Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone

Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and The Dial Press for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
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How do you find yourself after you lose the one you loved the most?

Grieving the loss of her best friend, a young woman’s life is turned upside down when she meets a grumpy stranger who swears he can help her live again, in this heartwarming, slow-burn romance by the author of Ready or Not.

Lenny’s a bit of a mess at the moment. Ever since cancer stole away her best friend, she has been completely lost. She’s avoiding her concerned parents, the apartment she shared with her best friend, and the ever-laminated “live again” list of things she’s promised to do to survive her grief. But maybe if she acts like she has it all together, no one will notice she’s falling apart.

The only gigs she can handle right now are temporary babysitting jobs, and she just landed a great one, helping overworked, single mom Reese and her precocious daughter, Ainsley. The only catch: Ainsley’s uncle, Miles, always seems to be around, and is kind of. . . a walking version of the grumpy cat meme. Worse – he seems to be able to see right through her.

Surprisingly, Miles knows a lot about grief and he offers Lenny a proposition. 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 void her best friend has left behind, but between late night ferry rides, midnight ramen, and a well-placed shoulder whenever she needs it, Miles just won’t stop showing up for her. Turns out, sometimes your life has to end to find your new beginning.
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I heard all the buzz about Cara Bastone's last book Ready or Not on the socials, so when I saw Promise Me Sunshine come up on NetGalley, I was quick to request it. After reading Ready or Not, I was even more excited to read this new offering, and I was looking forward to making it my first read of 2025. No regrets at all.

As in her previous offering, this author has given us characters who are just so likeable. Lenny is so real and flawed and messy, and I just wanted to crawl into the pages of the book and give her a big hug. Miles is everything. The story manages to be both deep and meaningful while also being fun and lighthearted. The subplots are fully developed parts of a beautiful whole, and the entire thing is was just an amazing start to me reading year.

I am excited to see there is a back catalog of books from this writer, and I look forward to adding her to my list of auto-buy authors. Big thanks to social media for sending her my way!

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