“I know it’s not a modern sentiment, that I should be happy with my career, my single life, my autonomy, but darn it, can’t I be a successful, modern woman and still want someone to love? A family to love?”

This quote sums up what I thought this romance would be about: the balance between being a modern woman and being someone who wants love. What I got turned out to be so much more.

Josh and Gemma Make a Baby is a tender and funny romance that takes on infertility, modern feminism, and toxic positivity. Of all of these, I was most pleasantly surprised with how Ready handled toxic positivity.

Gemma reminded me of a childhood friend I had, one who always tried to look on the bright side of things. This in itself was refreshing–I’ve never read a heroine exactly like this. But then as the story goes on, Gemma realizes the over-generalized optimism of her disgusting boss’s ignores what it’s actually like to be human sometimes. I just loved the use of quotes and their breakdown by the end.

Josh was a sweetheart. I haven’t read many “brother’s best friend” tropes, but this one did not disappoint. His care-free attitude with the occasional sincere breakthrough contrasted the toxic positivity of Ian so nicely. The only thing I wish for this book is a few more sweet moments with him and Gemma and maybe one more of the two with his dad to really solidify our attachment to the characters.

That being said, I adored the discussion of IVF and infertility along with the friends Gemma makes at her support group. I don’t hear many discussions of how hard infertility is for those with uteruses, so it was very refreshing to have this representation here.

At times, the writing felt cheesy, but I think it worked for this book. This romance falls into many tropes that romance readers are familiar with and by all means is not trying to do anything new with the genre, but something new is not what I need from a romance. This novel is a solid romance. It is definitely better than a lot of the more popular romances from the past year.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a sweet story. But also it involves women struggles, infertiliy, IVF and it makes it more realistic. I honestly love these powerful stories most. I read this author's Romeo series too, so when I see this book is on netgalley I requested immediately. and I'm very glad I did it. If you are looking for sweet and emotional story, you should try this.

Sarah is a positive thinker with great career. Her life is perfect and wonderful, except for one thing. She wanted to have a baby.
Tired of waiting for Mr. Right to come for her, she decided to go through with IVF. All she need is a willing sperm donor for it and she thought her brother's best friend, Josh is the perfect candidate for it.
So Gemma makes a deal to make a baby with Josh and surprisingly he agreed. But, the thing with making baby it was hard not to get emotional and attached in the process.

This book really surprised me because I didn't expect to finish it in one sitting and stayed up late until 3 AM even with the annoying characters in it😂

The story is well written, well crafted and well paced. The writing style is also easy to understand with all the medical terms about the IVF.
This story is a full roller coaster of emotions, I laughed and I cried while reading this.

This book did well on portraying and bringing awareness about infertility and IVF process. IVF is not easy, it's a hard and long process to follow.
I admire Gemma and her friends in the IVF support group. I love how strong they are to endure every process even when the result is not what they hope for. I love how they support each other in this journey so they don't have to feel alone while doing it.

Despite all of that, I have to admit I didn't really like Gemma's character. She's too judgemental and inconsiderate to other people's feelings especially toward Josh. Her family is also the same as her which annoyed me, especially Gemma's mom😤
Even though she annoyed me most of the time, there were times I did feel sad for her.

Josh and Gemma's friends are my favorite characters in this story. Josh is a sweet, caring, selfless and absolutely romantic man! It's official, Josh just made it to the list of my book boyfriends now😍
To be honest, he's too good for Gemma since she like to judge him and take him for granted most of the time.

Overall, the story is filled with a lot of heart warming moments and yet there are heart breaking moments in it too. Even though there are some things I didn't fully agree on, I'm still able to fully enjoy the story and I'm satisfied with how things turn out in the end.
I'm looking forward to read other books from this author!

Make sure to check the trigger warning first since the characters are dealing with infertility and miscarriage.

Actual rating: 3.5⭐

Thank you to Netgalley, Sarah Ready and Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) for providing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Note: Will be posted on Instagram at Jan 24th

Josh and Gemma Make a Baby is heartwarming, cute and frustrating all at once. In it, we meet Gemma Jacobs. She's a 32-year-old divorcee who works for a self-help "guru" and who, despite an earlier infertility diagnosis, has her heart set on just one thing. Having a baby.

Preferably by her brother's best friend, the guy who's been to pretty much every one of her family events over the past 20 odd years, Josh Lewenthal.

So she makes it her New Year's Resolution to convince Josh to give her some sperm to make all her baby-making dreams come true.

But the thing is... Gemma doesn't really know Josh at all. She describes him as a houseplant, for goodness sakes! "Always there but never noticed." And she's kinda sorta definitely in love with her boss, who - in her eyes - can do no wrong.

We learn pretty quickly that Gemma is actually really self-centered, naive and... I hate to say it, but... pretty ignorant. But despite her flaws, I found it hard not to like her.

She manages to convince Josh to donate sperm to her IVF journey, and I found the inclusion of the fertility process really important but also difficult to read because it's a fear of mine too, not being able to have a baby.

There's a whole bunch of cliché quotes throughout the novel and there are things the reader notices early on that it takes Gemma forever to realise, which made the story quite frustrating in many ways.

Also! Gemma's family insistence that she's frumpy, middle-aged and desperate for a man is so strange. She's 32! 32 is not middle-aged! Given that the novel gives a modern take on so many issues, the fact that it was so old school about that was a really weird choice.

But overall, the friendship that blooms between Josh and Gemma is beautiful and the novel is the perfect mix of warm and fluffy and deep and serious, with a little bit of steamy and a whole bunch of funny, and I really enjoyed it.

This story will make you laugh, cry, and leave you deeply invested in the characters.
Gemma decides she’s tired of waiting for a husband and takes a nontraditional route to motherhood. For anyone who has gone the IVF route, this will be a laugh out loud journey through the highs and lows of that process.
I read this in one day and will now be looking for other books by this author. She keeps the story moving along at a good pace. While the book naturally has a happy ending, it wasn't a cookie cutter romance. I like the way the author handled the pain of IVF and addresses the feelings of inadequacy women feel when they make the tough decision.
Would strongly recommend this to fellow readers.

This book was a fluffy romance with some serious topics. I enjoyed the romance even if I felt like it could have been more fleshed out. Why didn’t she see Josh for six years after he graduated high school, for instance?

Also, I knew going into it that there would be discussions of infertility. However, I was kind of blindsided by some of the heavier scenes. I also felt like there was not enough information about endometriosis other than that it caused the infertility. I’m sure every case is different but it felt like the heroine was given that diagnosis to cover why she was infertile but otherwise it had no effect on her life or even her menstrual cycle. That just seemed a little unrealistic for me.

(Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.)

I’ll preface my review by acknowledging that I may not be the target audience for this book. I tend to prefer romances with more spice and/or simmering sexual tension, both of which are mostly absent from this squeaky-clean rom-com. I also don’t actively seek out romances based on parenthood, pregnancy, etc. due to personal preference, but I will never write off a book entirely for these reasons alone.

Readers who DO enjoy these themes, however, will likely enjoy this book. Gemma, a divorcée in her early thirties, decides she’s done waiting for Mr. Right and resolves to start a family of her own. But due to a diagnosis in her early twenties preventing her from conceiving a child the natural way, she goes to a fertility clinic to begin IVF treatments. And she doesn’t want just any donor from the clinic’s database: she wants the genetic material of Josh Lewenthal, her brother’s handsome and charming best friend since childhood, and she enlists him to aid her in the task. As they experience the highs and lows of the fertilization process together, their mutual attraction becomes harder and harder to deny.

One of my main issues with this book was that, for a novel marketed in the romance genre, there just wasn’t very much... romance. There was a far greater focus on Gemma’s desire to be pregnant, her infatuation with her problematic boss, and her relationships with her new friends than there was on her attraction to Josh. For that matter, Josh’s attraction to Gemma was mystifying — Gemma came across as highly judgmental, self-absorbed, and “not like other girls” (a trope that needs to vanish yesterday). We never saw Gemma through Josh’s eyes, so we never really got to see any of her redeeming qualities.

The “inspirational quotes” didn’t work for me, either. First of all, they read more like generic platitudes than anything original and inspiring, and certainly not substantial enough for an entire self-help business to exist solely because of them. Their appearance at the beginning of each chapter read as highly cliché and immediately took me out of the story. The little illustrations peppered throughout the book also took some time to make sense; their sudden appearance almost seemed like a mistake to me. If they had been introduced earlier in the novel and with more consistency (or possibly even in place of the quotes?), their link to Josh’s career would have come across as much more intentional.

Another thing that irks me, especially in hindsight: on the book cover, Gemma is wearing a strapless dress with flip-flops. But 95% of the book takes place in January and February with pivotal scenes taking place around New Year’s, Valentine’s Day, and in various locations around New York in the dead of winter. This is possibly a trivial issue, but it seems like a pretty massive oversight to me — as though the cover designer hadn’t even read the book. You would never guess this was a winter romance from looking at that cover.

All of that said, there were some redeeming factors to this story. It was enlightening to read a novel that discussed infertility so frankly and openly, and I appreciated the author’s comments on the subject at the end of the book. There were some touching moments along the way, to be sure, especially when Gemma’s infertility plotline intersected with that of another tragedy later in the book.

I would recommend this book for readers who are specifically looking for a lighthearted, quick, and clean romance that is family-oriented. It may not be for readers who dislike pregnancy/parenthood-themed romances or who prefer more spice in their romance. Content warnings include: discussions of infertility, pregnancy loss, and the death of a family member.

arc received from netgalley.

loved this from beginning to end. i loved josh! see, heroes can be swoony without being alpha-like and sexist. i could relate to gemma, really. she has judgmental tendencies and i find that really relatable. her redemption arc was satisfying to see. made me laugh more than a few times, which is kinda rare. could see the minor twist coming from when the comics were first mentioned, but was heartwarming, nonetheless.

overall, it was a worthwhile read.

Bruh. Is Gemma 32 or 22? I just…I can’t…I’m just….Gemma you should wait until you’re maybe 42 to go for that baby. I mean :imagine me pinching the bridge of my nose in exasperation: I’m just so frustrated with this character. Gemma, you’re a social media coordinator for some inspiration guru dude who uses recycled self-help jargon and you basically use his stolen quotes to make the equivalent of the “hang in there” posters for the internet and you seriously do this and celebs share it because this is valid and true in the Gemma and Josh make a baby universe? In the year of our Iced Venti savior, you are letting your mother hook you up with 50 year old losers because you’re divorced and unable to conceive???? BRUHHHHH. You have ZERO idea how IVF works. Fat shaming is acceptable. I just :throws hands in the air: You know what. If you pretend that no advancements in women’s rights have been made since 1950 BUT we can talk openly about infertility and get treatment for it then this book will work for you dear reader. Ignore the real world and hop into this universe and enjoy the heck out of it. Somebody should.

I will be the first to say, I usually hate the pregnancy trope. That being said, this cover is so adorable and the premise is cute that I knew I had to at least give it a try and I am so glad I did!

Gemma is a divorced 32-year-old woman who has been told she is infertile because of her endometriosis, something that caused her husband to cheat on her. Gemma has found joy in other parts of her life including as an aunt and as a social media manager for a famous self-help guru. But she still has always wanted a baby, so she makes her new year's resolution to be to have one. With her brother's best friend. Though he rejects the idea at first, cartoonist Josh embarks on this emotional and heartwarming journey with Gemma.

Gemma is a character to root for. You can feel how badly she wants to be a mom and I just wanted her to have her dream so badly. I fought with her every step of the way.

I'll admit I think picking a friend to be your donor that you aren't really that close to is a strange decision, but I immediately loved the pairing of the two. The practical and logical Gemma and spontaneous and creative Josh. They complement each other in such a way that made them as a whole better. Their quest to have a baby was not an easy one and it left me near tears at some points.

I do wish we saw a little more of what Josh loved about Gemma since that part was a little lacking. I also thought the whole inspirational quotes thing was dumb. I dislike pithy bandaid quotes that really do nothing for anyone.

Overall, even if this isn't your normal book, give it a try, it might be the one for you.

I loved this!! It made me laugh and it made me cry. It was both sweet and heart-wrenching at times. I will be reading more books by Sarah Ready. One of the best romance novels I've read in a while.

Sarah Ready's Josh and Gemma Make a Baby is a beautifully written, emotional tale. Gemma Jacobs is thirty years old, divorced, and has fertility issues. Deciding that her single status will probably remain as such for a long time, Gemma decides she wants to have a baby. Enter Josh Lewenthal, the boy she fantasized about as a teen and has always been in her life, albeit in the periphery. Gemma decides Josh is the perfect donor candidate to use for her IVF treatment, but will they be able to maintain an emotionless, business-like agreement throughout the process?

This story was so emotionally rich. Gemma's struggles with her infertility and the IVF process are expressed so well the reader has no choice but to empathize with her and feel her highs and lows. Gemma and Josh's evolving relationship with me smiling and laughing at their jokes and adventures.

What I think made this book so wonderful was that at it's core, it is about having love to give and wanting love in return, whether that comes from a baby, friends, family members, or a partner. It also explores matters of our own feelings of worthiness and if we need to look within ourselves and make changes to earn that love. These are definitely feelings that I believe everyone can identify with. Because of this, I would highly recommned this book to anyone who has ever longed for love, or for someone to give their love to.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

WOW. I really loved this book. I read this in one sitting. I could not put it down! Now while I have zero experience with pregnancy or IVF, I can't judge whether this was accurately described. But I did like how there were multiple characters who were all going through the same thing Gemma was and their experience was shown a little differently. I also really enjoyed that while this was in single POV we still got to know Josh very well, I find that's hard to do. I normally love dual POV but for this story single POV worked very well. I loved Josh! I thought he was so sweet and his little drawings throughout the book were adorable! There were so many parts were I found myself laughing out loud. This was overall so enjoyable to read! I laughed, I cried, I laughed and cried some more.

I had all the feels with this beautiful read and am happy to have read it. 🥰

It’s been a while since I’ve read a book that both made me laugh and tear up. The emotions in this book were raw - the anxiety, the frustration, the yearning, and the wishful thinking.

⚠️ Trigger warning for anyone struggling with infertility and/ or trying to get pregnant.

But there were a lot of unforgettable and funny moments, too, that helped move the story along and lighten the heavy theme.

🌺 I will never look at a Georgia O’Keeffe flower painting the same way again.
🥣 I will probably always think of this book at the mention of lime Jell-O salad.

Gemma makes some unforgettable friends at the Infertility support group her doctor recommended; Brooke, the chain-smoking lawyer with a hard shell; Hannah, the crystal-loving free spirit; and Carly, the ex-model, married a millionaire, influencer. While they each had their quirks, they were super encouraging and supportive of each other.

I’m also a sucker for the little sketches and quotes throughout the book - what a great touch! I loved the motivational quotes at the beginning of every chapter and how they intertwined with the storyline. Josh is a comic book writer in the story, so I imagine him drawing the sketches; whether that’s accurate or not, I’m not sure.

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Swift & Lewis Publishing, LLC, and Sarah Ready for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

Really enjoyable book. I loved Josh and appreciated that the book dealt with the struggles of infertility and ivf. I would definitely recommend the book to anyone looking for quick relaxing rom com that still deals with serious topics.

Arc provided by NetGalley

Oh man! I absolutely loved this!! It gave me all the feels. I could personally relate to Gemma and her battles with infertility, which probably made me enjoy this even more. Josh was absolutely the sweetest guy right in front of Gemma the whole time. I knew he had loved her forever, but the fact his comic was about her was the icing on the cake. I had goofy smiles throughout! I listened to the audiobook and followed along with the egalley. The audiobook was so good! The narrator was absolutely perfect!! Highly recommend!!

*Thank you Swift & Lewis Publishing and @netgalley for the audiobook and egalley in exchange for an honest review.*

This book was so cute ! I totally got rom com feelings the whole time ! I love how realistic this story is with IVF and infertility. But still has a soft side with Gemma being hilarious! This story had me feeling every emotion. I loved it

SCREAMING CRYING THROWING UP BECAUSE THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD

What I loved:
- BOY FALLS FIRST
- brothers best friend
- friends to lovers
- character growth and development of Gemma
- THE ILLUSTRATIONS IN THIS BOOK
-slow burn

What I didn't love:
- The way Gemma treated Josh made my heart break for Josh, he was so sweet and attentive to her.

Trigger Warnings:
- infertility

Overall this book gets a 5/5, it was brilliant, funny, the bantering was so cute and it reminded me of a Mariana Zapata book, I was rooting for everyone in this book, I will be reading this again and again and again.

This felt like a wattpad story. All of the characters were acting very judgmental, there was a shaming/judgmental quote almost every chapter that I read. The whole beginning with her boss made me so uncomfortable. Their bonding happens off page and the IVF thing that she confessed to him got resolved without any questions by him, just a quote and a scene changed. The constant inspirational quotes between the scene changes kept taking me out of the story and didn't really serve any purpose. All of the characters felt shallow and they felt like caricatures of popular romance protagonists. DNF.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

If you think that this book is going to be amazing, let me tell you, you're wrong, it's even better!! I went into this blind but it turned out to be one of my favorite reads this year! It's a brother's best friend romance, with secret pinning and second chance, honestly so full of feelings!! After a failed marriage, Gemma decided that she wants a child via insemination and in enter the bother's best friend, Josh. Mark my words, you have to read this!!!!

Thank you Net Galley and Swift & Lewis Publishing for the ARC