I love Cara Bastone and I was so happy to receive this book for a review. However after 200 pages I stopped and didn't want to go back to reading... something is off. Definitely not my favorite one.

This was such a feel-good romance that made you fell in love with every character - even the protagonist came around in the end! Shep was appropriately named with the most loveable, golden retriever energy, and his chemistry with Eve was fantastic. Some parts lulled a bit, but overall I found a lot of parts relatable and the writing flowed well. Thanks so much for the ARC - I think a lot of readers are bound to fall in love with this one!

In the novel Ready or Not by Cara Bastone, Eve finds her actions which lead to a one-night stand have now led to a surprise pregnancy and her otherwise steady and predictable life is now anything but predictable. Eve's best friend, Willa, is struggling with Eve's news, Willa's brother, Shep, is stepping up in ways no one could predict and the father of her soon-to-be baby keeps coming and going in her life. While Eve's life keeps taking unexpected turns, she finds family and love in the most unexpected places.
I truly enjoyed this novel and the characters in it. I found myself rooting for everyone and hoping that they would all get their happy ever after. Even the some-what "villain" ends up having redeeming qualities and everyone in the book helps propel the story and Eve's character forward in her growth.
Ready or Not is a wonderful story that I found myself shedding a few tears at the end and I was very happy with the conclusion.

Thank you very much for the opportunity to read this book early! I really enjoyed it. I thought the writing was very well done, and the story kept me interested. Plus, the characters were realistic and raw enough to have me hooked too, and in this house we love a good romance and this did not disappoint!

Eve finds herself unexpectedly pregnant after a one-night stand, while she’s trying to get a handle on this new reality everyone else in her life is having different reactions to her pregnancy. Her always been there for everything best friend is retreating further away from her as her pregnancy goes on, her co-workers don’t know the right thing to say to her, to top it of the father of the baby can’t make up his mind if he wants to be in the baby’s life or not. Thankfully she’s been able to lean on Shep, her best friend’s older brother for support as she comes to terms with the reality of being a mother, but the more time she spends with Shep the more she begins to see him in a new light, how is it that she’s never noticed how good looking he is? As these feelings begin to grow into something more, she can’t help asking herself, are these new feelings real or just pregnancy hormones?

Eve is such a great FMC, she wasn’t a perfect FMC but given an unplanned pregnancy and everything else she was dealing with I don’t expect her to be, she was trying to make the best choice’s while many times trying to consider other people’s feelings and I loved the moment she decided she was going to do things for herself and stop waiting for people to step up. You go girl! Her growth throughout the book was amazing, from the nervous lost woman we see in the beginning to a strong woman that knows what she wants by the end of the book, we just love to see it.

The romance was done so well, Shep was perfect. While everyone else was dealing with their own emotions on the pregnancy, Shep was the unwavered support that was always in Eve’s corner, and that speech that Shep gave to Ethan (the baby’s father) where he finally expressed how he really felt about Ethan being that father…just break my heart why don’t you.

One thing that I would have wanted is an epilogue, I would have liked one year later or heck even one month later to see how the characters are doing. That’s not to say that the way the book ended wasn’t satisfactory on its own, it does give the reader hope that everything will work out, I guess I just wanted more.

Solid four stars

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ready or Not, by Cara Bastone, is a wonderful book, full of friendship, love, life lessons and choices that affect the rest of one’s life. Eve, the main character, is thrown headfirst into a new reality, and the incredible people around her help her grow into self-discovery as well as mature into the woman she was always destined to become. This novel is a perfect example that ‘life happens’ but love ultimately prevails, and that sometimes your family is not always with whom you are born and raised, but those people who fall into your life when you need them most.

Eve finds herself unexpectedly pregnant after a one-night stand.This is the story of how her pregnancy affects her relationships, her work, and her love life. I was genuinely surprised how much I liked this book. Shep as a romantic hero just melted my heart! And the chemistry between Shep and Eve once they found each other was HOT!

Finally an unplanned pregnancy book that doesn't center around a teenager. I loved Ready or Not by Cara Bastone. Even though I absolutely knew where the story was going to go, I was ready to follow her there!

Ready or Not surprised me, but in the absolute best way. I've never read a book with the pregnancy trope before and was a little worried I wouldn't enjoy it, but this was done SO WELL. Eve is such a strong FMC. We get to see her struggles as she comes to terms with being pregnant and the idea of motherhood and everything that comes with it. The worries she had plague so many expectant mothers (from 'oh my god how to do I tell everyone I'm pregnant??' to figuring out how you will be able to afford to pay for everything baby-related) and it made her a very relatable character and was so cool to see her figure out that she can do it, and that she doesn't need to do it alone necessarily. AND THE ROMANCE. Oh my god. OH MY GOD. I don't think I've ever fallen harder for a MMC. Shep Balder is the most adorable, perfect, golden retriever love interest. He is so swoony and must be protected at all costs. I love a good spill-your-guts scene (you know, when the two main characters FINALLY tell each other how they feel) and this one doesn't disappoint. I really liked that this book shows you don't have to end up with your child's father to have a perfect happy ending, and that everything absolutely happens for a reason (even if it doesn't seem like it in the moment). Five stars. A million stars. I'll just be smiling like an idiot to myself over how freaking cute this book was. Thank you to NetGalley and Cara Bastone for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

This book had me hooked - I could not stop thinking about it, and read it within 24 hours. If you're not someone who likes a surprise pregnancy, that's the over-arching trope in this book, along with friends to lovers.

I'd say this book is about 4.5 stars for me - there were a couple of areas that I felt dragged a bit, but otherwise this was a poignant book about accidental pregnancy, and how it changes lives all around. I definitely recommend this to friends!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

I was super excited to read this new book by Cara Bastone! I found the writing fresh and easy-to-read as per of the author. Though, this is mostly leaning towards women fiction (which was a bit disappointing) than romance.

Most important was that certain topics were handled very delicately and I appreciated the relationship dynamics that were shown (I.e. Eva and Willa). I loved Shep too, he’s a charismatic and supportive male lead.

Lastly, I think this book was enjoyable enough, but was also too long. The build up with Shep and Eve was drawn out and I felt myself being less invested in their journey as I’d hoped. Overall, the romance was lacking but I stayed for the vibes 😎

Thank you NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group and Cara Bastone for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is everything. Everything I want in a book. It is tender and funny and romantic and self-affirming. It has friendship and family and love. Painful experiences, heartbreaks and moments of complete joy and fulfillment. It is complicated and messy but heartwarming and uplifting. As a mother, a wife, a friend, a sister, a human… I just felt every moment of it with my whole soul.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts are my very own.

loved this romance between friends and that she had a one night stand and got pregnant and trying to navigate those situations and doing her job and slowly finding out that shep was in love with her and she was in love with him. Loved this friends to lovers romance and that things got figured out with the baby .

When I requested this book, I wasn't sure if I was going to like it but decided to give it a try anyways. I am not a huge fan of the pregnancy trope or anything but I was actually a big fan of this book. It was a very cute read about not being ready to literally make and take care of another human being. Which honestly is so relatable. I really liked Eve's character but by far Shep was my favorite thing about this book. Can I please get a Shep for myself.

This was one of the best accidental pregnancy books I have ever read. It will definitely be on my top reads on my Instagram for next year. I have already preordered and cannot wait to post on my insta.

Overall, I really liked this book. I genuinely enjoyed getting to know all the different characters, and watching them learn and change and mature in various ways. I found myself laughing out loud many times, and there were tears at several points, too.

As someone who is childless not by choice, I identify the most with the character of Willa, so I kind of found myself wanting to read more about her perspective of things, but I get that that’s not the main story the author was trying to tell. I’m glad that she was included in the story, though, and I think her character was treated with compassion.

I also liked the character of Shep, but he almost seemed a little too perfect, somehow? I think I ended up liking Ethan a little better, just because of the struggles that he goes through and overcomes over the course of the book, and a part of me wanted him to end up with Eve. But, overall, I was satisfied with how the story ended.

I really enjoyed reading this one and am curious to read more by this author.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Readers who enjoy accidental pregnancy, friends-to-lovers, best friend's brother tropes will find a lot to like about Ready or Not. It is a sweet story with a heartwarming conclusion.

I personally didn't connect to any of the characters and wish we had more character development and insight into Eve's decision-making and personality.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

Guy Falls First, Friends to Lover and Found Family? Count me in!

Eve wants it all - a dream job, a dream guy, and a perfectly decorated apartment. After a one-night stand leads to an unplanned pregnancy, she is forced to reevaluate her relationships, her future, and how to figure out what she truly wants for herself. She discovers that love and family can surprise you when you least expect it. Will it be the baby daddy or her best friend's brother?

I typically steer clear of the unplanned pregnancy trope, but took a chance on this one (the cover is amazing) and LOVED IT. I laughed and cried throughout. I loved how the author didn't sugarcoat life's messiness and the complexities of adult friendships. This was my first time reading Cara Bastone and definitely won't be my last. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a beautiful, authentic, and touching read! Trigger warnings: Eve's best friend is dealing with infertility.

My favorite quote was towards the end: "You're a love letter too, (...) You're here because we all love you so much."

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and Cara Bastone for granting me access to this book. All opinions are my own.

I was invited to read this one on Net Galley and wow, I’m so glad I was. This book made me feel so seen and understood. The main character finds out she is unexpectedly pregnant and spends the next nine months watching her entire life change. She is single, living away from family, wanting her career to advance and smitten with two different men, but she is determined to do the best she can for her baby. To be honest, I didn’t love being pregnant, I love my daughter with everything I have but I never felt that “pregnancy glow”. I think women feel so much pressure to make it seem like they are happy during pregnancy and this book just felt way more realistic and relatable to me. Plus the love interests in this book are so genuine and kind and reminded me of my husband.

This book is for everyone though! I truly believe you’ll enjoy it even if you’ve never been pregnant or never want to be.

This was sooo good!! It's angsty, entertaining with with witty dialogues, charming MCs, and the tension that sparks off the page. But I also loved how the friendship and the kinda forced proximity made all their feelings come bubbling to the surface. Absolutely adorable and the cutest. Plus, enjoyed that unconventional ending too!