Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone
All of us go through life in our own ways, but there are certain emotions that are universal to us all: pain, grief, sadness, and loneliness, among others. Most of us have faced at least one of these at some point, or perhaps all at once. Enduring the hardest parts of life can feel miserable. Actually, miserable might be an understatement. It can feel soul-crushing and gut-wrenching, and in those darkest moments, giving up can seem like the only way out, especially when you're completely alone.
But just as life sometimes throws us into situations we think we will never survive, it can also surprise us with a lifeline. Sometimes, someone comes along when we least expect it, ready to share our pain and remind us that life is still worth living, no matter what. And that, my friends, is the story of Miles and Lenny.
Lenny's character feels so heartbreakingly real, and Miles is the kind of hero who's patient, gentle, and determined to be her safe place when she cannot be her own 🥹 How rare and beautiful it is to find a love that holds all your broken pieces, accepts every part of you, and stays through it all 💖urgh I love them so much!
Promise Me Sunshine is a beautiful reminder that no matter how dark life gets, the sun will always rise again and light the way forward. And sometimes, that sunshine comes in the form of someone who stays with you until you’re ready to live again. ☀️
How do you find yourself after you lose the one you loved the most?
Grieving the loss of her best friend, a young woman struggles to live again, and finds a lot more than she bargained for in this heartwarming, slow-burn romance by the author of Ready or Not.
Lenny's a bit of a mess at the moment. Her best friend, Lou, recently passed away after a battle with cancer, and her death has left Lenny feeling completely lost. She's avoiding her concerned parents, the apartment she shared with Lou, and the list of things she's supposed to do to help her live again. The only thing she can do is temporary babysitting gigs, and luckily, she just landed a great one, helping overworked, single mom Reese and her precocious daughter, Ainsley. It's not Ainsley's uncle, Miles, always seems to be around, and is kind of... a huge jerk. But if Lenny acts like she has it all together, maybe no one will notice she's falling apart.
Miles sees right through her though. Turns out, he knows a lot about grief and, surprisingly, he offers her a proposition. He'll help her complete everything on her "live again" list if she'll help him connect with Ainsley and overcome his complicated relationship with Reese. Lenny doubts anything can fill the Lou has left behind, but she begins to spend more time with Miles, Lenny is surprised to discover that, sometimes, losing everything is only the first step to finding yourself, and love, again.