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sglance9's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy
Moderate: Miscarriage and Infertility
Minor: Death of parent and Toxic relationship
lovelymisanthrope's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I selected this as one of my Book of the Month picks.
"Ready or Not" follows Eve Hatch as she is forced to make some big changes to her comfortable life. Eve is pretty content with how her life is going, until she gets a surprise: following a one night stand she finds out she is pregnant. Now she must decide how a baby will fit into her world. This is complicated when her best friend, Willa, who has been struggling with infertility for years, is not as supportive as Eve needs. Eve ends up leaning a lot on Shep, Willa's older brother, and learning that she might have had her person in front of her all along.
I thought this was such a fun story about learning about yourself and discovering what you want. Eve was not planning to get pregnant, and she is initially shocked and scared by the news. But throughout her pregnancy she learns so much about herself and what she really wants out of life, and because of this baby, she takes the steps to better herself and pursue what she really wants out of life.
I think the conversations surrounding pregnancy, unplanned pregnancy, expectations, and being a single parent were all insightfully done. People will not always react how you expect them to, and Eve faced some interesting social hurdles with her big news. She felt so alone, and I think a lot of people can relate to that. I also think there is great conversation about finding your people, and how you are never truly alone if you have friends.
Shep is such a great guy, and I loved seeing how much he has always cared for Eve. He really believes in her and has supported her for all the years that he has known her. I loved that they had so much history together as friends, because it made their connection feel all the more genuine.
I had a great time with this book, and I look forward to reading more from Cara Bastone in the future.
"Ready or Not" follows Eve Hatch as she is forced to make some big changes to her comfortable life. Eve is pretty content with how her life is going, until she gets a surprise: following a one night stand she finds out she is pregnant. Now she must decide how a baby will fit into her world. This is complicated when her best friend, Willa, who has been struggling with infertility for years, is not as supportive as Eve needs. Eve ends up leaning a lot on Shep, Willa's older brother, and learning that she might have had her person in front of her all along.
I thought this was such a fun story about learning about yourself and discovering what you want. Eve was not planning to get pregnant, and she is initially shocked and scared by the news. But throughout her pregnancy she learns so much about herself and what she really wants out of life, and because of this baby, she takes the steps to better herself and pursue what she really wants out of life.
I think the conversations surrounding pregnancy, unplanned pregnancy, expectations, and being a single parent were all insightfully done. People will not always react how you expect them to, and Eve faced some interesting social hurdles with her big news. She felt so alone, and I think a lot of people can relate to that. I also think there is great conversation about finding your people, and how you are never truly alone if you have friends.
Shep is such a great guy, and I loved seeing how much he has always cared for Eve. He really believes in her and has supported her for all the years that he has known her. I loved that they had so much history together as friends, because it made their connection feel all the more genuine.
I had a great time with this book, and I look forward to reading more from Cara Bastone in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage, Infertility, Medical content, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Death of parent
taliafranks's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This book is exquisite and while the main characters are all cishet passing the text is careful to use relatively gender neutral language regarding pregnancy and includes brief representation of a nonbinary pregnant person and uses gender neutral pronouns for them, and when discussing the sex of the baby makes reference to how while they may learn the sex of the child at birth they won’t know the child’s gender until they are old enough to tell people themself. It’s very refreshing. The romance was super cute and overall it was just a really thoughtful book about an unexpected circumstance that turns out well for everyone involved.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Sexual content, Medical content, Pregnancy, and Infertility
Moderate: Death of parent, Vomit, Toxic relationship, and Terminal illness
Minor: Miscarriage and Sexism
The main character gives birth on-screen so to speak, but it is not described in extreme detail. One of the characters is in an emotionally abusive and manipulative relationship for a significant portion of the book.brittanylee0302's review
funny
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
I really enjoyed this book. It was like a cute & cozy friends to lovers romance. I loved Eve's character & I feel like her anxiety & will to persevere was well balanced to make her quirky character. (That sounds weird but if you read this I think you'll understand). I loved Shep & Willa & the love they all have for each other & the family dynamic between them & Eve. The loss in this book was so heart breaking & I really felt for all of the characters who had to deal with it. Despite how great this book was, it definitely fell flat in some areas. The timeline always felt kind of off & I was never quite sure when everything was happening besides around the holidays. When Eve's brothers are introduced, their political backgrounds are introduced with them which you would think in a book like this that would be a huge topic that maybe Eve would have to maneuver but it's so glazed over that it wasn't even worth mentioning. I also felt like Willa should have played a little more of a role in this story because of what she was dealing with when Eve got pregnant but her appearance is very choppy throughout. Overall, I thought this book was really good & I think I fell for Eve & Shep as much as they fell for each other.
I really enjoyed this book. It was like a cute & cozy friends to lovers romance. I loved Eve's character & I feel like her anxiety & will to persevere was well balanced to make her quirky character. (That sounds weird but if you read this I think you'll understand). I loved Shep & Willa & the love they all have for each other & the family dynamic between them & Eve. The loss in this book was so heart breaking & I really felt for all of the characters who had to deal with it. Despite how great this book was, it definitely fell flat in some areas. The timeline always felt kind of off & I was never quite sure when everything was happening besides around the holidays. When Eve's brothers are introduced, their political backgrounds are introduced with them which you would think in a book like this that would be a huge topic that maybe Eve would have to maneuver but it's so glazed over that it wasn't even worth mentioning. I also felt like Willa should have played a little more of a role in this story because of what she was dealing with when Eve got pregnant but her appearance is very choppy throughout. Overall, I thought this book was really good & I think I fell for Eve & Shep as much as they fell for each other.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Alcohol and Sexual content
Minor: Abortion, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Miscarriage
kelly_e's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Title: Ready or Not
Author: Cara Bastone
Genre: Romance
Rating: 4.00
Pub Date: February 13, 2024
I received a complimentary eARC from Dial Press, a division of Random House Publishing Group, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted #Ad
T H R E E • W O R D S
Heartfelt • Wholesome • Authentic
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Eve Hatch lives for surprises! Just kidding. She expects every tomorrow to be pretty much the same as today. She loves her cozy apartment in Brooklyn that’s close to her childhood best friend Willa, and far from her midwestern, traditional family who has never really understood her. While her job is only dream-adjacent, it’s comfortable and steady. She always knows what to expect from her life... until she finds herself expecting after an uncharacteristic one-night stand.
The unplanned pregnancy cracks open all the relationships in her life. Eve’s loyal friendship with Willa is feeling tense, right when she needs her the most. And it’s actually Willa’s steadfast older brother, Shep, who steps up to help Eve. He has always been friendly, but now he’s checking in, ordering her surprise lunches, listening to all her complaints, and is... suddenly kinda hot? Then, as if she needs one more complication, there’s the baby’s father, who is (technically) supportive but (majorly) conflicted.
Up until this point, Eve’s been content to coast through life. Now, though—maybe it’s the hormones, maybe it’s the way Shep’s shoulders look in a T-shirt—Eve starts to wonder if she has been secretly desiring more from every aspect of her life.
Over the course of nine months, as Eve struggles to figure out the next right step in her expanding reality, she begins to realize that family and love, in all forms, can sneak up on you when you least expect it.
💭 T H O U G H T S
Ready or Not was on my radar way before it was announced as a Book of the Month choice because the premise sounded so wholesome and just right up my alley. This is my first time reading Cara Bastone and I was pleasantly surprised with just how much I enjoyed it.
This friends-to-lovers, slow burn romance featuring an unexpected pregnancy was done just right. There were so many real-life obstacles and tender moments between the characters that I felt myself among friends. Each of the characters was so real and endearing. I particularly loved Shep and nurse Louise, even though her role was small. The romance was definitely not the main focus, and yet it felt so organic. The theme of found family was very progressive and important in this day and age.
There were some laugh-out-loud moments and it was definitely interesting getting Eve's internal monologue. The character's reactions (even Eve's) to the pregnancy were varied and genuine. Despite covering a shorter period of time (nine months), the pacing and writing style was spot on.
Overall, Ready or Not was an enjoyable read. The realistic relationships and characters development were definitely the strength. I would definitely be willing to explore more of Cara Bastone's work, and there is a little part of me hoping these characters might return in a follow-up or even a series.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• fans of the friends-to-lovers trope
• readers who like endearing characters
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Sometimes the good news hurts more than the bad."
"Sometimes the bad feels better than the good."
Author: Cara Bastone
Genre: Romance
Rating: 4.00
Pub Date: February 13, 2024
I received a complimentary eARC from Dial Press, a division of Random House Publishing Group, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted #Ad
T H R E E • W O R D S
Heartfelt • Wholesome • Authentic
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Eve Hatch lives for surprises! Just kidding. She expects every tomorrow to be pretty much the same as today. She loves her cozy apartment in Brooklyn that’s close to her childhood best friend Willa, and far from her midwestern, traditional family who has never really understood her. While her job is only dream-adjacent, it’s comfortable and steady. She always knows what to expect from her life... until she finds herself expecting after an uncharacteristic one-night stand.
The unplanned pregnancy cracks open all the relationships in her life. Eve’s loyal friendship with Willa is feeling tense, right when she needs her the most. And it’s actually Willa’s steadfast older brother, Shep, who steps up to help Eve. He has always been friendly, but now he’s checking in, ordering her surprise lunches, listening to all her complaints, and is... suddenly kinda hot? Then, as if she needs one more complication, there’s the baby’s father, who is (technically) supportive but (majorly) conflicted.
Up until this point, Eve’s been content to coast through life. Now, though—maybe it’s the hormones, maybe it’s the way Shep’s shoulders look in a T-shirt—Eve starts to wonder if she has been secretly desiring more from every aspect of her life.
Over the course of nine months, as Eve struggles to figure out the next right step in her expanding reality, she begins to realize that family and love, in all forms, can sneak up on you when you least expect it.
💭 T H O U G H T S
Ready or Not was on my radar way before it was announced as a Book of the Month choice because the premise sounded so wholesome and just right up my alley. This is my first time reading Cara Bastone and I was pleasantly surprised with just how much I enjoyed it.
This friends-to-lovers, slow burn romance featuring an unexpected pregnancy was done just right. There were so many real-life obstacles and tender moments between the characters that I felt myself among friends. Each of the characters was so real and endearing. I particularly loved Shep and nurse Louise, even though her role was small. The romance was definitely not the main focus, and yet it felt so organic. The theme of found family was very progressive and important in this day and age.
There were some laugh-out-loud moments and it was definitely interesting getting Eve's internal monologue. The character's reactions (even Eve's) to the pregnancy were varied and genuine. Despite covering a shorter period of time (nine months), the pacing and writing style was spot on.
Overall, Ready or Not was an enjoyable read. The realistic relationships and characters development were definitely the strength. I would definitely be willing to explore more of Cara Bastone's work, and there is a little part of me hoping these characters might return in a follow-up or even a series.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• fans of the friends-to-lovers trope
• readers who like endearing characters
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Sometimes the good news hurts more than the bad."
"Sometimes the bad feels better than the good."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy
Moderate: Miscarriage, Sexual content, and Infertility
Minor: Abortion, Cursing, Cancer, Medical content, Toxic relationship, Death, Death of parent, and Grief
hazelsnoot's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Reread April 2024.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Grief, Infertility, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Death of parent and Emotional abuse
Minor: Toxic relationship, Abortion, Cursing, Medical content, Vomit, and Miscarriage
katiehasanxiety's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The writing style! The characters! I kept seeing this book on Bookstagram so I grabbed a copy and it’s probably the best decision I’ve made this year. This book reminded me why I love reading and writing romance: the underlying hope when the going gets tough. The trust and belief that everyone is worthy and deserving of love, no matter their circumstances.
And Shep was the gangly, golden retriever of my dreams. What an absolute gem.
And Shep was the gangly, golden retriever of my dreams. What an absolute gem.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Pregnancy
Moderate: Death and Toxic relationship
chewiegirl's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy and Sexual content
Moderate: Death of parent, Infertility, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Miscarriage and Abortion
katebrownreads's review against another edition
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy
Moderate: Grief, Sexual content, Infertility, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent
Minor: Miscarriage
qace90's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
I received an advance copy from the publisher via Netgalley for review purposes; this in no way influences my review.
I really enjoy Cara Bastone’s stories and humor, so though pregnancy stories aren’t usually something I gravitate towards I was excited to read Ready or Not. This is so obviously a book full of love and care and I love the chosen family and community that Eve has along her journey. This was a really fun book and I loved the blend of humor and serious feelings and experiences.
I really enjoy Cara Bastone’s stories and humor, so though pregnancy stories aren’t usually something I gravitate towards I was excited to read Ready or Not. This is so obviously a book full of love and care and I love the chosen family and community that Eve has along her journey. This was a really fun book and I loved the blend of humor and serious feelings and experiences.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, Infertility, and Death of parent
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