This was such a fun read until it wasn't. When it wasn't, it made me cry.

If you're looking for a slow burn romance, spicy (2/5 chillies spice meter), funny but also has sad moments book, this is it! Like most romance books, you might predict how it ends but boy, oh boy, are you in for a treat.

Sarah Ready definitely knows how to write a book that will pull you in and leave you wanting more. I listened to it in a day, and whenever I wasn't listening to it, I was thinking about it.

I liked Gemma. I loved how she was written as this woman who is lovely, but also a little bit annoying at times. It was sometimes hard to like her and root for her. I guess what I'm trying to say is she was a realistic character, flaws and all. Some of her choices were aloof; completely, and they didn't make sense, but some of them lead her to the path that she wanted. She goes through one particularly difficult event, and honestly, I wish the author delved into it a little bit deeper since we were in the throws of sadness anyway. But I would have loved for that topic to be explored more

Josh. Oh Josh, he was so funny. Argh, so so funny. I loved that. There were some conversations in this book that literally had me bending over laughing. But, I have to say, part of his storyline was some of the saddest in the book. I found myself throwing him a pity party in my head, but somehow I knew he would come out alright.

More than that, this story is also about community. The different ways people show up for each other, family or chosen family. Josh and Gemma truly had fostered communities to shoulder some of the shit that they went through, and made it a little bit lighter. I loved that.

So, if you're looking for a book that will get you out of a reading slump, I would highly suggest this, but please for the love of all good things in the world, read the trigger warnings.

Spoiler alert: Be prepared for a lot of pining and I think we can all agree Ian is a douchebag who deserves to be pooped on by a bird every time he leaves the house.

I got this book in advance from Netgalley, and this is not a sponsored post. However, many thanks to Netgalley, and my inner spidey senses for choosing a wonderful book based of off the cover. Happy Reading :)

cute romcom with older MCs (30s). a unique premise. started a bit slow, but picked up the pace pretty quickly. a fun read. CW for infertility/miscarriage

Laugh out loud funny, in all the right places. Heart-breaking and tender, right where you need it. And sweetly romantic throughout the whole darn thing.

Sarah Ready's Josh and Gemma Make a Baby blew me away with just how perfect it is. Gemma is real and quirky, and easy to identify with. And Josh is just about the sweetest thing ever.

It’s a super adorable, sorta second chance, romance, and 100% beautiful. This is a couple you really want to cheer for!

The audio version is flawlessly performed by Erin Mallon. She gets Gemma just right, and infuses so much humor into this supporting cast! Absolutely wonderful.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for sending me an advanced readers digital copy and audiobook in exchange of a honest review.

This book should be read by every romcom fan (specially by Christina Lauren fans), it's amazing and it's a story that I haven't seen (or read) before.

In this story we follow Gemma, a 32 year-old woman that is divorced and has been diagnosed with infertility, but she knows she wants to be a mother, she doesn't want another husband or a boyfriend, she wants a child, so she decides going on IVF.

This is where Josh appears at scene, he's her brother's best friend, has always been there and Gemma knows he's a pretty decent guy, perfect to have a child with.

To her surprise Josh accepts and they start to go to IVF, they're not in love, not a couple, not nothing. It's a business thing. He gives her sperm, they have a child and Josh can decide if he's going to be a parent or not.

But having a baby is not a business, is forming a family, so Gemma gets backfired with her plan when she can no longer ignore her feelings for Josh, what is she going to do?

Starting here there are going to be some spoilers:

First of all, I absolutely loved Josh, and let me tell you, if the guy you like doesn't show his love for you by writing a webcomic that is basically he screaming everyone how much he loves you, he ain't worth it.

Josh was my favorite character, definitely, and even though we don't have Josh's point of view we can still get to know him at the same time Gemma gets to know him.

The character I disliked the most was without a doubt, Ian, Gemma's boss, also I didn't quite like Gemma's mother, but I usually don't like anyone's mother at most of romcoms so it's more of a me problem.

It's fast-paced, it's funny, we have great character development and this has officially become one of my favorite books of the year.

NetGalley provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Josh and Gemma make a baby - audiobook

I have to tell you I recently found a passion for audiobooks, and I grab every opportunity for a free one (judge me, but I'm a student and can't afford it right now). So when I saw one in NetGalley, and romance one, what did I do? I grabbed it. And I listened to it for two days.

This book is amazing - so heartwarming, and funny, and lovely, and cute! I loved all of it. I genuinely laughed out loud with Gemma's friends and felt the love of Josh. They were just such a cute couple.

But let's give you a short synopsis.

Gemma is a 32-year-old single woman, whose dream is to have a baby. One sweet, little girl. The problem is that she doesn't have a boyfriend and doesn't want a random man to inseminate her, so when on 1st January she asks her brother's best friend Josh about it, and he declines, she feels desperate.

Luckily, or not so much for Josh, his dad is sick and he decides he wants to make a baby, so he can leave something after.

And there starts the IVF procedure and here starts their connection.

Gemma - yes, she was selfish and blind for the people around her, but she was not mean (except once) and was really enjoyable to read about her. Her adventures as a single woman who likes her career, but wants a child felt cute and lovely, and when I put my headphones in, I couldn't stop listening.

Josh was the best - kind, and funny, but also thoughtful and caring, and his smile was just brightening the world. He felt human, and I loved that he wasn't envious (of certain things). He just wanted to make the earth a better place.

There wasn't much spice or steaminess, but the whole book felt so wonderful and complete, I didn't need it. The characters were realistic and definitely rippled a few laughs from me.

The writing was amazing, and the story was excellent. So if you are looking for a sweet, heartwarming, and funny romance, this book is perfect for you.

Erin Mallon also did a fantastic job putting voices behind the characters, and her impressions in the book were genuinely terrific! I would listen more of her if I could.

So in the end I do recommend this book and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

CINEMATIC, FEEL-GOOD, HILARIOUS, HEART-WARMINGLY CUTE!

Trigger warnings: In vitro fertilization, miscarriages, pregnancy
Tropes: Brother’s best friend, Pregnancy

I absolutely loved loved loved it!! This book was a feel-good journey. It’s a cute light rom-com that is not for those who are looking for high-level spicy or smut (since the title might give you the impression that it revolves around sex or love-making). The story was hilariously and interestingly executed. What I loved about it is that I cared for the characters. It felt necessary that everyone was put in place to shape to describe the environment, the situation, the ambiance, everything. The story build-up, its flow, up to the ending were also well-done.

I adored how there were cute quotes and doodles in the book! I felt like Gemma was a quirky, go-getter, straightforward, and hilarious person. Although she had character development, I’m slightly not fond of her due to her needs/demands in life. On the other hand, Josh was unpredictable, adventurous, and likable. The chemistry was sweet to the point that they both made me laugh and tear up simultaneously!

However, I feel like there were parts (like extra small talks) that weren’t necessary? I felt like the scenes would still be understandable without them and some scenes could have been shorter. In addition to this, there were also parts that bothered me, parts that tackled demeaning, stigmas with divorcees, stereotypic descriptions of how people dress, and belittling jobs. What I am meaning to say is if I were reading this book and I have a similar job or I am in the same situation as the character/s, I would feel upset because I was described ‘that’ way or in a way that I wouldn’t want to be described.

Anyway, this would have been 3.5 stars because of the reasons mentioned above but since I ENJOYED the story THAT much and I think that it was well-written and told, I would give it a solid 4 stars. Definitely recommended!

I read the e-book while being accompanied by the audiobook most of the time which was narrated by the lovely Erin Mallon (@mallonerin) who did a GREAT job doing the audiobook. Listening to it made it feel like I was watching a movie in my head!

Thank you so much to Swift & Lewis Publishing, LLC, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles/Audiobooks, and to @NetGalley for the advance reader's copy!

I listened to the audio. Erin Mallon narrated, as Gemma's POV.
Gemma reminds me a little of an American Bridget Jones. This story reminds me of Pride and Prejudice & also to Bridget Jones' Diary. I really enjoyed comparing & the parallel events.
The supporting characters are fun. I love Gemma's friends in her support group. Gemma's mom is...
well she does remind me of Bridget/Lizzie's mom... but not too OTT like them.
Josh is great, he's a Beta Hero in my opinion. Gemma is sweet but she has a lot of energy & Josh's character is at her mercy quite a lot.
I had a lot of sympathy for Gemma. She's career driven, but doesn't want to miss out on being a mom.
I really enjoyed Gemma's journey and her realization about what is most important.
I felt bad that Josh's thoughts and feelings were left out. Plus, I wish that Josh's dad would have had a little follow through.
I love the sweet ending! and Sarah, we'll get Josh's POV ??? right

Love really is the best gift in the whole wide world.

WOW I really didn't expect to love this book as much as I did. I thought it was going to be cheesy, ridiculous, and just good for a lighthearted read. And while it certainly is all that it's also so much more. Josh and Gemma's relationship, despite the hilarious circumstances in which it begins, is also full of heart and so grounded in something honest and real. I found myself falling in love with Josh right alongside Gemma and also rooting for Gemma to find the love she was looking for. It's a romcom that had me laughing as much as I was crying. Sarah Ready will certainly be on my radar now!

First things first, this was my first time listening to an audiobook and it was so good I can believe it. The narrator makes the characters feel so real and emphasizes every emotion I really loved it.

The books presents the story of a 32 year old woman who after a failed marriage decides to take her life in her own hands. One of the first decisions that she makes is having a baby on her own for this, she asks her brother's bestfriend, who will be the second most important character in the book, together they will go through a lot of really funny momnets, like the hole fight in the fertility clinic, and through a lot of other moments that will allow them to grow as persons but also as a couple?

The end is kind of predictable but not less entertaining.

Cute story, quick listen via audiobook. At times a little silly/random details that didn’t fit but wrapped up in the end.

Gemma Jacobs is not living the life that she had dreamed of living. She is divorced and her mother can't stop attempting to set her up with a myriad of men. When she learns that her ex-husband is having a baby with the the woman that he left her for, Gemma decides to make some changes. She doesn't need a man to have what she wants. So, at the annual family New Year's party, Gemma makes a wish to "have a baby". Now she just needs a sperm donor and her brother's friend, Josh, might just be the man she is looking for.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters were relatable and well-developed and the story was just the right blend of humor, drama and romance. Linda Jones did a great job on the narration.

Josh and Gemma Make a Baby is a rom-com with some moments very focused on the comedy part. There are some situations described in the book that are almost too absurd to believe them.

However, it was a very nice story that got me listening to for very long periods every time, because I needed to know what happened next.

There are some characters that are obviously not what they seem, but the story surprises you a lot of times, making it very hard to predict what has not been told yet.

Gemma seemed a bit naïve in some situations and Josh was too much closed off. However, all this is explained.

My favourite part was the fertility group and the way those women were portrayed. It felt real and I wanted to be their friend as well.

This was a very nice audiobook and I'm really glad it was available for review at NetGalley. I enjoyed listening to it a lot and would definitely recommend it to my friends.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a very in the middle of the road romance for me. I think it definitely had things that worked well but it also had a few things that I really did not enjoy.

On a positive note, the topic of fertility and issues surrounding it was addressed in a way that I think any woman who has had issues will be able to relate to. There were several women in this story that had fertility issues that were discussed at length to really show the spectrum of the issues women can face when trying to conceive. I thought that Josh was a very sweet, genuine character who never tried to push Gemma into a situation that would make her uncomfortable.

Things that I didn’t like about this book mostly revolve around Gemma. She was very inconsiderate and selfish through the majority of the book. She has assumptions about Josh’s career that she held onto even after other characters mentioned that he was very well off in his job. She talks about her boobs constantly, which came off as very self centered. The miscommunication troupe was rampant on her life. I just couldn’t get behind her as a character most of the time.

I was initially drawn to this one because of the bright colours on the cover, and these cartoon covers are my kryptonite. The title at first made me hesitant because I don't have children myself but when I read the synopsis it sounded like an interesting story, and I wanted to find out how they come to the decision of making a baby. I'm so glad I gave this one a chance because it was so much fun! I really enjoyed the characters and how the story played out. I especially liked the women that Gemma meets in her fertility support group (hopefully we might see some of their stories in the future) Josh was a great lead character, and I was rooting for him the whole time. I hope to read more from this author in the future because it was funny and heartwarming!

Thank you, NetGalley, for an advance listening copy of this novel projected to be released January 25, 2022.

A nice little rom-com featuring Gemma, a thirty something divorcee who wants to have a baby without wanting to wait for the right man, and Josh, her brother’s best friend and someone she has known all her life. But Josh’s reputation means he is not marriage material, but his DNA is great….so she asks him to be her sperm donor.

This is a classic story of a budding relationship filled with miscommunications, assumptions and misunderstandings leading up to one type of happily ever after – what type of HEA? You need to read it yourself to find out!

As for the performance, the cadence was a bit distracting at first, but I did get used to it as the story progressed.

There was a lot of interesting information about in vitro fertilization. The relationships with the friends Gemma met in her support group were endearing. I was rooting for Josh and Gemma every step of the way.

Cheesy but entertaining romance - would recommend!

I listened to the audiobook and I loved the narrator! They made the characters sound so real (and spoke so eloquently that even listening to it 2.5x speed I could still hear their tone!)

Josh was sweet and charming and I wished we had a chapter from his point of view. I love the female friendships and I think the author handled the sensitive subjects well. I also enjoyed the tiny callbacks to Gemma's word vomit and inner ramblings and it made me listen harder so I could spot them.

Unfortunately, the reason it isn't a 5 star read for me is also because of Gemma. She comes off as annoying and cruel and makes constant misconceptions about Josh even with all the contradictory clues staring her in the face. I get that it was part of her arc, but since this book is in first pov, it made me uncomfortable to constantly read how Josh was obviously poor, lazy, selfish, and unmotivated, duh. Her change of heart also seems sudden and feels more because of her feelings for Josh than realizing that she needs to be a nicer person.

The expected rom-com predictability also got a bit grating. I felt like time was wasted on (view spoiler) instead of building Gemma's romantic and platonic relationships more.

Also, I thought Gemma was fat or "curvy" until a character insulted her "skinny butt" which made me think that the constant comments about her body and eating habits were meant to be a "quirky" insecurity than any actual commentary on fatphobia. Either way, it goes completely unmentioned and unchallenged.

I loved this book, devouring it in a day. I thought the characters were great, with Josh being my favorite. I thought Sarah Ready did a nice job of sensitively dealing with issues of infertility and death. The only thing I did not like about the book was I felt like the connection between Josh and Gemma's boss, Ian, was a little contrived and didn't seem that believable. But overall I loved the book!

This was a seriously laugh-out-loud book! I loved the plot. I was hooked from the very beginning. The story was not predictable and I loved every minute of it.

3.5/5

A funny book that deals with a serious topic
So, even though I'm reviewing the Kindle edition, I consumed the story through an audiobook. I really liked the production, and I think Erin Mallon, the narrator, did a great job.

This book follows Gemma Jacobs, a woman in her 30s who is divorced and deals with infertility. She realizes that she doesn't need a relationship to create a family, so she decides to have a baby through an IVF. However, she doesn't want a sperm donor. She wants the sperm of Josh Lewenthal, her brother's bff and her teenage crush, with whom she had sex once. He's a family friend, she's known him her whole life, he's handsome and healthy, he's basically the perfect candidate. So Gemma wants to make a deal with Josh, in which he gives his sperm, they have a baby, but there would be no romantic relationship between them. He agrees. Also, Gemma works for a self-help guru, Ian Fortune, whose quotes have helped and keep helping her in the most difficult times. She admires him, and suddenly he starts expressing a romantic interest towards her.

My favorite part was probably Josh. He's not only a great LI, but also hands-down the best character in the book. I especially loved his relationship with his dad. Apart from that, I really commend the author for dealing with such a sensitive topic as infertility, in a way that's respectful, but also with a dose of humor. Sarah Ready doesn't shy away from the difficulties of IVF, but doesn't let the despair to swallow the characters who go through it. Yes, characters, because Gemma joins a support group for women go through the process, and makes friends!

The main criticism I have is actually Gemma herself. She is pretty naïve and annoying as a character, and she acts pretty immature for her age. I'm glad she got her shit together eventually, but it wasn't pleasant being in her head.

Overall, it's a nice book and I'm sure that I would have flown through it if I hadn't been so busy.

**Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an audiobook arc in exchange for an honest review.**

Wow! I didn't expect this to be as hard-hitting as it was. I've never read a book about the IVF process people go through to have a baby, and I'm glad I stumbled upon this one. This is a sweet and emotional ride about Gemma and her journey to self-acceptance, personal growth, and motherhood. No matter how hard life's challenges were for Gemma and Josh, I liked that they never gave up. They kept going and realized there was more to see and experience. An enjoyable and thought-provoking read, although the conclusion felt a bit rushed and the body shaming language was not of my liking.