A review by taliafranks
Ready or Not by Cara Bastone

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. 

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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.