Going into this book, I knew Cara Bastone was capable of writing about the beauty in raw and real hard life situations (Ready or Not) but Promise Me Sunshine just completely blew me away. Our story gives us Lenny, who is struggling with the loss of her best friend, Lou, to cancer. She crosses paths with Miles, who becomes her “grief wingman” in exchange for help building a better relationship with his niece.

This is one of those books that I will forever wish I could read again for the first time. It was the perfect portrayal of the big and little steps forward when trying to process grief - which is such a unique pain yet somehow a shared experience to all those who have experienced it in one way or another. After a difficult few months personally, I found myself highlighting specific quotes and resonating with the words as if I was reading a self help book and not a fictional novel, and I want to include the one that really hit home for me in this review “Grief is a relationship, he continues. It’s the way we figure out how to keep loving them even though they’re gone. And in order to do that we have to keep on going. And going and going.” I’ll definitely be taking the time to thank the people who have been like Miles in my life, and doing my best to be there for anyone who needs that person themselves.

Thank you so much Random House Publishing Group for the ARC. Eagerly looking forward to The Naked Eye!

I absolutely loved this book; it was so good! It felt very realistic, and it wasn't overdramatic. I loved the growth that all the characters went through and the way that Lenny's grief was written was wonderful. It did get emotional, but it was also hopeful and romantic. I just loved how caring and thoughtful Miles was. Just all around, a wonderful read.

Being a part of Lenny’s grief journey was hard, real, raw and beautiful. This book was nothing short of wonderful.

*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*

<I>'"Grief is a relationship," he continues. "It's the way we figure out how to keep loving them even though they're gone."'</I>

Lenny is drowning. After losing her best friend, Lou, to cancer she moves through life barely surviving; she can't return to their shared apartment, she can't commit to a long-term nanny job, she can't properly feed herself, she just <I>can't</I> anymore. Her theory is if she doesn't let anyone close again, nobody will know she's pulling apart at the seams.

However, someone does see her struggle. And, surprisingly, it's the surly uncle of the little girl she's just started babysitting. Familiar with grief, and desperate to help <I>someone</I>, Miles offers to help Lenny get through her "Live Again" list in exchange for helping him build a relationship with his niece.

PROMISE ME SUNSHINE delivers on a beautiful slow-burn romance and a heartbreaking portrayal of all-encompassing grief. But I think what Bastone really nailed was Lenny's grief over Lou; grief's journey is very rarely a linear path, and Lenny's story was full of ups and downs. Learning to live after loss is never easy, and the guilt that can come with finding happiness afterwards can be almost as debilitating, and Bastone did not shy away from Lenny's continuous struggle. However, in my opinion, it made the ending that much sweeter.

There are so many places I could start, but I think the most important is to say thank you to Cara Bastone for writing this story with these characters!! Lenny & Miles are so important to me now, I haven’t quite felt this way since reading one of my favorite books of all time. I have already read through this twice since receiving the digital arc, and I am sure I will revisit this book again and again.

A grief wingman, references to Jeopardy, and an exploration of what it means to live on — Promise Me Sunshine is an intriguingly funny journey that follows two semi-prickly people just trying to find their way. It is so rare to find a character whose relationship with grief sort of mimics your own, but Lenny’s resonates so deeply with mine. Losing the people we love is part of life, but no one ever prepares you for the world to keep spinning while yours stops on a Tuesday in September. And so, sometimes we find ourselves riding the ferry’s route in its entirety and avoiding home because coming to terms with our loved one’s absence is too painful. Lenny describes Lou as her soulmate and Miles understandingly explains to her, “Consider it like you just had a heart transplant. When Lou died, your entire heart went with her. But you have to live, right? So now you've got this new heart. And you're getting used to it. No one would expect you to run up a hill right after a heart transplant. Go slow. Go easy on yourself." And that is when I knew I loved him! Well honestly probably before this point, but still.

This story and the MCs feel so loved, so lived in. I laughed, I cried, and I think a part of me healed reading this book. In addition to their slowburn, we got to hear about Miles’ & Reese’s backstories which I thoroughly enjoyed. There is a bit of found family, reconnecting with loved ones in new ways, and navigating how to care for those who usually care for others as well. It’s not often I feel every single part of a story is flushed out, but Bastone leaves no stone unturned. If you read “Ready or Not” and loved it, definitely give this one a go (there’s a surprise appearance!).

Thank you Random House for this arc, I am so grateful. This book smashed all my expectations out of the park and I am excited for “The Naked Eye”!

And to end off, one of my absolute favorite quotes, pg. 216: “And this journey through grief…it’s what we do for the great loves of our lives.”

Thank you NetGalley for this incredible arc. I think this novel is even better than her first! I’m not a slow burn fan but Cara might have converted me. The love between Lenny and Miles is just the sweetest, and I loved the added element of going through grief together.

This was cute for the most part. There were scenes i loved and smiled at. But i couldn’t get over the fact that Lenny went from one (unhealthy/i cant live without this person) relationship to another. She needed therapy, not a random man she had never met (and was a complete ass. He did get better though). I also did not enjoy the amount of times she would look at a man once and envision their entire future together (once or twice, thats fine) but it happened. So. Many. Times. I just feel like they needed something else besides grief to bring them together and to make me feel like they are in a healthy, stable relationship.

I am quickly becoming a huge fan of Cara Bastone: whether it be a short story or her longer works. I was very excited for this book as it was one of my most anticipated reads for the beginning of the year.

This is a story about grief and the loss of a loved one. It did start a little slow for me, but I appreciate being able to get to know more about characters before jumping into a lust filled relationship. The romance is definitely slow burn as well, which I loved.

I felt that this story was a good mix of a little of everything. There were times I wanted to cry and times I was grinning from ear to ear. I love that about this story.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one!

Five star read, no question.

Cara Bastone masters the art of the slooooowwwww burn, but the depth and emotion of the story absolutely stand without the romance. Such a beautiful narrative on the grieving process and finding your person to "walk into hell" and bring you back.

Absolutely recommend for anyone needing a read with feeling and relatable characters. The comic relief is a much needed balm to the reality of mortality that Promise Me Sunshine delivers.

4.5 ⭐️

I absolutely adored Ready or Not by Cara Bastone, so when I got the chance to read an ARC of Promise Me Sunshine, I was so excited.

This book was beautifully written, and the way Cara brings New York City to life made me feel like I was right there with the characters. It even made me miss home!

Lenny’s journey through grief really hit me. I saw so much of myself in her—especially the way she second-guessed herself and struggled to figure out what life looked like after losing someone she loved. Cara captured grief in such a raw and real way, and it made Lenny’s growth feel so authentic. Watching her slowly rediscover herself, with Miles as this constant support, was just so special.

Speaking of Miles—he’s the ultimate grumpy-sunshine character, and I won’t lie, I was a little skeptical about him at first. But as we got to see more of his story, I loved how much depth he had. His relationship with Lenny was the best kind of slow burn, and I adored how they helped each other heal in different ways. He always believed in her, and because of her, he finally started living for himself, too.

What really stuck with me, though, was how this book handled grief. I’m still going through my own journey after losing my dad, and reading about Lenny’s made me feel so seen. It was a reminder that moving forward doesn’t mean forgetting—it means carrying their love with you while still allowing yourself to live🤍

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Cara Bastone for the chance to read this ARC. I can’t wait for everyone to experience this book!


Favorite quotes:

“I knew she was only about two chess moves away from loving Miles.”

“You are honoring her. You are learning to love her exactly as she is. As someone who isn’t here anymore … That’s who she is now. And this journey through grief … It’s what we do for the great loves of our lives.”

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


“I’m uncontainable. I’ve just cracked the code. How to live a perfect existence: just embrace it all, every lovely/excruciating color.”

“I mean that when people are feeling a thousand things at once, that’s when the wheels come off. They start messing up at work or in their marriages or whatever. Nobody lives skillfully when they’re experiencing this sort of thing.”


“Honestly, Lenny? I think they like me because you like me. Not that I’m not … I just mean that the Miles who engineered this whole camping trip, fed everybody, that guy exists because you’re in my life.”

“It’s hard-won wisdom. A formula I figured out in my dark days. One I still need sometimes. When everything is going dark and you can’t understand why … when the grief catches up to you again … Or when your sister shouts at you and you feel like the world’s biggest tool. Just remember. Something good for you, something bad for you, and a change of scenery. That’s the winning formula.”

Wow, wow, wow. I'll be thinking about this book for a while. What a true delight this book was. First of all - thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for providing this eARC, I'll treasure this one for awhile.

Cara - what deeply moving writing you put into this book. I was giggling, crying, kicking my feet, and joyful while on this journey with Lenny. It's everything I want a book to be when I'm reading it.

I absolutely resonated with Lenny's character. As someone that has dealt with loss in the last couple of years, I felt myself in those places and what I experienced during those first several months without someone important around me. The attempting to do the best you can by avoiding places that put us into darker places and distracting yourself but not overwhelming ourselves, so so spot on.

And Miles, oh sweet Miles. It's rare when you can find someone that's experienced a similar grief as you but the way he wanted to help and guide her after he understood what she was going through, CRYING. I absolutely loved the formation of their friendship and how it shifted as time went on. He brought her back to present day in the most gentle of ways.

I'll definitely be re-reading this one, it might be February but I'm slotting this one at number 1 so far for 2025.

I don’t know if I can articulate just how special this book is. Lenny is grieving the loss of her best friend and when she takes a babysitting job, she meets Miles. These two embark on a journey of healing and it’s one of the most beautiful stories I’ve ever read. The portrayal of grief is so raw and honest. This book definitely ripped me apart and put me back together. I love Lenny and Miles so much and I can’t recommend this book enough! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review

4.5/5

I loved this book. Promise Me Sunshine is a story about two people grieving the loss of loved ones and how they helped each other through the darkness of loss. Its a slow burn, friends to lovers. In order for me to enjoy contemporary romance i need witty banter and luckily this book had it, in a way that felt real and natural. I knocked a star off because I couldn't fully relate to the depictions of grief. Some of it felt soo exaggerated. With that said this will be one of my top books of 2025.

I went into this book blind and was met overall with endearing quirkiness and immense grief. The writing felt a bit choppy and sporadic at best but I was still invested in discovering where the story went. The book slowly reveals that the fmc, Lenny, has suffered tremendous loss and is stuck in a cycle of grief after the passing of someone close to her. She finds a nanny gig in attempts to sustain herself financially and meets the mmc, Miles, with his own grief story.  It's an emotionally heavy book so you'll want to be in the right mindset, but it's also a bit scattered. 

I don't recall learning Mile's age (I'm guessing early 30's from timeline information) but the fmc is supposed to be 28 and acts like an emotionally immature teenager.  In the same breath, I know grief can alter how we deal with life, so there's that, too. Honestly, I wish there was a stronger mental health rep where instead of being coddled and prodded by Miles, that Lenny would have actually sought professional help as a prolonged period of not eating, sleeping, and taking care of oneself is NOT healthy. Depression is real and a love interest is NOT the solution. 

While I most definitely suffered from second-hand embarrassment reading chapter 32 😳 (what was that?!), I also found myself tearing up throughout the book with quotes here and there that showed the promise of healing in the depths of grief. All this said, people grieve differently and at varied paces, and the way Miles held space for Lenny and encouraged her to choose life was sweet (albiet a bit unbelievable at times). While this book wasn't really one for me, I can totally see how others will find validation, hope, and healing in this read.

4.5 🌟

I think Cara Bastone just made it to my "auto read" shelf. This book was 😘.

This book deals with the tough subject of loss, grief and depression. But can we talk about Miles for a second? He was perfection in this book. The way supported Lenny had me rooting for them from the beginning. If you are looking for a heavier romance book - run and pick this up.

Thanks, Netgalley for the ARC of this book!

When I saw the premise for this book (young woman putting her life back together after her best friend has died of cancer) I knew I had to read it. I went through a similarly devastating loss nine years ago. Promise Me Sunshine did not disappoint - I enjoyed every bit of it. The story setup was interesting, the characters were real and sympathetic. Importantly, Lenny's grief is portrayed as real and not a mere plot point that's dealt with and gotten over. The love scenes were a bit cringe, sure, but skippable. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this fantastic story.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.25

Wow! If I need to be honest, I went into this book with pretty low expectations but in the end I really enjoyed it! It was heartwarming and at times funny seeing Lenny and Miles help each other through their grief. I definitely liked Promise me sunshine more than Ready or not (by the same author, and there's a little cameo from that book!) and it made me shed a few tears, I confess.

The bucket list, Ainsley/Reese's relationship with Miles, the silver locket, the friend group, the visits to the Met and the trips on the ferry: I loved everything so much. Also, the romance was so sweet and tender and he was so respectful of her pace, even when Lenny herself wasn't aware of it.

I'll urge everyone to grab a copy of this book the moment it's released!

4.5 stars rounded up!

Thank you so much to #NetGalley and Dial Press for the advanced copy of this book. This book publishes on March 4th.

What to expect in this book:

-Exploration of grief
-Found family
-NYC setting
-Unlikely friendship
-Deep romance
-Heavier themes
-Linear timeline

Thoughts

Cara Bastone beautifully displays grief and the power of love in her newest book, Promise Me Sunshine. After losing her best friend and love of her life, Lou, Lenny is feeling completely untethered. She is barely surviving and holding herself together in a world that no longer makes sense, when she meets Miles, the brooding uncle of the little girl she begins to nanny. While Lenny's life is falling a part, she begins to get to know Miles, who seems to be familiar with grief as well. The two begin to set off to learn how to 'live again.' While there is a romance storyline, this book stunningly weaves so many relationships and themes together perfectly.

While I enjoyed Bastone's previous book, Ready or Not, I loved the themes and characters in this one more. Lenny's story and relationship with grief was so real and I loved how Miles was willing to meet her exactly where she was. The two encouraged each other and formed a unique friendship that in a way felt like a nostalgic romance movie. While there is a friends to lovers aspect of this story, I really loved the slow burn of the building of the friendship into more. Sometimes the romance aspect of novels can feel so rushed, but I loved how we as readers get to be a part of every step of the formation of the character's relationships. I also loved the glimpses we get into other friendships being formed and the family relationship of Lenny and her parents.

Found family is one of my favorite themes, especially in this genre, and I loved how this worked in Miles' storyline with Reese and Ainsley, as well as with Lenny and her newfound friends. I also loved the NYC setting. It can be easy to forget that we are all fighting our own battles but that even sometimes life in and of itself can feel like a battle and this book is the reminder that despite those battles, life is also worth living. I will definitely be recommending this to romance readers but especially those who love a romance with heavier or more emotional themes.

We need more books like this in the romance genre, please, I’m begging!

Miss Bastone, you’ve got a fan for life—now that I’ve gotten a taste, I’ll be reading everything you write.

Miles and Lenny have my whole heart. Ugh, I love them so much. This book really put me through it, and I’m here for it.

The character development is chef’s kiss. This is why I love friends-to-lovers stories; when done right, they’re raw and magical—so tender, so well-executed. The slow burn and perfect balance of friends-to-lovers perfection was everything.

I absolutely adored this book and highly recommend it to anyone like me who’s craving more than just smut in their romance novels.

Thank you to Dial Press/Random House for the ARC of my favorite book of the year! 💛🧡

Cara Bastone has a knack for writing perfect men. Everyone needs a Miles in their lives. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC. What a privilege to read this story 😭🩵