anabel_unker's Reviews (1.16k)

*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*

<I>'"Grief is a relationship," he continues. "It's the way we figure out how to keep loving them even though they're gone."'</I>

Lenny is drowning. After losing her best friend, Lou, to cancer she moves through life barely surviving; she can't return to their shared apartment, she can't commit to a long-term nanny job, she can't properly feed herself, she just <I>can't</I> anymore. Her theory is if she doesn't let anyone close again, nobody will know she's pulling apart at the seams. 

However, someone does see her struggle. And, surprisingly, it's the surly uncle of the little girl she's just started babysitting. Familiar with grief, and desperate to help <I>someone</I>, Miles offers to help Lenny get through her "Live Again" list in exchange for helping him build a relationship with his niece. 

PROMISE ME SUNSHINE delivers on a beautiful slow-burn romance and a heartbreaking portrayal of all-encompassing grief. But I think what Bastone really nailed was Lenny's grief over Lou; grief's journey is very rarely a linear path, and Lenny's story was full of ups and downs. Learning to live after loss is never easy, and the guilt that can come with finding happiness afterwards can be almost as debilitating, and Bastone did not shy away from Lenny's continuous struggle. However, in my opinion, it made the ending that much sweeter.

*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*

One drunken night at the end of her study abroad experience, Ali Rubin met her competitive match in Graham; and after one horrible tattoo and one (not so horrible) one-night stand, she never expects to see him again. However, years later, a chance meeting at a local Baltimore coffee shop reignites sparks. The only problem? Ali is currently planning Graham's high-profile wedding to another woman.

A super fun rom-com with an original storyline, this book was a trope-haven: second chance romance, opposite attract, workplace romance, marriage of convenience, the one that got away, snowed in, and on and on and on. NEVER PLANNED ON YOU packed a punch and is perfect for the fans of stories like The Wedding Planner!