I enjoyed this title better than the first in the series, but it still fell a bit flat.

I loved This! This book was actually much better than the first and I simply loved the first book. I felt this book has a more down to earth and relatable hero. He is famous yet he's so adorable in his thoughts and actions. The heroine was simply perfect to me! Such a strong and take no prisoner heroine! I FELL in love with all the supporting characters as well!

Ben was looking for the one thing that would help him endure a wedding weekend with his family. Literally running into Ryan and a case of mistaken identity he made her a proposition. Attend his brother’s wedding. Before the wedding he got to know Ryan and was captivated by her. Her smile, sense of humor and ability survive completed all the missing parts of him. Would he get over that she wasn’t who she seemed to be? Great continuation of the series.

Eh...This book was just okay for me. I didn't love it and I didn't hate it.

I found Ryan's character to be extremely immature. She's supposed to be 26 if I remember correctly, but acts like someone who just graduated from high school. Her language, lack of ambition combined with the fact that she has no concern for her well being just made her impossible to relate to. First off, a guy propositions her, offering her a decent amount of money and she accepts without doing any research on him? The guy could have been anyone; he could have had a violent past, but she didn't even bother to google him.

Ben...I liked him and felt for him especially with what his brother did.

Overall... it was just okay.

3.5 Stars

The Proposition, is the second title in the Players series but can easily be read as a standalone. This was my first time reading anything written by this duo of authors.

The Proposition is a fast and enjoyable contemporary sports romance, it's a story full of misunderstandings and falsehoods, that have a tendency to be unrealistic. This title has a similarity to the movie Pretty Woman, so if you like a story of a woman down on her luck who helps out a wealthy benefactor this may just be the title for you.

This pair of characters are flawed, yet interesting. Ben is an NHL player, he's a genuinely nice guy, fun, sweet, generous, kind, caring, sexy and straight forward. He's also kind of awkward and kind of clueless at times. Ryan is a strong willed, independent, feisty, fun and sassy heroine.

At different points throughout this title I nearly didn't continue this title, but I'm glad that I did as overall I quite enjoyed this light hearted romance, with a touch of family drama.

I look forward to reading more from this duo of authors in the future.

When I read the synopsis of The Proposition by Elizabeth Hayley, I knew I had to read it. I had absolutely no idea it would be full of such surprises! Ben is a successful professional hockey player. He has money, fame, and a tight-knit group of friends. But, he doesn’t have a girlfriend, and right now, he needs one desperately for his brother’s upcoming wedding. His family keeps pressuring him to find a nice girl to settle down with. Tensions have been high in his family for a while now, and he doesn’t want to add to it showing up without a date. He and his friends come up with a perfect plan…hire someone! Sounds like a great idea, right?

Ryan has had a bad string of luck lately. She has no family and no money. Now, she has no job because of her smart mouth, and she’s staying with her friend. Desperate situations call for desperate measures. Otherwise, she would have never agreed to the proposition Ben, a complete stranger, gave her…be his date to his brother’s wedding. However, neither of them realized how very much their lives would change!

I adore books about fate changing the course of people’s lives. Ben and Ryan would probably never mingle in the same groups, much less date each other. Fate is funny that way. It doesn’t care about your situation or who you are. If you are meant to be together, you are meant to be together. As they spend more time together, their business agreement blurs into a more personal relationship. Ben is just what Ryan needs, and Ryan is just Ben needs. Ben has never really had the support of his family, but with Ryan, she sees who he is deep in his soul. Ben has the potential to heal Ryan’s broken heart. As secrets come to the surface and tensions among Ben’s family, get ready for some MAJOR fireworks.

Romance is one of my favorite genres, and I always love a subplot and great secondary characters, and this one had both! If you like book with romance, emotion, second chances, and redemption, this one is DEFINTELY FOR YOU!!!

***Read and Reviewed for Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews***

It was a great read. The characters were well developed and the banter between the two was a welcome relief from the unimaginative droll that sometimes presents itself

2.5 stars actual rating

Sadly this one just didn't work for me, I am not sure if it was my mood at the time or if the book was just missing that little something that would have had me drawn in, but whatever the case may be I wish I had enjoyed it.

The Proposition was a quick, funny, light read that is perfect for fans of hockey centered sports romances. It reads well as a standalone even though it is the second book in the series. Ben was a likable male lead and his relationship and interaction with Ryan was great. She was probably my favorite part of the book, along with Ben's relationships with his friends and teammates. The whole drama surrounding Ben's estrangement from his brother and the issues between him and his family were a little surprising, but all in all this was a fun and entertaining read. I will probably go back and read the first book in the series and look forward to the next! 3 out 5 wine glasses.

3.5 stars

This is my first book by Elizabeth Hayley. And, while I didn't love it, I didn't hate it, either. I was drawn in by the blurb and I was excited to find a new to me author. Even though this story line has been done before I had hopes that this author would put a spin on it that would make it feel fresh. But, before I finished the first chapter I felt like I had read it before.

I love hockey romance and I had high hopes for this one. Personally, it felt a little forced and I found myself skimming parts. I may go back and read book one. Perhaps it will breathe some life into this one for me. I think if you are a fan of the author you should give it a try. I wasn't for me but it might be worth a shot if you've read some of her other books.

It has been a while since I have read an Elizabeth Hayley book and boy am I regretting missing some of their recent stuff. This fantastic duo has always been a favorite of mine. Their style of humor is right on par with what I personally find funny and their stories have never failed to engage me and leave me eager to desperate to get my hands on more of their books.

The Proposition revolves around Ben, a sexy AF hockey player who needs a date to his brother’s wedding to keep the family meddling at bay. His friends, always a trustworthy source, decide that good ole Ben just needs an escort for the wedding to pretend to be his girlfriend (no hanky panky just business). That way his family will lay off and he won’t be leading some random girl on. What he expects to be a simple way out of a tough situation turns out to be so much more.

The Proposition was a great twist on a plot we’ve all read. Fake girlfriend books have long been favorites of mine but this one tops the list. With the escort twist and the face that Ben is a hockey player I just could not get enough.
~miranda

Ben Williamson is dreading going home for his brother's wedding, and the only way he can see things going well for him is to take a date. However, he never imagined he'd hire an escort, especially since if anyone found out, it could be used as ammo to disparage his good name. Still, hiring Ryan Cruz is the best decision he's ever made. However, what starts off as a simple proposition turns into a complicated mess he never saw coming. Will Ben be able to make things right with his family, so he and Ryan can have a chance at happy ever after; or will Ben ruin the only thing that's ever felt completely right in his life -- his relationship with Ryan?

This second story of Ms. Hayley's Players series was a fantastic addition for this series, because of the friendship Ben shares with his two friends -- Jace and Gabe; the growing relationship between the hero and heroine that had me reading quickly, wanting to know whether Ben will ever be able to make things right with his family; and the riveting dialogue that just keeps digging the heroine deeper when it comes to her lies. Will Ryan be able to keep up with the lies, so no one knows what she's hiding? However, it was from the moment the hero and heroine met that had me feeling sorry for the heroine, as accidents do happen.

As for the dialogue, it was intense due to the main characters back stories, especially that of the hero, as there is tension between him and his family due to the betrayal of his brother. Will Ben finally be able to forgive his brother, so he can finally move on with his life? However, the dialogue wasn't all intense. Indeed, there were some nice light-hearted moments between the hero and heroine and I loved every moment they conversed, as they get to know each other and do their best to fool everyone that their relationship is the real deal. Moreover, the heroine is resilient, courageous and I could understand why she was willing to lie to help Ben, because without the money he was willing to pay who knows where she would be in her life. Then again, after all that she's been through, she needs all the luck she can get. I also liked how the heroine wasn't afraid to say what was on her mind, even if she did manage to offend the hero or make Ben realize that she does like him more than the business transaction he starts out as.

While the hero, I felt sorry for him when it came to his family. Why couldn't his parents be proud of everything he's accomplished instead of criticizing him? However, in saying that, he has great friends that are supportive and I liked how the heroine helped him to combat everything he was feeling when it came to facing his family. I also liked how confident he was in propositioning Ryan with being his date for his brother's wedding, even though hiring an escort wasn't something he was looking to do until he actually did it.

Overall, Ms. Hayley has delivered another wonderful read for this series where the chemistry between this couple kept getting stronger with every interaction between them; the romance was hot; and the ending had me feeling sorry for the main characters. How could things go so awry? However, in saying that, I liked how things worked out for Ben and Ryan in the end, as nothing is more important to Ben than winning Ryan back. I loved Ben's words for the heroine in proving how much he loves her and that he listened to the advice given to him by his family and friends. Yet, what I liked most of all about the ending was what is going on with Ben's friend, Gabe. What will his future hold? I would recommend The Proposition by Elizabeth Hayley, if you enjoy the mistaken identity trope, the opposites attract trope, the fake relationship trope, or books by authors Kelly Jamieson, Julie Brannagh, Jami Davenport and Lia Riley.

I received this arc from Netgalley for an honest review.
As a hockey fan, I am always thrilled to find a fiction story about hockey. I was sure that I knew exactly what this one was all about and that it would be predictable. That was not the case. I liked both characters and I liked both of their backstories. I was all ready to hate Ben's family and but in the end, I loved them and wanted more of them in the story. I was pleasantly surprised by this book and look forward to more by these authors.

I must admit knowing that Elizabeth Hayley was a duo and they had been recommended by someone I trust. I was curious to read to a read one of their books. So when an opportunity presented itself to read The Proposition. I jumped at the chance to do so .

I was definitely intrigued by the story. Think Pretty Woman but with a cliché twist. Ben is a pro hockey player who is happy living life to fullest as a playboy. Until recently when his brother announced he was getting married and he has come to home for the wedding . Ben isn’t a bad guy. He is instantly likeable but his family is another story. There is a whole lot of history there and Ben isn’t totally keen on the whole reunion. Especially with his brother and he wants to solve one of the problems he has a grasp on her

So he needs a girlfriend fast. You can see where this story is going fast and there could be many ways he could of gone and found a girl .There are countless possilbities but being professional sport players. His best friends Gabe and Jace happen to think they have the perfect solution.

An escort

Talk about a cliché and half . As this had drama written all over it and we all know how Pretty Woman turned out….

The guys might be players but they aren’t bad sort either. They want to help knowing the background story of Ben. You have to admire him as a someone who went against his family wishes and made something out of himself. He broke the mould in his family and he one of a few POC in the league it seems.

However this story is off the field in the off season . He is hanging with his friends and plotting his saving grace. They have a flawed plan, what can go wrong?

Well it seems it about got all right as whilst the guys may have no clue what they are doing. It allows Ben to met Ryan. Ryan who has no clue what she about get herself into literally. They might have a memorable meeting that you won’t forget. However it’s her story and the determination she has that keeps you love with Ryan and makes her endearing with Ben

She doesn’t have a pretty story to tell and you wonder what lead her to situation she in . She obviously doesn’t have much choice with Ben’s offer. Even so The Proposition is only the beginning of this story. There so much more to come and where obviously you know what is going to help next.

However it isn’t without the highs and lows like any good romance story. This book had me laughing and swooning . The duo do know how to write a good book and I enjoyed this tale. Whilst this was the second book and the previous book was about his buddy Jace. I didn’t feel like I missed anything as the story was standalone. Whilst the events was mentioned in passing, there wasn’t too much detail given so it left me curious about Aly and Jace. As Jace and Gabe were the perfect wingman and I know Ben would do the same for them. I enjoy the guys and Ryan was the perfect addition to the gang. She has the gift of ‘ word vomit’ which I can totally relate to and she was a fierce woman. She wasn’t proud of what she had to do and Ben really truly made her feel like some one special. I think they saw the best in each with out reaching and that why their story was special.

Another thing was the diverse elements in this story. Despite seeing the cover before, I didn’t pay attention too much until I realised the hero was African American and I loved that the heroine was a POC as well. There isn’t much of market out there in romance and I loved that it obviously changing with books like this.

Hockey star, Ben Williamson, hires Ryan Cruz to attend his brother’s wedding with him. The more the couple gets to know each other the less sure either one is of keeping their relationship strictly professional. This contemporary sports romance is suitable for adult audiences.

When I stared to read this book, I wasn’t sure if I was going to like it. I enjoyed the story more and more the further I got into the novel.

I like Ben. He is in an interesting situation with his family. It is understandable why he did not want to go to his brother’s wedding alone. Ryan is a strong heroine. I respect that despite her difficult past, she has upstanding morals.

I appreciate Ben’s friends Gabe and Jace. I think it’s great that they met in college and are professional athletes in different sports.

Ben and Ryan grew for the better throughout the story. They discovered things about themselves and made each other better people. I like that things are cleared up between Ben and his family.

This is the first book that I have read by Elizabeth Hayley. I enjoyed the writing duo’s style. The ending was a good transition for Gabe’s story. I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

This is a great book with a wonderful story and well developed characters. The story flowed very well and was very enjoyable. This book will keep you reading long into the night and you will not want to put this book down until you finish. This was such a great read and full of surprises. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader’s copy of this book. The free book held no determination on my personal review.

The Proposition is a third person narration of Brandon and Ryan’s story. Brandon Williamson is pro hockey player who has to find a date to his estranged brother’s wedding to his ex-girlfriend from a decade ago. Not only is he estranged from his brother David but he’d not close to his entire family because he feels his family is very critical of his career choice and because of his fight with David in the past. Brandon is constantly trying to side step his mother’s attempts to fix him up with women who meet her approval. His friend’s Gabe and Jace suggest hiring an escort to pretend to be his girlfriend at David’s wedding. Easy business transaction with no feelings involved. So they visit a local strip club in search of the perfect escort.

Ryan Cruz is a waitress at Daisy’s Strip Club who, after an altercation with a handsy customer, gets fired from her job. After Brandon mistakes Ryan for an escort outside of Daisy’s he asks her to pretend to be his girlfriend for the wedding. Seeing as she just lost her job and she’s living on her friend’s couch in the worst part of Philadelphia Ryan agrees to the deal.

There was so much potential to this story but it just kept falling short. It lacked heat and passion. The love scenes were sweet but they were short and were very mild. I expected Brandon to be more alpha considering he’s this big strong pro hockey player but he was more reserved and somewhat weak. Towards the end when Ryan left Brandon he seemed to give up very easily until his friends and family talked him into going after her. His interactions with his family was frustrating because most of the issues he had were really just assumptions he made rather than fact. A part of the problem with the book is that at times it was hard to distinguish what was the prime focus of the book, the love story between Ryan and Brandon or the issues between Brandon and his family with a love story thrown in.

The author has a lot of potential, the banter between all the characters was great and funny, which I love. However, the meat of the story, the love story left much to be desired.

~ Diana

This is my first time reading this author and though this is book 2 in the series. and I didnt read book 1 I was not lost at all. This book was sweet and well written and I liked the characters.

This story features Ben, a black hockey player. He has a had a personal heart break and he has a brother getting hitched. He and his brother have a complicated past and so he wants to bring a date to the wedding.

Enter Ryan. Ryan has a complicated past and present as well. She meets Ben at a stripper bar, where she is fired. She meets Ben and convinces him she is an escort and so the two hitch a plan to fake date.

But the road is not smooth sailing and to better aquainted they end up living together and falling in love. Can they convince Ben's family? And what is the basis for his bad relationship with his brother?

Those questions kept me reading til the end. I really enjoyed this story about book and really felt the chemistry between Ryan and Ben.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R3SQ6YQDK62VSN/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

3.5 hot hockey stars.
Light emotional romantic family drama following professional hockey player Ben Williamson who finds himself needing an escort to his brother's wedding. Ben and his two best friends find themselves at a seedy strip club, where according to his friends, escorts are available for hire. Ryan Cruz, down on her luck and having recently lost her job as a waitress is in the right place at the right time, and when Ben propositions her to go to the wedding with her, she has nothing to lose by going along with his ruse. Except possibly her heart, but for some reason that never enters her head, not even when their business agreement becomes way more than it should. Lovely writing, easygoing characters, although for some reason I can't quite put my finger on, Ryan annoyed me at times, maybe it was her unwillingness to let go, I don't know. She was strong and a fighter, there is no doubt about that. Ben on the other hand was hot, sexy and I loved his flaws. I can't complain about their sexual chemistry, that was hot hot hot. Overall, a light easy enjoyable read. I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.