Ready or Not follows Eve after an unexpected one-night stand leaves her pregnant, forcing her to navigate motherhood, friendships, family, and love in ways she never imagined.
I’m usually not the biggest fan of pregnancy tropes—especially when the heroine gets pregnant by one person but falls in love with someone else—but Cara Bastone completely won me over. This was my first book by her, and I thought she handled the trope with so much care, emotion, and realism.
Eve was such a wonderful main character. I loved watching her experience all the highs and lows of an unexpected pregnancy. She wasn’t perfect, but she was self-aware, owned her mistakes, and continued to grow throughout the story.
One of my favorite parts of the book was Eve’s friendship with Willa. My heart absolutely broke for Willa as she struggled with infertility while trying to be genuinely happy for her best friend. I appreciated how the author showed both sides of those complicated emotions without making either woman the villain. Their friendship felt honest, supportive, and incredibly real.
And then there’s Shep. He is the definition of a golden retriever hero. The way he loves Eve, supports her without expecting anything in return, and somehow always knows exactly what she needs completely stole my heart. Even the way he handled Ethan—the baby’s father—showed just how kind and mature he is.
I also appreciated Ethan’s storyline. While it took him time to process everything, I loved that he embraced becoming a father and wanted to be involved in his child’s life. The way Eve, Shep, and Ethan learned to navigate such a complicated situation felt refreshing and mature.
Eve’s siblings were another highlight. No matter how overwhelmed she felt, they showed up for her when she needed them most, reminding her that she wasn’t facing everything alone.
As someone who’s a nurse, I also have to give a little shoutout to the nurse in this book! I loved the scene where Shep knew Eve needed her and immediately called for help. It was such a small moment, but it perfectly captured how attentive and caring he was.
One thing I especially loved? No third-act breakup! I absolutely hate unnecessary third-act breakups, so I was thrilled that this book let the relationship develop without adding that predictable conflict.
From beginning to end, the story always had something happening. It never felt slow, the characters were never frustratingly immature, and every relationship—whether romantic, familial, or platonic—continued to grow throughout the novel.
My only complaint is that I desperately wanted an epilogue. I would have loved a glimpse into Eve and Shep’s life a year later with the baby. That’s probably just me being greedy because I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to these characters.
If you’ve been hesitant to pick up a pregnancy romance—especially one where the heroine gets pregnant by someone else but falls in love with a different man—I genuinely recommend giving this one a chance. Cara Bastone made the trope feel heartfelt, realistic, and incredibly emotional.
And honestly… Shep alone makes this book worth reading.