I just finished Ready or Not and I still have tears stinging my eyes as I write this fresh review. I knew I was already a fan of Cara Bastone’s writing, but this book is simply a work of art. I’d rate it 10’s across the board in the categories of humor, heart and heat!

The FMC Eve is hilarious and SO relatable. The way she navigates her messy situation with such a distinctly awkward grace just spoke to my heart. I also had a young unplanned pregnancy and I found the way she moved through it all to be healing to my own experience. The MMCs are both perfect in their own roles and the way Cara wrapped it all up in a tiny pink bow left me with the tenderest heart. I’m definitely raising this book to my favorite of 2024 so far!

THIS BOOK. MY GOODNESS. I freaking LOVED it! And I'm not usually a fan of the surprise pregnancy trope, but I love the way it was portrayed in Ready or Not. Cara Bastone is an amazing writer and I was fully immersed in Eve's story from beginning to end. The way this story delves into the topic of pregnancy and the struggles that come with it, whether struggling to get and stay pregnant as is portrayed through Eve's best friend Willa, or having an accidental pregnancy occur from a one night stand and traversing the whole find him, tell him, come to terms with your own decision scenario that Eve herself is going through. This book just takes such care with each of those aspects of motherhood/womanhood. I really felt for Willa who was trying so hard to have a baby and then all of a sudden her best friend ends up pregnant without even trying? That would be so devastating and of course would affect their friendship and I think Cara does a great job depicting that and letting the readers see the emotions on both sides of the friendship, how Eve needs Willa more than ever but Willa needs some space to overcome her own grief. And then Shep! I love Shep so much; he's just a kind, caring, soft man who truly wants the people around him to be happy and secure. He's there for Eve more than anyone else is during her pregnancy and doesn't shove his feelings in her face or try to influence her, he just shows he cares through his actions and being there for her no matter what. Watching as Eve comes to realize that she doesn't just feel friendly things for Shep and is maybe falling in love with him -- possibly for longer than she even realized -- was so sweet. I also love that it's a best friend's older brother story where the brother was the nerdy one as a kid and fell first. Every aspect of this book worked for me honestly. Each of the characters were relatable in their own ways and so different from each other but able to form such close relationships. I love that Willa is the outgoing, fun friend who knows what she wants and goes for it but is also shown to be vulnerable and to have her own struggles. Eve is sweet and creative but indecisive and the opposite of Willa when it comes to identifying what exactly she wants and whether or not to take the risk and go for it. And then Shep is the steadfast guy who puts everyone else's happiness ahead of his own desires and not in a martyr way but just because it makes him happy to see them happy. He's sort of a floater, never really making a home for himself because for him, his home is wherever his people are. It broke my heart that he never really felt like he had found his place but then when he's apartment hunting and is again looking for a place that's close to Eve and that she would love, just makes it so obvious how much he just cares about being near her -- a place to live is just that if it doesn't have the person who feels like home there. UGHH I JUST LOVE THIS ONE SO SO SO MUCH. I could go on for days but this is already quite long so I'll leave it at this.

Ready or Not is just such a beautiful story of friendship, love, and pregnancy and I'm so happy I read it. I recommend it to everyone!

I had received an eARC from Dial Press Trade Paperback via NetGalley and then immediately went out and bought the physical copy after reading because it's just amazing. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Go check this one out!

I received an ARC copy of Ready or Not thanks to NetGalley and the publisher! It was such a cute story: a slow burn friends to lovers trope. The main character finds herself pregnant and feels alone. She tries to adjust to her new life and finds companionship in her old friend Shep. I adored these characters! The author did a great job of making them come alive. The writing flowed and it felt as if I was transported to Brooklyn. The book was a solid 4.25 stars for me! The last 25% of the book you won’t be able to put down! This book is worth the read!

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC copy in exchange for my own personal opinion.

This book is perfect, I was in awe reading this whole story. Such a beautiful story about finding yourself but also learning to rely on others. Both main characters were so amazing, the mmc was the sweetest man on earth. I have no words about how much I love this book, I wish it wasn’t over I kept rereading the last chapter.

I had a really tough time getting into this one. It just didn’t seem overly realistic to me. I know, it’s fiction, but maybe it was the main character vibes that set the story off for me. She is young and not ready for kids, but not doing anything to prevent it. I don’t know, Eve’s reaction made me have a tough time with this book.

Thank you to Random House and Dial Press and NetGalley for an ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book was a heart warming and emotional journey. I enjoyed the characters and watching their personal growth, and am always a fan of a book set in NYC.

Eve has three much older brothers, a best friend, Willa, who is married and is trying desperately to get pregnant. Along with Shep, Willa’s brother they know each other from elementary school.
On the other hand, Eve, single, no boyfriend finds out she is pregnant, surprised though when receiving the news.
Willa is struggling and more frustration comes when Eve tells her friend she is expecting. Now she algo has to tell the father, Ethan, who is a bartender at a dog bar. Shep, long time loyal friend, goes with her as moral support instead of Willa who is feeling a bit down when she learns that once again she is not pregnant.
Ethan is surprisingly supportive when the news arrive, even though now he has a girlfriend.
This is a story of true love and friendship that proves that any situation can be accomplish with the right people beside you.
Great read and it was better than I expected.
Thank you Netglet, Cara Bastone and PenguinRandomHouse for the ARC copy

𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗬 𝗢𝗥 𝗡𝗢𝗧⁣
𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗔 𝗕𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗡𝗘⁣
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Leí este ARC hace poco. Gracias por el libro gratis @prhinternational y @netgalley
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Eve se entera que está embarazada.⁣
No estaba en sus planes, queda en shock, fue un encuentro casual, no está preparada.⁣
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Vamos a acompañar a Eve durante su embarazo. Cada decisión, cada duda, cada lágrima y cada sonrisa. Ella se siente sola, con su familia no tiene unos lazos muy fuertes, su amiga se aleja un poco, el padre de la criatura tiene altos y bajos pero dentro de toda esta red de problemas aparece la ayuda y la compañía de la persona que menos lo espera.⁣
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La trama central es el embarazo pero sin caricaturizarlo además de como Eve, paso a paso, acepta su nueva realidad y trata de hacer lo que mejor pueda. El amor está presente, pero también las dudas, el pánico, las ansias, las hormonas.⁣
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Una novela que me sorprendió gratamente y que a medida que avanzaba me enganchaba más y más. Trata cada problema con altura de miras y nos presenta unos personajes, qué si bien no son perfectos, trata de arreglar las cosas con diálogo y altura de miras. Y eso se agradece mucho.

Una comedia qué recomiendo.

Thanks to Random House and Netgalley for this advanced copy!

This book was a nice warm and fuzzy story of a one-night stand that somehow works out to the perfect modern family with a baby and at times that was really great and at others I felt like the author was glossing over a LOT of key issues. And maybe we are supposed to get those issues because ROMANCE REASONS but it just felt like Eve, the main character, got everything she wanted and the struggles of being single and pregnant got boiled down to horniness and doing emotional labor for her best friend who is having fertility issues. Eve is unreasonably agreeable with almost everything, including the baby daddy disappearing randomly because of a relationship he's in.

These issues should honestly tank this book, but somehow they don't! Eve, for all of her "I should read a book about babies?," is loveable and I was happy when everything worked out for her in the end because why not? All of this should work out for someone, why not a fictional character? Shep, her friend and current crush, is too perfect while Ethan, the baby daddy, is too ridiculous. Her best friend and coworkers are just too something. I don't know. I liked this book but also couldn't handle how unrealistic it felt.

I really enjoyed this book. I laughed and cried which makes my favorite books. I didn’t want to put it down. It was a very cute and funny book. Enjoyed your writing style.

I wasn’t too sure what to expect from this book, mostly because plots that revolve around actual pregnancy aren’t something I’m familiar with. I also thought I’d be triggered by it (because of my own reproductive disorders), but it wasn’t actually the case!

This story is so sweet and heartfelt—a deep dive into what motherhood means when its approach comes alongside yourself. The book features a lot of really lovable characters and the sappiest friends-to-lovers romance with the most Labrador of male leads to exist. There’s also focus on friendship here, and I love that Cara also mentions Willa’s own struggles, because that one was an angle I really wanted to explore. I kind of wish Willa had her own book, actually! I think her story is one I’ll probably really love—just because her own pain is something that’s gnawed on me for quite some time.

I will say though that some parts of the book felt a little off-kilter for me, specifically the ~steamier bits. A part of me thinks it’s likely because I’m not too comfortable with the whole ~intimacy while pregnant~ thing, but that could just be a me thing! Personally, I would’ve preferred if this just remained a closed door romance, because I don’t think those scenes added value. But that could just be a me thing!

Overall a really sweet, easy read. 3.8🌙!

READY OR NOT by Cara Bastone was a highly anticipated read for me, after hearing rave reviews - so I was thrilled to receive this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Eve is working a somewhat boring job, adjacent to her passions, and enjoying life in New York City with her best friend Willa. After an out of character one-night stand, Eve finds her self unexpectedly pregnant - READY OR NOT tells the story of what happens next. While I loved the premise and found the writing enjoyable and cozy, I really struggled with this book. Eve seemingly makes little money, has very little support, besides her best friend Willa, and is somehow able to afford her own place in Brooklyn, and then, when finding herself pregnant, doesn't waver in her desire to keep the baby. There is no internal monologue or explanation that Eve would even consider any alternative - adoption, abortion, anything - and in today's world, living in one of the most expensive cities in the world, I found this too hard to believe. Eve didn't even mention that she's always wanted kids, or anything to explain this lack of a decision. After this, the whole book felt a bit unbelievable in a way that really dampened my enjoyment. Others may enjoy this one, but I will not be recommending it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers, Random House Publishing Group - Random House, Dial Press Trade Paperback/

I was so excited for this one! Apart from the beautiful cover and being set in NY, the plot really intrigued me! I'm so sad to say that though it was cute, I found it very boring. By 50% I just wanted it to be over. Shep was a total sweetheart but he was too perfect.

Love this stunning cover. It evokes the perfect vibe for this story. I saw the beautiful cover and knew I had to read it, even knowing nothing of the plot. I have a habit of going in blind. The unexpected pregnancy trope is sometimes overdone and used as a trope to create conflict and misunderstanding between the two main characters. In Ready or Not, this is handled differently, as the MMC is not the baby daddy. You would think Eve would have a bit more panic and introspection about an accidental knock-up, so her complete "go with the flow" was a bit unrealistic, but since Shep was the literal sweetest character ever, it more than makes up for it. The book was a little repetitive and meandering - or maybe I am just used to more drama and toxicity on my romances - but the characters made me root for their HEA and that is all that matters.

A surprise pregnancy leads to even more life-changing revelations in this “absolutely buoyant read” (Elle, The Best and Most Anticipated Romance Books of 2024, So Far).

“Bastone delivers on this truly heartwarming, funny, and real story. Come for the dog bar, stay for the special, slow-burn romcom.”—Abby Jimenez, New York Times bestselling author


Eve Hatch sounds a lot like me. I am a person who likes order, no surprises, staying with the familiar and being cozy. I'm also a midwesterner who plans for the unexpected. I am predictable. BUT - unlike Eve - my pregnancies were planned with a great partner. When Eve find herself unexpectedly pregnant it changes so much in her life and her relationships.

I liked this book so much - it reminded me of Emioly Giffin's first books. Great character develeopment and believable situations. A story of friendship and finding love in unexpected places.

🤰🏼Book Review🤰🏼
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Summary: Eve Hatch lives for surprises! Just kidding. She expects every tomorrow to be pretty much the same as today. She loves her cozy apartment in Brooklyn that’s close to her childhood best friend Willa, and far from her midwestern, traditional family who has never really understood her. While her job is only dream-adjacent, it’s comfortable and steady. She always knows what to expect from her life . . . until she finds herself expecting after an uncharacteristic one-night stand.

The unplanned pregnancy cracks open all the relationships in her life. Eve’s loyal friendship with Willa is feeling tense, right when she needs her the most. And it’s actually Willa’s steadfast older brother, Shep, who steps up to help Eve. He has always been friendly, but now he’s checking in, ordering her surprise lunches, listening to all her complaints, and is . . . suddenly kinda hot? Then, as if she needs one more complication, there’s the baby’s father, who is (technically) supportive but (majorly) conflicted.

Up until this point, Eve’s been content to coast through life. Now, though—maybe it’s the hormones, maybe it’s the way Shep’s shoulders look in a T-shirt—Eve starts to wonder if she has been secretly desiring more from every aspect of her life.

Over the course of nine months, as Eve struggles to figure out the next right step in her expanding reality, she begins to realize that family and love, in all forms, can sneak up on you when you least expect it.
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Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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My thoughts: surprise pregnancy is not usually my jam, but this one was so sweet. It doesn’t really become a romance until halfway through, but it’s just a really light and happy story with a very lovable and relatable FMC. This book really took me by surprise, I flew through this and was able to connect to the characters even though I lacked the same experience. A highly enjoyable, light and breezy read! Thank you @randomhouse and @netgalley for the advanced copy !
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QOTD- what is the last book to surprise you ?! Was it in a good

A really good exploration of the pregnancy trope in romance, this novel is simultaneously sweet, tender, poignant, romantic, and realistic, while still being very fun and fluffy. One or two open door scenes, but mostly very tame. Those who love or don't mind a pregnancy plot will be very happy with this, and those on the fence may be swayed. Cara Bastone is a go-to author for me, I'm consistently satisfied by her work.

Oh I loved this book so much! Girl gets pregnant. The father gets cold feet. The best friend backs away. The best friend's brother steps up.

What a sweet, warm, funny story. I loved the characters SO MUCH and loved the realistic and complicated portrayal of pregnancy and "what now?". This was a fantastic read and I look forward to what Cara Bastone comes up with next.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

The accidental pregnancy RomCom that I didn’t know I needed, but now can’t live without! Laugh-out-loud funny and gut-wrenchingly tender… Ready or Not just became an easy favorite for me this year.

We follow Eve Hatch, whose life is turned upside down by news of the bun-in-the-oven variety. Eve is forced to embrace changes of all kinds and not just the bodily ones. One of these changes comes in the (somewhat overly-large and clumsy) form of Shep Balder, a childhood friend and the older brother of Eve's lifelong best friend. Is it the pregnancy hormones talkin’ or is Eve suddenly seeing Shep in a whole new light?

This book was an absolute delight from start to finish. I loved Shep’s impeccable cinnamon roll energy (he is the new blueprint!) I loved Eve’s hilarious (and spot-on) journey through pregnancy and her own personal growth.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dial Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

What a delightfully sweet story!! All the warm fuzzy feelings 💗. Shep and Eve are absolutely a joy to read about. I love the "best friends to more" trope and this one delivered on all the angst and the sweet moment when they each finally realize the feelings the other one has for them.

On top of that, I just was sucked in by the tone of this book... funny, sarcastic, and made me laugh out loud multiple times, but also so many moments that were tender, sweet, vulnerable, real, and raw. I completely lost myself in the story. I also appreciated the mature way all of these characters handled some really big, really tough issues. There was no big *miscommunication* which is a huge win for me!

I *loved* all of Cara Bastone's short stories on Audible and I am so pleased that she wrote this book with that same wonderful banter that I was hooked on from her first one.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for the ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.