i've been getting real into pregnancy trope recently so this found me at a GREAT time

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.

Eve loves her life. She lives in Brooklyn in an apartment she has meticulously decorated to be a cozy home. She lives close to her childhood best friend Willa,after they moved to New York together after college, and Willa’s brother Shep, who moved in with Willa after his breakup. She doesn’t have her dream position but she is working for the conservation agency she has always dreamed of. A one night stand resulting in a surprise pregnancy was not in the cards, but she is determined to find a way to make her baby fit in her life. But she might have to make a few more changes then she realizes.
I loved this book. Eve is so incredibly determined. She is giving her life everything she has to make it the one she needs. Willa and Eve are so familiar to watch, longtime friends who are struggling with navigating the big changes happening in their lives and how to help each other through them. And Shep, he’s pretty great. I love how @carabastone handles some of the bigger challenges like infertility, loss, fear, and self discovery. She treats all of her characters with love and kindness. It’s easy to see parts of yourself and your loved ones in these people as they feel so real. And the cover for this one is one of my favourites this year, it’s such a perfect representation of what’s on the inside.
Thank you to @netgalley and @thedialpress for letting me review this one. Look for this one Feb 24 2024
#bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookreview #bookrecommendations #readersofinstagram #read #cozybooks #reading #readersgonnaread #booklover #booklover #bookobsessed #bookworm #bookish #readmorebooks #readersofinstagram

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for a review.

This was my first book by Cara Bastone, and I really enjoyed it. The plot and conflicts in this book were rich and interesting. I liked the characters and their quirls made them feel like real people I could know! I enjoyed that, for the most part, the romance of this book fully sat on the back burner to Eve's bigger story about who she was and what she wanted. I liked that this book was romantic but it wasn't a full romance book and Even goes through a full character arc. I wish we'd gotten the same for some of the secondary characters. I want to know more about her best friend and I wish we'd seen more of her and her story throughout the book

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.

Has Cara Bastone ever written a book I didn’t absolutely love? No, never. I will think of this book for a long time. I loved getting to see Eve’s pregnancy and how her relationships in her life changed with her. It was a beautiful story and I loved nurse Louise. Even if you aren’t into the pregnancy trope you should still give this book a try. Ugh can’t recommend this enough!!!

I really enjoyed this new romance book by Cara Bastone. I love Bastone's Forever Yours series so I was really excited to read this one. The story focuses on Eve who gets pregnant from a one night stand with a bartender she barely knows. Throw in a best friend struggling with infertility issues, and her cute little brother, and some friction ensues. I loved the slow burn between Eve and Shep, as well as Eve's relationship with her best friend, Willa. I also really enjoyed that Ethan (the baby daddy) was a fully-formed, complex character. He could have easily been written as a dead beat loser not interested in his kid. Instead he was a nice guy really struggling with things. Overall, a great read!

I feel 100% head over heels in love with this story and never wanted it to end. In this book, Eve has just found out she’s pregnant after a one night stand with handsome bartender Ethan. It’s completely unplanned but she’s determined to make the best of it. But, it’s complicated when she tells her best friend Willa who has been trying to get pregnant for years. So it’s Willa’s older brother, and Eve’s childhood friend Shep who steps up and is there for her through everything - including as Ethan tries to decide how involved he wants to be in the baby’s life. After spending more and more time together, Eve and Shep start to look at each other in a different light and Eve wonders if what she’s been looking for has always been right in front of her.

Though this sounds like a typical romance, it’s anything but. The love story is all butterflies and heart eyes to be sure, but at it’s core this is a book about who you can count on, the complications that can arise between friends, and going after what you want. I loved everything about this book.

Friends to lovers is my very favorite trope and this had the exact sort of banter and smiles that I’d expect from that trope. This book was funny and lighthearted but also very serious in the way that it handled the complications at its center. The reactions to Eve’s pregnancy struck me as particularly realistic - specifically from Willa and Ethan and I found myself feeling both sympathy for them and an overwhelming urge to shake them by their shoulders.

I could’ve easily read hundreds of more pages about the people in this story and they aren’t a group that I will soon forget. I cannot wait to get a physical copy of this book into my hands when it comes out.

This book will be featured on an upcoming episode of Reading Through Life podcast.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC. Below are my honest thoughts on this book.

This novel follows Eve, a woman who became pregnant following a one night stand. The story begins with confirming Eve’s pregnancy and follows her throughout the 9 months. We see how her pregnancy affected some of her relationships both in her personal life and at work. Eve also struggles to have a relationship with baby daddy Ethan, since his girlfriend doesn’t want him to be involved in Eve and his child’s lives. Finally we get to see Eve and Shep move from childhood friends to lovers, as she learns he’s loved her since childhood.

I’ve seen lots of positive and rave reviews prior to starting this book, so I was super excited to read this one. I did enjoy this book, however I do feel that it went on a little too long. The buildup to Eve and Shep getting together felt a little too drawn out for my taste. A slow burn romance really isn’t my thing.

I did like how the relationship between Eve and her best friend Willa was portrayed. Willa is happily married and has been struggling to conceive when Eve gets pregnant by mistake. Willa initially finds it difficult to be happy for Eve and her accidental pregnancy. As someone who has struggled with infertility it can definitely be difficult to be happy for your friends or family who get pregnant so easily when it’s something you’ve been trying so hard yourself to do. I appreciated seeing that dynamic represented, and that the author didn’t shy away from topics such as infertility and pregnancy loss.

Also as a nurse the relationship towards the end of the book between nurse Louise and Eve is totally unprofessional. Nurses don’t give current patients their personal phone number no matter the patient’s circumstance. It makes for a touching sentiment that after it all, nurse Louise is there… but as a nurse, it irks me.

My final thoughts was that the story was good, it definitely had potential. As someone who’s experienced pregnancy I appreciate how it doesn’t change all parts of your life. I feel like the objective could have been accomplished in about 100 fewer pages though.

Thank you, net galley, for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
This was such a cute read! I know that some people struggle with the accidental pregnancy trope, but I didn’t mind this one. This story was so fun and cute, and I loved it! It was the first read of mine by this author and I really enjoyed it. I also loved the setting of the story, as NYC is one of my favorite places. Bravo on this debut novel!

I LOVED this book and inhaled it in two days. I may or may not have stayed up until 1am reading it (I did. I definitely did). I loved the inclusivity and lack of negative-drama in this story - it's life: raw, sometimes painful, sometimes really, really, hard, and yet beautiful. I loved that all characters were REAL in their struggles and expectations of each other. And I'm so thankful to have my very own Shep - what a beautiful character of a man!

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group for the complimentary ARC.

Wow I absolutely loved this book. It made me happy and sad and made me laugh and cry. It was such a great story of an untraditional road to pregnancy and family and that even if something isn't perfect doesn't mean it can't be beautiful. I sobbed the last few chapters. Such a lovely and heartfelt book!

5 star for Ready or Not!
This was my first novel from Cara Bastone and I LOVED it. It had me hooked from the first page. I know people have strong feelings about pregnancy tropes, but Cara did an amazing job. It was heartfelt and realistic. The character growth throughout the book was beautifully written and had me falling in love with the characters. Every character served a purpose, and one of my favourite parts ended up being advice that a nurse gave the main character about how once you become a mother, you go from being self-centered to others-centered, and I’ve never related to anything more! This heartwarming book had me smiling down at the page and kicking my feet giddy more than once!

Keep an eye out for this one in early 2024!

So, this novel was super cute. I know the pregnancy trope is not everyone's jam, but it doesn't bother me, and I would definitely recommend this book. Ready or Not is about Eve, who gets the surprise of her life: a VERY unplanned pregnancy after a steamy one-night stand. Filled with humor, emotion, and love, it's a read worth your while. If you enjoy a friends to lovers, a lil' love triangle, found family, and a slow burn. This book is for you. I also love a book that has the Brooklyn/NYC vibes (as a New Yorker, a book set in New York is always going to be my jam). Plus, the cover is absolutely GORGEOUS! So when the book comes out don't over look it. It's a strong debut!

*Thank your Random House Publishing Group for the complimentary ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

#readyornot #netgalley

This talented author has written a book that resonates with the reader. Realistic fiction. A surprise pregnancy. Love and romance. The father decides to be in the picture. A boyfriend. Friends and family. All of these characters keep this story moving quickly. The journey is fun. This is a cannot put down story of what can happen. What might happen. Surprises also. Thank you Netgalley.

I need my own Shep. I loved so much about him and how he always stepped up to the plate to help Eve in any way during her pregnancy. I love how Eve and Shep’s relationship progressed through out the book. And those spicy pregnancy scenes, wowza amazing! I genuinely also liked Ethans character, his heart was always in the right spot he just went about things a bit confusingly. It was really cool seeing pregnancy through Eve’s eyes and how it does affect others. Hearing about Willa’s pregnancy loss and her and her husband’s hard time trying to conceive since then had me in tears. I also really enjoyed Nurse Louise’s character.

I requested this book on NetGalley purely because of the cover (isn’t it gorgeous?) but the book inside is just as lovely! It focuses on Eve, beginning on the day she finds out she’s unexpectedly pregnant.

You’ll enjoy this book if you like:
🍼friends to lovers
🍼unexpected pregnancy (main plot point)
🍼slow burn
🍼friends like family
🍼jealousy
🍼wrestling with hard emotions

I absolutely loved this book. I love unexpected pregnancy story lines and then best friends brother trope. There’s just a lot of fun stuff in this book and I love this book. Also showing how complicated life can be was a theme in this book and I loved that because a lot of romance books can tend to romanticize instead of show how hard it can be.

The overall idea of this book interested me more than the pages itself. The pace of the story was so slow and it didn’t grasp my attention or my emotions until more than half way through. At that point, it was hard for me to become emotionally invested in this book because it felt like I had one foot already out the door. I wanted so badly for this book to take my heart. At times it felt like I was right there on the edge ready to fall, but there was a disconnect that kept me from truly being encompassed by this book.

As individual characters, Eve, Shep, and the rest of the gang all had unique journeys through very heavy topics and it was refreshing to read about. I enjoyed how even though Eve was the main character of this book and her growth was the main focus, the story was more well rounded because other characters' voices shine just as bright as Eve.

Overall, as a women’s fiction book it was a nice read, but as a romance book, I just couldn’t feel the chemistry between Shep and Eve. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House, Dial Press for this ARC

This book surprised me in multiple ways, multiple times. I was expecting a cute little accidental-pregnancy romance, where the female main character and the male main character make a baby, make it work, and fall in love. BOYYY was I wrong!! This book had me asking “will they?! won’t they?! who will it be?!” so many times!! Eve was a sweet and likeable main character, and i’m convinced everyone needs a shep. this story really dives in to what it means to be a parent/co-parent, a friend, a partner, and so much more, and i really loved it.

“Ready or Not” shows us how big surprises can lead to big revelations and huge life changes. the main character, Eve, loves her predictable, non-surprising life; until she finds out she is pregnant after a one night stand. this shocking revelation causes strain in her friendships, except with her best friends brother, Shep, who steps up when it’s least expected to help eve through this challenging time. over the course of her pregnancy, eve learns that love can be found in mysterious places when you aren’t even looking, and that family doesn’t always have to look the way society tells us.

This book was funny, heartfelt, and had so much detail in the writing. if you love accidental pregnancy tropes, slow-burn romance, and insane friends to lovers vibes, definitely check this one out when it debuts in February!!

As always, thank you so much to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author @carabastone for providing this ARC for me to read and review! 💓

This book was an excellent read - I couldn't put it down! I'm not usually the biggest surprise pregnancy trope fan, but this was very well done. Also, I LOVED SHEP! He was one of the best written male leads I've read in a loooooong time, so honestly, I'd re-read the book for him over and over again. There was a sweetness to their relationship over the course of the book that just warms your heart ♥️ overall, would definitely recommend this if you're looking for a sweet book that deals with very real and authentic feelings!

This is such a fun story that follows Eve on her unexpected pregnancy journey. The characters are witty, relatable, and heart-warming. Bastone does a great job of telling pregnancy as it really is and detailing the ups and downs of the reactions that one can encounter. Along the way, Eve finds love in unexpected places, adding another layer of fun to the mix. This one is worth picking up.