Never was I ever so invested in a story before as I was with Josh and Gemma Make a Baby. To me this had everything in a romance. A touch of second chance love, humor, a level or seriousness and heartache.
What I love about this book is that it touches the reality of life, but not super depressing about it.
This book is about Gemma knowing who she really is and going through infertility. She went through a divorce; her ex is now having plenty of children with someone else and her mom constantly trying to set her up to "fix her." When in reality, she doesn't want that for herself after another terrible set up at the New Year's party and she decided to set a resolution to have a baby. With or without someone to help her. So, she decides to go through IVF and through some pressure of knowing or not knowing someone as the donor. She randomly chooses Josh, her brother's best friend from childhood.
Strangely enough he agrees, and they set on a journey to make a baby. All the while, she starts dating her boss, joins an infertility support group (which is a crazy and well built cast in itself) and go through the process of IVF. In the journey she gets to know Josh, gets to know herself and understands the amazing support of friends and family.
The only issue I had with this book is the problem moment where Gemma has insecurities and pushes Josh away. To me it was kind of a whiplash, I didn't see enough backstory or story build up to see that attitude come from Gemma. It felt like it was out of character of her and wasn't sure how to handle it. So to me, it felt cringey and glad it didn't last very long.
To me this was a wonderful book that had me wondering the whole time how this was going to go. It had me laughing, smiling and at sometimes wanting to shed tears.

I enjoyed reading this book! It was perfectly balanced between being lighthearted and emotional. I alternated between reading it and listening to its audiobook and Erin Mallon did an amazing job narrating this book.

I adored several of the characters but, if somebody can send a Josh Lewenthal my way, that would be great. No lie, he made me swoon several times.

It’s very predictable (e.g. the New Year’s resolution, the quotes, the big and cringy romantic gesture) and there weren’t any twists that are shocking or new. But you know what? I didn’t need this book to be something new or mind-blowing because for me it was a book I had fun reading. It was easy to read and when I was listening to it, I was very much immersed.

The biggest flaw of this book? Everyone is so judgemental. Seriously. Except for Josh..or am I too biased and missed it? Naaah, definitely not Josh😌

This is not my normal genre of reading but I must say Josh and Gemma were… cute!
After a lot of disappointing relationships and an infertility diagnosis, Gemma isn’t interested in really finding Mr Future, she just wants some sperm for her New Years baby.
Here is where her brothers best friend Josh enters. This no strings attached business like transaction is agreed upon and thus begins the story of Josh and Gemma- making a baby. But as most of us may know, it’s hard to remove emotions when you’re in the thick of becoming parents.
This was a quirky, at times funny, emotional, and pretty multi leveled book. The topic of infertility was very much present throughout the full story and alot of times although accurate, it seemed Gemma was a bit naive about how it worked. This could be triggering for some people.
This book is expected to be released on January 25th 2022.
Thanks to NetGalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing, LLC for the opportunity to listen and review this audiobook advanced! The views expressed are my personal and honest opinion.

Josh and Gemma make a baby
This was my first Book by Sarah Ready and I really enjoyed it! listened to this on audio and even though I’m still not sure how I feel about listening to novels, this made me laugh out loud many times. It was also sweet and sad and loving.

What I liked:
- The narrator was excellent and really kept me engaged through the whole story
- The doctor’s obnoxious comments. I’d be sitting there listening and thinking, did they just say that?! And I’d proceed to laugh out loud.
- The topic of infertility including the ups and downs of IVF
- the hilariously charming girls in the support group
- Josh. Of course Josh!!
- The relatability of the main character. Her clumsiness and random comments when she’s nervous kept me entertained throughout

What I didn’t Enjoy:
- the constant motivational quotes. I know that was the point as her boss is a Guru and all, but it just annoyed me to keep hearing them.

Overall this is a funny, heart warming (some times heart breaking) story that you won’t be able to put down. Thank you Sarah Ready and NetGallery for this eARC!!

This book was fun, and at the end, somewhat poignant. I have to confess I found a few scenes unbearably annoying (there's a description of wieners falling between breasts in a ridiculously tight outfit and other similarly cringe-worthy moments), but the sweetness won out over the corny, and I'm glad I stuck with it. The end almost cries out for a sequel and I think satisfied readers will clamor for one.

I am so glad that I got to listen to this audiobook because I loved both the story and the narration!

Gemma Jacobs has a great career being responsible for the social marketing of the famous self-help guru Ian Fortune. She has idolized her boss, because he and his books have helped her during a very difficult part of her life. She used to have a happy marriage until she caught her husband cheating on her at their own house. That came after they found out that Gemma could not have children. He now has a happy family with the woman he cheated on her and their children. That has been a lot for Gemma to digest, but Ian’s quotes and books have helped her get over the whole situation. Thankfully Gemma has moved on and she is happy with her studio apartment in Manhattan, her dream job and her very supportive and loving family. As long as her mother doesn’t interfere with her love life, trying to match her with every bachelor she knows!

She is happy, but she is not full. She misses one little thing. That one that she cannot have. Which is nothing more than a baby. So she decides to have one. She makes it her New Year’s resolution.

Josh Lewenthal is a laid back, relaxed guy, the absolute opposite of Gemma. He is her brother’s best friend and someone she knows since childhood. He is a nice guy, more or less, funny, she guesses and healthy, at least from what she can understand. He is therefore a good candidate, if not the perfect sperm donor. Because yes, Gemma has decided that she needs an IVF! So, she just has to make a deal with Josh and make it all happen!

Gemma is such a relatable character! One you can clearly connect to! I may not be the self help or inspirational quote person, but Gemma is and she is doing it really good! It was pretty clear that these quotes helped her break the surface again and not stay on the bottom of the lake. She might be overthinking things, but aren’t we all when anxious? She was a pretty amazing character and I rooted for her, unlike her mother who thought she knew what her daughter needed and make all the wrong moves, criticizing her about her looks, her weight, her clothes and always trying to fix her up. I was so glad when the two of them finally had a chance to discuss honestly and her mother really heard Gemma and supported her!

Josh was also an incredible character! He was supposed to be Mr. Charmer as a teenager and that made Gemma think he’s superficial. But he was so much more and he still was a handsome man, focused on his goal. I loved his New Year’s resolution and how determined he was to achieve it!

Apart from those two, there were many side characters that really added to the story. For once, Gemma’s boss who I disliked from the very first moment. I saw that one coming, so I’m glad I didn’t like the guy! Gemma’s colleague and her new friends from the infertility support group where very likable and supportive and helped Gemma evolve as a character. She really needed that and I’m glad she actually did!

What I didn’t like was the fat shaming even though it was not so clear Gemma was overweight. It might be because the whole town, including most of her family, were total jerks shaming her for infertility, as if it was her fault, as if she was responsible her ex-husband cheated on her. On the other hand I know how small town people can be and that many people think this way. It suited the story well, because not everyone is perfect, and we all make mistakes and the important thing is that we understand that and try to make up for them.

Erin Mallon is officially one of my favourite narrators! I recognized her voice as soon as the audiobook started. I had forgotten who the narrator was until that moment. She made the experience of listening to this slow burn story even more delightful. That’s definitely one of my criteria on selecting my next audiobooks!

This book is expected to be published on January 25th 2022.

Thanks to NetGalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing, LLC for the opportunity to listen and review this audiobook. The views expressed are my personal and honest opinion.

Gemma is tired of waiting for things to happen, so she is going to make it happen. She is going to have a baby on her own. She asks her brother's best friend, Josh, to be the sperm donor. Shockingly, her agrees. As they traverse the world of IVF, she starts to have feelings. Real feelings- not the infatuation she had for him as a kid.

I'm surprised how much I enjoyed this book. It tackles a serious topic- infertility- yet is not overwhelmingly heavy. It is funny, the characters are mostly likeable, there is personal growth, etc... I couldn't put it down! (My ARC is labeled "Josh and Gemma Book 1" and I really hope this is a series!)

Erin Mallon narrates the audiobook and is her usual self. She is one of my favorite narrators!

I received an audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a heartwarming, hilarious and enjoyable read! I devoured this book and now Sarah Ready is going to be an instant buy author for me now! Definitely grab some tissues, you're going to need them!

Gemma Jacobs is thirty-two, divorced, has trouble trusting others and realizes that she really does not need a man in her life. What she really needs is a baby; someone to love and love her back that will not let her down or leave her. After an infertile diagnosis that left her feeling as if she will never have the child she has always wanted went to a doctor and was stunned to find out that IVF will give her the chance to conceive, but all she is missing is a donor. Who could possibly check all her boxes and treat this as a business agreement like she wanted? Why did she have to tell her doctor that she had an amazing partner ready to get this process started?

Josh Lewenthal, her brother's best friend and the boy who took her virginity all those years ago. He was a heart throb back then, but now he is a grown man who is still sexier than ever. Gemma knows that he would be the perfect donor and hopefully he will go along with Gemma's business deal that they can have this baby with no strings attached. Although, in the business of baby making can you really protect your heart from falling in love when you clearly told yourself you could not fall even if you wanted to?

* I definitely recommend the audiobook, it was a fantastic and enthralling listen that drew me into the story and had me laughing out loud while I cooked dinner, ran errands and cleaned the house! Although, I definitely do not recommend cutting onions for dinner while listening to this book because I was a hot mess in the kitchen and my significant other and cat were left concerned and questioning my sanity*

TW: Infertility, miscarriage, loss/grief

A special thank you to Swift & Lewis Publishing, LLC and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review!

One word. UNPUTDOWNABLE.

It’s 4:57 am and I’m in tears, this book made me go through a roller coaster of emotions. The topic of this book is something I can really resonated with, as is something I’m quite scared of. We all know someone who lost a baby or is struggling with infertility, so it’s nice to this representation on a book.

I have been on an audiobook kick and was excited to try out a new author to me, Sarah Ready. This slow burn love story ended up being pretty predictable but I did really appreciate how author Ready incorporated "real life issues", especially IVF and infertility in general. I am big fan of author Abby Jimenez who also does this with her contemporary romance novels and its very welcome in this genre that can sometimes feel out of touch with reality.

I did find some problematic issues with this one, particular the body shaming of Gemma's character which ended up being a big turn off for me personally, and some of the ways infertility was discussed.

Overall, this book wasn't my favorite but I would be open to reading another one of her books in the future. I also loved the audiobook narrator, Erin Mallon, who really helped bring this story to life.

Thank you to NetGalley and Swift and Lewis Publishing for my gifted review copy.

Josh And Gemma Make A Baby was a fun way to spend some reading time.

I'd probably call it a traditional romcom with a baby thrown into the mix.

It's fairly obvious from early on, that Gemma is a bit ditzy at times and doesn't see the whole picture but that is part of the book's charm.

There are no surprises for the reader in this book, although Gemma is surprised again and again and that makes it humorous and easy to read.

All in all, a pleasant way to spend a cold weekend afternoon.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a fun read and I loved the chemistry between Josh and Gemma. There was a bit of a Bridgett Jones vibe with the whole Ian Fortune dating/being enemies with Josh, so how that all played out in the story was predicatable. I also enjoyed the side characters in this, especially Gemma fertility group. They brought a whole other level to this book.

Erin Mallon is always a great choice for a narrator and this book is no different. Erin gives an amazing performance, and keeps the pace of the book flowing. I love when I find audio books with Erin as a narrator.

I really enjoyed this book. Obviously you know from the beginning where the story was going, but I enjoyed how it came full circle. It touches on some very heavy topics but I think it is portrayed very well. I really like how the sub characters all played a part, and how certain things came to light, and there didn’t seem to be any lose ends. Overall I thought it was a great cute read with some very funny parts and a great message.

Melli’s Book Breakdown
🤍Brother’s Best Friend
🤍curvy heroine
🤍heroine POV only
🤍TW: infertility
🤍HEA

Thank you to netgalley for the advanced copy.

This book is so cute. This book discusses deep topics such as infertility that shared about their experience while keeping it from getting too sad. The characters in this book aren't perfect which makes the story more relatable and the characters are relatable as well. Also the main character whose point of view it was, wasn't perfect. As the reader, you learn things as the readers do. This book was sappy and cute, but it wasn't set in a perfect world. I read this book in one sitting. I would recommend this book to people who want a cute read, but also want a book that they can relate to even if none of these things have happened to them. It is really well written, I could not put the book down.

"When I was a little kid, I worshipped Josh Lewenthal. Now, I couldn't care less about him. I just need his sperm."

What an opening sentence 😂. Josh and Gemma is definitely a fun romance novel, focusing on Gemma convincing her brother's best friend, Josh to donate his sperm so she can have a baby via IVF. The book follows the pair throughout the journey as Gemma realises that after several lacklustre relationships, maybe the one for her has been there all along.

Now, while I did say this was a fun romance, it's not without its depth, as Ready goes into a lot of detail about the IVF process. I really liked the unique plot, as much as I liked Gemma and Josh. The pair had great chemistry and it was evident from the get-go that Ready knows how to write good banter too. Add in an interesting cast of supporting characters and you have a stellar romance novel.

The one thing that would have gotten this book an extra star is if we heard from Josh's perspective. For me, this was one of those books that would have been better with dual points of view, as I desperately wanted more from Josh and the backstory behind his unrequited love for Gemma.

Nevertheless, this is still a fantastically funny and heartfelt romance and I highly recommend listening to the audiobook. Erin Mallon, the narrator, did an amazing job 👏🏻. Just please note the book does focus on pregnancy and pregnancy loss.

Thank you to Swift & Lewis Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for this honest review.

Josh and Gemma Make a Baby by Sarah Ready is a slow burn romantic comedy. It is sweet, clean romance that deals with miscarriage and infertility. The story started out really strong but unfortunately I found the middle slow and the writing a little flawed. Gemma frustrated me to no end. I found her to be selfish and with many flaws. Her stubbornness was a real turn off. I am not a big fan of mis communication in books, and this was was full of them. A lot could have been cleared up with a simple conversation.

The romance between Josh and Gemma was non existent until the very end of the book. Slow burn romance is good but I want to feel a bit of tension, and push and pull and there was none of this and I didn’t connect with the characters like I wanted to.

Having said all this, the story is sweet and even funny in spots. Gemma’s a hot mess, in her personal and business life. I couldn’t help at laugh out loud at some of the ridiculously funny situations she found herself in. The author did a good job mixing up the sweet tender moments, the humorous ones and emotional ones.

While the story overall left a lot to be desired, I adored listening in audiobook format. Erin Mallon is a fantastic narrator! Her range, pitch and emotional delivery of Gemma’s character was perfection.

LOVED THIS AUDIOBOOK!!

This book was a delight from beginning to end! That narrator, Erin Mallon, was awesome and I am so happy I chose to listen to this instead of reading it.

Gemma Jacobs- she quirky, funny, thinks too much, love quoting inspiration quotes, is a little clueless, has positive energy, and has a job she loves but is missing something in her life. Well, I should say someone. She wants a baby. Her marriage ended in heartbreak, she has an infertility diagnosis from having endometriosis and has not met Mr. Right. But there is IVF, all she needs is a donor.

Josh Lewenthal is her brother's best friend. He has always been around. He's a super nice laid-back guy, quick to smile, funny, has an engaging smile, and is dependable. Gemma knows him, right? He is healthy, funny, and single. Why use an anonymous donor when she views Josh as being an ideal sperm donor!?! She is shocked and excited when he says "Yes".

This book was so much fun to listen to. Gemma and Josh were both likable characters and I loved their witty banter and interactions. I enjoyed their journey and thought Gemma's family tradition of writing down resolutions, putting them in a jar (no name on them) and having them read out loud was charming.

There are also some interesting and intriguing supporting characters as well. Gemma's fertility group members were fantastic and provided some laughs. Her self-help guru boss and co-workers made things interesting.

This book does touch on some very serious issues such as infertility, miscarriages, fat shaming and judging people by their looks. I wasn't the biggest fan of her mother always trying to fix her up, mentioning Gemma's looks, weight, how she dresses. She is not the only character who does this, and the sad thing is, this happens both in books and real life. These may be triggers for some.

There is a lot of laughs in this book, a lot of fun, there are some very charming and heartwarming parts. This book had me feeling all the feels. I mentioned the word journey once before in my review, but with books in the romance category, it is all about the journey. Sarah Ready took me on one entertaining, heartwarming, and at times, laugh out loud, bumps in the road, journey.

This was my first book by Ready and I look forward to more of her work (I look forward to listening to more books narrated by Erin Mallon as well).

Highly recommend.

TW- if you are dealing with infertility or miscarriage, parts of this book may be difficult to read. I also do not know how much research went into IVF, etc. so I can't speak on if parts of this book are realistic.

Thank you to Swift & Lewis Publishing, LLC and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley, Swift & Lewis Publishing LLC, and Sarah Ready for the advanced copy of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Josh and Gemma Make a Baby was a surprising book for me. At times, it was silly and a little over-the-top like a romantic comedy can be (there’s a whole scene at the clinic with another couple that would never happen IRL, right?!) but at others, it was so sweet. Oh, and there was a scene in the second half of the book that had me sobbing because it was so beautiful. I really enjoyed the narration, too.

There is a lot in here about all things infertility and IVF, so if that’s a trigger or sensitive subject for you, please keep that in mind. I do think it was handled sensitively and accurately.

I loved this book! I listed to the audiobook and the narrator was amazing. A refreshing romantic comedy that explores endometriosis, infertility, IVF, miscarriage and many other topics that many women, and families, live on a daily basis.
I lough out loud and cried, super cute second chance romance that made me fall in love with the characters and with this original story.

Things I loved: the infertility awareness and that Gemma was curvy!

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for approving me for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I struggled with continuing this book. This was also the first audio book I listened to and I really liked it. The narrator was nice to listen to and she did different voices for the characters which I found funny. When I continued the book through reading, that's when I began to struggle reading this book. I could point out unnecessary lines and actions from Gemma that bothered me.

I would rate the book 3 stars while 4 stars for the audio book.
I am surprised at how much I enjoyed the audio book and I would suggest getting both the book and audio book. If you like books that tackle pregnancy, single parenting and friends to lovers trope, you should give this a try.

Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC!