Thank you so much netgalley for the opportunity to read this as an arc in exchange for an honest review This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and it did not let me down
This was very easy to follow and such a nice romance. It talks about grief but in a way that reminds you to live life to the fullest and made me feel so happy inside
I also loved the main characters and how they interacted and the way this story was written was so fast paced!

Yes I loved this!!! I felt like the grieving process felt so realistic and the pacing built the tension up so so high. I loved the side characters, the little NYC world they lived in, and the whole storyline. This was the slowest burn ive read and I ate it right up!

There is so much depth to this book, I don’t even know where to start, other than I was hooked! Yes, the story shares Lenny’s heartbreak, and, yes, certain points in the book are sad, but overall this story is a beautiful journey about honoring the ones you love, finding a way through the storm, being strong enough to accept help, rediscovering yourself, and opening yourself up again to others.

Lenny is so damn relatable! From the flashback passages you can see from the beginning that she is wild, eccentric, kind, caring, and fiercely loyal to a soul mate and lifelong friend she is doing life with. The story opens a few months after the death of her best friend Lou due to cancer to find Lenny a shell of the vibrant woman she once was doing everything she can to just get through each day without falling apart.

*Enter Miles*

Miles is simply a beautiful human being I want to wrap in a hug and protect at all costs. He is someone who would walk into hell without a second thought for the people he loves to bring them back out. After experiencing his own devastating losses over the years, he moves to NYC to help his sister raise his niece, only he doesn’t know how to help without getting in the way.

Miles and Lenny strike a deal: Lenny helps Miles learn to take care of his seven year old niece in exchange for helping guide Lenny through her grief. This accord opens both of them up to being vulnerable again through compelling character developments that lead to acceptance, family, and love.

Every character is unique and flawed in different and dynamic ways that will really resonate with people.

Bonus: I loved that Reese was a Lululemon power mom and business woman in NYC who fiercely loved her daughter who wore 90s band shirts, considered “dress up” to be a top hat and waist coat, and wished her name was Blackbeard and never tried to change or hide her for being different.

Honestly, there is so much to love about this book, you should just read it and see for yourself.
—
❤️Slow burn romance
💔Cancer
❤️‍🩹Death of a loved one
❤️Bucket list
💔Grieving
❤️‍🩹Depression
❤️Single POV
📍NYC
—
Thank you Random House Publishing | Dial Press Trade & NetGalley for this complimentary ARC - all thoughts are my own! 📚
Publishers release date 3/4/2025

How do you find yourself after you lose the one you loved the most?

Grieving the loss of her best friend, a young woman’s life is turned upside down when she meets a grumpy stranger who swears he can help her live again, in this heartwarming, slow-burn romance by the author of Ready or Not.

Lenny is a complete mess after losing her best friend Lou. She can't sleep, eat or even go back to her own apartment which they shared. She's been making ends meet by being a nanny. She happens into a job for Reese, watching her little girl Ainsley while she travels for her job. We then meet Miles, Ainsley's uncle. As we get to know Miles, we learn that he is dealing with a lot also, which is misinterpreted as grumpy. Miles agrees to help Lenny with her "learn to live again" list. But he just may end up helping himself as much as he helps her. This is a super slow burn type of romance. At times I felt it was a little too long. But I loved them as characters and was rooting for them all along. Ainsley is such a cute character too, she was so spunky and helped draw Miles out too. Overall, a really cute romance with some pretty heavy themes of grief. I have come to really love this author's voice and will continue to read whatever she writes next.

Thank you to @netgally and @randomhousepublishing for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. Publishes March 4, 2025.

Wow. This book. I love love loved these characters and this story so much! I laughed, I cried (quite a bit-I mean if you have a best friend how could you not??). Lenny meets miles while she is suffering through the grief of losing her best friend. He helps her through her grief and she helps him build a relationship with his niece-who she is nannying.
I wanted to annotate this book so badly-there is just so much good stuff and so many quotes that I wanted to remember and look at/think about again. Thank you so much to NetGalley for letting me read this-I will definitely be buying a copy when it is released! READ THIS BOOK (and Ready or Not- loved it too-just not as much as this one)!!

Lenny has lost her best friend Lou to cancer and is paralyzed by grief. Every day, she struggles to get through by pretending to be happy and avoiding her parents and the apartment she shared with Lou. Inside, she is a complete mess.

When Lenny is hired as a nanny for bright, funny, and precocious Ainsley, she meets Miles, Ainsley’s brooding uncle, who always seems to be hovering nearby. At first glance, Lenny dismisses Miles as a gruff grump who gets in her way.

However, as Lenny and Miles get to know one another, they develop a friendship. The two agree to help each other because Miles understands grief and Lenny understands Ainsely. Miles promises Lenny that he will be her grief buddy and assist her in completing the list Lou gave her to help her return to the land of the living. In exchange, Miles asks Lenny to help him grow closer to Ainsley.

Initially, I didn’t feel much connection or spark between Miles and Lenny, but as the story progressed, I realized that Miles is the friend everyone wishes to have in their life… the one we can always count on, no matter what. And Miles was Lenny's lifeline as she slowly made her way back to life.

As I reached the final chapters of this book, I laughed and cried. Lenny worked tirelessly to overcome her grief, work through the list, and find a way to live without Lou. I cried when she and Miles finally confessed their feelings, and I laughed when he met her family.

This is my second novel by Cara Bastone, and she has earned a place on my list of favorite romance authors. Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with the ARC.

I had no idea what to expect going into this book but I absolutely loved it. It’s nice to see how Miles is there for Lenny after her best friend passes away. Along the way Miles and Lenny grow close and fall in love and I really adore their dynamic. I especially loved how Miles was very patient and supportive through Lenny’s grief process even while he was going through his own. Lenny and Miles are so cute and although it took them a while to admit and realize they were in love, I think the timing was perfect because they were able to heal along the way. Thank you NetGalley for the arc of this book! I really appreciate it.

This might already be my favorite book of the year, and it hasn’t even officially released yet.

WOW. An absolutely heartbreaking, beautiful, funny, incredible incredible INCREDIBLE read. I can’t think of a character I’ve ever rooted for more than Lenny - she deserves all the lemon muffins and 5Night concerts and oversized hoodies in the world.

I’m acutely, painfully, deeply smitten for Miles. Protect this man and his heart at absolutely all costs.

A round of applause for (literally) every other character - Reese, Ainsley, Jericho, Jeffy, Rica, and of course Lou make this already special story a supernova.

I will not get over this book any time soon.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for this eARC!

i kid you not this is the best thing i’ve read in a longggggggg time like all round best writing, plotting, storytelling and characters. cara bastone, you’ve done it. you’ve officially gained a forever reader in me. i would defend you in (if it ever God forbid came down to it) race war. this story? oh it’s very important to me. i had a cry count of just over 20 with this one. i love lenny and miles with my whole heart and arms and toes. i will say more in a review when i can but for now i will say this story is the most impactful story about grief and love and life, i’ve ever consumed. i can see myself rereading this book forever and ever. this is without a doubt one of my favorite reads of the year and i know for a fact it wont change.

I loved the author's previous book, <i>Ready or Not</i>, and couldn't wait to read this one. Her writing captures real life in a way that feels genuine and hopeful, even though the topics can sometimes be quite heavy or offbeat. The author struck the perfect balance with this story and presented grief in such a beautiful and heartwarming way. It sounds incredibly depressing at first glance. but it's written in a way that doesn't make me feel mournful. Yes, I'm extremely saddened by these moments, but I'm also hopeful. It's hard to explain, but despite having dealt with grief in my own way, I never felt like this book was too sad for me. It was jarring to start the book at a quick pace, but after that initial shock, I fell right into the story and couldn't put it down. This one is going to stick with me for a while.

Lenny, still reeling from losing her closest person in the world, meets Miles at one of her babysitting jobs. They don't hit it off at first, but Miles, having been through his own grief journey, offers to help Lenny navigate hers. Their friendship develops in such a wholesome way and I loved their connection. Miles is seriously one of the best book boyfriends I've read in a long time and I didn't expect so many of the thoughtful things he did.

Read this. I absolutely loved it.

This book felt like a warm hug on a cold winter day and I truly loved it! A funny and heartwarming friends to lovers romance about the grief process. Thanks to NetGalley for the complimentary early copy.

Thanks @netgalley @thedialpress and @carabastone for the chance to read Cara's latest, Promise Me Sunshine. It releases on March 4, 2025.

This book felt cathartic in the best way. Cara is one of the best, most voicey romance writers, and she has an uncanny ability to make you fall head over heels for her perfectly imperfect characters. This beautiful story left me aching with the big emotions it elicited.

Nanny Lenny has been barely living ever since she lost her best friend/LOHR Lou. She's avoiding her parents and the old apartment she shared with Lou. The only babysitting jobs she can handle are short-term. It feels too heavy to commit to anything when she can barely commit to getting through the day. Everything changes when she meets Miles, the grumpy uncle of her latest charge. He offers her a bargain--she helps him break the ice between him and his niece and he helps her figure out how to live with her overwhelming grief--something he's all too familiar with. Despite every setback and hard day, Miles keeps showing up for her; he might just be the new beginning she needs.

Steam: 🔥🔥
Tropes: grief, grumpy/sunshine, slow burn, babysitter

Where do I even start. This book broke me in the best way, it was so beautiful. I truly believe Cara Bastone has written one of her best books yet and I'm honored to have had the chance to read it before its release. I will forever be a Cara stan after this book. It was so heartfelt and gut wrenching. The discussion of grief and surviving through that experience while coming together with not only someone but yourself was brilliant work. Lenny had me hooked from the start, I want to reach in and just give her so much love. Miles was our introverted bestie through the book and his character had such a pivotal part in Lennys grow. I can not rave more on this book and am excited for the world to experience it come March.

What starts off as a grumpy x sunshine story between two people who bond over their shared grief over losing loved ones quickly turns into a friends to lovers, LAUGH out loud and DEEPLY emotional romance. Cara Bastone does not hold back on delivering on ALL the feels and this latest is no exception. If you loved her debut last year, you are sure to love getting to know Miles and Lenny this year. Great on audio and HIGHLY recommended!! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!

Promise Me Sunshine follows Lenny, a grieving New Yorker, as she “comes back to life” following the death of her best friend. Miles, the grumpy uncle of her current babysitting client, knows a thing or two about grief. The two strike a deal - Lenny will help him get to know his niece, and he will help her check things off a laminated list of things to bring her out of sorrow. Miles’s patience, understanding, protectiveness, and tenderness toward Lenny was incredibly heartwarming. Their slow burn, friends-to-lovers relationship was full of hope that things do always get better with time.

This is a story for fans of Emily Henry’s banter and deep emotion. It struck the perfect balance between the highs of falling in love and the lows of grief.

Promise Me Sunshine had the pacing and activity of a plot-driven novel while still deeply exploring the complicated spectrum of emotions and relationships between the characters.

I loved every minute of reading this book and am so sad it’s over. I’ll be counting down the days until Cara Bastone writes another incredible story.

After seeing this cover—like a serene painting you'd happily hang in your living room to feel peaceful and genuinely happy—and reading this beautifully written, heartfelt story of grief, friendship, and slow-burn romance featuring the most huggable book boyfriend, Miles, I had no choice but to give this book five-plus Staten Island Ferry stars!

I enjoyed the author’s Ready or Not, but I absolutely loved this book even more. It has already secured a guaranteed spot in my top five highly recommended romance reads of the year. The blossoming friendship between Miles and Lenny (a.k.a. Helena Elena—blame her family for their eccentric naming choices, and thank Lou for nicknaming her Lenny) as they bond over grief and work through the "Living Again" checklist will embrace your heart with sweetness and stir your emotions deeply. Anyone who has lost a loved one will resonate with these characters, and I found it easy to connect with their journey. The story’s honest, bittersweet, and heartbreakingly realistic approach is powerful enough to bring tears to your eyes and confront the repressed emotions bottled up inside.

The story follows 28-year-old Lenny, who is reeling from the loss of her best friend Lou to ovarian cancer. Barely holding herself together, Lenny avoids returning to the apartment she shared with Lou and instead sleeps on benches aboard the Staten Island Ferry. Her latest gig as a babysitter for seven-year-old Ainsley forces her to step out of her grief bubble. Ainsley lives with her single mother, Reese, in their Upper West Side apartment, where Lenny must contend with Reese’s protective older brother, Miles. Miles, in his 30s, is initially suspicious of Lenny and constantly complains about her to his sister.

Lenny and Miles’ early interactions are far from meet-cute territory and instead fall squarely into enemies-to-grieving-friends territory. One night, Miles follows Lenny and intervenes during a confrontation she’s having with a reckless driver who hit a cyclist. He even joins her on her nighttime ferry adventure. Over time, he convinces her to take a permanent job at Reese’s house, offering her grief counseling and encouraging her to tackle the "Living Again" list—a series of activities including camping, exploring new foods, and attending concerts.

Miles, too, is grappling with his own losses. Ten years ago, he lost his cousin and mother in a tragic car accident, leaving him without the only family he’d ever known. Only later did he reconnect with his estranged, dying father and learn about Reese, his stepsister, for the first time. His complex relationship with Reese and Ainsley highlights his struggles with opening up and trusting others. He urgently needs Lenny’s help to navigate his emotions and heal.

As they spend more time together, Lenny becomes increasingly attached to Miles. He is always by her side during her most emotionally vulnerable moments, helping her confront her pain and grow stronger. But, in turn, Miles begins to change as well. With Lenny’s influence, he learns to open his heart to his newfound family and new friendships.

Can Lenny’s suffering ever truly end, or will she remain trapped in her grief with the unhealed wounds Lou left behind? And, most importantly, do her growing feelings for Miles risk betraying the memory of her best friend?

Overall: This book is like the most comforting, soothing blanket you’ll want to wrap around yourself and never let go. It’s heartwarming yet emotionally triggering at times, gently pushing you out of your comfort zone to confront your feelings with honesty. I believe everyone needs their own "Miles"—someone they can trust wholeheartedly.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Dial Press Trade Paperback for providing me with a digital review copy of this brilliant book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This book is so much more than a romance. It focuses on so many different types of relationships, new and old. The grief felt in this book is so real and raw.

Cara Bastone never fails to amaze me with her books.

I love a Cara Bastone book- and although this one did make me smile and laugh, it’s deep! It’s not as light hearted as I first anticipated, so keep that in mind going into it. It’s a story of grief and friendship and love and explores it in such a real way!

In terms of romance, it’s the slowest burn ever. I’d probably classify this as more literary fiction.

Oh my gosh, I was not expecting this book or the emotions that came along with it. As someone who is dealing with the grief process, this book wrecked me in the best way possible. I loved every single minute of it!

I was hooked on this story from the start. Couldn’t put it down. This was my first Cara Bastone. I look forward to reading more of her work. I loved Lenny so much. Her character was so quirky and fun despite her deep heartache. Cara did such a wonderful job of navigating the theme of grief. Miles’ and Lenny’s friendship is so sweet and lovely. I thoroughly enjoyed them falling for each other. Miles is such an incredible male lead. His care for Lenny is beautiful, his desire for her health before exploring a relationship made my heart full. I’m more of a closed door girl but the spicy bits of this book were handled so delicately. They were intimate and not salacious which I appreciate. Nice touch with the mad libs at the end! I loved the light and hope in this story of living even when life gets really hard. This book gave me all the feels. Tears and full belly laughter.