Ready or Not - (Hearts of New York) by Cara Bastone (Paperback)

About the Book

"Eve Hatch is pretty content with her life. Her apartment in Brooklyn is cozy, but close to her childhood best friend Willa, and far from her midwestern, religious upbringing where she always felt misunderstood. While her position as an administrative assistant at the Wildlife Federation of America is a dream-adjacent job, she's hoping her passion and hard work will help her land a more glamorous role where she could actually make a difference someday. 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. Suddenly, this surprise pregnancy cracks open all the relationships in her life. Eve's ride-or-die friendship with Willa is suddenly feeling off. And surprisingly, it's Willa's steadfast older brother, Shep, who steps up to help. He has always been supportive, but now he's checking in, ordering her surprise lunches, listening to all her woes, and... is suddenly irresistible? Add in a kind but conflicted baby daddy--who also happens to have a girlfriend--and Eve is feeling out of her depth, to say the least. 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 love, in all forms, can sneak up on you when you least expect it"--

Book Synopsis

A surprise pregnancy leads to even more life-changing revelations in this "absolutely buoyant read" (Elle).

"Bastone delivers on this truly heartwarming, funny, and real story. Come for the dog bar, stay for the special, slow-burn romcom."--Abby Jimenez, New York Times bestselling author

A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The Washington Post, NPR, Elle

Eve Hatch lives for surprises! Just kidding. She expects every tomorrow to be pretty much the same as today. She loves her cozy apartment in Brooklyn that's close to her childhood best friend Willa, and far from her midwestern, traditional family who has never really understood her. While her job is only dream-adjacent, it's comfortable and steady. She always knows what to expect from her life . . . 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 tense, right when she needs her the most. And it's actually Willa's steadfast older brother, Shep, who steps up to help Eve. 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, as if she needs one more complication, there's the baby's father, who is (technically) supportive but (majorly) conflicted.

Up until this point, Eve's been content to coast through life. Now, though--maybe it's the hormones, maybe it's the way Shep's shoulders look in a T-shirt--Eve starts to wonder if she has been secretly desiring more from every aspect of her life.

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 Quotes

"Accidental pregnancy is a love-it-or-hate-it construct for most romance fans, which could leave Cara Bastone's friends-to-lovers entry in a tough position. But for those willing to jive with that particular plot twist--and trust me, it's worth it--Ready or Not is an absolutely buoyant read. Vivacious and funny, Bastone's first-person perspective through protagonist Eve traces the tricky threads of single parenthood, long-term friendship, infertility, grief, and (yes) sex with skill."--Elle

"I've never read a contemporary romance novel quite like this one. This friends-to-lovers trope centers on a surprise pregnancy that's filled with heartfelt dialogue, unexpected love and a slow burn. It's incredible and I found myself not wanting to put it down. This story is endearing, life-affirming, and left me feeling buoyed and hopeful."--New York Post, "The 15 Best Books We Read in February"

"Sure, this is a love story. But it's also about all the ways love shows up. . . . And at the end of the day, that's the ideal family, right? Never perfect but always trying."--NPR

"This pitch-perfect rom-com . . . could be the guidebook on how to successfully execute the 'friends-to-lovers' trope. Bastone carefully captures the slow-burning magic of seeing someone familiar in a new light, and Shep is so wonderful he deserves a place in the Book Boyfriend Hall of Fame."--The Washington Post

"Ready or Not is the very definition of the perfect slow burn, friends-to-lovers romance. Cara Bastone's voice is wholly unique and sparkles with effervescence and joy. I savored every page."--KJ Dell'Antonia, New York Times bestselling author of The Chicken Sisters

"An absolute treasure of a book! Cara Bastone gives readers a gift, and pays humanity a compliment, with this warmly witty, profoundly tender story of a love that makes the world bigger and better."--Joanna Lowell, author of Artfully Yours

"A wholehearted meditation on all kinds of love, this novel is pure joy."--Annabel Monaghan, nationally bestselling author of Same Time Next Summer

"With loads of humor, lovable characters, and a first kiss that will leave you flushed and breathless, Ready or Not is a delightfully romantic story that celebrates modern love and the excitement of the unexpected. Readers will adore Cara Bastone's joyful, swoony novel!"--Amy Poeppel, author of The Sweet Spot

"This is a gratifyingly modern take on the accidental pregnancy trope that acknowledges a family can come in many different configurations."--Publishers Weekly

"Funny and touching; Eve's snappy voice and poignant vulnerability are a good match for the subject matter."--Kirkus Reviews

"In this contemporary rom-com, the story jumps right into the action, and even readers who don't like the surprise-pregnancy trope will find themselves glued to the page for more of Eve's snark and sense of humor."--Library Journal

About the Author

Cara Bastone is a full-time writer who lives and writes in Brooklyn with her husband, sons, and an almost-goldendoodle. Her goal with her work is to find the swoon in ordinary love stories. She's been a fan of the romance genre since she found a grocery bag filled with her grandmother's old Harlequin Romances when she was in high school. She's a fangirl for pretzel sticks, long walks through Prospect Park, and love stories featuring men who aren't hobbled by their own masculinity.