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Chasing Sunlight
Can childhood friends grow up and become…more?
Brooke Meadows grew up trying to find her place in the world. As the only girl in her cul-de-sac crew of kids, she played tomboy. In college, she joined a sorority and embraced her feminine side. By 23 she’s faced her parents’ divorce and a debilitating chronic illness diagnosis–and she’s still no closer to knowing who she really is.
Cade Adler spent ten years as Brooke’s best friend. Desperate to be out of the friend-zone, he confesses his love for her at their graduation party, but Brooke doesn’t want their relationship to change. Stung by rejection, Cade packs a bag and moves his life from Vermont to southern California, taking up surfing and training as a firefighter.
Five years later, they end up sharing a table at their high school reunion. Cade is feeling confident about his life, but a happy reconnection isn’t meant to be–Brooke has brought her fiance with her to the reunion.
Following a disastrous attempt at reconnection, Cade struggles to convince Brooke to let him reenter her life–as just friends. Secretly, though, he never stops longing for more.
Will Brooke and Cade’s lives, locations, and feelings ever match up, or will unresolved trauma and physical distance keep them from reaching their happily ever after?
Brooke Meadows grew up trying to find her place in the world. As the only girl in her cul-de-sac crew of kids, she played tomboy. In college, she joined a sorority and embraced her feminine side. By 23 she’s faced her parents’ divorce and a debilitating chronic illness diagnosis–and she’s still no closer to knowing who she really is.
Cade Adler spent ten years as Brooke’s best friend. Desperate to be out of the friend-zone, he confesses his love for her at their graduation party, but Brooke doesn’t want their relationship to change. Stung by rejection, Cade packs a bag and moves his life from Vermont to southern California, taking up surfing and training as a firefighter.
Five years later, they end up sharing a table at their high school reunion. Cade is feeling confident about his life, but a happy reconnection isn’t meant to be–Brooke has brought her fiance with her to the reunion.
Following a disastrous attempt at reconnection, Cade struggles to convince Brooke to let him reenter her life–as just friends. Secretly, though, he never stops longing for more.
Will Brooke and Cade’s lives, locations, and feelings ever match up, or will unresolved trauma and physical distance keep them from reaching their happily ever after?
- GenresRomance
320 pages, ebook
Published July 24, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
“I’ve been trying to take care of you since I was seven years old and you scraped up your knees in my driveway. What makes you think I wouldn’t want to take care of your bruised and battered heart?”
on repeat 𝄞 ࿐♬ 𓍢ִ🎧ྀི ᯓ ♪ˎˊ˗
“ɪ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ꜰᴏʀ ʟᴏᴠɪɴɢ ʏᴏᴜ” x ᴛᴏʀɪ ᴋᴇʟʟʏ & ᴇᴅ ꜱʜᴇᴇʀᴀɴ
2:16 ───────♥──── 3:08
This book felt like opening an old photo album and finding pieces of your childhood tucked between the pages. 🥹
From the very beginning, I was hit with a wave of nostalgia. The slip n’ slide, popsicles after spending all day outside with friends, flip phones, landlines, playing HORSE until the streetlights came on… it genuinely reminded me so much of my own childhood. Before I even realized it, I was smiling because it felt like I was revisiting memories I hadn’t thought about in years.
Cade Adler… WOW
Talk about a man who is completely and utterly down bad and devoted 😭😍
What got me wasn’t even the romance at first 😭🤚🏼 it was how attentive he was. Even after five years apart, he still noticed things. He still saw Brooke. He could tell when something was wrong long before anyone else did, and that honestly told me everything I needed to know about how deeply he cared for her. Losing her never made him stop paying attention to her.
The second I realized they were going to start writing letters to each other, I actually squealed. I am such a sucker for anything epistolary. Letters, emails, journal entries, text messages… give me all of it immediately. Every single time it shows up in a book, I become ten times more invested.
And Cade? Absolutely perfect. 🤌🏼🤌🏼
The way he researched rheumatoid arthritis so he could better understand what Brooke was experiencing. The way he looked into anti-inflammatory meals because he wanted to help her feel better. The way taking care of her came so naturally to him. His acts of service had me melting. He never made her feel like a burden. He never treated her struggles like an inconvenience. He simply loved her enough to learn, adapt, and show up.
I also really appreciated the therapy representation throughout this story. I genuinely enjoyed reading Brooke’s conversations with Cheryl. Some of those discussions felt surprisingly eye-opening and gave me a lot to think about even outside the context of the story itself. 😌
This definitely isn’t a light read, though.
There are a lot of heavy topics woven throughout the story, and there were multiple points where my heart hurt for both of them in completely different ways. Brooke frustrated me more than once with her indecisiveness and poor communication, and there were moments where I honestly thought Cade deserved better. But watching Brooke slowly work through her struggles, take back control of her life, and learn healthier ways to navigate everything she was carrying ended up being one of the most rewarding parts of the book. 🙌🏼
Don't get me wrong. I stressed. A LOT. 😭😭
My heart broke for Brooke because of her mental health struggles, her chronic illness, and the weight she constantly carried. But it also broke for Cade because of his unwavering love for someone who repeatedly had the power to hurt him. Watching him continue to choose her over and over again was both beautiful and painful.
This story made me smile, made me ache, made me frustrated, and made me emotional. But most of all, it made me incredibly grateful that these characters eventually found their way to the happiness they both deserved 🥹🥹🫶🏼
favorite quotes ↓
“She had the greatest laugh, and I’d do anything to hear it. I wished I could bottle it and save it and play it over and over. Her laugh was like music to me, an instant source of happiness.”
“You get a paper cut, I’ll grab you a Band-aid. But if you break your arm? I’m taking you to the hospital. To the professionals. The same applies here. I think you need—and deserve—more here. More than I can give you."
(I loved this take on therapy. sometimes there's only so much a friend can help you with)
“You have to accept that you are worth other people’s time. When people want to be there for you, let them.”
“It’s okay to be scared. It’s not okay to let the fear rule your life.”
“Being with you was healing parts of me. But there were some parts I still needed to heal myself.”
“I’ve traveled across the country and back searching for an ounce of what I’ve always felt just sitting next to you.”
things to know about the book ↓
🌻 childhood best friends → lovers
🌻 second chance romance
🌻 nostalgia vibes
🌻 unrequited love
🌻 mailed letters
🌻 chronic illness rep (RA)
🌻 therapy & mental health rep
🌻 pining MMC
🌻 emotional healing
🌻 personal growth
🌻 dual POV
swearing: yes
spice rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
→ chapters: 17, 19, 23, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32
Thank you Joss Thomas for this arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
─────────
・❥・⁀➷ 🌻❤️ 𝕡𝕣𝕖-𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕
i've been patiently waiting to see if I would get this arc and i was SO excited to see it in my inbox 🥹
this cover is absolutely stunning. the cutest ever!!
childhood best friends and pining here i comeeee 🫶🏼
on repeat 𝄞 ࿐♬ 𓍢ִ🎧ྀི ᯓ ♪ˎˊ˗
“ɪ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ꜰᴏʀ ʟᴏᴠɪɴɢ ʏᴏᴜ” x ᴛᴏʀɪ ᴋᴇʟʟʏ & ᴇᴅ ꜱʜᴇᴇʀᴀɴ
2:16 ───────♥──── 3:08
This book felt like opening an old photo album and finding pieces of your childhood tucked between the pages. 🥹
From the very beginning, I was hit with a wave of nostalgia. The slip n’ slide, popsicles after spending all day outside with friends, flip phones, landlines, playing HORSE until the streetlights came on… it genuinely reminded me so much of my own childhood. Before I even realized it, I was smiling because it felt like I was revisiting memories I hadn’t thought about in years.
Cade Adler… WOW
Talk about a man who is completely and utterly down bad and devoted 😭😍
What got me wasn’t even the romance at first 😭🤚🏼 it was how attentive he was. Even after five years apart, he still noticed things. He still saw Brooke. He could tell when something was wrong long before anyone else did, and that honestly told me everything I needed to know about how deeply he cared for her. Losing her never made him stop paying attention to her.
The second I realized they were going to start writing letters to each other, I actually squealed. I am such a sucker for anything epistolary. Letters, emails, journal entries, text messages… give me all of it immediately. Every single time it shows up in a book, I become ten times more invested.
And Cade? Absolutely perfect. 🤌🏼🤌🏼
The way he researched rheumatoid arthritis so he could better understand what Brooke was experiencing. The way he looked into anti-inflammatory meals because he wanted to help her feel better. The way taking care of her came so naturally to him. His acts of service had me melting. He never made her feel like a burden. He never treated her struggles like an inconvenience. He simply loved her enough to learn, adapt, and show up.
I also really appreciated the therapy representation throughout this story. I genuinely enjoyed reading Brooke’s conversations with Cheryl. Some of those discussions felt surprisingly eye-opening and gave me a lot to think about even outside the context of the story itself. 😌
This definitely isn’t a light read, though.
There are a lot of heavy topics woven throughout the story, and there were multiple points where my heart hurt for both of them in completely different ways. Brooke frustrated me more than once with her indecisiveness and poor communication, and there were moments where I honestly thought Cade deserved better. But watching Brooke slowly work through her struggles, take back control of her life, and learn healthier ways to navigate everything she was carrying ended up being one of the most rewarding parts of the book. 🙌🏼
Don't get me wrong. I stressed. A LOT. 😭😭
My heart broke for Brooke because of her mental health struggles, her chronic illness, and the weight she constantly carried. But it also broke for Cade because of his unwavering love for someone who repeatedly had the power to hurt him. Watching him continue to choose her over and over again was both beautiful and painful.
This story made me smile, made me ache, made me frustrated, and made me emotional. But most of all, it made me incredibly grateful that these characters eventually found their way to the happiness they both deserved 🥹🥹🫶🏼
favorite quotes ↓
“She had the greatest laugh, and I’d do anything to hear it. I wished I could bottle it and save it and play it over and over. Her laugh was like music to me, an instant source of happiness.”
“You get a paper cut, I’ll grab you a Band-aid. But if you break your arm? I’m taking you to the hospital. To the professionals. The same applies here. I think you need—and deserve—more here. More than I can give you."
(I loved this take on therapy. sometimes there's only so much a friend can help you with)
“You have to accept that you are worth other people’s time. When people want to be there for you, let them.”
“It’s okay to be scared. It’s not okay to let the fear rule your life.”
“Being with you was healing parts of me. But there were some parts I still needed to heal myself.”
“I’ve traveled across the country and back searching for an ounce of what I’ve always felt just sitting next to you.”
things to know about the book ↓
🌻 childhood best friends → lovers
🌻 second chance romance
🌻 nostalgia vibes
🌻 unrequited love
🌻 mailed letters
🌻 chronic illness rep (RA)
🌻 therapy & mental health rep
🌻 pining MMC
🌻 emotional healing
🌻 personal growth
🌻 dual POV
swearing: yes
spice rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
→ chapters: 17, 19, 23, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32
Thank you Joss Thomas for this arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
─────────
・❥・⁀➷ 🌻❤️ 𝕡𝕣𝕖-𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕
i've been patiently waiting to see if I would get this arc and i was SO excited to see it in my inbox 🥹
this cover is absolutely stunning. the cutest ever!!
childhood best friends and pining here i comeeee 🫶🏼
July 13, 2026
I read Chasing Sunlight by author Joss Thomas.
Inseparable Brooke and Cade are best friends from 8 yrs old through high school in small town Vermont. Cade professes his love for Brooke at her graduation party and leaves for California immediately, with a broken heart, to become a fireman. Brooke works as a nurse in Boston, having received a life changing chronic illness diagnosis at 23. With no contact at all, Cade looks forward to trying to reconnect at their 5 yr HS reunion. The engagement ring Brooke wears is not what he had expected. Nor had he expected to see Brooke acting like someone else. His attempt to reach out afterwards as a friend…is met with a wall.
Can someone really meet their soulmate at age 8? Can someone face their trauma and fears to let love in? Or is the past meant to stay in the past?
When I read the first few pages of this book I thought “oh, this will be a nice pleasant predictable Hallmarkish story.”
But…it’s not. It evolves and blossoms into a tale of navigating complicated feelings, grieving health changes, missed chances, hopes, disappointments, growth, and the need for authenticity and honesty..most importantly…to ourselves.
These characters are so loveable. Minor characters shine. Emotions are palpable. Slow burn yearning radiates from the pages. There is a bit of spice and by the time it’s reveals it’s being rooted for. Don’t get too comfortable though. Chemistry is important, but life is complex.
This is such a good read. I really didn’t know which way it would end up and I loved that. And books that take on true to life topics like chronic illness and mental health realistically and thoughtfully get props from me. Well done.
Definitely recommend.
I received an advanced reader copy from the author. This is my voluntary and honest review.
Inseparable Brooke and Cade are best friends from 8 yrs old through high school in small town Vermont. Cade professes his love for Brooke at her graduation party and leaves for California immediately, with a broken heart, to become a fireman. Brooke works as a nurse in Boston, having received a life changing chronic illness diagnosis at 23. With no contact at all, Cade looks forward to trying to reconnect at their 5 yr HS reunion. The engagement ring Brooke wears is not what he had expected. Nor had he expected to see Brooke acting like someone else. His attempt to reach out afterwards as a friend…is met with a wall.
Can someone really meet their soulmate at age 8? Can someone face their trauma and fears to let love in? Or is the past meant to stay in the past?
When I read the first few pages of this book I thought “oh, this will be a nice pleasant predictable Hallmarkish story.”
But…it’s not. It evolves and blossoms into a tale of navigating complicated feelings, grieving health changes, missed chances, hopes, disappointments, growth, and the need for authenticity and honesty..most importantly…to ourselves.
These characters are so loveable. Minor characters shine. Emotions are palpable. Slow burn yearning radiates from the pages. There is a bit of spice and by the time it’s reveals it’s being rooted for. Don’t get too comfortable though. Chemistry is important, but life is complex.
This is such a good read. I really didn’t know which way it would end up and I loved that. And books that take on true to life topics like chronic illness and mental health realistically and thoughtfully get props from me. Well done.
Definitely recommend.
I received an advanced reader copy from the author. This is my voluntary and honest review.
July 22, 2026
❤️I received an ARC of Chasing Sunlights from the author. This cover just screamed at me that I needed to read it and was so happy to receive the ARC AND my fav trope is Childhood Friends becoming more SO Win Win!
💛 Friends to Lovers
❤️ Second Chance Romance
💛 Nostalgia
❤️Mental Health Rep
💛Chronic Illness Rep
❤️ Love Letter writing 🥲
Firefighter Cade is a cinnamon roll MMC. He surfs, he cares, he takes care of her and her needs.
Brooke is a nurse that deals with a chronic illness, her parents divorce, and trying to find herself. She overthinks everything, she’s engaged and has a 5 year plan!
After high school Cade and Brooke went their separate ways until they meet up again at their 5 year high school reunion. He falls first and falls hard. He takes care or her and shows up in ways she just needs.
❤️I desperately fell in love with these two. Full disclosure, I melt for childhood friends falling in love, but Joss hit it out of the park with this story. The way she wrote Brooke’s illness and all the mental health rep and therapy was top notch. This story was a true to life slow burn romance that I BINGED.
💛As I’ve trickled in the lines above, there are heavy topics throughout the story but Joss gracefully wrote her way through them. This book made me laugh, cry, and I think will be one of my top recommendations in 2026. No Kidding…
❤️Fav Quote: “Being with you was healing parts of me. But there were some parts I still needed to heal myself”
💛 Friends to Lovers
❤️ Second Chance Romance
💛 Nostalgia
❤️Mental Health Rep
💛Chronic Illness Rep
❤️ Love Letter writing 🥲
Firefighter Cade is a cinnamon roll MMC. He surfs, he cares, he takes care of her and her needs.
Brooke is a nurse that deals with a chronic illness, her parents divorce, and trying to find herself. She overthinks everything, she’s engaged and has a 5 year plan!
After high school Cade and Brooke went their separate ways until they meet up again at their 5 year high school reunion. He falls first and falls hard. He takes care or her and shows up in ways she just needs.
❤️I desperately fell in love with these two. Full disclosure, I melt for childhood friends falling in love, but Joss hit it out of the park with this story. The way she wrote Brooke’s illness and all the mental health rep and therapy was top notch. This story was a true to life slow burn romance that I BINGED.
💛As I’ve trickled in the lines above, there are heavy topics throughout the story but Joss gracefully wrote her way through them. This book made me laugh, cry, and I think will be one of my top recommendations in 2026. No Kidding…
❤️Fav Quote: “Being with you was healing parts of me. But there were some parts I still needed to heal myself”
July 25, 2026
A super cute love story (with some spice) that actually explores the difficulty of building relationships around real life issues - depression, body image/self worth issues, chronic illness and even touches on generational norms/expectations and communication styles in a very sensitive and real way.
Glad I found this! Refreshing, emotional and fun.
Glad I found this! Refreshing, emotional and fun.
July 27, 2026
Unfortunately to me the writing just felt juvenile and there was barely any dialogue just long blocks of text which what’s hard to follow and get invested into. And the way their relationship dynamic was off to me he lwk deserved more but it was weird overall
July 9, 2026
Diving into this book felt like hopping into a Time Machine and going back to my childhood. Being a childhood friends to lovers trope…you see snippets of their past as well as them here and now. Those bits of the past felt like they were my past too. The subtle nonchalant mentions of the landline phones and playing outside until the street lights came on were staples back in my day. Then add in the wood paneling and rooster decor in the kitchen and I was in my friend’s house! Bits of history and nostalgia drizzled into the pages. So much fun!!
Then we get to the story…there’s just something about a young boy standing up for a girl when he knows he will get made fun of for it. Hello Cade!! From his first appearance I was hooked. He is the most perfect golden retriever, green light guy that you can imagine. He is kind, caring, attentive. He is all about making sure Brooke is cared for and happy. A guy that doesn’t just accept that you have a condition but goes out and researches it to see what he can do to make life easier for you is a bonus in my book!
While this is a beautiful romance novel, it definitely isn’t just a lightest read. There are some heavy topics. Cue our FMC, Brooke. Poor girl has been through some things and has some demons to battle. Add those on top of her RA diagnoses when she was just a younger college girl and that can be a bit much to handle. I appreciated the way the author brought in and incorporated therapy into the book. I appreciate her showing the hard struggles for what they are. The book has some very deep very hard moments. I think with Cades implied perfect golden retriever personality it can be easy to turn on Brooke a few times. But…in the end I think when she lays all her cards in the table and you see all of the struggles she has been through because of certain life event traumas combined with her own mental health battles and her actual illness battles…my heart just broke even more for her and I felt like after everything she deserved to be happy!
It was a very good book! Id recommend paying attention to trigger warnings just in case.
Thank you to the author for allowing the privilege of being on your ARC team for this book! I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Then we get to the story…there’s just something about a young boy standing up for a girl when he knows he will get made fun of for it. Hello Cade!! From his first appearance I was hooked. He is the most perfect golden retriever, green light guy that you can imagine. He is kind, caring, attentive. He is all about making sure Brooke is cared for and happy. A guy that doesn’t just accept that you have a condition but goes out and researches it to see what he can do to make life easier for you is a bonus in my book!
While this is a beautiful romance novel, it definitely isn’t just a lightest read. There are some heavy topics. Cue our FMC, Brooke. Poor girl has been through some things and has some demons to battle. Add those on top of her RA diagnoses when she was just a younger college girl and that can be a bit much to handle. I appreciated the way the author brought in and incorporated therapy into the book. I appreciate her showing the hard struggles for what they are. The book has some very deep very hard moments. I think with Cades implied perfect golden retriever personality it can be easy to turn on Brooke a few times. But…in the end I think when she lays all her cards in the table and you see all of the struggles she has been through because of certain life event traumas combined with her own mental health battles and her actual illness battles…my heart just broke even more for her and I felt like after everything she deserved to be happy!
It was a very good book! Id recommend paying attention to trigger warnings just in case.
Thank you to the author for allowing the privilege of being on your ARC team for this book! I thoroughly enjoyed it!
July 26, 2026
I adored this book “Chasing Sunlight”! Cade and Brooke’s story was sweet, heart-felt, tough at times, but still everlasting. Cade and Brooke have known each other since they were children, when Brooke scrapped her knee on his driveway. From that very moment, he wanted to take care of her and love and protect her. What started as a sweet friendship among kids, turned into unrequited love as teens. And when an unexpected devotion of love happens on the night of graduation, not only does their relationship crumble, but so does their friendship.
This story is about second chances, finding true love, and realizing it is okay for someone to take care of you and you deserve to be loved and cherished. “Chasing Sunlight” touches on some very tough topics, so if you have triggers you may want to check the content warning before you dive in. But if you are ready for a sweet and spicy love story about two best friends that travel across the country for each other then, you need to add “Chasing Sunlight” to your TBR!
Ps: I really hope Whit gets her own story! ❤️
This story is about second chances, finding true love, and realizing it is okay for someone to take care of you and you deserve to be loved and cherished. “Chasing Sunlight” touches on some very tough topics, so if you have triggers you may want to check the content warning before you dive in. But if you are ready for a sweet and spicy love story about two best friends that travel across the country for each other then, you need to add “Chasing Sunlight” to your TBR!
Ps: I really hope Whit gets her own story! ❤️
Review of advance copy received from Author
There's something special about reading a romance between two people who have known and loved each other in different ways for nearly their entire lives. Chasing Sunlight really encapsulated those feelings of longing, loving, and hoping, so beautifully.
Brooke and Cade’s story is full of history, yearning, missed opportunities, and that kind of connection that never really fades, no matter how much time or distance separates two people. I loved getting glimpses of their childhood friendship, that origin story, alongside their present day relationship. That really added so much depth to their bond and showed the how and why they turned into the people they are.
Cade was everything one could want in a romance hero. The years of pining, the patience, the attentiveness, and the way he continued to truly see Brooke through all her eras was beautiful! His love for her showed through his actions, especially in the effort he made to understand her illness and continued to support her without ever making her feel like a burden.
Brooke’s journey added so much to the story. She is dealing with chronic illness, unresolved trauma, anxiety, and the pressure of trying to figure out who she is and what she actually wants. There were definitely moments when I rolled my eyes, but the choices she made were just so human. Seeing her grow and begin to prioritize herself and actually work through the rough parts of her life made the story that much greater.
I appreciated the thoughtful chronic illness, mental health, and therapy representation. It was never giving "love conquers all", which we see too often. Instead, it showed that someone can love and support you while you still do the difficult work of healing for yourself. And sometimes you have to do that alone before you can come back together.
This was a slow burn well done. The mailed letters, dual POV, childhood memories, second chance elements, and years of unresolved feelings created so much tension. Brooke and Cade made me smile, ache, stress, and root desperately for them to finally find their way back to each other.
Chasing Sunlight is emotional, nostalgic, romantic, and deeply heartfelt. It is not afraid to explore the more complicated sides of love, illness, fear, and personal growth, which made the eventual happiness feel even more meaningful.
Thank you to Joss Thomas for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I'm so excited to see where this author goes!!
Brooke and Cade’s story is full of history, yearning, missed opportunities, and that kind of connection that never really fades, no matter how much time or distance separates two people. I loved getting glimpses of their childhood friendship, that origin story, alongside their present day relationship. That really added so much depth to their bond and showed the how and why they turned into the people they are.
Cade was everything one could want in a romance hero. The years of pining, the patience, the attentiveness, and the way he continued to truly see Brooke through all her eras was beautiful! His love for her showed through his actions, especially in the effort he made to understand her illness and continued to support her without ever making her feel like a burden.
Brooke’s journey added so much to the story. She is dealing with chronic illness, unresolved trauma, anxiety, and the pressure of trying to figure out who she is and what she actually wants. There were definitely moments when I rolled my eyes, but the choices she made were just so human. Seeing her grow and begin to prioritize herself and actually work through the rough parts of her life made the story that much greater.
I appreciated the thoughtful chronic illness, mental health, and therapy representation. It was never giving "love conquers all", which we see too often. Instead, it showed that someone can love and support you while you still do the difficult work of healing for yourself. And sometimes you have to do that alone before you can come back together.
This was a slow burn well done. The mailed letters, dual POV, childhood memories, second chance elements, and years of unresolved feelings created so much tension. Brooke and Cade made me smile, ache, stress, and root desperately for them to finally find their way back to each other.
Chasing Sunlight is emotional, nostalgic, romantic, and deeply heartfelt. It is not afraid to explore the more complicated sides of love, illness, fear, and personal growth, which made the eventual happiness feel even more meaningful.
Thank you to Joss Thomas for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I'm so excited to see where this author goes!!
July 29, 2026
I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book for free, and this is my honest review.
A tender, emotionally layered friends‑to‑lovers romance that explores identity, timing, and the ache of almost‑love.
Joss Thomas delivers a heartfelt story about Brooke Meadows and Cade Adler—two childhood friends whose lives keep drifting out of sync. Brooke’s struggle to understand who she is, shaped by her parents’ divorce and a chronic illness diagnosis, gives the novel real emotional weight. Cade’s decade‑long devotion, his bold confession, and his attempt to rebuild himself in California make him an easy character to root for.
Their reunion five years later is messy, complicated, and painfully human. Brooke’s engagement, Cade’s lingering hope, and the physical distance between their lives create a slow, yearning tension that carries the story. The novel shines most in its exploration of unresolved feelings and the bittersweet reality of loving someone whose life never quite lines up with yours.
A few pacing moments feel stretched, but the emotional payoff—and the deep nostalgia of a childhood bond evolving into something more—makes Chasing Sunlight a satisfying and enjoyable 4‑star read for fans of friends‑to‑lovers and second‑chance romance.
A tender, emotionally layered friends‑to‑lovers romance that explores identity, timing, and the ache of almost‑love.
Joss Thomas delivers a heartfelt story about Brooke Meadows and Cade Adler—two childhood friends whose lives keep drifting out of sync. Brooke’s struggle to understand who she is, shaped by her parents’ divorce and a chronic illness diagnosis, gives the novel real emotional weight. Cade’s decade‑long devotion, his bold confession, and his attempt to rebuild himself in California make him an easy character to root for.
Their reunion five years later is messy, complicated, and painfully human. Brooke’s engagement, Cade’s lingering hope, and the physical distance between their lives create a slow, yearning tension that carries the story. The novel shines most in its exploration of unresolved feelings and the bittersweet reality of loving someone whose life never quite lines up with yours.
A few pacing moments feel stretched, but the emotional payoff—and the deep nostalgia of a childhood bond evolving into something more—makes Chasing Sunlight a satisfying and enjoyable 4‑star read for fans of friends‑to‑lovers and second‑chance romance.
Review of advance copy received from Author
4.5-5 ⭐️
I’ve been looking forward to this book sooo much. Thank you to the author for having me on her arc team for this.
Childhood best friends to lovers is one of my favorite tropes - and Joss did an amazing job with this.
Cade is the ultimate green flag I was highlighting him from the jump. Brooke really put him through it and she was really lucky that he loved her so much. My favorite part were the letters.
With that being said - some readers may give Brooke a tough time. However, Joss did an amazing job protraying mental health paired with having a chronic illness. As much as the third act breakup made Brooke semi-unlikable when you think about it tracked with her personality and the struggles that happened throughout the story. Once you find out why she did what she did it tracked. I hope people are open minded and remember that mental health struggles and trauma impact all aspects of life.
I actually really did appreciate that Cade wasn’t written to just pine after her / he tried to move on with other people.
This was a true romance book that dives into realistic topics and it’s done so well.
I’ve been looking forward to this book sooo much. Thank you to the author for having me on her arc team for this.
Childhood best friends to lovers is one of my favorite tropes - and Joss did an amazing job with this.
Cade is the ultimate green flag I was highlighting him from the jump. Brooke really put him through it and she was really lucky that he loved her so much. My favorite part were the letters.
With that being said - some readers may give Brooke a tough time. However, Joss did an amazing job protraying mental health paired with having a chronic illness. As much as the third act breakup made Brooke semi-unlikable when you think about it tracked with her personality and the struggles that happened throughout the story. Once you find out why she did what she did it tracked. I hope people are open minded and remember that mental health struggles and trauma impact all aspects of life.
I actually really did appreciate that Cade wasn’t written to just pine after her / he tried to move on with other people.
This was a true romance book that dives into realistic topics and it’s done so well.
July 13, 2026
🌻ARC REVIEW 🌻
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I couldn’t put this one down! From the very first chapter, Chasing Sunlight had me completely hooked. The story moves at the perfect pace, making it impossible to stop reading “just one more chapter.”
🌻 What you’ll find:
🤍 Childhood friends to more
🌻 Second chance romance
🤍 Small-town charm
🌻 Book boyfriend material
🤍 Emotional moments
🌻 Fast-paced and addictive
The chemistry between the characters felt so natural, and watching them find their way back to each other had me smiling, swooning, and tearing up along the way. If you love heartfelt romances with lovable characters and a hero you’ll instantly fall for, this one deserves a spot on your TBR.
⚠️ Please check the content warnings before reading, as this book contains themes that may be sensitive for some readers.
Thank you to the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. 💛
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I couldn’t put this one down! From the very first chapter, Chasing Sunlight had me completely hooked. The story moves at the perfect pace, making it impossible to stop reading “just one more chapter.”
🌻 What you’ll find:
🤍 Childhood friends to more
🌻 Second chance romance
🤍 Small-town charm
🌻 Book boyfriend material
🤍 Emotional moments
🌻 Fast-paced and addictive
The chemistry between the characters felt so natural, and watching them find their way back to each other had me smiling, swooning, and tearing up along the way. If you love heartfelt romances with lovable characters and a hero you’ll instantly fall for, this one deserves a spot on your TBR.
⚠️ Please check the content warnings before reading, as this book contains themes that may be sensitive for some readers.
Thank you to the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. 💛
Review of advance copy received from Author
oh my goodness - I did NOT expect this book to hit that hard.
This slow burn, friends to lovers romance was absolutely perfect. It is a story of love, loss, & hope. Joss Thomas is a wonderful writer and she really knows how to break your heart (in the best way possible).
I LOVED the FMC, Brooke. She radiates like sunshine even through her pain. her story represents navigating life with chronic illness, healing, and self discovery.
there is no way that you wont fall in love with our MMC Cade. He is kind, selfless, and would literally give you the shirt off his back.
This book left me in awe. I was kicking my feet and then had a few good cries. I loved it, and I look forward to reading more by Joss Thomas in the future.
I highly recommend.
This slow burn, friends to lovers romance was absolutely perfect. It is a story of love, loss, & hope. Joss Thomas is a wonderful writer and she really knows how to break your heart (in the best way possible).
I LOVED the FMC, Brooke. She radiates like sunshine even through her pain. her story represents navigating life with chronic illness, healing, and self discovery.
there is no way that you wont fall in love with our MMC Cade. He is kind, selfless, and would literally give you the shirt off his back.
This book left me in awe. I was kicking my feet and then had a few good cries. I loved it, and I look forward to reading more by Joss Thomas in the future.
I highly recommend.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Friends to lovers is one of my favorite tropes and childhood friends to lovers is an extra special treat, so I jumped at the chance for an ARC of Chasing Sunlight, hoping that I’d be chosen. And I’m so glad that I was! I enjoyed Brooke and Caden’s story and the way they found their way back to each other. I loved their letter writing and the letter at the end legit gave me goosebumps! Caden was so kind, caring, and attentive- the epitome of a golden retriever MMC. The way he researched rheumatoid arthritis after learning about Brooke’s diagnosis and finding anti-inflammatory recipes- my heart! While this is a quick read that definitely had me saying “just one more chapter” often, be sure to check trigger warnings before diving in as some topics touched upon may be sensitive for some.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review. 💞
I absolutely devoured this book. I love everything about it. From someone with chronic pain, I appreciated the author going into detail about the struggles in life. Having a young main character diagnosed with a chronic illness really caught my attention. Cade's attention to detail and the way he takes care of Brooke is top tier. I liked all the rom com mentions and 90s feel the story gave me. This was a beautiful love story that is raw and emotional . I highly recommend it. 🌻💛🌻💛🌻💛🌻💛🌻💛🌻💛🌻💛🌻💛
I absolutely devoured this book. I love everything about it. From someone with chronic pain, I appreciated the author going into detail about the struggles in life. Having a young main character diagnosed with a chronic illness really caught my attention. Cade's attention to detail and the way he takes care of Brooke is top tier. I liked all the rom com mentions and 90s feel the story gave me. This was a beautiful love story that is raw and emotional . I highly recommend it. 🌻💛🌻💛🌻💛🌻💛🌻💛🌻💛🌻💛🌻💛
July 26, 2026
3.5 ⭐
I was annoyed at some parts, but the more I got to know the characters, the more I understood them and actually enjoyed the story. I love a good friends to lovers, especially when they've know each other forever and at the end I really enjoyed the way it was shown how Brooke and Cade found each other again and again.
I was annoyed at some parts, but the more I got to know the characters, the more I understood them and actually enjoyed the story. I love a good friends to lovers, especially when they've know each other forever and at the end I really enjoyed the way it was shown how Brooke and Cade found each other again and again.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Honestly, I gave 4 rate. I love that book. I really do but it seemed like rush some chapters, more actions and more inner thoughts than conversations, but I like it so far. Keep it up.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Review of advance copy received from Author
4.5 ⭐️
I enjoyed the characters and themes of this book! I totally want friends like Whit and Val - they're awesome. I love the childhood friends to lovers trope (and let's be honest, Cade fell first and HARD). I found the way time passed a little confusing sometimes, but appreciate Brooke working on her emotional growth. There are some trigger warnings in the back of the book (which i think is brilliant for people who don't want the spoilers but maintains easy access for people who want to read them)! A few small, but specific things could definitely trigger people, so if that might be you, please check the warnings. In addition to the character growth, there are very heartfelt and powerful messages about living life with chronic illnesses and I really related to Brooke.
4.5 ⭐️
I enjoyed the characters and themes of this book! I totally want friends like Whit and Val - they're awesome. I love the childhood friends to lovers trope (and let's be honest, Cade fell first and HARD). I found the way time passed a little confusing sometimes, but appreciate Brooke working on her emotional growth. There are some trigger warnings in the back of the book (which i think is brilliant for people who don't want the spoilers but maintains easy access for people who want to read them)! A few small, but specific things could definitely trigger people, so if that might be you, please check the warnings. In addition to the character growth, there are very heartfelt and powerful messages about living life with chronic illnesses and I really related to Brooke.
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