MY HEART! After obsessing over Ready or Not last year and fearing I wouldn't feel the same about this one, it exceeded all my expectations! Cara Bastone has an incredible way of balancing emotions, blending both the highs and the lows into the warmest, most hopeful stories. 

This romance felt so genuine, sincere, and full of pure sunshine! Grieving the recent loss of her best friend to cancer, Lenny forms an unexpected friendship with Miles, the misunderstood uncle of the niece she’s hired to babysit. Miles, too, carries his own pain, and I really loved the contrast between two characters at different points in the grieving process. Offering to help Lenny cope with her grief, he is never pushy or forceful, but instead has the biggest heart of gold, always offering Lenny a gentle nudge toward accepting this new emptiness in her life.

I loved how Lenny's friendship with Lou still feels so present throughout the story, with subtle flashbacks and, of course, the palpable love Lenny holds for her. The way Lenny protects her grief, as though it's the last piece of Lou she has left, was both so heartbreaking and thoughtfully conveyed. I cried, but I also laughed. Lenny’s goofy, vibrant personality shines through even in the midst of her grief. It was honestly the perfect combination!

(heat level: one open-door scene, mild details)

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.