Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone
Published by Dial Press on March 4, 2025
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Goodreads
Grieving the loss of her best friend, a young woman’s life is turned upside down when she meets a grumpy stranger who swears he can help her live again, in this heartwarming, slow-burn romance by the author of Ready or Not
Lenny’s a bit of a mess at the moment. Her best friend, Lou, recently passed away after a battle with cancer, and her death has left Lenny feeling completely lost. She’s avoiding her concerned parents, the apartment she shared with Lou, and the list of things she’s supposed to do to help her live again. The only thing she can do is temporary babysitting gigs, and luckily, she just landed a great one, helping overworked, single mom Reese and her precocious daughter, Ainsley. It’s not perfect: Ainsley’s uncle, Miles, always seems to be around, and is kind of... a huge jerk. But if Lenny acts like she has it all together, maybe no one will notice she’s falling apart.
Miles sees right through her though. Turns out, he knows a lot about grief and, surprisingly, he offers her a proposition. He’ll help her complete everything on her “live again” list if she’ll help him connect with Ainsley and overcome his complicated relationship with Reese. Lenny doubts anything can fill the Lou has left behind, but she begins to spend more time with Miles, Lenny is surprised to discover that, sometimes, losing everything is only the first step to finding yourself, and love, again.
Lenny has been drifting through the days since her best friend Lou's death. Finding it difficult to function, she was forced to take a temporary nanny job in order to pay the bills. Who knew she would find a kindred spirit in the child's grumpy Uncle Miles who committed to helping Lenny complete Lou's "Live Again" list.
I had no doubt I would enjoy this book because Cara Bastone wrote it, but this was something special. I had so many empathy for Lenny from the very beginning. She lost her platonic soulmate, the love of her life, her best friend. Lou was such an important part of Lenny's life, and Lenny was there with her until the end. I know! Queue the tears! I loved hearing about their friendship. It was sad that Lou was gone, but the lasting impression and the memories she left with Lenny were priceless.
Lenny had been going through the motions, and now had to get her act together enough to be a caretaker for Ainsley. I adored that kid, and she was definitely a bright spot in Lenny's life. She made me smile too, but it was Miles who would end up helping Lenny "live again".
Miles knew about grief, and he also knew how to be an incredible friend. He knew when to push and when to stand down. He knew when a distraction was necessary and when Lenny needed to face her grief. He was gentle with her while also helping her process her emotions. His support was such an important part of Lenny's healing journey, and it helped Miles worm his way into my heart. I am not usually one for a slow burn romance, but Bastone crafted a beautiful story that held me captive.
This book was lovely, emotional, funny, sweet, charming, tender, touching, and I just loved it! I felt every sort of emotion as I read this story with hope dominating them all. I had so much hope for all these characters, and I was grateful for the opportunity to accompany them on their personal journeys.
Code Word Romance by Carlie Walker
Published by Berkley on March 18, 2025
Age/Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense
Goodreads
One fake prime minister, one ridiculously hot handler, and one Italian summer collide in this thrilling adventure rom-com.
Max is just your average girl. She works odd jobs, has a soul-crushing amount of debt, and happens to bear an uncanny resemblance to Europe’s youngest female prime minister, Sofia Christensen. Sofia is powerful, beautiful—and unfortunately, someone is trying quite hard to assassinate her.
When the CIA approaches Max with a deal, a life-changing amount of money if she pretends to be Sofia on the prime minister’s annual Italian vacation, Max packs her bags for the Amalfi Coast. The delicious food, the breathtaking views—this trip would be a dream if it weren’t for those pesky assassins and Flynn, the handler assigned to Max’s case. Flynn, who has an unexpected history with Max, from another sun-drenched summer years and years ago. Now he’s instructed to stay in Max’s suite to protect her, as old passions and assassins collide.
Losing herself in the role of a prime minister is one thing. But losing her heart to Flynn again? Now that’s a risk she isn’t willing to take . . .
Max was living her best life. She opened the restaurant of her dreams to raves, but her dreams were stolen when the pandemic hit. She amassed a huge amount of debt trying to keep the doors open and ultimately failed. Slowly trying to rebuild her life, Max got an offer that could solve all her money problems. She just has to impersonate the Prime Minister of Summerland while relaxing in Italy and evading assassins. Easy peasy, right?
I was a HUGE fan of The Takedown, and I am a HUGE fan of Code Word Romance. Once again, Carlie Walker took me on an action packed adventure with extremely likable characters. My heart ached for Max. Not only was she mourning the loss of her restaurant, but she carried so much guilt over all the money her family and friends pumped into her business. She longed to make things right with them and was willing to risk her life to do so. Obviously, I was rooting for her, but I was rooting for the romance even more.
Could you imagine being tapped by the CIA for a mission and discovering that your handler was none other than your first love? This was a second chance that was many years in the making, and I was here for it. Flynn had a magnetic personality, and I was easily drawn into his orbit. My adoration quickly grew, and there was no denying that there was still a little something burning between him and Max. It was lovely getting to learn about their past while watching their bond grow anew in real-time.
I felt like this book had it all - action, adventure, drama, danger, rom, and com, and it was one heck of an entertaining ride.
*ARCS PROVIDED BY THE PUBLISHER
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