Ready or Not by Cara Bastone
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.
Eve Hatch is pretty content with her life. Her apartment in Brooklyn is cozy and close to her childhood best friend Willa, but far from her midwestern, traditional family who never really understood her. While her job is only dream- adjacent , she’s hoping her passion and hard work will soon help her land a more glamorous role. And sure, her most recent romantic history has consisted of not one but two disappointing men named Derek. At least she always knows what to expect…until she finds herself expecting after an uncharacteristic one-night stand.
By Naomi
First of all, I want to point out how gorgeous this cover is! It is so vibrant and gives off “New York romcom” vibes.
I’m normally not a fan of the unexpected pregnancy trope, but since it’s right there in the blurb, the pregnancy is only unexpected to the main character, Eve. She has no family to support her, so her best friends’ brother, Shep, steps in.
The plot is relatively straight-forward, but this book stands out because of its characters. They are incredibly well-developed and realistic and the slow-burn romance is delightful. Eve is such a wonderful person with a humorous voice. Because of her, the book feels like a safe zone. She has such compassion for the people in her life, there is never any judgement and endless support. Shep is the kind of friend who feels like a warm hug, and don’t we all need that sometimes?
This book was all about showing up. Showing up for yourself, for those who love you, and those who you’ve never even met but already love more than you ever thought possible.
