I’m DNF this book 51% thru. I can’t take it anymore. I really enjoyed Ready or Not but this book is so boring. I’m waiting on something to happen and skimming pages. I can’t bring myself to waste another minute.

Unfortunately this was a miss for me. And I have too many books to read to waste more time. So for what I did read- 2 stars. Maybe one day I’ll come back to it.

“He walked into hell and dragged me back out.”

This is the second book I’ve read by Cara Bastone and the second book I’ve loved. She has the ability to make you feel the emotions of the characters and to live all of those emotions at once.

This story is a love story, but it’s also about coming back to life after grief. And it’s a reminder that there is no one way for people to experience grief; there’s no right or wrong way to grieve. So while a reader may find characters’ actions or responses to be unreasonable or unfathomable, perhaps just understand it might not be how you would react but it makes sense for the characters.

I really enjoyed the developmental journey Lenny took over the course of the story, and the selfless and loving way Miles supported her and helped her find her way through the grief.

I also appreciated that, like grief, the writing had me riding through a roller coaster of emotion. You never knew what you were going to get: laughing one minute, swooning at flirty banter the next, then hitting me with tears of sadness.

On a tangential note, I appreciated the entirely accurate depiction of the family meals. It was 100% the same way I remember my big Italian meals with my family.

Thank you to the author, Random House Publishing Group, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

Another amazing book by Cara Bastone! Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House for this eARC.

I was first introduced to Cara Bastone's writing through an audible original, Call Me Maybe, then I was happy to pick up the book Ready or Not and have found a real love for Cara's stories and writing style. In this book, we meet Lenny who is in a silent life spiral. After losing her best friend to cancer, she is having a hard time even living day-to-day. Lenny isn't eating, sleeping well, showering, or staying at the apartment that she shared with her best friend, Lou. No one would ever be able to tell all of this just by looking at Lenny which is why Reese thinks it's a great idea to have Lenny babysit her daughter Ainsley while Reese is on a business trip. Everything is a go until Miles shows up, the semi-lurky brother of Reese. Lenny isn't sure if he's spying on her or what but she's happy to end her time watching Ainsley (even though she's had a great time with Ainsley) just to get away from Miles.

Miles is also misunderstood and after Lenny agrees to stay and watch Ainsley more regularly, Lenny and Miles commit to each other to help them with what they need most. Miles will help Lenny live again and Lenny will help Miles be the best uncle to Ainsley he can be.

This story was definitely more sad than I thought it would be, but the story is truly heartwarming. I also liked the way Cara included Ainsley in the story, sometimes it can be risky on how kids show up in a romance, but this was the perfect balance. I felt and cared about both characters which shows great character development. I highly recommend this book.

Ugh Cara bastone did it again 😭 I didn’t think it was possible to love this book more than her last one & this one topped it.

How she wrote grief and how Miles was there for Lenny the whole time, he never pressed her to do anything, but always just there for her when she needed him. Whenever she’d call and he was on his way in 20 mins. Just absolute chills reading this book.

Love Cara’s writing & truly obsessed with the way she writes her MMC.

Also as emotional as this book was, I loved the funny bits here and there from Lenny & Miles.

Truly need a man like miles asap.

Easily a 5⭐️

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review: What an absolutely gut wrenching, beautiful, story. I have no idea how to put words to this story. This could end up being my favorite romance of the year. Not many books have made me feel the way this one did. Cara Bastone has a unique way of writing heartfelt stories that touch a part of my soul not often reached. I know that sounds dramatic but read this and you will see what I mean. I loved Ready or Not by her as well but this one was even better somehow.

Bastone develops characters in such a slow, authentic way that once you reach the end of the book you realize how subtle and believable everything was. I seriously don't know how to put into words how good this book was. The small moments are so large and memorable. I would recommend reading this with someone else and looking up the trigger warnings. Grief is a strong topic throughout and seriously hits hard but in a way I will never forget. It's so well written, it feels like the author saw a movie in her head and wrote it out for us.

I can't say enough good things about this, will be in my favorites of the year I'm sure. Take care of yourself while you read it.

Two Sentence Summary:
Still reeling from the loss of her best friend, Lenny is just trying to keep it together—until grumpy, no-nonsense Miles offers her a deal to help them both move forward. As they tackle grief, second chances, and an unexpected connection, Lenny starts to wonder if love might be part of truly living again.

Thoughts:
This book was everything. The slow burn was absolutely perfect, with the kind of tension that keeps you hooked, and the grumpy x sunshine dynamic between Miles and Lenny was chef’s kiss. But what really set this one apart was how real and raw the portrayal of grief and depression felt—there was no sugarcoating, just heartbreak, healing, and the messy, beautiful process of moving forward.

Honestly, this was one of the most emotionally real romance novels I’ve ever read. It made me feel everything—sadness, hope, love, and that slow, aching build toward something new. If you love romances that hit deep and stay with you long after the last page, this one is a must-read.

This story started out very weird. Miles walks in Lenny starts day dreaming strange dreams about him. Then he hangs around while she is babysitting. Why didn't Reese just have Miles babysit. I don't know I found the whole story just odd.

I read Ready or Not by this author and really enjoyed it, so it was not the writing. I just think it was the story that never grabbed me.

As a fan of this author’s debut novel Ready or Not (the male main character in that one was adorable), I was incredibly excited to read Promise Me Sunshine. This book is much heavier, dealing with grief and loss. If stories about cancer are difficult for you, perhaps consider skipping this one. Lenny’s life is in upheaval as she tries to carry on without her very close best friend who passed away during her second fight with cancer. She’s putting on an act to get through the day, only able to maintain an outgoing, magnetic, and goofy demeanor in small doses before grief becomes overwhelming. While nannying for a little girl, Miles, the kid’s grumpy and concerned uncle, finds Lenny to be a bizarrely captivating mess of a human. He strikes a deal with her—he’ll help her remember how to live again if she helps him become more of the kind of person his family can rely on. Overall, this was a cute read despite the heavy subject matter.

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

AHHH. I was so excited to receive this book as an ARC after reading “Ready or Not” and wow. I absolutely love Cara Bastone’s writing. Not only is it beautiful, but it’s meaningful and these characters have so much baggage, making them such a real character with raw emotions. I truly feel like I am reading a non-fiction book sometimes with Cara’s writing and I love it. This book was funny and sad and overall so cute and tender.

This story follows Lenny, our FMC who is dealing with the death of her best friend and soulmate, Lou. When she picks up a temporary nanny job, she meets Miles and her life changes. Miles is determined to help Lenny check off items on her “to live again” list and Lenny in return is helping Miles build a relationship with his half sister Reese and her daughter Ainsley. A book about the main characters helping each other check off a bucket list is always such a good trope.

Overall, this book is a 5 star read for me. I can’t say anymore good things about this book, you just have to read it and feel the emotions for yourself.

Tropes:
☀️ Friendship and grief
☀️ Slow-burn
☀️ Cinnamon roll MMC
☀️ Grumpy vs Sunshine
☀️ Friends to lovers
☀️ Healing and loss

Characters:

He treats you well?”
“Mom, he walked into hell and dragged me back out.” - Lenny

Helen “Lenny” Bellamy is our FMC and the story follows her through her healing journey. She lost her best friend Lou and is in survival mode at this point. She meets Miles while taking on a temporary nanny job and Miles is determined to help her complete her list to “live again”.

“Home is where the heart is. My heart died in a cancer ward six months ago.”

My sweet Lenny is such a beautiful character. She has gone through so much, but yet she will always put others before her and that just shows with her caring for Ainsley and trying to help Miles better his relationship with his niece Ainsley and his half sister Reese. Like any other character in a Cara Bastone book, Lenny can be seen as a relatable character for many people who are also going through grief, loss, healing and taking things day-by-day

I am just so happy and overwhelmed with joy that Lenny was able to be herself again with the help and love from Miles. He really pushed her in the slowest and best possible way to get out there, heal and make a life of her own, while still honouring her best friend Lou. Also a huge shout out to Miles for telling Lenny to make friends because Jericho, Jeff and Rica are definitely found family for Lenny (and Miles) now.

"Hey! I love looking at you. Looking at you is one of my favorite things to do in the world” - Miles

Miles Honey is our MMC and he is also going through his own problems. He is trying to build a relationship with his half sister Reese and her daughter Ainsley after the death of his father. Miles knew about Reese growing up, but Reese didn’t know about Miles and kind of resents him due to her father’s doings (<spoiler>Their father had an affair and Miles was born exactly 9 months after Reese was</spoiler>). In addition to this situation where Miles is trying to fit his new life, he is also grieving the loss of his mother and his cousin Anders.

”I want to twist these braids up, but my arms are noodles. Will you do it for me?”
He clears his throat. “Yeah.”
Miles stands behind me and takes directions well. He only gouges my scalp with a bobby pin once.”
THIS SCENE AHHH SWOON.

Miles at first is a grumpy character and always judging Lenny and even Reese. With the help of Lenny, Miles loosens up and also becomes the best version of himself and this book really shows him grow as a person. Miles is truly a sweetheart and book boyfriend material.

Pros:
- MILES HONEY. He is such a sweetie and even though he’s grumpy on the outside/grumpy at first, he is truly a softie.
- Lenny. I love her character so much and she deserves the world.
- Ainsley and Reese just add so much to this story even though they are side characters. I loved reading about them.
- Jericho’s bakery sounds so delicious, I was wanting to try the lemon muffin mentioned throughout the book.
- Miles and Lenny finding happiness and healing.

Cons:
- I said this about “Ready or Not” and I am saying it again, Cara Bastone needs to add epilogues..PLEASE. Like I am not ready to say bye to the characters, but a glimpse into the future is enough for me.

Thank you NetGalley, Random House Publishing and the author Cara Bastone for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

・₊✧ Quotes ・₊✧

”Lenny, the stakes are low with you because you’re the most loyal person I’ve ever met. You’re fully on my team. Now that you’re here, I think there’s very little I could do to kick you out … I don’t have to worry about losing you. I can just …relax.” - Miles

"Grief is a relationship. 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. You’re not betraying her by healing, 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 great loves of our lives” - Miles

"Why should I be scared of kissing you, Miles? I’d just be getting even closer to the safest place in the whole world.” - Lenny

”Every time I fall in love with you there’s lightning.”
He closes his eyes, opens them and there’s his brilliant love.
“There’s only you, Lenny. Every time … it’s just you,” he says, muffled as he kissed me.”

”I’m never sleeping when I close my eyes like this with you.”
“Then what are you doing?”
He pauses and I think he might not answer. But then he says, “I’m committing the moment to the memory.”

If you've ever grieved for the person you loved most then Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone will feel so relatable, and if you haven't then this book holds a fairly accurate, though grief is always individual, portrayal of grief.
When we first meet Lenny, she is holding on to life by her fingernails after the death of her best friend, the first love of her life. She is going through the motions and doing the bare minimum to get through her days. We know off the bat that Lenny is a caregiver, she is quirky, and silly and loves children. The only person she can't seem to care for is herself, enter Miles.
"He walked into hell and dragged me back out."
Miles is Lenny's new charge's uncle. After mistaking Lenny's grief for irresponsibility, he talks Lenny into letting him be her grief co-pilot. He wants to help her get though her grief if she will help him learn how to be better with his niece and sister. Together they learn how to really live again.
Promise Me Sunshine is a medium paced story that focuses on overcoming grief first but is a charming, often funny and lighthearted romance. I love how we were able to see more of Lenny's infectious joy as she started coming out of the fog.
I highly recommend. Five stars.

Thank you to Cara Bastone, The Dial Press/Random House, and Netgalley for the eARC of Promise Me Sunshine in exchange for my honest review. I honestly loved it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“The only way out is through.”

Wow. @thischarmingreader was not kidding when she said this book was amazing! I feel gutted, changed for the better, and feel like I need to make my own little Live Again list. Lenny’s character development is raw and startlingly authentic - I love that Cara didn’t shy away from the rawest parts of grief. And Miles?? What a perfect specimen of a man 🙌🏻. Promise Me Sunshine is a brilliant read and you should definitely put it on your tbr asap. Just make sure you have a box of tissues on standby.

This was a really sweet book! It tells the story of Lenny, and the people she meets who help her overcome her grief after losing her best friend Lou. All of the characters are written beautifully. I especially liked the banter between Lenny, and the MMC Miles.
The themes of grief and loss were written well. It is a slower burn story, which I normally don't mind, but some parts of the story seemed slow. There were also parts that seemed sort of YA, which were my only complaints.
Overall, I enjoyed the story, and would recommend!
Thank you to Random House Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

amazing, sweet, i loved it. lenny is a quirky and interesting fmc and her journey is awesome, miles is so sweet, and i really liked the other characters. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

Let me start off by saying that I love Cara Bastone. I think she is just the real deal and I adore her.

That said, I kind of had a complicated relationship with this book.

I started it on my Kindle over a month ago and then I put it down and didn’t revisit. I have a difficult time with super millennial quirky girl books if that makes sense. I find zany girls , but also a little bit annoying. The main character in this book is extremely quirky. She has an odd habit of imagining specific scenarios about every man she meets, and it was distracting.

The first half of this book was probably a three to me. But the depiction of grief was a five throughout the book. I loved Miles, but he really seemed like a friend and once it turned into friends to lovers, I had a difficult time making the leap to lover.

I would not categorize this as a romcom. It is incredibly sad and deep and insightful. And also it is the most slow burn slow burn I’ve ever read. I don’t think there is any romance until 90%? Which I didn’t mind because like I said, I loved their friendship.

I ended up settling on a four because like I said, the grief aspect was absolutely phenomenal.

5 stars! 🌟 A huge thank you to Random House Publishing Group – Dial Press Trade Paperback and NetGalley for the ARC!! 💌 I was so excited to read this, and let me tell you—I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!! I had heard so many amazing things about this book, and honestly, I would’ve been concerned if I didn’t love it lol.

Promise Me Sunshine is that book. The kind that takes your heart, smashes it into a million little pieces, and then gently puts it back together with love, grief, healing, and the softest, most swoon-worthy romance ever.

💌 "Every time I fall in love with you, there's lightning."

YUP. That was me. STRUCK by lightning because this book zapped its way into my soul. The writing? MASTERPIECE. The emotions? Through the roof. The romance? Heart-melting levels of perfection. I finished this book at an ungodly hour, and I just sat there, staring at my ceiling, replaying every single moment. How am I supposed to read another book after this??

💛 Tropes & Vibes:
✔️ Grumpy x Sunshine (except Miles is the sweetest grump ever) 💕
✔️ Strangers to reluctant allies to lovers 👀
✔️ Found family 🫂
✔️ Emotional slow-burn romance 💓
✔️ Healing through love 🩹❤️

💌 "Mom, he walked into hell and dragged me back out."

Lenny’s grief was written so realistically that I felt it in my bones. The way she was struggling, the way she tried to avoid her pain, the way she felt like she didn’t deserve to keep living without her best friend? Absolutely gut-wrenching. And then we have Miles, who is literally the most caring, patient, and understanding man. This dude wears glasses, is socially awkward, dances for his niece, and always shows up—like, HELLO?? MARRY ME. Their romance was so soft, so pure, and so perfectly intertwined with their journeys of healing. I wanted to wrap both of them in a giant hug.

💌 "Why should I be scared of kissing you, Miles? I’d just be getting even closer to the safest place in the whole world."

Excuse me while I SOB. The slow-burn tension, the hesitant touches, the way they just get each other—it was so natural and beautifully done. I could read about them forever. The banter?? So freaking good. The ferry rides, the midnight ramen, the quiet moments of understanding?? UNMATCHED.

This book is not just about love—it’s about loss, healing, and finding a way to keep going. It made me laugh, cry, and FEEL things I didn’t even know I could feel. If you love emotional, character-driven romance with depth, drop everything and READ THIS BOOK.

Overall: PERFECTION. I'm officially a Cara Bastone stan.

Final thoughts:
💕 Miles supremacy.
💕 Lenny deserves the world.
💕 My heart is full.
💕 EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ THIS.

10/10 recommend. If you don’t read this, what are you even doing??

I have never read something that so perfectly captures grief and the aftermath so perfectly. I feel like I was experiencing the stages of grief right alongside these characters. I have also fallen hopelessly in love with the family dynamic in this book. Not just Reese, Ainsley and Miles but also Lenny's mom and dad. This is definitely not your typical light fluffy romance, it handles a lot of serious topics and hardships but it just makes you fall in love with the characters that much more because of it. The writing that Cara Bastone gave us in this book was so beautifully lyrical and had me highlighting quotes or little moments constantly. I will definitely be thinking about this book for quite some time, it is one of those stories that sticks with you long-term.

Promise Me Sunshine delivers all the feels and then some. Cara expertly navigates love, loss and reimagining life. Equal parts heartfelt and laugh out loud, this story had me hooked from start to finish.

(ARC copy via Net Galley)

Goodreads review

Promise Me Sunshine follows Lenny, a woman who is dealing with her grief at the loss of her best friend, Lou, who passed away from cancer. We meet her as she is just scraping by, barely getting out of bed, not sleeping, not eating, or taking care of herself. She is just making it by working odd, temporary babysitting and child care jobs. At her most recent assignment, she meets Miles, the uncle of the young girl she is entrusted to care for while her mom is on a business trip.

Miles is a quiet, shy, and introverted misunderstood giant teddy bear of a man. He gives off judgey vibes, but we soon realize he really admires the way that Lenny interacts with his niece. After noticing that Lenny is really struggling emotionally, Miles is no stranger to grief, losing most of his family in an accident. He proposes a deal to her. He wants Lenny to help him bond with his niece and half sister and to help him be able to connect to them on a deeper level, and in turn, he will help Lenny navigate her grief journey, to be a built in grief counselor of sorts.

Following the story of someone who is dealing with major depression after losing a soul mate of sorts is always going to be emotional, but I think Cara did a wonderful job interjecting bits of tasteful humor to keep the reader from getting too wrapped up in sadness. It was a great juxtaposition of the seriousness of the journey we were on with our characters.

I love that Miles was tough on Lenny, while still being sweet and tender to her. He never sugar coated anything for her and made sure that she knew she could do hard things and she would be able to get through her hurt and sadness and come out on the other side and truly live again.
One of my favorite quotes in the book was “I can’t just get over her death Miles. I can’t…I have to feel the grief. How could I ever get used to her being gone? It makes me sick. How could I do that to her?” This is such a great representation of losing a loved one, you want to move on but at the same time, it almost feels like a betrayal to do so.

This book had beautiful prose, great pacing and was packed with real and raw emotion. My one gripe would probably be the spicy scene. I could’ve done with out it. It felt a little too awkward, and kind of took me out of the story. I think it would’ve been better left as just tension and witty banter. Not every book needs to have spice.

I loved that this book not only followed the romance of Lenny and Miles, but also was a love letter to friendship, resilience, and found family. I think this would be a top tier book for anyone who is on or has been on a grief journey, or who has ever lost someone close to them. If you’ve ever felt like you couldn’t possibly be able to move on, you didn’t know how to get out of bed in the morning or continue working like nothing was wrong, like your whole world wasn’t shaken up and the rug pulled out from under you, this is the perfect book for you. It really shows that there is light at the end of the tunnel, that healing is not linear, and that love and life are possible after loss.

When you finish a book and immediately wish that you could read it again for the first time, you know it was a winner. I loved every minute that I spent reading this book. It struck every chord, hit every mark, and I fell head over heels in love with these characters and their story.

While Promise Me Sunshine deals with the heavy subject of grief, it was not all doom and gloom. Yes, Lenny was suffering from the loss of her best friend. She was finding it hard to move forward, to live her life without the constant friendship of her beloved Lou. Lenny was an imperfectly perfect character. She walked to the beat of her own drum. She was original, playful, loyal, quirky, and hilarious. I want a friend like Lenny. Her grief was palpable and heartbreaking, but she also had me laughing out loud on plenty of occasions throughout this novel.

There is nothing that I enjoy more than a slow-burn romance. They are my absolute favorites. Cara Bastone delivered the perfect slow-burn romance between Lenny and Miles. While Lenny may not have made the best first impression when she met Miles at her babysitting gig for his niece, she did make an impression. Miles wasn’t exactly known for making the best first impressions either, though, coming off as grouchy and severe. At first, Miles wasn’t Lenny’s biggest fan, and he didn’t trust her immediately, but there was something about her that drew his attention. If anyone could win you over, it would be Lenny, and it wasn’t long before Miles figured out what was going on in Lenny’s life and thought that he could help her.

I know I said this before, but this was slow-burn perfection. I was more than happy just to immerse myself in Lenny and Miles’s interactions. I loved their banter. I loved their chemistry. I loved the way they cared for one another. Did I want them to get together? Of course, but I simply enjoyed watching their relationship develop. I was one hundred percent there for it. I could have read another 400 pages in this novel, and I would have still been in my happy zone.

Promise Me Sunshine was brimming with heart and personality. It had a wonderful cast of characters and is a story that will do all sorts of things to your heart. I can’t express my love for this book enough. It will definitely be making my list of favorite books of 2025.


*5 Stars

I absolutely ADORED this book! The characters were well developed and I found myself staying up way past my bedtime to sneak a few more chapters in. Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this amazing book! I will definitely be sharing it with all of my fellow book lovers!