I think a lot of people will enjoy this one, but unfortunately, I struggled with it—mainly because I found the main character almost unbearably unlikeable.

The premise of the book, exploring deep and consuming grief, was incredible and well done. Mental health representation, especially around the process of grief, is so important, and I give the author a lot of credit for tackling such a heavy topic within a romance novel. However, Lenny, our main character, is supposed to be almost 30 years old, yet she speaks and acts more like a middle schooler. Half of her dialogue felt nonsensical or painfully cringy—like it was trying too hard to make her "unique" or "quirky." That kind of characterization drives me nuts. It’s tough to stay invested when the protagonist is just so grating and hard to root for.

That said, I recognize this is probably a me thing, and other readers might not have an issue with her personality at all.

As for the romance itself, it’s a very slow burn. There’s no conflict within the relationship outside of Lenny’s grief, and while that’s an interesting dynamic, I personally didn’t feel much chemistry between the characters. That could be because of my frustrations with Lenny, but without a compelling connection between the leads, the romance just fell flat for me.

All in all, while I appreciated the premise and the exploration of grief, the characters didn’t work for me, which made it hard to fully enjoy the story. It’s disappointing because I had high hopes for this one, but it just didn’t land the way I hoped it would.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Random House | Dial Press Trade Paperback for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I just finished the book with tears in my eyes. I want to thank Net Gallery for the arc!!

5 ✰’s
Promise Me Sunshine is a book about grief, and finding yourself after losing a great love ( a best friend). Learning to lean on someone and most importantly learning to trust yourself and live again after not wanting to.

Lenny lost her best friend, and her world fell apart. Lenny's best friend leaves her a list of things to do to “live again”. She meets Miles, and they agree to help each other out. Miles helps Lenny with the list and she helps him become more involved in his sister and niece's life. (she’s nannying his niece)

WORDS CANNOT DESCRIBE I MUCH I LOVE THEM.

I love Lenny's free-spirited nature. Even when she was at her lowest she still had this light about her; That you just couldn’t not love her character!

Miles omg it’s something about a grumpy man who is just the BIGGEST teddy bear that does it for me every time. The way he was ALWAYS there and taking care of Lenny. Not just taking care of her but learning the way her mind works. Miles is the blueprint!!

This book had me feeling emotions from heartbreak, grief, laughter, and love. It was real, raw and honest. This book was so earth-shattering and beautiful, that I truly got lost in the story. I can’t recommend it enough!!

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

My word, this book. It has my heart. This is a masterfully written exploration of what comes after the loss of a loved one—of grief, hope, love, and all the messy emotions in between. It is slow burn and friends-to-lovers, both in the truest sense. And if the measure of a book is how many quotes I highlighted, then this is one of the best I’ve read in ages.

Miles meets Lenny when she’s at her lowest, six months after the death of her best friend, Lou, struggling just to exist. While Miles starts out rough, he quickly becomes one of my all-time favorite romantic male protagonists. He’s grumbly, but also incredibly insightful, and so very careful with Lenny. Yet, he never treats her like she’s fragile. The number of absolutely swoon-worthy things this man does for Lenny. Oh. My. Word.

Lenny, for her part, is ridiculously likable. There’s an undercurrent of optimism, even in her darkest moments, that gives you a picture of who she was before her world was irrevocably altered by the loss of her life-long best friend.

“Grief has been sort of, I don’t know, it sounds sappy, but like winter for you. And I think that the part of you that can’t help but manufacture happiness, because that’s who you are, it’s been sending up these little flowers to pop up and keep you company.”

Honestly, this would have been a love story even if Miles and Lenny’s relationship hadn’t turned romantic. The love she held for Lou is so evident throughout the book. And the friendship that Miles and Lenny develop on their way to becoming more is so deep and rich.

Please, please do yourself a favor and read this book. And maybe grab yourself a box of tissues before you start.

Thanks so much to Random House and NetGalley for providing this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

"Promise Me Sunshine" by Cara Bastone is a slow-burn romance that explores grief, healing, and unexpected connections. After losing her best friend Lou to cancer, Lenny is struggling to navigate life. Babysitting gigs are her only solace, and her latest assignment introduces her to Ainsley, a spirited child, and her grumpy (could we even call it grumpy) yet perceptive uncle, Miles. Despite their rocky start, Miles offers to help Lenny complete her “live again” list if she helps him reconnect with his family. What follows is a journey of friendship, personal growth, and the possibility of love.

While the premise had potential for a tearjerking, emotional story, the execution was underwhelming. The writing felt choppy and repetitive, and the portrayal of grief came across as shallow and almost caricature-like. I went in expecting a rollercoaster of emotions but found myself bored and detached instead.

The friendship between Lenny and Miles had its moments, but the romance lacked chemistry, making their relationship feel unnatural and forced. At times, as mention by other readers, it bordered on a savior complex rather than a genuine connection. Moreso Lenny, despite being in her 30s, often acted like a teenager, displaying a lack of maturity in many scenes that made it hard to relate to her.

The story moved at an incredibly slow pace, and while it emphasized that everyone grieves differently—a sentiment some readers may find relatable—it didn’t deliver the depth needed to leave a lasting impact.

Ultimately, "Promise Me Sunshine" had a lot of potential but fell short due to its lack of emotional resonance, underdeveloped characters, and sluggish pacing. While it might appeal to readers looking for a light exploration of grief, it’s a hit-or-miss story that may not stick with most.

"Promise Me Sunshine" is undoubtedly Cara Bastone’s most impressive work to date. I have enjoyed her Audible Originals and her novel “Ready or Not”, which was one of my favorites of 2024, I was blown away by this book. It elevates Bastone to a whole new level. While at its core this is a love story, it also tackles profound themes like death and grief with sensitivity and depth. The narrative features excellent character growth, and the slow-burn romance is flawless. Unlike her previous works, which were more fun and lighthearted, this story carries a heavier emotional tone. Readers should be prepared for a more deeply moving experience that is different from her earlier books.
Thank you to NetGallery and Random House Publishing Group - Random House for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

My first ARC! Thanks Netgalley!

I really enjoyed this book. I loved both of the main characters. I loved Lenny’s entire personality. Her comments toward miles kept me smiling. Miles was the sweetest and so caring. I also really loved their new friend group! And of course, Ains!

Warning to anyone that recently lost someone they love. I feel this book would have been really hard to get through if I was grieving. It was a really great story showing how hard grief is and how important other people are to get you through.

I just finished Promise Me Sunshine and am sitting here with tears running down my cheeks trying to compose myself and figure out how I am going to put into works how much I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVED this book.

I received an ARC from NetGalley but will be going straight to order a physically copy because it is one of those books you just have to have. I know that it is one I will pick up time and time again.

I had read Ready or Not last year, so knew I enjoyed Cara's writing but I was nervous to pick this one up given that it centered around grief. Grief is such a real, confusing, and difficult topic for me and I am usually reading to escape any real life feelings, but I am so happy I did.

If someone tells me that a book made them cry, it is a good chance I won't pick that book up cause again trying to avoid those pesky real life feelings. But this isn't a sad book by any means but a book full of so much hope and healing. There were tears, but they weren't sad tears but full of so much love for these characters. I adored Lenny and Miles so much, I wasn't ready for their story to end.

I will be recommending this book to everyone I know, it was so so good.

4.75 ⭐️ From the very beginning, Promise Me Sunshine was engaging. Surpassing Cara Bastone’s Ready or Not in both writing quality and emotional depth. While the previous book felt more like light entertainment, this one connected with me on a much deeper level. The story had a lot of heart, and Cara Bastone truly outdid herself here and I think the grief was handled well. However, this book would’ve been a 5 ⭐️ if the book was maybe closed-door or toned down the sexual comments, but it was still a fantastic read overall.

The slow-burn romance between Miles and Lenny- THE SLOW BURN 🥴. Watching them build friendship and connecting more felt so natural and real, HONESTLY it was like watching one of those sitcom’s where two characters fall in love and whenever they’re together the world just fades away. Though there were a few cringy moments, the friends-to-lovers dynamic was incredible. I haven’t read much in this trope before, but this book made me appreciate it so much more.

As for character,I’m going to be quite honest. Lenny is a very complex character, and maybe in another book I would’ve despised her but I think it was because I liked how she was written in this book that made me appreciate her more. And the only reason I say I probably wouldn’t like her in another book is only because the things that she would do. For instance, sexually flirting with miles if he had his shirt off or whenever she would make eye contact with a man she would randomly start picturing there future together.

And Miles- my sweet Miles. I LOVE HIM SO MUCH. I mean he made it on Top 10 of the Book Boyfriend List. To be honest, his character is way better than Sheps ( In Ready Or Not ) Don’t get me wrong Shep was cute or whatever but MILES… miles is a true man. I MEAN THE THINGS HE DOES IN THIS BOOK.

He’s thoughtful, sweet, and attentive. Whether it was making sure Lenny ate, encouraging her to rest, or giving her a safe space with him- I mean she couldn’t bare to go back into her apartment that she shared with her best friend, SO HE LET HER STAY IN HIS OLD APARTMENT JUST TO MAKE SURE SHE DIDN’T SLEEP ON THE TRAIN 🙂‍↕️ I’ll just stop talking now because i’m not even doing him enough justice.
As for the ending, it was okay and had a few odd parts, but the journey made up for it.

Another great read by Cara Bastone! I loved the friends-to-lovers and slow burn tropes in this book - expertly done! As a non-New Yorker, I felt fully immersed in the city through the wanderings of the characters. The banter between Lenny and Miles was great, and made me laugh out loud more than once. Huge trigger warning for grief and losing someone to cancer - this was the main topic throughout the book, and a lot of the book was Lenny learning to go through the phases of her grief. Miles will be everyone's new favorite book boyfriend!

This was a feel good heart break book. Completely paradoxical in its cuteness and grief. However, in the end the cuteness and romance prevailed! I appreciated that it was more than just your run of the mill romantic comedy.

It was a realistic account of how lives change/are torn apart after the loss of a loved one. Miles being there as a friend for Lenny throughout was not only great for both of their character development - but hello friends to lovers and slow burn!!!

I liked that there was more to the story than just Miles and Lenny as well. Her newfound friends, and Reese and Ainsley, as well as her family added variety to the relationships explored. The characters were all likable and fit into Lenny’s vibe well. They made for some entertaining depth.

I received this book as an eARC from the publisher via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Thank you Cara Bastone and Random House!

Cara Bastone has become an auto buy author for me. I knew it when I read ‘Ready or Not’ and this arc cemented it. This book is so special for so many reasons and it hits me particularly hard. I lost someone close to me and I’m a nanny so when I saw the blurb I literally was like “is this show about me”?
There’s a lot of things I love about this book so let’s start with the type of romance we got
-strangers to friends to lovers in the best way ever. We got to see two people meet, be standoffish, be stubborn, develop an acquaintanceship which eventually grows into a beautiful bond.
- this is probably the second slowest burn I have ever read and I absolutely loved it. I didn’t even notice how slow it was going because of how beautiful the chemistry was between the two main characters
- the way Cara writes about grief is so so so real. There are so many quotes from the book that punched me in my stomach. There are so many scenes that I literally experienced and felt so deeply. And she just does this amazing job of writing really human characters and I love it.
This book is exceptional. An amazing romance. An amazing story depicting and defining brief. Please pick this up when it is officially released because you won’t regret it.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this advanced copy!

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

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️

Promise Me Sunshine is a stunning romance that tackles the idea of how a person can keep living and keep moving forward while navigating excruciatingly painful grief.

While Lenny and Miles both have a lot of pain and grief, this story somehow felt like the coziest hug. I could effortlessly fall into the story and head over heels for all of the characters. Lenny is a nanny for Ainsley, Miles’ niece, who is also the star of some beautiful, heartfelt moments.

Miles offers to support Lenny as she navigates finding her way again after losing her best friend. Lenny is a bit chaotic and dealing with heavy sadness, but really is a ball of sunshine and spontaneity. Miles is such a sweet and nurturing man. He isn’t the most confident in many areas of his life, but he is confident in how to anticipate Lenny’s needs and help her heal.

I don’t want to give a lot more detail about the plot. If you want to feel deeply moved by a contemporary romance, then please check this book out.

Thank you to Dial Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

This book makes you feel all the emotions. It was a slow burn, slower that I usually like but it pays off once you get there.

This book was a rollercoaster of emotions. It made me laugh, cry, giggle and kick my feet, and more. The grief representation was so poignant and hit close to home at times. It took me a bit to like both the female main character, Lenny, and the male main character, Miles. Since they were both a bit unlikable to me at first, it took me longer to root for them to get together, but once I was on board I was all in on their relationship. I really enjoyed the slow burn romance and how they became friends first. The only thing I could’ve done without was some of the more unnecessary vulgar language, but that’s more of a personal preference. The story was easy to read and very impactful. Would recommend to adult readers, but would not be appropriate for younger readers.

3/5

After losing her best friend Lou to cancer, Lenny is drowning under the weight of her grief. She finds an unconventional method of healing through Miles, uncle to the child she babysits, who offers to help her complete every item on her "Live Again" list that she and Lou crafted prior to her death. Balancing an exploration into grief and healing with a slow-burn friends to lovers romance, Cara Bastone delivers a powerful novel about finding a way forward after tragedy and the connections that can save us. Promise Me Sunshine left me floored by emotions, as Lenny grappled with her grief and moving forward when there seemed to be no way out of her loss. Bastone really gets after the non-linear nature of healing as Lenny begins to find happiness with Miles. The Flashbacks with Lenny and Lou were a nice addition and served to ground the narrative and make her absence more keenly felt by Lenny and the reader. Promise Me Sunshine is one of those books that takes you on a journey you expected but leads you somewhere you did not. There were so many things I did not anticipate with this one, and I promise it's well worth the journey. I can see how this book will profoundly impact many and it has only made me more excited to read more from Bastone.

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reading copy! I love Cara Bastone and this is her at her height. This book is SO GOOD AND WONDERFUL. It’s about grief at its core, with the FMC Lenny grieving her best friend, who died of cancer. I thought when I sat down to write this review it would just come gushing out of me because of how much I loved this book, but it’s hard to explain how good this book is - I just definitely recommend it. I am going through grief right now, and this was somewhat of a grief fantasy for me - I can’t wallow (I have two kids, a full time job) and boy did Lenny wallow. And then she meets Miles, who picks her up and leads her out of her grief. At one point, she tells her mom “he pulled me out of hell.” What a nice love story - two people slowly realizing they need and want each other because of giving to each other. This book made me laugh and cry SO MUCH and that is something. This is the best book I have read in a while, and I read a lot of books. I highly recommend it for fans of Bastone, New York City, and contemporary/thoughtful romance.

A beautifully written, deeply emotional romance that delicately navigates the painful journey of grief while unexpectedly discovering love. The story follows Lenny, a woman reeling from the loss of her best friend, and how her grief intertwines with a slow-burn romance that she never saw coming. This novel is a testament to the power of healing, second chances, and the quiet ways love can blossom even amidst the deepest sorrow.

Lenny is a woman struggling to move on after the death of her best friend. The loss is all-consuming, leaving Lenny feeling isolated, lost, and unsure of how to live without the person who had been her constant companion. Grief takes many forms, and Bastone’s portrayal of Lenny’s internal turmoil is raw and relatable. She retreats into herself, unsure how to process the weight of her emotions and what her life will look like without her best friend by her side.

Enter Miles, a man who enters Lenny’s life unexpectedly and helps her begin to find her way through the fog of grief. Miles is calm, understanding, and quietly supportive. He doesn’t rush Lenny, nor does he try to erase the pain of her loss. Instead, he simply offers her companionship, a safe space to feel her emotions, and encouragement to take each step forward, however small it may be. What makes Miles such a compelling character is his patience—he doesn’t push Lenny to “move on,” but instead, gently helps her process her grief at her own pace.

The brilliance of this novel lies in the way Lenny’s relationship with Miles develops so naturally and subtly. At first, Lenny only sees him as a friend—someone she can lean on as she grapples with her emotions. She’s not ready for romance, not while she’s still mourning. But as time passes, the connection between them deepens in ways she doesn’t fully recognize at first. Their quiet moments together, their shared conversations, and Miles’ unwavering presence begin to fill the empty spaces in her heart in ways she hadn’t expected.

Bastone’s skillful writing allows the romance to unfold in an organic, slow-burn fashion. Lenny doesn’t realize she’s falling for Miles until the moment hits her—when she finally understands that the man who has been by her side through her darkest days has also quietly become the person who holds her heart. Their relationship is built on mutual respect, vulnerability, and emotional healing. It’s not about “getting over” the loss, but about learning how to live again, to love again, with a heart that’s been broken and mended.

Miles is an incredibly endearing love interest. He’s kind, thoughtful, and perceptive—able to sense when Lenny needs space, and when she needs a gentle push to keep going. He’s not a savior, but a steady presence who quietly helps her navigate through the toughest part of her life. Their romance is tender and authentic, making it easy to root for them as a couple.

Spectacular/life changing/emotional I loved this book. 5 stars!

This book had me sucked in from the beginning. The characters meshed so well together.

This one is definitely not a light rom-com. It deals with some pretty heavy grief throughout the book and can be really sad, but I enjoyed the relationships between the characters and their friendship. The main character is a bit odd and the book felt slow at times, but overall enjoyed it.

This book was ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE! I didn't think that Cara Bastone could outdo herself compared to her debut Ready or Not but somehow she did! This book is very different than her previous release, which really shows Bastone's abilities as a writer. This book deals with some pretty heavy topics but does it in such a way that the reader leaves the book feeling uplifted and hopeful. Miles and Lenny are beautifully written characters that are just upper perfection. Their banter and chemistry were TOP TIER from the very beginning to the very end. Overall, I can't say enough wonderful things about this book, would highly recommend!