Well…this story ripped my heart out 😭😭😭 I am still crying while I write this review

This was such a heartbreakingly beautiful and realistic depiction of grief. Lenny has gone through the most unimaginable pain of losing her best friend and is now having to figure out how to live without her. Miles was the perfect person to help her through her grief, after going through a similar journey himself. I absolutely loved their friendship and the way they both helped each other.

Miles might be my new favourite MMC, he was so sweet and caring and selfless and stoic. The way he forced himself into Lenny’s life at the exact moment she needed him and the way he helped her life again 😭😭

Cara Bastone’s writing is so beautiful and raw and the way she creates characters that feel so realistic is so incredible. The thing I loved most about this story was the way it sprinkled in moments of happiness, joy and laughter amongst all the heaviness and grief.

Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is one of the best books I’ve read for a long time. I was completely and utterly absorbed into this storyline right from the beginning and I read it all in just over a day. Both Lenny and Miles intrigued me, and everything that Lenny was going through broke my heart. It was raw, it was emotive and it was so beautiful in places.
Cara has managed to create two brilliant characters, with such depth and emotion. You go on a journey of healing and discovery with them. But in with all the grief and loss, there’s still a brilliant balance of humour and chemistry between them. They communicate, they understand and they grow, together.
I will be recommending this to everyone! And if this doesn’t feature in my top reads for 2025 I’ll be amazed.
Thank you so much for the opportunity to read and review this e-arc. I loved every second of it.

This beautiful, heartwarming, tender book found its way into my heart and consumed me completely, to the point where I couldn't put it down every time I picked it up and probably would have read it in a day if I'd had the time. I always want to savour the books I love, but unfortunately I'm not strong enough to control the urge to read like there's no tomorrow.

This is a story about grief and love and how to go on living after someone you love dies. How do you pick yourself up every day and go on with your life when a piece of your heart is taken away? How do you find the strength to carry on when all you want to do is hide in your bed and cry until there's nothing left inside? How does the sun have the audacity to keep shining and the birds keep singing when your whole world is shades of grey? Well, these are the kinds of questions Lenny desperately wants answers to, but she doesn't even know where to start looking. She lost her best friend, her soul mate, her other half, and life is so much darker without her. Lenny's a mess, her life has been turned upside down, but there's a list to tick off, a list of things to do in order to go on living. It's just that she's not strong enough to tackle it on her own, and that's where Miles comes in, the grumpy uncle of the little girl she's nannying, who insists that he can help her deal with her grief. He is, after all, an expert on the subject.

I've recently lost someone I love, so this book hit a little harder because I'm also in the process of navigating grief and it's not easy. Nobody teaches you how to do it and life keeps on going, it doesn't stop just because we're sad. There were some things that really broke my heart, but this book also gave me hope. There's always sunshine, and grief never leaves you, but it gets easier to bear.

Lenny's journey is her own and it's nobody's place to judge the way she mourns her friend. The way she held on to her pain and grief, afraid to let it go because she thought it would mean letting go of the love she still had for Lou, was deeply heartbreaking but also relatable. Miles was instrumental in helping her cope with her grief and slowly open up to life again, but much of her healing process was done on her own and I'm really proud of her for that. She's such a special soul, her personality and sense of humour are a delight and I'm glad she found a way to move on without letting go of all the love she has for her best friend.

Miles is absolutely precious! He has such a big heart and loves to help people. All the things he did for Lenny, the way he always showed up when she needed him, all the love and care he showed her, were so beautiful! He's a good one. I enjoyed his storyline a lot and I wish we'd seen more of him with his sister and niece.

Lenny and Miles' love story is so sweet. There's something so incredibly beautiful about watching two people fall in love and being completely oblivious to it. Every interaction between them made me swoon, they're so cute together. It's a very slow burn romance, but very tender and lovely. I loved the vulnerability and intimacy between them, how they helped each other heal, how they weren't afraid to bare their souls to each other. They made me so happy and I love them so much.

I think I could go on and on about this story and about Lenny and Miles. There's so much to say! But I've written too much already. The story ended so nicely, but Cara, if you're reading this, please give me an epilogue. I beg you!

- thank you Netgalley, Headline Eternal and the author for the e-arc!

Ready or Not, Cara Bastone’s incredible 2024 novel, was one of my absolute favourite books of last year so to say I was looking forward to reading Promise Me Sunshine is an understatement. I can say now, without a doubt, that Promise Me Sunshine will remain one of my top books of this year, and yes I know it’s only February.

Promise Me Sunshine contains one of the most powerful, beautiful, utterly devastating and yet hopeful portrayals of grief that I’ve ever read. Bastone creates these perfectly human characters that are messy, vulnerable, relatable and my gosh do they feel all the feelings, and so too do we for them. Understanding and dealing with grief is the central tenant of his novel, and woven in with this is a thoroughly gorgeous slow burn, friends to lovers romance. This really is a stunning novel.

Promise Me Sunshine begins with our FMC Lenny desperately struggling since the loss of her best friend Lou. She’s avoiding the apartment that she shared with Lou, dodging her concerned parents and ignoring the list of things designed to help her live again. All she can manage is babysitting a 7 year old named Ainsley. Lenny hopes that if she acts fine no one will notice she’s falling apart, and yet it’s only Ainsley’s seemingly overbearing Uncle Miles that can seem to see the depth of grief which she’s trying so hard to hide. He makes her a deal, he’ll help her complete her list if she helps him reconnect with Ainsley and her mum. As she begins to spend more time with Miles, Lenny begins to see that, sometimes, losing everything can be the first step to finding yourself again.

I felt so deeply for Lenny throughout the novel, and my goodness did she have me in tears. Her grief is palpable and was exquisitely written by Bastone, and the way Miles helps her to understand that the only way is through, my goodness he’s surely got to be the blueprint by which he judge any other supportive MMCs no? The relationship that they built and the ways that they helped one another, honestly I was genuinely moved.

It goes without saying that this novel deals with a lot of heaviness, but amongst that is so much light and joy. This often comes in the shape of Ainsley and the new friends that Lenny makes, but also in those beautiful small moments that occur between Lenny and Miles.

This really is a very special book indeed.

Promise Me Sunshine was my most anticipated book of the year and it absolutely delivered. It's an absolutely devastating portrayal of grief with the warmth of family and friendship. Miles and Lenny are a relationship that you can see lasting forever because of how slowly but surely they developed their love and trust for each other. This book reached right into my heart, tore it to pieces then gently and lovingly put it back together even better.

Lenny's dedication to Lou was incredibly realistic and I loved that Cara Bastone acknowledges repeatedly that friends can be the true loves of our lives. The sweetness between Miles and his niece Ainsley was hilarious and genuine, and I loved seeing Reese, Ainsley and Miles develop together. Jeffy, Rica and Jericho will stay with me forever - what a cracking band of humans! The skill with which Bastone writes such beautiful, genuine words is astounding and I would read her grocery lists, honestly. The easiest 5 stars in the world!

i loved this book so so much. i knew i would after i finished ready or not last year, and i almost waited to get my hands on the audiobook but one afternoon i was just pulled to this one and I’m so glad i gave in because my emotional state made for an absolutely devastating (complimentary) read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Headline Eternal for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I read all 419 pages in one day - it was that good!

Promise Me Sunshine is such a tender exploration of grief, friendship, and love in all its forms. It follows Lenny, a 30-something woman who works as a nanny and has just lost the love of her life, her best friend Lou. She is going through the worst of it, nannying throughout the day, but wandering around Manhattan at night because she feels that she cannot go back to her Brooklyn apartment, where she had lived with Lou. In one of these short-term jobs, which she admits is all she can handle at the moment, she meets Miles, the uncle of the little girl she's taking care of. Miles sees himself in Lenny because he also lost the most important people in his life over ten years prior. They strike up a friendship, helping each other and, in the process, developing a love that could perhaps go beyond what they had initially anticipated.

I'd heard so many incredible things about this book and I was not disappointed at all. Promise Me Sunshine deals with its topics in such a delicate way; these characters felt so real and their love was beautiful. The book managed to be at the same time sad and joyful, a celebration of life, but also a meditation on death.

Thank you so much to Headline Eternal and NetGalley for the e-ARC!

Thanks to Headline Eternal and to Netgalley for this advance copy of Promise Me Sunshine.

Lenny is a mess. Reeling after the death of her best friend, Lou, avoiding her concerned parents, and staying well away from the apartment her and Lou shared. She takes some temp babysitting gigs - most suck - but her current one is good: helping overworked, single mom Reese and her precocious daughter, Ainsley. It’s not perfect: Ainsley’s uncle, Miles, always seems to be around, and is kind of... a huge jerk. But if Lenny acts like she has it all together, maybe no one will notice she’s falling apart. Wrong. Miles notices. Miles is familiar with grief, and offers Lenny a preposition. He’ll help her complete everything on her “live again” list if she’ll help him connect with Ainsley and overcome his complicated relationship with Reese. Lenny doubts anything can fill the Lou has left behind, but she begins to spend more time with Miles, Lenny is surprised to discover that, sometimes, losing everything is only the first step to finding yourself, and love, again.

I have to admit - I wasn't that big of a fan of Bastone's last book: but Promise Me Sunshine surpassed all my expectations and made it stand alone as a glorious romance. Miles and Lenny go from acquaintances, to reluctant friends, to lovers, in a way that was so slow and gorgeous. The yearning!!! Plus, dealing with heavy topics in addition to the romance made this book feel deep in a way that will pull on your heartstrings.

Okay, I’ll be honest, when I first read the synopsis, I wasn’t totally sold. But the cover was so cute, and I thought, Why not? And wow, am I glad I gave it a chance! Once I started reading, I couldn’t stop. I wasn’t sure this would be my kind of book, especially since I didn’t finish the author’s last one, but this one? It hit all the right notes for me. It was charming, sweet, adorable, and full of heart, but it also had those moments that just wrecked me in the best way. Honestly, it was perfect.

I fell in love with both Lenny and Miles (seriously, Miles’ growth and his apologies for being judgmental? So good). And Miles’ relationship with his niece and sister? Absolutely heartwarming, though I’ll admit, his sister could be a little harsh at times, but I get where she was coming from.

If you’re looking for a story that’s equal parts heartbreaking and heartwarming, this is it. I’d totally recommend it to anyone who loves a good emotional rollercoaster. Trust me, you won’t regret it!

*Promise Me Sunshine* by Cara Bastone is a heartfelt and truly enjoyable love story set in New York. Lenny, struggling with the recent loss of a loved one, is barely holding it together, even finding it hard to sleep. She takes on a short-term job caring for Ainsley, a young child, but her peace is constantly disrupted by Ainsley’s Uncle, Miles. The story unfolds as Lenny and Miles, both grappling with grief, begin to slowly connect, supporting each other through their emotional struggles. The tension between them is palpable, and the gradual development of their relationship is both touching and gripping.

The book is well-written, with an excellent balance of heartache and humor that adds a refreshing layer to the emotional depth of the characters. It’s a beautiful exploration of love, healing, and human connection. I would definitely recommend this book for anyone looking for a story that blends emotion and humor in the best way possible.

What a gorgeous, gorgeous book. This was such a stunning portrayal of navigating grief and how it can be messy but also sometimes beautiful. Lenny was such a great character and her character arc was portrayed so beautifully, I was really rooting for her to find her way and find some kind of peace, however that would look for her in this new landscape. And Miles was such a perfect counterpart to her. I was also rooting for him in a different kind of way and was so happy with the way everything turned out. It was a perfect slow burn of a friends to lovers with some truly incredible dialogue and just the right amount of humour.

3.75/5

Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for giving me the opportunity to read this arc in exchange for a honest review.

My thoughts about this book are all over the place, so bear with me.

First off, it's a bit of a pet peeve of mine whenever a character is introduced as "quirky" or "edgy", because most of the times it just means that said character is immature and the jokes are not going to land like the author intended to...and this happened to me in Promise Me Sunshine.

Don't get me wrong, Lenny had many qualities (I loved every scene she had with Ainsley and Miles) and you're able to understand her coping mechanisms by the end of the book but still there's certain situations that, in my opinion, she's immature.

What can I say about Miles? He was the best part of this story, the man was just there ready to support her and hear her out everytime she crumbled down.
Lenny and Miles had so many fulfilling and beautiful moments together. They just complete eachothers souls.

The last half of the book was perfect, I really liked the serious tone that the author took while talking about the process of grieving. I wish the whole book had this tone from the beginning, I don't think "mocking" is the right word to characterize what I'm trying to say, but there were scenes in the first pages that didn't feel right to read?!

Even though I was expecting more from Promise Me Sunshine, this is still a book I recommend.

honestly, this book kinda feels like a letdown. the cool idea behind it was wasted because the characters just didn’t have enough depth, and the heavy themes it tried to cover weren’t explored well. sure, it might be a chill read for some, but if you’re after a real, emotional take on grief and healing, you might end up feeling let down. i wouldn’t suggest this book to anyone wanting a story that really hits you in the feels.

Possibly my new favourite read ever?!

Miles was everything and this story brought out all the emotions. It is heavy on grief and healing after loss, however the comedic relief, the raw emotions and the beautiful green flag relationship with open communication made this an absolutely perfect read. Plus a super cute kid!! Need I say more.

This book felt so personal, and I really felt connected to these characters. Lenny is such a relatable character in so many ways, and regardless of if you have experienced loss of a loved one, this book will have you stepping into Lenny’s shoes and laughing and crying along with her. Please be mindful of triggers and if you are in a place in your life where you can read this story as a beautiful work of fiction 🩵

Cara Bastone’s writing is incredible!! I feel like this story is going to stick with me for a long time.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Headline Eternal for this ARC copy.

“But the thing about losing the person you love the most on earth is— somehow— you still have to do mundane things like tie your shoes and make enough money to continue to exist in this punishing world.”

“Home is where the heart is. My heart died in a cancer ward six months ago.”

I absolutely adored this book - it follows Lenny, who is struggling to cope with life and grief following the death of her best friend. When she meets Miles he vows to help her - he’ll help her through her grief if she helps him bond with his niece (she’s her babysitter and good with her). And whilst this is a slow burn love story, it is also a beautifully moving journey of Lenny trying to live with her grief. How she learns to let people in again and live in this ‘new’ world.

I’m obsessed with Lenny and Miles - how they became friends, he recognised she was struggling and wanted to be there for her. How he learned what things she liked and who she was, helped her navigate her grief and provided her support. The friendship their relationship was built upon was such solid foundations and so perfect!

This book is honestly one of the most beautifully written books I’ve ever read. The way it deals with grief, how that feels and what it’s like to live with it, is just perfectly done. It’s so heartbreakingly beautiful - the perfect encapsulation of the struggle to keep living when your ‘heart’ is no longer there.

This is going to be a read that stays with me for a long time, and will definitely be one of my top reads of the year - if not one of my top reads of all time. One I’ll definitely be recommending to everyone and now I need to read the authors entire backlist!

ARC copy provided by Headline & NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

You know how you can read a blurb and add it to your tbr, then a while later you forget what it's about, but it's on your list, so it's gotta be good, so you read it. Yeah thats what happened to me. I went in blind. And it was good, like really good. But man did I cry a lot.

This was a really poignant story about grief and moving on from the loss of a loved one, and how you can't really do it by yourself. And finding love after tragedy.
I'd cry and finally stop and focus on the good and the funny bits, then out of nowhere it got sad again and I started bawling all over. It really was like grief in a bottle. If you need a good cry, in a controlled environment, this is for you.

Her writing is wonderful and evocative. Truly such an enjoyable ride. Miles, the MMC, does seem to suffer from the case of being too perfect, but tbh the romance is not the main draw here for me, their friendship and her journey is.

As bitter as it may sound, I wish I was as optimistic as Lenny. Even in her darkest times, she still found ways to laugh and come up with crazy, hopeful, stories.

I am convinced that Cara Bastone doesn’t know how to write a bad book, because one again, she has blown me away with her writing.

Promise me Sunshine is a work of love. This woman has brought these characters from words on a page to flesh and blood life. Lenny and Miles are such beautiful people. Flawed, wonderful, fragile and perfect. It was a joy to read about the adventure they take together. Don’t get me wrong it was also heart breaking, but where this book pulls you apart, it then lovingly and gently mends you back together.

5 starts! FIVE STARS!

5 ⭐️
This. Book.
It’s so well done. It’s quite a skill to write a book that centres around grief and loss which is also funny, but Cara has managed it with flair. Lenny’s journey was relatable and realistic, the progression she makes in understanding, feeling and managing her grief is well well written. Cara does a really good job of showing the heart-wrenching reality of the depths of grief and I especially likes her exploring the guilt which comes when joy breaks through grief, even for a brief moment. The relationship between Miles and Lenny was really well paced, you could feel the tension build through acts of care taking and small touches and looks. The romance felt genuine and I really enjoyed that the story didn’t end with either Miles or Lenny having everything figured out.
Genuinely don’t have any notes on what could be improved, this book both broke my heart and put it back together again.

Thanks to Netgalley, Headline publishers and Cara Bastone for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I think this may have just become one of my all-time favorite romances! The slow burn, the depth of grief, and the process of moving on after the loss of a loved one—it's such a beautiful love story that only a truly talented author could pull off, and Cara does it effortlessly. I need more of her writing, like, right now!

Promise Me Sunshine was both an emotional and romantic read, it was also one I couldn’t put down and I ended up reading it in just over a day. Thoughts 💭
• In this book we follow Lenny, a babysitter who is struggling under the weight of her grief from the loss of her best friend. As you would then expect this is a book that explores grief (and its mental / emotional health) for both main characters; Lenny but also Miles (our MMC). I thought it approached this topic with sensitivity and compassion. It had me crying in first chapter and multiple points throughout.
• Miles helps Lenny learn to live with her grief, but Bastone doesn’t neatly conclude Lenny’s journey with this (which I really liked). There are still things she hasn’t yet done, but I as reader know Lenny will get there eventually.
• The romance was a delightful slow-burn, I loved Miles and how he is eager to learn, supportive, loyal; he is grump with the softest centre.
• I think Bastone is becoming a favourite author of mine. In Promise Me Sunshine she does an excellent job of showing not telling in her writing (I won’t share how in this review because I think it will spoil some of the story). She also writes engaging romances that also discuss the difficulties of everyday life, such as bereavement here or unexpected pregnancy and friendships in Ready or Not.

I suspect Promise Me Sunshine won’t be for everyone, some moments felt heartbreakingly raw, but I’d highly recommend this tender romance.