Something you always hear, is don’t judge a book by its cover, but I have to say the cover for Ready or Not is the first thing the caught my attention. Look at how stunning it is! That being said, once I read the synopsis I was sold. Today I want to tell you more about this book and what I thought. Keep on reading to find out more!
A big thank you to Netgalley and Dial Press for providing me with an eARC to read and review. I’m always grateful for these opportunities.
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.
The unplanned pregnancy cracks open all the relationships in her life. Eve’s loyal friendship with Willa is feeling off , right when she needs her most. And it’s Willa’s steadfast older brother, Shep, who steps up to help. 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 there’s the baby’s father, who is supportive but conflicted. Before long, Eve is rethinking everything she thought she knew about herself and her world.
Over the course of 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.
Review
Accidental pregnancy isn’t normally a trope I love, but it just felt so special in Ready or Not. Early on I even knew how this book was going to end, but that didn’t bother me at all. This accidental pregnancy story is also part coming of age, found family, and romance. The author was able to take a lot of different aspects and make them feel realistic and like you were right there with Eve.
At the beginning of this book our main character Eve is trying to figure out her life. Is this job really the one she wants? Then after a one night stand she finds out she’s pregnant and her whole world turns upside down. I really appreciated this author not making everything all sunshine and rainbows. There were a lot of emotions and relationships that felt a bit strained because of this. Eve also takes time to figure out how she feels about having this baby.
Eve is a character I really hoped would get everything she wanted. She was really trying in all aspects of her life and a lot was coming at her. That’s also what made her story feel so real. Not everything was solved after a good night sleep or a great conversation. The romance in this book can may seem a little unexpected and we definitely have a slow burn, but it was an amazing journey.
Ready or Not is a very special book I don’t want to tell you too much about, because you really need to experience all the little details for yourself, but I can say I laughed, cried, swooned, and smiled a lot while reading this book. Cara Bastone brings us a lot of raw emotions and this is a story I won’t forget anytime soon.
Ready or Not is a book that I loved and I just couldn’t put down. I’ll definitely be reading more by this author and buying a physical copy of this for my shelves. If you’re looking for a heartwarming story, I highly recommend this one.
