The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory

The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory
Release Date - October 30, 2018
Publisher Website - Penguin Random House Canada

Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages -  327 pages
My Rating - 4/5
**received from the publisher for an honest review**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

The 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...

Whenever I turn to a romance novel it is usually because I am looking for something fun to read. I want something that is going to have a guaranteed happy ending and, hopefully, make me laugh. The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory was a delight to read from start to finish in a way that really good romance novels are, and had the added bonus of offering up some amazing characters as well.

It starts with an embarrassing proposal. The kind of proposal that would instantly become a viral sensation on the internet. This sets the tone for the entire book. It's a book with a lot of humour, a lot of awkwardness that the characters have to work through, but also a lot of heart.

Those who have read The Wedding Date will be happy to see Carlos, best friend of Drew, return. He was a stand out in that novel and, happily, only gets better the more we get to know him. Men in romance novels can sometimes aggravate me if they are too 'protective' of the women in their life. They can be suffocating and act like a woman cannot have her own agency. This is why I am not a huge fan of the alpha male character type. Carlos is the right balance between being caring and supportive. He's one of the sweetest love interests I've encountered in romance novels, and I love that his kindness extends to all those he cares about.

Nikole is a fun, confident character that leaves you a little in awe of her. She is allowed to have moments of vulnerability but the reader never doubts how capable she is. She has a wonderful group of friends that are such a vital part of the story. Her bonds with these women show you the type of character she is and I love that attention was paid to her friendships. Nikole values her independence and I see a lot of women relating to her in a lot of ways.

The romance in this is one of my favourites. It has been a long time since I have seen a romance in a novel develop the way this one did. It starts out from a place of mutual admirable that morphs into friendship. That friendship only grows as they both come to respect one another. Those feelings slowly change into love. It's a subtle shift that feels so natural. The reader gets to experience the easy way they fall in love. It is a shining example of relationships not always having to be hard. The previous relationships showcase the difference between a wrong relationship and one that is right (even when things hit a rough patch).Carlos and Nikole also balance each other. They bring out the best in each other which I think the author took great care to show rather than tell the reader. You can see the good they do for each other.

Those looking for a smart, sexy, enjoyable read would be encouraged to pick this one up (along with The Wedding Date). Jasmine Guillory's books will leave you a little bit happier than when you started reading it, and make you eagerly anticipate whatever she writes next.