Eve is happy enough with her life. She loves her one bedroom apartment, her job is in the field she wants to be, minus the fact that she is just an assistant and not doing the real work, but her best friend Willa lives close by. When she finds herself pregnant after a one night stand however, Eve is not prepared. Suddenly Willa feels distant, the baby daddy is all over the place with his feelings about this baby, and the only one that seems to be there for her is Shep, Willa’s brother. As she prepares to bring this child into the world, her vision or what family means is quickly turned on its head.

I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about this book and the fact that it took place over the three trimesters of Eve’s pregnancy. However, I feel long and hard for this absolutely fabulous cover, and once I started reading the book…I loved it! Everything Eve felt and went through just felt like exactly what one would feel if they were in her shoes…never having been pregnant, I can’t say for sure, but it felt so on the nose to me. I just loved Willa, but having had friends who struggled with fertility, my heart broke for her as Eve shared her news. This book just felt so realistic, with the struggles, the pain, the friendships, the heartbreak, and the love, it was just so well done. This book was truly fantastic!

Thanks to Net Galley and Random House/Dial for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Ready or Not by Cara Bastone is a novel about a woman, Eve, who gets pregnant from a one night stand. She has to learn how to negotiate a relationship woth the baby's father, Ethan, and is supported by best friends Willa and Shep.

This book felt exactly.like you were catching up with a college girlfriend in a bar in Brooklyn. The voice of the writing was specific and relaxed; it was easy to fit into Eve's shoes. A recent mom myself, this book felt exactly like what pregnancy felt like. The emotions, experiences, questioning of adulthood, and grief for younger self were all spot on. I truly enjoyed this book. I guess it's a romance, or rom-com, but side-lining it as just womens fiction seems like doing the book a disservice (as it is to many books which are described this way.) A great read. Have to look up other books by this author. Glad my husband has some of Shep's qualities! (Damn what a good book boyfriend.) Would give it 4.5 stars if I could.

When I initially heard about this book, I wasn’t sure if it was for me. Ready or Not is about Eve, a New Yorker in her early thirties, who unexpectedly becomes pregnant after a one night stand. What follows is the next nine months of her life, along with some flashbacks of poignant moments.

This novel is fantastic. All the feels. Really, really great writing <and super funny!>. Truly endearing characters. You will stand with Eve as she tells her story and makes her way, and you will adore the supporting cast of Willa, Shep, Ethan, and others. The romantic tension is beyond, and while the door will swing open, it is so well done by the author (you will need a cold compress to cool down).

Five sparkling stars. Love, love, love. I will miss these characters and NYC. My heart has grown.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Random House Publishing Group, Dial Press, and NetGalley for the electronic advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was the sweetest book ever 😭 it was witty and sweet and vulnerable and a little heartbreaking but full of so much LOVE. It was mostly a story about Eve trying to figure out what’s next in her life now that she’s going to be a mom, but it’s also about her and Willa, and her and Shep. The romance was definitely a secondary storyline? But it was also very present throughout the whole thing? It was honestly perfect.

I loved Eve so much. She was a hot mess but who wouldn’t be in her position?? She was so unsure about so many things, but she was also so fiercely independent. I really liked her story arc, because even though it was mostly focused on the baby, she also did a lot of soul searching in every aspect of her life. I loved her and Willa so much. Their friendship was so sweet, and I appreciated that it wasn’t always easy for them because at the end they came out better than ever.

SHEP is my favorite part of the book though. Him and Eve make my heart HAPPY. The way he loves her 🥹 the way she loves him!! I loved how close they were, their friendship was so freaking sweet. I loved that their romance was a slow burn, it kind of had to be?? Because Eve’s life was changing and she was scared and unsure. But he wasn’t going anywhere and I LOVE THAT SO MUCH.

It was in fact kind of a bummer that Ethan was a thing…but he was in fact very necessary for the story! And by the end he was fine. He was just a bummer for most of the time, and it sucked that it wasn’t even really his fault. Even though the way he was acting made things clearer for Eve and that’s what she needed. And at the end the four of them were very very VERY cute!

Thank you so much to Dial Press and netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

5 Stars

I LOVED Ready or Not! I couldn’t seem to put it down & when I had to, I was thinking about it constantly.

Thirty-ish year-old Eve finds herself unexpectedly pregnant after a pretty great one-night-stand. She’s never given much thought to having kids but suddenly she’s having one and has to figure out what comes next with her perfect but tiny apartment, her just okay job, & what about the baby’s father? Eve is asking herself all these questions while also going through a rough patch with her bestie (when she needs her most) and leaning on her good friend she grew up with, who happens to be her bestie’s brother in the process.

Admittedly, I requested an ARC of this book strictly for the stunning cover. I was hesitant once I read the synopsis because I generally don’t love “pregnancy surprise” tropes, but this was done so well. It would make such a good rom-com feel-good movie IMO.

I laughed, I got teary & just really fell hard for this story. It was realistic, heartfelt & all of the characters were flawed but lovable! I also have to say that I really enjoyed Cara Bastone’s writing & voice.

Thank you to NetGalley & Random House Publishing for the ARC of Ready or Not in exchange for an honest review.

Shep won me over and made me like a romance book with pregnancy which I never saw coming! I have so thoroughly enjoyed Bastone's previous books that when I discovered them a few years ago I read 2 of them in the same weekend and barely came up for air. I cannot wait to see what is to come from her and I am so excited for her to have this moment.

I was thrilled when I got accepted for this one! And yes partly because the cover is beautiful. The writing, as always, felt fresh and effortlessly readable. However, I was a bit disappointed to find that it leaned more towards women's fiction than romance.

One highlight was the delicate handling of certain topics, and I appreciated the portrayal of relationship dynamics, especially between Eva and Willa. Shep, the charismatic and supportive male lead, was also a character I loved.

Despite the overall enjoyment, I felt the book was a bit lengthy. The build-up between Shep and Eve was drawn out, and I found myself less invested in their journey than I had hoped. While the romance was lacking, the positive vibes kept me engaged.

I requested this ARC based solely off of the beautiful cover and the fact that I loved Cara Bastone's audible books. I am so glad I did.

I've never been a big fan of the pregnancy trope but this was done so well. I loved watching Eve navigate the ever changing emotions of pregnancy and the realization that motherhood is next. The side characters all had depth and I loved the friends to lovers slow burn. Shep is perfection! The only thing I didn't really love was Ethan's (the baby daddy) storyline. I felt like Eve gave him way more grace than I would have. All in all, I enjoyed this.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

First, THIS GORGEOUS COVER!!!

An incredible cover on a book is like a pretty label on a bottle of wine for me; I just have to pick it up and try it.

And I’m so glad I did! This book isn’t something I would normally choosr, because I usually don’t enjoy pregnancy-related novels. Usually they are too over the top and cheesy, or unrealistic, or the pregnancy is the whole plot. This book was none of those things. I’m happy to report that I felt ‘Ready or Not’ has a pretty realistic, multifaceted storyline and characters you will root for (well except the dreadful ex’s).

The main character in this is Eve, and she is a lot of fun. She works at a save-the-animals type of nonprofit in nyc, has some amazing close friends that she’s known since her Midwest childhood, and has a one night stand with a bartender. That night has some big consequences.

I really enjoyed the way the author made this book funny, but with some serious and challenging moments too. The tension and buildup for the romance storyline was just the right amount. The way Eve’s relationship with the nurse grew over time was heartwarming. I felt that Eve’s best friend (Willa) character was very well written and realistic and that Willa’s role (and her troubles) kept the story balanced.

And of course I adored Shep, Willa’s brother. I wish more Shep’s were out there.

Thank you to the publisher, the author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book and provide an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I actually need a few days to collect my thoughts, but this was absolutely lovely. It felt like a warm hug

4.25 stars! Full review to come

Fairly predictable rom com but it was still a good read that I enjoyed it. It was also a quick read.

Ready or Not follows Eve Hatch as she finds herself unexpectedly pregnant from a one night stand. We follow Eve through each trimester of her pregnancy - dealing with the struggles of connecting with the baby’s father, her best friend’s who has been trying to conceive seeming resentment, and an inconvenient and ill-timed budding crush on an old friend.

I first want to say that I loved Cara Bastone’s style of writing for Eve. It was hilarious and felt like I was reading an internal dialogue. I loved getting Eve’s point of view through her goofy mind.

Second, I hated some of the names in this book! Sometimes I feel like authors try to find the weirdest names, and for what reason? Xenia? Bevi? It’s something that I’ve found in other books and it just annoys me.

However, overall, even though it was a little slow to capture my attention, I thought this book was really sweet. I loved seeing Eve develop as a character, as well as the side characters in the book. I think Bastone did a great job at writing a story that just feels whole and made me feel warm and happy when finishing it.

Thank you to Cara Bastone, Random House Publishing, and NetGalley for the eARC!

sharing my review to goodreads 01.18.2024

this book was a pleasant surprise. cara bastone’s writing is so refreshing and lovely, as she navigates us through the FMC’s journey of an unexpected pregnancy, lifetime friendships, and love. what i loved most about this book was the way it felt like a personal experience i was listening to a friend share. it was truly intimate, emotional, and raw.

i was so impressed with how real this book felt. because of that, i am genuinely excited for the release, and am hopeful it will receive the recognition it deserves!

I've been meaning to pick up a book by Cara Bastone for years, and Ready or Not was such a great place to start. I'm always a little leery of accidental pregnancy books but this one absolutely stole my heart.

The book opens with Eve Hatch in the clinical cold of an OBGYN office confirming that - despite their best efforts at protection - she is indeed pregnant after an out of character one night stand with Ethan, the handsome bartender and proprietor of the neighborhood dog friendly bar. When Eve builds up the nerve to tell Ethan, she's thrown for a loop to find out he's back with his on-again off-again girlfriend who is less than thrilled about this recent development. Thankfully Eve has her best friend, Willa, and Willa's brother, Shep, who are looking out for her.

Listen when I say that Shep is the stuff of book boyfriend dreams. This golden retriever hero absolutely worships the ground that Eve walks on, and the fact she doesn't realize it sooner did make me want to stage an intervention. The way their relationship develops is written with so much tenderness, I was absolutely swooning at small, seemingly insignificant moments in their journey. I also really loved the journey that Eve goes on to accept her pregnancy and embrace her new role as a mother. The author's note at the end said that Bastone was pregnant while she wrote most of this book and you can tell by the astute observations and reflections on motherhood, our bodies, and how society treats women.

Content flags: Willa and Shep's mother died (in the past, off page) but their grief is a major theme; Eve's parents also died (past, off page); accidental pregnancy

I voluntarily read a gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I love to go into books not knowing what to expect. I never read the dust jacket. I just had my card over to the cashier and hope that this book does something for me. This time, it was asking NetGalley and the publisher nicely if I could read the book early. They somehow agreed.

If you haven't retained anything I said, just remember one thing: I had no idea what this book was when I picked it up. I was apprehensive to start it since every book I've read so far this year has been a dud. But by 2:00 AM on Thursday, I was crying softly in my bed, trying so hard not to wake up my dog who was sleeping beside me because this book wrecked me in the best way.

I have only cried once at a book. Well, now two times. But it was never like I cried during this. I cried because he loved her in ways I wanted to be loved. I cried because she loved herself in ways I want to love myself. I cried because crying felt like the only way to express all of the emotions I was feeling from the words on the page. It made me feel sexy, but not like romance sexy. Messy sexy, real sexy. It felt like I read a real life. Someone's messy thoughts in a memoir.

I didn't expect to love this. I didn't expect to fall so hard in love with the characters that I immediately acted out the heart-wrenching scenes and begged the gods that Reese Witherspoon reads this and makes it into a show/movie because lord knows I can't act for shit.

This book will forever be a memory in my mind. I can't even express how much I loved it, how much it made me feel without using my hands to show...something and my mouth hanging open with words that want to come out but I don't know what they are.

I just have one thing to say: Read this book. Read it. Let it change your life (hopefully) like it did mine and fall in love with a girl trying to live life as messy as it is. Go into books without knowing what they are because uncertainty can be the greatest thing in life. And, sorry for sounding like a college essay. But, fuck was this good.

4⭐️

Two of my absolute favorite tropes in a romance: a surprise pregnancy, and a MMC who is just an ooey-gooey, soft, sweet, emotional man. And oh boy, did this book deliver both.

We find out, right from the very start, that Eve is expecting. We know that a ONS has led to her, very surprising, life change. Enter: Ethan. The baby daddy. Also, enter: Shep - Eve’s best friends brother.

I understood Eve on a deep level. She is a bit awkward, a bit weird, and totally flying by the seat of her pants. It takes her some time to come around to being Mom. But as she stumbles her way there, she has one constant. Shep. This boy, I tell ya. I do wish we had gotten chapters from Shep’s POV, but seeing Eve really see Shep felt like we were seeing him too. Seeing the little things he does for her. The things he notices. The softness, the attention, the caring.

Be forewarned going into this - this is the slowest of slow burns. But like the best kind of love, it grows slowly, over time, and then happens allatonce.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review. This was my first time reading this author, and I loved her writing style. Will absolutely be checking out more of her books.

Y’all Ready or Not is an absolute treasure! I binged this fantastic audiobook in a day and left this book bawling happy tears. I have zero complains, none. The narrator filled this book with all the emotions, up and down, and was just wonderful. And the story itself was just… I don’t have words for how good this book made me feel. Eve Hatch isn’t one for surprises; she loves her apartment and her friends, and she’s even content in her dream-adjacent job but a surprise pregnancy changes everything for her—and when her best friend’s brother Shep starts stepping up to help her while the baby’s father is both supportive but conflicted, Eve has to start thinking if content is enough for her. The writing paired with the audiobook narration makes this story so intimate and sweet. It is relatable and fun and heartwarming. These relationships are complex and well developed and authentic. Eve’s best friend has struggled getting pregnant so the honesty and complexity of their friendship is just beautifully done. And Shep. I mean he is perfect—the perfect combo of sexy and cute and kind and masculine. And Eve! She is an amazing lead. She’s funny and real. Genuinely the joy bursts in my heart as I read this book. I left this book feeling friends with these characters and just as a part of their community. I couldn’t put it down, just what a gem of a book!

This has to be one of the sweetest friends to lovers stories I’ve ever read. I was so invested in Eve and Shep’s journey from childhood friends to a slow burn romance.

Cara Bastone wrote each character so well. Even though I got frustrated with Ethan (the baby daddy), Bastone made it so easy to understand and relate to his POV and I found myself empathizing with him. And the other characters were no different. I found each of them loveable in different ways and as a group they formed a beautiful found family.

4.25 stars for this sweet romance.

* I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this book. All thoughts are my own.

I did not expect to love this as much as I did! Shep is a dream and I love how their relationship builds from friendship to romance throughout. I don’t usually love the surprise pregnancy trope, but this one and the last one have changed my mind. I think as long as I know going in, it works for me. Eve may not romantically be with the baby’s father, but she has her own village and you really see how that develops and how everyone has their own parts in the story. Each character has their own complexities that fit into the story perfectly.

Definitely recommend!

This was such an amazingly beautiful book! It was my first read from Cara Bastone and I knew immediately that it wouldn't be my last. She touched on such raw human emotions in an extremely relatable way, while also infusing this book with some humor and funny moments. The characters each stood on their own, growing throughout the book and she never shied away from including those tough moments in relationships, whether it be friendships or romantic.

Ready or Not includes the topics of pregnancy, friendship, grief, love, and the transformative power of growth. I found myself laughing out loud, swooning uncontrollably, and ugly crying my whole way through this book. It is a testament to Cara Baston's talent that she pulled out such strong emotions from her words.

Reader's meet Eve, she has just discovered she is pregnant after a one-night stand. We get to witness the incredible transformation she undergoes as she grapples with her new reality. She is open hearted, kind, and an authentically loving female lead that exudes a warmth that's downright irresistible. Her pregnancy unfolds as a raw, vulnerable, open, and honest expedition through the tumultuous waters of mental, emotional, and physical change. It is truly a riveting portrayal of a woman grappling with the profound shifts in her life. The unexpected discovery of love in unlikely places, the unwavering support, and the comforting embrace that Eve finds during her toughest moments are heartwarming.

The romance in Ready or Not is nothing short of beautiful and heartwarming, making it a new favourite of mine. It truly shows that love happens when you least expect it. A childhood best friends-to-lovers storyline unfolds naturally and authentically, making every moment giggle-worthy and swoon-inducing. The chemistry, banter, and overall connection between the characters are breathtaking, resembling a warm hug filled with comfort, vulnerability, and unwavering love and support.

The portrayal of friendship in this book is remarkably realistic, delving into deeper emotions like grief, loss, and jealousy while emphasizing our shared humanity. Willa and Eve's bond beautifully showcases the complexities and beauty of genuine friendship. I love how Cara Bastone included this beautiful female friendship as I often times wish we had more of these plot lines in romance novels.

From the very first page, Ready or Not captured my heart. The writing is witty, hilarious, raw, and utterly addictive. The pacing is delightful, drawing you in effortlessly, making it a truly enchanting journey. You will not regret picking up this book!!

This book releases on February 13, 2024. Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC!!