This was a super cute and goofy read that hit all my favorite tropes, especially brother's best friend.

I really appreciated reading a romance book about infertility because I feel like that is not a common theme within romance books. I loved seeing the progression of Josh and Gemma as well as they dealt with IVF and other challenges.

Overall this was a fun and enjoyable read.

I enjoyed this book quite a lot in the first 40% but then I started to get a little bored and found it to be dragging on too much. It didn't really read like a 32-year-old woman was the protagonist, being far too naive when it came to men. It was also frustrating to read about the ways she was belittled because of numerous things, particularly in her hometown.

I did enjoy reading her and Josh's relationship, it was endearing and cute, but I do wish we'd gotten a chance to see a glimpse further into the future. All in all, it was a cute read, and picked my interest back up towards the end (there were some funny moments too), but I wouldn't read it again. I had high expectations going in and they weren't met lmao

Unfortunately, I didn't really like this one. The characters seemed a bit immature, especially towards the beginning of the book. I also experienced a lot of second-hand embarrassment, which I don't love.

Thank you to NetGalley, Swift & Lewis Publishing, LLC & Sarah Ready for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.


Josh and Gemma Make a Baby is a sweet and funny romcom with some of my favorite tropes such as “brother best friend” and “friends to enemies to lovers”.
The FMC is a 32 year old successful social media specialist, divorced with fertility issues. And after many years of waiting for Mr.Right she decides that she's done waiting and that she will be trying to have a baby with in vitro fertilization (IVF).
The MMC is a dear family friend and Gemma brother's best friend, who happens to be the person that many years ago Gemma lost her virginity with. Josh is a famous comic autor who is dealing with his fathers health problems and that and his love for Gemma lead him to accept being Gemma´s sperm donor.
This book truly is funny but also is eye opening, it deals with a problem that so many women and couples struggle with and sometimes they may feel that nobody gets it. For me it was wonderful to see Josh be a lovely partner in every sense of the word with Gemma, he truly was there for everything. and her friends from the grup support were funny and well diverse, we got to see how different couples deal with infertility issues.
I don't think that the semi love triangle was necessary but I didn't hate it, I think I just didn't fully get how Gemma was attracted to Ian. And what I really didn't do not liked was Gemma´s mom, the woman was awful, and I can not imagem a mother talking to her daughter like that… calling her fat… that was a big no for me personally.
Overall it was a good book, and it will make me read more books by the lovely Sarah Ready.

I really loved this book. Because of the subject matter, please exercise caution if you think extensive talk of infertility, miscarriage, and IVF might be triggering. 

The opening chapters read a little like a recycled version of the opening to Bridget Jones's Diary. As such, I wasn't initially expecting much. However, once we got past that, I found myself enjoying it more and more. Gemma is a divorcee, who has given up on men. She's desperate to have a baby, despite her infertility issues. But she has a plan. Josh Lewenthal. Josh is her brother's best friend, and the man she lost her virginity to. She thinks he's a man-whore, and has lots of other preconceived ideas about him, but he has 'excellent genes', so she wants him to be her sperm donor. Josh has been keeping a secret though...

As they navigate IVF together, Gemma finds herself questioning everything she thought she knew about Josh. And herself. You can't help but root for them to get pregnant, and for them to inevitably become a couple. Josh is SO adorably sweet, funny, and kind. Seriously, get yourself a man who'll ring you repeatedly to help you out when you're super horny... 😉 I loved their obvious chemistry, even if Gemma is oblivious for half of the book. It was also refreshing to see the journey Gemma (and her family) went on because judgemental definitely ran in the family. The interactions between the fertility help group were funny and often poignant, although I did find the ending a little over-simplified.

But be warned, you will need a tissue or ten for this one. It really does pack an emotional punch. If you love stories with (at least) one of the leads pining for the other, this one is for you. Though I saw the twist coming, and couldn't see what on earth Gemma saw in her boss anyway, the sweet moments between Josh and Gemma more than made up for that. I will definitely be reading more of Sarah Ready's work. 

*Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to give an honest review on both the eArc, and Audiobook (which was beautifully read by Erin Mallon*

Overall Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Heat Rating: 🔥🔥🔥
Emotional Rating: 😂😂💓💓😢😢😢

This book was such a surprise! I was instantly captivated and in some ways, have found that the blurb and front page, did not reflect the amazing story of Gemma and Josh, having a baby. Gemma Jacobs is in her 30s and has a great job working for self-help guru Ian Fortune. Yet her New Year’s resolution to have a baby, is not that easy. She needs to find a sperm donor and to undergo IVF and Josh Lewenthal, ticks all the boxes. She has known him forever, as he is her brother’s best friend, he is funny, healthy and good-looking. So when Josh agrees, Gemma soon finds that it is not only a baby that she wants.
What makes this book stand out, is its ability to develop secondary characters who are so engaging and have their own distinct personalities. I found myself wondering what the future would hold for Gemma’s IVF friends as well as her sister, who all play such an essential role in supporting Gemma. And then there is Josh, who we see through Gemma’s eyes, gradually change as she realises that he is not the teenage boy that she once crushed on. Just thinking of Josh and Gemma, makes me smile and I can assure you, that this book and all its characters, will reverberate long after you finish reading.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC and Audiobook, in exchange of an honest review.

What’s this about?
Gemma Jacobs is the most energetic and positive person you will know. She has the perfect job and the perfect life. Except... she is no completely happy. There’s one thing missing in her life. A baby.

After a decade of being diagnosed with infertility and while she was cheated by her husband, Gemma really, really wants a baby. So the viable way to do it is through IVF. But Gemma doesn’t want some random donor to be her baby’s daddy. She wants a man she knows, someone with good genes. She wants… Josh Lewenthal. Her brother’s best friend.

She just needs Josh’s sperm. No commitments.
So, as her New Year’s resolution, Gemma promises herself that she’ll have a baby.

What do I think about it?
I have to start this saying that this book is going to my top favorites for two reasons. First, this was my first audiobook and I really enjoyed the experience. Second, the story was something one of a kind. The topic is something that we usually don’t see in contemporary romance and I think we need more stories like this one. It was, if not my first time, one of the first stories about infertility that I’ve read and I liked the way the author managed the situation.

You would think that the title will give you all the information you need about the book. Josh. Gemma. Make. Baby. And that’s it, right? But nooo! It’s not just about a couple of friends, one helping the other to have a baby. It was a lot more. It was about friends and family. About getting to know who you really are and what you really want. It was about learning not to judge a person for what they seem. It was about hard issues like infertility and miscarriages, and how to deal with those situations with a smile on your face.

Josh and Gemma didn’t give us a simple story. They gave us a ride on a rollercoaster with lots of ups and downs. With lots of laugh and cry. With lots of happy and sad moment. With lots of comedy and romance. And with lots of great quotes.

“Love is the best privilege I’ve ever had the privilege to give.”

Why did I “really” like it? Because it had Josh Lewenthal in it. Period.

All jokes aside, stop doing whatever you are doing and go to read this completely amazing story. You’ll thank me when you get to know Josh and Gemma. And Brook, Hannah and Carly. And Gemma’s family. And Josh’s dad. I know you’ll discover one of your best reads of 2022.

And if you heat the audiobook, you’ll love it even more. The narrator has such a lovely voice. And every scene is told with a lot of expression. It’s just terrific.

“I’m lost. I’m completely lost in him. Me and Josh Lewenthal, (…) on the floor”

Sweet and heartwarming read!

I loved how this book explored infertility in women and the difficulties in doing so. It was a new and refreshing plot that I haven't seen before, and I think that Sarah Ready executed it very well. Gemma's relationships with the other women from the same clinic were endearing, and it was heartbreaking to hear some of their stories.

The progression of Josh and Gemma's relationship moved at a great pace for me, and Josh supported Gemma really well throughout her IVF journey, which I loved.

There were some decisions that Gemma made that were questionable and I think it could have been executed differently. However, overall I really enjoyed this book and it was a nice read!

Just the title grabbed me and the premise of a strong woman wanting a baby enough to make it happen herself does not disappoint. When you add in the hijinks of asking her brother's childhood best friend to be her donor instead of going the anonymous route you are left with a spectacular chain of events that span the full range of emotions. Gemma isn't perfect by any means, while strong she can be judgmental and a bit too easy to trust in others. Despite this you find yourself rooting for Gemma and and wishing for her to read between the lines. Gemma's family and rag tag team of women from her fertility support group paint a realistic picture of complex modern relationships and some of the pitfalls of protecting your heart, even from those closest to you. Fantastic story, be ready to smile and maybe cry a bit and root for Josh and Gemma to find each other through the stars.

I am going to be honest, I requested this one on a whim because the title piqued my interest. I was so surprised at how much I enjoyed this one! It dealt with a really tough issue at the center of the story- a women's journey to have a baby - through infertility, miscarriage, pregnancy, and finding herself and her true love but it was such a fun journey. All of it- her work, friends, Josh, her IVF group, and her family. Even though some situations in the book were exaggerated and over the top - I really enjoyed this book!

4.5 stars - I absolutely loved this book! From start to finish, my heart was filled with laughter, I even ugly cried at work during one point, and I don't regret a moment of this story. The characters are so lovable and endearing, I guarantee that Josh will be your next book boyfriend!

Wow. When I saw this cover, I was expecting a sweet romcom. While it was that, it also was very emotional. I recommend checking trigger warnings, as this does deal with some sensitive issues. That being said, I absolutely loved this book.

Gemma has decided that she’s ready to have a baby, on her own, and turns to childhood friend/brother’s best friend, Josh, to help make that happen. No strings attached, no commitment. Yeah, we’ll see how long that lasts, right?

This book is laugh out lot funny, sweet, and so grippingly emotional. I enjoyed every minute of it.

Trigger Warning- Infertility and Loss

Synopsis
Gemma is a 30-something year old divorcee working a dream job in Manhattan. She loves her life, but feels like something is missing- a baby. Unfortunately, Gemma is faced with a decade old infertility diagnosis and a lackluster dating pool of available men. So, on NYE, she decides to take matters into her own hands and have a baby on her own via IVF. An anonymous sperm donor doesn’t appeal to her, so she decides to make an arrangement with her brother’s best friend and fixture of her past, Josh Lewenthal. To her surprise, Josh agrees and the two embark on making a baby. Through the process, Gemma makes some new friends, learns a lot about herself, and realizes not everything, or everyone, in her life is as it seems.

Review
First, Josh is the ABSOLUTE sweetest. He and Gemma have great chemistry and he continuously is so kind and supportive of her even when she doesn’t treat him well. I also love the relationships that Gemma develops with the women in her support group and this book gave a refreshing look at the issues of infertility and loss that many others gloss over.

There were a few times in the book that the scenario seemed far-fetched or the conflict that arose was too out of character, making it feel a little forced. I also would have like to see more of Gemma’s and Josh’ past fleshed out.

This is a cute and easy read. I read it in one day because I wanted to see how their story would end. I would read another of Sarah Ready’s books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Swift and Lewis Publishing, LLC for the opportunity to read this ARC for an honest review.

Pub day is tomorrow, January 25th!

This book was very fun and cute. I really enjoyed it. However, there were a couple of scenarios that did not make sense to me which is why I couldn't give this story the full 5 stars. I don't want to give out spoilers so I won't be going into specifics but as I read/listen I am always seeing scenes play out in my head and the way some things were described made me question if I heard it correctly. Also, some of the situations that the characters go through made me scratch my head in bewilderment.

I will say that I quite enjoyed the audiobook and the narrator did a great job! She was easy to listen to and very engaging.

I absolutely love this book and the way it explores infertility. Often, books have unpredictable pregnancies and it's nice to see struggles we actually have. It has adorable tropes and is such an easy read. I can't wait for the physical copy!

This reminded of a wattpad production, I found it would have been easily digestible as a made for tv-movie. The book suffered from too many side characters and not many are full fleshed out, and a lot of the jokes made me cringe instead of laugh along with the characters.

This was a cute story. I felt for the main characters and felt like their trials and tribulations could happen in real life. I felt that some elements were unrealistic (getting a fertility appointment the next day?) but could ignore some things to follow along with the story.

3.5 stars!

This was such a cute and fast read!
This book not only gives us view into the life of Gemma, who handles life in her early thirties and as a divorcee who was told she can't have children, but also a sweet romance and emotional realizations!

I loved Josh, my sweet puppy, and I am so glad to see a love interest with a more detailed backstory, a good balance of humor and emotions, a true friend and a romance that develops at a good pace.
I really liked the friends Gemma made along the way, and would have even liked to see more about them. IVF, infertility and the struggle to conceive is a very sensitive and important topic that I haven't seen represented in books enough so far. I would have liked an even deeper insight into the process (money, time, care) and honestly this book could have had more pages or focused even more on that in my opinion (as the title tells us this will be the main focus of the book I wouldn't have minded an even more extensive look into it).
I wasn't the biggest fan of the conflict Gemma had with her friends (and Josh), because she acted felt out of character, and I didn't like her family dynamic very much until a very good part into the book.

This was a sweet read that also touched on important and emotional topics and I miss Josh already.

4.5/5 STARS!! Look, I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed this book!! I am absolutely shocked. It was the perfect balance of emotional and funny. I could not put it down!! Firstly, it's important to know that this book tackles the topic of infertility and IVF which is a pretty sensitive subject. However, I thought this topic of interest was handled with the care and delicacy it deserves. The storyline was absolutely adorable and was laced with incredible banter. I could not stop laughing! Gemma and Josh have the best chemistry and I absolutely adored every sweet moment between them.

Read this if you love:
- opposites attract
- brother's best friend
- loving friend group

Go and pick this book up right now. You're going to have SO much fun.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. I can't wait to get my hands on the physical copy once this book releases!!

I'd probably put this as a 3.5-3.75, but I rounded up because I read it all in one day and books that are that readable and hard to put down get extra points for me.

This is a contemporary romance featuring a fertility journey which isn't something I've read often. As a married woman of childbearing age I felt like I connected so much to the characters and their struggles. So many of my friends are navigating infertility or working through the grind of motherhood and a lot of the conversations in the story reflect ones that I've had with people in real life which is something I really loved.

My main gripe with the books is that I felt some characters were too easily made obvious villains and I didn't really understand the reasoning behind a lot of Gemma's poorer choices. However; I absolutely loved Josh and the women in the support group were a real highlight.

I would recommend this to contemporary romance fans and people that want something different from the average friends/enemies to lovers stories. It can sometimes feel like you're experiencing a lot of the same storylines when you read a lot of romance but this one is a refreshing change of pace.

ARC provided via NetGalley for review