This was my second book by Cara Bastone and it won’t be my last, she’s becoming one of my auto buy authors. I want to say that this was very good but if you are expecting a lot of romance this might not be the book for you. This book does have romance and it is a slow burn, the book primarily focuses on Lenny’s grief and how Miles helps her navigate this loss in her life. While I did enjoy this book at times it felt a bit long but it was easy to get through. Also I loved Miles he was kind of an asshole but he has reasons. Overall this is a perfect book if you want to a slow burn romance that deals with heavy topics. I would also check trigger warnings before reading.

Part of me wants to give it five stars. I loved Lenny and Miles and seeing Lenny start to feel alive again. I read this so quickly while on a trip and it is always something special to just be able to read and have no distractions.

But there is such an element of disbelief that you have to live in to enjoy this novel. Mainly in regards to finances! Which is not something I want to think about in a book! But, how does Lenny have health insurance? How does she have money to live in NY and rent an apartment (by herself!) by working part time (AND SHE DOESN'T EVEN LIVE IN THE APARTMENT). She mentions burning through her savings at the end of the book to keep her apartment, but I truly don't understand how she built savings when she had already been working part time for the last couple of years to take care of her friend. But if I could ignore all that I did enjoy this one.

My only other complaint is I didn't love the last 15% or so. The slow burn was so slow that it sort of fizzled out for me and I didn't find the pay off to be particularly worth it. But since this walks the line of "Is this a romance?" I was mostly okay with that.

But this book is lovely. I hope grieving people find some joy in this book and Lenny’s journey gives them hope. I loved seeing her come out of a dark place and I always love a list in a book. (Except for Miles' list, but it's fine).

I love Ainsley. Loved Lenny interacting with kids. Loving seeing Miles put in the effort to have a relationship with her. The secondary characters as a whole were just so much fun.

I feel like I'm focusing on what I didn't like, but there was so much I did love about it. The camping trip. Miles' saying "call me". How Lenny had a crush on every man she saw. The front desk guy at the apartment building. The hair cut. The Kpop fandom of it all. The ferry.

This is a special book and if I could've been slightly more delusional it would've been a near perfect read for me.

TW death of a loved one, grief,

The only way out is through."

I didn’t get that initial “five-star feeling” when I started Promise Me Sunshine. I liked it, but I wasn’t obsessed. Yet by the end, I was uncontrollably sobbing one moment and laughing out loud the next. This is one of those books that builds upon itself, taking you on a journey, and before you know it, everything slips into place. That’s when you realise just how intentional Bastone was in crafting her characters and this story.

Writing a romance novel about someone in a fragile mental state is pretty gutsy, but Cara Bastone tackles it with such grace and empathy. The book follows Lenny, who is truly going through it (and not in a romanticised manic pixie dream girl way). She’s reeling from the loss of her best friend, Lou. In the midst of her grief , she takes on a new job nannying Ainsley, the child of a wealthy Upper East Side family in NYC, where she meets Ainsley’s estranged uncle, Miles. Despite a rocky start, they strike up a deal: Miles, who’s been through his own grief, offers to guide Lenny through her “Live Again” list, while she helps him bond with his niece.

In an interview I recently listened to, Bastone described Ready or Not and Promise Me Sunshine as thematic counterparts about life and death. Ready or Not is about the transformation that comes with new life (pregnancy and motherhood), while Promise Me Sunshine explores the impact of loss.

One recourring thought I had while reading this was, “What a privilege it is to love someone like that”—platonically, to find a soulmate in a friend. Like in her previous novel, Bastone excels at showcasing different types of relationships and thoughtfully pacing them alongside the romance. The book doesn’t place one type of love above the other but lets them coexist and intertwine .

Given the unbalanced dynamic between Lenny and Miles, I was worried that their relationship might feel unhealthy, with Lenny being too dependent on him. But Bastone transitions their bond into something beautifully balanced and genuine. The shift is subtle and gradual, and by the end, it feels fully earned and satisfying.

There was one part—which I won’t spoil, but if you’ve read it, you’ll know what I’m talking about—where I felt that Lenny’s reoccurring habit of doing (x) thing when meeting people was a bit too quirky for my taste. But even that tied back into the theme of grief! so I don't have anything to bitch about . Damn you Cara Bastone for being intentional !

In all seriousness , So many lines and quotes and scenes and just things that happened wrung so many emotions from me .It’s a very vulnerable, tender, and hopeful story (it's also really funny) . Lenny's heartbreak was so palpable she's a character that I couldn't help but root for . Promise me Sunshine starts in a bleak abyss and slowly , but surely leads you out of the tunnel, bathing you in golden sunshine by the end. I know I’ll be thinking about this story for a long time.

I’m not too happy with this review because I’m still sorting through my emotions ( I saw an instagram reel that reminded me of them and my eyes swelled with tears ) I’M STILL PROCESSING MY FEELINGS but just know that this was incredible (in my humble) opinion .I'm so so sooooooo excited for the audiobook . Alex Finke killed it in Ready or Not and I just know that she'll do the same for this book.

Biggest thanks to The Dial press for this ARC!!!

Thank you to Net Galley for giving me an ARC of Promise Me Sunshine.

Wooow, this book had me in my feels! I laughed and cried all the way through reading this book. This book hit a little close to home in terms of grief and what that looks like. I found myself really relating to Lenny’s grief process.

The book follows Lenny, a woman whose best friend recently died. Lenny is learning what life looks like without her partner in crime, Lou. While adjusting to life now, she picks up work nannying for a single mother named Reese and her daughter Ainsley. In the midst of nannying, she notices Reese’s brother, Miles, is always around the corner. As she gets to know him, he begins to teach her about the grieving process and how to live life again.

This book portrays grief in a very real and home hitting way. Words cannot explain how much love I have for the way Lenny was written. She felt very real and embodies the spirit of humanity. I love a good grumpy sunshine trope so to see her bring Miles out of his own shell and help him heal in the process was *chef’s kiss.* Normally, I do not like slow burn, but I genuinely enjoyed this book.

With that being said. I do believe that this book could have been shorter. There were definitely areas that maybe didn’t need to be incorporated as the reading can be a bit slow at times. Other than that it is a well developed story about life during and after the grieving process.

💛 PROMISE ME SUNSHINE 💛

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

✨ ARC REVIEW ✨

This book left me speechless in so many ways. Cara paints an absolutely beautiful picture of the deepest soulmate level of friendship.
If you’ve been lucky enough to meet your soulmate through friendship then I guarantee you will enjoy reading about Lenny & Lou. At almost every page of this book I felt myself and my best friend being described and it was just heart warming.

Have you ever thought about what life would look like if your best friend passed away? Lenny is grieving the loss of Lou and just literally does not know how to go on without her.

In one scene Lenny says that she wants to walk around with an 8x10 photo of Lou and doesn’t understand why the whole world is not talking about Lou. I mean.. gosh how relatable is that feeling?

In a turn of events for Lenny, she meets Miles who wants to help her tackle her life again and find happiness. Truly they are helping each other manage the grief of losing a loved one.
I was completely charmed by these characters.

Cara, you completely nailed writing about this unique friendship in the most beautiful way and I hope so many others like me will appreciate that 🥹


Thank you Cara Bastone & Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review 🫶🏼

📖 ARC REVIEW 📖

Thank you @thedialpress for an early copy of Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. 🤍

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐.5/5
Release date: March 4th, 2025

Blurb: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/214269328-promise-me-sunshine?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=n8qwRxP0Kj&rank=1

🛑Read on with caution; review may contain spoilers🛑

Promise Me Sunshine begins with Lenny, a woman grieving her best friend Lou, who recently passed away due to cancer. Though currently a mess of all sorts, Lenny lands herself a nannying gig for Reese’s daughter, Ainsley. She meets Ainsley’s uncle, Miles, who initially seemed like a jerk but vowed to help Lenny complete everything on her “live again” list. Even though they’re practically strangers, I appreciated how Miles was willing to be Lenny’s “grief buddy, well, in exchange for Lenny helping him get closer to his niece Ainsley. But his intentions were very heartwarming as he wanted to get closer to the only family he has, but is very awkward, thus he needs her help as well.

This novel highlights how grief affects everyone differently and how it impacts daily life, as depicted by Miles grieving his parents’ and cousin’s deaths, and Lenny’s grieving for her best friend. It also touches on the subject of Lou’s cancer diagnosis and treatment, but only lightly and mentioned in passing.

This is a slow-burn romance that I almost DNFed about halfway through. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Miles and Lenny’s friendship, and I feel like they’re so good as friends (though with some tiniest tidbits of romance scattered throughout their friendship) that I was practically surprised how suddenly they’re lovers towards the end of the story (sorry, spoiler there!). Still, I struggled to finish this book, it was sort of depressing, and as mentioned, really slooowww in pacing, but I found the scenes with Ainsley fun, and Lenny’s stories about Lou were endearing. The story got better at around 70% when Lenny realizes her feelings for Miles and she suddenly feels much, much better than she was at the beginning of the story.

My recommendation for everyone who’s planning on picking this up is to give this book a chance. Yes, it could have been shortened by a ton, and the pacing could have been better, but I loved seeing how much Lenny’s character grew to heal from her grief. She’s been reluctant to accept anyone’s help and has been avoiding almost everyone close to her since Lou’s death, but sometimes it’s okay to accept help like she had with Miles. I also enjoyed Lenny encouraging Miles to be more social with Ainsley, and guiding him on how to navigate his relationship with his half-sister Reese.

Cara Bastone reminds me of Katherine Center. Her writing is distinctly her own, but she gets the reader into the minds and hearts of her main characters in a way that only the best authors can. Also, Promise Me Sunshine is a rom-com….about grief….but it works!? How?! I loved this. Five stars; can’t wait for her next one.

Thanks, NetGalley for the advance copy.

This is a cute story about overcoming the loss of a
loved one. Lenny lost her best friend due to cancer and is struggling, jumping between short term nanny jobs. Then she starts nannying Ainsley and becomes friends with Ainsley’s uncle, Miles. At the beginning I was confused on why Miles was always hanging around at Reese's house with Ainsley and Lenny and no one questioned it... the situation didn't seem realistic, but it made sense after learning more of his story I guess. I like how his character turned out and how their relationship grew. Cute, easy read overall.

I think this book is absolutely perfect. It's heart-wrenching and beautiful, and all the characters are incredibly real and messy and I love them dearly. This is a romance, but really this book is about grief and the fight to keep living after you were thrust into the deep end of it. Cara Bastone is unbelievably talented and is definitely an auto-buy author for me at this point. I also think this would make an incredible movie and I'm sharing with my friend who works at a production company.

i finished this and couldn't even take the time to write a review because i loved it so much and could not come up with the right words.

this is easily one of my favorite books of all time. the feelings of grief surrounded by care, patience, humor, and love was so incredible. i cannot wait to reread this when it comes out!!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for granting me an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. It is due to be published March 4, 2025.

I just finished this book and have wiped away my tears and will do my best to form coherent thoughts in order to review it. Needless to say, five stars. A new favorite. Cara Bastone has cemented herself as an auto-buy author for me.

This book follows Lenny months after she lost her best friend to cancer. She is absolutely not doing well and although Lou left her a list of things to do to help her live again, she can barely stomach the thought of even go back into the apartment they shared, let alone follow through on the list. While she is trying her best to function, she gets a nannying job taking care of a little girl named Ainsley. And Ainsley's uncle Miles is always around and sees right through Lenny's attempts to pretend she is doing anything but surviving day to day. So, he offers to help her with her list in exchange for Lenny helping him get closer to his niece and his estranged sister.

This is such a beautiful story. Through Bastone's writing, I felt like I was grieving for Lou almost as much as Lenny was. She does such a wonderful job at allowing us to get to know Lou through Lenny's memories in a way that made Lenny's grief that much more powerful. Lenny is such a relatable main character. I just loved her so much and cried for her and will be thinking about her for a long time. And Miles. Sweet, beautiful Miles. I think he ranks up there in the top book men of all time. Though he is prickly at first, the way he cares for Lenny and helps her with her grief (because he is well acquainted with grief himself) is just so beautiful to watch unfold. Not to mention the way that we get to see Lenny befriend Reese and her daughter Ainsley, then help Miles get to know them as well. The side characters in this story are all so wonderful and I'll always love a book (or movie) set in New York.

If you like beautiful, tear jerking, laugh out loud funny romances you absolutely need to check this one out. I will definitely be picking up a physical copy for myself when it comes out in March so that I can reread it a million times.

This book was absolutely perfect. Lenny’s journey through grief was deeply painful but so raw and real. Seeing Miles come into Lenny’s life at the exact moment she needed him, to drag her back from the depths of hell is exactly why I read romance books. Watching two lost people find and create a home in each other. The way Lenny describes Miles as the safest place on earth healed something in me. I’ll be thinking about these two and their beautiful love story for a long, long time. Thank you to NetGalley and Dial Press for this ARC. This book is absolutely added to my favorites ever.

cara bastone nearly ended my life. with this book. one of the BEST books i’ve ever read! IN MY WHOLE ENTIRE LIFE and i read A LOT of books.

let me give you a little insight… he calls her a rotting carcass and thinks she’s going to disappear so he makes her chili in the middle of summer because he wanted to feed her something that would stick to her bones!!!!

…and my heart is squeezing!!

he’s a scowly jerk who could really use a hug from time to time but on the inside… he’s a sugar cookie.

buy no less than three copies.

✨THINGS AND STUFF✨
-family dynamics
-she’s a nanny & he’s upstairs neighbor
-lucky cupcake 🧅
-the death of a loved one
-grief wingman
-the live again list
-flashback memories
-what happened to you, you’re bleeding (hurt/comfort)
-kpop
-the titanic 🤝🏼 if you’re a bird, i’m a bird
-there’s only one hammock
-#IsThisAKissingBook open door.

thank you random house for the advanced copy!

Cara Bastone has done it again, I absolutely loved Ready or Not but I loved this book even more. She is officially my newest auto-buy authors! So eternally grateful to have been approved for this ARC 🫶

Promise Me Sunshine was one of those books that, on the surface, promises a sweet romance, but dives much deeper into themes of grief, healing, and the complexities of family dynamics. Cara Bastone’s writing is absolutely beautiful—she has a way with words that makes you feel like you’re wrapped up in the story, and even the simplest moments have weight. Her portrayal of grief is gut-wrenching but honest, and I really appreciated how she didn’t shy away from showing the messy parts of healing.

If you’re looking for a book that gives you more than just a love story, Promise Me Sunshine is it. It’s heartfelt, emotional, and ultimately uplifting in a way that feels earned. The setting, the character growth, the relationship dynamics, the way grief and family are handled… everything felt so thoughtfully crafted. This is a book I’ll be thinking about for a while.

eARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review!

I am begging someone to turn this into a mini series or movie!! I’m obsessed with every character in this. It was difficult to relate to the main character’s grief in the beginning but it slowly started to feel like I lost my best friend too. The pain is so raw in this but the love and comfort found in friends made this such an enjoyable read. I wasn’t ready for this to end!

Did I stay up super late to read this book? Absolutely I did. This book was everything! Lenny’s grief was so raw and I appreciated how the author really got into life after loss. I’ve read other books on loss such as Crying in H Mart and Here After, both memoirs. While Promise Me Sunshine was a work of fiction, the author did an amazing job of conveying actions and emotions of what a grieving person goes through.

I loved the concept of Lenny getting help from Miles to learn how to live again, and Miles getting help to connect to his family. Even though I am a romance lover, I am especially grateful that the romance students start till later because it felt more realistic that it wasn’t until she was getting better that she had room along with her grief for romance. Miles was a real MVP I adored all the way he was there for Lenny.

Honestly I don’t think there was anything I didn’t like in this book. Everyone, please read it!

Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone
Publishing date - 03/04/25
Rating (5/5) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you Netgalley , Random House , and author for this e-ARC. Cara Bastone is a must - read author for me! Ready or Not was one of my favorite reads so I was so excited to see another book from this author.

Synopsis - It’s a heart-wrenching yet heartwarming story about Lenny, a girl who’s trying to pick up the pieces after losing her best friend. She’s feeling totally lost until she meets Miles. Miles helps her through her grieving process.

These characters felt so real ; I was sad when the story ended. Would love to see a sequel to this one in the future!! Loved every second of this book!! Highly recommend it when it releases next March.

Promise Me Sunshine
By @carabastone
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Release date: March 4, 2025

I'm so glad I snagged this ARC on @netgalley , because after reading and loving Ready of Not, I wanted more from Cara Bastone. This isn't a light hearted romance like you may think from the cover. It's heavy at times and explores navigating relationships in the midst of extreme grief.

Lenny forgets how to live after her life-long best friend dies from cancer. She is overcome with grief and has completely lost herself. She avoids her parents, can't return to the apartment she shared with Lou, and is avoiding the list of things she's supposed to do to live again. The only thing she can do is take temporary babysitting jobs, which leads to her babysitting Ainsley. This is when she meets Ainsley's grumpy uncle Miles.

Miles, having lost loved ones himself, helps Lenny not only check things off her "live again" list, but helps her through the grieving process. In return, Lenny helps him connect with Ainsley and overcome his complicated relationship with his sister, Reese.

This book had me in my feels, making me laugh and cry. I feel like it showed a realistic picture of grief, and also, the one spicy scene was laughably realistic. If I ever had a book boyfriend, Miles may be it. If you've read Ready of Not, you get a tiny cameo in this book.

I can't wait until Promise Me Sunshine is released, because I will be buying a physical copy.

Okay, so this book is basically sunshine in book form. ☀️

It's a heart-wrenching yet heartwarming story about Lenny, a girl who's trying to pick up the pieces after losing her best friend. She's feeling totally lost until she meets Miles, this super sweet guy who's been through his own share of tough times.

I love how this book doesn't shy away from the heavy stuff. Lenny's grief is raw and real, but it's also balanced with some really heartwarming moments. The slow burn romance between her and Miles is chef's kiss. It's one of those relationships where you can just feel the connection between the characters.

One thing I really appreciated was how the author handled the grief aspect. It felt authentic and didn't feel forced at all. And let's not forget about Ainsley, the adorable little girl who adds so much sweetness to the story.

If you're looking for a book that will make you laugh, cry, and feel all the feels, then you need to read this. It's the kind of book that you'll want to recommend to all your friends.

💌| This is my first book by this author, and I'm so glad I got an ARC of it. Thanks to the author, NetGalley, and everyone involved for sending me this ARC in exchange for my honest review. 🫂🤍

This book is a beautiful story of two people helping each other through grief and falling in love. Lenny has lost her best friend and her soulmate, Lou, and has not been doing well when she takes on a short term nanny job to care for Ainsley. Since Lou's death or maybe longer, Lenny imagines her life in love with different men and when she meets Ainsley's uncle, Miles, she does the same but quickly falls out of love with Miles because he seems grumpy and she doesn't understand why he is always hanging around Ainsley and her mother, Reese. Of course all of that is explained as Lenny begins to understand Miles' intentions while he helps her through her grieving. I love how not only do they fall in love through adventures and deep conversations and supporting each other but that Miles sets some of his own goals for Lenny (unbeknownst to her) to determine if she is self sufficient enough to be in a relationship before he pursues it. I have had this author's book, Ready or Not on Kindle for some time and now I can't wait to read another book by her!