It was ok, I don't really like the author's writing style. I also felt that the characters were written immaturely. I usually like the brother's best friend troupe but this book wasn't for me.

This book felt like a total rip off of Bridget Jones' Diary. I couldn't finish it, which is something I rarely do.

This was my first from Sarah Ready but absolutely will not be my last. She has such a knack for creating a realistic relationship out of a unrealistic situation. I just fell in love with the main characters, Josh and Gemma. They were so sweet and naïve and watching their relationship progress really just warmed my heart in a way I didn't expect. Josh is the ultimate boy next door and his character is exactly what women should be looking for in a partner. Not only was this beautifully written, but it was absolutely hilarious. I found myself laughing out loud and giggling throughout the book. Gemma really gets herself in some awkward situations and watching her claw her way out of them was so amusing. The ending was so sweet and the perfect ending to this cute tale. I was left satisfied and my heart was full. I hope that Sarah Ready revisits these characters in another book because I'm just not ready to let them go. I couldn't recommend this book more. Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a huge surprise for me! Based on the cover and title I was unsure if this would be something I’d enjoy, but I was so wrong!

This book combined great romance with truly funny comedy! I found myself laughing aloud while reading which is definitely rare.

I loved all that Gemma represents and the discussion about endometriosis and infertility. It raises really important questions and is excellent visibility. Similarly, I loved the character of Josh and how he and Gemma interact. They have a genuine chemistry and I really found myself naturally rooting for them from the start!

Overall a total surprise of a book and one I would absolutely recommend! I can’t wait to check out more from this author!

This was a fun read, with some obvious Bridget Jones influences but enough originality not to seem entirely derivative. There was not so much character development as character revelations, which was perhaps a missed opportunity, but, to the extent that they were fleshed out, the main characters were relatively convincing.

A romance centred around IVF is unusual and refreshing, although as you would probably expect from the title and the genre it all stays firmly in the light-hearted space. The romance was sweet and entertaining.

I loved that it tackled the importance topic and the female friendship. However, it started to feel like I am reading a book about infertility. It really dominate the book. There were no romance till 52% of the book.
The female character is not very likeable and the plot twist was very predictable

"Love is the best gift any of us have to give."

Josh and Gemma Make a Baby was a sweet, funny, and overall heartwarming story! This book had a great combination of swoon-worthy moments and good laughs while tackling a serious topic. Gemma was a likable character-- she was relatable and had her flaws, but showed growth throughout the story. The side characters (family, friends, coworkers, strangers) involved made the story even more memorable with their own scenes that contributed to Josh and Gemma's relationship. Although the twist was predictable, it was still enjoyable to read through until the resolution!

This book is perfect for those who want a nice romcom to fly through this February. Includes: unrequited love, friends to lovers, and slow burn.

I finished the book within two days and I enjoyed spending time reading it. There are moments that you will have a good laugh and you may find yourself cry at some point; this book gave me some emotional ride and I love it for that (the ride was about a family love and an infertility problem). I like the small illustrations in the books. They are so cute and make the story more real (it gives a nod to the main character). You will find the "inspirational quotes" all over the book; I am not really into them but they do fit in the storyline.

When I first requested this on Netgalley, I was literally over the moon. A heroine with infertility issues, IVF, falling for your donor, it just all sounded so unique and completely out of the box, I was HERE for it.

But after struggling through *that*, I swear I’d just dump the book and try to forget it ever existed if I wasn’t obligated to review this for Netgalley.

*sighs deeply*

There was potential.
It was squandered pretty quickly, but it was there.

plot discussion first.

So as mentioned in the premise, our heroine was diagnosed with stage four endometriosis. To put it simply, this disorder means it’s physically impossible for her to have children. As a side note, it’s awesome that the author chose to write a romance with infertility. It’s something many couples have to navigate and work through, and I love seeing that representation in this book 💕. However, with that all being said, the way the author handled infertility and IVF just made it feel weird.
I mean like maybe this is just a me problem, but I really didn’t need that attempt to make the IVF process ✨romantic✨, and I really really didn't need Dr. Ingraham’s scientific explanation of how babies are made.

like I just really didn’t need those mental images in my life tysm

In terms of the characters, everyone felt about as multi-dimensional as the milk carton I threw into the trash this morning. Gemma’s and Josh’s families felt like they existed to make the MCs look good, and then failed miserably at even that. Everyone else was completely forgettable lol

Speaking of our MCs, Josh and Gemma were terrible MCs.
Josh felt like Sir Plot Whiplash. Like right in the beginning of the book they were literally eating ice cream, walking around NYC, talking like regular people, and then Gemma asks him a simple IVF question and BAM the guy is giving her hecking bedroom eyes.

BEDROOM EYES. ON GRIMY NYC STREETS.

i mean sir this is a Wendy’s after all.

Gemma wasn’t much better. The amount of times she was like “hE’s SeXy aND hAWt AnD i wAnT HiM” was just annoying and felt like middle school all over again.

Also, those two had no bloody chemistry. Like it’s never clear why Gemma likes this man. Or why he gives a crap about her. But to be fair, WE ONLY EVER HAVE GEMMA’S POV. SO MAYBE HE’D BE BETTER IF WE ACTUALLY KNEW HIM HM?


no, I’m not salty about it why do you ask *sniffs*

anyways, this just really wasn’t the book for me. too strange and weird and cringe and I mean really I should’ve known all this from looking at the title lol

Two hot messes realize they're in love while trying to get supposedly platonically pregnant. Loveable characters and the only romcom I can think of about the issues and challenges of infertility and IVF.

Such a fabulous story that deals with some very serious and emotional topics surrounding Ivf etc. In saying that it also has some laugh out loud moments that had me thoroughly entertained and I just wanted more!

Highly recommend and can't wait to read more from this author.

Really enjoyed this book! Such a fun read with great character development! Such a fun one and great to grab!

An enjoyable book that deals with some hard topics.

I did feel that some of the infertility and IVF was glossed over a little but overall it was nice to read a book that dealt around a topic I didn't really know much about

a cute read I would recommend

3.5 stars

thanks Netgallery and Swift & Lewis Publishing for this eARC in exchange for an honest review

"Love is the best gift I’ve ever had the privilege to give."

Content Warning: This book includes references to miscarriage

Josh and Gemma make a baby is a must-read sweet romance story! Gemma is thirty old, curvy-bodied, hard-working woman. She made such an impression on me because I rarely read about women that look like me. From the moment I started reading, I couldn't put it down! The author takes you on a journey going through New York's delicious pizza shops. Even, iconic Central Park.

I enjoyed seeing the city through Josh and Gemma's comedic and awkward interactions. This story includes small illustrations that make you smile. Quotes you’ll never forget! During Josh and Gemma's new and exciting adventures; you’ll meet a loving family, crazy friends, and some unexpected enemies. I recommend adding this book to your list year if you're a lover of fast-paced romcoms!

I laughed. I cried. I loved it. Josh is the dreamy nerd we all want. Gemma made me angry a couple of times with her obliviousness, but I still loved her and felt all the feels with her.

I read this whole book in one sitting. Fans of Bridget Jones will love Gemma and her similar personality. I enjoyed that this book was about struggles with infertility and IVF rather than the accidental pregnancy trope. Josh is such a dreamy hero. You can’t help but root for him. I highly recommend reading rather than listening to this book because of the little illustrations “by Josh.”

I received this book compliments of NetGalley and W.W. Crown Books in exchange for my honest review. I was not sure how I felt about this book at first, in the first couple of chapters I was thinking to myself "okay, office romance, enemies turned lovers, he's going to donate" the whole thing. Although this book was predictable at times, it was a very good book. Kind of reminded me a little bit of The Hating Game. This Josh was great too. I am happy about the IVF conversation in this book and the realities of carrying a child. I do not know much about IVF but I did not feel as though the author was trying to dumb anything down through the book. I cried near the end. This was an unexpectedly very good book.

4.5 stars ⭐️.
I finished this book in one day so you can conclude how compelling it was.
Omg this book was everything! It made me pass through a roller coaster of emotions. There is hope, heartbreak, healing, family and most importantly selfless love.
And humour.. dear god the humour! I haven’t laughed this much recently. So much that my 6 year old started to give me the stink eye.

I would say this book is all about the growth of heroine Gemma. She wasn’t perfect infact at one stage in the book I got so mad at her behaviour. But she recognised it and made amends. Just like every one of us.
There were many many well developed secondary characters and snippets of their lives that I enjoyed. This book has it all, Superb writing, enjoyable and compelling plot, great characters, crazy family and friends and HEA.

Kudos to the author for dealing a topic like infertility with sensitivity and maturity.

I would definitely recommend this book to all.

P.s Safety is a little tricky.
(Minor spoiler ahead) I admit i got a little uncomfortable in the middle when heroine started to give OM attention. But thankfully it all resolved fast and the H/h wasn’t dating at the time.

Josh and Gemma Make a Baby was such a delightful surprise of a read! I started the book unsure how to feel but was quickly won over by the characters and story.

Gemma is a thirty-something divorcee who has so much in life: a successful job, a supportive family, and even a blossoming relationship with her influencer boss. There’s just one thing she wants but doesn’t have: a baby. Due to fertility issues, Gemma decides to begin IVF and in a stroke of cosmic genius names her brother’s best friend (and teenaged crush) as her partner. Once she does, Gemma just has to do the impossible: convince Josh to actually donate his sperm.

Over the course of two months, Josh and Gemma undergo an emotional ride that had everybody crying- me included. Sarah Ready’s novel is more than just an unconventional romantic comedy. It tackles issues like infertility and adult female friendships with grace and nuance, capturing small details that make both unique experiences. Yet, it is a true rom-com, as there were moments I could not stop giggling at the characters’ antics.

My critiques of the book were few and the main one has to do with the mysterious beef surround Gemma’s boss and Josh. While the narrative was pushing this tension to be a big deal that Gemma could not understand, I guessed the entire plot line a few sentences after it was introduced. For a book that did so well subverting cliches, it was disheartening to see the ones she did use as expected with less skill.

However, at the end of the day, I loved just about everything about Josh and Gemma Make a Baby. I’ll be buying my own copy to keep after this ARC kept me up all night, eager to read what would happen next.

book was hilarious and heartfelt, i liked and sympathized a lot with gemma and fell in love with josh
it was an easy read and i'm hoping to see more of this author