Published by Penguin on December 31, 2019
Genres: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Multicultural & Interracial
Pages: 352
Format: eBook
Source: Library
Goodreads
THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A Reese Witherspoon x Hello Sunshine Book Club Pick
"There is so much to relate to and throughout the novel, there is a sharp feminist edge. Loved this one, and you will too."--New York Times bestselling author Roxane GayThe New York Times bestselling author of The Wedding Date serves up a novel about what happens when a public proposal doesn't turn into a happy ending, thanks to a woman who knows exactly how to make one on her own...
When someone asks you to spend your life with him, it shouldn't come as a surprise--or happen in front of 45,000 people.
When freelance writer Nikole Paterson goes to a Dodgers game with her actor boyfriend, his man bun, and his bros, the last thing she expects is a scoreboard proposal. Saying no isn't the hard part--they've only been dating for five months, and he can't even spell her name correctly. The hard part is having to face a stadium full of disappointed fans...At the game with his sister, Carlos Ibarra comes to Nik's rescue and rushes her away from a camera crew. He's even there for her when the video goes viral and Nik's social media blows up--in a bad way. Nik knows that in the wilds of LA, a handsome doctor like Carlos can't be looking for anything serious, so she embarks on an epic rebound with him, filled with food, fun, and fantastic sex. But when their glorified hookups start breaking the rules, one of them has to be smart enough to put on the brakes...
I read Guillory’s debut The Wedding Date a couple months ago and enjoyed it enough that I put her newer book on my library hold list. The Proposal was an adorable, fluffy story that was akin to drinking a hot chocolate in front of a roaring fireplace in winter. Nikole has just ended her relationship with a real class act, saved by Carlos and his sister Angela. Nikole has no intention of dating anytime soon. Carlos, whom we met in The Wedding Date as Drew’s bestie, is a strong male lead with a healthy respect and love for the women around him. After his father passed away, Carlos took it upon himself to take up that patriarch mantel and always puts family first. He has convinced himself he doesn’t have time to date seriously because he needs to be able to be there for his family and a moment’s notice. This book moves along at a very quick pace and is very easy to binge read.
I think what I enjoy most about Jasmine Guillory’s work was highlighted best in The Proposal. She deftly writes diverse characters without resorting to stereotypical traits that are off-putting. Rather than having Carlos act like an overbearing alpha male, he is an observant, funny, and caring man with a career in medicine. I would say pediatrician but I’m not sure that label is accurate anymore now that he works at a clinic that primarily serves teens. Nikole always says what she means and prides herself on being a strong, independent woman.
I know her next book will take us back to Alexa’s friends and their weird vibe but I am hoping that Courtney gets her own happily ever after. I need her fabulous print dresses, cupcake stores, and love of all things that glitter in my life.
This is one of those sweet, feel-good books you should read for a pick-me-up when life and/or your reading is getting a little too heavy. Thinking about it, The Proposal has a similar vibe to Christina Lauren’s Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating. If you enjoyed that book like I did, I think you will enjoy this story as well.
About Jasmine Guillory
Jasmine Guillory is the New York Times bestselling author of six romance novels, including The Wedding Date, The Proposal, and the upcoming While We Were Dating. Her work has appeared in O, The Oprah Magazine, Cosmopolitan, Bon Appetit, and Time. She lives in Oakland, California.
[…] The Proposal – Jasmine […]