Alyssa’s Library | Promise Me Sunshine: A Novel (Dial D...

Promise Me Sunshine: A Novel (Dial Delights)

Cara Bastone

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How do you find yourself after you lose the one you loved the most?

Grieving the loss of her best friend, a young woman’s life is turned upside down when she meets a grumpy stranger who swears he can help her live again, in this heartwarming, slow-burn romance by the author of Ready or Not.

Lenny’s a bit of a mess at the moment. Ever since cancer stole away her best friend, she has been completely lost. She’s avoiding her concerned parents, the apartment she shared with her best friend, and the ever-laminated “live again” list of things she’s promised to do to survive her grief. But maybe if she acts like she has it all together, no one will notice she’s falling apart.

The only gigs she can handle right now are temporary babysitting jobs, and she just landed a great one, helping overworked, single mom Reese and her precocious daughter, Ainsley. The only catch: Ainsley’s uncle, Miles, always seems to be around and is kind of… a walking version of the grumpy cat meme. Worse—he seems to be able to see right through her.

Surprisingly, Miles knows a lot about grief and he offers Lenny 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 void her best friend has left behind, but between late night ferry rides, midnight ramen, and a well-placed shoulder whenever she needs it, Miles just won’t stop showing up for her.

Turns out, sometimes your life has to end to find your new beginning.

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Posts about this title from Alyssa’s Library

Alyssa’s Library\ \ alyssa\ \ • Sep 4 2025

it’s time to talk about all the books i read in august! i read a total of 12 books and so many of them were amazing so let’s get into it:\ \ TOP THREE READS:\ \ Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah (5⭐️) -> this is one of my new ALL TIME favourite books ever. i think this book is so important to read (especially now) because of the themes surrounding oppression, resistance, protests, and the state of the world as a whole. this is one of the best dystopian books i’ve read and this will stick with me for a long time (probably forever).\ \ My Friends by Fredrick Backman (5⭐️) -> WOW. this book put me through all the emotions and i haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since i finsihed. the way fredrick backman created such a layered story with discussions surrounding life, death, mental illness, and friendships was absolutely spectacular. this was funny, heartwarming, and absolutely devastating all at the same time. highly recommend this one!\ \ Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone (5⭐️)-> one of my new alllll time favourite romance books! sometimes with romance i have a hard time not getting bored throughout if nothings happening lol BUT THIS IS HOW YOU WRITE ROMANCE!! the tension, the yearning, the ACTUAL SLOW BURN friends to lovers??? absolutely ate this up. the exploration surrounding grief and loss was spectacular. definitely a new fav!\ \ EVERYTHING ELSE:\ \ An Academy for Liars by Alexis Henderson (3.75⭐️)-> this was my first book by this author and definitely not my last! this was the perfect dark academia, spooky, creepy read that i was looking for and i adored those aspects of the book! the only issues i had with this was the pacing (sometimes sooooo many things happened and sometimes nothing happened) and the romance. i didn’t feel connected to the characters enough to care about it but overall i enjoyed myself!\ \ Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar (4.5⭐️) -> i don’t read a lot of literary fiction but this book was absolutely spectacular! i felt so deeply for cyrus and his story, and i was hooked from the first page. i can see why this book is so loved in the book community, it was so beautiful and definitely one i’ll be thinking about for a long time.\ \ Between Broomsticks & Beating Wings by Marissa Serrao (4.25⭐️) -> this is an indie sapphic fantasy book that absolutely delivered! in this book we follow a human witch and a valkyrie where they strike a deal and have to venture into the underworld together. i thought the romance was so sweet and i loved the two characters individually and together. my favourite character was definitely the ghost cat tho :)\ \ The Possession of Alba Díaz by Isabel Cañas (4.5⭐️) -> after reading the vampires of el norte, i knew i had to read this one and i loved it even more! this one was definitely more focused on the horror aspects than the romance but i thought both were so well done. the yearning was impeccable and i was so scared throughout most of the book lol. loooved this one sm!\ \ Blood Moon by Brittany S. Lewis (3.75⭐️) -> this was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and i had a fun time with this one! this one felt so nostalgic and it very much reminded me of twilight lol. i thought the plot was so interesting (even though it was a little predictable) but i wasn’t invested in the romance that much. hopefully book 2 is even better!\ \ An Unlikely Coven by A. M. Kvita (4.5⭐️) -> this debut cozy fantasy was SO ADORABLE! this is one of my new favourite cozy fantasy books with such an adorable cast of characters! joan was such an intriguing character to read from and i loved her little found family that she found <3 i HIGHLY recommend you get this one when it comes out in October!\ \ Artificial Wisdom by Thomas R Weaver (3⭐️) -> unfortunately this was my least favourite book of the month. this is a scifi thriller that started off so strong but the farther i got into it, the less i started caring about the characters. i felt that this was very predictable and i wasn’t connected to anyone in this book. i was sad this didn’t work for me but you may enjoy it more than i did!\ \ I, Medusa by Ayana Gray (4.5⭐️) -> one of THE BEST medusa retellings i’ve ever read! the writing was absolutely phenomenal, and i felt so much for medusa as a character. it was so interesting to see how she went from maiden, to mistress, to monster, and finally to myth. this was so hard hitting and I can’t recommend this one enough! definitely buy it when it comes out in October :)\ \ Climate of Chaos by Cassandra Newbould (3.25⭐️) -> i’m so sad i didn’t like this one more. this is a YA dystopian that follows a disabled protagonist (AMAZING!!) where she will do anything to get her sister back. i loved the representation in this, but i thought the plot was lacking. i also was not a huge fan of the romance lol because its lowkey second chance (ish?) but the mmc was not justifying cutting off the mmc. unfortunately this didn’t work for me :/

AUGUST READING WRAP UP

12 books

Posts about this book from across Bindery

chronicallybookish\ \ Kaley\ \ • Jul 16

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summer romance TBR!

What book do you hope to read this summer? #booktok #bookreels #summerromance #romancebooks #romancebookrecs

5 books

Paging Through the City \ \ Book More Travels\ \ • Jul 10

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Reading around NYC- A Bookish Guide Romances Vol 1!

Reading around NYC- A Bookish Guide (Romances Part 1!)

If you are looking for some NYC based books to read- look no further! Most of these books I read with my book club (@pagingthroughthecity) where we read a new book set in NYC every month and discuss them where they are set!

Make sure to check out our July events if you are local (posts coming soon!) and follow along for more bookish nyc and beyond @bookmoretravels

Bookish NYC l Day in my life NYC l Viral New York City #nycbookstores #bookishnyc #nycbooks #newyorkideas #nyctourism

Book- Seven Days in June by Tia Williams Where to Read- The Brooklyn Museum Why? Not only are there several major scenes there- but it is also a place to celebrate Brooklyn culture and what makes it great.

Book- Game Changer by Rachel Reid Where to Read- The Canuck Why? Enjoy a hockey romance at NYC’s only Canadian hockey bar! Poutine optional

Book- Found Time by Caroline Goldstein @cari_lara Where to Read- The Gem Hall Why? Not only is it the site of one of the MC’s dates, but a stunning place to read and reflect (honestly you can spend a whole day just walking around the museum!)

Book- Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone Where to Read- The Staten Island Ferry Why? Lenny spends many nights on the ferry dealing with grief, and there is something about the fresh salty air that makes reading better (though you can’t sleep on it they make everyone get off once you get to Staten Island)

Book- Maybe Once, Maybe Twice by Alison Rose Greenberg Where to Read- Sheep Meadow in Central Park (bonus points if you bring your favorite Trader Joe’s snacks) Why? This book is partially a love letter to NYC in the summer. Join the crowds of locals enjoying the sun while reading.

5 books

Fantasy & Frens\ \ Zoranne\ \ • Jan 8

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My Favorite Books Of 2025 ◡̈

My favorite books of 2025 ◡̈ What was your favorite read of 2025!? Books mentioned: - Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins - Deep End by Ali Hazelwood - Crueler Mercies by Maren Chase - Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone - Out on a Limb by Hannah Bonham-Young - Anji Kills A King by Evan Leikam - A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers - A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers #bestbooksof2025 #2025favorites #fantasybooktok #2025reading

8 books

Alyssa’s Library\ \ alyssa\ \ • Sep 4 2025

AUGUST READING WRAP UP

12 books

chronicallybookish\ \ Kaley\ \ • Apr 18 2025

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Shelves and the City BOOK HAUL | part two

9 books

chronicallybookish\ \ Kaley\ \ • Apr 18 2025

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The Ripped Bodice Photo Dump

Super late photo dump from The Ripped Bodice!! This is the last of my photos from Shelves and the City, but you can expect a book haul very soon 👀

I swear I’m not exaggerating when I say nearly 2 dozen of us flooded The Ripped Bodice during our free afternoon Saturday, and it was a blast. It’s an entire bookstore dedicated solely to romance books…aka paradise on earth and the store itself was so gorgeously decorated that going there is a whole experience.

2 books

chronicallybookish\ \ Kaley\ \ • Apr 2 2025

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S&TC Day 3 | and that’s a wrap!! 🫶🏻😭

And that’s a wrap!! 🫶🏻😭

I can’t believe this incredible weekend is over! It was indescribably wonderful to meet everyone & explore LA and live out all my bookish dreams. I truly don’t know how I’m supposed to return to real life after this. I miss everyone sm already!

9 books

chronicallybookish\ \ Kaley\ \ • Apr 2 2025

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Shelves & the City Day 2 is in the books! 📚

Started the day at Reparations Club Book Store (and bought a SIGNED copy of Reel by Kennedy Ryan omg) and ended it at Fox Studio Lots with a dance party on the fake (but also sort of real?) streets that music videos & TV pilots are filmed on!

It’s been an absolute BLAST and I cannot believe this is real life 🫶🏻😭

@avonbooks @harpervoyagerus @epicreads @williammorrowbooks

4 books

Arcane Nights Press\ \ Cassidy\ \ • Mar 6 2025

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New Books Released March 4th (so many good ones!)

Many of you will be very excited for this New Release Day! 👀 #booktok #newbooktuesday #newbooks #oathbound #fantasybooks #romancebooks #cassidy_reads

18 books