I received an advance copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

The Proposal is an own voices novel, follows Nik a young black woman and Charlos a Latino Doctor. This book was so adorable I had s hard time putting it down.

The story starts off when Nik is completely blind-sighted by a marriage proposal at a Dodgers game from her casual boyfriend, Fisher. She is humiliated and to make things worse a camera crew tries to approach her. She is thankfully saved by Charlos and his sister Angie, who happened to see the whole thing unfold.

Throughout the book we get to watch these two build a strong friendship as they are both not in a place to start a relationship.I loved Nik she is witty, sarcastic and smart. I adored her friendship with Dana and Courtney. Charlos is really charming and it’s hard not to fall for him. But as all humans he has his flaws, he is very over protective with his family to a point where he thinks that if he gets involved with someone he won’t be there for them.

A side character I absolutely adored was Nik’s friend Courtney. She is an Asian plus sized woman who owns and runs a cupcake shop. She is just the cutest!

There are some subtle hard hitting topics woven into the story as well. As the book progresses we meet a woman who has been emotionally abused in the past. She talks about how it’s hard to know that your in that type of situation and how it’s difficult to recognize the signs. Also how it’s possible to get out of the relationship and how she healed.

The ending was a little cheesy but hey it’s a romance book. I really enjoyed this book and I’m now dying to read The Wedding Date.

This was a lot of fun! Rom-coms don't sell particularly well for us, unfortunately, but I love how diverse and funny this one is. Very reminiscent of The Wedding Date, which I also enjoyed (and sold pretty well for us!).

Alright, this book was SO GOOD. I am totally one to gush over a book I love and I just finished this one 10 minutes ago, so here's the gush: I LOVED this book. Seriously, such an adorable will-they won't-they kind of story that hooked me from the very first page. If you're in the market for a super fun and well-told romcom, this is for sure the book for you. Not only was the story great, but the characters were well written and developed and had excellent banter and chemistry. It had everything I look for in a good book!

There were definitely cheesy moments and some eye rolls (particularly at the beginning), but the rest of the book fully covered for those minor details. 10/10 would read again.

Audiobook Review: 5 Stars

What would you do if your boyfriend of five months, whom you’ve never discussed a future together, proposes to you in front of thousands of people during a baseball match?

Nik never saw that coming, but she couldn’t say yes to a ludicrous proposal and less from a man who she wasn’t in love with. But what happened to be a bad joke with a dangerous escape from the stadium, it because of the beginning of something amazing and completely unexpected and life-changing.

Carlos saw the whole proposal and felt the need to help the woman who was about to be ambushed for not saying YES to a complete douchbag, so he and his sister came to the rescue and they didn’t only helped her out of the stadium, they also took her to where Nik was planning to meet with her friends and he ended up paying for the check.

Carlos was a complete gentleman and left a great impression in Nik. And she thought it’d be to have a friend like Carlos… And maybe something more… But not so much, since both of them weren’t “relationship material” and they left things very clear with each other…

I love when I can relate to the characters in books. Nik and Carlos started as friends with benefits, and they were fine with that, and they were convinced that’s what all they wanted, but their relationship sets aside from the “predictable” when it came to the reasons of why Nik didn’t want to be in a serious relationship and that’s why I relate so much to her. I loved that part of the story and how she came to the realization of the big mistake she was making, but she didn’t magically fix said situation, making this story more real and more awesome for me.

Also… This book could make a great movie adaptation, romantic comedy to be more specific. It has the perfect amount of romantic and sexy times, great characters, great laughter and the best of all, a lovely HEA!!

The narration of Janina Edwards was amazing. Her voice was perfect for Nik as well as it was for Carlos. I love how neutral was her narration. She didn’t have any particular accent but at the same time, she made her narration full of attitude and personality.

All in all, great book, with a great companion of an audiobook, with a lovely story, awesome characters, and the perfect HEA. 100% recommended.

This was an adorable, lighthearted, fun and sweet read.I adored Nik and Carlos.

I could easily connect with them.The beginning was great and I was immediately hooked to the story.

This is an easy and fast paced read and if you have read The Wedding Date you are going to love this one!

“Deciding to spend your life together shouldn’t be a surprise”

I loved The Wedding Date earlier this year, and when I found out that this was going to star one of the side characters I knew I couldn’t resist putting in an ARC request. This was a joy to read, from the first page to the last. Both of Jasmine’s books have been so intelligently, beautifully, and masterfully crafted.

The Proposal is an ownvoices novel that follows a woman who is completely blindsided by a marriage proposal at Dodger Stadium. Yet, before the camera crews come in to make a terrible situation even worse, she is saved by a stranger in the stands, and his sister.

➽ Nikole Paterson - Black, freelance journalist, and the woman who just got surprise proposed to after only five months of dating her partner.

➽ Carlos Ibarra - Latino, pediatrician, the stranger in the stands that we already were introduced to in The Wedding Date.

And we get to see these two build a friendship, and maybe something more, after everything went down at Dodger Stadium. Neither one of them are at a point in their life where they are willing to start something new, but they have each other’s backs and prove that they are there for one another.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Nik and Carlos with my whole heart, but Nik’s friends almost stole the show for me in this novel. Dana is an actress, black, and a lesbian, and has the freakin’ cutest f/f side romance ever. Like, please, I need a full-length novel right this second. And Courtney is a cupcake shop owner, Asian, and plus sized. And I think I had a smile from ear-to-ear every time she was on the page. Seriously, Nik, Dana, and Courtney are the definition of friendship goals and it was a joy to read.

But probably my favorite thing in this book were the seamlessly woven important themes. There was also such a subtle, yet loud, message about how easy it is to not realize you are in an emotionally abusive relationship. And sometimes you don’t start to realize until you are completely secluded from your friends and family. Yet, it also shows that there always can be ways out, even if you have to wait a while, and that it is never too late once you realize when someone is being abusive.

There was also such a beautiful discussion about how important it is to reclaim your safety after you have been violated or felt that it was threatened. Throughout this story, we see Nik take those steps, and it just meant a lot to me, personally. I also loved how she had friends helping along the way.

The reason I did end up giving this four stars, and not five, was because I felt like Carlos acted a little questionably at the end. Trust me, it pains me to say, because I do love him so much. Yet, with the way he and Nik met, you would think that he would understand how she would react to a (quicker) repeat. I’m trying to be vague, but his actions just left me side-eyeing a little at the end, and just dampened my enjoyment overall.

Yet, I still loved this book, and I think Jasmine Guillory is such an impressive author. I can’t wait to read any and everything she writes. The romance world just needs more books like The Proposal and The Wedding Date! I completely recommend this one!

Are you someone who dreams of a very public proposal? Or are you someone who dreads it? I admittedly fall into the latter bucket. I remember warning Pasquale several times I did not want people around if (turned out to be when) he proposed. Therefore, Guillory’s novel, which begins with a very public proposal, made me cringe!
Nikole, a freelance writer, who has a passion for bourbon, dark bars and sarcasm, finds herself at a Dodgers game with her boyfriend of a few months. Much to her dismay, he proposes – and she says no! Cue the boo-ing fans calling her a heartless b*tch. Carlos Ibarra (who you may remember as Drew’s best friend in The Wedding Date) happens to be at the same game and swoops in to save Nik from the swarming crowds.
I don’t want to say too much for fear of ruining this funny, fun, witty, sarcastic novel! I could not put it down as it definitely checked all the boxes for me. Highly recommend if you are in the mood for a light, cute read!

This was a cute, light-hearted romance...a little too heavy on the sexual activity for me. I think some of the characters lacked substance, but I liked the two main characters so that was enough to keep me reading.

Nik is a fierce, intelligent woman that doesn't need a man to rescue her, but when her boyfriend unexpectedly proposes at a LA Dodgers baseball on the jumbo-tron, she has a night-in-shining armor come to help her after she declines his request. Carlos and his sister help Nik out, which leads to a friendship and eventual romance developing between Nik and Carlos. This is a fun romance with funny character interactions and satisfying love story.

PLOT

The Proposal is a companion novel to The Wedding Date, a Contemporary Romance released earlier this year. In TWD, we meet Carlos who is the best friend to the male protagonist and who also frankly inadvertently stole the show in my opinion. It's rare that I find a male lead I get so attached to that I want to see more of their story but such was the case with everyones favorite Pediatrician Carlos Ibarra. When Nikole Patterson begrudgingly attends a ball game with her actor boyfriend and his buddies, she wasn't expecting to look up & see her name misspelled on the jumbotron. She also wasn't expecting it to be a proposal from the guy she'd only been dating a couple of months. Stuck in an awkward situation in front of millions world-wide, she tries to talk some sense into him. Meanwhile Carlos & his sister who are sitting behind Nik, come up with the idea of rescuing her from the most humiliating situation as it unfolds. Pretending to know Nik, they whisk her away from the reporters who are quickly approaching to interview the woman who turned down a very public proposal.

What started off as a act of kindness turns into a sexy friends with benefits arrangement with both parties on the same page. Of course, we all know these types of arrangements can turn messy when one person starts to blur the lines and break the rules  We follow Nik & Carlos as they get to know one another through group friend dates, food dates (OMYGAHH! you can taste the food right off the pages! ), sexy nights, and unexpected events that make it hard to stick to the rules.

Content Warnings: Grief, Talk of death of a loved one, Racism (Challenged), pregnancy complications and misscariage, talk of past verbal abuse (non-main character)

CHARACTERS

When I first caught wind of Carlos getting his own POV story I jumped for joy and hugged my pillow! I mean, could it be I was getting THE story I so badly wanted when I first met this handsome Mexican Pediatrician in The Wedding Date?!?!  Why YES! YES it was happening and I was so on board! To be honest, I wasn't a fan of Drew the MC in The Wedding Date & found him to be a bit of an a** but his BFF Carlos, now there was a guy I'd date and here's why...

Carlos No longer practicing medicine much, Carlos is now the Assistant Director of a teen clinic where he counsels youth. Carlos has a HUGE heart & has stepped into the role of Patriarch after his fathers passing. With many women in his family to look after, he pretty much has made it so that he doesn't have time for dating. He knows that the day he meets THE ONE, he will give her 100% of his time & that just isn't something he sees s possible. I love this character so much but he isn't flawless by any means, at times his protectiveness can come off as being pushy but he is quick to catch himself in those moments. Overall, Carlos is someone who wears his heart on his sleeve & given how saturated books are with toxic masculinity (not to mention IRL) he was refreshing to get to know.

Nik Fiercely independent & I wouldn't go as far as calling her a commitment phobe but she's not trying to get attached any time soon. Having just come from one awkward as hell situation with the last boyfriend, Nik is just going for light & fun. No strings attached. She's a journalist with pieces published in a few major publications & writing is where her heart is at. I enjoyed Nik's character for many reasons but the feminist in her really called out to me most. I loved seeing her interact with her friend group & also the coverage she gave a small gym owned by a woman who had a second chance in life after leaving a controlling abusive marriage (loved the message behind this characters intro). I loved the passion she has for her work & her overall helpful nature with those she cares about.

Nik's friends Dana & Courtney Usually friend groups offer up a few good scenes & laughs but Dana & Courtney really raise the bar. Super supportive, these friends aren't the type who'll just say they'll be there for you whenever you need them. They are present in Nik's life and empower one another. Whether it's joining a self defense class in solidarity or saving a batch of cupcakes from their shop for you on a day when you need it most, these are your ride or die friends.

WRITING & FINAL THOUGHTS

Fun, sexy, filled with food and good times against the backdrop of Los Angeles; It's my opinion The Proposal is more enjoyable than its predecessor. I rated this a high 4 stars simply, I honestly wanted Nik's background\family life a bit more fleshed out. Told in multiple POV's we get to see Carlos' family & his awesome sibling relationship. Although we do see Nik's friend group, we don't get any of her family background. Nik is a strong independent woman & I would've loved to dig into her backstory a bit. Also, although I loved Carlos & still do, I almost felt his actions towards the end didn't quite fit his personality at all. It just didn't make sense considering how he met Nik & so I felt a bit resentful towards him for that reason alone. Last but definitely not least, I will continue to read all that Jasmine Guillory writes because of how beautifully diverse all of the characters are. The Proposal is a Contemporary Romance between Carlos a LATINX/Mexican man & Nik a black woman but we also get Courtney a Korean plus sized woman & Dana a black lesbian woman. The diversity and important topics woven in throughout Guillory's books set them apart & will always make them a go-to for this bookworm.

***REVIEW GOES LIVE 10/9/2018; LINKS WILL BE ADDED TO THIS REVIEW***
***BOOK AESTHETIC WILL BE ON BLOG REVIEW***

I was very, very excited about this book because I LOVED THE WEDDING DATE, but unfortunately it did not live up to its predecessor. I appreciated what Guillory was trying to do, and the book had a lot of potential, but it fell flat for me. I couldn’t connect with the main characters and did not find their connection that engaging. The book wasn’t bad—it was just okay. It was enjoyable and there were parts that were really, really fun, but overall I don't think it cohered together as well as we have seen Guillory accomplish in the past. I think it will still sell really well because of the success of The Wedding Date and the rom-com trend going on in the genre right now, but I was disappointed by this one.

This is not my typical kind of book. I tend to shy away from meet-cutes or romances, in general. So, I'm probably not the best judge of this book. I picked this one up because of its Library Reads nomination and my library's efforts to stay current with LR selections. I have to say, I was not disappointed. The book was well-written, cute, and endearing, yet not patronizing. It may have been slightly predictable, even to a romance novice such as myself, but that hardly matters. Readers will eat this up.

This was ok, but I enjoyed The Wedding Date so much more. I just didn't believe that anyone would be as self-oblivious as Nik seemed to be.

I didn't love this one, it was only so-so to me. I loved Carlos in The Wedding Date so I was excited to read this one, but it just didn't totally work for me.

This was a fun, light read.
What I loved: The cast of characters weren't all exactly the same (read that anyway you want)!! It was refreshing to see a diverse line-up.
What I liked: It was just a great story. It was just predictable enough, but also just different enough. The perfect balance which is just what I like to see in my romance!
What I hated: Can't say I hated anything about this one!

There was a lot to like about this book. A great read for people who enjoy contemporary romance.

Jasmine Guillory does it again! What a fantastic story of love and commitment between to characters that just jump off the page into real life! I love that she gives plenty of flaws and allows them to eat and argue and watch TV and talk about nothing and everything. These are real people falling in love not perfect specimens in some hyper sanitized world where no one eats or goes to the bathroom or says the wrong thing. What I love most is the humaness of the love story. I also really enjoy that she gives updates on characters from the previous book. I hope she keep doing that!

This is one of those books I heard so many wonderful things about and was excited to get my hands on it. Unfortunately, my excitement soon fizzled.

Nikole and Carlos were nice enough… as friends, maybe even friends with benefits. But, I felt no romantic chemistry and the ‘relationship’ felt forced to me.

Dragged through the wringer emotionally and mentally in her last serious relationship (with a doctor), Nik put her feelings away and dated guys she couldn’t be serious about.

Which led her to sometime-wannabe-actor Fisher and the proposal.

The baseball game was one of the few times I felt bad for Nik because… Fisher? No, just no. But whether or not you’re into the guy, what woman goes to a sporting event with her man and HIS friends? That’s an accident looking for a place to happen… and it found one.

Loved the save by Carlos and Angela and was glad Nik got right into the flow. And meeting Nik’s besties, Courtney and Dana, afterward at the lounge was fun too.

After that, it was a struggle for me to stay invested in this couple and their story.

When Carlos accompanied Nik home because, you know… creepy Fisher, her angry internal thoughts AT HIM gave me a few of my own… and I put the book down and read something else.

I love and applaud confident, self-assured heroines, but the ones who feel compelled to voice how strong and independent they are or resent the man for… being a man? Not so much. Your actions and behavior should show who you are. If you have to tell me—constantly—you’re trying too hard. And her passive/aggressive I don’t need a relationship/oh my god, this man is hot back and forth worked my nerves.

Carlos was likable but carrying a full set of matching baggage that was exhausting to even watch. His commitment and loyalty to his family was admirable… and suffocating. He didn’t want to be the dependable son, brother, and cousin, he wanted to be his father—and it was detrimental to his psyche. Thank goodness for the sanity and clarity of Angela.

But I’m still left with two people who say they’re not looking for a relationship exhibiting relationship-like behavior… and are upset about it. By the time the admissions and confessions appeared, I just wanted it to be over. I’m sure these scenes were meant to be heartfelt but I felt no burning passion, no I need you in my life for the rest of my life. They could have been discussing oil changes in my mind.

The Proposal is well-written. The snark and one-liners are spot on. The back story of Natalie was a heartbreaker and emotional. She showed the growth I wished I’d seen in Nikole. Favorite scene, hands down, was the reappearance of Fisher. YESSS! That was awesome.

Obviously, I’m in the minority with my review, but it happens. I’m sure fans of contemporary romance will be reading The Proposal long after I’ve forgotten about it, but many thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity!

After reading Jasmine Guillory's debut novel, The Wedding Date I couldn't wait to see what else she was working on. So when The Proposal came up for review I jumped at the chance to read it.
We have previously met Carlos in The Wedding Date so I was eager to read his story.
The one thing I love about Jasmine Guillory's writing is that she has real people in her stories. Not perfect people but real people that we see on a daily basis in our own lives. And deverse characters with multipule backgrounds. I think Nikole's friends kind of took over the story for me. I loved them more then I loved Carlos and Nik and they took away the spotlight for a while.
This was a light story, with very little drama involved. While the characters were nice I couldn't really connect with them much. I can't really put my finger on why though! When I read contempary romance books I like to be able to love the characters and the chemistry they have for each other, but that just didn't happen for me.
I would of liked to have more background on Nikole as she said she had something happen to her in the past to make her weary of relationships but we didn't really go into too much detail about it. I would of personally liked the background on that story.
I will definatley read other books but this author as I said before I really enjoyed The Wedding Date.

Another charming romance from Guillory. I really enjoyed her first novel; this one, set in the same world, is equally delightful. Popcorn reading at its best.

I was excited to see that Carlos, a character I really enjoyed in The Wedding Date was getting his own story!

While some of the characters do appear in both books, this is not a sequel and readers don't need to read the previous book first.

I don't usually pick up romance books, but this author is good enough to draw me out of my reading comfort zone. I love the way her books include characters who are realistic and diverse. Her heroines are flawed, and basically fine with their flaws. They drink, eat what they want, and are generally ladies I'd like to be friends with.