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I was pleasantly surprised reading this book! It was a solid romance, that kept me engaged throughout.

The story follows Gemma a single woman, who is over the dating scene and eager to start a family. After deciding she doesn’t have time to meet a future partner, Gemma asks Josh a family friend to be the donor.

The growing romance between the two main characters was very sweet, and seems very organic. I loved the interactions between them and was definitely my favourite part of the book. The romance story as well, while it has some cliche moments, still seemed like a romance story I haven’t seen very often so it kept me reading!

Several minor drawbacks to this book did drop a star for me. I really liked how the author tried to tackle infertility in women, and think this isn’t a topic raised enough. My only issue is that, the way several of the side characters reacted to it seems very forced with a negative view to infertility, but then would suddenly switch within 2 pages of the book. I was also not a fan of Gemma’s boss, I almost feel like his part in the story was slightly irrelevant, and I could have done with him having a smaller role in the story.

Overall, this is a book I would pick up again, and recommend to my friends!

I absolutely adored this book. An ARC provided by NetGalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing LLC for a review. I can’t praise this book enough. I loved it and I didn’t want it to end. This rom-com book is everything I could have asked for. It is a funny, swoon-worthy, heartfelt, slow-burn romance. It was also heart-breaking and tender at times, but completely beautiful. This book did a great job of addressing heavy and important topics that affect many women including infertility, IVF, and miscarriages. This book blew me away with how the story was told.

This book contained the following tropes: best friend’s brother, slow-burn romance, pregnancy.

Gemma Jacobs is a quirky and goofy heroine that desperately wants a child. She suffers from endometriosis and cannot naturally conceive a child. She is a 32-year-old divorcee with no romantic prospects, so she decides to endure the difficult journey of artificial insemination by herself. When asked if she had a partner to provide a sperm donation for the baby or wanted an anonymous donor, she panicked and said she had a donor. She enlists her brother’s best friend Josh Lewenthal to provide a sample since she deemed he had good genetics and he had been around her family her entire life. She believed asking Josh for help would be easy since she did not feel any romantic attachment to him and he made a great candidate due to his good genes. Josh and Gemma undergo the difficult journey together, becoming closer in the process.

I love Josh so much. He was so sweet and attentive. I loved the funny circumstances Josh and Gemma found themselves in and the support they gave each other. I will admit that I laughed out loud in certain scenes and I cried near the end. This book was easy to find myself lost in and carried the torch until the end. I would have loved to have Josh’s POV to help draw insight into his thoughts but I feel like Gemma’s POV was solid. I really want to know what happens next for them. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and really recommend it!

Thankyou for giving me the chance to read in advance. Didn’t think I’d enjoy this as I cannot have children at all and thought I would have lost interest. But no it surprised me and was great.

This was such a cute book 💗 in the beginning I wasn’t sure if I was going to click with it, but that quickly changed the further I read! I love Josh SO much!! The perfect book boyfriend 😍

You follow Gemma who, recently diagnosed with infertility (look up trigger warnings for infertility), decides to go through with IVF and chooses her brother’s best friend to be her donor. They have known each other since they were kids and he has all the qualities she is looking for!

There are also little drawings throughout the book (Josh’s drawings 😍) which were adorable. One thing I found repetitive though was how after each picture, the line before the picture was almost repeated which kind of got old.

Other than those few small things though, this book was so cute and had my laughing so much! And lots of “awwww” moments, especially in the 2nd half of the book when she is interacting with Josh more!

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book!! 😍😍

I am just blow away about this book. It talks about infertility and finding a way to get her New Year wish, a baby. To be really honest, I was very hesitant to request this book but I just thought, this would be really good and close to my heart. And it is. The topic just hits home and I just want it close to me to motivate me in this PCOS journey.

FULL REVIEW: https://wandersbetweenpagess.wordpress.com/2022/02/10/book-review-josh-and-gemma-make-a-baby-by-sarah-ready/

Now, the actual story was wonderful. I loved that it tugged at my heart and discussed the difficult topic of infertility and brining awareness that there are many different reasons for infertility as shown through the support group and their different challenges affecting their ability to conceive. This is something we don’t talk enough about in society, as well as the emotional devastation that can come with the journey to conceive when there is some sort of diagnosis, or even if there isn’t and it is taking longer for unknown reasons. I also liked the discussion of miscarriages as well as statistically we all know someone who has had at least one miscarriage and may or may not have suffered that loss in silence without support as Gemma initially did.

I loved the supporting characters as well… I loved their purpose and the growth of some of the characters we got to see.

As for Josh and Gemma, I loved the tension, love, and light between them. I thought that they had such a cute relationship and I loved the unraveling of the truth of their feelings at the end where we got to see more about the depth of Gemma and certainly Josh’s feelings.

Thank you NetGalley and Swift and Lewis Publishing for the ARC of this ebook!

Huge thanks to NetGalley for this ARC. Josh and Gemma Make a Baby was the book I didn’t know I needed.

It was a slow burn, but oh so worth it. Josh L is thoughtful and nerdy. Gemma is honest and powerful.

Infertility is so difficult, raw and real. It’s a subject not talked about enough. Sarah Ready used this book to capture the devastating nuances of trying to conceive. I could not put it down.

Thanks NetGalley for giving me an eARC!

When I first came across this book, I was really looking forward to it. Asking your brother's friend to be your sperm donor, but trying not to develop feelings for them? Sign me up! But unfortunately, for me, it did not deliver.

I felt there was little chemistry between the two main characters. We never get a clear explanation to why they actually like each other. This just made me not get invested in their relationship.

It's refreshing to see a romance book talk about infertility and it being one of the main focuses of the book, but the way it was written felt off to me. Gemma seems to go to the IVF with little idea of what's in-store for her, like she just woke up one morning and decided it was what she wanted. She didn't even properly think about the sperm donor until she was in the office with the consultant!

Also, Gemma is a pariah because she's divorced, in her 30's, chubby and is infertile? What world/decade does she live in that all of those things makes someone the talk of the town? It felt like a lot of unnecessary commentary on Gemma's body.

The book concept of the book was really good but unfortunately it did not deliver.

I loved this book, it was so much more than your typical RomCom. Touching on some very hard hitting subjects such as Infertility and miscarriage, I found this book to be an emotional rollercoaster.

I connect to Gemma on so many levels and I loved Josh but I found Gemma’s family to be very toxic and controlling. I would definitely recommend checking the trigger warnings before going into this.

This was a fun and quick read! Josh and Gemma had a lot of chemistry and I thought that infertility was discussed and dealt with respectfully in this story. I loved Gemma’s personal journey with her pregnancy and I thought it was a really honest portrayal. I also really enjoyed the humour used throughout this book and I thought it was balanced well alongside the more serious topics.

I would have liked to have seen more focus on the romance between the characters as at times their relationship felt rushed. I still enjoyed them very much but I feel that there were a lot of storylines in this book which meant that less time was given to developing the relationship. Also, there were a few moments that felt a little over the top and unrealistic that made me feel less connected to the story.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a quick, easy and enjoyable romance read which brings excellently brings attention to infertility.

I enjoyed this book and I felt like it was the perfect casual read inspite of dealing with some relatively difficult topics. This book kept it real by showing us Gemma's faults without the character seeming to be aware of any of it. This frustrated me but I also understood that the author was showing us how people can be so naive of their own faults while simultaneously judging others for their own. It reflects well real life in that we usually don't see our own faults until someone or something makes us look into ourselves. Overall, I liked the book and it's premise. I especially like how it ended with everything all tied up neatly.

*ARC generously gifted by the author in exchange for an honest review*

Valentine's Day is almost upon us and here is a unique kind of love story! Josh and Gemma Make A Baby by Sarah Ready follows Gemma, who is single and unable to get pregnant the normal way because of endometriosis. She really wants a baby and there's the option of IVF; now all she needs is a willing sperm donor.

Enter Josh Lewenthal, her brother's best friend, who's always been around in Gemma's life and is a decent persom as far as she knows. Instead of a random stranger, Gemma wants someone she trusts, so who better than Josh, who is healthy, intelligent and funny, to be her donor?

What ensues is a mixture of hilarity and seriousness, with a few dozen inspirational quotes thrown in. Gemma's character leaps off the pages and wraps itself around your heart. She's full of life and laugh out loud funny, and her chemistry with Josh is undeniable.

I also liked how delicately Ready deals with the issues of pregnancy, infertility, and motherhood in it's different forms. The inability to conceive children is often looked down upon in women, which strikes me as just wrong. Ready also deals with the questions of single motherhood and how strong people are for going through that, whether intentionally or not. A parent is a parent, and it's up to them how they raise their child.

Another great thing about the book is the side characters. I loved the women in Gemma's support group and how they're portrayed. They're not 2D characters fulfilling small roles, but real people who actually help Gemma while having stories of their own.

Josh is, of course, a lovable goof and I think he and Gemma have revolutionised the meaning of 'phone sex' 😆 He's supportive of Gemma in all the ways that count and is your regular dreamboat. I would not have minded a chapter or two from his perspective 👀

(slight spoilers)
Content Warnings- infertility, loss of a child, fat shaming, loss of a parent.

I was given a copy of this book for my honest opinion.
While I like the tropes of Brother’s Best Friend and Friends-to-lovers and Romance Comedy, I was more interested in seeing the inclusion of being an older woman with endometriosis looking to have IVF to finally have a baby. And, while I understand that there’s a lot more involved with getting IVF, and this is a story, it felt like things happened really fast for Gemma. I also felt that Gemma was a little too judgmental when it came to Josh, even as she felt upset about family, and others, judging her.
However, there were the times when Gemma and Josh were having fun that I was all “Awwwww!” about their interactions. Even though I wish that they had had more time to actually get to know each other better, what they did learn about one another was good. And as far as Ian, I agreed when he was called a “Ken doll”, because at the first description of him I shivered with an out loud “Ew”.
In conclusion, I am giving this a 4 star rating only because of the information that was shared about endometriosis and IVF, the fun parts, and the HEA.

I would have given this a higher rating, but you know shits happen. It's great that it tackles topics about IVF and fertility issues. But yeah, I personally think it was not good, and I did not like the writing style of the author. Another reason is because the protagonists were written so poorly; I mean, where is the romance? There was so much nonsense going on in the book that the protagonists didn't get the character development I wanted. Besides that, can we also talk about the phone vibrator scene? It was disturbing and cringing to read, and I kept thinking, "Oh my god, what the actual fuck am I reading right now?". This book was damaging to my mental health. On a more positive note, I liked the ending.

This was such a fun, quick read. (I actually listened to the audio and really enjoyed it!) Perfect for this time of year when I want to cuddle up with a romance that is charming but with depth too.

I tried to like this book. I really did. I wish that Gemma wasn't so much of the quicky girl protagonist that is seen in so many other rom coms because I genuinely think the book would have been better if it hadn't been that way. I loved Josh as a character but I felt like Gemma and Josh lacked significant chemistry because he was honestly hardly in it. I wish there was in general MORE. This book is marketed as a pregnancy romance but the pregnancy is honestly so little of it.

Thank you to Netgalley, Swift & Lewis Publishing, and Sarah Ready for an advanced e-ARC and audio-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book filled me with so much joy. 🥰 I absolutely LOVED it! Gemma is so relatable, and Josh is perfection too. I truly loved every second of this book.
This is perfect read for the month of February too! 💞 I would not hesitate to highly recommend this book to all the romance lovers out there. Gemma and Josh are definitely a couple who deserve a place with the best of the best!

I also had the opportunity to listen to the audio of this book as well. I thought the narrative did a fantastic job. If audio is your jam, than this is a great audiobook to add this month!

Josh and Gemma Make A Baby was SO cute. It wasn't quite what I was expecting, but mark this one under the wins column anyway. If you are a friends to lovers or second chance romance fan, give this one a shot. Without spoiling too much, I was such a fan of the subplot. I both read this one, as well as listened to the audiobook and you can't go wrong with either. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC audiobook in exchange for an honest review. 4 stars.

Ready tackled sensitive topics with humor, respect and information.

What really worked for me: Such a sweet story. Even though it could trigger a few readers, Sarah Ready managed to explore the topic in such sensible way. whether you have experienced infertility or not, Sarah makes you understand what Gemma is going through. Not only her struggles with having a baby, but with love to herself and her fear of rejection. I really liked that there were different factors in Gemma’s life such as her romantic, professional, familiar one and even see her social (friendship). We get to see how she got support from a few factors, or others that impulsed her to grow. There was a good distribution of each factor, as in, we got to see a complete view of Gemma and her interactions with different people and situations.

I really liked the writing. It was simple, easy to follow and entertaining. Though the story contains sensitive topics, the overall mood is light-hearted and funny. I actually laughed out loud in a lot of parts. The sweet quotes in each chapter made the story sweet and inspirational.

Characters are well-crafted, full of strengths and weaknesses, allowing space to grow, that we got to see as the story progressed.


What I wished was different: a few situations such as boy-toy scenes were a bit ridiculous. I know it was with the intent of making the story funny, however, I didn’t find it as such, but as unrealistic.

I recieved an eARC from NetGalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing, LLC, Independent Book Publishers Association in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!!

Gemma's received hit after hit in her personal life, cheating husband, divorce, infertility, a pesky mom who won't stop trying to set her up with old man. When everything's feeling down Gemma realizes something, why can't she just get everything she wants for herself, why does she need a man for love? For a child? She doesn't and so with that in mind Gemma makes the biggest decision of all, she's going to have a baby on her own but even that requires a donor and who should it be none other than her older brother's best friend.

I'll admit, I picked this book up because the title reminded me of Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating and it was gonna be about pregnancy, I'm not ashamed to admit that. This book had everything I was looking for, oblivious main character, a man who is so clearly in love with her, banter, heartbreak, babies, friendship. Josh and Gemma had this relationship where they knew each other, had grown up with each other but Gemma didn't really know Josh, so you as the reader get to learn little bits about Josh and are able to see how oblivious Gemma is and are just begging her to figure everything out so you can as well.

Throughout the novel there are little drawings that will have little quotes under them and every single one made my heart just squeeze with love and joy, they were little moments of Josh and Gemma's relationship growing and swelling and when you see what's written at the end of the book your heart will swell to limits of it near breaking.

Well there are good things in this novel there are of course critiques. Gemma's mom is.. less than fantastic, the way she talks about her daughter and then just comes around to saying she loved her the entire time felt... icky, Gemma could be so obtuse sometimes it hurt but none of that really took away from the overall story.

Overall, Josh and Gemma Make a Baby is a fun, sweet, heart swelling novel that makes you laugh, weep and grin brighter than you ever might. If you love Christina Lauren then I think this will be your biggest cup of tea.