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.

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!