My Rate: 5/5

I have to say, this was my first book by Sarah Ready and Oh my God, I think I found a new favorite author. This book was AMAZING. It made me laugh, made me cry, made me swoon and be mad, I had all the feelings! But in an extraordinary way. Some books make you cry and leave you in a fetal position on the floor, but this book is not like that, it shows you the hard realities of life, but it builds you up again, it gives you hope again, and when you finish it, there are only good feelings.

One thing I did miss was Josh’s POV, I would love to have his POV, but I also understand the author’s choice, and it worked really well. Being in Gemma’s read was incredibly interesting, and it was so real, she had a complex mind, and I believe many people, myself included, might have related to her a lot. This book was deep but soooo sweet, it handled heavy topics, but in a funny and light way, and I honestly think this would give an amazing movie, I kept thinking about this during the book.

Feminist rate: 5/5

This book deserves 11 stars! This is the kind of book I’ve been saying is necessary. This is a prime example of one of the jobs of the romance genre, sharing, in deep, heartbreaking detail, a struggle so many women go through, but nobody talks about it. It shows us all the parts, the good and happy parts, the funny parts, the uncomfortable parts, the bad and sad parts. This is a book that teaches us so much, empathy, respect, friendship, and especially love, not only romantic love, all kinds of love. Infertility is an experience I hope to never have, however after reading this book I believe I understand at least 1% better what these women go through, I believe I felt 0,0000001% of the pain they do and experience some of the happiness by the end too.

And I loved that I was not only about infertility, Gemma and Josh are complex characters, with many issues to work through like self-acceptance, body shaming, past traumas, grief, prejudice, toxic positivity, feminism, and the “role” of the “modern woman” in society, what a normal family is, so many important subjects are handled here, with so much care, it’s incredible (and just a small note, this book unleashed a huge argument in my house about traditional families, religion and God’s wishes, which was, to me, a great reaffirming opportunity)

To me, this is the greatest thing about romance, we get to feel pain, fear, and loss, but there is the promise of a happy ending. This is a safe space to feel all these emotions, and at the end of this book, I only felt happy and refreshed. I think I’m rambling too much, but this is also something this book does to you, makes you think about life.

Anyway, loved it, it is one of the best books I’ve ever read, will forever have a special place in my heart and my recommendations and I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.

Recommend this to Anyone who is not afraid to cry, laugh, and swoon all at the same time, who is willing to learn and reflect on life. Also, anyone who loved All Your Perfects by Colleen Hoover, the themes are similar, but the books are different in their writing, their mood, but not the lessons they teach, but you won’t be destroyed at the end of this book as it happens to me at the end of every Colleen Hoover book.

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

Gemma wants a baby but due to her endometriosis, she is unable too. However, with the help of IVF, she’s determined to do it. And not with just anyone random but with her brother’s best friend, Josh.

I adore this book. I don’t normally read romance novels but I’m glad I took the chance too. It was funny, witty, heartwarming, and emotional. An easy read that I finished in a day. Sarah created a beautiful story that brings awareness to infertility and it’s an eye opener. To be able to see through someone’s eyes and what they have to deal with in the workplace and around family members.

I’m so glad I picked up this arc and finished it. If you love a good romance, I’d definitely recommend this one!

As someone who is going through my own infertility setbacks, I found it comforting to read a story about another woman’s journey to grow her family. I like the fact that this book normalises infertility by bringing this into a rom-com and I was even encouraged after reading it to reach out to some friends to talk about my own issues.

The romance was cute and predicatable and there were some funny moments and one liners throughout the book. Josh is very likeable and I was rooting for him whilst impatiently waiting for Gemma to realise what she had right in front of her.

What didn’t work for me in this book was that I found some parts of the plot too far fetched. For example, Josh has been in Gemma’s life for 25 years yet she seems to be one of the last people in New York to notice that he’s a famous comic writer. Nobody can be that self-conceited? Without giving the whole plot away, there were a few things like this in the story that didn’t sit right with me.

Overall, this was an easy, cheesey read that I flew through in 2 sittings and it provided some lightness to an otherwise heavy and emotional topic.

The title didn't capture my attention but another review did and I am glad I picked it up! I adored this emotional, sweet and hopeful story. It was filled with the realities of IVF and I really enjoyed hearing each woman's story through Gemma's IVF support group. The reality is so many go through this and I appreciated hearing the stories of other women through this fictional story. The other part of this is an adorable, swoony love story with a brother's best friend trope. Josh is sweet supportive and thoughtful. They had a great friendship and a natural chemistry and I was dying for that first kiss. There are a few great laugh out loud scenes between the two and I couldn't wait to see where the book took them. The over the top, rom com grand gesture ending worked in this one. I loved it and I look forward to reading more from this author.

I loved This book, It was so cute and funny in my opinion. it kinda gave me jane the virgin vibes. i dont know why it just did lol

I enjoyed the book, although I do think it could have used more romance if that makes sense. I feel like we didn't get enough of Josh, that being said, I liked their banter and dialogue. Also loved her friends and their dynamic and support of each other. Overall, I give the book 4 stars.

This book was funny, witty, and clever. I feel in love with it’s main character, Gemma, who is a goofy, hopeless romantic character who also doesn’t need a man. It was a cute love story between two friends, however in my opinion was predictable. Despite that, it was an easy read, let my mind wonder into the world of romance and distract from real life, and that’s exactly what a book should do!

Let me just start by saying, this is a must read for 2022 in my opinion!

The author of this book managed to bring awareness to the struggles surrounding infertility in such a beautiful way!
The book follows the life of Gemma, a single career girl who is desperate to start a family despite the fact she is infertile, and Josh, her best friends brother, who is laid back and doesn’t take life to seriously. The complete opposite of Gemma.

This book had me feeling ALL the emotions. I laughed, I cried, I basically went on the emotional journey with them!
Josh and Gemma’s relationship was just perfect! The banter, the funny moments they shared together, the emotion they felt, it was just written to perfection! The ‘will they, won’t they’ eliminate was also done so well! It had me shouting ‘JUST TELL HIM’ more than once, and I one point I was actually in TEARS!

One thing I will say is to check the trigger warnings before reading it. Maybe it was naive of me to not think that a book about infertility would contain other pregnancy problems, but one part left me really sad. Again, it was perfectly written and portrayed very well, but just be aware.


All in all, you NEED TO READ THIS BOOK, LIKE RIGHT NOW!

rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
genre: romance
spice: 🌶🌶🌶/5

Trigger warnings: infertility, IVF, endometriosis, fat shaming, infertility shaming, death

This is officially my FAVORITE romance book.


My thoughts :
Wow. I started this book not thinking much of it, thought it would be a regular feel-good rom-com and I am so GLAD I was wrong.
My emotions were all over the place while reading this book. I finished it at 2 am last night.
I don't remember laughing this much while reading a romcom or crying even !

I don't know anyone in my entourage who struggles with infertility and this book was a real eye-opener. There is so much attention to detail and I lived through Gemma while she was trying to have her baby via IVF, The writing is THAT GOOD.
I guarantee you are going to laugh so much if you read this book. Josh and Gemma are both so lovable and relatable. Especially Gemma ! She felt so real, so not perfect and you can see the growth of her character by the end of the story.

I fell in love with the side characters too, especially the girls from Gemma's infertility support group and Gemma's family, even though they were a little overbearing and judgemental like evry family out there, you could feel the love these people had for each other.

This book was amazing. It had just the right amount of everything!!! Josh and Gemma made me fall in love right away. I laughed and cringed right along with them. The fertility group gang was awesome.
It has a perfect balance of emotional and light hearted and easy read.

4 / 5 So many parts of this book were so clever (the unique plot line, the cartoons and quotes) which carried this book - but it didn’t come together in a way that built intrigue or was fully believable.

My Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐⭐/ 5 stars

Gemma Jacobs is a 30-something divorcee in New York City and her whole adult life, she thought she was unable to have children due to her endometriosis. However with the help of IVF, she wants to do this on her own, and she doesn’t need anyone to do it with her. This is HER choice. However, she needs a sperm donor. Enter Josh - her brother’s best friend who she grew up with and was always just there in the periphery of her life. After some convincing, he agrees.

I admit I am a bit of a tough critic when it comes to contemporary romantic fiction, but I thoroughly enjoyed this one. The struggles Gemma and Josh go through with infertility and societal expectations to be skinnier, have a husband/bf/partner to have a baby, and even self awareness of being judgmental towards others resonated so much with as a reader in her 30’s herself living in NY. Gemma and Josh do not have the most obvious chemistry, but their relationship grows on you.

Thank you to Swift and Lewis and for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

I can't stop thinking about this book. I went in expecting nothing and came out completely bedazzled.

Gemma wants a baby but not with a Mr. Right, she wants a baby through IVF. To avoid getting a random stranger's child, she decides that she wants Josh's (her brother's best friend) baby. Yes, this book is as chaotic as the description. The experience was equally hilarious and adorable. A perfect formular for a rom-com book.

Gemma was portrayed as a strong-willed woman, who did not let negative comments of her body and infertility stand in the way of her goal. The book started with her wanting a baby, and she continuously proves it through her actions. Also, her inner monologue was hilarious and so was her tendency to land in an unfortunate situation. Josh was the man right out a woman-written rom com. Initially introduced as "the kind of boy good girls stay away from", Josh turns out to a gentle soul. Even with his shameless flirting, he managed to be the greatest gentleman and make me swoon.

Overall, this book was wonderful. 10/10 would recommend to anyone and everyone. Please check all Trigger Warnings before reading though.

I thought it was really cute. Fertility issues are so common it was nice that it was touched on. I hated Ian with a passion. Over all cute read

Gemma has made a new year's resolution - to have a baby! And she has decided that her brother's best friend is the perfect person to be her no strings attached sperm donor.

I really enjoyed this book! I loved Gemma as a main character and Josh was so swoon worthy. I loved their relationship and Gemma's memories of how their dynamic had changed since they were in high school.

I was not crazy about the side plot with Gemma's work and I feel like time spent on that could have been spent further developing Josh and Gemma's relationship but overall this was a very enjoyable rom-com that tackled some important topics.

BOOK REVIEW ‘JOSH AND GEMMA MAKE A BABY’
…
TW: Infertility, IVF, Endometriosis, Miscarriage, Death, Fat Shaming, Infertility Shaming

★★★★★
Thank you to NetGalley for my eARC. Considering such high trigger warnings, most would wonder why I am giving it a 5 star, BUT this is officially my favorite romance of the year.

I thought Sarah created a beautiful story bringing awareness to infertility. Having secondary infertility myself, I saw myself in Gemma’s journey and alongside with her IVF support group. When I first read the premise I instantly prayed it wasn’t a cookie cutter IVF storyline, because lets be honest - contemporary romances often barely touch the surface with infertility (Sarah included IVF lingo, treatment processes, and clinical visits). Happy to report, Gemma’s IVF journey is far from perfect. In fact, there was so much pain and heartache throughout that is was refreshing (I know, I know). Sarah also tackled how women are still expected to be at their best in the workplace and amongst family members while being shamed for their infertility misfortune.

Like I mentioned, it’s still a contemporary romance read so it will have a good blend of happiness. Of course, you will also laugh, smile, and fall in love with main character Josh (totally a new book boyfriend BTW). If you feel as though this wouldn’t trigger, I definitely recommend it!

This book was a lovely and refreshing read. Gemma is 32 and wants a baby but is infertile. I'm normally not a fan of these types of books but this one was refreshing as I felt like it shed light (in a lighthearted way) on infertility and the struggles that Gemma faces. Gemma asks Josh to be the sperm donor and he agrees. I appreciate how real this book keeps it with Gemma being able to reflect a lot. It's definitely a slow burn, which I typically am not a fan of but I enjoyed how the author kept it captivating through the chemistry. I found the writing to be a little much at times but the overall plot was great!

Thank you to the publishers and author for giving me the opportunity to read this book. I literally started it and could not put it down until I was done. This was such a cute and insightful read into the potential experiences of women's infertility. Gemma was very much a relatable character and every moment with Josh had me feeling butterflies. The development of their relationship was realistic and they certainly had me rooting for their happiness. I found myself laughing quite often at Gemma's spontaneity and her bluntness. I do wish that we would have seen more of Gemma and Josh officially together and see their reactions to the child being born at the end because I feel like I didn't get closure on that end. My favorite scene of them was most definitely the confession in London at the Comic Con. It was absolutely adorkable and very fitting of their relationship dynamic. Additionally, the entire sequence of events that took place after Josh's dad's death was so heartbreaking yet beautiful because of how vulnerable they were able to be with each other. I would also just like to say that I ABSOLUTELY loved the support group's meetings and the deeper sisterhood that resulted from it. The characters were all so much fun and I genuinely enjoyed every bit of this book with the exception of any scene that Ian was in. Every time that man opened his mouth or interacted with Gemma, I was straight up rolling my eyes. He raised so many red flags from the minute he was introduced and I just wanted more Josh. In conclusion, this book gave me the necessary fluff that I needed in my life and it certainly made me hopeful for my future love life.

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

"You're the star that guides my heart"

Gemma doesn't want a Mr. Right — she just wants to have a baby. And that was exactly her New Year's Resolution. The major obstacle at hand — she's infertile. No matter — she's decided IVF is the way to go. All she needs? Oh, just Josh Lewenthal's sperm. Meet Josh Lewenthal — laid back, carefree player. Oh by the way he's her brother's best friend.

This book in a nutshell was an extraordinary, hilarious and heartwarming. A beautifully layered read. Throughout the book, we gets to see the joys and heartbreaks of IVF, the heartbreak of constantly trying — hoping the universe grants you your greatest desire. But — will it?

Gemma Jacobs — such a strong, sweet soul. I spent basically every moment reading wishing I could physically reach into the book to comfort & hug Gemma. Despite her unfortunate diagnosis, she's determined to see through the pursuit of having her own baby...with Josh prefebably.

Now where do I even begin with Josh Lewenthal. I would like to stand atop a roof and scream WHERE IS MY JOSH LEWENTHAL?? Josh was such an amazing character. He had his own issues to deal with but he was genuinely the most unselfish, caring, loving cinammon roll hero. Oh did I mention — he's funny and hot? That alongside the fact that we readers can see from the get-go how Gemma was it for him from that one very special moment and how involved he wants to be in this baby's life — it just makes you fall in love with Josh.

Josh & Gemma's dynamics just felt so right. I found myself staying up hoping to see them interact with every flip of the page. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Gemma navigate through her IVF journey and the way Josh fit into her life, like a missing puzzle.

This book had an underlying second chance romance, friends to lovers vibe. Determined, relatable heroine & charming loveable hero, unique friendships through the woes of infertility and finally a sweet and satisfying HEA. What's there not to love about this book? Plus, the moments of lightness and humour just brought so much realness to the book. Thank you Sarah for this beautiful book.

TW: If you are dealing with infertility or miscarriage, this book may be difficult to read.

The title seems so simple it’s almost whimsical, but behind it hides a truly beautiful story.
It seems simple at the beginning: Sarah Ready’s book is about Gemma, who wants a baby and has decided not to wait for the perfect man, or to wait at all. Instead, she’s going to ask her brother’s best friend, who is already basically part of the family, for a little donation.
Seems simple enough. Except Gemma got an infertility diagnosis year back and Josh isn’t too keen on the idea – in fact he is hurt to be used that at first he declines.
When they do agree to give it a try, it is a business arrangement, but it’s hard to keep feelings out of something so personal. Between the uncomfortable doctors’ appointments and the hormone treatments they get themselves into some awkward situations which will make you – as a reader – laugh (and be glad not to be in that situation).
And it turns out Josh is a really good guy, and a good sport for sitting through it all. The guy who she only really knew as her brother’s friend, who lives in his dad’s basement and draws seems to earn a living with a comic Gemma’s never read becomes her closest friend (along with the crazy ladies in her infertility group of course) and the only person who knows what she is up to.
Josh is the true gem of this story and takes it from a funny, entertaining read to a truly sweet rom-com and one of the best romantic stories I have read – with a twist when I really didn’t expect it.