A fun beach read for sure and certain! I live on the beach so this was right up my alley! Sam and Sadie's story made me root for them and giggle throughout this novel at them too!
I've been noticing a few LFL's here in Daytona Beach FL too! I discovered one at a park.last week! I think they're cute!
Anyway, Hunter has written another enjoyable novel that I simply couldn't put down! She's an amazing author and I'm never disappointed in her books!
This is another of my favorite reads for 2022.
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
5 stars for a job well done! I highly recommend!

Denise Hunter is one of my favorite authors. Love this story of Sadie and Sam set at the beach. Rally good story.

A Novel Proposal is another wonderful read by Denise Hunter. I loved getting to know Sadie and travelling to the North Carolina coast. I loved it. Five Stars.

A perfect beach read from Hunter! Loved this sweet story--predictable and fun.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book so that I got to enjoy it in advance!

A sweet, beachy romance - easy to read and an engaging storyline!

Sadie and Sam spend the summer sharing a beachfront duplex - each running away from past disappointments. Sadie needs to change direction in her writing career, leaving behind the westerns she's always loved and pen a romance novel....only she's never been in love! Sam's hiding out from his life after catching his cousin hooking up with his girlfriend and trying to stay away from romance.

I have a Little Free Library in my front yard and was totally intrigued by this novel having a storyline set around a LFL and thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! I love how the library was incorporated into the story and how it explains to concept behind the libraries and how important they are in smaller, rural communities. I loved reading how Sadie took care of the library and all the patron's had great stories, too.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

A Novel Proposal is another delightful romance from Denise Hunter. It’s an easy beach read with fun characters and a swoon worthy island beach setting. I enjoyed how the romance built slowly between Sadie and Sam as they gradually became friends and then their friendship started budding into something more. As always, a sweet light read with a happy ending!

A NOVEL PROPOSAL by DENISE HUNTER is a most enjoyable read with unforgettable characters and an interesting plot. I like the way each chapter starts with a quotation from “Romance Writing 101” as we follow Western novelist Sadie Goodwin in her quest to write her first romance novel. She has a problem - she has never been in love! She also has a fear of getting into a relationship in case it ends up like her parents’ shaky marriage.
Sam Ford, hee neighbour at the duplex she is staying in at the beach, seems to be an ideal choice as the hero in her book. After a less than friendly start, finding a hollowed out copy of Christy in the Little Free Library Sadie has set up, with an engagement ring inside, leads to the two of them working together to find the owner.
Sam has been let down by Amanda and his cousin and best friend Tag, and finds it hard to trust because of their betrayal. He helps in Sadie’s search for the ring’s owner on condition that she will be his plus one at Amanda and Tag’s designer wedding……
Add a Maltupoo called Rio, a best friend called Caroline who is a dog walker and thus always surrounded by dogs, Sam’s younger sister Hayley, his interfering but loving parents, and Sadie’s numerous new friends, and you have all the ingredients for a really great read.
The title of the book is very apt and I also like the hint of a Christian message, especially where forgiveness and grace are concerned.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Thomas Nelson The opinions in this review are completely my own.

Sadie teaches art at an elementary school, but on her breaks, she writes western novels. Unfortunately, her publisher is not happy with her sales and wants her to branch into another genre--specifically romance. Her best friend's mom owns a duplex on an island off the South Carolina coast and sets it up so that Sadie can go spend her summer writing without distractions. The other half of the duplex is occupied by Sam, a man who wanted nothing but solitude for the summer. Sadie and Sam are polar opposites
When Sadie's agent described what the publisher was looking for, she described the "romance novel formula" to a T.

Boy meets girl
Boy gets girl
Boy loses girl
Boy and girl get back together again.
Well, this is exactly the way the story played out, except in reverse--girl meets boy, girl gets boy, etc. Denise Hunter has taken the basic romance formula and built a novel with it, but she's done it with more skill than the cheesy romances that usually follow this formula. She has also woven in a bit of a mystery that keeps the reader engaged throughout the plot from beginning to end.

In meeting the characters of this book, I got the impression that Sam was pretty curmudgeonly, while Sadie was over-the-top extrovert. Some of her actions early on bordered on the manic, but she calmed down by the end of the book. The setting on an island right on the ocean makes me a little wistful for beaches and ocean waves. The pupster, Rio, a malti-poo, was the icing on this wonderful cake.

Solid Four Stars

Thomas Nelson Publishing provided the copy I read for this review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

Denise Hunter's books are always a treat, but A Novel Proposal is nothing short of wonderful. This book is THE perfect beach read. It has all the needed components of romance, heartache, the beach, books, a dog, and a little mystery. Hunter does a fabulous job by tying up all the elements in the life of the characters, Sadie and Sam. Beach lovers and fans of Denise Hunter will devour this one. Don't miss it!

Sadie had never been in love before and when her editor told her that she needed to write a romance novel, instead of another western, she had no idea what to do! Her parents weren’t good role models when it came to having a loving relationship and she just hadn’t met the right guy yet. Sadie wanted a magical romance with walks on the beach, romantic dates and a man that loved her with his whole heart. Was that too much to ask?

To accomplish this, Sadie needed a quiet place to write so she escaped from the big city and drove all night to the beach with her dog Rio, and a big box of romance novels she was using for research. If she could just envision herself as the heroine in one of those books then perhaps it would help with her own happily ever after.

Fortunately for Sadie, her next door neighbor at the beach was the perfect book boyfriend even though he was a bit grouchy. Sam was tall, dark and handsome with dreamy eyes and a sexy smile. He made her heart flutter whenever they were together and Sadie had feelings for him that she never had before. Sadie wondered if this was what it felt like to be in love. If so, then maybe writing about how Sam made her feel would be a good way to plot out her book. Sadie had to finish writing her book by the end of the Summer and she hoped that her time spent with Sam at the beach would fill her with memories that would last a lifetime.

That was just about the sweetest romance novel I’ve read in a while. Sadie and Sam are both renting a home at the beach for different reasons, but their overlap turns into a very satisfying read. I enjoyed everything about it—the setting, the shared quest, and the connection. Five stars.

Following the story of budding author Sadie Goodwin, we see this young writer come up against a writer’s block of her own when her publisher terminates her contract for writing westerns and requests she write romances instead. Never having been in love, Sadie finds this to be a challenge, and fully immerses herself in the romance world, taking time away from her teaching job in New York to spend the summer in a beachfront duplex to write away.

Her neighbor in the other side of the house, Sam Ford, is a grumpy landscape guy just looking for some peace from family drama and healing from his ex-girlfriend breaking his trust. When Sadie moves in, he is initially annoyed by her upbeatness, but is soon drawn in to a mystery she needs his help in solving.

I would say more but I’m trying very hard not to get into spoilers, so I’ll leave it at that and say that I really enjoyed this lighthearted, beach read. Even though it’s winter, this book made it feel like summer–light, happy, and warm. Sure, it was a little simple and cheesy, but it made for a quick read and left me feeling happy, so I can’t beat on it for that. 🙂

Thank you to Thomas Nelson and Net Galley for providing me with an advanced electronic copy of this book to read and review; all opinions are my own and were not required to be positive.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion – which I’ve done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

A Novel Proposal by Denise Hunter is such a delightful read. The story truly captured my heart.

When Sadie Goodwin is given the ultimatum of changing her genre of writing, she feels totally out of her element. She has only written westerns, but she must change course or return her $20,000 advance. How can she return what she has already spent? And the new genre? Romance. What does Sadie know about Romance? She's never been in love!

Finding refuge in a beach cottage, Sam is the next door neighbor. A quiet man who is running away from a very hurtful situation. He finds Sadie's enthusiasm and optimism a bit too much. When they find an engagement ring hidden in a donated book, they team up to find the owner.

But as time goes on, romance is in the air. Even though both Sam and Sadie fully deny it, because after all, her home is in New York City, and he is a local resident.

I totally loved this book. I loved Sadie's enthusiasm and her way of procrastinating about her writing deadline. And Sam was such a gentleman. A hero in my book. A clean enjoyable read. Denise Hunter is a master storyteller. Writing well rounded sound characters, she is able to covey her characters deep feelings and emotions. Great dialog and very engaging reading. I've read many of her other novels and she never disappoints. Publication is in March but it is definitely a must read.

I received a complimentary an e-copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was a sweet romance that was an enjoyable fast read. The story did a great job of illustrating how past experiences influence current relationships, particularly when it comes to trust and vulnerability.

I think this book is considered Christian Fiction, which I didn’t know was a thing. God was mentioned only a handful of times, but what it seems to really mean is that you won’t see any f-bombs or read any steamy sex scenes.

That said, this was a charming story without the romance sex I’m used to reading. The story is about Sadie, an author of western stories (think John Wayne) who is forced to write a romance novel by her publisher. She travels from her home in NYC to spend the summer at the beach in South Carolina- where she shares a duplex with Sam, a man wounded by love and betrayal.

As Sadie and Sam’s relationship changes and grows, Sadie uses their story as the basis of her romance book. There is a fun side story about a book with a hidden compartment that initiates Sadie and Sam’s relationship. This book cleverly follows the usual romance cycle (“Romance Writing 101”), and the characters were well developed and engaging and I cared about their happily ever after.

If you are a Hallmark movie watcher, you will definitely like this book. Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an advance reader copy. All the stated opinions are my own.

A delightful romantic story with an incursion into the writing and creative processes, featuring a sweet, quirky, amusing heroine and a grumpy hero recovering from a broken heart, “A Novel Proposal”, by Denise Hunter (Thomas Nelson), is a very enjoyable read where you dive into a fictional world inhabited by realistic, relatable characters.
I really liked the contrast between Sadie’s sunny disposition and Sam’s somber state of mind, how they clash in the beginning, and then Sam gradually becomes attracted by the positivity she radiates.
The improbable romance between the intellectual heroine and the blue collar hero is so sweet and their attraction and chemistry as they spend time and do things together is palpable.
The heroine’s innocence, even naiveté, and tendency to talk incessantly, were so well written, and there were some funny moments because of it.
We could feel how “Miss Chaterbox” could be annoying sometimes, especially for someone seeking isolation like Sam, but the character’s genuineness and spontaneity were sweet and charming. She’s generous, compassionate and kind.
I also liked Sam, his solid personality and loving family. His current brooding tendencies and the need to avoid human contact are really cute and the story behind it so real. The way Denise Hunter wrote the forgiving process involving the cousin, Tag, (and his humbleness) was great.
I loved the insight into the writer having to change genres because of commercial imperatives and the anguish and insecurities the poor author has to face, showing how creativeness is really a mixture of talent and very hard work.
The story within the story and the inspiration Sadie finds in reality, her experiences and in Sam are very interesting, too, as is the secret they try to unveil.
I always love Denise Hunter’s talent for creating fictional universes that feel real and vivid and allow readers to be immersed in them forgetting the real world. Her ability to draw you into the characters’ lives and empathize with their struggles is top notch.
The side characters are wonderful too, especially Sam’s little sister, Hayley. And the dog, Rio, what a cute animal.
I liked the setting, too, situated in a beach in South Caroline.

Thank you Thomas Nelson and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

A Novel Proposal will debut on 21st March 2023 and I’m glad I got my hands on it earlier.

This was a very sweet, very not steamy, story. It features a schoolteacher and part-time writer (whose books were getting unpublished and she needed to write a new genre) and our grumpy but not actually grumpy guy next-door.

It started off like the grumpy sunshine trope we all love so much (by we I mean me), and then there was some investigative adventure.

To be honest, I love the pacing of this book, but I’m currently in need of some hot angst and steamy scenes so this was a so-so for me.

Everything was perfectly executed, nice progress, a-okay relationship development and character growth, but yes, no steam and very YA.

I enjoyed it, though!

Denise Hunter has done it again! A Novel Proposal is pure reading pleasure! 5 stars!

What could be better than a romance book about a fiction author changing genres and writing her first romance book? I'll tell you what, a romance that also includes a mystery to solve involving a treasure found inside a book left at a homemade little free library!
I loved brooding summer neighbor Sam and bubbly optimistic Sadie with her little sidekick Rio. The beachside duplex is the perfect setting for this opposites attract story. There are a lot of laugh out loud moments, but my favorite would have to be,
"He'd known he was falling for her Thursday when he'd walked in on her one-woman conga line."

I also enjoyed the "Romance Writing 101" quotes. Such a cute way to start each chapter!

I can always count on Denise Hunter for a wonderful romance! A Novel Proposal explores all the emotional highs and lows of relationships and concludes with a terrific happy ever after readers are sure to be delighted with. I appreciate Thomas Nelson making a copy of A Novel Proposal available for review. All thoughts and opinions are my very own.

A nice, clean, easy romance. These just make me so peaceful and hopeful.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3 1/2 elevated to 4.

This is a sweet light read from the author, definitely much different from her last release.

Sadie and Sam seem to be opposites in every way but being neighbors puts them in close contact, which turns even closer when Sadie ropes Sam into helping her with a project.

I really liked the setting of the beach and the secondary characters, and the little library was the perfect touch.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

Denise Hunter is one of my favorite authors and I get giddy with excitement every time one of her new books comes out. That being said, I didn’t fall in love with A Novel Proposal at the beginning. Sadie got on my nerves and was a little too much. But, as the novel progressed I fell in love with Sam and Sadie’s story. I loved the twists and “mystery” that the plot encompassed as well. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Denise Hunter’s latest gem.