Beautifully written love story between Lenny and Miles but also touches in grief. Parts of it was heartbreaking and heavy, but this author did an amazing job putting this whole story together. I couldn’t put this book down!

"Promise Me Sunshine" is an enjoyable and amusing story about overcoming grief. Lenny's best friend Lou died of cancer, and Lenny is mired in grief. Lenny and Lou shared an apartment together, and the prospect of returning to the apartment is so overwhelming that she has not returned in months. Instead of going home at night, she rides the Staten Island Ferry back and forth all night, sleeping on a bench with her backpack as a pillow. She works as a nanny, short-term gigs currently. Through her current gig, she meets Miles, the uncle of Ainsley, the girl in her care. Miles comes across initially as rather off-putting, and he seems somewhat socially awkward. This has a lot to do with the tense dynamic between him and his half-sister (Reese), and his tendency to hover around them; he lives in the apartment upstairs from theirs.

What Miles and Lenny share in common is the grief of loved ones lost too soon, and breaking down afterwards. The difference is that Miles' loss happened years ago, and he has made it through the worst of the grief. Miles will help Lenny confront her grief and become more functional -- first by helping her cross off items on the list that Lenny and Lou made before she died (go camping, visit the MET as often as possible, eat something that can only be found in NY, etc.), and then, as their relationship expands to possibly something more than friendship, helping her regain her independence and self-worth. As much as Miles helps Lenny, by being there whenever she needs him and pushing her to make small steps forward, Lenny also helps Miles figure out how to connect with Ainsley (and Reese) and find himself. Because although he is in a much better headspace than Lenny, the events in his life over the past few years have placed him in a holding pattern of sorts.

Although the over-arching story focuses on coping with grief, the story has many humorous moments revolving around Lenny's interactions with others (including the intricate fantasies she immediately imagines upon meeting or seeing a new guy -- Miles, Jericho, bartenders, Emil the doorman, etc.), recollections of Lenny and Lou, the friendship between Miles and Lenny, and how they go about crossing the items off her list. Lenny is a very enjoyable character; someone the reader will quickly become invested in.

3.5 ⭐️. I think my expectations may have been too high after Ready or Not…

It took me almost 70% of the book to truly start connecting with Lenny & Miles. And I’m not sure why. Perhaps I’ve never felt grief yet the way they have, perhaps it’s because I could only empathize with Lenny’s journey so much.

God, I wanted to love this but I just couldn’t.

Lenny’s journey of coming back to herself is a lovely one, perhaps a believable one. What would’ve been better? Lenny seeing a trained, licensed therapist instead of making a friend she then falls in love with.

I literally squealed with excitement when I was approved for an eARC of this novel- thank you to NetGalley and the publisher! I LOVED Ready or Not, my first Cara Bastone novel, and after reading this one-- certainly not my last. She is absolutely now an auto-read author for me. I LOVE her character development, her witty banter, and just her style in general. This was a tough read with a lot of grief and loss, and I had to take it a little slower than I would've liked because I needed to alternate to something a little lighter. This book was beautiful and wonderful, and you should add it to your March 2025 TBR ASAP.

Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone is an absolutely fantastic and moving romance centering around the protagonist, Lenny, who has just lost her best friend, Lou, to cancer. She works as a nanny and bounces from family to family, but is still living in her grief and really struggling. She starts nannying for a girl named Ainsley and meets Ainsley’s uncle, Miles.

I often have a very difficult time with romances that center around mental health issues or other really important topics. It has to be done really well for me to feel like it balances the sensitivity of the topic and romance. This book does a great job balancing these. It really stems from the characters, as they are all really well written and you can understand their thought processes and what they are feeling, even if the scene is not from their POV. Additionally, the romance between Lenny and Miles is handled really well in the midst of Lenny’s grief. It adds to their relationship without Lenny relying on Miles heavily for her own happiness, or Miles taking advantage of her sensitive mental state. Overall, I just really loved the romance.

The author’s writing style made the story easy to understand, but also I was hooked from the beginning. I was rooting for Lenny and Miles and felt so many emotions reading this book. Overall, I’m going to give this book 4.5/5 stars. I loved the writing, the story, the characters, all of it. I would recommend it to anyone who loves romance, but also wants to be in their feels for a little bit.

Lenny is lost in grief after losing her best friend, but a babysitting gig for a single mom leads her to Miles, a grumpy yet understanding uncle. As they navigate Lenny’s grief together, can they help each other heal and rediscover joy? (The answer is yes, it is a romance book after all)

This book. This book. THIS BOOK. Cara Bastone is an auto-buy author for me. Her characters are fresh and wonderful. There is no third act breakup in either of her books I’ve read. The banter and wit and charm oozes out of these pages.

*spoilers*

Lenny’s grief for her best friend and soulmate had me reeling with her. Every time she collapsed. Every time she cried. Every time she couldn’t seem to move forward. My heart ached with her. Books that carry grief with them always speak so clearly to me and this was no exception. No joke, I highlighted half of the book on my kindle. Lenny was funny and had a great sense of humor, even when she was feeling like dying on the inside. I absolutely adored her and I loved how she grew throughout this book.

Miles. Yes. Shep from Ready or Not was my number one book boyfriend but I think Miles overtook him. Miles was patient, steady, thoughtful, and he wanted to help Lenny through her grief and I loved how he did it. Asking her to call, offering his home, THE LOCKET ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? 😭🥹

Even as he fell for her (first and harder even though Lenny’s POV is the one we have), he always considered her feelings and reactions to everything. Reader, when he asked her to patient after Lenny falls for him… that first kiss was worth the wait.

Their conversations and real discussions had me in my feelings. Communication. Love. She was not too much for him. He could handle her and he wanted to.

The side characters and plots were absolutely wonderful. I loved Lenny’s family, their group of friends created, and I adored Reese and Ainsley. AND I absolutely believe with all of my heart that Ethan is from Ready or Not and you can’t change my mind.

Such a gorgeous book about love, trust, life, and grief. Fully, fully recommend.

*I was provided a digital copy of this book for review, all thoughts are my own.*

What I love about Cara Bastone’s writing is her ability to capture such a spectrum of emotion. While I didn’t originally know ifI wanted to read a book with grief as a main plot point, I’m glad I did because I adored this book.

In Promise Me Sunshine, readers travel through tear-jerking grief, find joy in small and thoughtful interactions, and laugh alongside Lenny, Miles, and Ainsley with their silly interactions and banter. I enjoyed Lenny and Miles’ growth (individually and as a pair) throughout the book as well as the relationship with Ainsley, Reese, and Miles.

As a watch out to future readers - this is a slow burn and honestly I spent more of the book heartbroken for Lenny than any other emotion. While I loved seeing Miles be there for her and their friendship blossom, it was no where near as happy as the over could be interpreted as.

Thank you to NetGalley, Cara Bastone, and Random House Publishing for providing me with an advanced reader copy.

Thank you NetGalley & Random House Publishing for allowing me access to this ebook. This is one of my most anticipated releases for 2025 and I was not disappointed! Everyone, mark you calendars for March 4th, you'll want to pick this one! Cara Bastone’s second book cements her as a rising star in the romance genre in my opinion!
Lenny is struggling after losing her best friend to cancer, avoiding her family and the grief-stricken life she once knew. She takes a babysitting job for Reese, a single mom, and her daughter Ainsley, but constantly runs into Ainsley’s grumpy uncle, Miles. Miles, who understands grief well, offers to help Lenny complete her "live again" list if she helps him bond with Ainsley. As they spend time together, Lenny begins to heal, realizing that sometimes the end of one chapter leads to a new beginning.
Honestly it's best to just pick this book and enjoy the ride, so many emotions, so many quotes to highlight, it's very emotional especially if you have already had to endure grief. I just loved it so so much!!

Lenny está de luto por la muerte de su mejor amiga. Le afectó tanto que apenas come y duerme; ha perdido el interés por la vida y trabaja porque sabe que debe hacerlo. Por más que intenta salir adelante, no puede.

Miles intenta crear una relación con su hermanastra y su sobrina, pero no sabe cómo hacer que las acciones de su padre no ensombrezcan sus intentos.

Cuando se conocen, se dan cuenta de que pueden ayudarse mutuamente. Lenny puede enseñarle a relacionarse con su sobrina, ya que ella es niñera, mientras que Miles puede enseñarle a vivir con la pérdida, ya que ha pasado por lo mismo con la muerte de su madre y luego con la de su padre.

Hay romance, pero no es el enfoque del libro.

Lo único que no me gustó fue lo de Lenny y las historias que se inventaba cada vez que conocía a un hombre.

Necesito que le agreguen un epílogo.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Goodness gracious, this book hit it all! I'm a sucker for books with feelings, I think it adds way more depth to a plot versus when it's just fluffy and light. And this had that balance. The emotions and deep feels I got when reading this book had me devouring each page. I'm so excited for it to be released so I can own a hard copy and read it again.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!!

I absolutely loved everything about the story, all of the characters, and the message that it has. If you want a book that is a romance with a much deeper story involved, this is the book for you. I literally wanted to cry at some of the dialogue in here because it was just so beautiful!!

A wonderful story about finding love while feeling significant grief. I loved how realistic this book was and that Bastone did not gloss over the hard parts. Long, but fabulous read!

hanks to NetGalley for this early copy! So many wonderful things about this book. The writing was hilarious and the grumpy + sunshine mix was perfection. My favorite aspect of the story was how slowly and thoughtfully he loved her and helped her through her grief. I also loved that their foundation was built on a true friendship and she was never anything but herself with him.

So many sweet moments! I especially loved the tattoo and camping scenes. She is a great author!

“Everyone loves each other in a new and special way. I'm falling but for the first time in a long time I'm not terrified of the concrete. Maybe there is no concrete. Maybe there's just all this brilliant color in messy strokes. Leaves and sky and air and water water water, rushing by. Maybe I've been wrong this whole time and the entire world is not through my eyes. Maybe I've been trapped in a painting all along. Smeared and brilliantly applied. Every color is from the eye of someone who knows exactly what the hell they're doing. I'm uncontainable. I've just cracked the code. How to live a perfect existence: just embrace it all, every lovely/excruciating color.”

“I've been gifted with this day. Frozen in time. A day where everyone moves slowly and carefully. Where the world is cast in diamond. Where the sunshine, never promised, is achingly bright and cold and there's nowhere to hide. I thought it would be immeasurably painful for me to walk this familiar museum again, to know that the closest Miles and Lou will ever get to actually meeting is in my own heart. But instead, I get to see the world-this whole life-in a sparkling and miraculous light.”

One of my favorites of 2024 so far! This story is tender and funny and real, and I loved reading every sentence (I highlighted so many lines!). Lenny and Miles’ lives intertwine when Lenny starts nannying Miles’ niece, and soon after meeting they make a deal. Miles will help Lenny learn to live again through the grief of losing her best friend, and Lenny will help Miles bond with his niece. Their journey is so well done that I felt the emotions right along with them. I recommend this book to anyone who likes slow-burn romances or found family, or anyone who needs a good cry. ❤️

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group for the eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

dnf @25% chapter 8.

i just wasn't feeling it. the writing felt very choppy and the portrayal of grief was absurd. almost like reading a caricature. i went in expecting a tearjerker and a rollercoaster of emotions, but instead i was bored and detached at every word of the book.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group-Random House, Dial Press Trade Paperback and Cara Bastone for the advance reader's edition! All opinions are my own.

#PromiseMeSunshine #NetGalley

This book is a new favorite! I just finished it, and I'm ready to reread it! I love this author and will read any book she writes, but this book may be my favorite of hers that I've read so far. This book deals with grief: new grief and old. I love the relationship between Lenny and Miles. He is so patient and perfect for her. He is always there for her, no matter where or when, whether it be a text, phone call, or dropping everything and going to her. I also love the relationship that grows between Ainsley and Miles and Ainsley and Lenny. This book is a well-written, slow-burn romance, and I highly recommend it!

Thank you, Random House Publishing Group and Cara Bastone, for allowing me to read an ARC of this book and leave my honest review! It made my day when I was approved for this ARC! :)

Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Random House and NetGalley for this advance readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

Promise me Sunshine follows Lenny after the death of her best friend, Lou, as she’s drowning in grief it’s uncertain she’ll ever surface. Until she meets Miles, no stranger to grief himself, who quietly and patiently walks alongside Lenny and provides support as she crosses items off a list Lou left.

The first half of the book is painfully slow (truthfully I wanted to DNF) but glad I stuck with it. The experience reading the book parallels how life must have felt slogging through grief. As the book progresses and Lenny begins escape the suffocating grief the story picks up and is more engaging.

no no no no noooooo why did it end?????

This book had me laughing my behind off, sobbing under the blankets, and giving my imaginary camera man a run for his money. When I tell you a book like this is worth it, it's worth EVER FLIPPIN PENNY. I just got so lost in this book, and maybe it was because of the slooww burn, but it was mainly because of the story. Grief is a crazy thing, and Cara captured it beautifully. I'm truly speechless.

Ok, character analysis time!
Miles, I love you- never change. When we looked up "looks like they could kill you, is a cinnamon roll" in the dictionary, you would just see Miles Honey. This man, guys, this man. He was EVERYTHING and I'm not ready to let him go 🥺 Literally perfection in written form, and I can't forget to mention the fact that he exactly what our girl Lenny needed. Also, here are a few quick facts that I picked up after observing:
1) When Lenny said that everyone that meant something to her gave her a unique name, of course Miles did it. It wasn't a cheesy nickname either (thank you god), but I was so subtle that we can't even tell that Lenny ever picked up on it.
2) Even though Lenny said she loves him, he never says it back! I kept waiting, and waiting......and waiting. It never came. I think that was awesome, though. Sure, I feel like the words were wanted, but I don't think Lenny actually needed to hear him say it.

Lenny, my gal. Even though she was dealt a rough hand, she was amazing. Very strong, very brave, very...not demure in the best ways. It wasn't pretty, it wasn't easy, but she was perfect. She laid her heart out there to someone she just met, and while it is a little crazy, it was perfect for the story. Anything you know about grief, Lenny was the picture of it. I honestly can't even explain how much I needed her.

Now, the writing. PERFECT- enough said, thank you! This was my first Cara Bastone book, and it will not be my last! Gah, what a ride, but I loved it. My cameraman is sick of me by now; I'm sure 3 am is way past his normal working hours for any other self respecting human that enjoys their REM cycle.

Thank you so so much to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House for the eARC! Will very much be looking forward to the next!! 🫶🏼

4.5 stars!! ⭐️ This book made me cry, laugh, cry some more and smile. My heart hurt for Lenny and Miles. Cara did an amazing job depicting life after loss. This love story is a slow burn but in the best way possible.

If you’re a fan of Ready or Not, you’ll also get a fun surprise guest in this book! ❤️

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

5 stars

This was a truly incredible book. This was a story about grief, hope, healing, and absolutely everything in between. Lenny’s struggle with the loss of her best friend was so emotional and vulnerable and felt like a really realistic portrayal of the ups and downs of grief and learning to live again.
Miles was truly the perfect person to help her through it. He was blunt and realistic and he showed up for her no matter what. He never gave up on her or let her give up on herself and their friendship was so special.
I also loved that Lenny helped Miles as well. His relationship with his niece and his sister was complicated and he had a hard time navigating it but Lenny helped him work things out.
This book is full of so much love, friendship, fun, and emotion. Cara Bastone has cemented herself as an auto-buy author for me because I know that I’ll get a story that doesn’t shy away from the messy parts of life but also fills me with so much hope and love.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC!