I loved this. it explored a heavy topic, grief, in such a real and light hearted way. Miles was everything and more. He was the ultimate protector and wanted nothing but the best for others. I loved how Lenny and Miles were friends first, and slowly became something more. I also really loved Ainsley she was so cute and the perfect. The relationship she and Miles built was everything. Cara Bastone is slowly becoming an immediate read for me. Can't wait for her next books.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC. The review is all on my own.

Thank you to Dial Press Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this title.

The way I loved this book! This story is an honest look at coming out the other side of grief. A complete stranger recognizing when someone needs an anchor.
When Myles meets Lenny, it isn't love at first sight. Lenny is a sight full of sleep deprivation, lack of self-care, and big bird sweatshirts. Disdain is quickly replaced with concern as he learns more about Lenny and her inner-workings. Both well versed in despair and grief, they forge a friendship. Lenny helps Myles to loosen up, step out of his comfort zone, and establish relationships with his family.
Myles doesn't carry Lenny or push her out of the depths of her grief. He listens, sits with her in her grief, and gives her the time and comfort to lean into it. He is the MVP of this book by not carrying her but walking beside her. Everyone deserves a Myles.

While this is a romance, this is a journey of friendship, trust, and living in the pain to find the joy.

This is one of the most beautiful romances I’ve ever read - equal parts heartache and hope, laughter and tears. This book consumed me completely. Even as I write this, scenes are replaying in my mind, and I can’t believe how deeply it’s stayed with me.

Cara’s writing is next-level - she knows how to make you laugh, cry, and feel everything all at once. Her ability to capture the rawness of grief while weaving in a love story so tender and genuine is unmatched. This story isn’t just one you read, it’s one you experience.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the characters and honesty of what grief can look like. Having lost my father almost ten years ago, I know firsthand how different grief looks. I loved the characters and how they grew in the friendship first before a relationship. Thank you for sharing an early release with me. I look forward to reading more of your books.

Even with the topic of grief throughout the book, it never felt super heavy & read like YA lit. Lenny was so consumed by grief it kept her from appreciating the life she still had. Everyone should be so lucky to have a Miles; someone who compassionately meets you where you’re at, validates your feelings, and walks through grief with you.

4.5 Stars

I got to read this early as an e-arc!

It took me a minute to get into this book and become invested in Lenny’s journey, but as I continued to read, the more I realized how important this book is for people who have experienced grief in anyway.

This was the journey of Lenny finding herself and love again after losing her best friend. She not only found a way to be alive again by checking off her Live Again list with Miles, but she found someone to love, new friends, and reunited with her family again.

I just wish there was a little tension in the book. The whole second half just felt like everything tied up really nice, whether it was Lenny reconnecting with her family, Ainsley and Reese getting more time together, Miles being accepted by Reese, Miles and Lenny getting together, etc. I just wish there was a moment where you thought things weren’t going well. Even Ethan makes an appearance!

Overall, I really loved this book and it is a book anyone should read if they aren’t feeling themselves. The main theme is grief, but I think this applies to anyone who has felt like they’ve lost themselves. Write a live again list, make some new friends, cut your hair! Read this book!

'Promise Me Sunshine' tells the poignant story of Lenny, who is navigating the profound loss of her person, Lou, far too early in life. Early in the story, she meets Miles, whose gruff demeanor and perceived judgment initially put her off. However, as the narrative unfolds, both Lenny and Miles reveal emotional depth that is captivating and heartfelt. The story tackles grief and human connection with grace, making the characters’ journeys feel authentic and deeply moving.

I became a fan of Cara Bastone just under a year ago when I chose 'Ready or Not' as my February, 2024 BOTM selection. For me, 'Promise Me Sunshine' was highly anticipated, and it truly delivered. If you are looking for something fluffy and lighthearted all the way through, then this book is not for you; this book is a richly layered and emotionally resonant story. Lenny’s struggle with grief over losing her best friend is palpable, and her journey is beautifully balanced by moments of hope and connection. The characters are relatable and endearing in a way that pulls you in, making you feel their joys and sorrows as if they were your own.

Thank you, Random House Publishing Group, for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This book ripped my heart out in the very best way. It was a beautiful but emotional story of a slow burn romance with discussions of grief and healing. A heartwarming read that will likely be one of my favorite books of the year, and it’s only January!

You know those books that are hard to read to because you love it so much and don't want it to end? Yeah, this was one of those.

I adored this book. I laughed, I cried, and I fell in love with both Lenny and Miles. She's quirky but it's endearing and Miles is just....ugh, everyone needs a Miles. He's amazing.

After reading 'Ready or Not' and loving it I was thrilled to get this ARC and now I know for sure Cara Bastone is an auto-buy author for me .

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the advanced copy!

I loved this book with my whole heart. It was positively the loveliest, most hopeful, most thoughtful story.

When I think of a slow burn romance, this is *exactly* the kind of book I’m looking for. A rewarding build-up, full of emotion and deepening connection.

This story does not shy away from grief, it tackles it head on, unafraid to show the work sometimes needed to just put one foot in front of the other. But instead of bring the story down, it lifts it up. There is so much hope here.

A million thank-yous to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me the chance to read and review this ARC

In short- I LOVED it. Bastone approaches living with (in) grief head-on. Lenny (the main character) and Miles (handsome man friend-to-lover) wade through Lenny’s grief over the loss of her best friend. I love how realistic and messy it was. I love that Bastone doesn’t do the typical “big event” where it all falls apart and the couple have to come back together- just a slow roll into love. I could recognize that relationship and the love was so much more hard-fought and won… and real.

Wow. What a compelling tale about grief and overcoming the most devastating obstacles. I cried and felt all of the emotions! I loved falling in love with these characters !

4*
First this book is not a RomCom. It is the story of a woman who is mourning the death of her best friend and is struggling to move past her grief. It becomes a romance when she meets a man, who has also struggled with grief. It’s a friends to lovers tale that does not shy away from the deep pain that comes from the loss of a close friend. If you’re looking for a RomCom turn to some of the authors previous lighter works. I appreciated reading a complicated romance, with many sad moments balanced by some funny light moments and a great cast of secondary characters.

Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book! I DNF’d at 25% because I really didn’t like the main female character or the writing style of the author. The characters almost seemed like caricatures of people and not very believable (like why did the FMC “fall in love” with every man she ran into - sure we’ve all romanticized strangers but it was done in such an overdramatic and cheesy way that it gave me the ick every time). Not my cup of tea but I think it will appeal to others!

Some authors and books just need to be listened to and that's what Cara Bastone is for me. I savored this audiobook over the course of a week and am so glad that I did. It's the story of Lenny who is deeply grieving the loss of her best friend and the people who help her through. It's a grief story and a love story and a family story that we just need in our lives.

Sometimes easy romance is what we need. But sometimes a romance that comes with a whole lot of real life and honesty is even better.

Of the last several books I’ve read, 3 were ARCs and all were 5-star reads. Thanks to The Dial Press and NetGalley for the advance copy of this book!!

Ever since her best friend and roommate Lou died, Lenny has been barely hanging on. She’s not eating, she’s barely sleeping, and the thought of going back to their apartment—in which all of Lou’s stuff is still where she left it—has Lenny on the verge of hysteria.

Lenny can’t even handle a full-time job; all she can do are short-term babysitting arrangements, because there’s no real commitment. Her latest gig, watching the daughter of a hard-working single mom, is terrific—Lenny really connects with young Ainsley, and it takes her mind off her own problems, if only for a bit.

The only drawback is that Ainsley’s uncle Miles, a brooding handsome yet grumpy man, hangs around whenever Lenny is there. He seems to find fault with everything Lenny does—how she dresses, what she feeds Ainsley, etc. But it turns out Miles isn’t being critical: he can see that Lenny is grieving, and he understands grief and trying to move past it all too well.

Once Lenny lets her guard down a bit, Miles makes her a deal. He’ll help her cross everything off her “live again” list if she can help him build a relationship with Ainsley and her mother, Reese. (He always seems angry and standoffish when he’s around them.) Little by little, Lenny realizes she can still grieve Lou while rebuilding her life—and maybe there’s even some romance in store.

This was just so beautiful. It’s definitely an emotional read but Lenny, Miles, and all of the other characters are so complex and dynamic. I’ll read anything that Cara Bastone writes!!

The book will publish 3/4/2025.

This book has changed my DNA. I loved Cara’s writing from when I first read Ready or Not and I had a feeling this one would be just as colorful, lively, creative and heartfelt. It did not miss at all.

This is the story of Lenny who lost her best friend to cancer and is not handling her grief well. She works as a nanny during the day and spends her nights anywhere except her apartment where Lou’s things are still present. Lenny takes a one time weekend gig for a single mom and her daughter, not knowing they’ll introduce her to the man that will help her out of her deep, dark pit of despair, because he’s been there before and he knows how hard it is to live again.

Miles helps Lenny find joy, find peace and ultimately find herself by tackling the “life again” list Lou left her. They go camping, all night dancing, learn new hobbies, and feed each other. In some ways the day to day is very mundane but that’s what makes it beautiful.

I adored Miles and lost it when they got matching lone wolf tattoos. Simply, he’s hot, he’s loyal, and he cares like nobody’s business.

This book is a friends to lovers story, sure, but it’s also about family dynamics, healing and grief, finding oneself after you’ve lost your other half, a love letter to New York City, and found family. The way CB address grief is like it’s its own character and she takes us on a journey that feels joyful even when feeling absolutely terrible.

If you’ve lost someone, this might be a hard read, but you’re probably someone who would benefit from it most.

Vibes:
Grief exploration
Friends to lovers
Hurt x comfort
Grumpy x sunshine
Slow burn
New York City
Kids
Complex family dynamics

Cw: death by cancer, death by car accident, contemplation of suicide, intense grief discussions

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group for allowing me access to this ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.25⭐ this book has tons of 5 star reviews, but the book I read was not what I was expecting. It's s part rom-com, part ode to grief and life and moving on.

The writing wasn't quite my style, and the first third of this book was a bit painful for me to get through because I just wasn't invested in the story, especially when the first words to describe Miles are "He's not good-looking, really. Low grade sexy." I was SO confused by that statement, and the rest of the paragraph doesn't sound much better or more flattering in my opinion, and so for the first half of this book I pictured Miles as an average dude with a buzz cut, stubble, and a bit of a gut. Honestly, a bit like one of my exs. And then to get halfway in and he has abs? And people keep saying he's hot? My brain was very confused and it detracted from the story.

But once I got past that part, it was a very heartwarming book. I also didn't expect so the romance to be squished at the end, but the logic behind it made sense at least.

This is a six billion stars book. I loved every single second of it. Everything hit for me. The emotional depth. The character development. The romance. The authentic male love interest. The grief and mourning. A book dealing with such sadness and grief made me feel giddy and warm and comforted and loved. I loved that feeling. One of the best books to come out of 2025.

Lenny is drowning in grief. She can function just enough to take short term babysitting gigs, but not more. Miles is trying to connect with his sister and niece and failing. The two make a deal, Miles will keep Lenny from drowning and Lenny will teach Miles how to befriend his niece, Ainsley. The result is a tender, slow burn romance, that explores so many facets of love. When Lenny and Miles have their first kiss, it feels epic, and earned. And then, in true Cara Bastone fashion, the mundane interrupts. This is a book in which the Earth keeps spinning whether your life has fallen apart, or the man you’re going to love forever kisses you for the first time.

It would be easy to say that Lenny is a mess in need of rescuing and that Miles comes along to save her. But that would be inaccurate. Lenny and Miles are equals exchanging knowledge in their areas of expertise. Miles’ expertise is getting through life altering grief and Lenny’s is getting along with people, specially child people. They make it possible for the other to get through the rough patch.

Having gotten through some rough stuff myself, I was nodding along with the choices being made. Sometimes the thing we need when we can’t take care of ourselves is to take care of someone else. I was very familiar with Lenny’s feeling that she couldn’t feed and water herself, but she could keep it together enough to make Ainsley feel safe and cared for. If there is a thesis to this story, it’s that we cannot get through hard stuff alone.

I love Promise Me Sunshine for many reasons. Probably the biggest reason is that Lenny’s grief is for her friend, not a parent or a partner, a friend. What gets her through the very worst of the grief is more friendship. Friendship doesn’t often get its due, and Cara Bastone is serving up a romance in which all kinds of friendships are centered. It’s a gorgeously human book, and the kind of softness I need right now. Go forth and make friends, love people and let them love you. Eat something delicious. Be willing to be silly.

I received this as an advance reader copy from Random House and NetGalley. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.