Promise Me Sunshine
By Cara Bastone

In this romance, Lenny and Miles are dealing with grief. Lenny’s is fresher than Miles and they are helping each other through. Both characters are extremely likable while catching and having feelings. You’ll want to be the friend they are for others. I love how Lenny pictures her make believe romances with every attractive man she meets. I love Miles’ dancing and clothing allowances he makes for those he loves. I wish I had my choice of NY real estate to rest my head which is a super privilege to have when you are struggling or anytime really. The supporting characters are fun and likable. Bastone digs deep here and I am here for it. I even enjoy reading this author’s thank yous and Mad Libs”, ones I want to try. I feel the real. I highly recommend this title and all of the author’s other books. This one may be my favorite but I have said that before. Thank you, NetGalley and Dial Press Trade Paperback for an advance ebook file to read.

This is a beautiful story of grief and healing. Our FMC Lenny meets our MMC Miles on a temporary nanny gig. While their first interaction is rough, Miles soon realizes something is wrong with Lenny and reaches out a helping hand.
I’d categorize the genre of this book as more LitFic or Women’s Literature with a splash of romance. The romance plot is friends to lovers and quite a slow burn. To me the romance plot was in the backseat to the plot of healing and living with grief. This story is well written, captivating and moving. There were moments where I laughed out loud, cried into my pillow and smiled to myself while reading.
I fell in love with both Lenny and Miles and felt proud of their development and growth throughout this novel. I’m so happy I was able to get my eyes on a digital arc.

This book is full of love, grief, healing and finding happiness again even when life feels impossible. Lenny lost her best friend and that loss wrecked her. My heart hurt for this poor girl who is normally full of so much life completely tore down. Never did she think the grumpy uncle to the little girl she is watching to become the light in the never ending dark tunnel. Miles has faced his own grief and can relate to Lenny and what she is going through. Their friendship is very unexpected but these two fit together so well. They agree to help each other in their own ways and it creates a bond like no other. Both of their journeys were perfectly imperfect and they came out on top together. I loved the way they were together and they just got one another without even saying anything. Even with all the grief, Lenny has a sense of humor and brings light to sometimes hard situations. It was a great love story and I’m glad they both got the happiness they deserved!

Oh my heart. I was not familiar with Cara Bastone's writing. I had no idea what to expect but I was given such a gift.

This is my first 5 star read of 2025 and this story has stuck with me. I have already told multiple friends that they need to read this book.

Lenny has experienced the tragic loss of her very best friend. Lou died from cancer and Lenny is unmoored. Miles, a crusty unapproachable man, is the uncle to Lenny's new charge and has offered to help Lenny learn to live again. But how can Miles have any idea how to help Lenny unless he has experienced his own tragic loss?

It is very obvious that Bastone has experienced grief deeply. This is such a beautiful story of grief, healing, love, and learning to live again. But it is also about how one can support someone in their life who has experienced a deep loss. As someone who has experienced a tragic unexpected loss, I found this story moving.

Possible triggers: Cancer, loss, car wreck

This is a minor complaint but the cover art needs to be improved. This is such a wonderfully lovely story that the cheesy art doesn't do it justice. I will be reading all of Bastone's previous and future works.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I. AM. SPEECHLESS. this was amazing. I was drawn in from the very first page. I knew it would be five stars and as I kept reading, I knew nothing was going to change my mind. Lenny was so captivating and Miles, omg, Miles. No words. He is perfect and everything she needed.

I loved the slow burn and how everything played out. It was so cathartic. i teared up so much but laughed equally as much. the banter was unmatched. I just - wow.

I loved this. it explored a heavy topic, grief, in such a real and light hearted way. Miles was everything and more. He was the ultimate protector and wanted nothing but the best for others. I loved how Lenny and Miles were friends first, and slowly became something more. I also really loved Ainsley she was so cute and the perfect. The relationship she and Miles built was everything. Cara Bastone is slowly becoming an immediate read for me. Can't wait for her next books.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC. The review is all on my own.

Thank you to Dial Press Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this title.

The way I loved this book! This story is an honest look at coming out the other side of grief. A complete stranger recognizing when someone needs an anchor.
When Myles meets Lenny, it isn't love at first sight. Lenny is a sight full of sleep deprivation, lack of self-care, and big bird sweatshirts. Disdain is quickly replaced with concern as he learns more about Lenny and her inner-workings. Both well versed in despair and grief, they forge a friendship. Lenny helps Myles to loosen up, step out of his comfort zone, and establish relationships with his family.
Myles doesn't carry Lenny or push her out of the depths of her grief. He listens, sits with her in her grief, and gives her the time and comfort to lean into it. He is the MVP of this book by not carrying her but walking beside her. Everyone deserves a Myles.

While this is a romance, this is a journey of friendship, trust, and living in the pain to find the joy.

This is one of the most beautiful romances I’ve ever read - equal parts heartache and hope, laughter and tears. This book consumed me completely. Even as I write this, scenes are replaying in my mind, and I can’t believe how deeply it’s stayed with me.

Cara’s writing is next-level - she knows how to make you laugh, cry, and feel everything all at once. Her ability to capture the rawness of grief while weaving in a love story so tender and genuine is unmatched. This story isn’t just one you read, it’s one you experience.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the characters and honesty of what grief can look like. Having lost my father almost ten years ago, I know firsthand how different grief looks. I loved the characters and how they grew in the friendship first before a relationship. Thank you for sharing an early release with me. I look forward to reading more of your books.

Even with the topic of grief throughout the book, it never felt super heavy & read like YA lit. Lenny was so consumed by grief it kept her from appreciating the life she still had. Everyone should be so lucky to have a Miles; someone who compassionately meets you where you’re at, validates your feelings, and walks through grief with you.

4.5 Stars

I got to read this early as an e-arc!

It took me a minute to get into this book and become invested in Lenny’s journey, but as I continued to read, the more I realized how important this book is for people who have experienced grief in anyway.

This was the journey of Lenny finding herself and love again after losing her best friend. She not only found a way to be alive again by checking off her Live Again list with Miles, but she found someone to love, new friends, and reunited with her family again.

I just wish there was a little tension in the book. The whole second half just felt like everything tied up really nice, whether it was Lenny reconnecting with her family, Ainsley and Reese getting more time together, Miles being accepted by Reese, Miles and Lenny getting together, etc. I just wish there was a moment where you thought things weren’t going well. Even Ethan makes an appearance!

Overall, I really loved this book and it is a book anyone should read if they aren’t feeling themselves. The main theme is grief, but I think this applies to anyone who has felt like they’ve lost themselves. Write a live again list, make some new friends, cut your hair! Read this book!

'Promise Me Sunshine' tells the poignant story of Lenny, who is navigating the profound loss of her person, Lou, far too early in life. Early in the story, she meets Miles, whose gruff demeanor and perceived judgment initially put her off. However, as the narrative unfolds, both Lenny and Miles reveal emotional depth that is captivating and heartfelt. The story tackles grief and human connection with grace, making the characters’ journeys feel authentic and deeply moving.

I became a fan of Cara Bastone just under a year ago when I chose 'Ready or Not' as my February, 2024 BOTM selection. For me, 'Promise Me Sunshine' was highly anticipated, and it truly delivered. If you are looking for something fluffy and lighthearted all the way through, then this book is not for you; this book is a richly layered and emotionally resonant story. Lenny’s struggle with grief over losing her best friend is palpable, and her journey is beautifully balanced by moments of hope and connection. The characters are relatable and endearing in a way that pulls you in, making you feel their joys and sorrows as if they were your own.

Thank you, Random House Publishing Group, for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This book ripped my heart out in the very best way. It was a beautiful but emotional story of a slow burn romance with discussions of grief and healing. A heartwarming read that will likely be one of my favorite books of the year, and it’s only January!

You know those books that are hard to read to because you love it so much and don't want it to end? Yeah, this was one of those.

I adored this book. I laughed, I cried, and I fell in love with both Lenny and Miles. She's quirky but it's endearing and Miles is just....ugh, everyone needs a Miles. He's amazing.

After reading 'Ready or Not' and loving it I was thrilled to get this ARC and now I know for sure Cara Bastone is an auto-buy author for me .

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the advanced copy!

I loved this book with my whole heart. It was positively the loveliest, most hopeful, most thoughtful story.

When I think of a slow burn romance, this is *exactly* the kind of book I’m looking for. A rewarding build-up, full of emotion and deepening connection.

This story does not shy away from grief, it tackles it head on, unafraid to show the work sometimes needed to just put one foot in front of the other. But instead of bring the story down, it lifts it up. There is so much hope here.

A million thank-yous to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me the chance to read and review this ARC

In short- I LOVED it. Bastone approaches living with (in) grief head-on. Lenny (the main character) and Miles (handsome man friend-to-lover) wade through Lenny’s grief over the loss of her best friend. I love how realistic and messy it was. I love that Bastone doesn’t do the typical “big event” where it all falls apart and the couple have to come back together- just a slow roll into love. I could recognize that relationship and the love was so much more hard-fought and won… and real.

Wow. What a compelling tale about grief and overcoming the most devastating obstacles. I cried and felt all of the emotions! I loved falling in love with these characters !

4*
First this book is not a RomCom. It is the story of a woman who is mourning the death of her best friend and is struggling to move past her grief. It becomes a romance when she meets a man, who has also struggled with grief. It’s a friends to lovers tale that does not shy away from the deep pain that comes from the loss of a close friend. If you’re looking for a RomCom turn to some of the authors previous lighter works. I appreciated reading a complicated romance, with many sad moments balanced by some funny light moments and a great cast of secondary characters.

Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book! I DNF’d at 25% because I really didn’t like the main female character or the writing style of the author. The characters almost seemed like caricatures of people and not very believable (like why did the FMC “fall in love” with every man she ran into - sure we’ve all romanticized strangers but it was done in such an overdramatic and cheesy way that it gave me the ick every time). Not my cup of tea but I think it will appeal to others!

Some authors and books just need to be listened to and that's what Cara Bastone is for me. I savored this audiobook over the course of a week and am so glad that I did. It's the story of Lenny who is deeply grieving the loss of her best friend and the people who help her through. It's a grief story and a love story and a family story that we just need in our lives.

Sometimes easy romance is what we need. But sometimes a romance that comes with a whole lot of real life and honesty is even better.