Gemma is divorced and when she learns she could get pregnant through IVF, she decides she wants her brother's best friend to be the donor. Gemma is not looking for a relationship, just a baby to love. When she approaches Josh, he says no but later changes his mind. Gemma works for a very popular self-help guru who takes Gemma's breath away. Ian starts to make advances towards Gemma and she is flattered. When Josh and Gemma share the moments of working toward making a baby, she sometimes feels guilty. This is a business agreement but what they experience sometimes feel more like a family. Josh has grown up with Gemma's family, they even had sex on her graduation night, yet she has not seen Josh as someone she would love. The characters in this book are great. The IVF support group adds lots of humor to the book. The experiences in the IVF doctor's office bring smiles and tears. This book shows that you may not know the person you have been around for years. Sometimes you have to share your thoughts and be brave.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
I must say I really enjoyed Josh and Gemma. Josh is such a sweet character who just has layers to him which was really nice to see. Gemma has been stuck with the expectations of her family and everyone thinks that since her divorce, she is almost spoilt goods.
I know Gemma's character was written in a certain way, but occasionally I did find her annoying and a bit selfish. Especially the way she treated her friends was uncalled for.
I would say this is a light-hearted fun romance to read, I did really enjoy it.

This book was absolutely funny, while hitting you in the heart, at all the right times.

Emma has the perfect career, cute little studio in Manhattan, friends, family and the ever growing crush on Josh. She's decided that she wants a baby, even though she has many health struggles getting pregnant.
She's divorced, after finding her ex dallying in another.

Josh, the subject of Emma's childhood crush, best friends with her brother, always around the family.
He's a popular comic book author/artist.

Emma convinces Josh that she needs his sperm and this won't change things between them, they'll still remain friends.

But pregnancy hormones start taking over and her feelings toward Josh spin out of control.

She needs him.... and she gets him

I really enjoyed this book, I hope to read others by this author!

I just reviewed Josh and Gemma Make a Baby by Sarah Ready. #JoshandGemmaMakeaBaby #NetGalley

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Overall this was a solid story. I laughed and I cried (i'm talking ugly cry) and I finished it over the course of one day! Gemma is a great protagonist who shows a realistic perspective on how relationships in our lives can effect us either negatively or positively long after the relationship is over. She decides at the beginning of the year to go through the process of IVF to have a baby and the author did a lovely job of showing as well as explaining how this is all Gemma has wanted for most of her adult life. She's got the job, she's got a great family, she just wants a baby of her own to love unconditionally. Josh, is an interesting love interest. He's definitely a type that pretends to take nothing seriously, but in reality only takes the important things seriously, the rest doesn't matter. Observing these two characters navigate through the process of producing a baby (along with the other side characters along for the ride) was very engaging. It says in the description that this is book 1, so i'm hoping we'll get more in this universe.

The narrator sounds amazing and I wish I could listen to this whole book but for whatever reason the Netgalley app is really difficult to listen on. There is a weird echo on the audiobooks for me. But I’m going to put five stars because I’m also reading the physical copy and it’s so good so far! Will give a physical copy review when done.

Well, I think this audiobook has somewhat solidified my dislike of romcoms. This entire book is wrapped up in the title. No need to read it. It’s a friend to lovers trope that involved vibrating cell phones and lots of green jello. Gemma wants a baby. Josh donates his sperm to the cause. Will they fall in love? Of course. The end. Hope I didn’t ruin it for anyone. If you like a totally predictable love story that didn’t have a lot of com in the rom com, this one is for you. On a positive note, the narrator did a great job.

Thank you to @netgalley for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Josh and Gemma Make a Baby was a very enjoyable and well written romcom. What sets it apart from other books was how much it explored infertility and IVF. It was a very slow burn but the best part of the relationship between Josh and Gemma was their friendship and their banter. The park scene was hilarious. I laughed and cried throughout the book but loved the last quarter of the book the most. Some of the topics are hard to read/listen to so please keep the trigger warnings in mind.

One thing I did not like about the book was how Gemma was treated and portrayed. It was really frustrating at times to hear her family and friends call her things like overweight and frumpy. A huge theme of the book was Gemma’s appearance and never in a good way. It wasn’t just criticism, it was full blown mean and it came from almost all of the characters. I definitely think the book would’ve been just as good without all of judgement against Gemma.

I enjoyed the narration and the interaction between the characters. It was very easy to follow the dialogue in scenes with big groups which not all narrators do well.

TW: Infertility, miscarriage, IVF

*Thank you NetGalley for providing me with the audiobook.

5 stars

After a disaster of a first marriage and an endometriosis diagnosis, Gemma decides to take things into her own hands and seek fertility treatment. She believes her brother’s best friend Josh would be an ideal sperm donor but perhaps not for the reasons you may think…

Josh and Gemma make a baby was an absolute gem of a book. This felt like Bridget Jones with a little more depth. I had never heard of Sarah Ready but will definitely check out her other releases.

Not many books make my 5 star favourites shelf but this has got to be one of them. It’s also the first time an audiobook has hit the top spot for me.

Brilliantly written characters and narrative, told with laugh out loud humour and gut wrenching emotion combine to make this a perfect read.

I have to say the love scene was one of the most original ones I’ve read purely because it felt so real to me.

Ready was adept at showing the flaws of all her characters and it made it more realistic than your run of the mill romance. Several circumstances in this book were deeply personal to me and Ready handled the sensitive topics like endometriosis, fertility and death expertly.

Many thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an advanced audio copy of this book

This was a great slow burn romance that I enjoyed listening to.

The book starts off in a way that makes the main character seem very likable from the beginning. I was already intrigued after just the first chapter and could not wait to continue listening.

I really liked the representation of the topic of infertility and the struggles a person might face due to it. It is always great to broaden representation and this book is a step into the right direction. The topic was explained for the reader and at the same time the author managed to focus on the character development and the romance.

The characters chemistry was great and I liked how they got to know each other better. It is so true that people often evaluate others very fast and often do not take the time to get to know the other one better. So I really loved that the book was filled with those thoughtful messages.

However, I have to admit that the main character Gemma started to annoy me at some point since I had the feeling her character development not only stopped but went backwards. This changed again later when she evaluates her own behavior and seeks forgiveness from the people she hurt. And even though this part wasn’t my favorite, I think that it represents reality because we often do things we know we shouldn’t do.

So all in all this was a great audiobook and I enjoyed listening to it. It made me laugh out loud and the story was filled with cute messages about life for the reader. The narrator read the story perfectly and it was easy to listen to.

Bless my nerd loving heart this book is perfection!

“I have never regretted the doing (Josh)” and I will never regret reading this book!

Josh and Gemma Make A Baby starts off a little shaky and I wasn’t too sure what to make of Gemma but once things get rolling oh boy you are in for a treat!

Gemma is a hot mess of a woman but with good reason! She’s stuck in her life and feels she’s at a good place but learns soon enough that couldn’t be further from the truth! Through new friendships and some family blow ups Gemma realizes she’s been wrong. Through her discovery she realizes that everything she had needed has been right in front of her!

I loved how Josh and Gemmas relationship grows! They start off as acquaintances and quickly grow to more! More importantly though was Gemmas growth! Her amazing pink uterus friends and hilarious family really help her to see the error of her ways!

I was fortunate enough to read or rather listen to an early copy thanks to NetGalley! The narrator Erin Mallon did an amazing job reading the story and switching from one character to another. The authors beautiful descriptions really came to life!

This was such a fun read until it wasn't. When it wasn't, it made me cry.

If you're looking for a slow burn romance, spicy (2/5 chillies spice meter), funny but also has sad moments book, this is it! Like most romance books, you might predict how it ends but boy, oh boy, are you in for a treat.

Sarah Ready definitely knows how to write a book that will pull you in and leave you wanting more. I listened to it in a day, and whenever I wasn't listening to it, I was thinking about it.

I liked Gemma. I loved how she was written as this woman who is lovely, but also a little bit annoying at times. It was sometimes hard to like her and root for her. I guess what I'm trying to say is she was a realistic character, flaws and all. Some of her choices were aloof; completely, and they didn't make sense, but some of them lead her to the path that she wanted. She goes through one particularly difficult event, and honestly, I wish the author delved into it a little bit deeper since we were in the throws of sadness anyway. But I would have loved for that topic to be explored more

Josh. Oh Josh, he was so funny. Argh, so so funny. I loved that. There were some conversations in this book that literally had me bending over laughing. But, I have to say, part of his storyline was some of the saddest in the book. I found myself throwing him a pity party in my head, but somehow I knew he would come out alright.

More than that, this story is also about community. The different ways people show up for each other, family or chosen family. Josh and Gemma truly had fostered communities to shoulder some of the shit that they went through, and made it a little bit lighter. I loved that.

So, if you're looking for a book that will get you out of a reading slump, I would highly suggest this, but please for the love of all good things in the world, read the trigger warnings.

Spoiler alert: Be prepared for a lot of pining and I think we can all agree Ian is a douchebag who deserves to be pooped on by a bird every time he leaves the house.

I got this book in advance from Netgalley, and this is not a sponsored post. However, many thanks to Netgalley, and my inner spidey senses for choosing a wonderful book based of off the cover. Happy Reading :)

cute romcom with older MCs (30s). a unique premise. started a bit slow, but picked up the pace pretty quickly. a fun read. CW for infertility/miscarriage

Laugh out loud funny, in all the right places. Heart-breaking and tender, right where you need it. And sweetly romantic throughout the whole darn thing.

Sarah Ready's Josh and Gemma Make a Baby blew me away with just how perfect it is. Gemma is real and quirky, and easy to identify with. And Josh is just about the sweetest thing ever.

It’s a super adorable, sorta second chance, romance, and 100% beautiful. This is a couple you really want to cheer for!

The audio version is flawlessly performed by Erin Mallon. She gets Gemma just right, and infuses so much humor into this supporting cast! Absolutely wonderful.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for sending me an advanced readers digital copy and audiobook in exchange of a honest review.

This book should be read by every romcom fan (specially by Christina Lauren fans), it's amazing and it's a story that I haven't seen (or read) before.

In this story we follow Gemma, a 32 year-old woman that is divorced and has been diagnosed with infertility, but she knows she wants to be a mother, she doesn't want another husband or a boyfriend, she wants a child, so she decides going on IVF.

This is where Josh appears at scene, he's her brother's best friend, has always been there and Gemma knows he's a pretty decent guy, perfect to have a child with.

To her surprise Josh accepts and they start to go to IVF, they're not in love, not a couple, not nothing. It's a business thing. He gives her sperm, they have a child and Josh can decide if he's going to be a parent or not.

But having a baby is not a business, is forming a family, so Gemma gets backfired with her plan when she can no longer ignore her feelings for Josh, what is she going to do?

Starting here there are going to be some spoilers:

First of all, I absolutely loved Josh, and let me tell you, if the guy you like doesn't show his love for you by writing a webcomic that is basically he screaming everyone how much he loves you, he ain't worth it.

Josh was my favorite character, definitely, and even though we don't have Josh's point of view we can still get to know him at the same time Gemma gets to know him.

The character I disliked the most was without a doubt, Ian, Gemma's boss, also I didn't quite like Gemma's mother, but I usually don't like anyone's mother at most of romcoms so it's more of a me problem.

It's fast-paced, it's funny, we have great character development and this has officially become one of my favorite books of the year.

NetGalley provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Josh and Gemma make a baby - audiobook

I have to tell you I recently found a passion for audiobooks, and I grab every opportunity for a free one (judge me, but I'm a student and can't afford it right now). So when I saw one in NetGalley, and romance one, what did I do? I grabbed it. And I listened to it for two days.

This book is amazing - so heartwarming, and funny, and lovely, and cute! I loved all of it. I genuinely laughed out loud with Gemma's friends and felt the love of Josh. They were just such a cute couple.

But let's give you a short synopsis.

Gemma is a 32-year-old single woman, whose dream is to have a baby. One sweet, little girl. The problem is that she doesn't have a boyfriend and doesn't want a random man to inseminate her, so when on 1st January she asks her brother's best friend Josh about it, and he declines, she feels desperate.

Luckily, or not so much for Josh, his dad is sick and he decides he wants to make a baby, so he can leave something after.

And there starts the IVF procedure and here starts their connection.

Gemma - yes, she was selfish and blind for the people around her, but she was not mean (except once) and was really enjoyable to read about her. Her adventures as a single woman who likes her career, but wants a child felt cute and lovely, and when I put my headphones in, I couldn't stop listening.

Josh was the best - kind, and funny, but also thoughtful and caring, and his smile was just brightening the world. He felt human, and I loved that he wasn't envious (of certain things). He just wanted to make the earth a better place.

There wasn't much spice or steaminess, but the whole book felt so wonderful and complete, I didn't need it. The characters were realistic and definitely rippled a few laughs from me.

The writing was amazing, and the story was excellent. So if you are looking for a sweet, heartwarming, and funny romance, this book is perfect for you.

Erin Mallon also did a fantastic job putting voices behind the characters, and her impressions in the book were genuinely terrific! I would listen more of her if I could.

So in the end I do recommend this book and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

CINEMATIC, FEEL-GOOD, HILARIOUS, HEART-WARMINGLY CUTE!

Trigger warnings: In vitro fertilization, miscarriages, pregnancy
Tropes: Brother’s best friend, Pregnancy

I absolutely loved loved loved it!! This book was a feel-good journey. It’s a cute light rom-com that is not for those who are looking for high-level spicy or smut (since the title might give you the impression that it revolves around sex or love-making). The story was hilariously and interestingly executed. What I loved about it is that I cared for the characters. It felt necessary that everyone was put in place to shape to describe the environment, the situation, the ambiance, everything. The story build-up, its flow, up to the ending were also well-done.

I adored how there were cute quotes and doodles in the book! I felt like Gemma was a quirky, go-getter, straightforward, and hilarious person. Although she had character development, I’m slightly not fond of her due to her needs/demands in life. On the other hand, Josh was unpredictable, adventurous, and likable. The chemistry was sweet to the point that they both made me laugh and tear up simultaneously!

However, I feel like there were parts (like extra small talks) that weren’t necessary? I felt like the scenes would still be understandable without them and some scenes could have been shorter. In addition to this, there were also parts that bothered me, parts that tackled demeaning, stigmas with divorcees, stereotypic descriptions of how people dress, and belittling jobs. What I am meaning to say is if I were reading this book and I have a similar job or I am in the same situation as the character/s, I would feel upset because I was described ‘that’ way or in a way that I wouldn’t want to be described.

Anyway, this would have been 3.5 stars because of the reasons mentioned above but since I ENJOYED the story THAT much and I think that it was well-written and told, I would give it a solid 4 stars. Definitely recommended!

I read the e-book while being accompanied by the audiobook most of the time which was narrated by the lovely Erin Mallon (@mallonerin) who did a GREAT job doing the audiobook. Listening to it made it feel like I was watching a movie in my head!

Thank you so much to Swift & Lewis Publishing, LLC, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles/Audiobooks, and to @NetGalley for the advance reader's copy!

I listened to the audio. Erin Mallon narrated, as Gemma's POV.
Gemma reminds me a little of an American Bridget Jones. This story reminds me of Pride and Prejudice & also to Bridget Jones' Diary. I really enjoyed comparing & the parallel events.
The supporting characters are fun. I love Gemma's friends in her support group. Gemma's mom is...
well she does remind me of Bridget/Lizzie's mom... but not too OTT like them.
Josh is great, he's a Beta Hero in my opinion. Gemma is sweet but she has a lot of energy & Josh's character is at her mercy quite a lot.
I had a lot of sympathy for Gemma. She's career driven, but doesn't want to miss out on being a mom.
I really enjoyed Gemma's journey and her realization about what is most important.
I felt bad that Josh's thoughts and feelings were left out. Plus, I wish that Josh's dad would have had a little follow through.
I love the sweet ending! and Sarah, we'll get Josh's POV ??? right

Love really is the best gift in the whole wide world.

WOW I really didn't expect to love this book as much as I did. I thought it was going to be cheesy, ridiculous, and just good for a lighthearted read. And while it certainly is all that it's also so much more. Josh and Gemma's relationship, despite the hilarious circumstances in which it begins, is also full of heart and so grounded in something honest and real. I found myself falling in love with Josh right alongside Gemma and also rooting for Gemma to find the love she was looking for. It's a romcom that had me laughing as much as I was crying. Sarah Ready will certainly be on my radar now!

First things first, this was my first time listening to an audiobook and it was so good I can believe it. The narrator makes the characters feel so real and emphasizes every emotion I really loved it.

The books presents the story of a 32 year old woman who after a failed marriage decides to take her life in her own hands. One of the first decisions that she makes is having a baby on her own for this, she asks her brother's bestfriend, who will be the second most important character in the book, together they will go through a lot of really funny momnets, like the hole fight in the fertility clinic, and through a lot of other moments that will allow them to grow as persons but also as a couple?

The end is kind of predictable but not less entertaining.

Cute story, quick listen via audiobook. At times a little silly/random details that didn’t fit but wrapped up in the end.