I absolutely loved this book. Such a fantastic enemies-to-friends-to-lovers with the heart wrenching elements of grief weaved throughout this book. I cried, I laughed hysterically, I didn’t want it to end.

Thank you to Cara Bastone, Random House, and NetGalley for the gifted advanced copy!

“This is a love story, I swear. This is what happens when you’ve promised someone you’ll live again.”

Well, way to rip my heart out and put me back together again Cara.

Cara tackled the complexity of wrestling with grief and trying to keep your body moving forward through the sea it can become. She also beautiful depicts what it looks like to have someone come alongside you and help you keep your head above water until you’re ready to let them help you haul yourself to the shore. I adored this story and once I got through chapter 1 I couldn’t put it down.

So get the tissues and your favorite oversized sweatshirt (it being black, a hoodie, and owned by someone you love optional) and settle in.

Thank you to Cara Baston, Random House Publishing Group, and NetGalley for this digital advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

This book was a doozy, but in a good way. If you’re looking for a light read, this ain’t it.

This book follows, Lenny, who is trying to heal from the death of her best friend, and Miles, the socially awkward uncle of the little girl Lenny is a nanny for. Miles takes on the task of helping Lenny try to live again and deal with her grief in a healthy way.

This book is a slow burn for sure. I’m also not even sure it’s entirely the romance genre, because while there is the story of Lenny and Miles, there is a much bigger story about Lenny learning to live with her grief. It’s a beautiful and heartbreaking story. There is a scene with Lenny and her mom that had me literally sobbing.

I read the synopsis of this book a while ago and knew I needed to wait until I was in the right headspace to read it because it does tackle some really tough topics, but it does it in a really lovely way with just enough comedic relief to keep you from wallowing.

I also loved the minor Ready or Not crossover - such a fun surprise.

One of my new favorites!

In this story you meet Lenny and Miles. Lenny has just gone through one of the worst heartbreaks and has lost her best friend to cancer. She is in the THICK of grieving and starts nannying for a new family. Ainsley will steal your heart…along with her uncle Miles. He’s super gruff and abrasive but you learn that he’s gone through his own grief…and knows a few things about trying to heal. He is SO perceptive and in tune with her and it’s just precious. When he washes her hair…I can’t. 😍 He helps her grieve, love and live again and we get to come along for the ride.

Quote-“Is it silly that I didn’t realize I was drowning until he told me he won’t let it happen? Apparently he does know what I need. How frustrating.”
He’s a take charge kind of man…and we love that for Lenny (and us.)

“I am who I am because of Lou, but am I also who I am because Lou died?”

This is such a slow burn romance that is the best! I was never bored. Lenny is such a unique and special character and so is Miles. They are both so quirky and just come alive throughout the story. I CACKLED the whole book.

My only complaint-There is really only one sex scene and it was SO awkward. My complaint is that it’s awkward…not that there’s just one. 😂 It suits their personalities though, so it’s not a huge deal.
1 out of 5 pearls clutched.

Quote-“But yeah. Companionship … it’s incredible if done right. It’s satisfying. And isn’t that ultimately what everyone wants? To feel fulfilled?” “Known.””
So true. 🩷

You can’t help but smile, laugh and cry (since it’s also about grief) through this book and you can just feel the joy at the end. Loved it!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book had everything. The story was fresh and new and entertaining. I completely fell in love with all the characters.

The story was friendship, love, life, death, living. So many people struggle everyday to live. To just get through, the old saying of "You never know what someone is going through" is so very true.

Lou and Lenny I adored thier friendship. Lenny and Miles INCREDIBLE!!!! Miles was the cherry on top. I laughed at this story, it made me feel, it made me cry. Oh that dam List. I never would of thought that about the list. That was unexpected. There were so many amaxing life moments in this story.

First time reading this author, but I will be checking out her other books.

There is no way for me to give this book justice, just know its an amazing journey.

5 ⭐️
This was such a heartfelt and emotional experience navigating grief and finding yourself on the other side of it. At first, I wasn’t sure how I felt about Miles in the first 15% but he absolutely grew on me. How he helped Lenny through the hard times of grief and always being there for her no matter what time, he always made the effort to be there was so sweet. Lenny was such an eccentric character and didn’t keep a single thought inside, I loved her.

I really enjoyed this book overall, and I found the writing to be beautiful. However, I just wasn’t able to connect to the main character because she seemed a little juvenile? At times I felt like I was reading a YA novel even though it wasn’t. The story dragged a bit, but I found the end to be poignant and satisfying, and I think the author did a great job with the subject of grief. I definitely enjoyed “Ready of Not” more, but I’m glad I read this and Castone remains an auto-buy author for me.

4.5 🌟 this was such a beautifully written story about two people who find one another while healing. A wonderful story about dealing with grief and falling in love. Definitely will be recommending to all my fellow reading friends! Thank you Netgalley for this ARC!!

Thank you Net Galley for another Cara Bastone ARC!!

First things first, if Cara Bastone writes it, I'm going to read it & when I'm done reading it I'm going to swear it's the best thing since sliced bread and that it ruined me for weeks. Bastone writes these ooey gooey romances that I absolutely adore, I love Lenny & I absolutely adore Miles BUT COME ON, Reese, Ainsley, Jericho, Jeffy & Rica make just the complete side character package in this book!!! But ravelled in between all the love, is Miles' & Lenny's grief & omg I felt for them. I felt so much love & sadness & happiness for these two characters (I say this about all Bastone's characters but she really made me cry this time!) and just watching the two of them help each other & maneuver through their grief was just so uplifting & heartwarming. The character growth was top tier & I found myself rooting for everyone in this book. If you ever get to pick up anything by Bastone, just do it, it'll always be worth it!

I really enjoyed the unique plot that following Lenny (a babysitter) and Miles (the child's uncle). The story involves grief and was slow paced but developed so well and the emotions were well done, I nearly cried. Their relationship development throughout the story was so sweet and watching them have to overcome their feelings and different challenges that approached was so well done. I adored Milkes and how gentle and careful we was with Lenny. Lenny was so sweet and I really related to her throughout the book.

This was beautifully writen and is touches on tough topics while maintaining a lighthearted feel as well. The burn is slow but the friendship they built was perfect and made it worth it. I highly recommend!

Any girl whose best friend is also her soulmate will 100% understand the grief that Lenny, the main character, is feeling. Lou, Lenny's best friend since childhood, has recently died from her second battle with cancer. Lenny now finds herself wrapped so tightly in the loss that she is only going through the motions of life. In steps a grumpy Miles and everything in Lenny's life is about to change.

Miles is all of our dream book boyfriend. He's good looking, well-built and emotionally strong. Because he has also had great loss in his life, he is the best person for Lenny to lean on and learn to live from.

While sometimes Lenny's character is annoying, she is also very funny and lovable. I too love silly t-shirts, especially ones with a lasagna loving Garfield! The love scenarios she makes up every time she meets a new man had me laughing out loud. I looked forward to Lenny meeting new men just so I could read the scenarios she makes up in her head.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Some trigger warnings would be helpful in the beginning of the book for those who are going in blind like I did.


Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

4.75 stars

What a stunning new book to add under Cara Bastone’s belt. In short, I absolutely loved this. She has such a way with writing that I loved in the first chapter of Ready or Not by her, and it was the same again with this one. Her superpower to make you feel like these people are so real in such a short span of time is wonderful. The prose is so witty, raw, and relatable. There were quotes said in here where I went, “It feels like she pulled an actual thought from my mind.”

The topic of grief was handled and dealt with so beautifully, it was moving to read through it all. I loved being in Lenny’s chaotic relatable mind, seeing her perspective and thought process of the world after such a traumatic event. Her imperfections became her strengths, being hopeful and optimistic even when she didn’t realize it. Miles is another male character to add to the list of perfect Cara Bastone men! I loved his introduction as the “cold” and “grumpy” man, but seeing his heart open to Lenny throughout. All of his acts of service towards her, the effortless comforting, and friendship blossoming throughout was heartwarming. Him being there for her in the blink of an eye healed something in me. I appreciated that they had so many experiences and talks together that built up to them expressing their feelings. It all came off so genuine.

All in all, this book solidified Cara Bastone as an auto buy author for me. Having no experience with personal grief yet, I felt so honored almost to see the inside of Lenny’s heart. I was there with her every step of the way, and I loved seeing her find her Lou again. Thank you so much to NetGalley & Random House Publishing for this ARC!

3.5 stars. This book will make you laugh so much! Which is odd because the focus is about the grieving process. Miles and Lenny help each other and have a great partnership that turns into more. But, does Miles work? He just has all the time in the world to hang out. It’s possible he’s taking a break but I missed that part. And Lenny. She’s a damn mess. Emotionally and physically. I understand that grief and depression make personal hygiene unimportant but if you work your employer cares. Especially if you’re caring for children. Lenny dresses like a damn hobo and I imagine she smells rather bad. Not admirable or sexy. I was so close to DNFing this in the beginning but the high reviews made me stick with it. I’m glad I did but the first few chapters could use some tweaking. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC

Miles and Lenny make so much sense together. They’re a couple you’ll find yourself rooting for from the very start. Watching them grow and heal from their grief, both as individuals and as a couple, is incredibly heartwarming. The way they navigate their emotions and support each other made their journey feel authentic and touching.

The slow-burn romance worked beautifully for the premise of the story. Even though their relationship takes time to fully develop, there are so many tender moments along the way that keep you emotionally invested. The pacing felt just right for the kind of relationship they were building, and I appreciated the subtle yet impactful growth in their bond.

Overall, this book is an exploration of love, healing, and personal growth, with a romance that feels earned and genuine. The emotional payoff is definitely worth it.

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing the ARC!

Overall would give this a 4.5 star (rounded up because I will be thinking about this story forever). There were so many sweet moments (the locket, tattoos, haircuts) IYKYK!! That made this book so enjoyable and feel so real! I feel like there was a good amount of backstory before we got into the main plot of the story. The romance I feel was always there even if they were just friends. Felt very natural between them. Personally I didn't fully connect to the characters but thats a me problem not the book. Loved all of the side characters in this book and how they just really cared for each other!! Definitely pick up this book when it comes out!!

What an emotional depiction of grief. I feel like these characters felt so real, like reaching into real life and putting it down on a page. There is tension throughout but it’s mostly focused on Lenny’s growth and acceptance of life without her soulmate, who was her lifelong best friend. It’s beautiful the way her memory is honored throughout, and the focus Miles has in ensuring Lenny feels supported. The romance is a SLOW BURN and wow, worth it.

Lenny lost her roommate and best friend since kindergarten, and she is grieving hard. Miles is an acquaintance until his tender heart leads him to watch over Lenny and her destructive behaviors.

I liked Miles. It took me a while to like Lenny. They had a slow building relationship based on mutual grief experience and then things went deeper.

Four stars.

I was so excited for this ARC! And I wanted to love love love it from page one - just like Ready or Not. But it definitely took awhile to love Miles and Lenny’s relationship. I think their friendship was awkward at the start but then grew, and they both had to grow and go thru some things. But then once that connection hit, I loved it. I loved watching them grow and slowly fall in love - talk about a slow burn.

TW - this book deals with cancer, death and grief.

Rating / Recommend: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ + 🌶️🌶️🌶️ / YES

My Thoughts
This book is amazing. You all need to prepare to read this as soon as possible.

I loved this book. This is the kind of book you feel joy, sorrow, and everything in between while reading. This book made me want to cry and laugh at the same time. Lenny and Miles will live in my heart forever. 🥺 This was an over 5⭐ read for me. Everyone deserves to read this.

If you like romance, friends to lovers, heart-wrenching storylines, and want to feel alive again after reading a book, this one is for you.

CW: death of a loved one, grief, depression, adult language, open-door spice towards the end (limited scenes).

Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group, for this ARC! This was my first book by this author, but it definitely won’t be my last. An emotional rollercoaster from start to finish, the story was beautifully written, with characters so compelling that I never wanted it to end. Despite the heavy themes of grief, I found myself completely engrossed and unable to put it down. A powerful and moving read!