5*
What a wonderful surprise this book is! The cartoonish cover and cutesy title give the false impression that it’s just another light-hearted romance, but there’s so much more depth than that. Yes, it’s a mash-up of several tropes including brother’s best friend, second chance, and love triangle, but it’s also a thoughtful portrayal of infertility and the way in which fellow sufferers bond over their struggles to conceive and give birth and a scathing indictment of the self-help, inspirational charlatans who prey on people at their weakest moments. In this case, Ian Fortune, Gemma’s boss and long-time crush, is nothing more than a snake oil salesman whose stock in trade are meme-worthy quotations. One minor criticism of the story is the heavy sprinkling of these trite sayings throughout, both as chapter headings and as a way for Gemma to engage with friends and family without being open and honest about who she is and how she feels.
Josh is a charming, somewhat nerdy book boyfriend who, as far as Gemma knows, writes comics, lives in his dad’s basement, and collects panties as sexual trophies. In other words, he’s not boyfriend-worthy, but as former high school valedictorian, football captain, and homecoming king as well as her brother’s best friend who’s spent countless hours with her family, he’s the perfect candidate for a sperm donor once Gemma decides she’s not going to miss the chance to have a baby while waiting for “The One.” However, as Josh fully commits to making a baby with Gemma, she slowly realizes that she knows very little about him and the life he’s led in the 14 years since he went off to college. His reason for agreeing to be her baby daddy is very touching, and his love and care for his terminally ill father is heartwarming.
Ready does a wonderful job of developing her romantic leads and creating scenarios that allow secondary characters to shine, whether it’s the seemingly mismatched support group or Gemma’s mother with her well-meaning yet misguided and casually cruel attempts to find a man who will deign to marry her barren, divorced and “chubby” daughter. This thoughtful and entertaining romance is highly recommended for romance fans, anime cosplayers, and anyone looking for a delightful distraction from our troubling times.
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Swift & Lewis Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.
Josh is a charming, somewhat nerdy book boyfriend who, as far as Gemma knows, writes comics, lives in his dad’s basement, and collects panties as sexual trophies. In other words, he’s not boyfriend-worthy, but as former high school valedictorian, football captain, and homecoming king as well as her brother’s best friend who’s spent countless hours with her family, he’s the perfect candidate for a sperm donor once Gemma decides she’s not going to miss the chance to have a baby while waiting for “The One.” However, as Josh fully commits to making a baby with Gemma, she slowly realizes that she knows very little about him and the life he’s led in the 14 years since he went off to college. His reason for agreeing to be her baby daddy is very touching, and his love and care for his terminally ill father is heartwarming.
Ready does a wonderful job of developing her romantic leads and creating scenarios that allow secondary characters to shine, whether it’s the seemingly mismatched support group or Gemma’s mother with her well-meaning yet misguided and casually cruel attempts to find a man who will deign to marry her barren, divorced and “chubby” daughter. This thoughtful and entertaining romance is highly recommended for romance fans, anime cosplayers, and anyone looking for a delightful distraction from our troubling times.
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Swift & Lewis Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.
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