brother. Miles can sense that Lenny is struggling with something, because he too has suffered from grief and the loss of someone he loved. Miles offers Lenny a deal, he will help her with her "live again" list if she helps him connect with Ainsley and Reese. Soon Lenny and Miles are spending a lot of time together and Lenny sees a different side of Miles that she was not expecting.

Review:
4.5 stars. Promise Me Sunshine was a beautiful love story. It is not your typical romance. It is filled with grief, sadness, laughter, devastation, etc. etc. This story was so real to me. There were extreme highs and extreme lows. The lows were gut wrenching, devasting, and heartbreaking. Lenny's personality is one of my absolute favorites. She is funny, witty, and filled with so much love. While reading, I couldn't help but think how much I wanted to be her friend. I laughed out loud so many times at the things she would say and do, but my heart also broke for her when she was stricken with grief. I could not imagine her pain and sorrow. This story has so many levels of dimension and character development. It is also beautifully written and so well done!
Thank you to NetGalley, Cara Bastone, and Random House Publishing for this ARC of Promise Me Sunshine in exchange for an honest review!

DNF @ 30%. The writing style was very choppy and disjointed and the characters were very one-dimensional. Lenny is unpredictable in a way that inspires anxiety, and Miles is boringgggg.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group, Dial Press Trade Paperback, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC!

I love Cara Bastone’s writing. Her characters always feel unique. This book is no exception. It’s messy and sad and hilarious all at the same time!

I will be honest, I wasn't sure what was happening at the beginning. But I quickly fell in love with Lenny and Miles.

This was a five star read for me. I will read anything Cara Bastone writes!

Please read the trigger warnings. This book deals a lot with grief at various stages.

QUICK GLANCE-
My format- Audio🎧 (11 hours and 11 minutes)
Other formats- 📖Physical (416 pages)
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️(skip chapter 32 for closed-door modifications)
Language:🤐🤐mild-moderate
CW: ⚠️Grief, loss of a loved one, cancer

MY THOUGHTS-
This book was EVERYTHING!! From the very first page, I wanted to slow down and savor every moment. It had me grinning from ear to ear, laughing out loud, and wiping away tears as my heart shattered and healed again and again. The raw emotion and vulnerability of the characters are handled with such tenderness and care. I received an ebook version from @netgalley, but I’ll definitely be purchasing a physical copy to reread and treasure forever. This book has captured my heart completely!

😞 😆 Grumpy/Sunshine
🔥 Slowburn
🤕 ❤️ Hurt/Healing
👫Walking through grief
💞 Deep friendship before love (my personal fav)

Grieving the loss of her best friend to cancer, Lenny finds solace in the grumpy stranger, Miles, who is the uncle of the girl she's babysitting for.

Absolutely terrific of a story this is. Dealing with grief & loss, this book weaves us through Lenny & Miles' story and how grief looks different for everyone. God, I cried so many times.

As much my heart broke for Lenny, I was more emotionally attached to Miles. Lenny's anxiety & depression were portrayed in a way that felt too raw and real. Miles was unreal to begin with. The amount of support, love, & care he has for Lenny was something to be read in books only. Their banter was therapeutic & loved them so much.

Pacing was brilliantly done & I couldn't have imagined it any other way. Also, I really liked the value Reese & Ainsley added to the story without being overbearing.

This reminded me a lot of "Love, Holly" by Emily Stone too. I'll be thinking about this for days to come.

<i>Thank you Netgalley & Publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.<i>

4/5 🌟

I really enjoyed the journey Cara Bastone takes us on in this books. It felt very real to be able to see Lenny’s grief and how hard it truly is to lose someone. I truly didn’t think i was going to like this one as much as i did but it pulled so many emotions out of me and for that i will continue to recommend this book!!

Thank you to netgalley for a copy of this book!

4.5⭐️ I am speechless. This book was so emotional for me. I loved every single page of this book. This was a beautifully written story about the different stages of grief and the process of healing. I loved every moment between Lenny and Miles from the very start. Usually I’m not a big fan of slow burn, but with this book it really worked. It gave the characters time to grow and form their relationship, and I enjoyed that. Thank you so much Cara Bastone and Random House Publishing for allowing me the chance to receive and ARC of this book. This was my first book by this author and it will not be my last!

The hardest reviews for me to write are always the ones where I love the book the most, and that is absolutely the case for this ♾️ star read. I read it weeks ago and have just been marinating in my thoughts, and I still don't know how to do it justice!

Lenny's best friend recently died, and Lenny finds herself completely lost. She can't seem to talk to her family or to go back to her apartment or to take a steady job, existing only by taking short-term nanny positions and sleeping on the ferry at night. The uncle of her most recent charge knows a bit about grief himself, and Miles offers to help her make her way through the grief in exchange for some help getting closer to his niece.

Bastone's Ready or Not made me a huge fan, but this book has cemented her as one of my favorite authors. Her characters are fully dimensional and messy, her storylines draw you in and won't let go, and her writing is deeply touching, making you feel all the emotions as you read her books. This book was exquisitely balanced between sadness and joy as Lenny found a way to live again after her greatest loss, and I am absolutely certain you'll be seeing it on my top ten of the year list this December.

Narrator Alex Finke is incredible as always, ejecting so much feeling into Bastone's words and making this my favorite audiobook of the year so far.

Let's end this one with a quote: "This is a love story, I swear. This is what happens when you've promised someone you'll live again."

This is the second book by Cara Bastone I’ve read and I really enjoy her writing. There are so many lines from this book I absolutely love. Such a great read and all the feels. That’s a 5 star read for me. I received this book as an ARC from Net Galley for an honest review.

✨ PUB DAY REVIEW ✨

Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Oh, what a beautiful roller coaster this book was! 🥹

After the death of her best friend, Lenny is absolutely lost. She is sleeping pretty much anywhere but her own apartment, hasn’t spoken to her parents in months and is making some super questionable life choices! But when she takes on a temporary nannying gig, the unexpected happens… with the help of some very special people, and an important list from her past she starts to heal while learning to live (and love) again. ❤️

UGH! Sometimes, I find it more difficult to write reviews for books that I love because words just don’t seem to do it justice but I’m going to give it my best shot…

I loved so much about this book, it’s a romance that is much more than just romance.

It’s friendship you feel in your soul…
it’s honest discussions about grief…
It’s navigating challenging family dynamics and;
It’s radical self-love even when your life is a complete mess!

I cried (a lot), definitely a mix of happy and sad tears which I think sums up how I felt pretty well!

A truly special book that will stick with me for a long long time.

5/5 stars

I think Cara Bastone is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors!

Quick Summary: Follow Miles and Lenny as they go around New York City doing Lenny's list to help her face her grief.

I LOVED THIS BOOK! It was so good, and I connected so well with the characters. Lenny loses her best friend after her fight with cancer. Lenny talks about how she feels stuck and is scared to move on and worries that if she moves on, she is going to leave her friend Lou in the past. This results in her riding the ferry at night and refusing to go to the apartment she lived in with Lou. In comes Miles, this grumpy, rigid kind of guy who is the Uncle of the kid that Lenny is nannying. Miles makes a deal with Lenny to help her through her grief if she helps him to understand kids.

This book just felt real. Cara did such a good job of not beating around the bush of grief and showing its ugly head for what it is. Darkness, loss of identity, isolation, and chaotic. The development of both characters was so touching. The fact that they leaned on each other for support and learned how to reach out to each other for help. I was SO sad when this book was over. This was one book where I could read it easily for another 100 pages.

Anyways, if you are someone looking for a slow burn (where the romance doesn't come until later in the book), a grump X Sunshine, raw emotions, feel-good story (it was to me :) ). Look no further! I highly recommend this to everyone who is going through grief, as it made me not feel alone in my feelings.


THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to Cara Bastone, Random House Publishing group, and Netgalley for sending me a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review. Words cannot express how happy I am that I got the chance to read this book and how it helped me.