Add me to the group of people who requested this book because of the beautiful cover!

The vibes:
• surprise pregnancy
• slow burn romance
• friends to lovers
• found family
• the most perfect book boyfriend 🥰

Amaaazing! I went into this almost blindly and with few details from the cover. I was immediately hooked within the first few chapters. This looks like a romance but it’s so much more! The dialogue between Eve and her friends was funny and refreshing. Everyone in this book is imperfect and relatable. The character development was sooo well done! No third act breakup. No miscommunication. Had the best time reading this! I’ve already preordered my copy. 💕

I requested this book because the stunning cover quite literally took my breath away. I usually just skim a synopsis and I was aware READY OR NOT had the “dreaded” surprise pregnancy trope, which I actually don’t mind at all!

Heads up, this might be a bit more spoiler-y than my usual reviews but I can’t explain what didn’t work for me without giving a bit more information. While I don’t mind the surprise pregnancy trope at all I felt like there was so much missing from the story. The book opens up with our MC, Eve, learning she’s pregnant and that’s pretty much it. She just totally accepts it despite the fact that she never really thought about wanting kids previously. I don’t need her to lament about her options but she just leaves the doctor’s appointment fully accepting of this huge life changing news. I don’t know any woman, even a woman who wants children, that would react to this news so casually.

My other issue was the side character’s struggles with TTC. Again, I’m fine with a pregnancy trope but infertility is my least favorite thing to read about. I’m sure others will really appreciate this and I think it was handled with care, but it just wasn’t for me.

Finally, there’s a blink and you miss it moment that really bothered me. A coworker learns Eve is pregnant and responds with, “I didn’t even know you were married!. Fine, that’s something my 80 year old grandma might have said and I’m sure some people might be judgy but what irritated me was the fact that the author had to point out this woman had a crucifix around her neck. Like only a religious person could have been so rude?

Overall this is a cute story and I definitely appear to be in the minority here. The second half was a little slow and as a nurse, I personally thought the relationship with Eve and Nurse Louise was pretty unprofessional (albeit sweet, I suppose).

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ From Random House Publishing: 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.

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.
*******************
My review: I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. Eve seemed very flighty, unhappy and self centered at first. And that's because she was. Watching her grown into a caring, less selfish person was a nice journey. Shep was the best, too good even. But doesn't everyone need a knight a shining armor?

As a parent I screamed at Eve the first half of the book: You need a better job! You need a bigger apartment! Ask your brothers for support! But seeing it all come together was a good ride. And agins, Shep was perfect. Did I mention that? I like the message that a family can be one you make with the people who happen to be around you.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars because some of Eve's growth seemed a bit out of nowhere and "hurry up, a baby is coming". But overall I really liked this. I will check out the authors other works.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for an advance digital copy in exchange for my review.

Ready or Not is a story of a unexpected pregnancy and what happens along the way to the birth.
I am child free at choice and a surprise pregnancy in a book just turns me off but being the pregnancy is part of the main plot I was definitely fine with it.
Eve is a single girl in Brooklyn trying to figure out how to deal with finding out she’s pregnant and how the baby daddy deals with that with the support of her close friends.
Can I relate to a soon to be mom or being pregnant, not at all but I can with being a female and thinking being a burden on others. Eve is relatable and I enjoyed the story of Willa and Shep is adorable yet a little unbelievable with some of his actions.
Overall it was a cute story and was enjoyable even for this anti baby lady.

Huge thanks to NetGalley, Cara Bastone and Random House Publishing for a eARC in exchange for my honest review

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️- {READY OR NOT- Cara Bastone}

Easily my favorite read of the year! It was perfection from page one - super funny, witty, full of hope and love and all the characters were delightful 🥰 Eve finds out her one night stand was a little more fruitful than she intended and the unplanned pregnancy forces her to focus on herself and her future in a new way. Her job, her friendships, her apartment, her relationship with the men in her life all have to change whether shes ready or not!!!

Eves outlook on life was just so positive, and everyone in the book treated each other with so much decency and kindness. It was honestly a breath of fresh air and the author managed to do so without making it seem overly fake/cheesy. I was genuinely happy throughout the entire thing and would highly recommend this to everyone!

Thanks to @netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was a fun book to read in the fall. The writing made me feel like I was in the middle of the story. A good read for anyone looking of something fun to read.

title: Ready or Not

author: Cara Bastone

publisher: Dial Press Trade Paperback

publication date: February 13, 2024

pages: 400

peppers: 3 (on this scale)

warnings: nausea and puke, unplanned pregnancy, ultra sound, drunkenness

summary: Eve's one-night stand pregnancy reveals who's in her corner and helps her figure out what she wants in work and in love/friendship. 

tropes:

unplanned pregnangy
one-night stand
friends-to-lovers
great best friend
best friend's conception woes
dead parents (long before the book)
distant family
NY apartments
don't know what I want

what I liked: 

going through the pregnancy
a fun, first-person voice
the male lead is really sweet
the baby daddy's angst and its resolution
Eve's work dilemma

what I didn’t like: NA

overall rating: 5 (of 5 stars)

Eve is pregnant, ready or not! As she navigates the world of an unexpected pregnancy alongside her childhood best friend, she learns about herself, her desires, and her capabilities.

A friends to lovers romance that filled my heart up all the way. The writing was a delight, Eve’s voice was a treat, and just enough spice to keep you on your toes!

Heart warming story! Great characters and setting. Wished the ending went a little farther into the future.

Cara Bastone crafts a heartfelt journey of a woman whose unexpected pregnancy after a one night stand throws everything for a loop, including everyone around her. This is not a storyline I go for, but the premise intrigued me and I'm glad I did because I couldn't help but be invested in thanks to the wonderful characters and the writing.

Eve Hatch is actively passively living her life as a single woman in her late 20s. She works in her dream organisation, but not in her dream job, has an apartment she's carefully decorated and loves, and has her best friend since childhood Willa.

Willa, who has been struggling to get pregnant is unable to fully be there for her, while Ethan, the father of the baby, is struggling with impending fatherhood which came while on a break with his on-off girlfriend. However Eve is not alone. Willa's brother Shep steps up in a quietly assured way with practical and emotional support. Are her growing feelings hormones or is she seeing her childhood friend in a new light?

We don't see all of Eve's problems solved, but that's not what this book is about. Instead its a wonderful character study. I really enjoyed watching how her pregnancy acts as a catalyst for Eve's growth to be less passive in all areas of her life, including her career. It was joyful to see her become active in her life, taking charge to go after Shep, building relationships with her much older brothers, and also allowing herself to feel the joy in wanting her baby vs it being an amorphous blob that's coming. I also absolutely adored the selfless Shep who also has in Eve someone who will be his champion (absolutely adored when they were apartment hunting for him). Even Ethan's struggles were realistic, relatable and he was, thankfully not written as a villain like many other books would have done.

The only issue with this book, if you could call it that was I'd have loved an epilogue set at least one year, or, perhaps five years in the future to see how it all worked out. These characters and their found family made me left wanting more.

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Dial Press Trade Paperback and NetGalley for the ARC.

I’m not crying , you’re crying
(… ok , I may be U G L Y crying just a little because the relationships and character development in this book were just that good & I need. to. know. what happens to this fictional family) . I loved everything about this book :: the found family , the character development , the story - it all worked !
I like my authors like I like my sweats :: comfortable with a lot of familiarity. I don’t like to try new things , buy new sweatpants & I don’t like to try new authors . But man , I’m glad that I branched out and read this one .
“Ready or Not” is a bingeable, friends-to-lovers romcom (&& not too spicy) perfect for a mid-winter, looking forward spring blues that is set to publish February 13, 2024 .
I’ve added another 5⭐️ read to my 2023 booklist
Thank you @carabastone , @netgalley , and @randomhouse for the opportunity to read and review this book prior to publication - keep books like this coming !!
#womensfiction #romcom #readyornot #randompublishinghouse #bookstagram #netgalley #goodreads #goodreadschallenge #nyc #friendstolovers #foundfamily #coparenting #tbr

Thank you, Random House/Dial Press Trade Paperback and NetGalley, for the advanced copy of Ready or Not.

This was a one-sit-read for me. As someone who went through a surprise first pregnancy, this hit me in all the feels. Watching Eve transform from the person she was to the mom she becomes was a refreshing, loving, tear-filled journey, and this story just goes to show that family can take shape in so many different ways!

*Play Ready or Not by Bridget Mendler*

A sweet, ooey gooey, slow-burn romance akin to eating eating See’s Candies truffles! I have read Just a Heartbeat Away by Cara Bastone and became a fan, so I was excited to crack open this one. And enjoy it, I did.

This book begins with Eve unexpectedly pregnant, spanning her whole pregnancy and birth of her child. We have tropes galore, aka the obvious surprise pregnancy and best friend’s brother, but in very organic and fresh ways. The love interest, Shep, isn’t the father of Eve’s baby. I felt their relationship develops very naturally. Can I just say that the way Shep centers Eve, by being there for her and doing whatever she needs, is hot! Unselfish love interests don’t come around all that often lol (laughing on the outside, crying on the inside).

The character growth of Eve is *chef’s kiss*. The book doesn’t just deal with her love life but whole life. Eve’s going through a lot of changes (obviously) and shows the effect of pregnancy/upcoming motherhood not just on her but with friends, family, and work too. Her friendship with Willa and the grief of Willa’s/Shep’s Mom who passed a few years ago are well done. Well rounded characters for the win.

My only niggle is that, a few times, scenes were glossed over and it would be told what occurred instead of actually experiencing it with the character. The last 20% also felt slightly rushed as well. I still overall enjoyed this book and you can check it out for yourself in February 2024.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was absolutely unputdownable, I was hooked from the very first chapter because this isn’t just about two people falling in love, it’s about building a community of people who love you and who you love in return.

And Shep, oh Shep. I’m crying a little writing this review because he was the sweetest, kindest love interest I’ve ever read. He loves Eve so purely, so sweetly that you as the reader can’t help falling a little in love with him too.

I really, really loved this book. And the cover is so beautiful which makes it even better.

For my friends who love a romance, but don’t love the spice, I’m letting you know that it’s mostly kissing, but there is one spicy scene to skip over.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review, I loved it.

What I really need is for books to STOP MAKING ME CRY!! This book was literally everything. As someone who genuinely does not want children, I can’t think of something I like much less than a surprise pregnancy in books because I love seeing parts of myself in the characters. But this book. I loved it. I loved every thing about Eve’s journey. I love that she had her own little family. I love Shep. New book boyfriend. 10/10. 5 stars.

Eve. You sweet, sweet flower. Eve had me laughing so much with her monologue. I could picture things she was saying so clearly and her reactions were just the best. Shep - the patient and steady friend turned love of her life. Ethan - the genuinely good guy who didn’t know what to do or how to be a part of the pregnancy.

When I tell you that I spent the last 30% of the book in tears...the good kind. I was just so genuinely happy for them. What a magical ending. No third act breakup. No miscommunication. This book. 🥰🥹

I went into this book completely blind and it ended up making my top 5 books this year easily!
I love love loved Shep and Ethan, so I’m glad I didn’t really need to choose between the two 🥲 I already can’t wait to re-read this story

I've been obsessed with Cara Bastone's Audible originals and was so excited when I saw that she was writing a pregnancy trope novel. One thing that this book does differently is that it isn't clear cut who our main character is going to end up with. She is really just trying to be more secure in herself as she prepares to also be a mom, and happens to fall in love. It was such a sweet novel and I would also love a prequel about her best friend and her husband!!

In Ready or Not, a surprise pregnancy is life changing in more ways than one. We’ve got found family, caretaking, and self discovery. We’ve got an adorable, pining, cinnamon roll hero- childhood best friend’s older brother, not the baby’s dad! (Apparently I am a sucker for a pregnancy romance when the love interest is not the father- I also loved it in Talia Hibbert’s Damages Goods).) No one writes the stomach swooping joy of falling in love like Cara Bastone.

Unexpected pregnancy is the perfect trope for a cinnamon roll hero. Shep is pure wish fulfillment- there to meet Eve’s every need and to do it while being low maintenance, funny, and hot. He is basically a golden retriever, complete with hair petting. And hugs! Love and affection are tactile in the best, most comfy way. I loved the descriptions of how Eve experiences hugs from different people, especially Shep.

I don’t always love a pining MC who hides it for years, but the way Bastone characterizes their transition from childhood friends to adulthood made me not mind it here. And she articulates the resonance and depth of history in their relationship beautifully, such that we get to see Eve falling for Shep more as a gradual awakening to something already there. Her pregnancy and his care for her are the catalysts for her conscious realization of something we get the sense she’s maybe always subconsciously known.

Ready or Not is more like women’s fiction with a strong romantic element, and I found Eve’s journey very compelling- the metacognitive evolution of how she thinks about the pregnancy and the baby, and how that alters how she thinks about the world. I also enjoyed the specificity of Bastone’s depiction of grief- Willa’s struggle with fertility, their collective grief at the loss of Willa and Shep’s mom. And I loved the glimpses we got of Eve’s older brothers- I wish they’d been fleshed out more!

I can’t wait til this comes out so people can talk to me about it! I can already tell it’s going to be a regular comfort reread. Ready or Not comes out in February 2024.

I received an ARC from NetGalley, my opinions are my own.

I was so excited to read Cara Bastone’s latest book, and it surpassed my expectations. Her “About the Author” describes her as “find[ing] the swoon in ordinary love stories,” which is right on the money.

I first read Bastone’s Forever Yours series during the pandemic afrer her books recommended on r/RomanceBooks (those readers never steer me wrong). Ready or Not was worth the wait.

I wasn’t sure what to expect with the unplanned pregnancy trope, but Bastone handled it with tact and humor. The characters, especially Eve, Ethan and Shep, are fully developed and nuanced. I always like Bastone’s male characters.

Read if you like:
🩵 Unplanned pregnancy
🩵 Friends to lovers
🩵 Big city settings
🩵 Found family

Thanks so much to NetGalley and The Dial Press for an eARC in exchange for my honest review! Don’t miss this book when it releases on 2/13/24!

I just finished this delightful book. It leaves your heart feeling warm.
Eve has a one-night stand with Ethan and finds out about 4 weeks later that she is pregnant.
The next 8 months are a roller-coaster of emotions as Eve navigates an awkward relationship with her best friend who's been trying unsuccessfully to get pregnant; her work as she decides what she truly wants to be "when she grows up"; a rubber band (he gets close, he pulls back) relationship with Ethan; and new feelings for someone who's been in her life for almost forever.
It's a feel good romance that you know will have a happy ending. I'd be game for a sequel focusing on Ethan.