Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for an arc in exchange for my honest opinions.

Publication: February 13, 2024

Rating: 4 stars

Oh my heart! I did not realize how much love I would have for this book! This was my first book by Bastone and won't be my last.
Firstly, Shep is my new book boyfriend but also so is Ethan. The first thing that grabbed me to this book was the vibrant cover.
Next, I was a little nervous about the pregnancy trope ( think of the scene where Buddy the Elf is testing out the jack in the boxes). However, this book had me rooting for Eve and I loved her support system/side characters!
Overall, I enjoyed this emotional read that plucked at my heart strings and had a writing style that let me fall right in!

Perfect for fans:
- Best friend's brother
- Friends to lovers
- Slow burn
- Pregnancy trope
- FMC who's a little messy/trying to get it all together
- Found family
- Growth of FMC
- Emotional read similar to K.A. Tucker's "Simple Wild"

I really enjoy Cara Bastone’s stories and humor, so though pregnancy stories aren’t usually something I gravitate towards I was excited to read Ready or Not. This is so obviously a book full of love and care and I love the chosen family and community that Eve has along her journey. This was a really fun book and I loved the blend of humor and serious feelings and experiences.

To be perfectly honest, I requested this book because the cover was so cute that I couldn’t resist — I’m so glad that I did! To me, this story reads like a conversation; it flows naturally and is (charmingly) quirky, with all of the moments of daily life beautifully portrayed (from the inspiring revelatory ones to the most mundane awkward ones).

In a very raw and real way, Ready or Not tells a modern day story of a woman who gets unexpectedly pregnant after a one-night stand. In a way, it’s a coming-of-age story because through Eve’s pregnancy, she discovers herself and navigates the intricacies of a variety of a relationships, as well as the typical life experiences of many (especially at that age), like figuring out what she wants out of life, making career decisions, facing grief, and more.

It’s laugh-out-loud funny at times, with a touch of spice and heartwarming moments throughout. Such a fun and light read!

Thank you to NetGalley, Dial Press Trade Paperback, and Cara Bastone for providing me with this free e-ARC in exchange for a review!

This book was a surprise in the best way. The whole story spans Eve's pregnancy, which I didn't think I'd enjoy, but actually really did.
I loved how the author wrote Eve's self-deprecating humor. I really, really loved Shep. He was a constant, a solid, a quiet strength. These two gravitated towards each other like they were meant to be.
I was skeptical about Eve being pregnant from another man, and ending up with someone else, but the story actually worked. Ethan (baby daddy)'s struggles were understandable, and it was great to see how he pulled through and showed up.
Willa's struggles to get pregnant were heart-wrenching to read about: her navigating that while her best friend accidentally gets pregnant.
Overall this was a very enjoyable and entertaining read, with heartwarming moments that make the reader root for all the characters.

Trigger warning for people who struggle to conceive.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

I truly loved this authors writing style and character-building. Love a dog bar, love a narrator who makes dark awkward jokes, and love strong, complex female friendships.

That said, I slogged through this book. I don’t know why. Maybe because I really don’t want to relive nine months of pregnancy during my only alone time?

Will gladly read her next book but this one wasn’t for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the early copy!

this book was cute! it’s suprised pregnancy and friends to lovers, also slow burn as well! i loved the characters and the storyline. this is the first book i’ve read by this author and wouldn’t be my last. the only thing i would have to say about this book is that i’m not a big fan of slow burn and also it was in first person and usually i enjoy dual pov or past and present chapters. overall this was a good book!

I enjoyed this engaging story that unfolds unexpected twists in Eve's life during her unexpected pregnancy. The characters, especially Shep's surprising role, added depth to the narrative. The exploration of family, love, and personal growth made it a compelling read.

Ready or Not this title is perfect for this book.
I went into this not reading the synopsis, no expectations, no preconception or knowledge. It was the best thing I ever did.

WOW. How did I not know I need this book. This book is something different and warm and just a lovely tale of an accidentally pregnancy that does not follow any cliche or trope of pregnancy theme books.

Eve is such a character. Understanding but yes knows her boundaries and needs. Actually understanding is an understatement, she has the mindset of a saint. How gracious she is to the father of her baby, her friends, and just people in her life that react differently and less supportive or are ambiguous. It’s the kind of person you would want to be when face with such a hurdle with an unexpected pregnancy as a single mom.

But I love the epiphany she is faced with. That a lot of times people are self centered in their view point and that motherhood changes that perspective. I find that such a kernel of wisdom.

I also found it super ENDEARING Sheps looong crush to Eve. How supportive he is with her. How caring he is and how because he loves Eve more than anything he is willing to get along with the father of her baby.

This story was perfect that I felt no major crisis or apprehension while reading this.
The ending was perfect.

Would definitely recommend this to everyone!!

Thank you netgalley for this earc for an honest review. I cannot wait to get a physical copy of this.

An accidental pregnancy turns Eve’s world upside down as she grapples with her new life and a world of decisions and changes. It’s a genuinely slow burn but with really well-drawn characters and, ultimately, a hard-earned emotional punch. I haven’t read a book quite like it in a long time.

I was not ready for Ready or Not to steal my heart as wholly and completely as it did. I was laughing, crying, smiling like an idiot. Cara hit the pregnancy nail on the head with this one, capturing all the complex emotions that come with realizing the world is so much bigger than just yourself.

Eve was me in a nutshell. Struggling to make the big decisions, wanting life to happen instead of making it happen. I loved her, I loved her arc, her fun spirit. All of it.

Shep became the love of my life the moment he stepped on the page, the perfect book boy, and exactly what Eve needed. He wasn't an over the top PERFECT man, he was real, and goofy, and perfect in his imperfections.

Ten out of ten.

This one was such a lovely story, this book was beatyfullly written and moving. After a one night Stan Eve finds herself pregnant, with this in mind this books has an eye opening take in pregnancy and how those feelings can be overwhelming. Then we have Ethan, the bio dad who wants to do the right thing but due to his circumstances, he just keeps falling short. Finally Shep, her BFF’s older brother who is a total golden retriever type. He is there for her and being amazing!

I loved this book!

Content Warnings
- Open Door (One sex scene and one scene interrupted before sex was had)
- Language (minimal - maybe 15-20 words total)
- Death of Parent
- Talk of Miscarriage/Infertility

Troupes
- Slow Burn
- Best Friend's Brother
- Sprise Pregnancy
- Childhood Friends to Lovers

Gahhh! I LOVE a good slow burn! I couldn't stop reading because I needed more. Shep had me 🤤 I was literally grinning ear to ear while reading. Literally swooning any time he was mentioned or around!!! Totally in the top 2 best book boyfriends.
Going in, I thought pregnancy was going to be a minimal aspect of this book but not the whole premise. I was skeptical and didn't know if I would be into the whole pregnancy troupe, but I was actually pretty into it. It was very touching to journey with Eve and go through all the emotions with her. Also, the way Shep and Ethan handled things was cheifs kiss. Very well done. 👏🏻 This was also my first Bastone book, but I don't think it will be my last.

Dislikes:
- One point in an ultrasound Eve stated that they wouldn't know the gender until the baby decided its own gender. Then, in a pregnancy yoga class, a pregnant woman announced herself as they. I understand that everyone is different, but I am frankly tired of everything going woke and shoved down our throats. Can we just read a book and not have to deal with all that?

- I prefer clean or closed door romances, but I was able to skip past the one open door scene. It was pretty descriptive but a fairly short scene. Not a lot of skipping had to be done.

This book brought me so much pure joy. The characters felt so real to me, I was so fully transported to Brooklyn, and I loved how honestly everything was handled. My heart grew three sizes at the end. I can't wait to go back and read more of Bastone's work.

Eve thought her life was comfortably routine until an unplanned pregnancy turned everything upside down. Her relationship with her best friend Willa is strained, but surprisingly, Willa's brother Shep becomes a major source of support.
Juggling emotions from telling the baby's father and dealing with the upcoming reality of motherhood, Eve starts questioning her desires and the predictability she once enjoyed. Throughout her pregnancy, Eve learns that love and family can sneak up on you when you least expect it.

This book was an unexpected delight and I tore through it in an afternoon.

Eve was a very engaging MC and I fell in love with Shep early on. Shep is a rock solid support/golden retriever character who seems to perfectly compliment Eve’s personality while somehow knowing how to support her at every step. I love a good friends to lovers story and this love story did not disappoint.

Areas for improvement include 1) the addition of a trigger warning for infertility as a heads up and 2) the topic of infertility and the character struggling with it felt somewhat glossed over at times even though it contributes to a major plot point in the book.

Other than the indicated areas for improvement, this book is a new favorite and I look forward to recommending this once as it is released in February.

Big thanks to Cara Bastogne, St Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the ARC.

The main character in this story is incredibly likable. She makes, well, poor choices, but balances that with a nonplussed sense of humor. And gathers found family to her like moths to a flame.

I don't really know how to rate this book, though. I feel so conflicted. In general, the plot drags while feeling predictable. And somehow, no one admits they've made any mistakes.

But Eve learns her lesson(s) - and found family is my favorite trope!

"This isn't all about me. It isn't all about Ethan, or Willa, or Shep, or even the baby. It's a web - God, what a perfect system because - each of us is somebody's favorite."

infinite star read!

this book was absolutely amazing. I found myself absolutely immersed in Eve's story and the journey she goes on in this book. this is a twist of the surprise pregnancy trope, but it was truly phenomenal. the way the author is able to craft such a raw & realistic story that makes you connect with all of the characters included is so beautiful.

we follow Eve after a one-night stand that results in her getting pregnant, however, there is a major twist in the situation that makes the story unique. I applaud the author for making this specific set of tropes work so well, I was extremely hesitant at first but boy was I pleasantly surprised with the outcome. Eve is battling many things within this storyline, including grief which was so touching to read, but she is such a light. I automatically found comfort in her character, she is goofy, well-developed, and overall a truly wonderful character to read about. Her strength, courage, and resilience were extremely admirable, and I connected so much to her instantly.

One thing I truly enjoyed about this book was the relationships and how they were handled. Cara Bastone did an amazing job at handling these relationships and the conflicts between characters so well. I loved how natural the romantic relationship felt, we saw them go from childhood friends to platonic to romantic with such a gentle fluidity. Additionally, the relationship between Eve and her best friend is absolutely beautiful, considering her best friend struggles with fertility. It was wonderful to read how these characters communicated and blended so well together, the found family HIT on this one. even though the relationship between Eve and her baby's father was incredible, it is clear that Cara took time working out how everything would fall into place for each and every character and handled each storyline (big or small) with absolute care.

Overall, I just loved this book. I love every single character. this story unexpectedly became one of my favorite stories to read about. I definitely want to read this author's backlist because I fell in love with her writing and her ability to craft such a breathtaking book. I loved reading her author's note at the end because it added even more to my reading experience and made me feel so connected to her!

I recommend this book to any fans of Abby Jimenez, Ashley Poston, and Hannah Bonam-Young. If you want depth, this is your book. The mix of romance and women's fiction together made this such a wonderful read.

This was my first novel by this author and it was SO CUTE! I loved how real and raw things were and how the characters made their way to each other in a very realistic way. I'll definitely be checking out her other stuff!

This book was beautiful and ended so perfectly but there were parts that were hard or frustrating to read but it is because they rung so true to life. There is witty banter. But occasionally there were lulls in the story line that didn't seem to perpetuate the story, build character, or anything so that left me skipping small sections. Overall I would recommend the read though. Thanks #netgalley for the read!

A bit of a twist on a "surprise pregnancy" book for sure, but one I greatly enjoyed. I did get a little frustrated with the FMC, as she seemed lost (outside of the pregnancy, which is understandable). But I did love the different themes of infertility, single parenthood, co-parenting, found family, and falling in love. The other thing I enjoyed is that this would have been easy to inject a lot of angst into the story for all of the characters and it didn't go that route. I loved the surety of the male love interest in his feelings for the FMC.

This had some good moments but Bastone didn’t deliver (pun intended) with this for me. Eve was a flake and Shep was the boyfriend we all want but don’t deserve. The Ethan situation was just too complex for a rom-com—or what I thought was meant to be a rom-com. The sex vs. gender commentary was out of nowhere, as were the pronouns during the pregnancy yoga class. I really didn’t like Eve or how this was trying to be a manual on how to talk to a pregnant person. Thank you to NetGalley for a digital copy