Promise Me Sunshine

*Libro.FM ALC Review *

A Heartfelt Story of Love, Loss, and Healing, Lenny has been coasting through life ever since losing her best friend—her soulmate in many ways—to cancer a year ago. She avoids anything that reminds her of her loss, including committing to a full-time job, instead taking on temporary nanny gigs to get by.

Miles comes across as gruff and standoffish, but beneath the surface, he’s just trying to find his place. He was raised by his mother, who died in a car accident along with his only other family he knew, his younger cousin. Miles reconnected with his father just before he passes away, and now he’s trying to build a relationship with his sister and young niece.

When Lenny takes a two-day nanny job for Miles’s niece, he immediately judges her without knowing her story. But when their paths cross again, he asks for her help in getting closer to his sister and niece. In return, Miles offers to help Lenny confront her grief. She agrees, and soon, she’s back in his life—this time for more than just a quick gig.

As they spend more time together, their connection deepens. Lenny helps Miles bond with his family, while he gently pushes her to start facing the pain she’s been running from. Her best friend left her a list of things to do to “start living again,” and Miles makes sure she follows through. Along the way, they open up to each other in ways they never have with anyone else.

The relationship between Lenny and Miles grows slowly and organically. When they finally get together? It’s absolutely worth the wait. Their first kiss is pure magic, both for them and for us as readers.

Lenny and Miles are just so sweet together—top-tier romance material. Their journey through grief, healing, and love is both heartbreaking and heartwarming, making Promise Me Sunshine a deeply touching and beautifully written story.

Major themes: Grief, healing, love after loss.

TW: Death of a parent, death of a close friend, cancer.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice Level: 🌶️

Blurb:

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. 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 perfect: 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.