A Proposal They Can’t Refuse is a Rom-Com with a friends-to-lovers trope. The main characters are Kamilah and Liam, who are close friends but the older they got they grew apart and became frenemies. They are always bickering at and at each other’s throats. When their grandparents rope them in an engagement scheme will underlying feelings come to light or will everything fall apart?

From the first chapter, I was hooked into this romance novel. It’s a really fun debut novel that doesn’t take itself too seriously. While it does include romance and witty banter it also manages to balance out the narrative with conversations about letting go of the past, dealing with change, and grappling with grief. Liam and Kamilah don’t think that they have anything in common anymore but they actually do. They are struggling with the same issues and they’ve kind of felt like they sacrificed themselves somewhere along the way and are just going through the motions in their life. Even though they constantly carry a heavy burden on their shoulders and they do their best to try to work through their emotions. But in this process, they isolate most of the people that care about them.

For the most part (except for some serious topics) this book is really light-hearted and I found myself laughing out loud many times. I love the banter, the snarky replies, and cheeky sibling fights. Overall it was just a very entertaining book. I never wanted to put this novel down and I definitely consider this novel to be a good beach read or a comfort read for summer reading. Most of all besides the main couple I really loved the family in this book and how colorful their personalities are. Especially Kamilah’s and Liam’s grandparents, who cracked me up with their young-at-heart attitude.

All in all, a very solid debut novel I look forward to reading more work novels from Cana!

TW: Death

The first two thirds of this book is deliciously fun between all the food descriptions and the romance between Liam and Mila. I loved the former best friends to enemies aspect and how they already had natural chemistry between them. Their Grandfathers were both hilarious and heartwarming and brought a lot of heart to the story. I also loved the side plot dramas with Mila and her family’s restaurant and Liam and his family’s distillery. However, the last third of this book was a mess. I was a little confused when Liam and Mila got together with a large chunk of the book left and it is rarely ever a good thing when there is a lot of story left for a romance author to play with. It felt like Cana lost focus of the fact that this was a romance and the family drama took center stage for the third act. We had all these great moments between Mila and Liam and then it suddenly shifted to just skipping forward in time with them barely interacting. Then we had the big conflict and even that seemed to be more about the family. I am complaining a lot about the family drama but I actually did enjoy most of what was happening. But I wasn’t a fan of the romance taking second stage to all the family stuff. I would have preferred if Cana could have blended to the two together more so it felt like a more cohesive story. In fact, one thread of storyline was never even resolved which I hope happens in future books in this series. Mila has a lot of family so I look forward to seeing Cana grow as an author since she delivered a pretty solid debut.

childhood friends to enemies to lovers being forced to fake date to please their troublemaking grandpas?!?! absolutely yes. sign me up.

Kamilah and Liam’s grandfathers have been best friends for years and run their businesses next door to each other. Kamilah’s family owns a Puerto Rican restaurant, and Liam’s family has a whiskey distillery. Though they used to be best friends growing up, Kamilah and Liam have all but become strangers in adulthood. Unfortunately for them, their meddlesome grandfathers are over it. The grandpas agree to help them with their business goals…… if they agree to get married. 👀🧡💍✨

- childhood best friends
- enemies to lovers
- fake dating / engagement
- one bed trope
- Puerto Rican chef
- Irish Whiskey distiller
- meddling grandfathers

I looove to read books centered around food/restaurants or books where one of the MCs is a chef. In another life I would’ve gone to culinary school, so maybe that’s my way of living vicariously lol. But it’s even better when foodie books have different cultures represented because then I get to learn something new in addition to being hungry the whole time. So this book was such a delight! I love the unending support Liam and Kamilah show each other and how much they care for each other despite the years of emotional distance. They know each other better than anyone else, and this was such a great representation of why childhood friends to adult lovers is such a wonderful trope!

This book had so many tropes I love and was full of soo many cute, hilarious, and heartwarming moments 🧡 A wonderful debut novel.

This wasn't my favourite book of all time, but I enjoyed it as a whole. The grandfathers were scheming monsters and certain family members were incredibly irksome. The first part of the book didn't really hook me, but the second half was delicious. Definitely a bit of heat!

Kamilah Vega is frustrated trying to convince her family that their Puerto Rican restaurant needs some serious updating. They have had the same menu and décor since the restaurant opened. They are barely making ends meet and Kamilah is certain that if she can get their restaurant on the Fall Foodie Tour, things will turn around.

Liam Kane is working nonstop to keep his family distillery going. All there is left is him and his grandfather to keep the business open. While Liam thinks they need more staff and some updates, his grandfather is putting his foot down that they stay family owned and operated. Liam has been waiting a decade to enter their spirits in a national competition, and nothing will stop him.

When an incident at the old age home that Kamilah’s and Liam’s grandfathers live in bring the two friend amies face to face, they soon realize they are being played by their grandfather’s. The old men have an ultimatum for Kamilah and Liam that they can not refuse if they want to keep their family businesses open. Can Kamilah and Liam band together for the good of their families or will it tear them all to pieces?

What a breath of fresh air this book by Natalie Cana is. The characters were so well written. I loved Kamilah and Liam’s characters, but the two grandfathers were a hilarious addition to the story. Their antics kept me giggling throughout the book. Kamilah’s family also had characters with traditional family values which added great depth to the story. Both families blended together seamlessly throughout the pages of the book, and I enjoyed every page. My thanks to Natalie Cana and Harlequin Publishing for this lovely book. My review is voluntary. A great fun summer read my friends!

This is a really cute, grumpy/sunshine, pining for years, childhood friends-enemies-to-lovers romance. It has a big emphasis on family and Irish and Puerto Rican culture which was really fun to read. I think the romance got a little bit lost in the midst of the whiskey contest and foodie tour - neither of which we see the results from/add anything to the ending so I think they muddied the plot and relationship a bit too much.

Overall, a really cute read and a great look into both cultures.

For as long as this book was it was a quick read. I loved the mix of Latinx and Irish cultures as told through the family lives of Kamilah and Liam. I also loved the glimpses into both restaurant and distillery management. Unfortunately for me personally the Best Craft Whiskey Distillery contest and the Foodie Tour almost took up too much of the story and I would have liked a little more communication and depth from the relationships in the book.

The romance in this book was pretty hot and heavy. There were a lot of pent up feelings hidden behind the fake relationship, it was interesting to see them surface. If you like stories with meddling family members this is definitely for you.

This book did an excellent job highlighting the family first part of Latinx culture.

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley. This is my honest review

This book is just delightful to read. The family relationships are spectacular. Just thinking about the food talked about in this book makes my mouth WATER because it sounds so good. Liam and Kamilah are just so amazing together. Childhood friends to strangers to fake engagement to lovers perfection. This book does give you Liam’s point of view and Kamilah’s which is great as well. My only complaint is that random incidents from the past would be brought up and not completely explained which got a bit confusing but otherwise this book was spectacular.

This book needs sequels NOW!!!!!!

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for giving me an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This had a lot of potential, and I think I will read more by this author. I liked the premise of the two meddling octogenarians forcing their grandchildren into a fake engagement.

The writing had some choppy bits; and the big fight / fallout between the two leads seemed far fetched. But all in all, it was fun. And made me hungry!

A beautiful debut novel!
A Proposal They Can't Refuse is a delight to read. Starting from the adorable grandads in the nursing home that put Kamilah and Liam in this arranged scenario, to all the amazing culture representation so vividly written in. This book has all the wonderful elements that made me swoon, and I even got teary eyed.
I can't get over the yummy details of food and the funny happenings in this pretend relationship. It truly is a 5 star read. Everyone should pick this up and gift it to a friend! Another top romance of the year for me!

Amazing story! Natalie did a great job in including her culture and representing the Latinx culture in her story. Anybody coming from a Latinx background can very much relate to Kamilah’s family dynamics and how wonderful it is, but also how tough it can be. Seeing the good and the ‘ugly’ side of it is just as important as many may be going through similar hardships with themselves and their families and know that they aren’t the only ones in those tough situations. As for Liam, losing very important people to him at a young age left him with a lot of doubt within himself and wasn’t able to fully accept any love that was shown to him. He grew to learn to live with his loss in a positive way instead of letting it cloud his mind and heart. Overall such a great story that had me laughing and getting excited of everything going on. An easy ready but one that you will definitely enjoy reading!

The premise of this book is irresistible. Fortunately, the novel lives up to expectation. The tone is a bit more serious than the cover implies, with a ton of family drama.

At first, Kamilah's passivity made me want to shake her, but she grows over the course of the novel. Both she and Liam have been shaped by loss, and have a lot of baggage to unpack. It's an emotional and uplifting read.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Kamilah and Liam were best friends as children, but a falling out in their teens has left them with a strictly antagonistic relationship. Kamilah is a trained chef who wants to save her abuela’s Puerto Rican restaurant in their rapidly gentrifying Chicago neighborhood, and Liam wants to protect and promote his father’s legacy at their family’s distillery. Their grandfathers, partners in crime at a local senior living facility, best friends, and co-owners of the building that houses both family businesses, worry that neither Kamilah nor Liam are open to finding more to life than the family business, and initiate a blackmail scheme. Either Kamilah and Liam get married, or they sell the building. After demanding a few concessions from their grandfathers, Kamilah and Liam agree to play along, at least in the short run.

The meddling grandfathers angle was a fun switch up from the meddling grandmother trope. Go in armed with the standard suspension of disbelief for family centric rom-com stories, and you’ll be set. The story does deal with loss of family members and grief, so it’s not all hijinks and laughs. It was sometimes hard to keep track of side characters, many of them blended together with just hints of backstory. That wasn’t enough to prevent me from enjoying the story or recommending it to fans of bubbly, contemporary romance novels.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

The books has all the tropes a reader would want, fake dating, childhood friends to enemies to lovers, get married to the girl or lose your money etc etc. The story is also written very well I must say my 8 years of Spanish helped. Personally I didn’t vide with the story and how it was executed. I didn’t get the connection I wanted from the 2 main characters that gives me the feels.

A PROPOSAL THEY CAN’T REFUSE – Natalie Cana
Mira
ISBN: 978-0-778-38609-4
June 7, 2022
Romantic Comedy

Chicago, Illinois – Present Day

The families of Kamilah Vega and Liam Kane are so close that they own and share the building where their businesses are. Kamilah’s family runs a Puerto Rican restaurant, while Liam is running the family Irish Whiskey distillery. But even as the two have known each other since they were children, they get along as well as fire and water. Their grandfathers are currently living together in an assisted living facility, and one day Kamilah and Liam are called to visit them for an emergency meeting. It seems Liam’s grandfather is dying of cancer and his only wish is that Liam marry Kamilah—or the two men will sell the building the family businesses are in. As much as Liam and Kamilah dislike each other, both don’t want to lose their livelihood, so they agree to the ruse. The only stipulation is that the rest of the family can’t be told what is going on.

Their families are delighted at Liam and Kamilah’s engagement. It’s a dream come true! Of course, her brothers are skeptical because they’re well aware of the animosity the two have displayed toward each other through the years. Liam and Kamilah think they can outwit the forced engagement by waiting until after Liam’s grandfather’s cancer is treated, but once again, the two older men outwit them. They add to the blackmail and force Kamilah to move in with Liam—where there is only one bed to share. Meanwhile, they are each working on a couple of PR projects that will help bring business to them. Will living and working in such close quarters invite an attraction neither expected?

There are plenty of laughs in A PROPOSAL THEY CAN’T REFUSE as Liam and Kamilah try to hold onto their livelihood and please their grandfathers while falling in love with each other. Kamilah loves to cook but family always comes first. She had the chance to go to a top culinary school when she was eighteen but turned it down to work in the restaurant. She’s always looking for ways to improve the restaurant, while her parents are content with keeping things the way they are. Liam lost his parents (his father died, and his mother left when he was really young), so his grandfather is all he has—as is the distillery. Unfortunately, his grandfather is now gravely ill and wringing promises out of Liam and Kamilah that they’re not sure they can keep. They agree to the engagement, and it forces them to spend time together. They begin to see each other in a different light—and an attraction soon develops.

Coming from a big family, Kamilah gets all kinds of advice from her relatives in A PROPOSAL THEY CAN’T REFUSE. The funny moments come when Liam and Kamilah are forced into situations together that neither expects. This includes sleeping together. Readers know that it’s hard to sleep in the same bed and not have any contact. What will happen? The family around them also provides for some funny scenes as both Kamilah and Liam navigate the offered help from everyone. At the end of the book, will Liam and Kamilah make it down the wedding aisle?

A funny and engaging read, don’t miss A PROPOSAL THEY CAN’T REFUSE.

Patti Fischer

I have to admit - fake engagement is among my favorite romcom troupes. Opposites attract is another favorite. For this reason, this was a highly desired book for me to read and Natalie Caña did not disappoint! Enter 2 elderly men with a scheme of their own and this book has stolen my heart. The thought of 2 grandfather's forcing their grandchildren into this arrangement was delightful and something entirely different. I'm used to reading about meddling aunties or parents, but this reminded me of a popular 90's movie about grumpy old men...

I loved the sparks that were flying, the characters, the plot... everything!

Title: A Proposal They Can't Refuse
Author: Natalie Caña
Genre: Romance
Rating: 3.2 out of 5

Kamilah Vega is desperate to convince her family to update their Puerto Rican restaurant and enter it into the Fall Foodie Tour. With the gentrification of their Chicago neighborhood, it's the only way to save the place. The fly in her mofongo--her blackmailing abuelo says if she wants to change anything in his restaurant, she'll have to marry the one man she can't stand: his best friend's grandson.

Liam Kane spent a decade working to turn his family's distillery into a contender. Now he and his grandfather are on the verge of winning a national competition. Then Granda hits him with a one-two punch: he has cancer and he has his heart set on seeing Liam married before it's too late. And Granda knows just the girl...Kamilah Vega.

If they refuse, their grandfathers will sell the building that houses both their businesses. With their futures on the line, Kamilah and Liam plan to outfox the devious duo, faking an engagement until they both get what they want. But soon, they find themselves tangled up in more than either of them bargained for.

The food in this book sounded fantastic! So did the whiskey, and I don’t even like whiskey. Unfortunately, that was the only thing fantastic about this. The Vega family was pretty horrible. They treated Kamilah horribly, and she did the same to them—including some real whoppers (now and in the past) she told that she tried to justify. She was so self-absorbed, she did whatever she wanted and then realized it might be a problem for someone else. Liam wasn’t much better. And the way their grandfathers manipulated them? Really not okay.

Natalie Caña loves Hamilton. A Proposal They Can’t Refuse is her debut novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/MIRA in exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 6/7.)

I absolutely adored this sweet, sassy rom com!

Two scheming grandpas are determined to save the future of the building they bought together decades ago. Half of the building belongs to a distillery run by the Kane family, and half of it belongs to a Puerto Rican restaurant run by the Vega family. The solution to save the building and the legacies of their families? Manipulate their grandchildren into a marriage of convenience.

Kamilah knows that Liam can't stand her. The boy who was her shadow growing up is surly and angry and inscrutable. His distrust and disdain hurt her heart, but she'll never admit it. Especially now she's on the cusp of revolutionizing her family's restaurant with edgy new recipes. The only reason she agrees to the fake engagement is to ensure her family restaurant will remain afloat.

Liam is determined to never show Kamilah how he really feels about her. She infuriates him. She tempts him. She haunts him. But Liam has a host of demons he needs to fight, and he doesn't need anything else on his plate. Especially the woman he doesn't think he deserves. Everything is in place to launch the family distillery into the stratosphere, and he doesn't need or want any distractions.

Liam and Kamilah fight the pull too hard. Until they can't contain it. And now Kamilah has overpromised and overcommitted and she doesn't know how she's going to emerge unscathed.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this luminous, beautiful read! I received an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.

Natalie Caña's first novel in her new romance series, A Proposal They Can't Refuse is a charming introduction to the Vega family in a Chicago suburb. Kamilah's grandparents opened their Puerto Rican neighborhood restaurant fifty years ago.

Kamilah's parents now run the restaurant, never changing anything in fifty years, from the menu to the decor. Kamilah is a trained chef and has some great ideas to modernize things to attract the new people moving to the neighborhood, but her family is adamantly against it.

Liam Kane's grandfather founded Kane's Distillery next door to Kamilah's family restaurant, where Liam now works. His grandfather and Kamilah's grandfather are best friends and live in the same assisted living facility, where their hijinks continually cause trouble. Liam and Kamilah grew up together and dated a little in high school, but now they are more like frenemies.

The two men have concocted a plan to get their grandchildren together in a plan that will allow Liam and Kamilah to make the changes they want to the family businesses. All they have to do is get engaged- what could go wrong?

A Proposal They Can't Refuse has everything that makes a great romance novel- enemies to lovers, friends, secrets, exes, misunderstandings, and steamy sex scenes. I loved learning about the distillery business, and I always enjoy a book set in a restaurant, as my husband and I used to own a fast food restaurant. The descriptions of Kamilah's food has me drooling. Learning about the Puerto Rican and Irish cultures was interesting, and you get to practice (or learn) a little Spanish.

I can't wait for the next installments of the Vega family stories in subsequent books. I highly recommend A Proposal They Can't Refuse.

Thanks to Harlequin Books for putting me on their Summer 2022 Rom-Com Tour.

Kamilah Vega works hard to help keep her family's restaurant afloat. Her Abuelo surprises her when he tells her that they are selling the business and building unless she marries Liam Kane. Liam is Abuelo's best friend's grandson and Abuelo thinks they are perfect for each other. Abuelo and Killian are old and worried that they will leave this earth without seeing their grandchildren happily married. Kamilah and Liam have history - they were childhood best friends until a tragic event caused Liam to push everyone away. They decide to play along with their grandfathers' blackmail scheme, hoping to inherit their family businesses to save their legacies. Along they way, they find their way back into each other's hearts.

This was a delightful romance that hits you in the feels while it takes you on a fun over-the-top journey. The premise was a very dramatic - a forced engagement under blackmail by two grandfathers - but I found this book so utterly charming that I bought into the premise. The charm of this book was largely due to Abuelo and Killian and their silly antics. They were hilarious while they schemed and got into all sorts of trouble. I loved that they forced Kamilah and Liam to get out of their heads so they could start to live their lives. Those two wise old men had lots of life lessons and lessons about love to impart to their families and they warmed my heart.

This book comes off as an enemies-to-lovers romance at first, but underneath that layer is a friends-to-lovers and unrequited love story. Kamilah and Liam were estranged because Liam isolated himself for over a decade. He had a very traumatic experience that caused him to close up and he still struggled with letting people in. His grandfather knew that he needed a push to open up again, and what better way than to blackmail him into a relationship? Once Kamilah and Liam get past the initial awkwardness of having to spend time together, I loved the slow burn of their reignited connection. They slowly made their way to becoming lovers and I loved the sexy and erotic talking Liam that was hidden under his icy façade.

I especially liked Kamilah's character in this book. She was selfless in her dedication to her family and their business. I loved that she was optimistic and lived her life with passion. Her delightful personality was a perfect balance for Liam's cold and stony personality. Kamilah's journey in finding her own success and realizing that putting her family first didn't mean that it needed to be at the expense of her happiness was something many people can relate to.

This is a highly entertaining enemies-to-lovers story that I really enjoyed!

Steam level: 🔥🔥½
⚠️: cancer, PTSD, drowning, death of a loved one