I loved this book. I loved Josh and Gemma and I loved the storyline about ivf. I didn’t think someone would be able to write a romcom about this topic but I feel it’s important to have a book about it. As someone who has not experienced ivf necessarily, I suffered multiple miscarriages and obviously had my concerns regarding my own future and plans to visit the possibility of enduring ivf and I have a special place in my heart for any woman going through this. Gemma has a lot of funny situations she goes through and it keeps the reading on their toes and loving her through the entire book. This book may be triggering for some people that may not be able to, or want to read about their own situation. Other than that it’s a must read romcom!! There’s not a ton of steamy scenes so don’t read this expecting that.

This book definitely took me by surprise. It is rare to see a rom-com dealing with heavy topics like miscarriage, IVF and all that struggles, but this book remains to be a delight to read. Although I did not like Gemma throughout the whole story, most of the characters were amiable, especially Josh and the pregnancy support group.

4 1/2 stars

I honestly wasn't sure what to expect from this book when I started it. I thought it would be a light and easy rom-com. Even though there were some more relaxed moments where I chuckled, it was a pretty serious book. There's a great deal of detail regarding infertility and the related treatments. Even though I was fortunate enough to not walk that path personally, I have several friends who've been through it so I was familiar with a great deal of the information. However, it's possible that some readers may be put off by the extent of detail included in the book about fertility treatments. I think you could get the point across without including so much specific information. But, that's just my personal opinion.

That said, I believe the author did a nice job of connecting the reader with the characters. I did find myself caring a great deal about Gemma. She'd been through a great deal and had a scumbag for an ex-husband. And of course, you just had to root for Josh. All throughout the story, I knew that there would be more to Josh's story and there is....so get ready. He's deeper than you think and it's worth the wait. He was by far my favorite character.

I'll just say this book was such a fun treat.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to read and review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

Gemma Jacobs is the assistant and social media whiz for a super-sexy, eminently quotable, lifestyle guru Ian. She has a great job, her own studio apartment, and her biological clock is ticking. Problem is, she’s got stage IV endometriosis and some other issues, and her cheating ex-husband basically left her because she couldn’t get pregnant. After another attempted setup (hilariously) gone awry by her well-meaning mother, Gemma decides to ask long-time family friend (who oh yeah, by the way, happened to deflower her then went off to college and never called) to use his (pretty good) genes for her IVF experiment.

Josh says no at first, and then reconsiders. While he has always been a fixture in her life (sort of like a houseplant), she’s never really thought of him as long-term partner material (okay, she outright denied any interest, citing him as a loser for living with his dad, failing at a career and relationships, and struggling to make ends meet as a web comic artist). Gemma is perfectly willing to make this a contractual-only obligation, but Josh, whose father is dying, has a vested interest in creating a some semblance of a family… and sometimes when he looks at her, he smolders.

Josh not only agrees, but starts accompanying her to awkward medical appointments and leaves his, erm, deposit, with the clinic. Meanwhile, Gemma starts dating the self-help guru Ian, who is finally showing some romantic interest in her (but…but…they WORK! together!) and joins an infertility support group that meets in a dingy rat-and-cockroach infested (maybe) NYC comic store basement.

Gemma is curvy, funny, and can’t see the forest for the trees. She is judgemental to a fault. The ladies in her support group are caricatures of a wealthy socialite, a tough lawyer, and a hippie, each with a heart of gold, and each dealing in their own unique way with their struggles to get pregnant (no trigger warnings at the beginning of the novel, but a very warm author’s note at the end reminds the reader that this is Gemma’s take on infertility and IVF and every woman going through this has her own experience). Some ladies may find this painful to read, while others may welcome a story of what someone else is going through to become a mother.

Gemma’s humor–sometimes dark–is balanced with the sunny, pithy quotes from Ian. Josh is a wonderfully drawn character, self-deprecating and saying the real honest thing and then passing it off as a joke to seem not TOO vulnerable.

The plotting is little see-through, with literally every other character asking Gemma if she’s read Josh’s online comic about Grim and Jewel (yet)… but it makes for a satisfying conclusion. And, the writing is really GOOD, and vivid: in one pivotal scene, I could almost taste the slice of pizza as the protagonists ambled in the cold through a New York neighborhood.

I received an advance reader’s review copy of #JoshAndGemmaMakeABaby from #NetGalley.

Unfortunately I got 48% though and couldn’t finish this one. Honestly the writing isn’t bad at ALL and I would definitely try something else by this author, but the events that happen are honestly so ridiculous I can’t read this. The comments from other characters set alarm bells off first thing - she’s 32 and her MUM is setting her up with 50 year old men? And comments on her infertility? And weight? It seems everyone in this book has an opinion on Gemma when literally she’s a normal woman I don’t get it? And her boss is a famous life coach guy, don’t worry it gets mentioned about 80 times.



https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4463700225

I liked this book a lot more than I had anticipated. The characters were well written and I enjoyed their detailed personalities. The sub-plot lines with Gemma's IVF group were important to the story, but at times did make it seem like there was *a lot* going on in the book. It was a good read, and I would certainly recommend it to others.

4/5 ⭐️
2/5 🔥

At about the 30% mark for this book, I thought “this is cute, but not blowing me away.” This is probably due to the fact that Gemma’s character works for a self-help guru and she spits out his quotes every other sentence - a little too much for cynical me!

But the second half of the book is what made this a 4 ⭐️ read for me. Once I got to that halfway point, I knew I was going to have to finish it in one night. The romance was a slow burn, which I normally find frustrating but it worked so well here. And Josh was swoon 👏 worthy. 👏 Gemma’s character was complicated and messy, and at times I wanted to shake her and say STOP SAYING YOU’RE FRIENDS. But her journey with her infertility and relationships was so real, I couldn’t help but root for her. And the side characters in the fertility support group were so fun!

I’d recommend this book to anyone that’s a fan of Bridget Jones’ Diary!

It was ok, I don't really like the author's writing style. I also felt that the characters were written immaturely. I usually like the brother's best friend troupe but this book wasn't for me.

This book felt like a total rip off of Bridget Jones' Diary. I couldn't finish it, which is something I rarely do.

This was my first from Sarah Ready but absolutely will not be my last. She has such a knack for creating a realistic relationship out of a unrealistic situation. I just fell in love with the main characters, Josh and Gemma. They were so sweet and naïve and watching their relationship progress really just warmed my heart in a way I didn't expect. Josh is the ultimate boy next door and his character is exactly what women should be looking for in a partner. Not only was this beautifully written, but it was absolutely hilarious. I found myself laughing out loud and giggling throughout the book. Gemma really gets herself in some awkward situations and watching her claw her way out of them was so amusing. The ending was so sweet and the perfect ending to this cute tale. I was left satisfied and my heart was full. I hope that Sarah Ready revisits these characters in another book because I'm just not ready to let them go. I couldn't recommend this book more. Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a huge surprise for me! Based on the cover and title I was unsure if this would be something I’d enjoy, but I was so wrong!

This book combined great romance with truly funny comedy! I found myself laughing aloud while reading which is definitely rare.

I loved all that Gemma represents and the discussion about endometriosis and infertility. It raises really important questions and is excellent visibility. Similarly, I loved the character of Josh and how he and Gemma interact. They have a genuine chemistry and I really found myself naturally rooting for them from the start!

Overall a total surprise of a book and one I would absolutely recommend! I can’t wait to check out more from this author!

This was a fun read, with some obvious Bridget Jones influences but enough originality not to seem entirely derivative. There was not so much character development as character revelations, which was perhaps a missed opportunity, but, to the extent that they were fleshed out, the main characters were relatively convincing.

A romance centred around IVF is unusual and refreshing, although as you would probably expect from the title and the genre it all stays firmly in the light-hearted space. The romance was sweet and entertaining.

I loved that it tackled the importance topic and the female friendship. However, it started to feel like I am reading a book about infertility. It really dominate the book. There were no romance till 52% of the book.
The female character is not very likeable and the plot twist was very predictable

"Love is the best gift any of us have to give."

Josh and Gemma Make a Baby was a sweet, funny, and overall heartwarming story! This book had a great combination of swoon-worthy moments and good laughs while tackling a serious topic. Gemma was a likable character-- she was relatable and had her flaws, but showed growth throughout the story. The side characters (family, friends, coworkers, strangers) involved made the story even more memorable with their own scenes that contributed to Josh and Gemma's relationship. Although the twist was predictable, it was still enjoyable to read through until the resolution!

This book is perfect for those who want a nice romcom to fly through this February. Includes: unrequited love, friends to lovers, and slow burn.

I finished the book within two days and I enjoyed spending time reading it. There are moments that you will have a good laugh and you may find yourself cry at some point; this book gave me some emotional ride and I love it for that (the ride was about a family love and an infertility problem). I like the small illustrations in the books. They are so cute and make the story more real (it gives a nod to the main character). You will find the "inspirational quotes" all over the book; I am not really into them but they do fit in the storyline.

When I first requested this on Netgalley, I was literally over the moon. A heroine with infertility issues, IVF, falling for your donor, it just all sounded so unique and completely out of the box, I was HERE for it.

But after struggling through *that*, I swear I’d just dump the book and try to forget it ever existed if I wasn’t obligated to review this for Netgalley.

*sighs deeply*

There was potential.
It was squandered pretty quickly, but it was there.

plot discussion first.

So as mentioned in the premise, our heroine was diagnosed with stage four endometriosis. To put it simply, this disorder means it’s physically impossible for her to have children. As a side note, it’s awesome that the author chose to write a romance with infertility. It’s something many couples have to navigate and work through, and I love seeing that representation in this book 💕. However, with that all being said, the way the author handled infertility and IVF just made it feel weird.
I mean like maybe this is just a me problem, but I really didn’t need that attempt to make the IVF process ✨romantic✨, and I really really didn't need Dr. Ingraham’s scientific explanation of how babies are made.

like I just really didn’t need those mental images in my life tysm

In terms of the characters, everyone felt about as multi-dimensional as the milk carton I threw into the trash this morning. Gemma’s and Josh’s families felt like they existed to make the MCs look good, and then failed miserably at even that. Everyone else was completely forgettable lol

Speaking of our MCs, Josh and Gemma were terrible MCs.
Josh felt like Sir Plot Whiplash. Like right in the beginning of the book they were literally eating ice cream, walking around NYC, talking like regular people, and then Gemma asks him a simple IVF question and BAM the guy is giving her hecking bedroom eyes.

BEDROOM EYES. ON GRIMY NYC STREETS.

i mean sir this is a Wendy’s after all.

Gemma wasn’t much better. The amount of times she was like “hE’s SeXy aND hAWt AnD i wAnT HiM” was just annoying and felt like middle school all over again.

Also, those two had no bloody chemistry. Like it’s never clear why Gemma likes this man. Or why he gives a crap about her. But to be fair, WE ONLY EVER HAVE GEMMA’S POV. SO MAYBE HE’D BE BETTER IF WE ACTUALLY KNEW HIM HM?


no, I’m not salty about it why do you ask *sniffs*

anyways, this just really wasn’t the book for me. too strange and weird and cringe and I mean really I should’ve known all this from looking at the title lol

Gemma is tired of being set up with creepy old men by her mother, and is worried that her chance to have a baby slipping by. Finding out that her ex just had his 3rd pushes her over the edge. Enter her brother's best friend, Josh, who has no idea what he's in for.

I would recommend this book to any of my friends who are anxiously awaiting their next great Hallmark-movie rom-com. It's silly, but cute, and was a mostly light-hearted, one afternoon read.

Two hot messes realize they're in love while trying to get supposedly platonically pregnant. Loveable characters and the only romcom I can think of about the issues and challenges of infertility and IVF.

Such a fabulous story that deals with some very serious and emotional topics surrounding Ivf etc. In saying that it also has some laugh out loud moments that had me thoroughly entertained and I just wanted more!

Highly recommend and can't wait to read more from this author.

Really enjoyed this book! Such a fun read with great character development! Such a fun one and great to grab!