Courtesy of Dial Press Trade Paperback

Author Cara Bastone promises joy to her readers yet again in the unforgettable and heartwarming “Promise Me Sunshine.” The book is a contemporary romance following Lenny as she navigates life after the loss of her best friend and platonic soulmate, Lou. Lenny tries to seem as though she has it all together, but when a complete stranger, Miles, shows up and sees through her shiny facade and offers his help, Lenny must learn to live again, no matter how impossible it feels.

“Promise Me Sunshine” is a deeply moving story about what it means to pick yourself back up again when all feels hopeless. 

The two main characters meet when Lenny shows up to work as a part-time nanny for Miles’s niece, Ainsley, and it just so happens that Miles lives in the same building. Lenny is a romantic, crafting a hypothetical love story for each man she lays eyes on. 

However, her fantasy is quickly squashed by Miles’s grumpy demeanor. Though the first impressions are not the greatest, the two characters quickly strike up a sort of friendship that is mutually beneficial: Miles will help Lenny complete the bucket list assumed to be left by Lou, and Lenny will help Miles to build a relationship with his sister and niece to strengthen his role in their lives. 

Lenny is a natural with kids. She’s warm, endearing and fun. Miles is almost her total opposite. Though his intentions are good, he’s gruff and often speaks before he thinks. This has hindered him from establishing a relationship with his sister and his niece, as he just recently came into their lives. 

In order to maintain his end of the deal, Miles helps Lenny to cross experiences off of a bucket list of sorts. They go to concerts and spend a weekend camping with new friends and visit the Met as often as possible. Throughout the book, we see Miles care for Lenny in a way she so desperately needs. He is there for her at all hours of the day and night, helping her to get back on her feet and establish a new normal.

This book is truly a breath of fresh air. Bastone has a gift for crafting stories that feel like a cool drink of water, refreshing and a balm to the soul. 

“Promise Me Sunshine” is perfect for readers who are fans of friends-to-lovers romances that go past the surface. 

This book covers more than just romance, touching on grief and loss as well as family dynamics. 

“And this journey through grief … it’s what we do for the great loves of our lives,” Lenny says.