When this book popped up on my Book of the Month Club, I passed by it a few times debating between Ready or Not by Cara Bastone and another book. Eventually, I chose this one thinking, well, maybe it’ll be an interesting read later on. It was supposed to end up at the bottom of my TBR pile to read after all the other books I wanted to read.
Instead, I picked it up this month just on a lark and began reading.
Friends, you never know when you’re going to find a diamond in the rough.
The tag line for this book is “Love shows up with you least expect it” and well…okay Dial Press and Duel Delights, you got me!
The following is slightly spoilerish so if you don’t want to read it, just know that this is a great book and you should read it.
Eve Hatch lives in New York and has a job in the field she’s always dreamed about- conservation and the Wildlife Fund of America. As an administrative catch-all. One drunken choice to have a one-night stand with the hot owner of a dog-friendly bar results in a surprise pregnancy. Even more surprising is Ethan, the one-night stand partner, was on a break and by the time Eve tells him, he’s back with his long-time girlfriend.
Her long-time best friend, Willa, who lives in New York as well, and her husband have been trying to get pregnant for a while so Eve’s sudden pregnancy hits her hard at a time when Eve needs her best friend.
Enter Willa’s brother Shep, a man who’s been around as long as Willa has. Staying with his sister after the breakup of his long-term partner, he turns into proxy support for Eve. Through the ups and downs with Ethan, who is juggling that he’s about to be a dad as well as what that means for his current relationship and his pseudo relationship with Eve. He’s there when Willa can’t be, through morning sickness and pregnancy shopping, cravings, and emotional outbursts because of hormones.
Ready or Not is touted as a slow-burn, friends-to-lovers romance but that’s just not fair to the whole story. From start to finish, this story is about Eve, her pregnancy, and how that affects every part of her life. From her job to her living arrangements, to how she deals with people and learns to think about her for once. One of my favorite relationships in this book is the one that Eve creates with her OB/GYN nurse, Louise. There’s a line during the delivery that just hit hard. It’s spiritual and poetic and shows how some people are sent into your life, even for a temporary time-right when you need them.
And Shep. Let’s talk about Shep. I was expecting a friendzone story and I was delighted and surprised that did not happen. Yes, Shep’s been in love with Eve since they were kids and as the brother of her best friend, has been in her life that long, there is never a time when Shep seems like he’s supporting Eve just so she can see how much of a good guy he is. Instead, he is truly her friend. And would have stayed her friend if that was what she needed. He supported her when she was trying to figure out what she and Ethan were. He never got angry or aggressive and, by the end of the story, Ethan and Shep are united by something much larger than either of them. Shep is a friend who happens to become more. It’s gradual and relaxed and I was pleasantly surprised how this ended.
I enjoyed this book so much and am delighted my instincts told me to just go ahead and pick it up. I need more diamonds in the rough like this. So yeah, find it and read it. I think you’ll enjoy it.
What a way to end this month’s reviews! With April coming to a close and May just around the corner, I’ll be taking a hiatus to replenish my brain, get some things in order and most importantly, read!
Thank you all for sticking by me with this little blog. I appreciate each and every one of you. So while I catch up on everything, enjoy your month of May. I’ll see you again the first Friday of June. And remember friends, with the weather turning warmer in this next month, take time out for yourself. Do your favorite things, enjoy the sunshine, and always take time to curl up with a good book.
Mouse's Reading Nook 