"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.

This romcom was so much fun to read! I loved Gemma and her family so much. I laughed so hard at certain parts and found myself smiling all throughout the book!

The plot was very well written and I loved the concept and idea. My favorite part was the support group ladies. They all had different stories and were different but had the same goal.

The romance between Josh and Gemma was so sweet and Authentic. Overall I loved this book so much and look forward to reading more by this author!!

This one was a sweet and funny rom-com story that I borrowed from NetGalley because a) The title seemed to intrigue me b)it was an audiobook and I have kind of an obsession with audiobooks these days.

Gemma's new year resolution is to have a baby but there is one hurdle in her path to motherhood. She doesn't have a boyfriend or a partner. After being diagnosed with endometriosis and infertility a few years back, Gemma catches her husband cheating on her which is followed by a divorce. Now her husband is remarried and has a seemingly picture perfect family with three children. Gemma has a good job and a loving, caring family but she yearns for someone whom she can love unconditionally and who will return her love equally. So she decides to become pregnant through IVF but she doesn't want to opt for donor sperms. Instead she asks her brother's best friend and the guy she had a crush on during her adolescents years, Josh, to help her out. While Gemma goes through the IVF process, she also joins a fertility group who meet regularly in a basement of a book shop and share their experiences and advices with each other.

I loved Josh's character and his silent yet unyielding support towards Gemma, even when she behaves like a prick. There were quite a few humorous and laugh-out-loud situations between Gemma and Josh. I also liked the whole equation with the fertility group women and how each of the members had a total different personality but yet they were all on a similar journey. The audiobook narrator Erin Mallon was really good and I don't think I'd have enjoyed the book to the extent I did, if I had read in any other format.

Overall the book was enjoyable to listen to and a good fun, breezy read.

I loved this book more than I thought I would! Cute and a little steamy but mostly a great rom-com.

Gemma is divorced and feels she is only getting older. She wants a baby more than anything so she decides to ask her brother’s best friend/family friend to become the sperm donor. He finally agrees and so begins the cute banter and relationship. While predictable, I didn’t want to put this book down. Laugh out loud funny and charming moments.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this early audio galley!

How did I get so lucky to read two amazing five star books in one day?? Both of which I need to gratefully thank Net Galley for the ARCs of! I didn’t have any expectations for this romantic comedy going into it today… and it completely blew me away! The author was sooooo hilarious and had me laughing from the first chapter! Gemma is a woman that is trying to take control of her life and her own happiness so regardless of not having a partner she decides she’s going to have the baby she’s always wanted. We follow Gemma as she reaches out to a family friend to give her a little help. Every chapter had me laughing out loud! But it wasn’t all laughs this book also deals with serious conversations around infertility and how 1 in 8 women struggle with infertility. I shed quite a few tears as I was reading as this topic was so sensitively and well addressed along with the grief that follows unfortunate miscarriages. I highly recommend this book for those that love romantic comedies that are heart felt and still bring on the tears! Keep an eye out for release January 25th, 2022!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There were three elements that stood out to me that made this book a 4.5 star read. One of the things Sarah Ready did that I enjoyed was spread awareness for infertility. Many people don’t realize the effects and pressure infertility puts on a woman and a partner if she has one. By spreading awareness in this book the author is bringing light to the issue. Second, I loved Gemma’s sense of independence and security within herself. She was fine with Josh in or out of the picture. She just wanted someone that was a part of her that she could love unconditionally. I loved Gemma and Josh’s chemistry. Even though Josh is Gemma’s brothers friend, he still looked out for her by going along with being her donor. I can’t wait to read Sarah Ready’s other works.

The rhythm of love gets brasher, louder and sweeter in the hands of Sarah Ready. Josh and Gemma are a bundle of delight that drowns in humor and seduces with heart. From awkward situations to irresistible life lessons and unpredictable romance, Josh and Gemma Make a Baby is the most fun I've ever had while losing my heart.

It's a fun read. Light-hearted. Gemma is 35, a divorcee, moving on to enter the next phase of life, having a child, irrespective of her relationship status. Good for her. She goes about the process by the asking the help of her brother's best friend. He has his own problems, going through life, making the best of situations. When opportunity presents for something good to happen in his life, he takes his time, agrees.
There's good understanding, camaraderie, trust, etc, all the characteristics you'd expect in decent relationships between the MCs. The heroine has makes a group of friends from the IVF support group. The have their fights and reconciliation too. That was very sweet.
Throw in a love triangle, with the hero's enemy and some misunderstanding, which later get's resolved. (That portion was a little predictable). Then comes heroine's relealisation of what's what, seeing people's true color and the MCs officially becoming a couple. Very, very sweet.
The book is well written. I chose to listen to the audiobook. The narrator did a good job. Solid 4 stars. Surely would recommend.

**4.5 stars**

This was my first book by the author and definitely enjoyed the relationship building and the little moments of complicity.

Josh and Gemma have been knowing each other for many years, he is her brother’s best friend and has been a constant in her family (although they have not been really close). When she decides to have a baby following her struggles with infertility, he is the person that she thinks about. At the same time, her boss (with which she has been dreaming for some time), asks her on a date. The rest, as they say, is (part of this) history.

The book felt in a way like a slow burn. It showed the experience of someone going through an IVF process while trying to juggle the rest of activities. I loved the character’s journey and the self-discovery, and even if certain aspects felt predictable, I enjoyed how thoughtful and funny it could be.

I alternated between listening and reading. The narrator of the audiobook (which I have heard before) was very good and made me enjoy even more certain parts of the book.


Of note: I voluntarily read a free copy of this book (and respective audiobook) in exchange of an honest review.

I liked the romance. I liked Josh. Gemma is a work in progress.

Overall, cute, but it has its issues.

TW: infertility, IVF, miscarriage, endometriosis, fat shaming, infertility shaming

Guess the TW sums up my issues with the book.

Do I love audiobooks now?
I have to confess I’m a bit of a book snob. In a pinch, I’ll read on my phone but I prefer to have the book in hand. However, lately, I’ve been looking for something to keep my mind occupied while training for a half marathon (I swear the miles go by more slowly when I’m on the treadmill), and Josh and Gemma Make a Baby delivered. Erin Mallon’s narration brings to mind your funniest friend telling a story over drinks. Every character has a voice and little mannerisms that make them distinct. I’m listening to another book where the narrator doesn’t have the same ability. It makes listening a little more complicated, especially when there is a lot of dialogue.

But you are probably reading this review because you want to know about the novel. You’re going to like it. The plot is simple—Gemma is tired of waiting for Mr. Right and is going to have a baby on her own. She enlists the help of her brother’s best friend, Josh, to make this dream a reality. The younger sister/older brother’s friend trope isn’t used to keep the main characters apart, which is a relief to me because I find brothers who are obsessed with their sisters’ sex lives weird.

The general tone of the book is light and fun. Still, it includes many complex topics—infidelity (on the part of Gemma’s ex), divorce, infertility, miscarriage, and the aging of parents. There is also some physical violence and talk about bodily functions, which might put some people off. If you’re on the fence, I will urge you to at least try this book. It does a great job of normalizing the struggles many people have getting pregnant. And it also avoids the desexualization of mothers. When Gemma is trying to get pregnant, men want to date her, and she has (very hot) sex. I appreciated that her desire to be a mother didn’t make the author neuter her.

The book isn’t just about sexual relationships—family and friends play a role too. Gemma joins an infertility support group, and the women immediately welcome her into the fold. One of Gemma’s coworkers, who seems to hate her, also comes through for her in a very important way. I loved that even though the coworker didn’t like Gemma, she supported Gemma. I prefer books where women mostly get along, and if you do too, you’ll like this one.

It is, however, kind of amazing that Gemma has friends because she tends to spout self-help slogans while judging people pretty harshly. She’s a flawed person, but Sarah Ready manages to make her likable, even though she can be self-centered and judgmental.

There are some less successful elements of the book, as a subplot about the two men in Gemma’s life that doesn’t add anything to the plot. But overall, this book would pair well with a glass of wine and a comfy blanket or a canned mixed drink and a beach towel. It’s easy to read (or listen to!), fun, and sexy when it’s time.

This was such a cute and heartfelt story. I originally started the book because I love the cover and Erin Mallon was solo narrating, all told from Gemma's POV.

Gemma wants a baby. After finding she needs medical help, she turns to IVF. Instead of using an anonymous doner, she asks her childhood next door neighbor, Josh. Josh agrees and the two start the process together.

This was such a different kind of friends to lovers and pregnancy trope. It wasn't an accidental pregnancy and the two hadn't been longing after each for years and years. I loved how it was a modern approach to how a lot of families are now started. It's a fun and sweet story that certainly bring out all kinds of emotions. Josh is so dreamy and the perfect baby daddy for Gemma. Josh and Gemma are so sweet together and I loved this story so much.

Josh & Gemma Make a Baby by Sarah Ready
(audioARC) 1/21/22-1/22/22

🅾🆅🅴🆁🅰🅻🅻 🆁🅰🆃🅸🅽🅶 = ⭐⭐⭐⭐
👩🏻👨🏼‍🦰Characters = 7/10
🗺🎪Setting/Atmosphere = 8/10
✍🏼🧬Style/Structure = 8/10
🎞🔮Plot = 8/10
💡💌Themes = 7/10
🎯🔎Purpose/Focus = 7/10
🧠🫀Internal Response = 7/10
👍🏻👎🏻Enjoyment/Satisfaction = 8/10
🗣💬Recommend to Others = 8/10
👄🎧Narration = 8/10

Thank you to Swift & Lewis Publishing, LLC, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this audioARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts & opinions shared are my own.

Josh and Gemma Make a Baby by Sarah Ready was the perfect blend of fun, charm, wit and romance. The main characters are likable and mostly realistic. Gemma, a quirky, young, now single woman decides that she wants a baby. The problem is that she needs a donor. Should she go with an anonymous one or ask Josh, her brother’s best friend? She decides to ask Josh. I enjoyed going on their rollercoaster of a journey with them. Watching their relationship bloom over time was heartwarming. I must admit that I laughed out loud at the boy-toy parts.

One part of the book that seemed off to me was the accuracy of the IVF info. Their experience was rather quick and not as emotional as I would think it would be. I wish that it was portrayed more accurately. In addition, the abrupt ending left me unsatisfied.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and look forward to listening to another book by Sarah Ready. I am hoping that there will be a sequel to their story. Erin Mallon, the narrator, did a wonderful job with the voices and making the story come alive.

I think it’s important to note that there are several topics that may be triggers for some readers: infertility, miscarriage, toxic family members, and fat shaming.