Jasmine Guillory can pull you right into her juicy stories! While the dialogue can be a little cheesy, the plot and characters more than make up for it. A perfect, quick beach read.

Major props for the terrifying and perfect meet-cute! This story was as smart, witty, and lovely as the romance in The Wedding Date. My only quip was the character of Carlos. Though I loved seeing this character receive his own romance, he didn’t seem realistic. He was the epitome of the perfect love interest: good looking, a fantastic cook, a doctor, devoted to his family, great in bed, and with a sexy car. I was supremely jealous and irritated at Nik for finding the perfect man and not immediately recognizing it! Despite the annoyingly perfect Carlos, the sharp writing and steamy romances will keep me coming back to Jasmine Guillory.

Many thanks to Berkley publishers who very kindly offered me a copy of this delicious treat of a novel that had all the charm, smarts, and heart of author Jasmine Guillory's first novel The Wedding Date and then some.

Lovely freelance writer Nikole is twiddling her thumbs at a Dodgers game with her sort of boyfriend Fletcher and his posse of meathead friends when Fletcher calls her attention to the jumbotron where the message "Nichole will you marry me" is currently flashing. Mortified that the guy she's only been dating a couple of months would do this to her without even once bringing up the topic beforehand Nik is rescued from a rapidly turning ugly crowd of baseball fans who think Fletcher's being dissed and reporters eager for the next big viral scoop by Carlos (who may look familiar to The Wedding Date readers) and his sister who employ the old "oh hey old friend I haven't seen in years!" tactic to get her out of the stadium in one piece.

If that ain't a clever meet cute I don't know what is.

Carlos squires a grateful Nik to a bar and her waiting besties who immediately elect him Nik's rebound! And while Nik takes a little more convincing Carlos's good looks, sense of humor, compassion, and smarts help her make up her mind pretty quick.

But what starts as a low key, no labels situation that neither intend to take far starts looking suspiciously like a serious relationship before either one knows what hit them.

I confess I am utterly charmed by Ms. Guillory's writing. Its smart and funny but never saccharine. I've got a low threshold for super witty dialogue that no actual person would ever utter but Guillory's characters just feel like real people. They say dumb things and get into ridiculous, goofy situations that feel real. She finds the hilarity and heart in regular human interaction and that kind of writing makes for characters you can completely commit to. I felt like Carlos and Nik were my friends and I felt bad for them and urged them to get their crap together and just make things work and laughed at them by turns just as if they were real. That's a wonderful way to feel when you're reading.

If you read my The Wedding Date review you'll remember that one of my issues was a certain lack of fire in the more romantic scenes. Well I don't know what happened between that book and this one but that's not a problem that The Proposal suffers from AT ALL. Seriously if you're looking for a little hot and heavy passion in your romantic comedy reading Guillory's got you covered. Like put the book down for a minute and get a glass of ice water covered.

The issues that the characters run into in their relationship felt much more honest too. Just as in her previous book we spend a great deal of time with Carlos and Nik just by themselves. We really know who they are and what got them to where they're at now in their personal lives. Their problems are normal and not 100% rational and that's fine, that's how people are in life. But the issues that arise for them as a couple feel like they build from a more believable place than the hero's of The Wedding Date. We get a much clearer sense of why both of them want what they want, what their hangups are and what needs to happen for them to be happy with each other.

This book is full of humor and romance and all the things you want from a light romantic comedy but its tempered by real, smart characters with honest emotions and a level of intelligence that you don't always see in this type of book. Hence my brand new shelf the "thinking person's romance!"

to say i had high expectations with this book would be a ridiculous understatement. i ADORED the wedding date, gobbled it up and just absolutely loved it. i only rated it 4 stars, not 100% sure why, but i regret that now because i did not enjoy this one as much, but 3 stars is too harsh, and 4 is too close to the wedding date when i did not enjoy it as much as the wedding date.

i was so so excited to read this one after loving the wedding date so much. i tried not to compare the two, but that's near impossible, so whatever. the meet cute was adorable and fabulous in this one, but was adorable-er and fabulous-er in the wedding date. there was sexual tension and chemistry, but i didn't feel it *as much* as the wedding date. the writing didn't flow as well for me, i couldn't quite get a handle on the characters, i didn't laugh as much even though i could tell the author was trying to be funny. that sounds really awful, and i did not hate this book. i am still rating it 4 stars, though in this case i am being generous, it's more of a 3.5 star book for me personally. it just didn't hit all the right notes and was a bit too easy to put down. the conflict seemed more contrived - though i liked that the tables were turned, it normally would have been the woman realising what carlos realised. i loved the friendships, family and empowerment message. i love the diversity in these books, i love how realistic they are. i will definitely read more from this author.

I really enjoyed this sophomore romance novel by Jasmine Guillory! This is a standalone but one of the main characters, Carlos Ibarra, is a side character in Guillory's first novel. You don't have to read the first to read this one but it is nice to know who the characters are!

Nik is an independent woman and keeps her heart guarded and Carlos doesn't want to be in a serious relationship because his family comes first, but sparks fly when these two meet. I loved the dynamics of the Ibarra family, Nik's friendships, how these two play off of each other and their relationship grows throughout the book. A romance book for those who love love and don't want too much steaminess.

I don’t typically read of a lot of romance, but I was in the mood – because #summer- and I liked the premise of this book: Jumbotron proposal at a baseball game gone horribly wrong.

Also, thank you to Net-Galley and Berkley for providing me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

I felt that this book had a strong beginning and strong ending. I particularly flew through the last 20% - I got really invested in the characters, and enjoyed the side stories about the cousin’s baby and the gym owner’s back story.

I am struggling a little to rate this (I hate the 5 star scale); I feel it’s not quite a 4 since I lost a little interest in the middle, but I still think this is strong for a romance novel. (I’m in the middle of 4 books right now and this was the only one I kept picking back up).

I would recommend to those looking for a light, fun summer read – particularly if you enjoy contemporary (sorta predictable) stories with diverse characters.

I will be picking up Jasmine’s debut novel, The Wedding Date, soon. Even though now looking back, I kind of wish I read The Wedding Date first since there is some overlap of side characters.

This book's saving grace was its superb representation: a black main character, latino love interest, black lesbian side character, and fat Korean side character.

Otherwise, I wished I could love this book, but it just wasn't at all what I was hoping it to be. I'm mainly frustrated with this book because it wasn't pitched at ALL as a sequel or companion to Jasmine's first book, but literally half the book involves the two characters from her debut. I was really disappointed that I got 50% of the way into this before realizing that. It really should be marketed better as a companion novel, because I feel like I lost out on half of the storyline.

My other major issue with this book is that the writing is just so basic. From clichés to a remarkable lack of originality in descriptions, I was just left wanting more with every page. The dialogue is corny a lot of the time, and the inner monologue alongside it felt very immature and stunted. Not just as a reader, but from an editorial standpoint, I think the writing needed tweaking (ie. the characters CONSTANTLY laugh at what the other says to the point where it's every other line; the speaker tags should be more varied.)

Also, most of the sex scenes in this book are skipped over, and the two that exist are so short and bland. I was expecting a lot more from a book marketed as romance.

I really wanted to read Jasmine's first book, but after those characters appeared in this book, it would be too weird to go back in time and see them when they're not together. If you liked Jasmine's first book then you'll probably enjoy this, but I'm just super let down that it was a sequel I didn't know about, and I wasn't a fan of the writing style.

The Proposal is a cute, fun read. The characters are likable, and the plot is fun. The book opens with an ill-fated public proposal, and with that, Nik and Carlos have a pretty interesting meet-cute.

Great if you're in the mood for some lighter fare.

A sweet and fun novel that is sure to be a hit with fans of the author! I felt myself relating to the characters and loving the banter and situations they found themselves in. Now I am ready to dive into the authors debut, which has been patiently sitting on my bookshelf waiting to be read.

This book is the literary equivalent to a day at the beach, the best takeout, a glass of champagne, and a foot massage.
Basically, a vacation in book form.
I was intrigued by Carlos in The Wedding Date, and I found this book focused on him and Nik to be completely satisfying. It starts off with an absurd proposal, but quickly unwraps a truly heartwarming and real love story.
Consider me a Jasmine Guillory fan for life. My only question - who will she write about next??

I loved this author's first book, and was delighted to find that this book was equally wonderful. This book follows Carlos, the best friend character from The Wedding Date, though his own love story. We get a few cameos from Drew and Alexa, but this book can be read as a standalone (though there are a few spoilers of the first book, so I guess if you think you might read it, start there.). The book is a well-written, easy-reading, deeply satisfying rom com. Both main characters are great, and I appreciate that the women in the book are strong and complex, and have a supportive relationship that doesn't solely revolve around their love lives. This would make a perfect vacation read or would be great to tear through on a low-key weekend.

Jasmine Guillory is such a wonderful, fresh new voice in the world of romance. This is just as addictively readable, smart, funny, and feminist as THE WEDDING DATE, and I can't wait to read whatever she writes next.

Note: This is a companion to the book THE WEDDING DATE, which you can find my review here! (https://onewayoranauthor.wordpress.com/2018/01/31/arc-review-the-wedding-date-by-jasmine-guillory/) It is not necessary to read the books in order, and this review will contain no spoilers.

THE PROPOSAL was another hit from Jasmine Guillory! I’ve been really enjoying her contemporary romances - they’re flirty, modern, and down-to-earth. I can’t wait to see what else she cooks up for us! Another feature of all her books are the delicious food mentions. For me, that’s an instant magnet! Add that super independent heroines and sweet and quirky heroes, and readers are in for amazing, fluffy contemporaries that are bound to leave a smile on their faces.

I loved how the premise of THE PROPOSAL was set up. We begin the book by seeing Nik, a black freelance writer, being proposed to on the JumboTron at a baseball game… from a guy she’d only been dating for 5 months… who was nothing but a hook-up for her. Nik stays true to her honest and direct nature, and rejects him outright. But this brings attention onto her, and not the positive kind, either. When Carlos and his sister Angela step up to offer help to Nik in the guise of wanting to “catch up,” Nik can’t thank them enough. And thus begins a flirtation that’ll make readers simultaneously swoon and squeal.

“Was she asleep? This definitely felt like a nightmare.
They’d only been dating for five months! That he loved her was news to her - he’d certainly never said THAT before - but a proposal? He didn’t even know how to spell her name!”

I really enjoyed seeing Carlos and Nik’s interactions. I love how honest they were with each other, from start to finish, and their initial reluctance to seek the other out due to self-doubt. There’s a lot of cute, flirty moments in the book because they both are trying to gauge what the other wants from them. But when they come together, hella sparks fly! It’s definitely worth the build-up!

Guillory writes family and friends so seamlessly into her narratives, and THE PROPOSAL was no different. It was awesome seeing Nik’s best girl friends, Courtney and Dana, and the glimpses we got into their lives. Their support was just A++ for female friendships, and I really envy their close relationship. Carlos has a rambunctious family that I also loved reading about! He’s super worried about all the ladies in his family, and has taken up the mantle of “head of the family” (as the guy) by making sure they’re all healthy and safe. But throughout the book, he comes to terms with the hidden strengths of his sister and cousin.

There’s a great battle for independence and clashing of wills that’s explored in this book too. Carlos only wants the best for the women in his life, but that doesn’t quite jive with them. I love how Guillory addresses this clash, and the compromise that each relationship eventually settles into. It’s so balanced and healthy, and made me appreciate their dynamics even more (as well as Carlos’s character!).

“He hadn’t meant for this to happen. He’d just thought they were going along, having great sex and hanging out a lot, too, sure, but it was all just fun. But along the way, he’d fallen in love with this smart, abrasive, caring, hilarious woman.”

While Carlos and Nik’s relationship started out as a casual hook-up, intriguing feelings begin popping up. What will happen to their easy-breezy dialogue and food dates then? Readers will have to follow along to find out! And trust me: the read is SO worth it. Guillory writes characters with such love and trust, you just can’t help but root for their happy ending. And she delivers so well.

Trigger/Content Warnings: grief, manipulation, emotional abuse, sexy times

Thank you Berkley Romance and Netgalley for the review copy!

loved, loved, loved it! Loved it almost as much as I loved The Wedding Date. Jasmine Guillory is one of my new favourite authors and I'm already anticipating her next book.

I really enjoyed Jasmine Guillory's first book, The Wedding Date, and was not disappointed with her second book, The Proposal. I'm a big fan of authors who write about a minor character from another book, especially when the characters from the previous book have cameos. It was fun seeing the relationship between Nik and Carlos grow and to be an observer on how they felt about each other. This book alternates between both characters point of views. It was also nice to see a strong, independent woman be able to rely on a man in her life without compromising her character and values.

Not nearly as good as The Wedding Date, but still an easy, lighthearted read. Exactly what I needed!

The Proposal is the perfect sequel. With its numerous funny moments and the romantic scenes in between, it truly has become one of my favorite romance books. 2018, you are releasing THE GREATEST BOOKS THIS YEAR!

I'm such a Jasmine Guillory fan. The Wedding Date was so good and The Proposal really gets you into that world again and you meet new characters but also revisit old characters from the previous book. It was really such a good story and it all started with a public proposal gone wrong! (The best intro.) Carlos and Nik were two fabulous main characters who could't keep away from each other and I LOVED THAT. 10/10 wish they had more time and more pages after the end with them.

Journalist Nikole finds herself the subject of a Jumbotron proposal at a Dodgers game--from a guy she definitely does not want to marry. Surgeon Carlos sees the whole thing and swoops in to help get her away from the cameras, which should be the end of it, since both Nik and Carlos are sure they're not interested in a relationship. But that doesn't mean they're not interested in each other...

As with Guillory's previous novel, The Wedding Date, once the splashy set-up is over, the relationship plays out on a much more realistic scale. There's no escalating series of misunderstandings and deceptions, no high farce, just two people who have their own reasons to shy away from commitment but find themselves getting in deeper anyway. Guillory does a great job writing realistic, sympathetic characters, and the romance is well-earned.

The Proposal was on par with Jasmine’s highly enjoyable debut. I loved the idea that two people could fall for each other while being so unaware that it was even happening. The scenes featuring Nik’s friends were so fun and refreshing. It was great to see friendship between different types of women portrayed realistically and in a way that many romance novels tend to avoid. I think a common pitfall in many romance novels is thinking that every female protagonist just has to be enemies with other women, or that a female protagonist is special or cool when she only has male friends. I would have loved to see more of Nik’s family though. The relationships Carlos had with his family in contrast with Nik’s friendships just made me wish we were allowed to know more about Nik’s background. Overall, The Proposal was a delight. It was humorous and sweet, feminist and self-aware. I will definitely recommend this title for purchase, but something tells me I won’t be the only one.

I was not a big fan of Jasmine Guillory's first book, but I really liked this one a lot better. It seems Guillory has smoothed out the rough or hurried bits of her first book with this one. It's certainly a fun love story inspired by one of those cliche romantic comedy movie moments. Fun and light. Reccomend to adults readers.