This book was so lovely. Lenny and Miles are complimentary in such a sweet way. This book also paints a perfect picture of the gut wrenching experience of grief and what it means to go on with that pain in your life, getting better little by little but never going away. I really enjoyed this book! One of my favorite reads of the year.

Promise Me Sunshine is the first book I've read by Cara Bastone but I can guarantee it will not be the last. I fell head over heels for Lenny. My heart ached for her and I absolutely adored her. This was such a gut wrenching story that I just couldn't put down. I read this in less than 24 hours because I was enamored. Lenny and Miles had such an interesting love story that I just loved.
5 stars, and you earned a lifetime reader from me.

a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ heartwarming romance surrounding loss and grief and finding the people to pull you up out of the darkness.

💜what you’ll find:
-friends to lovers
-found family
-grief rep
-healing after loss
-sweet nothings 🤍
-emotional journey😢🥹
-completing a list
-slow burn 🔥

Lenny felt near to my heart and I cried for my younger self, incredibly proud of her healing journey. And don’t even get me started on Miles - dear lord does Bastone know how to write a MMC. He’s a little grumpy but oh so sweet, and is the perfect person for Lenny to have in her corner.

The beginning was a tad slow, but after reading the entire novel, I understand why. It's not only a slow burn romance, but a slow start for Lenny, as it is with grief - you have to go THROUGH it before you can start to feel yourself again.

I finished reading this book a couple weeks ago and I am still thinking about the characters. I loved how hopeful this book was, how much they grew and learned to hope and grieve. I fell in love with the characters throughout the course of the book. A wonderful, sweet romance.

Obsessed! That's how I feel about this book!! Cara Bastone did things with writing this book. I laughed, I cried, I felt seen, I healed a little, I fell in love, I grieved... it was an amazing experience all around. One I think about basically everyday since reading it. The way that Miles just lets Lenny be with her grief instead of trying to placate her that it will be okay, or telling her to move on while helping her heal at the same time was something I didn't know I needed. I loved his "one thing good for you, one thing bad for you and a change of scenery" I'm going to be using that in my everyday life when something seems too much and I just need a moment. Miles just has the biggest heart and tries so hard to be there for all the women in his life and it was fun to watch how Lenny was able to help him with that while he was helping her heal. There is so much more I want to say about this book but I don't want to give anything else away! I wish I could scream from the rooftops how much I loved this book!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of Promise Me Sunshine!

I love heavy books so the grief was very welcomed. I loved how with Miles’ support, Lenny was able to transform her life and live with the grief.

The slow burn romance was almost too slow burn for me. I realize there was a reason for this with this particular story but it was still a bit slow for me!

Thank you NetGalley, and Dial Press Trade for my eARC!

3.25 stars

Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone is a poignant love story that also delves into grief in an incredibly authentic way. Lenny, our FMC, grieves the death of her best friend; Miles, our MMC, takes it upon himself to help Lenny learn to "live again."

This is not your typical rom-com. Sure there are some typical romance elements (i.e. friends to lovers trope), and there are some outrageous/larger than life aspects of the story (for example: the FMC's outlandish fantasies every time she meets an attractive guy). Those aren't the factors that pulled me into the story (in fact, they sometimes even detracted from it).

The parts that kept me invested are the flashbacks with the best friend and the parts where it shows that grief is not a linear or logical process. Those parts are what make the story feel real and relevant. Whether you have or haven't lost a loved one, this book will make you feel things.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Dial Press for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Promise Me Sunshine is available now wherever books are sold.

When I first opened this book, I was not expecting to love this book as much as did! Now that it’s finished, I wish I could start all over again for the first time!

The plot, the writing style, the characters, the setting, and everything else about this book dragged me in and kept me locked in the entire time!

I loved the plot! The way the characters started as very individualized people and slowly started to mold into each other’s lives was such a sweet transition to witness. The way that Lenny & Miles included Lou in so many aspects of their daily lives (even apart from the list) was incredibly charming and sweet. I felt like I was truly living in the moment with them as they trekked around NYC.

Every single character was an absolute knock out of the part! From Lenny & Miles, to Ainsley & Reese, to Jericho, Rica, Jeffy, and Emil the doorman, they all stole my heart! The character building with Lenny & Miles is so deep and thoughtful! They are so perfectly crafted and developed throughout the story!

The way the Cara Bastone writes has a way of transporting you to an exact spot or conversation. I felt like I was living this grief-filled healing journey rijjt alongside Lenny & Miles. Truly fantastic writing!

I don’t think I’ll ever not recommend this book, it was that good! You’ll get hooked & fall in love with this book immediately, I promise it’s worth it! 🌅⛴️💛

To be loved is to be seen. To be seen is to be understood. To be understood is to be heard.

I sit here with renewed hope in this little existence of mine. Some days will be hard, but you "push through to keep on living and living well."

And maybe, just maybe, you find someone whose existence complements yours. Someone who writes lists about you to make sure you're okay. Someone who will love you the way you deserve to be loved.

Grief can take the back seat on those beautiful days.



Thank you so much Dial Press for the eArc!

I don't know what Cara puts into these books, but holy shit.

"Ready or Not" was one of my absolute favorite reads of 2024 and "Promise Me Sunshine" may end up being one of my favorite reads of 2025. Not only is this an amazing romance novel, but also a phenomenal book about grief that handles the subject with such care and respect.

The characters in this book jump off the page and feel so human and relatable that they could be someone you know. Bastone excels at writing men who will do literally anything for the woman they're in love with. I don't mean this in a "down bad" way (though they are), but in a wonderfully caring and nurturing way.

"Promise Me Sunshine" deals with some very serious themes, but still manages to feel hopeful even in its darkest moments. Given the subject matter of the book, I really appreciated the pacing of the more romantic elements (without giving too much away).

Lenny and Miles are going to stick with me for a long time. I can't wait to see what Bastone writes next.

5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Dial Press Trade for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

So there was a me before this book and now there's a me after this. I cry every time I have tried to write this review. I feel like a rusty knife was dragged through my insides reading this gorgeous, beautiful, emotionally devastating, healing, heart wrenching book.

I am a sucker for books that explore grief and this book did it masterfully and made me feel ways I haven't felt in a very long time. It lives on a plane of existence with one other all-time favorite book of mine that spoke directly to a version of myself who was drowning in grief and needed to hear every single word that was poured into this book. It made me sob for the girl I used to be. It was beautiful and profoud and healing and devasting and I am going to be thinking about it forever.

I don't know what to say other then this book was perfect! My favourite book of 2025 so far!
Cara Bastone is easily becoming a favourite author for me

I was nervous going into this one after not loving Ready or Not, but this was incredible. The slow burn friends to lovers was executed so well—it was everything I wanted it to be and more!!

You can feel the love Miles has for Lenny (and vice versa) through the pages. I loved reading about their relationship from the beginning and seeing them get closer and closer to each other as time goes on.

I loved the flashbacks we got of some of Lenny and Lou’s memories together as best friends, but I wish we got more of them!! While I didn’t need these flashbacks to understand how Lenny was feeling, I think their backstory could have been deepened/explored more with the flashbacks.

This book handles the heavy theme of grief while also sprinkling in some lighthearted and comedic moments. I was crying one moment and then laughing the next on multiple occasions.

This book is a journey back into the light after being in a dark place and a story about finding yourself, falling in love when you least expect it, learning to have fun again after loss, and how healing is never linear.

Lenny is grieving the death of her best friend. She’s sad and lost but she eventually starts “living” again with the help of Miles.

This book! It’s such a beautifully written book about loss, healing and finding love after grief. It’s an emotional ride that will bring you to tears and put a smile to your face. Lenny and Miles are both complex and relatable characters, and their interactions are entertaining and at times laugh out loud funny. I loved Lenny’s sarcasm and Miles’s grumpy personality. The romance is a slow burn, but the focus is more about Lenny healing. If you enjoy romance which depth and emotion, check this one out. I loved it!

I had such high hopes for this book and I’m so sad it wasn’t for me. The story was super sweet but the FMC was unbearable. 🥲

Promise Me Sunshine turned me into a puddle. What a book. It is the story of a woman smack dab in the middle of grief after losing her best friend in the world. She is lost, flailing and ends up as a part time nanny for a little girl and her life starts to change. This book was a rollercoaster of emotions. Sadness and overwhelming grief but also so much love, healing and hope. The romance was absolutely swoonworthy and a perfect complement to the raw, real ugliness of grief. This book stole my heart. All the stars.

Cara is one of my favorite authors EVER! Each book is a hit. She has a way of writing that immediately captures you by the first few pages. This was such a beautiful story. Dare I say this is her best book yet! Forever my fave!

Like Cara Bastone’s previous book, this story is full of characters that feel solid and rich, and involves an emotional storyline peppered with just enough lightness. My only complaint is sometimes it felt like the story dragged, but it was never so off putting I didn’t want to return to the story. Would recommend!

Promise Me Sunshine is a beautifully written, funny and endearing book about grief that will rip the tears right out of your eyes.

The FMC Lenny has been grieving the loss of her person/soulmate/best friend from childhood for 6 months and she’s still struggling to get from day to day when she meets the MMC, Miles. Miles is the uncle to the girl Lenny is babysitting and after a few run-ins with each other, they agree to help each other out. Miles will help Lenny through the grieving process and Lenny will help him figure out a way to better connect with his niece. Through this deal to help each other they become friends and so much more.

Lenny was definitely a quirky character but she was also extremely real and raw as she worked through her immense grief. That balance helped her feel authentic. And Miles is just so sweet, thoughtful and protective. I felt like his character is also well-balanced with how he is so caring and patient with Lenny, but also gives her gentle nudges to help her work through her grief and come out on the other side of it.

I don’t cry super easily with books, but this one definitely got me. It was so well-written though that the sad parts just felt true-to-life and not like the author was forcing it to get emotional moments.

I have always enjoyed Cara Bastone’s books, and Promise Me Sunshine is now one of my top favorites of hers. I absolutely recommend it. It’s worth the tears, I promise.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Pubkishing Group for the ARC. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

A book about grief and opening yourself up to love. Cara Bastone knows how to write deep, emotional yet lighthearted book. I also love how it shows each person has a different journey with grief because that is so insanely true. A great book for love, second chances and opening yourself up.