Gemma is 32, divorced, feels insecure about her curvy body, dresses as she really doesn't care, and her mother is trying to set her up with all these losers in their small town. She works and lives in New York for a life guru, Ian what's his last name, he is the person who invented all these feel-good quotes. Gemma's job is, I guess, to post them on social media and make presentations. This dbag Ian is her crush. After whatever reason, or maybe learning her ex-husband is expecting his third child, and another awful set up by her mom, Gemma decides she will have a baby on her own..

This book has its moments of laughter and cuteness, and the pace was also great.
It had a solid start and the idea behind the story made me want to read the book in the first place.

I listen to this as audio and Erin Mallon was exceptional.

I really really wanted for this to be successful reading and for almost half of the book, I thought it will be... Nevertheless, do we count it as a win if the book made us feel? Even if those feelings were negative?

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of the book.

4.5 stars *Spoilers Ahead*
I absolutely adored this book. The narrator was very good and I loved every single second of it.
Considering the name felt a little off to me, "Josh and Gemma Make a Baby" it was not what I expected at all. Some points in the story had me crying and some parts had me so happy that I felt that I was feeling the emotions with the characters.
Gemma- I really liked Gemma's character, she was very positive and I really like that part of her. I didn't like how much she quotes the quotes though even though it does make sense to the story so it's fine. She's 32 and had problems with infertility during to a disease she had, so she does what any logical person would do in this situation... she asks her brothers best friend to be her donor.

Josh- I adore Josh so much, I love everything about him. He's 33 and draws comics for a living and I think his whole character just showed how in love with Gemma he was.

This whole story had me screaming in happiness in moments like whenever she found out she was pregnant and crying with the miscarriage and the death of Josh's dad. I had so much fun listening to this book. I really liked some side characters too, like Lavinia (I have no idea how to spell her name) even though she was a pretty unlikable character I personally really liked her for some odd reason, all her friends especially Hannah I loved so much with all her talk and how funny they all were. I hated Ian so much, I knew he was gonna do something stupid and he did, though I still don't understand who the woman in his bed was... anyways him stealing Josh's quotes was so shitty and made me so angry, though I was happy that Gemma finally figured it out and I was happy that Josh was the one who wrote them.

At the middle of the book I though about his comic and thought he definitely wrote it about Gemma, I'm so happy I was right but I also thought that he loved her since they were teenagers.. I was wrong at that part. I'm so happy they got their happy ever after but was the baby a girl 0r a boy??

I definitely need to check out more of Sarah Ready's work.

I finished with listening this book and it's a solid romance!
It has tropes that I like (brother's best friend, friends to lovers) and it mentions some trigger warning scenes (grieving, IVF procedures). It's funny and it's seriouses and it's overall a nice read for long winter nights.
I got both kindle and audio version because life is busy and I really liked the narrators voice. The timing was just perfect and she had such comfortable and flowing voice that I could listened to her for a long time. She narrated several characters and used different voice for each of them so there was no confusion in the story.

I liked Gemma's personality and her strong will and Josh is such a cutie too. I really enjoyed their story.

Thanks to Netgalley for receiving ARC copy. All opinions are my own.

In a Nutshell: This delivers exactly what it promises. So if you are on the lookout for a typical romcom that goes exactly as you expected, this one is for you.

Story:
Gemma is a 32 year old divorcee who is "average in every way". She has a great job working for famous self-help guru Ian Fortune, she lives in a lovely apartment in Manhattan, and she has a loving and (mostly) supportive family. The only tiny issue in her life is that Mr. Right is nowhere in sight and her mom won’t stop setting her up with weirdos. Gemma decides that the solution to her happiness is not a guy but a baby. Unfortunately, after an infertility diagnosis when she was younger, the only chance she has of conceiving is to go for IVF. And when it comes to search for a potential sperm donor, who better than Josh – the laidback, handsome, funny and dependable best friend of her brother. Will Josh agree? (You know the answer.) Will Gemma find what she’s looking for? (You know the answer.) Will there be a baby at the end? (Well, duhhh!!! You know the answer!)
The story comes to us in the first person perspective of Gemma.

Let’s create a checklist of the qualities a contemporary romcom typically has.
• A goofy and clumsy heroine who is unaware of everything other than her own needs.
• A sexy rich guy who's secretly in love with the goofy girl but she doesn’t know it. (Duh!)
• A creepy hot guy whom the heroine has a crush on but who is actually a douchebag, unbeknown to her. (Duuuhhhhh!!!!)
• A large and crazy family who are both endearing and irritating, and who love to poke their nose in affairs none of their concern.
• Close friends of the heroine, each of whom fits into their own stereotypical trope: the gorgeous rich girl who is desperate for true love, the nature-loving vegan who wears remedy beads and meditates and follows weird natural healing ideas, and the smart foul-mouthed woman who uses her bluster to cover with a heart of gold.
• Too many over-the-top situations that would never happen in real life. (I mean, seriously! If you feel like you are going to puke and there’s someone standing in front of you, how difficult is it to turn your head and puke anywhere but on him!?!??! Sheesh!)

Basically, there's hardly any romcom trope left untouched. (Oh, one more item to tick - there’s also a cheating ex!) Where this book attempts to be different and succeeds is that hardly any romcom focusses on having a baby. Most only focus on the couple. So the struggles faced in conceiving a baby other than the natural method, and the heartbreaks and uncertainties associated with this process are very well brought out. Also, every chapter starts with a cheesy self-help quote. These are fun, especially as they represent the chapter and Gemma’s thoughts perfectly. Some of the scenes between Josh and Gemma are really cute and heartfelt.
At the same time, the characters follow the computing acronym of WYSIWYG – “What You See Is What You Get”. Everyone is exactly as expected, there are no surprises. Josh was the typical good guy, Ian was the typical bad guy. Gemma was a bit too self-centred and rude for my liking. I am not a fan of Sophie Kinsella but at least when she writes a clumsy lead character, she still makes her loveable. Gemma did not win my heart in spite of her struggles because of the way she treated everyone in her life. Some of the secondary characters are jerks. I couldn’t understand Gemma’s mother’s attitude, for instance. She comes off even more self-centred and narrow-minded as Gemma. Genetic flaw, maybe?
Also, there are too many over-the-top scenes. (Every modern romcom has at least one such scene, I don’t know why. This one crossed my level of permissible stupid content.)
Basically, you will get everything that you expect from this genre. And if that’s all that you are looking for right down to the predictable happy ending, you will enjoy this book. Those looking for steamy scenes will be mighty happy.

I heard the 9.5 hours long audiobook as narrated by Erin Mallon. She is a brilliant narrator and she certainly enacts the scenes well. She is very expressive and every emotion shines perfectly. (Anyone who can narrate a sex scene with full gusto and passion without bursting into giggles earns my admiration.) I wasn't a fan of her male voices, but no other complaints.

3.5 stars from me, rounding up to 4 because of the fabulous narration.

My thanks to Swift & Lewis Publishing, LLC, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), and NetGalley for the ALC of “Josh and Gemma Make a Baby”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the audiobook.

This was a cute read, & such a an emotional journey my word.

Gemma is a 30-something woman who decides she want to take control of her life/destiny & try to have a baby via IVF. And being that she is single, & doesn't want to go the anonymous donor route, she pitches the idea to her brothers best friend, Josh.

It was a lovely story, told by a great narrator. and it really did get quite heavy & emotional in the 3rd half of the book. But it gave us the HEA with the ups & downs that reality comes with too. Really enjoyed the read.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy to review. This was such a fun read. Enjoyed the relationship between Josh and Gemma. I appreciated the way the whole story played out. Really loved the narrator. 4.5 stars.

Trigger Warning: miscarriage, infertility

Book Review📚
Josh and Gemma Make a Baby
Steam Level: 🔥🔥
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Tropes: Brother's best friend/childhood friends to lovers
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My Thoughts💭
This is one of those books where you just have to go along with the silly antics and trust that it will be worth it in the end. Gemma is an awkward mess who makes a lot of cringy decisions. For the first half of the book I kept thinking, "this is too much ridiculousness" (i.e. the vibrating phone scene). But then when I realized what was really happening (long before Gemma did of course), it was like being sucker punched right in the feels! Josh is THE ultimate book boyfriend! Or at least a top contender. The development of Josh and Gemma's relationship and the heartwarming declarations/gestures of love were absolutely beautiful.
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⚠️Trigger Warning: Infertility, infertility shaming, miscarriage
Having done a few rounds of unsuccessful IUI myself, I can say that certain aspects of the infertility journey were portrayed well as far as med management, side effects and that excruciating two-week wait. I've made peace with my journey and outcome, so I was still able to enjoy this book. If you haven't made peace with your journey though, then I do not recommend this book for you as there were a few insensitive scenes.
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📖Summary:
Gemma is divorced, in her 30s with no prospects for love in sight, and has an infertility diagnosis. For her new year's resolution, she decides to take matters into her own hands instead of waiting around for Mr. Right and goes straight to IVF on her own. She asks her brother's best friend, Josh, to be the sperm donor instead of picking a random stranger from a binder who could be a FF (Fertility Fetishizer). Surprisingly, he agrees! No commitment, just a baby.
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Josh and Gemma Make a Baby is now available! Thank you NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Meet Gemma Jacobs. She’s driven, energetic, and a positive thinker. She has a great career working for famed self-help guru Ian Fortune, she lives in a cute studio apartment in Manhattan, and her family is supportive and loving (albeit a little kooky). Her life is perfect. Absolutely wonderful.
Except for one tiny little thing.
After a decade of disastrous relationships and an infertility diagnosis, Gemma doesn’t want a Mr. Right (or even a Mr. Right Now), she just wants a baby.
And all she needs is an egg, some sperm, and IVF.
So Gemma makes a New Year’s resolution: have a baby.
Josh Lewenthal is a laid back, relaxed, find-the-humor-in-life kind of guy. The polar opposite of Gemma. He’s also her brother’s best friend. For the past twenty years Josh has attended every Jacobs’ family birthday, holiday, and event – he’s always around.
Gemma knows him. He’s nice (enough), he’s funny (-ish), he’s healthy (she thinks) and he didn’t burn any ants with a magnifying glass as a kid. Which, in Gemma’s mind, makes him the perfect option for a sperm donor.
So Gemma wants to make a deal. An unemotional, businesslike arrangement. No commitments, just a baby.
To Gemma’s surprise, Josh agrees.
They have nothing in common, except their agreement to make a baby and their desire to keep things businesslike.
But the thing about baby-making…it’s hard to keep it businesslike, it’s nearly impossible to keep it unemotional, and it’s definitely impossible to keep your heart out of the mix. Because when you’re making a baby together, things have a way of starting to feel like you’re making other things too – like a life, and a family, and love. And when the baby-making ends, you wish that everything else didn’t have to end too.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to listen and listen to and review this book.

An easy listen chick lit novel, that covers some really heavy topics while somehow managing to remain quirky and funny. If you’re not a fan of a cheesy motivational quote this is probably not for you as it’s jam packed full of them.

The love triangle that develops with Gemma, Josh and Gemma’s boss (why?) added tension but infuriated me a bit, I needed Gemma to notice far sooner what a good guy Josh was. In all I really enjoyed a novel that wouldn’t necessarily have been one I’d have gone for. I think fans of Bridget Jones would love this.

I really loved this book. Because of the subject matter, please exercise caution if you think extensive talk of infertility, miscarriage, and IVF might be triggering. 

The opening chapters read a little like a recycled version of the opening to Bridget Jones's Diary. As such, I wasn't initially expecting much. However, once we got past that, I found myself enjoying it more and more. Gemma is a divorcee, who has given up on men. She's desperate to have a baby, despite her infertility issues. But she has a plan. Josh Lewenthal. Josh is her brother's best friend, and the man she lost her virginity to. She thinks he's a man-whore, and has lots of other preconceived ideas about him, but he has 'excellent genes', so she wants him to be her sperm donor. Josh has been keeping a secret though...

As they navigate IVF together, Gemma finds herself questioning everything she thought she knew about Josh. And herself. You can't help but root for them to get pregnant, and for them to inevitably become a couple. Josh is SO adorably sweet, funny, and kind. Seriously, get yourself a man who'll ring you repeatedly to help you out when you're super horny... 😉 I loved their obvious chemistry, even if Gemma is oblivious for half of the book. It was also refreshing to see the journey Gemma (and her family) went on because judgemental definitely ran in the family. The interactions between the fertility help group were funny and often poignant, although I did find the ending a little over-simplified.

But be warned, you will need a tissue or ten for this one. It really does pack an emotional punch. If you love stories with (at least) one of the leads pining for the other, this one is for you. Though I saw the twist coming, and couldn't see what on earth Gemma saw in her boss anyway, the sweet moments between Josh and Gemma more than made up for that. I will definitely be reading more of Sarah Ready's work. 

*Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to give an honest review on both the eArc, and Audiobook (which was beautifully read by Erin Mallon*

Overall Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Heat Rating: 🔥🔥🔥
Emotional Rating: 😂😂💓💓😢😢😢

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC and Audiobook, in exchange of an honest review.

What’s this about?
Gemma Jacobs is the most energetic and positive person you will know. She has the perfect job and the perfect life. Except... she is no completely happy. There’s one thing missing in her life. A baby.

After a decade of being diagnosed with infertility and while she was cheated by her husband, Gemma really, really wants a baby. So the viable way to do it is through IVF. But Gemma doesn’t want some random donor to be her baby’s daddy. She wants a man she knows, someone with good genes. She wants… Josh Lewenthal. Her brother’s best friend.

She just needs Josh’s sperm. No commitments.
So, as her New Year’s resolution, Gemma promises herself that she’ll have a baby.

What do I think about it?
I have to start this saying that this book is going to my top favorites for two reasons. First, this was my first audiobook and I really enjoyed the experience. Second, the story was something one of a kind. The topic is something that we usually don’t see in contemporary romance and I think we need more stories like this one. It was, if not my first time, one of the first stories about infertility that I’ve read and I liked the way the author managed the situation.

You would think that the title will give you all the information you need about the book. Josh. Gemma. Make. Baby. And that’s it, right? But nooo! It’s not just about a couple of friends, one helping the other to have a baby. It was a lot more. It was about friends and family. About getting to know who you really are and what you really want. It was about learning not to judge a person for what they seem. It was about hard issues like infertility and miscarriages, and how to deal with those situations with a smile on your face.

Josh and Gemma didn’t give us a simple story. They gave us a ride on a rollercoaster with lots of ups and downs. With lots of laugh and cry. With lots of happy and sad moment. With lots of comedy and romance. And with lots of great quotes.

“Love is the best privilege I’ve ever had the privilege to give.”

Why did I “really” like it? Because it had Josh Lewenthal in it. Period.

All jokes aside, stop doing whatever you are doing and go to read this completely amazing story. You’ll thank me when you get to know Josh and Gemma. And Brook, Hannah and Carly. And Gemma’s family. And Josh’s dad. I know you’ll discover one of your best reads of 2022.

And if you heat the audiobook, you’ll love it even more. The narrator has such a lovely voice. And every scene is told with a lot of expression. It’s just terrific.

“I’m lost. I’m completely lost in him. Me and Josh Lewenthal, (…) on the floor”

4.5 stars - I absolutely loved this book! From start to finish, my heart was filled with laughter, I even ugly cried at work during one point, and I don't regret a moment of this story. The characters are so lovable and endearing, I guarantee that Josh will be your next book boyfriend! The audiobook was narrated by the amazing Erin Mallon, bringing the characters to life in vivid detail. I highly recommend adding this one to your must read list for 2022.

Sweet, funny, enjoyable audiobook!

I enjoyed this well-written, touching, funny story about Gemma and Josh. Gemma really wants a baby, but she’s newly divorced, having been left by her cheating husband, and she’s also been diagnosed as infertile. When she finds out she can get pregnant through IVF, she decides to go through motherhood on her own. She just needs a sperm donor and decides to ask the perfect candidate—Josh, her brother’s best friend who’s been part of her large loving family for over 25 years. Gemma thinks she knows Josh, but she doesn’t. Gemma’s family thinks she needs fixing, but she doesn’t. As the story progresses, Gemma and Josh discover a lot more about themselves and each other. I enjoyed their journey, which included a full cast of interesting, engaging secondary characters.

I look forward to reading more by this author. I listened to the audiobook which was narrated by Erin Mallon who did a terrific job.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

"Josh and Gemma Make a Baby" by Sarah Ready is a Rom-Com with Lime Jello Salad! Lots of it!

Gemma Jacobs' New Year's resolution is to have a baby! She's unmarried, uninvolved, and unable to conceive without IVF. Now all she needs is a willing sperm donor with 'no-strings-attached' to make it happen.

Gemma doesn't want any sperm donor though, she wants someone she knows and trusts. Someone like Josh Lewenthal, her brother's BFF and a blast from her past.

Gemma's entire family knows Josh. He's been at every family gathering for the past 20 years. He's great looking, healthy, funny, and has a great smile. Even if he IS a bit over confident, who cares!

Too bad Josh has fallen on hard times though and back living in the basement of his dad's house. Perhaps it's a blessing in disguise for Gemma's business-like and no-commitment plan for a perfect sperm donor. This could work!

I loved this story! I connected to Gemma as the protagonist, her sense of humor and her great big heart. She was all about having a baby and her focus is portrayed in a hilarious and fun way. Josh is perfect at being her accommodating sperm donor. Their banter back and forth is refreshing, comical and gives a whole new meaning to having 'phone-sex'!

The audiobook narrated by Erin Mallon was one I devoured in two listens. Her voicing was believable, animated, and completely enjoyable! I was totally engaged! I smiled, I laughed, and I cried!

I highly recommend this story that is both entertaining and most likely the best Rom-Com I've read to date. I don't know why I connected with this one so much, but I did and I'm glad!

Multiple Twigger Warnings: IVF / Infertility / Miscarriage / Body Shaming.

Thank you to NetGalley, Swift & Lewis Publishing, LLC, and Sarah Ready for a free ALC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review. The expected publication date is 1/25/22.

This book will be published on January 25, 2022

REALLY ENJOYED this book! 5 stars! The whole time I was reading and listening to it felt like I was watching a movie in my head. It was a warm, hilarious, and feel-good experience. If you’re looking for a romcom with less spice but more on the comedic side, this one is for you! Though just a small heads up that this isn’t your average book for smut readers. Josh is a new book boyfriend! In my opinion, he was the star in this book I LOVED him. On the other hand, Gemma is a bit demanding and doesn’t handle the stress that well but still, she contributed a lot to make this book hilarious. Character development was on point. Although in my opinion, I think some scenes could be cut short, nevertheless, I would still recommend this! Erin Mallon is so amazing in audio!

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC! ❤

🤰🏼JOSH AND GEMMA MAKE A BABY🤰🏼

I absolutely adored this book, the characters, and the topics it addresses. When Gemma decides she’s ready for a family and tired of waiting for the perfect man to create one, she turns to her brother’s best friend, Josh, to be a donor for IVF. The man who has just always been around in life quickly becomes so much more important to Gemma. 🤍 Josh and Gemma Make a Baby by Sarah Ready comes out tomorrow, 1/25!!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

TW: this book deals with some heavy topics, including endometriosis, infertility, miscarriage, and IVF

Thank you to Swift & Lewis Publishing Company, LLC and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

The MC is really naive but otherwise I enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more by this author in the future!

I love erin mallon’s narration! Her voice is fantastic and so funny.

The story however did not grab me. The writing was corny. The characters lacked chemistry. However points for the original concept and story

I really loved this book. I loved that it had romance and comedy but unlike your typical romcom it touched on a topic that can be really hard to talk about—infertility. I struggle with infertility and I was a bit nervous picking up this book, but it was handled in a sensitive way while still being able to remain funny and light hearted.

Josh and Gemma had a story that hit a little close to home for me and I felt every emotion she was going through. I didn’t really like her at the beginning, even though she was going through a lot, she treated him horribly and I didn’t like it. As the story went on I ended up understanding her more. Infertility is a hard thing to go through and talk about, and she had other issues she was dealing with.
Josh was hard to read at times, but I had the main characteristic figured out. The part about his dad and being an only child was heartbreaking and I felt horrible for him when I found out what the connection to Ian was. He was understanding, hopeful and reliable. There were times that I thought he was too forgiving.
Going from being in each other’s lives to being her donor was a tricky transition and he only hoped she would start seeing him differently. The group of friends she made at the infertility group gave her some advice and hard truths when she needed them most. I really enjoyed this book and would gladly read more by this author.
The narrator did a fantastic job of bringing this story to life. In fact, she was the main reason I requested this book as an audiobook. Fantastic job. I received an ARC in exchange for an honest, voluntary review.

This was such an adorable book. I loved it so much. The narrator is wonderful. This book talks about a lot of the things that we don't talk about in society. Women can have babies without a partner. Some women do it alone. Even with support it can be hard if not impossible to get pregnant, let alone what that process looks like, the medicines required, and the toll it takes and how women come together to support each other. Josh and Gemma's relationship makes me laugh. I loved that Gemma was a career woman and we really didn't focus on Josh's until the end. I would absolutely recommend this audiobook to others. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for letting give this audiobook my honest opinion.