Tigger Warnings: infertility,(endometriosis), miscarriage, and death of a parent

This was my first book by Sarah Ready, as well as my first arc. First, let me just say the cover is what first drew me in. I love the color scheme! This was a cute rom-com and the plot was something completely different from anything I’ve ever read. I loved how Josh remembered the little things about Gemma from years ago. Also, why was Josh getting called a “boy toy” a good 20 times by a random couple? Within one conversation? I don’t know, I just didn’t feel right about that. Gemma’s mom is a horrible person and that she pretty much body-shamed Gemma by calling her a “lumpy cucumber” no thank you. All in all, while I liked this book I didn’t love it. For the reasons stated above and because there were times that I didn’t even want to pick up the book. It also is sort of a slow burn for anyone wondering😏

***thank you netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review***

📚 Book Review:
Josh and Gemma Make a Baby
By: Sarah Ready
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Pub date: 1/25/2022

Oh this book. So funny. So perfect. Kind of just what I needed.

When Gemma was 22 she was diagnosed with Stage 4 endometriosis, meaning she would never have kids. As one of her potential suitors states “the doctors said it looked like a grenade went off in there”. To add insult to injury, her husband cheated on her and has 3 perfect kids from his second marriage. Determined to take the new year by the ping pongs, Gemma decides to have a baby via IVF. Now she just needs some sperm.

Enter Josh, her brothers best friend. He’s always been there, like a lamp. (I’m pretty sure that’s what Gemma compares him to but I can’t remember off the top of my head). At first Josh says no, he isn’t going to help. But, in a twist of the fates, he agrees. Josh is funny, amazing, and probably my new favorite book boyfriend.

Added complication- Gemma is kind of sort of dating her boss, self help guru Ian Fortune. Who seems to have some kind of history with Josh.

The supporting cast in this book was also pretty hysterical. The other couple at the IVF clinic, Gemma’s support group, her family, his dad, they were all great.

This book made me laugh (a lot) and cry (just twice) and gave me all the warm and happy feels. I’m going to have to buy a physical copy when it comes out. I listened to the audio copy, and I’m told I’m missing out on some cool drawings in the book!

Thank you @netgalley for the ALC copy of this book.

I absolutely LOVED this book. It starts off strong and stays consistent the entire book. I could not stop laughing out loud!! Gemma and Josh were the stars, but her family and friends really made this story feel complete. I related to Gemma and even Josh throughout the read. My favorite lesson to come out of this book was when Gemma realizes she's been falling in love with the idea of someone and not the actual people she dates. She grows as a person and by the end is someone you would die to have as a friend. I will be doing a reread for sure when this book is released to the world! The audiobook was clear and enjoyable!! Thank you so much to the publisher and to NetGalley for this incredible read!!!! I can't wait to recommend it to all my customers!

I love this book so much. I struggled with turning of the audiobook. The characters are all so amazing and made me all smiley( except Ian). Gemma was a relatable main heroine and the relationship she had with Josh was “chef kiss”. Josh is 100% a new book boyfriend, the further we got into the book the more I loved him. I highly recommend this book and I must read every book Ready has ever written

Cute and witty read with all the feels that moms can relate to and the romance that is for, well, everyone ;)

Gemma is in her 30s, single, and feels as though she has a baby-shaped hole in her life. She so desperately wants a baby, that she tells the fertility doctor that the handsome boy-next-door would be her donor, and surprisingly he goes along with it. While that was unexpected, what really surprises her is how much she does not know or appreciate about the boy she has known for over 20 years of her life.

While I don't typically listen to romance as it's difficult to keep my attention, I found that was not an issue at all with this audiobook! The characters were relatable, especially the connection between Gemma and Josh, which kept me wanting to find out how their story unfolded. Their mixture of witty banter, memorable moments, and real, raw emotions made for an enjoyable connection to read. I also really appreciated how they portrayed infertility, as it is a sensitive topic and I found that it was addressed with care and really provided value to the story that is sensitive to those unfamiliar with the feeling as well as those who, unfortunately, have experienced the struggle. I also enjoyed the narrator, Erin Mallon, who I think did an excellent job with with inflections, tones, and character voices that were entertaining and easy to follow. Overall, I thought it was an entertaining story with an appropriate balance of romance, comedy, and depth.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sarah Ready, and Swift & Lewis Publishing for the advanced listener copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

It's safe to say his is my first RomCom of 2022 and I may binge a couple of Sarah Ready's books in the near future. This is just a possibility. Also, Erin Mallon's narration is excellent!

JOSH AND GEMMA MAKE A BABY is as contemporary as they come. Gemma Jacobs, our protagonist and narrator manages the social media of self-help guru Ian Fortune and constantly quotes her boss; text messaging is favored over calls, somewhere in the mix comics come into play and support groups are sprinkled in there too.

Gemma is infatuated with her boss, a man that in the last seven years has never noticed her... But who would? She's a 32 year-old divorceé that is perceived as lacking of a fashion sense and self respect, to say the least. Her mom has been trying to set her up with a variety of "elegible" men and that only increases the idea of Gemma not being worth it. Enters the scene Josh Lewenthal, family friend for what seems to be Gemma's entire life and also Gemma's first crush, as the little-sister-in-love-with-her-older-bronther's-best-friend trope demands, naturally.

They're not as close though. Until Gemma decides to include him in her New Year's Resolution.

I'm the first to say that romance and "fluffy" literature is not my strong hat, this novel is reminiscent of Bridget Jones' Diary in the sense that Gemma is being constantly set up by her mother, the somewhat love triangle presented (I don't see it as such) between who she wants, who she thinks she wants and her; however, Gemma has already come to the realization that she doesn't need a man to get what she wants. She wants a family and she knows whose kid she wants to have: hers.

As for the baby part: IVF, miscarriage and motivations to pursue (or not) pregnancy and general grief are discussed, lightly, but they're there.

Gemma has been unlucky in love, and with an infertility diagnosis, decides to take matters into her own hands. With the help of her brother's best friend, Josh, Gemma decides to have a baby via IVF.

This book has many funny moments, and some steamy moments. (You'll never look at a lime Jell-O mold the same way again!) I love Gemma's growth throughout the book. It is told from only Gemma's POV. I would have liked to have seen Josh's POV, but because of a certain plot twist, I can understand why it just comes from Gemma's POV. As someone who has not gone through IVF, I cannot speak to how accurately this book addresses it, but I felt that the emotions were authentic.

TW: infertility, IVF, miscarriage, loss of parent, divorce, self-image

Thank you Swift & Lewis Publishing and NetGalley for providing a copy for review. This book is out January 25, 2022.

(I got the arc in exchange for a review)

This is a book about fertility issues and needing someone to love.

I honestly was not expecting something as good as this was. I am not a fan of the accidental pregnancy trope, so the fact that it was all planned here was great.

I thought that the main character, Gemma, was a strong independent woman which only made me want to read more about her. Actually, I loved every single female characters because as opposed to a lot of romance books they were depth to every single one of them.

I would absolutely recommend this book (and the audio book, that’s what I did).

I went into this expecting a light and fluffy romcom that I would speed through and enjoy enough before moving onto another book. I was so very, very wrong. Instead what I got was something so much more- funny yet emotional with well developed characters and an evolving plot line. The strong family dynamics were such an important part that I didn’t see coming nor did I realize that I have been missing this from other books. This whole story really got to my heart and I could actually feel the emotions of the main characters- the author is amazing at bringing them to life. This is definitely one of my favorite books. I listened to the audio version and the narrator was perfect!

Josh and Gemma Make a Baby was a cute, enjoyable read! Like some rom-com's, you do have to suspend a reasonable amount of disbelief to be fully on-board with the story and this book was no exception. It was a little silly at times and the miscommunications between the characters could have been resolved with one single conversation. But overall, I enjoyed listening to this book!

I was entertained by the narrator and think they did a great job telling the story. I would recommend this audiobook to anyone who enjoys a good, light rom-com listen!

This book so perfectly weaves together the harsher realities of infertility and going through treatments with the lighter side of a fun witty romance novel.

Gemma is ready to have a baby despite the fact that she is single and has been told that she can't have one thanks to stage 4 endometriosis, blocked tubes and other fertility issues. She decides to take matters into her own hands and finds a reproductive endocrinologist who will help her get pregnant via IVF. The problem is she needs a sperm donor. She decides to ask her brother's best friend, Josh rather than use an anonymous donor.

I generally avoid books that have any kind of fertility issues in them or pregnancy story lines like the plague after my own long fertility struggle. It took me 3 years of fertility treatments to finally get pregnant with my, now 7 year old, daughter, and so many books are insensitive, or just downright inaccurate about the topic so I tend to just avoid the trope/theme all together. But this is 100 percent a #bookstagram made me to it read because some of the people I follow and trust most have been raving about this one. Then I saw that one of my favorite audio book narrators, Erin Mallon who has narrated some of my all time favorite audio books was narrating this one and I had to request it and see. Oh man, am I glad I did.

This book had me belly laughing at its incredibly accurate depiction of some of the more awkward parts of the fertility journey and sobbing at the more soul crushing parts. But in the end I appreciated the author's dedication to accuracy and authenticity while still telling a beautiful romance story.

Josh and Gemma were such incredible characters. I mean, is there a more swoon-worthy man than Josh Lewenthal? This is a truly binge-worthy read with characters that you feel like you've known all your life. It's so easy to get sucked into the book and before you know it, it is 2am. This is a single POV told from Gemma's POV which was fun because was the reader you start to figure out the truth of what really is going on with Ian and Josh while realizing you are ahead of Gemma. While this makes you kind of want to strangle Gemma so she can see the light, it is such a fun was to tell the story as you watch it all unfold.

This book has it all. Humor, heart break, joy, passion, and some steam. I loved that IVF isn't portrayed as a magic cure all or a fix to infertility and the journey is shown in all its ups and downs.

As always, Erin Mallon is pure genius in her delivery of the audio narration. Her tone and inflection is stellar and she delivers beautifully during the more emotional parts of the book in a way that had my heart breaking into a million pieces. I think she could read my grocery list to me and I would want to listen.

I cannot heap enough praise onto this book and the beautiful journey it took me on a reader. This is the first book I have read by Sarah Ready but it certainly will not be the last.

Thank you so much to the NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me an advanced listening copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

*Arc provided by Swift & Lewis Publishing and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Gemma Jacob's has her dream job working for world renowned self help guru Ian Fortune, a decent apartment in bustling NYC, and one of those families that's so close they get under your skin. The one thing Gemma doesn't have is a baby. Infertile is a nice way of phrasing Gemma's diagnosis. After, one too many horrible attempts at having her mother set her up and finding out her ex husband is on baby number 3, Gemma decides to take drastic measures and do IVF.

Cue Josh Lewenthal the best friend of Gemma's brother and the guy who Gemma happened to lose her virginity to. Josh is always around Gemma's family so it seems like the perfect no strings attached solution to her problems. The only problem is a baby is one heck of a string.

If you've watched any romcom in the last century or read a single romance novel you know how this is going to end. Brother's best friend is a major trope and despite it's predictability this book just hits different or at least it did for me. Gemma's struggles with wanting to be a mom, but not having a partner is incredibly relatable. The pressure to have a nuclear family and do things "the natural way" is so prevalent in society and so many of us just can't do it that way for one reason or another. The way Gemma lives by inspirational quotes when it feels like she doesn't have the strength to push through on her own is something I know my friends and I do. Sometimes other people's words make you feel more seen than your own. She is not without her flaws though, there are plenty of scenes where she's just downright unlikable as a person. Josh on the other hand while being a main character gives big side character energy.

Overall, a cute story with more highs than lows. The narration for some reason gave me Kristin Bell Gossip Girl vibes. I could listen to Erin Mallon read a grocery list.

On New Year’s Eve, Gemma’s resolution is to have a baby on her own via IVF. She is hesitant to use a stranger’s sperm so she asks Josh, a family friend, to help her out. As she embarks on her baby journey with Josh, she starts dating her boss, Ian. What could go wrong?

This book deals with infertility and Gemma’s TTC journey. Please DM for more specific content warnings as there are many.

I really love the name Gemma! It was on my baby name list but my husband vetoed it immediately. Good thing that we had a boy.

I found it a little unrealistic how eager these men were to involve themselves with Gemma with almost zero communication about how a baby would impact their relationships. Josh and Gemma did have a contract but as someone who loves details, I was disappointed to not know exactly what was covered in the contract.

The Josh vs. Ian predicament that Gemma found herself in was nice and juicy, as was the backstory of these men.

The way Gemma made real friends with the women from her IVF support group felt very authentic and I loved the way the friendships helped Gemma evolve as a person.

This story was fluffier than I normally would like, and even I am shocked at my rating, but it made me laugh and I thought it was adorable. Maybe I am just getting soft in my old age?!

Josh and Gemma Make a Baby will be available on January 25, 2022! Thank you to NetGalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing for this advanced listener copy.

This book was a delight. I smiled and laughed throughout this story.
It was super sweet and was such an easy story to fall in to.
Gemma has been burned and is in a slump after her divorce. She decided to take fate into her own hands and decided to get IVF to have a baby that she has always dreamed about. She decides to ask Josh who is her brother's childhood friend who at first says no but later changes his mind. There is a fun sweet chemistry between these two characters. Gemma has been pinning for her boss Ian who is this famous positive guru. Her eyes are finally opened and she sees Ian and Josh differently.
This book was carefree, funny, and the perfect story to get lost into.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for letting me listen to the audio version of this book.

BOOK REVIEW: ★ ★ ★
This was an okay book for me, but with a fair amount of issues that I just couldn't get past. It had great female friendships and complex family relationships. I had a hard time liking the female lead. There were some very predictable plot twists.

Others seem to universally love this book, so other readers may want to check it out since I am clearly in the minority.

AUDIO REVIEW: ★ ★ ★ ★
I really enjoyed the narrator of this audiobook. She did an excellent job of reading as the lead female and altering her voice for other characters.

I switched between the audio book & the e-book while reading the book.
The audio narrator had a very pleasant, expressive voice but I found it distracting to listen as most of the sentences ended on a low, monotonous tone (with some vocal fry?). Rating = 3.5/5

Josh and Gemma Make a Baby is a sweet, humorous romantic comedy about childhood friends in their 30s deciding to make a baby as neither of them has anyone significant in their lives, yet they feel times is passing them by and they want to create a child to love. Gemma sees her sister's four children and longs for her own, but is discouraged by her recent divorce and her devastating diagnosis of infertility. Josh has faced loss of family all his life, so he is eager to have one of his own, even though he has always been warmly welcomed by Gemma's family as her brother is Josh's best friend since childhood.
The plot, although predictable, is entertaining and descriptive and sometimes slightly steamy, creating a sweet story about unexpected love, loss, family and hope. As someone who has experienced the infertility journey, the descriptions are accurate, if somewhat more positive than they might be in real life. However I do wish I would have had a wonderful support group meet-up, as Gemma had (although would have preferred a better location!). The ending sweetly wraps up the story, giving a glimpse into all of the characters' lives for the future. It was the perfect New Years read as it began with New Years and ended with New Years also!

This book was good, but not AMAZING. It's very similar to many other contemporary romances I've read and everything was very predictable. It was entertaining, though, and I did like the audiobook.

Josh and Gemma Make a Baby was a cute romcom about Gemma’s journey to motherhood. I enjoyed it and felt like it was an easy read—more of a palate cleansers than anything hard hitting-but sometimes that’s exactly what you need. There were a few moments I thought were awkward and unnecessary, but overall it was a fun read.

The narrator was also great. 4*

I received an copy of this audiobook from netgalley in exchange for an honest and fair review.

I absolutely loved this audio book. First of all, thank you NetGalley for the arc. It was just the right amount of EVERYTHING!!! I fell in love with Josh right away. Gemma irked me at first but I wish she’d stood up to her mom sooner. I laughed and cringed right along with her. The fertility group gang was awesome!!! Definitely recommend this book!

I received a ARC of the AudioBook for this book on NetGalley! Thanks for the opporunity to listen early in return for my honest review.

Sarah Ready has hit it out of the park. This is a follows Sarah, who is ready to start a family, with or without a significant other. She knows what she wants and she's going to go after it.

I love Josh in this book. He's such a sweet sweet character and the whole time you could feel there was so much more to him.

I have loved Mallon reading other books (By Abby Jimenez specifically), but this one, the audio felt very monotone to me. It seemed to be lacking the proper inflection/excitement at some parts of the book

4.8 for the book
2 for the audio in this case.