Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone (March 4, 2025) Thank you to The Dial Press and PRH audio for the free advanced listening copy of this deeply emotional and affecting book!
Lenny is drowning in grief. Ever since her lifelong best friend, Lou, died of cancer, she’s been unable to move forward. She avoids their apartment, spending her nights on the Staten Island ferry. She’s stopped taking care of herself. The only thing keeping her afloat is her work as a nanny, moving from one temporary job to the next. Her latest gig places her in the orbit of single mom Reese, her daughter Ainsley, and Ainsley’s uncle, Miles. Miles wants to connect with his niece, but he has no idea how—so he starts shadowing Lenny to learn. As they spend more time together, they discover they share an acute understanding of loss. Miles appoints himself Lenny’s “grief wingman,”and together, they strike a deal: he’ll help her complete her “live again” list if she helps him build a real relationship with Ainsley. But the more time they spend together, the more their connection deepens. Lenny has to find a way through her grief before she can truly open herself up to love.
I was an absolute mess reading this book. It’s a love story in so many ways – not just between Miles and Lenny, but between Lenny and Lou, Miles and Ainsley, Ainsley and Reese, Miles and Reese, and the friendships discovered along the way. At its core, Promise Me Sunshine is about grief and how it can paralyze us. Lenny’s journey is deeply emotional, but Miles is the ultimate grief wingman – patient, steady, and quietly helping her find her own way through loss, just as she helps him (often comically) connect with his wildly funny niece. Both of them carry immense grief, but this book is equal parts heartbreaking and hilarious. I dare you not to fall in love with every character in this story.
🎧 About the Audiobook 🎧 Alex Finke is one of my absolute favorite narrators, and she shines in her spectacular solo performance of Lenny and Miles’ story. This audiobook is 11 hours and 11 minutes of emotional intensity, humor, and healing. Highly recommend!
Book: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Audiobook performance: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Spice: 🌶️
Book Smart Kate 