I've not come across very many stories dealing so heavily with the topic of infertility, so I think more representation is important and needed regarding this topic as it affects so many women but stills seems to be very taboo and not something that is openly and honestly discussed.

I'll be honest. The romantic side of this story was very predictable. Josh was giving out strong lovey-dovey vibes from very early on while Ian put off major red flag energy throughout.

Meanwhile, Gemma was so oblivious (and slightly insufferable) it wasn't even funny. She went around thinking and speaking at people in super corny motivational quotes. She could also be really dumb. And a moronic, prejudiced, self-centered, hurtful jerk. To make a long story short, she was an major asshole for a big part of the book, but thankfully her redemption arc was satisfying enough that all her unlikable-ness ended up being worth it (apart from the fact that it was necessary for plot reasons).

So, in the end, the book was predictable but still very sweet (mainly thanks to Josh, he was adorable and I loved him).

I also thought the women from the infertility support group were a nice addition to showcase a little of how different people struggle with infertility, plus they provided some great comedic relief. But they too were crucial and vital in their role as a sounding board for Gemma to realize she was being a horrible person and needed to course-correct.

All in all, I'd say this was a cute contemporary romance, perfect to enjoy during a lazy afternoon.

**I received an e-copy of this book from Swift and Lewis Publishing LLC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own**

I listened to the audiobook in one day. I couldn’t stop. It started a little rough in the first 2 chapters with the way some of the characters were so judgmental about Gemma’s life, but it quickly got so much better! I really liked both Josh and Gemma and really hope this isn’t the last we hear of them because a part 2 would be amazing! Definitely would recommend this!

First things first: I'm in love with Josh Lewenthal (and Gemma, because we love a strong female character). I think I'm a huge sucker for a trope of any kind, but secret pining?? Unrequited love?? Friends to lovers?? Last to know?? I'm obsessed. There's a lot of laughs in this book, a lot of swooning, and a lot of moments where I wanted to cry. I think that having that journey of emotions is truly what makes a book worth reading, and Sarah Ready really nailed that perfect balance. It was endearing, surprising, and all-around is definitely worth a read!

For fans of Christina Lauren, Emily Henry, etc
Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2022
This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I really enjoyed it. I actually read it in 2 days and listened to the audiobook and read the book going back and forth. It was a clever, fun read and even though think you know what’s going to happen it keeps you guessing. I plan to go and read the rest of her collection.

The rom-com I never knew I needed in my life! Absolutely devastating and so true to life, Gemma feels like she has it all until faced with a diagnosis that could change her future forever. Deciding to take life into her own hands and not wait for the future to determine whether she is able to have a child, Gemma plans a very business-like deal with Josh. Josh isn't exactly the kind of guy Gemma would normally go for, but he doesn't have to be. This isn't a relationship, it's just a business deal leading to a child. The set-up to the story was absolutely perfect and the emotional connections make this book all the better.

5/5 Stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing, LLC, for providing me with an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun book. I really enjoyed Josh and it was nice to get a singular POV romance novel. I don’t see those as much. This was your run of the mill romance comedy with a quirky heroine and antics involved. The characters were a bit stereotypical with the known playboy, the hippie character, the rich and beautiful but unhappy socialite and so on. However, It was interesting learning new things about IVF. Moreover, this novel shows a great range of tone changes from light hearted to heart breaking. I was overall satisfied with the ending.The story was almost cheesy at times when it came to Josh’s capabilities when it comes to Gemma, but if you don’t mind cheese, then I think this is the story for you.

I saw this book everywhere and I needed to get a hold of it! I loved this book with my whole heart, Josh is a sweetheart and literally I need him in my life (sorry Gemma!!) and the plot of the book was expertly laid out! I connected with Gemma and absolutely loved her personality from the first page, and the banter between her and Josh was addicting!! I am always a little bit nervous going into books with IVF/sperm donation mentioned because it is something close to my heart, but this book did not disappoint. It is heartwarming and at times hilarious! Definitely recommended and I'm looking forward to reading more from Sarah Ready!!

I was so so intrigued by the title of this book! And I have to say, this book did not disappoint!! These characters quickly became a hit for me. I will be recommending this to so many friends and will be sure to reread.

“I’ve never regretted the doing. Only the not doing.” - Josh And Gemma Make a Baby, Sarah Ready
🌟🌟🌟🌟

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Gemma a 32 year old divorced woman has a new years resolution and it's to have a baby through IVF. But the problem is she needed a man to fulfill that resolution, a donor who'll agree in a no string attached scheme, no commitment —only baby. And only one man keeps in her mind, Josh Lewenthal, her brother's best friend. She just needs to convince him to agree with her desperate plan.

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Thought 💭

It's a humorous, romantic and uplifting story, especially for everyone who wants kids and wants the love we deserve.

Gemma is such an inspiring woman. I loved her desperation, determination, for not giving up with her condition and pushing all the alternatives to obtain what she really wants. Her bubbly personage is uplifting in this story, but I got irritated on how she focuses levying those quotes and sayings from his self help guru boss in her basic life that sometimes, she forgets to consider other's feeling. The limitation of imposing it, that not everything that can works for her will do work for others.

Josh is such a catch, for Gemma and for everyone. You can never judge a book by its cover, by its author or by the issues circulating about it. Discover it on your own and from that you can have a voucher to, so to speak about it.

Some side characters here are really amazing too, especially Gemma's new found friends from fertility meeting. They have good own stories of struggles like her.

This is the first book I've read by the author and it's awesome— a page turner one. Love those some drawings on it, highlighting momentous or impish scenes. And as well as the audiobook, the narrator did a beauty spell voicing the story.

Thanks Netgalley for giving me a copy of this book.

#JoshAndGemmaMakeaBaby #SarahReady #NetGalley #Audiobook #favelinesinthebook

"Josh and Gemma Make a Baby" was a cute rom-com that I finished off in a single day. It was a sweet comfort read that let me escape real life, but one that will not stick with me long term. Super readable with likable characters that you cheer for, Josh and Gemma was a quirky rom-com that interestingly included and made work a lot of lime jello, trips to fertility appointments, and positive affirmation quotes. While a week later I would have forgotten the main characters names if they were not in the title, I loved this treat of a book for what it was - an escape of a romance.

Some spoiler-y trigger warnings: Infertility, Miscarriage, body/fat shaming

This book was not at all what I expected, in good ways and some not so pleasant ways. The first was that I did not expect the book to be heavy. For some reason, I thought it would be fluffy and funny, but it had some heavy materials. But the good thing was that the material was so effectively delivered that I cried through the whole thing.

Second, I did not expect the female protagonist to be this clueless and this toxically positive. I'm so glad there was a redemption arc for her because I was getting so so mad at her for being so selfish. But again, this was a narrative device used superbly well!

Overall, the writing was very lucid and I got into it pretty easily, but I'm not sure the book can be categorised as easy romance (only because of its heavy materials)

I don’t usually gravitate towards romantic comedies, but Josh and Gemma Make a Baby is a wonderful book which brings to light tough topics without making me feel heavy and I enjoyed every second of reading.

Gemma has known Josh for decades. He’s her best friend’s brother and she grew up with him, although she never considered Josh a friend. Gemma decides that ten years after her marriage failed, she can’t wait to have a baby. The clock is ticking and with her infertility, Gemma can’t afford to keep waiting for the right man (who she’s convinced doesn’t even exist) so she’s going to make a baby by herself. She asks Josh to lend a helping hand and donate his sperm, he agrees, and the rest is history.

I thought the interactions between Gemma and Josh were so wonderful. Gemma has such a kind heart and my own heart ached for her during her battles of infertility and trying to find her happiness in a town where everyone knows her business and has an opinion on her life. I will admit, I wanted to give her a good, hard shake sometimes when she failed to see what was right in front of her (cough, Josh, cough) but it was an entertaining journey of discovery.

Gemma and Josh are friends-to-lovers/brothers-best-friend but their relationship is much more than that. Their compatibility was off the charts. They were always there for each other during the tough times, making sure the other was okay and trying to put a smile on their face. Their journey to acquaintances to madly-in-love was a steady journey and one not to be missed.

Overall, Ready handled the topic of infertility with grace and care, and she really did the topic justice. Erin Mallon was a perfect narrator for the book and was a brilliant addition to the novel. This is my first novel by Sarah Ready and after my audiobook finished, straight away I added the rest of her novels to my Goodreads account. Gemma and Josh Make a Baby is a brilliant book.

I had never read a book by Sarah Ready and will definitely be keeping my out for more in the future!

A heartfelt book that brims with hope and plenty of romance, I read Josh and Gemma’s story in one sitting. I loved their chemistry and the many ways that both their friendship and Gemma’s support group shaped the plot. I especially loved the supporting characters, laughing at the quirks and phrases from her support group of women (can they have their own novels?!), as well as tearing up when things did not always go to plan.

Will be recommending to plenty of my friends and Sarah Ready has now joined my ‘followed authors’ list on GoodReads!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC.

I wasn’t expecting to love this book as much as I did. The title is a little cheesy, in my opinion, but the book was sweet, relatable, and just so good!

Gemma is divorced and is told she can’t have a baby. She finds out that she may be able to conceive through IVF, and that’s where her brother’s best friend comes in.

Throughout you see Gemma’s relationships with Ian, a self-help guru who also knows Josh, some ladies she meets in a support group (love them all!), and her own family.

The book had me smiling, laughing, and my heart was breaking at times. Definitely worth the read! 4.5 stars

To be honest, I was not a huge fan of this book. I’m giving it three stars because I finished it and liked the ending, but it’s more realistically like a 2.5 for me.
First of all, I felt like I was reading a self help book, not a romance book. I get it, the main character works for a self-help guru (don’t even get me started on him)…but every chapter title was an inspirational quote and then that same quote was mentioned up to three times in each chapter. It just became obnoxious.
Second, the main character was treated like an outcast because she was divorced, struggled with fertility, and wasn’t super thin. I mean, she sounds like the majority of the people I know….a realistic weight, relationship issues…isn’t that like normal? But in the beginning she was literally ‘black-sheeped’ even by her own mom. Someone commented how they didn’t want sloppy seconds…she’s lucky to get whatever she gets….seriously? It just seemed a bit degrading, chauvinistic….sometimes even derogatory.
Next, this book was highly predictable for me. At least the major events. In a way, I’m glad I finished it because I did like the ending (like the last 15-20% of the book was decent), but there were several times I considered not finishing it because it was just frustrating how so many of the events were ludicrous. Also, the lack of clear communication between the characters was frustrating. Nearly all of the ‘problems’ in the book would have been resolved had people actually talked to each other and were honest. Which maybe that was the point, I don’t know.
Oh, and the ‘dirty talk’….the heck was that!?! And who in their right mind puts carrots and apple chunks in lime jello!?! And uses it in a ‘steamy scene’. There were so many instances that the events were so out there I just wanted to put the book aside and not finish it.
Long story short, I don’t understand the hype for this book. I wouldn’t recommend it to friends nor would I discourage them from reading it. It’s just ‘meh’.

Gemma’s biggest dream is to be a mother but sometimes life is hard and we can’t always have what we want, when we want it. She decided to ask Josh, her brother best friend, to be her sperm donor and he accepted it.
We get to see these two characters become friends before feelings kicked in.
I really liked how this book portrayed infertility and showed so many different journeys. I think it’s important to show it so people can understand how people deal with it.
The characters were actually the cutest. Gemma is not the main character we’re used to and I really liked that. She’s so strong and I truly admire her and her strength. Josh is ADORABLE. I was kind of scared at first because i portrayed him as a bad boy (yes a 33 old bad boy) but i was so wrong. He’s kind, loving and always there for Gemma. He’s a keeper!!
This was a really good reading and I recommend it!!!

For my first Sarah Ready book this was a solid winner. I didn’t expect the amount of emotions I felt while reading this story either. There were a few funny moments but there were also those misty eyed ones sprinkled throughout that got me as well.

I really liked Gemma’s character. She was filled with positivity and believed that no matter what there was a bright side to things. There’s one thing she yearns for more than anything and it’s to have a baby. Though it seems impossible with her infertility she won’t let that stop her in fulfilling her dream.

Josh was an absolute dream. He’s the swooniest, caring, patient, and just the most downright amazing guy. He’s there for Gemma and is willing to help her realize her dream and that just solidifies how great he is.

Gemma and Josh brought the feels. They were adorable together and yes at times both were stubborn and get way too much in their own heads, but they realized if not taking a chance now then when? And taking a leap of faith was worth it because it led them right to what they were looking for.

Josh and Gemma Make a Baby was a heartwarming, sweet, heartfelt, and tender friends to lovers romance that brought the feels. I really enjoyed Gemma’s growth throughout the book and the journey her and Josh took which ultimately brought them together.

TW: Infertility, miscarriage, loss

This was a fun second-chance love story and I enjoyed reading about Josh and Gemma building their relationship. I think some of the characterization and writing was awkward which made me have trouble connecting to the characters, but it was still cute and fun to read.

This book felt more like 'Josh and Gemma Get Together' than 'Josh and Gemma Make a Baby'.

Let me talk about expectations first: what I wanted the story to be about was Josh and Gemma - two people who've known each other all their lives but haven't had any deeper connection than that - managing a pregnancy, and their journey through those months. This book however focused on them trying to get pregnant (which is an important subject obviously), but not what the cover or the title sold. Maybe that's to do with my own misunderstanding, but regardless, even after I became aware of the change in focus, it didn't improve the situation much.

I couldn't particularly find anything much to like about Gemma: the book makes her out to be a sad divorcee who got cheated on, and who has weight and fertility problems. It almost felt like a checklist of things to make her situations feel sympathetic without really exploring these problems with the nuance they deserved. Also, why are the main characters in rom-coms so hare-brained? Gemma wakes up late for her office meeting, and then proceeds to turn on her camera in front of everyone in her company when she's just wearing a bra. Who the hell does this? Why do stupid things like this have to happen? Like 'check me out I'm so ditzy, it's funny to embarrass myself haha that's just my character quirk'.

I was also irked by her tendency to judge other people's jobs (like Josh being a comic book writer) as inferior when it's hilarious she takes her job as the social media manager of a self-help guru as seriously as she does. If you go about spouting random quotes at people all the time (which all sound really generic by the way - you can find some framed version of these quotes anywhere you might find a 'Live.Love.Laugh' one), you have some issues.

There are some moments which felt true and heartfelt in the book but these were few and far in between. I wanted more - more depth, more character growth, more exploration of the topics that the author merely brushes on. And I'm not a big fan of how authors just make everything a shit-show towards the climax of the book, for the protagonist to suddenly have all the revelations about their behavior and other people's behavior and then repent. And then to have everyone suddenly be so understanding and convenient. Like Gemma's mother's presence in most parts of the book is wildly discomfiting - whether it's her comments about which men Gemma deserves, or her divorce, or the way that she looks. And in the end when Gemma reveals her IVF plans, her mother is suddenly so understanding, because it’s her life and she just wants her daughter to be happy. Okay sure.

I'm also done with the hero having been in love with the heroine for a long time. Why does this have to be a prerequisite, especially when there's no need for it to be? Even if the characters have known each other for a long time, there's nothing wrong with most of the developments happening within the book itself.

I'm not even going to comment on whatever happened with Gemma's boss, because it felt so unnecessary and stupid, and wholly inappropriate.

This was fairly trope-y and predictable, which was a bit of a shame as the subject matter is one that I haven’t seen a lot in rom-coms. It does, however, have a handful of redeemable factors: a lot of the Josh-Gemma conversations felt nice and wholesome. The moments dealing with the IVF process also felt realistic. However, I’m not sure these were enough to redeem the book. This book was a 2.5/5 for me.

Josh and Gemma Make a Baby has all the aspects you’d look for in a Rom Com. Though tackling a tough topic in infertility, the author manages to weave in comedic scenes and glimpses at Josh and Gemma falling in love. Overall, it was a quick read and I did enjoy the book, I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as I was hoping to. I personally enjoy when you really see the two characters fall in love on the page and I felt like I was told a bit more than shown. The supporting characters also left a sour taste in my mouth, most being downright hateful to Gemma and not offering much support or substance to the book. If you enjoy rom-coms, it’s worth a read, but I won’t find myself re-reading.