Promise Me Sunshine

by Cara Bastone

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. Her best friend, Lou, recently passed away after a battle with cancer, and her death has left Lenny feeling completely lost. She’s avoiding her concerned parents, the apartment she shared with Lou, and the list of things she’s supposed to do to help her live again. The only thing she can do is temporary babysitting gigs, and luckily, she just landed a great one, 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.

Miles sees right through her though. Turns out, he knows a lot about grief and, surprisingly, he offers her 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 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.

Genres: Romance, Audiobook, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Friends To Lovers, Fiction, Grief

Kindle Edition

First published March 4, 2025

About the author

Hi, I’m Cara!
I’m a full time writer living and writing in Brooklyn with my husband, son, and an almost-goldendoodle. My goal with my work is to find the swoon in ordinary love stories.

I’ve been a fan of the romance genre since I found a grocery bag filled with my grandmother’s old Harlequin Romances when I was in high school. I’m a fangirl for pretzel sticks, long walks through Prospect Park, and love stories featuring men who aren’t crippled by their own masculinity.

Reviews

[Sara Carrolli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh how sweet was this book! (at least the second half)

First impressions weren’t great, I honestly didn’t love either character & couldn’t fathom a romance occurring. But then it made sense…Lenny’s in no shape for anything romantic and needs an anchor of some sort (in comes Miles). He’s been through first-hand what Lenny’s currently feeling & the way he guides/helps her I ended up loving! Their relationship was so slow burn, but seeing them connect in a very personal way I really enjoyed. Miles ended up being so thoughtful & caring & maybe (definitely) grumpy, but the development was there! Lenny was so awkward & cringy lol - but getting to know her and her personality, I had to just let her do her

I also absolutely loved the way the author handled grief, knowing it’s never gonna leave you but it can get easier some days & how a companion to relate to and lean on may help the pain. I also love the way the author describes feelings & moments! So much showing rather than telling and it was wonderful ⭐️

“Lenny, when I look at your face, I feel like I’m finally home after a really long day at work”

“Grief is a relationship,” he continues. “It’s the way we figure out how to keep loving them even though they’re gone. And in order to do that we have to keep on going. And going and going.”

“He treats you well?” “Mom, he walked into hell and dragged me back out.”

[Larissa Cambusano · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was the most beautiful audiobook ever and also the saddest so there’s that.

“he walked into hell and dragged me back out” ❤️

“when I look at your face I feel like i’m finally home after a really long day at work” 😭😭😭😭😭😭

[Clace · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars!!

" Every time i fall in love with you there’s lightning"
"There’s only you. Lenny. Every time.. it’s just you" he says, muffled as he kisses me. "And you." He kisses me again. "And you."

Where do I even start 🧍🏻

I just know Cara Bastone cannot write a book better than this.
Have I read her other books? No.
Do I still believe that this her at her peak? Yes.

"But with you, Len, when I met you..... I sort of feel like I met myself"

This was soo good like I actually savored this book so much and the moments that these characters shared, the grief that was dealt with was so beautifully written and the writing itself was masterclass. I was hooked and engaged and in love. Even during my slump when I had no desire to read or when I picked up a book and was disliking it, this book was the only one that stood out and gave me actual feels. I can't comment on the pacing because I was in a slump and travelling so it was slow for me but I didn't mind it because I was enjoyig it so much. Like the effor and the thought process that went through this book was so pure and raw, the complex emotional turmoil was dealt with so swiftly and it showcased the realities of loosing someone and oh my god it was done so well, it was so damn relatable and it made me feel so much.

This was my first Cara book and you bet your ass that I'll binge all her other books because it's so hard for me to find an author who's like five stars on the first read and tbh I just got this arc because the name and the cover were so enticing and honestly looking at it and at the actual story of the book it's so different, I was actually fooled but believe me that the story inside the book was as pretty as the outside of this book and you would be missing out big time if you skip this book over because oh my god it has everything.

"He treats you well?"
"Mom, he walked into hell and dragged me back out"

Lenny was such a well written character, over the span of this book, I related to her so many times and I wanted to give her a hug so bad, the way she would start crying whenever she would remember her best friend was so real and well captured because the bond that we got to experience between lenny and her bestie was so strong that I actually confused her for Lenny's sister and I honestly cant even fathom loosing a friend because I feel like it would be so so bad especially since we spend so much time together, share so many beautiful memories together that I just feel like as long as I am there, My friends are going to be there as well, thinking that they one day might not be there but I would seems so impossible for me and honestly this book made me realize how that could happen. Friends are family, they are like your second home, their presence creates a sense of comfort and sometimes the grief of loosing a friend is so easily overlooked by people and I am so glad Cara showcased it in such a perfect manner. My heart was crying for Lenny.

Lenny was in such a dark place, the place that she found herself in was described as hell, isolated from everyone, feeling guilty for living and feeling like such a heavy presence from her life just disappeared. A feeling of coping up with loss, finding patience and failing and not giving up by standing up again and it was just so emotional and powerful to read. It was so well done. Seeing how she coped with everything and seeing myself be there during those times feeling the same thing, when all hope is removed from your life and for this period of time you dont feel like living or don't have the will to live and then to think that the person you love so much is not even in this world seems so insane unreal that you go into denial. I feel like everything about Lenny's arc was done beautifully.

"Grief is a relationship. It’s the way we figure out how to keep loving them even though they’re gone. And in order to do that we have to keep on going. And going and going. You’re not betraying her by healing, you are honoring her. You are learning to love her exactly as she is. As someone who isn’t here anymore… that’s who she is now. And this journey through grief.. it’s what we do for great loves of our lives"

Miles, our male main character has such a strong place in this book. He was so cute, wore glasses, introvert and so kind. He was so loyal and he was a person who you WANT in real life because he is so dependable. He is like that one person in your life who you know you can count on in any situation, in any circumstance and he'll be there. I loved that about Mile's so much. His grief was also not overlooked, He did so much while being in grief. I love how it also showed how everyone deals with loss in a different manner and I loved th effort Miles put for his niece and the way he went and tried and did so much for Lenny, to try and help her heal and stand on her own so she could feel free. It was so beautiful to read like my words will never be enough for a character likes Miles. He was written with such unadulterated love that everyone is just bound to fall in love with him.

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

The romance itself was so beautiful to read, like you don't know how this book consumed me and made me obsessed because as I'm writing this reviews there are scenes roaming around in my brain and I am loving that so much, it's so hard to find a book this good and it feels so good to read something that deliver the way Lenny and Miles did. The banter that they shared gave this book a much light hearted presence that shaped this story into a new level, the slow burn was so well done, the way the romance weaved itself through the grief and the moments share and then the realizations that took place to finally reaching a place of understanding was next level because you're telling me all that happened and it left me breathless so easily?? I loved the romance especially the last few chapters. It felt so satisfying to read. It was such a good story and I honestly will tell you when I say this Cara can write amazing romance alongside any topic because this book is major proof of that. I love how they were each other saviors, it was perfect.

Overall, I feel like everyone should experience this at least once because if you're not reading this then what are you doing with your life!!
___
I have been anticipating this book so muchhh and Buket praises Cara Bastone so much so I have to see what they hype is all about! I am sooo excited to read this.

-Buddy reading with Hoda and Buket

*Thank you to Random house publishing- Dial Press Tradeback for an E-Arc of this book!*

[♥︎ Heather ⚔ (New House-Hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ 4 𝕊𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕤 ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹

In Promise me Sunshine, we follow our FMC, Lenny and her healing journey. After Lenny lost her best friend, and soul mate Lou, she is overcome with grief. Lenny is in survival mode and is taking day-by-day. After agreeing to take on a temporary child care position, she meets Mile’s.

Miles is misunderstood. While outwardly being closed off, Mile’s understands Lenny’s situation and the two strike up a friendship. He has experience with deep grief and thinks he can help Lenny navigate hers. He’s right.

I really enjoyed spending time with both Miles and Lenny. The author did a fantastic job with the characters - I thought they were loveable, cute, quirky and relatable. I will say, that at times Lenny felt a little immature to me- or maybe that was part of her grieving process that brought it out more?

Miles was adorable! Oh, how I loved him! But what a strange one in the beginning, he took socially awkward and ran for the gold with it. But he is literally the sweetest MMC I've read in a while. So attentive, so nurturing, so selfless. He just didn't know how to express it initially with his family.

The relationship that blooms between these two is beautiful, first as friends and super slowly to lovers. Miles helps Lenny through her grief and how to live again and open her heart again. And in turn, Lenny helps Miles deal with some of his lingering grief, and some other struggles without naming specifics.

This book truly felt like a warm hug the whole way through. I fully intended not to like this book lol I have a real beef going on right now with romances especially with cartoon covers. But this one really surprised me. When I read the synopsis, I expected this to be extremely sad, and while it does pull at your heart strings, I felt it was more of a heartwarming story, rather than a sad one.

There's tons of humor in this that 'breaks up' the sadness that is a major subject of the book - grief.

The writing was beautiful, the pacing was great. I found myself captivated by the story and not being able to put my kindle down.

The spice scene was super awkward between the two of them and I got some super secondhand embarrassment lol skimmed those pages. But all in all this was a beautiful and emotionally moving story, I highly recommend.


Thank you for buddy reading with me my lovely Cara 💗🤸‍♀️ I had a blast with you, so glad we enjoyed this one together! Please be sure to check out her thoughts as well!

Expected Release Date - 03/04/25

₊⊹⁀➴ 🧡Friendship and Grief
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ 💜Standalone
₊⊹⁀➴ 💛Cinnamon Roll MMC
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ 🗽Emotional Read
₊⊹⁀➴ 🧡Slow Burn
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ 💜Swoony MMC
₊⊹⁀➴ 💛Healing and Loss
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ 🗽Hurt x Comfort
₊⊹⁀➴ 🧡Grumpy x Sunshine
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ 💜Friends to Lovers

⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ Connect with me on Instagram ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹


✨ Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the advanced digital copy- all thoughts are my own. ✨

[maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

જ⁀➴ 6 ✰

⋆𐙚₊˚⊹“But with you, Len, when I met you … I sort of feel like I met myself.” ⋆𐙚₊˚⊹

This is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. It captures the raw, unfiltered reality of grief—how messy, unpredictable, and all-consuming it can be—while also reminding us that healing is possible, even from the pain we once believed was insurmountable.
There are countless words I could use to describe this book: captivating, inspiring, heartwarming, deeply emotional, and achingly realistic. Every page resonated with me, drawing me in with its honesty and depth.

This was my first Cara Bastone book, and calling it an understatement to say I’ll be reading more of her work doesn’t even begin to express how much I want to. Sometimes, I struggle to write reviews for books that truly move me because no words ever feel sufficient to capture their impact. This book is one of those—one that leaves me at a loss for words in the best possible way.

I genuinely have no words to fully express how much this book made me feel. From the very first page, I was completely captivated. I’ll admit, I was hesitant to request the ARC at first—I don’t typically read many books about grief—but the moment I saw it was set in nyc, I couldn’t resist. (I’m a whore for books set in nyc.)

This book is so much more than just a romance. It’s a story about surviving the unimaginable loss of a loved one and learning how to move forward while carrying that grief. It teaches you that even in the depths of sorrow, life can still be breathtakingly beautiful—that even when you feel like you've lost your purpose, there is still so much worth living for.

⋆˚⊹“Grief … it’s not like any other emotion. It is utterly discombobulating. Among many other things.”⋆˚⊹

The writing in this book was absolutely breathtaking—I was completely blown away by it. It tackles such a heavy, emotional topic, yet does so in a way that feels incredibly comforting, like a warm embrace in the midst of heartbreak. One moment, I was in tears, and the next, I was laughing—all within the span of just a few sentences.

CHAPTER 32 got me in all the feelings, I think I highlighted the whole chapter because of how beautiful it was and how giddy it got me feeling.

My only complaint? There’s no epilogue. And let me tell you, I was devastated when I reached the last page and didn’t see the word epilogue. I’m a simply girl who needs that happily ever after wrapped up neatly. Give me the ten years later scene. Let me see the future I’ve been desperately hoping for😭

If you're looking for a light, fluffy romance, this isn’t the book for you. While there are moments of humor sprinkled throughout, the story leans much more on the heavy, emotional side. In fact, I’d argue that the romance is more of a subplot—this book is about grief, healing. And it does that beautifully.


➳ characters:


ೃ࿐ Lenny Bellamy

⭑.ᐟ “Look, Lenny. From where I’m sitting you are someone who needs friends to be happy. People are your fuel.”

My sweet girl—I wish I could wrap her in the biggest, warmest hug. She lost her best friend, the other half of her soul, and now she’s left adrift, struggling to navigate a world that suddenly feels emptier. She’s drowning in grief, caught between memories of the past and the unbearable weight of the present.

⋆˚⊹“And saying ‘my friend died’ doesn’t convey what really—she was my sister. No. My A-team. My other half. And I’m so fucking stupid because I didn’t realize she was my whole life until she was gone.”⋆˚⊹

Lenny’s character is a raw, heartbreaking portrayal of just how messy and unpredictable grief truly is. It’s not a neat, linear process—it ebbs and flows, crashing over you when you least expect it. One moment, you’re smiling, feeling a fleeting sense of normalcy, and the next, you’re hit with the crushing realization that the person you love is gone. And then comes the guilt—the ache of continuing to live, to experience joy, while knowing they no longer can. This book captures that pain with such honesty, showing that grief isn’t just sadness; it’s love that has nowhere to go.

Lenny is a character who is so easy to understand and empathize with. Even if you haven’t experienced the same kind of loss she has, if you’ve ever loved someone deeply, just imagining losing them is enough to make your heart ache. It’s no wonder she’s a mess—how could she not be? Grief like hers is impossible to prepare for.

I don’t even know how I would cope if I lost my best friend. She’s more than just a friend; she’s like a sister to me. In a way, I’ve already lost a part of her since moving away from my country—it’s been hard to stay connected the way we used to. But this book made me realize something important: instead of focusing on the distance, I need to be grateful that I can still call her, still text her, still hear her voice. It reminded me to cherish what we have, even from miles away.


ೃ࿐ Miles Honey

⭑.ᐟ “I want to be someone they can rely on. Who they like having around.”

I’m just going to pretend I didn’t see the buzzcut on the cover—because in my mind, Miles looks like Logan Lerman with long hair, not almost bald.🤚🏻 That being said, Miles is absolutely perfect, and somehow even more attractive when he starts wearing glasses.🤭

He’s also carrying an immense amount of grief, though in a different way. He’s lost his mother, his father, and his cousin—so much loss for one person to bear. In an attempt to hold on to what little family he has left, he moves to be closer to them, hoping for connection. But watching how misunderstood he is by his sister and niece absolutely shattered me. He’s trying so hard, yet they can’t seem to see the depth of him. It broke my heart to see him feeling so alone and useless.

Miles is the kind of person who would do absolutely anything for the people he loves, no matter what it takes. His heart is so big, and the depth of his loyalty is undeniable. He’s emotionally intelligent in a way that feels rare—he notices things, understands feelings that aren’t always spoken aloud, and cares so deeply without expecting anything in return.

⋆˚⊹“Yeah, that’s right. You need strong. You need someone who can stop you from fighting large men on the street. You need someone who can wade in and pull you out of the swamp if you need me to. And I can be that person.”⋆˚⊹

⤷ that quote sums up the kind of person Miles is.

At the same time, he’s wonderfully selfless, always putting others before himself, even when it means carrying the weight of his own struggles in silence. And then there’s his social awkwardness, which only makes him even more endearing. He’s not the type to command a room, but his quiet presence speaks volumes. All of these qualities—his kindness, his depth, his quiet strength—make me love him even more. He’s the kind of character who stays with you long after the last page.

She ask him if her face is boring and do you want to know what this man says???😭😭
⤷ “Lenny, when I look at your face, I feel like I’m finally home after a really long day at work.”

HELLO I would literally marry him right there💖😭

{spoiler❗️} I was bailing my eyes out when miles was dancing with Ainsley, I don’t know why I started crying specifically in that moment. But it’s the way he just wants to help everyone around him, how happy he was after the dance. The fact that Reese finallly saw him for what he truly is. Also he getting a matching tattoo with Lenny😭 and saying that the wolves aren’t along because there’s 2 of them SHUT UP😫



˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥˚✿ °. Lenny & Miles


They were exactly what each other needed, even before they realized it themselves. The slow burn between them was absolutely perfect—the kind of love that sneaks up on you, growing steadily in the quiet moments, until suddenly, it’s everything. Their relationship felt so natural, so effortless, like two puzzle pieces falling into place. Watching them go from strangers to friends to something more was everything I could have hoped for and then some. There’s just something so special about a love that starts with friendship, which is why friends to lovers will always be my favorite trope.

⋆˚⊹“He treats you well?”
“Mom, he walked into hell and dragged me back out.”⋆˚⊹

Their dynamic was a perfect mix of heartwarming and hilarious. Their banter had me hooked—playful, sharp, and filled with so much unspoken affection. But what truly captivated me was the way they helped each other heal. They didn’t just fall in love; they lifted each other up, slowly piecing together the broken parts neither of them could fix alone. I want a love like that.

And even though they were complete opposites in so many ways, they balanced each other in a way that felt almost magical. I don’t even know how to put it into words—it just worked

“I’m not sleeping.”
“You always say that when I catch you sleeping.”
“I’m never sleeping when I close my eyes like this with you.”
“Then what are you doing?” He pauses and I think he might not answer. But then he says, “I’m committing the moment to memory.”

⤷ it should be a crime for someone like miles to be fictional😭😭


➳ side characters:

𐙚 i would pay good amount of money for a Reese book, maybeeee with Ethan🤭🤭 both single parents!!! Cara please, I just need another book so I can see more about Miles & Lenny.


💌 tropes:

ꨄ︎ strangers to friends to lovers
ꨄ︎ nyc based
ꨄ︎ slow burn
ꨄ︎ grumpy x sunshine
ꨄ︎ healing
ꨄ︎ found family


-‘๑’- my favorite quotes & scenes
possible spoilers mentioned

・❥・ “Every time I fall in love with you there’s lightning.” He closes his eyes, opens them and there’s his brilliant love. “There’s only you, Lenny. Every time … it’s just you,” he says, muffled as he kisses me. “And you.” He kisses me again. “And you.” MY FAVORITE QUOTE🥹

・❥・“She’s not a mess,” he says in a low voice. “She’s perfect. Messy,” he concedes. “But not a mess.”

・❥・“So you’ll come with me if I ask?” His eyes pierce me in the shadows of the kitchen. “Lenny, I’ll do anything you ask me to.”

・❥・ Because Miles? Miles is? Miles is my list shepherd. My constant companion. My ace. Miles is my pal.

・❥・“Lenny. Thank you for calling me,” he says in a low voice. His hand slides across the picnic table and lands on mine. We’re only touching in four square inches but I’m awash in his warm heat. “For calling when you needed me.”

・❥・“I don’t know where I’d be without him. And I mean that literally. He’s kept me earthbound, Mom. The only reason I’m standing here right now is him. And I’m feeling so much and it hurts.”

・❥・“Lenny, the stakes are low with you because you’re the most loyal person I’ve ever met. You’re fully on my team. Now that you’re here, I think there’s very little I could do to kick you out … I don’t have to worry about losing you. I can just … relax.”

・❥・“Something good for you, something bad for you, and a change of scenery. That’s the winning formula.”

・❥・“The thing about bodies is that some of us, even when we don’t know how to live, just keep right on living, no matter how poorly we feed and water ourselves.”


ᝰ.ᐟ pre-read: ᯓᡣ𐭩୭˚.

I’M SOO EXCITED to finally read this🤸🏻‍♂️ I’ve been ignoring the arc for months🫣 but it’s getting released soon and all I see are 5 stars everywhere so this better be good🤞🏻

______

OMG I GOT THE ARC!!!
does anyone know if I need to read ready or not before this one?

[cora · Rating 1 out of 5]

changed rating from 2 to 1 ⭐. saw some videos praising this book, and i eye-rolled so hard i almost blacked out. at least they helped me realize i hated this more than i thought.

propaganda i'm not falling for: this book being deep.

this is not only the kind of book that you forget about after you finish it, it’s forgettable while you’re reading it. i kept putting the book down and coming back, asking myself, “wait, what just happened?” spoiler: absolutely fucking nothing.

so. the plot: lenny is trying to cope with life after losing her best friend when she gets hired as a nanny for a girl named ainsley. she meets miles, ainsley’s uncle, who needs help connecting with his niece, and the story goes from there. i was fooled by this premise. i thought it would be heartwarming and beautiful.

books that deal with grief and healing should have emotional depth (crazy concept), but this was surface-level stuff. the writing was my biggest issue. it followed the very tired recipe: pick a sad topic, insert vague metaphor, pretend it's insightful, move on. it felt like the author came up with some deep-sounding quotes first, then wrote the story around them. on their own, the quotes might trick you into thinking the book is profound. it is not.

i fully believe humor and serious themes can coexist in books, but the jokes were way too cringe and the "emotional" parts were shallow. it's trying too hard to deliver on both sides and it ends up butchering them equally.

then, there's lenny. god help me. she was very annoying. the quirk levels were astronomical. not to shit on millennial core, but i am shitting on it. if i trash gen z slang in books, i’ll do it with the millennial humor too.

some wish i was illiterate moments:

“Oh, buddy. You think you can embarrass me by calling me a name? Bitch, I regularly weep in public. There is nothing you can do that’ll scare me!”

she thought she ate but she starved us both.

“He thinks he’s the boss of me? No. I’m the boss of him. And I’m going to take charge and do the sex!”

such girlboss. you go do the sex, queen. slay.
(kill me)

don't tell me those quotes were supposed to be funny. they weren't.

and listen, i’ve seen all kinds of terrible euphemisms from authors trying not to say dick, such as member, manhood or length. but calling it his pal made me wish my eyes were not in working order. the entire sex scene was the goofiest shit i’ve ever read. as i told nina while we buddy read, i wished this was a closed-door romance. it wouldn’t have saved the book, but it might’ve spared me the full-body cringe.

“I want, very badly, to see him crawl toward me again. I scoot back, spread my legs, bite my lip. (...) Again, I pull back from him, scooting backward. Again, he crawls toward me. This time, a glint in his eye.”

maybe the foreplay was the friends we made along the way. this girl was acting like a dog scooting its ass on the carpet.

"cora, it wasn’t that bad and you’re ranting about a 5-page scene." it was that bad, and frankly, i think these two were more tolerable as friends. i felt no spark between them.

besides miles, who was somewhat sweet, and lenny, who was fucking obnoxious, every other character was cardboard. the friend group was so vapid, i can’t name a single personality trait or even remember their names. reese might as well have been replaced by a houseplant and i wouldn't have noticed. the characters didn't feel like real people at all.

also, this book had a bucket list subplot. i actually can believe i forgot about it, because it added nothing of value and was very boring.

anyway, who am i but a simple girl with an opinion. read this if you think it’s something you’d enjoy. i was way too generous at first. there are definitely better ways to waste your time.

[shanayaa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disappointment comes in many forms and this book is one of them!!

[Sophie Jayne Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cara Bastone you've done it again

[anh · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

“And this journey through grief…It’s what we do for the great loves of our lives.”

This book is not just a love story; it is a deep exploration of grief, healing, and how love can find us even in the darkest moments of our lives. It is a journey of loss, the struggle to rebuild yourself after grief has turned everything upside down, and the realisation that sometimes losing everything is just the beginning of finding yourself again. It’s so much more than just a romance; it’s about resilience, about finding hope when it seems like all is lost.

Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone follows Lenny, a woman still grappling with the loss of her best friend Lou to cancer. Lenny isn’t truly living—she is merely existing, trapped by the suffocating weight of grief. Every aspect of her life feels shattered, and she doesn’t know how to begin putting the pieces back together. She takes a babysitting job for a single mother named Reese and her daughter Ainsley, and it’s there that she meets Reese’s brother, Miles. Miles, who is also grieving, sees Lenny for who she truly is in a way no one else does. He makes her an offer: he will help her work through her grief and complete her “live again” list if she helps him navigate his complicated relationship with his niece. As Lenny and Miles spend more time together, Lenny comes to understand that healing doesn’t always come through grand gestures; sometimes it is found in the smallest, quietest moments of connection.

“Maybe I’ve been trapped in a painting all along. Smeared and brilliantly applied. Every colour is from the eye of someone who knows exactly what the hell they’re doing. I’m uncontainable. I’ve just cracked the code. How to live a perfect existence: just embrace it all, every lovely/excruciating colour.”

Lenny’s grief felt incredibly real, so raw that it almost felt like my own. The loss of Lou was heartbreaking—this wasn’t just a friendship; it was a sisterhood. Lou had been there for everything, and now she was gone. The way Lenny struggles to let go, to allow herself to begin living again, was devastating to read. There’s a quiet kind of pain that comes with losing someone you love so much, and this book captures that ache in such a beautiful way. The author does not shy away from the difficult parts of grief—the guilt, the denial, the anger, and the heartache. Grief is not something you can simply “get over.” It is something you carry with you, day by day, and Lenny’s journey shows that so honestly.

What spoke to me the most was the way the book portrays grief as something unpredictable and messy. It doesn’t follow a clear path. It is not something you can check off a list. Lenny’s grief does not disappear just because she starts to “live again.” She has moments when she feels as though she is healing, but then, like a wave crashing over her, the weight of the loss hits her again. It is a constant ebb and flow. For anyone who has experienced deep loss, you will understand how grief can sneak up on you when you least expect it. You cannot prepare for it. Just when you think you are okay, you are reminded that the person you love will never come back. The guilt of continuing without them, of finding joy again when they cannot—it is a quiet, insidious pain. But Lenny’s journey shows that even in the darkest moments, there is still hope. That is what made this story so powerful—it did not pretend healing was easy, but it demonstrated that it is possible.

I loved Lenny’s character because she wasn’t perfect, and she didn’t have it all together. She was a mess, and she didn’t care. She wasn’t concerned with how she looked or whether her clothes matched. She was simply trying to get through each day. I related to her so much. Her sadness, confusion, and anger felt familiar. It was painful to watch her try to navigate the world without Lou, and there were moments when I wished I could reach through the pages and hug her. This book reminds us that grief is not something we can escape; it is something we can share. Lenny’s strength came from allowing herself to be vulnerable and letting others see her pain.

“He walked into hell and dragged me back out.”

Then there is Miles. Miles, with his quiet strength, his kindness, and his ability to truly understand the world. I have never wanted a fictional character in my life more than I wanted Miles! His understanding of grief and his gentle patience with Lenny as she stumbled through her healing process made my heart swell. He wasn’t trying to fix her—he was there for her in the most needed, understated ways. He helped her navigate her grief without rushing it, without minimising it. I loved that about him. He wasn’t perfect either. He had his own struggles, his own pain but he never once made Lenny feel like a burden! He just showed up for her, quietly and steadily. In doing so, he gave her the courage to stand on her own again. His emotional intelligence was extraordinary. The way he understood Lenny’s grief, how he supported her without pushing, and how he balanced his own pain with the need to help her—it was breathtaking.

“I’m never sleeping when I close my eyes like this with you.”
“Then what are you doing?”
He pauses and I think he might not answer. But then he says, “I’m committing the moment to memory.”

Lenny & Miles- their relationship wasn’t about one saving the other. They both helped each other, in ways that were so small yet so significant. They found each other not by looking for love, but by being there for each other through the hardest parts of life. Their love grew from friendship, from shared experiences, and from seeing each other in their rawest, most vulnerable moments. The slow burn between them felt natural and organic I love how it was just two people slowly healing, slowly finding each other amidst their grief.

The only reason I didn’t give this book a perfect five stars is because, for me, it didn’t quite make me cry the way I was hoping it would. Don’t get me wrong—I teared up a lot, but I didn’t experience that gut-wrenching, soul-deep cry that lingers after you finish a book. But even so, the emotional depth of this book was undeniable. It made me reflect on my own experiences with loss, how grief shapes us, and how love can find us even in the darkest times.

Overall, this book is a story about the messy, unpredictable journey of grief and healing. It is about finding hope again after everything seems lost, about realising that even in your most broken moments, there is still beauty to be found. If you have ever experienced loss or gone through a tough time, this book will speak to your heart. Even if you haven’t, it is a beautiful reminder of the quiet strength we all have within us.

This was my first book by Cara Bastone, and I can confidently say it won’t be my last!

[rei ‧₊˚✩彡 · Rating 5 out of 5]

╰┈➤ 5 stars!

i truly have no words for this book. where do i even start? i cried a whole bucket, screamed my lungs out, and laughed my ass off. this is my first book written by cara bastone and let me tell you that she just gained a forever reader.

i requested for an e-arc of this because of its title, cover, and description even though i was scared of it because i know it’ll make me cry. nonetheless, i’m here to stay and wait for more of her words!



“There’s only you, Lenny. Every time … it’s just you.”

౨ৎ lenny. she’s truly such a well-rounded character—how she goes through her grief can really be relatable to a lot of people. losing someone so important to us can really make us feel lost for the longest time and losing the sight of other people who’s there for us is an inevitable scenario. you can see how it took a toll on her because they’ve been best of friends for as long as they can remember and she wasn’t even gone all of a sudden, it happened slowly that lenny remembered everything that happened. her grief was written so realistically, and it would make anyone who’s grieving feel so seen.

"He treats you well?"
"Mom, he walked into hell and dragged me back out.”

౨ৎ miles. i can’t imagine how much he has to go through in order for him to consider himself as an expert in handling grief. it must’ve been so tough on him because it really seemed as if he knows the way around it. imagine how long it took him for him to be able to handle his grief without having his present self with his past self when he needed that version of himself the most. he was so dependable, loyal, and the biggest help to lenny. the way he struggled and tried to connect to his reese and ainsley made me so sad but to see be able to read the progress of their relationship really put my heart at ease because he deserves all the love.


“Life is so fucking hard sometimes, every once in a while, you get a win.”

i remember seeing something that says how grief is weird because you haven’t cried about it for months then it’ll just hit on a random day and the pain feels so fresh as if it happened yesterday. it was truly showed in this book because there were moments that she thought that she was living again but when she’s alone with her thoughts, it’ll come right back, catching up to her to make her feel that it’s there and her best friend is dead and not coming back.

overall, this book is truly everything to me. it is definitely engraved in my soul, and i’ll remember this as one the “great loves of my life.” i had high expectations for this because of how beautiful the cover is and it did not disappoint. every tear i cried from this book was definitely worth it because it also made me so happy. this book was written to perfection.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing, and the author for the ARC in exchange of my honest review.

・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・

pre-read:

reading another arc! i honestly can’t believe i received a copy of this book, but i’m so happy i got it 🥹💗 this is my first book of cara bastone and i have read nothing but great reviews about this one so i’m expecting to enjoy and love it as well ✨🌷💌

[Hoda · Rating 5 out of 5]

”I’m never sleeping when I close my eyes like this with you.”
“Then what are you doing?”
“Committing the moment to memory.”

💌Oops i think i just found myself a new favorite book🤭 THIS BOOK.THIS BOOK OMG!! It made me feels things I wasn’t i could feel. My emotions were all over the place when I finished. It was emotional and intense and beautiful and everything!! I should be sleeping and i tried to sleep but I couldn’t stop thinking about it and now here i am writing this review so hopefully i can find some peace and sleep. THIS WAS WOW. JUST WOW this is my first book by this author and omg i loved, adored it. everything about this was so good.
The writing? So good!
the plot? Raw and emotional!
the characters? So relatable funny and relatable it hurts!!😭 the romance? Perfection!

” why do people put their lips together when they’re in love? Has never made more sense. Because of him. Because of this moment. Because miles would turn life inside out just to make me okay. And if hr gets to be the man who kisses me, well, what wouldn’t he do? And i’ll never have to know the answer to that.

💌This was more than just romance. It was about healing and friendship and family and grief!! OMG grief! The way the author wrote about grief of loved ones was SO FREAKING HEARTBREAKING!! One of my biggest fear is losing people that are close to me, either they are family members or my best friends or my dog. I always say that i wish to die first before them because I can’t see my life without them ever!! So reading about Lenny grief and her sadness was like reading about my worst nightmares. It made me cry so bad because i put myself in her place and there’s no words to describe this feeling so I’m just gonna say i wish no one experience this. It was SO REAL, AND HEARTBREAKING BUT BEAUTIFUL AND HEARTWARMING AT THE SAME TIME 🤍

” why should I Be sacred of kissing you miles? I’d just be getting even closer to the safest place in the whole world.”

💌 Lenny WHO GAVE YOU THE RIGHT TO BE THIS RELATABLE!! i love her. She’s so real and strong and funny and i just love her so much. I related to her a-lot and it was so painful to read about her sadness and struggles because it was so sad 😭🫂 I loved how messy she was and how she didn’t care about how she looked or if her clothes were matching or if she brushed her hair. She was just living carelessly because she wasn’t living? Does that make sense? Her bond with her best friend was so precious. Her memories with her and her love for her was unmatched. I loved her relationship with Ainsley. And how she tried to help when she herself needed help. I She was so real, her grief was so real, her love was so real, i loved her 🤍

”he treats you well?”
“Mom, he walked into hell and dragged me back out”

💌 Miles my love, my man, my everything 🤍 I seriously love him so much 🥹 like who doesn’t love a guy who is shy and beautiful and wear glasses! Who is so considerate and when u call him because you feel lost he is there in less than 10 minutes! Who is so selfless that he leaves all his old life behind and move into a new place to be close and help the only family he has left ( even tho they weren’t welcoming at first). Who doesn’t love a guy who helps u to heal and is there with u every step of the way and makes u feel alive again. A guy who understands you more than u understand yourself! Who always listen to u talk with a smile on his face. Who is shy but still do a dance in front of a lot of people for his niece 🥹A guy who put ur happiness first ✋🏻🤍 i need him so bad pls 🤍

”hey! I love looking at you. Looking at you is one if my favorite things to do in the world”

💌 lenny & miles I WANT WHAT THEY HAVE!! Their chemistry? Their banter? Their everything? Just perfection 👌🏻i just love how he always knew what she needed and tried to give it to her without her asking and how she did that too. I loved how they become purely best friends and how their friendship wasn’t built on any lust or anything but them caring about each-other and wanting to help each-other. I loved how they know each-other so well and was so open and mature to talk about their feelings 🥹 the small innocent touches and the glances was better than any smutt! The slow burn was killing me. I just love them so much and i want what they have so bad 😭 i’ll stop talking about them and let the quotes talk for itself because if i didn’t stop now i’ll never ✋🏻

ANYWAY THE CONCLUSION OF ALL OF THIS IS THAT YOU GUYS NEED TO READ IT. PLEASE-PLEASE READ 🤍🙏🏻

more swoon worthy quotes

” Every time i fall in love with you there’s lightning”
“There’s only you. Lenny. Every time.. it’s just you” he says, muffled as he kisses me.” And you.” He kisses me again.” And you.”

“Lenny, when i look at your face, I feel like I’m finally home after a really long day at work”

“Some things are okay because it’s nighttime. Because one of us has recently been sobbing. Because he and I.. we haven’t found the limits to what he will do for me.”

“ grief is a relationship. It’s the way we figure out how to keep loving them even though they’re gone. And in order to do that we have to keep on going. And going and going. You’re nit betraying her by healing, you are honoring her. You are learning to love her exactly as she is. As someone who isn’t here anymore… that’s who she is now. And this journey through grief.. it’s what we do for great loves of our lives”

“So you’ll come with me if i ask?”
“ lenny, i’ll do anything you ask me to”

“ you’re the only one who thinks that list is about kissing. That list is about making sure you’re okay. And i’ll never stop adding to it. And if i died first.. then you should never stop adding to it”

“ we are side by side, sweating and freezing at the same time,laughing and yelping, both terrified of falling and exhilarated with every step we take toward home. Toward whatever comes next and if that’s isn’t living then I don’t know what is it"

[cherie ^_-★ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars ⭐
⤷ spoiler-free review!! ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪

“Grief is a relationship. It’s the way we figure out how to keep loving them even though they’re gone. And in order to do that we have to keep on going. And going and going […] And this journey through grief…It’s what we do for the great loves of our lives.”

°•*⁀➷ my thoughts 💭
i get the hype now besties. i finished this book in one sitting—it was beautiful from start to finish, and it left a mark on my heart.

this isn’t just a love story. it’s a story about loss, grief, healing, and the quiet, powerful ways love can still find us—even in our darkest moments.

°•*⁀➷ characters 🫂
♡.ᐟ lenny

“Grieving… that’s the only thing that I can… I can’t just get over her death, Miles. I can’t… I have to feel the grief. How could I ever get used to her being gone? It makes me sick. How could I do that to her? […] I can’t heal, Miles! Grieving her…it’s the only connection…it’s how I hold on to her.”

lenny’s grief was so raw and real, it was almost painful to read. it clung to her like a second skin—so tightly it convinced her that healing means forgetting, that moving forward somehow means leaving her best friend behind.

“Grief…it’s not like any other emotion. It is utterly discombobulating. Among many other things.”

“Time heals all wounds, they say. Well, I can picture myself in ten years. It’s crystal clear. I’m still sitting on this curb, utterly disoriented that I’m the one still alive and she’s still gone.”

grief is such a weird thing—it comes in waves. one moment you’re okay, and the next, you’re back in the depths of it, lost in that familiar emptiness and aching void. but that’s the thing: grief isn’t something you get over—it changes, and eventually, it settles, but it never truly goes away.

“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.”

“So I cry. Good and hard for a long time. New friends are exhilirating, but they’re also exhausting. I've spent the entire day pretending I'm not bleeding on the inside.”

“She knew, Miles. She knew that there isn’t actually a checklist for learning to live again. She knew that some days you do it and some days you don’t.”

healing takes time. it’s messy. even the most mundane things feel impossible. and yet, piece by piece, you learn how to live again. slowly, painfully—but eventually, hopefully—you do.

“You are not betraying her by healing. You are honoring her. You are learning to love her exactly as she is. As someone who isn’t here anymore…That’s who she is now.”

the truth is, healing from grief doesn’t mean you’re erasing the memories, the love, or the impact that person had on your life. it simply means you’re learning to live with the loss in a way that doesn’t consume you. it’s a way of honoring them by continuing to live your life, by finding joy and purpose again, and by becoming someone they would be proud of.

♡.ᐟ miles

“The only way out is through. Miles survived his own hell and learned that lesson. It’s the hard way or bust for his. There’s no discomfort he won’t push through to just keep on living and living.”

oh, miles. what a selfless soul.

“Lenny. Thank you for calling me. For calling when you needed me.”

“Lenny, I'll do anything you ask me to.”

the way he showed up for lenny—consistently, patiently, gently—even while carrying his own grief, moved me deeply. he never rushed her, never demanded anything. he just stayed.

and when he finally broke down… i teared up. it’s been ten years, and yet the pain was still there, quietly sitting beneath the surface. this circles back to what i said earlier—grief never truly goes away.

♡.ᐟ lenny + miles

“Every time I fall in love with you there’s lightning.”
“There’s only you, Lenny. Every time…it’s just you […]”

the slow burn between lenny and miles was everything—watching them grow from strangers to friends to lovers made it all the more meaningful.

“Mom, he walked into hell and dragged me back out.”

“Lenny, when I look at your face, I feel like I'm finally home after a really long day at work.”

“But with you, Len, when I met you…I sort of feel like I met myself. Not that I didn’t know myself before…it’s more like, after my mom and Anders died I was just so injured that I couldn’t do anything but survive. It got better little by little, but I was still the guy with the tragic backstory. Everyone was always very careful. And then I moved here and met you. And you… let me help you. I got to remember what it feels like to give. And you’re not in the least bit careful with me. Which…yeah. Feels good. You helped me remember how to feel strong. Healthy. Needed. I didn’t know I could feel like that anymore.”

their connection was built on vulnerability, on truly seeing and being seen, on helping each other navigate the heaviest parts of themselves. they didn’t just fall in love—they healed together, and it was absolutely beautiful.

“We slip and slide and walk like ducks, white-knuckling each other’s coats. We are side by side, sweating and freezing at the same time, laughing and yelping, both terrified of falling and exhilarated with every step we take toward home. Toward whatever comes next. And if that isn’t living, then I don’t know what is.”

♡.ᐟ other characters
the side characters brought so much warmth to the story too—the new friendships formed along the way, and how lenny helped miles rebuilt his relationship with reese and ainsley. it’s a reminder that love shows up in all forms, and healing often happens through the people who stand by you when you’re trying to piece things back together.

°•*⁀➷ overall 📝
this story is about surviving the unthinkable: the loss of a loved one. it’s about how unbearably hard it can be to keep going, how healing isn’t linear, and how life can still hold joy, purpose, and love even after unimaginable pain.

this book lived up to all the hype, and if you haven’t read it yet, this is your sign to pick it up right now!!!

to all the lennys out there: i’m sending you all the love and strength in the world. it’s okay to not be okay. healing takes time, and i hope one day, you find hope again—and maybe even your own miles.

and to all the miles out there: thank you. you have no idea how much your quiet presence, patience, and love truly means.

“[…] happily sobbing because life is so fucking hard and sometimes, every once in a while, you get a win.”

────────── ⋆⋅end⋅⋆ ──────────

pre-read 🌅
i meant to read this book last month, but got caught in that slump we all weirdly seemed to be in at the same time 😂 anywhooo, i’m finally picking it up now! i’ve heard nothing but amazing things, so fingers crossed i end up loving it too 🤞🏻

[✨Julie✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

✩ 5 stars ✩

What to Expect:
➼ Processing Grief
➼ Life After Loss
➼ Slow Burn
➼ Found Family
➼ Strangers-to-Friends-to-Lovers
➼ NYC Setting
➼ Grumpy x Sunshine
➼ Complex Family Dynamics
➼ Cinnamon Roll MMC
➼ First Person POV

I was already ready to add Cara Bastone to my list of favorite authors, but this book seals it! I somehow loved Promise Me Sunshine just as much, if not more than Ready or Not! 🤯 The characters this author writes are consistently a cut above the rest. Her FMC’s are so relatable and likable and her MMC’s are just… perfect. They’re the best people I can imagine existing without crossing the line into too cheesy, sugary sweet, clearly written by a woman territory. IYKYK.

Both Miles and Lenny had experienced devastating losses but were at two very different stages of grief. Lenny’s loss was much more fresh and she was really just going through the motions, treading water and pretending to be okay when in reality she was drowning. She was shutting out her loved ones and trying to do it all on her own so she wouldn’t drag them down into her darkness with her. Such a raw and real depiction of grief.

This is a romance, but it’s also so much more. I loved the selfless depiction of Miles metaphorically diving in to pull Lenny out of her grief. He waded into her darkness and helped her back to the light, all while expecting nothing in return. More than anything he wanted her to be okay. This was very much a slow burn and I loved that so much! They were truly friends first and the way Miles supported her felt so pure. He didn’t try to make a move or alter their relationship until he truly believed she was in a better place. He drew the line so firmly that I kind of understood Lenny’s little freak out when she finally realized she had feelings for him. I might have doubted that her feelings were returned myself if this hadn’t been a romance book. 😁

Honestly, everything about this book was perfection. I really can’t think of anything I would change. Everything from the writing to the side characters drew me in and won me over. 💘 This will be a really hard book for her to top but you better believe I’ll be reading all of her future books in the hopes that she even come close! This is the definition of a must read book!

✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼

Pre-read: So excited for this one!! 🤸‍♀️🤸‍♀️🤸‍♀️

Please be 5 stars! 🙏🏻

≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫

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[areeba ✿ · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.25 stars ★

I'M DONE !! I'M FREE !! THE MOST BORING EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE IS OVER!! *the crowd cheers*

i need the same drugs that people who rated this 4/5 are on because i didn’t get mine, guys.

everyone in their reviews is like: raw, brilliant, sheer perfection, emotional depth. where lmao? did i read the wrong book? it’s so criminally boring and slow and yawn inducing.

every night i couldn't sleep for the past 10 days, i'd read a chapter and bam. sleep.

when i tell you i felt nothing throughout the book, i mean it. it’s like ... nothing is happening. every time i stopped reading and came back, i didn’t even need to remember where i left off because there was literally nothing to follow. so lackluster and directionless.

important: i wrote the entire review and realized near the end that it was "lenny" and not "laney" but i'm too tired to change it so everyone ignore. tells you just how much i don't care tbh.

miles (the mmc) is genuinely the only good thing in this book. he’s a good guy, and his words about grief actually made sense. they were thoughtful and grounded.

laney (the fmc) is so fucking obnoxious. i simply could not with her dumbass quirkism. she acts so juvenile, god bless. i have sisters near her age and i promise you, people in their 30s do not act like this. if my sister ever made up goofy ahh headcanons about every man she met the way laney does, i’d wack her with a frying pan.

the writing is also horrendous and choppy. some words i picked up that were used as narrative in the book: ohhhkay, WTF?, (un)helpfully etc. i should've noticed more but i was so DONE and wanted this book to end.

all the other characters are absolute cardboard cutouts. the pacing is awful. once i crossed the 75% mark, i started skipping lines and paragraphs lmao (and it didn't even make difference). and the jokes byeee. what was that cringe dude.

i also do not understand at all why laney didn’t go to therapy. i’ve been through the same kind of grief she was going through. and trust me when i say: no matter how many and how much people love you, no one can pull you through that pain. you need professional help (unless you’re capable of handling it alone). portraying miles as laney’s savior through her grief gave me such a bad taste because it felt like she was just shifting her emotional dependency from lou onto miles.

no matter what someone else has experienced they can’t carry you through your grief. miles going through something similar doesn’t make him equipped to help laney process her grief. (speaking from firsthand experience).

and let’s be real, most of us don’t get to run away for 6 months or relocate somewhere to deal with loss. we have to show up to work, to class, to life. if i ever saw someone going through what laney did, i wouldn’t tell them “i’ve been there, i can help you” because when you’re in that state, it feels like no one truly understands (speaking from firsthand experience again). you !! need !! professional !! help !!

throughout the book, miles just gives and gives and gives. their initial deal was that he’d help laney with her grief and she’d help him reconnect with ainsley and the mom (i forgot her name). we see laney help him maybe 2-3 times max, and then after the 50% mark, that entire deal is just forgotten. miles’s own struggles are sidelined completely — it becomes all about laney, and stays that way till the end.

the romantic aspect? non-existent. they worked better as friends, honestly. the romance came out of nowhere at the 75% mark and oh jesus it was so fucking embarrassing and awkward. the sex scene made me cringe so bad. peak goofiness. i had to close the book every 3 lines and do cartwheels just to forget the goofy ahh shit i had read in that chapter.

a brilliant excerpt to encompass my point about cringe jokes, the writing and laney's personality, all in one:

“How do we make this less weird?” I ask, shaking my hands out and starting to pace.
“For starters you could come over here.”
“Not yet. I think we need to get super horned up first. I wish this were a porn, then the sex would just happen like bam!” An idea strikes and I freeze halfway through one lap of his bedroom. “Should I pretend you’re my stepbrother? They do that in porn.”
“Oh, my God.”
“Or I could be your high school teacher?”
Heavy sigh.
“Ooh! I know, I’ll just get on all fours and you can do me from the back. Then we wouldn’t even have to look at each other.”

isn't she so qayoot and quirkae? 🤗🤭 miles is stronger than me because if someone talked liked that during shaboink time, i would've thrown them outta my house.

anyhow, that was just my two cents on everything that went down. if you related to the grief aspect or had fun reading the jokes then good for you.

link to bestie cora's review. she said everything better than i could.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has 419 pages and I loved every single one of them.

It’s a beautifully written love story between Lenny and Miles. It's an in-depth exploration of grief and their whole relationship from meeting and disliking each other to slowly becoming friends to best friends to lovers while dealing with her grief and his family situation. It might also be the only friends to lovers romance I’ve ever enjoyed.

The story is heavy and heartbreaking at times, it doesn't shy away from a very raw and realistic depiction of grief while carefully exploring Lenny’s struggle to live again after her friend’s death. And at the same time, it creates a beautiful love story with so many funny and uplifting moments. The way the author managed to weave these two storylines together was impressive.

Both Lenny and Miles were strong characters, complex and amazingly well written. Once they got over their initial dislike, they were fiercely loyal and committed to each other. Their relationship was just so sweet and soft and real, I loved their dynamic and banter.
As the story progressed, you could literally feel their feelings for each other change and turn into more than friendship, which was truly great storytelling.

It's a long book for a romance and I do think it could've been a bit shorter, but it didn't really bother me because I loved the story so much. It's also a very slow burn, so just keep that in mind. Personally, I think it works here because it gives the characters enough time to really grow and develop this relationship, and I loved that! I often times criticise romances because I find the relationship to be rushed and thus completely unrealistic. But in this story the romance aspect and the friendship aspect before that were developed in such a great way, it felt truly believable and realistic.

I also want to mention the sex scene because while it wasn’t my favourite, I applaud the author for the more realistic portrayal of what having sex for the first time with a new partner is like a lot of the time: not perfect. I think so many romances just gloss over that and have everything be porn star level perfect from the get-go, which frankly annoys me sometimes.

Long story short, I loved this book!


Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

____
omfg I got the arc 🫢🥹

[Fairuz ᥫ᭡. · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars! 🌟 A huge thank you to Random House Publishing Group – Dial Press Trade Paperback and NetGalley for the ARC!! 💌 I was so excited to read this, and let me tell you—I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!! I had heard so many amazing things about this book, and honestly, I would’ve been concerned if I didn’t love it lol.

Promise Me Sunshine is that book. The kind that takes your heart, smashes it into a million little pieces, and then gently puts it back together with love, grief, healing, and the softest, most swoon-worthy romance ever.

💌 "Every time I fall in love with you, there's lightning."

YUP. That was me. STRUCK by lightning because this book zapped its way into my soul. The writing? MASTERPIECE. The emotions? Through the roof. The romance? Heart-melting levels of perfection. I finished this book at an ungodly hour, and I just sat there, staring at my ceiling, replaying every single moment. How am I supposed to read another book after this??

💛 Tropes & Vibes:
✔️ Grumpy x Sunshine (except Miles is the sweetest grump ever) 💕
✔️ Strangers to reluctant allies to lovers 👀
✔️ Found family 🫂
✔️ Emotional slow-burn romance 💓
✔️ Healing through love 🩹❤️

💌 "Mom, he walked into hell and dragged me back out."

Lenny’s grief was written so realistically that I felt it in my bones. The way she was struggling, the way she tried to avoid her pain, the way she felt like she didn’t deserve to keep living without her best friend? Absolutely gut-wrenching. And then we have Miles, who is literally the most caring, patient, and understanding man. This dude wears glasses, is socially awkward, dances for his niece, and always shows up—like, HELLO?? MARRY ME. Their romance was so soft, so pure, and so perfectly intertwined with their journeys of healing. I wanted to wrap both of them in a giant hug.

💌 "Why should I be scared of kissing you, Miles? I’d just be getting even closer to the safest place in the whole world."

Excuse me while I SOB. The slow-burn tension, the hesitant touches, the way they just get each other—it was so natural and beautifully done. I could read about them forever. The banter?? So freaking good. The ferry rides, the midnight ramen, the quiet moments of understanding?? UNMATCHED.

This book is not just about love—it’s about loss, healing, and finding a way to keep going. It made me laugh, cry, and FEEL things I didn’t even know I could feel. If you love emotional, character-driven romance with depth, drop everything and READ THIS BOOK.

Overall: PERFECTION. I'm officially a Cara Bastone stan.

Final thoughts:
💕 Miles supremacy.
💕 Lenny deserves the world.
💕 My heart is full.
💕 EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ THIS.

10/10 recommend. If you don’t read this, what are you even doing??

[ivy · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.25 stars ꕥ
↳ ᡴꪫ ⸝⸝ i think i set my expectations way too high once again. i was expecting tears to be shed while reading this book — however, i felt nothing. like cara bastone’s other book that i read, ‘ready or not’, this was incredibly boring. the characters were trying too hard to be quirky and different that, in the end, they had nothing that really made them stand out from other character — it just felt like they were holograms of what they could actually be developed into.

१˒🪄⋆ one thing i can credit cara for is she definitely did her research. lenny’s grief in this book was portrayed in a raw, unfiltered, and devastating way. nothing was sugarcoated or swept over. it’s quite obvious in this book that bastone put her heart into this depiction.

“it’s hard-won wisdom. a formula i figured out in my dark days. one i still need sometimes. when everything is going dark and you can’t understand why…when the grief catches up to you again…or when your sister shouts at you and you feel like the world’s biggest tool. just remember. something good for you, something bad for you, and a change of scenery. that’s the winning formula.”

🌄 the characters. ᝰ.ᐟ there was nothing inherently wrong with lenny, or even miles, for that matter. again, it’s just they both didn’t have any personality. it got to the point where i took a 5 minute break from reading the book and forgot the mmc’s name 😭.

𖠵 𓂃 overall, i don’t think i’ll be reading more of bastone’s work anytime soon. the main reason i think i don’t enjoy her books is because of the writing style. something more ann liang, tjr, ashley poston, or ocean vuong type could’ve greatly increased this book’s rating for me.

⋆｡𖦹°⭒˚｡⋆⋆｡𖦹°⭒˚｡⋆⋆｡𖦹°⭒˚｡⋆⋆｡𖦹°⭒˚｡⋆

ꕥ pre-read . ݁₊ ⊹ . ✴︎
deciding to give cara bastone another try after seeing all the raving reviews for this 🤞🏻🦋

[ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

thank you to netgalley for providing this arc!

this book was really sweet. i really enjoyed the discussions of grief and how well our two main characters clicked. the use of the get-your-life-back-after-loss list was also a really fun plot point to follow! i would have liked to see a tad more buildup between our main character and the love interest at the start of the book - towards the end i really did love them together, but it felt a tad bit stunted at the start. as always, cara bastone's writing makes for super easy reading, and i always love her humour and the way she funnels this into her characters. overall a really sweet read with some important topics sprinkled in

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 5 out of 5]

After seeing this cover—like a serene painting you'd happily hang in your living room to feel peaceful and genuinely happy—and reading this beautifully written, heartfelt story of grief, friendship, and slow-burn romance featuring the most huggable book boyfriend, Miles, I had no choice but to give this book five-plus Staten Island Ferry stars!

I enjoyed the author’s Ready or Not, but I absolutely loved this book even more. It has already secured a guaranteed spot in my top five highly recommended romance reads of the year. The blossoming friendship between Miles and Lenny (a.k.a. Helena Elena—blame her family for their eccentric naming choices, and thank Lou for nicknaming her Lenny) as they bond over grief and work through the "Living Again" checklist will embrace your heart with sweetness and stir your emotions deeply. Anyone who has lost a loved one will resonate with these characters, and I found it easy to connect with their journey. The story’s honest, bittersweet, and heartbreakingly realistic approach is powerful enough to bring tears to your eyes and confront the repressed emotions bottled up inside.

The story follows 28-year-old Lenny, who is reeling from the loss of her best friend Lou to ovarian cancer. Barely holding herself together, Lenny avoids returning to the apartment she shared with Lou and instead sleeps on benches aboard the Staten Island Ferry. Her latest gig as a babysitter for seven-year-old Ainsley forces her to step out of her grief bubble. Ainsley lives with her single mother, Reese, in their Upper West Side apartment, where Lenny must contend with Reese’s protective older brother, Miles. Miles, in his 30s, is initially suspicious of Lenny and constantly complains about her to his sister.

Lenny and Miles’ early interactions are far from meet-cute territory and instead fall squarely into enemies-to-grieving-friends territory. One night, Miles follows Lenny and intervenes during a confrontation she’s having with a reckless driver who hit a cyclist. He even joins her on her nighttime ferry adventure. Over time, he convinces her to take a permanent job at Reese’s house, offering her grief counseling and encouraging her to tackle the "Living Again" list—a series of activities including camping, exploring new foods, and attending concerts.

Miles, too, is grappling with his own losses. Ten years ago, he lost his cousin and mother in a tragic car accident, leaving him without the only family he’d ever known. Only later did he reconnect with his estranged, dying father and learn about Reese, his stepsister, for the first time. His complex relationship with Reese and Ainsley highlights his struggles with opening up and trusting others. He urgently needs Lenny’s help to navigate his emotions and heal.

As they spend more time together, Lenny becomes increasingly attached to Miles. He is always by her side during her most emotionally vulnerable moments, helping her confront her pain and grow stronger. But, in turn, Miles begins to change as well. With Lenny’s influence, he learns to open his heart to his newfound family and new friendships.

Can Lenny’s suffering ever truly end, or will she remain trapped in her grief with the unhealed wounds Lou left behind? And, most importantly, do her growing feelings for Miles risk betraying the memory of her best friend?

Overall: This book is like the most comforting, soothing blanket you’ll want to wrap around yourself and never let go. It’s heartwarming yet emotionally triggering at times, gently pushing you out of your comfort zone to confront your feelings with honesty. I believe everyone needs their own "Miles"—someone they can trust wholeheartedly.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Dial Press Trade Paperback for providing me with a digital review copy of this brilliant book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

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[Alyssa Nieves · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a beautiful story!! 😭⭐️

I honestly didn’t know what to expect from this book (I didn’t even read the synopsis), but most of my besties loved it so I knew I needed to read it! I’m SO glad I did!

This book was so incredibly special to read. The way Cara Bastone wrote about grief and loss was so real and unfiltered. I adored Lenny and Miles. The way Miles was helping Lenny manage and work through her grief was so beautiful. He was so patient and kind and ugh, I love them!!

My rating was between 4-5 stars the entire time I was reading but I do feel like it was missing something, so I’m going with a very strong 4 stars! It just wasn’t quite giving that 5 star feeling for me. But I did love it so much!

Some memorable quotes for you:

"Lenny, when I look at your face, I feel like I'm finally home after a really long day at work."

"She puts her hands on her hips. "He treats you well?" "Mom, he walked into hell and dragged me back out."

"I think when you're depressed sometimes it's easy to think that everyone is depressed? But right this very second, there are billions of people having happy moments. I kind of forgot about those people."

"She knew that there isn't actually a checklist for learning to live again. She knew that some days you do it and some days you don't."

"I'm uncontainable. I've just cracked the code. How to live a perfect existence: just embrace it all, every lovely excruciating color."

[nina ʚïɞ (hiatus) · Rating 2 out of 5]

this was a cute and fairly wholesome read but ah, i just wish i connected with it more.

2.25 stars

the premise of this story hooked me right from the beginning - lenny losing the love of her life and dealing with the fallout and grief from that was really unique especially because that great love was her best friend and not romantic love.

however, i think lenny’s character got on my nerves with just how quirky she was a lot of the time and i felt like she lacked depth. even though the topic was heavy, i never really felt connected to her character and in a single pov story, that kinda sucks.

i feel like the author could have given us way more - i wanted longer scenes and more conversations but everything felt way too glazed over and like we were constantly being told that things worked out but we never got to see it. especially in terms of miles’ story and his own growth with his family.

overall, i enjoyed my first book by cara, but i wouldn’t say it was a major success. i really wanted to deeply feel for her characters and it just never came. maybe it’s me though so take my opinion with a grain of salt. i’ll definitely give this author another chance sometime in the future.

.・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・゜✭・.

꒰ pre-read. ꒱
i’ve heard such good things about this book (and i haven’t read anything by this author yet) so i’m excited to give it a try! it sounds exactly like the type of book i’d love <3

buddy reading with the lovely cora!

[Paige · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not to be dramatic, but I think this is my fave read of the year so far? RTC ❤️‍🩹

——

I’m overdue for a good cry & I have high hopes this will deliver ☀️🥺

[Jessica Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

unflinching and beautiful and funny and real. made my heart feel like the crescendo in M83's "Outro."

official blurb:

Promise Me Sunshine disassembled me and then put me back together in the most obliterating way. Lenny and Miles love each other the way we're all supposed to—in the dark and the light, without hesitation or reservation, and I was lost to their story from the first page to the last. Cara Bastone handles grief with an unflinchingly tender touch, reminding us that life goes on and love never dies. This story is tucked inside my heart for good.

[ˋ✧*⁀➷ ʙᴇᴛᴛʏ (med school got me good) · Rating 1 out of 5]

dnf @25% chapter 8.

i just wasn't feeling it. the writing felt very choppy and the portrayal of grief was absurd. almost like reading a caricature. i went in expecting a tearjerker and a rollercoaster of emotions, but instead i was bored and detached at every word of the book.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group-Random House, Dial Press Trade Paperback and Cara Bastone for the advance reader's edition!

[buket · Rating 5 out of 5]

spectacular. excellent. breathtaking. exceptional. sensational. phenomenal. marvelous. stunning. amazing. life-changing.

🎧look after you by the fray

*drum roll please*

here’s to the best book about grief i’ve read!!🥁

now, i might be biased because if i’m being honest, i didn’t read about grief a lot but this…it was so raw, so tender, so beautiful…

𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒏𝒚 🌙

💌"𝚂𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞'𝚕𝚕 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚖𝚎 𝚒𝚏 𝙸 𝚊𝚜𝚔?"
𝙷𝚒𝚜 𝚎𝚢𝚎𝚜 𝚙𝚒𝚎𝚛𝚌𝚎 𝚖𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚔𝚒𝚝𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚗. "𝙻𝚎𝚗𝚗𝚢, 𝙸'𝚕𝚕 𝚍𝚘 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚜𝚔 𝚖𝚎 𝚝𝚘."

my sweet, precious lenny. i wanna give her the biggest hug in the world🤍 she made me feel too much, i cried when she cried, i laughed when she laughed. i never wanted to be friends with a character like i want with her. she was so real like you know the feeling of seeing something so random and remembering a person you lost then you just start crying because the person isn’t there with you anymore?? yeah she had that feeling a lot💔

when lenny lost her best friend, her soulmate she lost a part of herself too. when you’re friends with someone a very long time your personalities melt in together and you don’t know which part is you and which part is your friend. reading about her grief was so hard because i kept imagining what would i do if i lost my best friend and i can’t even think how hard it could be. me and my best friend are living in different cities right now but lenny and lou were not only best friends but also roommates. seeing her struggle to go home because everything there was reminding her of lou, not being able to talk to people because she’s not the same lenny without lou…it was so real and relatable.

lenny had a “start living again list” which was the essential point of this book because miles helped her get through that list and it was so sad to see her trying to heal from the sadness she carried everywhere but also beautiful because she did heal at the end🥹🫂

❤️‍🩹"𝙶𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 ... 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝'𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚌𝚊𝚗 ... 𝙸 𝚌𝚊𝚗'𝚝 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚍𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚑, 𝙼𝚒𝚕𝚎𝚜. 𝙸 𝚌𝚊𝚗'𝚝 ... 𝙸 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚏. 𝙷𝚘𝚠 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝙸 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝚞𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚋𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚐𝚘𝚗𝚎? 𝙸𝚝 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎𝚜 𝚖𝚎 𝚜𝚒𝚌𝚔. 𝙷𝚘𝚠 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝙸 𝚍𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚑𝚎𝚛?"

𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒔 🌙

💌“𝙱𝚞𝚝 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚢𝚘𝚞, 𝙻𝚎𝚗, 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝙸 𝚖𝚎𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 ... 𝙸 𝚜𝚘𝚛𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝙸 𝚖𝚎𝚝 𝚖𝚢𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏."

i feel like if i had a miles, all my problems would be solved.

he was like a rock against the sea, so strong so reliable. whenever lenny was feeling down he was there to pick her up. the way he brought her back to life and did it in such a beautiful way that she could survive without him too. he taught her how to lean on people without depending on them. he taught her how to live again and it was the most beautiful thing.

he knew how devastating it was to lose someone since he lost almost all of his family. the only people he had left was his sister and niece but he didn’t know how to connect with them. ugh seeing him struggle made my heart break😭he wanted to be there for them but didn’t know how to so he needed lenny’s help which was so cute because he would look at lenny for approval after saying something and i meltttttt🫠 he just wanted to look after the people he has left🥹

honestly, miles for world peace🤍

❤️‍🩹"𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚋𝚎𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚢𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚋𝚢 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐. 𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚑𝚘𝚗𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚑𝚎𝚛. 𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚎𝚡𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚕𝚢 𝚊𝚜 𝚜𝚑𝚎 𝚒𝚜. 𝙰𝚜 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚒𝚜𝚗'𝚝 𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 ... 𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚝'𝚜 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚜𝚑𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚗𝚘𝚠. 𝙰𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚓𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚗𝚎𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑 𝚐𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚏... 𝙸𝚝'𝚜 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚠𝚎 𝚍𝚘 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚜."

𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒔 & 𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒏𝒚

💌"𝚆𝚑𝚢 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝙸 𝚋𝚎 𝚜𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚔𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚢𝚘𝚞, 𝙼𝚒𝚕𝚎𝚜? 𝙸'𝚍 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚋𝚎 𝚐𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚌𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚊𝚏𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚌𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚘𝚕𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍."

i want, no i need whatever they had. lenny has a colorful personality. even when she’s drowning in her grief she has such a sparkly personality that it’s impossible to not fall for her. i just loved seeing how miles was supportive of whatever lenny does. she would say the craziest thing and he would listen to her with a small smile on his face.

in a way, they saved each other. both were so lonely after losing their loved ones and seeing them heal each other, patch their broken hearts was so beautiful. miles was the solid person lenny needed to lean on and lenny was like the light in the lonely house miles was sitting alone. which is something incredible because if you ask lenny she would probably say she doesn’t feel like a light🥹

💌"𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝙸 𝚏𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚒𝚗 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚠𝚒����𝚑 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎'𝚜 𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐."
"𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎'𝚜 𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝚢𝚘𝚞, 𝙻𝚎𝚗𝚗𝚢. 𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 ... 𝚒𝚝'𝚜 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞," 𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚊𝚢𝚜, 𝚖𝚞𝚏𝚏𝚕𝚎𝚍 𝚊𝚜 𝚑𝚎 𝚔𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚜 𝚖𝚎. "𝙰𝚗𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞." 𝙷𝚎 𝚔𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚜 𝚖𝚎 𝚊𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗. "𝙰𝚗𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞."

‼️🚨guys i’m not recommending this book, i’m ordering you. i’m bullying you into reading this one!! it’s such a good book🚨‼️

i’m not joking, read it🫵🏼

[fadheela ♡ (mid-terms ia) · Rating 3 out of 5]

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷・❥・“𝓘𝓼 𝓲𝓽 𝓼𝓲𝓵𝓵𝔂 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓘 𝓭𝓲𝓭𝓷'𝓽 𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓵𝓲𝔃𝓮 𝓘 𝔀𝓪𝓼 𝓭𝓻𝓸𝔀𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓾𝓷𝓽𝓲𝓵 𝓱𝓮 𝓽𝓸𝓵𝓭 𝓶𝓮 𝓱𝓮 𝔀𝓸𝓷'𝓽 𝓵𝓮𝓽 𝓲𝓽 𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓹𝓮𝓷?”・❥・ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

⤿🌷24/02/25
3.5 stars, spoiler-free review 💫
release date: 4th March, 2025

*sighs* I think I only jinxed myself by saying this would be a 5-star read before I even started reading the book. 🥲 I should have never done that, or at least should have kept my expectations low (but I never listen to myself). I liked reading it, but I didn't love it sadly. Anyone who loved this book and rated it 5 stars—just know I feel betrayed.😭✋🏻 Before going into my rant review, let's get into what tropes this book has 😌🙌🏻

what to expect 💌:
🧡 Dealing with loss & grief
🧡 Strangers-to-Friends-to-Lovers
🧡 Slow Burn
🧡 Grumpy x Sunshine
🧡 Healing Journey
🧡 Cinnamon-roll MMC
🧡 Loss of a best friend

Now that we saw the tropes, let's get back to my rant. Before starting this book I knew damn well that this book was going to hit hard because of all the grief. But somehow, I didn't feel that moved? I was expecting you know, to connect with the characters, but I couldn't.

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

Lenny Bellamy babysits children for small gigs. We meet her in the present after she lost her childhood best friend Lou to cancer six months ago. She's lonely and she's barely living herself consumed by all the grief she is experiencing. She cannot bring herself to go to the apartment that once she shared with Lou.

“If you need to cross things off your list to survive, I'll do that. I can carry someone on my back if I have to.”

Miles Honey is the misunderstood MMC. Everyone thinks he is broody (well he kinda is) and is unsociable or unapproachable because of his past. But he is entirely the opposite, he might look tough on the outside, but inside he is a soft-hearted and the sweetest person ever. He wants to get closer to his only family, his niece Ainsley and his sister Reese. So he strikes a deal with Lenny who happens to babysits Ains, to teach him how to get closer to them, and instead he will help her to live again.

Although the author portrays the grief that Lenny had to deal with, I felt it a bit shallow. It made me sad to see Miles's grief brushed aside.😒 Yes, he is there, a stranger suddenly up-ending Lenny's life, taking care of her, making sure she stays safe, and helping her come out of the depression stage. We see his sweet side. But what about his grief? what about his past? what about him losing his mom & cousin in an accident? We don't even get to explore his side, his grief, his sadness.🥺 I didn't feel this book was as GREAT as everyone claimed it, because I was actually expecting that we would get some background on Miles, him opening up to her about his past in detail you know, open the dams and let me feel his pain too. But I couldn't connect with him. 💁🏻‍♀️

Overall, I would say it was a good sweet book. I do wish we had so much more character depth on Miles, and not brush his grief aside by only mentioning it on fewer pages. I really wanted to love this book, but I simply couldn't 😔 If you loved this book, I'm happy for you. But don't come at me. The reason why I'm saying the grief showcased here felt a bit shallow is because I have felt the grief indirectly through my dad, who lost his childhood best friend in an accident years ago in front of his eyes when he was in his early 20s, that is before I was even born. So I somehow know how deep the grief can be. So on a personal level, this book fell short for me.

thank you to the Author, the Publisher, and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!💕

Lastly, thankyou to my vee love, for buddy reading this with me, ily 💌💘

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷・❥・𝓟𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀・❥・ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

⤿🌷24/02/25
3 to 3.5 stars? rtc. I really did jinx myself saying it would be a 5 star read, didn't I? *sighs*😞 I got a lot to say, but it's currently way past 1 a.m. and I really need to go sleep. Will come back tomorrow to rant with my review ofc!!😌

⤿🌷22/02/25
got the arc months ago, and I just know deep down this is going to be a 5 ⭐!😍 (obv everyone who read this made my expectations high) first br of the year with my vee bby 🤭💓

[Kezia Duah · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Do some people fall slowly in love and not realize it?”

Ugh, sometimes I finish a book and just… I’m speechless. Like, I might as well not even bother writing a review because no words I come up with will ever perfectly capture how wonderful this experience was. But alas, I’ll try to give you an idea.

With everything this book has—humor, grief, romance, friendships—I feel like I could babble forever about what I loved. But if I had to sum it all up, I’d say this book gave me an overwhelmingly ✨WARM and FUZZY ✨ feeling that’s still simmering in my chest. Calling it just a romance would be completely unfair because it is infinitely more.

I can’t even begin to imagine what Lenny was going through—missing her best friend, who was truly the love of her life. The way she described her, the few moments where she reminisced, made me miss her too. That’s how deeply I could feel her pain. But beyond that, Lenny scared me. She scared me because of how much she hid behind her smiles, her jokes, and her sarcasm. She was such a painfully accurate illustration of people who do this in real life. We always hear that grief isn’t linear, and I loved, loved how her grief was depicted as anything but. Yes, in this book, she attempts to follow a journey toward healing, but it’s messy, imperfect—and Bastone does such an incredible job portraying something that, in reality, is never neat.

And yet, Lenny didn’t always let her pain define her. That’s what I appreciated most—Bastone didn’t just make her grief-stricken; she was still a breath of sunshine. She was quirky, fun, and just a joy to be around, reminding us that even in her roughest moments, she was still an amazing person at her core—she just needed time to get through it.

And then we have Miles. Sweet, attentive, observant Miles—the definition of a green flag. We’ve all accepted that fictional men are on another level, and Bastone did not disappoint. He upheld the reputation of our beloved book boyfriends and gave us one to remember. But he wasn’t without his own struggles. Miles and Lenny are the epitome of finding the ONE💘. And guys—there is no romance better than one where a genuine friendship comes first. I will die on this hill😤. Why does it feel so rare to read a romance where they aren’t immediately consumed by some intense sexual attraction?!!

Watching their friendship develop was physically reactive—I could’ve read pages upon pages of them just chatting about the most random things because their chemistry was that good. They needed each other to grow, and their individual growth was perfect. Everyone needs a Miles, just as everyone needs a Lenny. They were so incredibly relatable that it felt like I could have my own Lenny and Miles in real life—and you could too.

At the heart of this story is love. All kinds of love. Finding it where you least expect it and realizing that it’s always been around you. I loved the new friends they made, the love they built, and the family they formed along the way.

The writing might seem simple, but every word, every sentence, was crafted with intention. This was such a wonderful experience, and I’m just so grateful to have read it.

[chloé ✿ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

hi, what’s up, hello. it’s chloé here with another outlier review.

i promise i don’t try to be this way. i just… am.

let’s start with the positives:

» grief was handled gently and very well
» Miles, our mmc, is the greenest of green flags. i adore him. i really do. we love a man who truly CARES.
» this is an easy read and i flew through it

what didn’t work for me:

» our fmc was WAY too quirky for me. like… painful to read. i don’t want to know how many times i cringed. allow me to give a few examples. (all of these quotes are pulled from the singular sex scene that i could barely make it through.)

“i think we need to get super horned up first. i wish this were a porn, then the sex would happen like bam!... should i pretend you’re my stepbrother? they do that in porn.”

“he thinks he’s the boss of me? no. i’m the boss of him. and i’m going to take charge and do the sex!”

“‘i’m coming back for you, buddy,’ i silently promise his dick”

stop. i can’t, i’m sorry. do adults say things like this…?

i love to read about characters with personalities that differ than my own. i’m about as exciting as a stale saltine but our fmc Lenny was just wayyyyyyy too much for me personally.

» i didn’t *feel* the emotional depth. maybe because i couldn’t relate to most of the situations our characters were facing, but the depth/grief/healing just didn’t really hit fully.

this was just a miss for me albeit a very quick read. that’s really all i have to say. i’m not going to remember this book in a week. (sorry)

NOTE: this book seems like a summer book but largely takes place during fall bordering on winter. if you’re a seasonal reader such as myself, i hope this can help you out a bit. :)

[veerali · Rating 3 out of 5]

⁀ ⊹ ₊ “Lenny, when I look at your face, I feel like I’m finally home after a really long day at work.”

anyone who claimed this book was a five-star read totally lied to my face.

promise me, sunshine had the potential to be a touching tale about dealing with loss, healing, and discovering love in unexpected ways. the setup, with lenny grappling with the death of her best friend lou and trying to fulfill her last wishes, seemed like it could pack an emotional punch. but honestly, the execution just didn’t hit the mark, leaving me more let down than moved.

lenny's grief, which is supposed to be the heart of the story, came off as kinda shallow. even though the plot revolves around lou's pre-death to-do list, i found it hard to connect with her sorrow or feel the deep loss the story kept insisting she was going through.

for sure, i get that everyone grieves in their own way, but honestly, this book just didn’t nail it.

⁀ ⊹ ₊ I like to take care of you.

then there's Miles, the grumpy uncle, who seemed like he could bring some hope. his offer to help lenny with lou's list in exchange for bonding with his niece had potential for a cool dynamic. i really loved how miles was portrayed in this book. the way he supported lenny during her tough times was just adorable but his own struggles were just glossed over.

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.

⁀ ⊹ ₊ “There’s only you, Lenny. Every time . . . it’s just you,” he says, muffled as he kisses me. “And you.” He kisses me again. “And you.”

thank you so much fadhee for reading this with me otherwise i'd have totally dnfed this book 🩷

thank you headline and netgalley for providing me this arc in exchange for my honest review!

⤿ grumpy x sunshine
⤿ loss of a best friend
⤿ healing journey
⤿ slow burn

౨ৎ ⋮ more by cara bastone
─ ready or not

[Ri ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

♾ stars

“My mom asked me if you treat me well, Miles. You know what I said to her?”
“What’s that,” he says in a low, husky voice. “I said that you walked into hell and dragged me back out.”

There are some books that you devour in just one sitting, but then there is Promise Me Sunshine. Books like this are written to be savoured, to be read word by word, sentence by sentence, because every single word packs a punch to the heart. I have read my fair share of books on grief, but this one is a masterpiece. It’s relatable, poignant, profound, emotional, exceptionally beautiful, and above all, life-changing.

“You need someone who can wade in and pull you out of the swamp if you need me to. And I can be that person.”

Promise Me Sunshine is a beautiful story that focuses on grief and healing. Cara Bastone crafted this book beautifully, delivering an engaging and heartfelt story with exceptional skill. Her narrative has a quiet tenderness, an affectionate tone that balances the brutal and heartbreaking reality of this story. She did a phenomenal job writing Lenny and Miles, both protagonists have emotional depth and vulnerability that add heartfelt authenticity to their story. The story is filled with grief-stricken moments and sadness, but Lenny’s quiet healing journey with Miles’ help, their beautiful friends-to-lovers story, the found family arc, and the promise of a better future add a delicate happiness and a gentle quality to the narrative.

Lenny, my beautiful, precious, and beloved girl. After losing her best friend, her soulmate, Lou, Lenny is just going through the motions of life—existing without Lou, feeling guilty for being alive. She has isolated herself from her family, from everything that reminds her of Lou. Lenny has a Start Living Again list that gives her a semblance of hope, so when Miles offers her a lifeline as her grief coach and list partner, she grabs it eagerly. Lenny is a charming and free-spirited woman with a personality that sparkles and radiates sunshine through the pages. Even in her saddest moments, she manages to find glimpses of happiness without even trying. The way she sees the world is just so beautiful. Lenny is so thoughtful, empathetic, and kind. And she’s so funny that I love her humour as much as I love her. She never hides her grief from the real world. She lets herself be vulnerable and emotionally unguarded. Her grief and heartbreak felt like my own. Lenny’s healing and development evolve throughout the story. It’s slow and steady, sometimes unsuccessful, but mostly filled with effort and courage.

“I gasp for air. He’s winded me. The water rushes in. Is it silly that I didn’t realize I was drowning until he told me he won’t let it happen?”


Miles is such a perfect man. He is a grump, but one I instantly fell in love with—because how could I not when he is this thoughtful, loyal, honest, selfless, kind, and wonderful? He is like an anchor in turbulent waters—strong and steady enough to take on everything and work through it. Miles hides a multilayered persona behind his unapproachable exterior. He’s also dealing with his grief, but he knows how to help someone like Lenny, and he wants to because he understands the pain of going through it all. Miles is also navigating a complicated relationship with his sister and his niece. He seeks Lenny’s help to understand everything about kids and to strengthen his sibling bond with Reese. He is so patient, attentive, and incredibly insightful. The way he sees the world, his perception of things—it always makes me admire him more. I love how he helped Lenny, how tenacious he was but also patient and tender with her, letting her work through things on her own while always guiding her in a better direction. The way he would do anything to make people around him happy and safe is so precious. Everyone needs a Miles in their life.

“But with you, Len, when I met you… I sort of feel like I met myself.”


Lenny and Miles have the most beautiful love. It’s soul-stirring, unyielding, compassionate, and devoted. Their relationship gracefully transitions from the allure of strangers to the warmth of friendship, eventually blossoming into a profound love. It’s simple and pure, but it’s the selflessness, unwavering commitment, and enduring hardships together that make it even more beautiful. They formed a strong companionship through helping each other, and it was beautiful to see how they nurtured it with trust, care, and effort. Their love story is an aching slow burn of knowing each other and delicate feelings that feel too much like love.

“So you’ll come with me if I ask?”
His eyes pierce me in the shadows of the kitchen. “Lenny, I’ll do anything you ask me to.”

They are different, their experiences with grief and life are different, but I have never seen two people who belong to each other the way they do. I love the way they understand each other, how they let their vulnerability flow through them when they are together, how they trust each other enough to ask for help and lean on one another, how they help each other and just exist for each other when they need it. They fit so effortlessly into each other’s lives, both as friends and lovers.

I take Miles by the hoodie strings again , bringing his attention back to me and only me. “Every time I fall in love with you there’s lightning.”
He closes his eyes, opens them and there’s his brilliant love. “There’s only you, Lenny. Every time … it’s just you,” he says, muffled as he kisses me. “And you.” He kisses me again. “And you.”

Lou and Lenny had such a beautiful friendship, and it was nice to know Lou through Lenny—through her love and memories of her. Cara did an amazing job by not romanticising grief, Lenny’s depression, or her challenges. She portrayed the different facets of grief, the reality of it—the all-consuming, obliterating, and devastating nature of loss. This book leans more towards women’s fiction than romance, but the romance is still an important part of Lenny and Miles’ story. It adds a comforting element and warmth to their grief-stricken journey.

“You are not betraying her by healing,” he whispers directly into my ear. “You are honoring her. You are learning to love her exactly as she is. As someone who isn’t here anymore… That’s who she is now. And this journey through grief… It’s what we do for the great loves of our lives.”

Promise Me Sunshine is already my top favourite book of 2025, and Miles is in my top book boyfriends list, because how can he not be? This is a masterpiece—one I will possibly reread multiple times in the future, because I just love love love love Miles and Lenny.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

~~~~~~~~~~

i just know i'm gonna love it!