Thank you so much to Penguin Random House for this eARC.

This was so much more than I could have ever expected. After loving Ready or Not I knew that Cara was an author I would enjoy forever.

The hearts of the characters she has created are so lovely. The care and love that Miles gives to those around him is beautiful. To have lived through such grief and want to help the people around you get through theirs in their own way, while also sharing what worked for him was amazing.

There were so many lovable characters in this book. The humor and banter of Lenny, the directness of Ainsley as well as the new friends Lenny makes along the way this is such a diverse group that I think so many people can and will relate to.

I am fortunate not to have lost someone so important to me yet in life. I can only imagine the pain. To share the story of not only the character going through the grief but the way it affects the people around them AND showing how different people handle grief…it was just beautiful. I hope someone can find hope and healing in Lenny, Reese and Miles.

This book was easily five stars for me and I cannot wait for the rest of the world to have the opportunity to read it.

Cara Bastone became one of my favorite authors after her previous novel Ready or Not. This new book Promise Me Sunshine did not disappoint. I immediately found myself invested in Lenny's story and her relationships with the other characters in this novel. It's so well written. You'll laugh and probably cry. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

If I loved this book any less, I might be able to talk about it more. Seriously, Cara Bastone is one of my new favorite authors. Her characters feel so real and the chemistry she creates with every interaction is so impressive. I desperately need more from her. Miles and Lenny were everything. Their foundation of trust and support leading to their romantic feeling toward one another made this a true romance and one of my favorite books of the year! March needs to come faster so everyone can experience the joy that is Cara Bastone's writing.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group for the ARC!

I hate saying I didn't love a book because I know the author puts their heart and soul into it - but this just was not my favorite. I enjoyed their relationship and their struggle with grief, but I was not super into the story nor I was excited to keep going. Overall, it was fine.

I connected to Lenny so much! I too also fall in love with every stranger I meet and found this characteristic within Lenny to be extremely endearing. I wish I wouldn't have read the dedication though because I felt that it spoiled the surprise of Miles and his role for me. I love the narrative of Miles helping her as friends to process her grief and in the process falling in love. I love that he noticed when Lenny would have her moments of fantasy and ask her about it without a lot of judgment, but with genuine curiosity. Miles was perfect. This book was perfect. Another great one for Cara Bastone!

I also love that we got a little snippet of Ethan from Ready or Not. I hope his book is next!

This novel is a poignant reminder that even in the depths of loss, new beginnings can emerge in the most unexpected ways. It’s a heartfelt exploration of love, friendship, and the courage it takes to embrace life again after heartbreak. I couldn’t help but cheer for Lenny as she learns that sometimes, the most meaningful connections can help us navigate our darkest times. A truly uplifting read!

I didn’t pay attention to the blurb about this book, I saw the cover and the author and immediately requested it. Oh my word! It was SO good! Definitely not as lighthearted as I expected (I’ve read a couple Cara Bastone books, but only the ones that were audible editions first. Super light and fun. This was still fun, but not as lighthearted)
Miles is …. Everyone needs a Miles in their life.
I would totally recommend this. If you’ve lost someone dear to you, you’ll be able to relate. But maybe don’t read this while you’re still early on grieving. Or maybe do….and see some of your feelings written out on paper?

Thank you SO much to Penguin Random House / Dial Press for the opportunity to read an advanced copy ahead of its release on March 4, 2025!
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Let me preface this that I am still actively crying while writing this review so apologies if I ramble! Cara Bastone has solidified herself as an auto buy and a complete staple of an author for me. 5 stars!!! 6 stars!!! This story really took my heart in its hands from the very beginning. I love a romance that has something really heavy at its core, it's my favorite, it's real and just makes it stick for me and OH BOY did this one do that?!?? It was just an insanely tender, precious, and grounded story that I was consistently feeling all the emotions!! I was just so floored, the characters really felt so real to me and their struggles really hit. Structurally it was sooo solid, I never felt frustrated with the pacing or felt as if things were happening off the page which made the personal developments as well as the romance all the more enjoyable and satisfying. I was just so endeared from the very beginning and was laughing, crying and giggling and kicking my feet all at once. As someone who really feels a lot around grief, particularly lots of dread and anxiety this made me feel really comforted and validated. I just cannot even fully express how much I loved this... Just the perfect sort of romance book that I gravitate towards and will think about for months and months. Prepare to hear me yap about this book often!!!

This book was phenomenal. This made me absolutely sob, but it was also so happy and funny at times. I absolutely adored Lenny and Miles, and was overwhelmed with how happy it was to see them at the end of the book vs. how their characters felt at the beginning. I would definitely recommend this book and will definitely reread.

A story of true friendship. If you had a friend like the two main characters, the future might be possible. Empathy, listening, response, no judgment - wouldn't we all want to have "that person" in times of loss, grief, and healing.

Bastone provides a deep examination of trauma and renewal in a compelling story. I enjoyed the story and the progress of wholeness that emerges through the kind companionship of someone who understands.

Recommended if you're wondering how to be a good friend. Recommended for those wants in be a good friend.
Recommended for this who want a good story.

This book wrecked me in the best way. Oh my gosh. As someone who has lost someone close to me to ovarian cancer, I could relate to many of the things that Lenny experienced and wish that I had had a Miles to help me get through the first year especially. My favorite Cara Bastone book so far and have already recommended it to so many people!

Oh man, this was such a good one. I’m so glad I got this arc! Promise me sunshine will have you crying one second and then literally laughing out loud the next, all on the same page.

If you love quick-witted banner, you will LOVE the chemistry between Lenny and Miles. It’s been a while since I’ve been wholeheartedly into both main characters and their development. This book handles grief beautifully and explores the messiness of it while having to move on with life. I’ll be thinking about this one for a long time!

I am so completely moved by this tender read. This one will stay with me for a long, long time. Absolutely incredible. Cars Bastone is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. This was an honour to read, I’m left feeling a lot of things. That’s how you know it’s a good one.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House for the opportunity to read and review this delight.

Depression and grief can be crippling and debilitating. Finding a way out can truly feel like climbing a never ending mountain. It’s that lump in your throat clogged with emotions that remains bottled. It’s hard, it’s painful and doesn’t feel like it’ll ever end. It’s just relentless. Navigating that pain is like drowning in tar, with your limbs moving slowly and fighting to get out.

Promise Me Sunshine is its title. A chance of once again grasping the light, a hopeful nudge, the assurance that you can once again love yourself and life. It’s a gentle pat on the back with an author giving readers the time to breathe again and the reminder that: you will be okay. That alone is moving.

Thank you Dial Press and Cara Bastone, for this. Truly, an accessible read for readers and will help so many heal.

Thank you to Dial Press for the ARC. I read all of Cara Bastone's books this year after I fell in love with her writing in Ready or Not. This book was absolutely incredible and so moving. It is a beautiful picture of grief and how we process it as well as a beautiful love story. The characters were both imperfect but came alongside each other to heal from immense grief and tragedy. Their love was a slow burn but so worth it in the end. The book has multiple moments that made me want to cry and also moments that just left me with a huge smile on my face. Cara Bastone is officially an auto read author for me. This one is her best yet! See below for a synopsis:

Lenny is a nanny by day who is struggling with the death of her "soul mate" friend who she knew from. Very young age. They were very ingrained in each other's lives and Lenny doesn't know how to move on without her. When she takes a short term nanny job, she meets Miles who is the uncle of the kid she is watching. He has overcome grief of his own and recognizes hers and offers to help her complete a to-do list left my her late friend. In exchange, she tries to teach him how to relate to his niece. They are an unlikely match but he becomes a steady constant in her life. Their relationship develops slowly but surely and is beautifully imperfect and so moving. 5 bright shining stars. Such a good book!

This book was a treasure. It made me laugh, cry and smile, all at the same time. I absolutely adored the two main characters. The way that Miles cared for Lennie had my heart absolutely melting. This book made me feel grateful for my life and for my friends. It made me want to hug each of my friends a little tighter. I also liked that this book was a romance novel, but it was more of a realistic romance novel than most. Miles and Lennie were friends first and didn't fully realize they were in love until about 75 percent of the way through. This also meant that the spice was minimal, which I appreciated. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this novel. It wasn't quite a 5 star read but I would give it a solid 4,5 stars! Definitely worth the read.

I’m so grateful to NetGalley and Random House for this ARC because oh boy was it so good! I’m giving her 4 stars but may bump it up to 4.5. This book is all about finding your way back to yourself, your life, and your heart after grief. And the MMC 😭 He was absolutely perfect. I’ve never met a Miles I didn’t love. My only qualm was that the middle did drag on a bit and was pretty slow but the overall story was so gosh dang beautiful. I read Ready or Not (Cara’s previous book) earlier this year and it blew me away and I was so surprised by it. And then this book?? I’m officially a Cara stan.

A heartfelt, cozy read about finding your way through grief and having help along the way.

This was tender and hopeful. Lenny’s sense of humor kept this from feeling overly heavy though I didn’t fully see what Miles saw in her. Miles is a sweetheart and it was lovely to see him open up as he supports Lenny through her grieving process. Overall, a sweet romance between two people who seem destined for one another. 3.5 stars.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

title: Promise Me Sunshine

author: Cara Bastone

publisher: Dial Press Trade Paperback

publication date: March 4, 2025

pages: 416

peppers: 3 (on this scale)

warnings: lots of talk of death and grieving

summary: Lenny (Helen) is barely getting through since her best friend Lou died six months ago. She can't sleep, eat, or focus, except on the short-term babysitting jobs she gets to pay her rent (on an apartment she can't make herself enter because it still has all of Lou's stuff in it). When she gets a weekend job taking care of seven-year-old Ainsley, she meets the girl's overbearing uncle Miles. Miles offers to help her get through her grief if she helps him get along with Ainsley and his half-sister Reece. 

tropes:

no way out but through
learning to live again
cute kid
trade skills

what I liked:

believable process of coming back into the light
great characters
slow burn

what I didn’t like: n/a

overall rating: 5 (of 5 stars)

Cara Bastone writes such good books. This book has definitely solidified her as an auto buy offer for me. Promise Me Sunshine felt so real, emotional and heartfelt. Miles is in the upper echelon of book love interests for sure, he just treated Lenny so so well. Bastone writes romance in such a way that really makes you root for the couple, as well as be so invested in the real stuff the character is going through. Such a great book, made me feel all the feelings.