Ready or Not A Novel by Cara Bastone

 Book Excerpt:

"A surprise pregnancy leads to even more life-changing revelations in this heartfelt, slow-burn, friends-to-lovers romance of found family and unexpected love.

"Bastone delivers on this truly heartwarming, funny, and real story. Come for the dog bar, stay for the special, slow-burn romcom."—Abby Jimenez, New York Times bestselling author.

Eve Hatch lives for surprises! Just kidding. She expects every tomorrow to be the same as today. She loves her cozy apartment in Brooklyn 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 hoping after an uncharacteristic one-night stand.

The unplanned pregnancy cracks open all the relationships in her life. Eve's loyal friendship with Willa feels tense when she needs her the most. And Willa's steadfast older brother, Shep, 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, perhaps the way Shep's shoulders look in a T-shirt—Eve starts to wonder if she has secretly desired more from every aspect of her life.

Over 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."

Title: Ready or Not
Author: Cara Bastone
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group - Random House, Dial Press Trade Paperback
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Four
Review:
'Ready or Not' by Cara Bastone

Intriguing:

'Ready or Not' was a sweet romance. With what happens to Eve, it was good to see how this author brings it all together. I somewhat feared Ethan but always felt Shep was there for Eve through it all. I had wondered about Eve's best friend in all that she had also gone through, but I didn't feel like she was there for her friend when needed. I know Willa had gone through a lot, but a true friend would have been there for her best friend, especially when required. You must pick up this read to see how it all comes together for Eve, Shep, and Evan. It was a pretty exciting read.

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group via NetGalley for allowing me access to this ARC.