4.5 stars

I don't read a lot of books in this genre, but Hunter is an author I enjoy, and this one was no exception!

This story reminded me of the feel-good Hallmark movies ... and that's a good thing, in my opinion! It has the right blend of romance and obstacles with characters you can't help but like and root for. There is also a nice mystery to balance things out. I loved the epigraphs at the beginning of each chapter on how to write a romance, as the heroine was attempting to do for the first time in her writing career. I'm a writer (and a former teacher), so I found them interesting (as it's not the genre I write), and it made it easy for me to connect with Sadie. And of course, as a fan of all things bookish, I loved the fact that Sadie created a Little Library!


It's a sweet romance that will have you smiling throughout. It's the perfect beach read!

I truly enjoyed this lovely romance. Just enough tension and a beautiful setting. As always this author has a hit. Enjoy.

I really enjoyed Sadie and Sam's story. They're each staying in the same duplex, escaping their respective homes for very different reasons.

Sadie's under a deadline to write a novel in a completely different genre than she normally writes. The stakes are high because she either has to make this work or return the advance she'd received for the book her publisher no longer wants.

Sam is nursing a wounded heart and a bruised ego after his fiance leaves him for his best friend (and cousin). Working in the family business has its perks, but not when he has to face the two of them every day.

Since Sadie will do anything to avoid having to start writing, she sets her sights to getting Mr. Grumpy Pants to relax a bit, and things take off from there.

I especially liked how the epigraph for each chapter was from a book outlining how to write a romance. As Sadie was trying to make progress on her writing, what was playing out in her and Sam's story mirrored what should have been playing out in the novel she was struggling (at first) to write.

Well done! Thank you Denise Hunter, Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

A Novel Proposal
Denise Hunter
March 21, 2023

Sadie Goodwin, a twenty-six year old art teacher from New York City spends her summers writing western themed books. When out of the blue Gillian, her editor calls. Sadie is midway into the third book of her Lonesome Ridge series so she felt it was just a quick ‘how is the new story’? Not so,the publisher had called it quits on her books. In order to reimburse them for her publishing advance, a substantial $20,000, she would need to start writing a romance novel.
What a shock! She had never written about love in any form. Her best friend, Caroline, suggested moving to her mom’s beach cottage duplex in South Carolina. After discussions, Sadie found herself on the road south with most of her belongings. Perhaps quiet and sunshine would help her pave the way to writing about something she had never experienced - dating? Yes… love?...never.
A Novel Proposal will be published byThomas Nelson on March 21, 2023. I appreciate their allowing me to read and review Denise Hunter’s latest novel via NetGalley. It is excellent, well-written yet a totally different style. With each chapter we find a heading describing the method of writing by means of Romance Writing 101. It gives our protagonist the rules to follow when she writes. We are also provided with Sadie’s life with an introduction to her duplex roommate, the adorable, good-looking, but cranky Sam Ford.
This is a fun, delightful read. I suggest it to all fans of Denise Hunter and all those searching for a really different style of rom-com. Do enjoy!

Sadie Goodwin is a New York teacher during the school year and an author during the summer. She is asked to change genres from westerns to romance. The problem is she's never been in love. Her best friend arranges for Sadie to house-sit her mother's beach property in North Carolina during her summer break. What a perfect place to write a romance novel. At first Sadie was a little over the top especially for her reclusive neighbor (and me a little bit too, to be honest). But I ended up not being able to put this story down! Sam Ford, her neighbor after much heartache, turns out to be a noble character. He still struggles with trust issues. Sadie became more adorable when seen through Sam's eyes.

I liked how each one had time to recognize their mistakes, great character growth. I enjoyed how each chapter begins with a short quotation at the beginning of each chapter on how to write a romance novel which was a perfect segue into the chapter. I loved the Little Library Sadie builds and uses it to meet people and recommend books.

Themes of pursuing your dreams, misconstruing/misunderstanding things that happened in childhood, how that affects current actions, betrayal and how that affects one's ability to trust, and running from difficult feelings or realities.

I really enjoyed this sweet beach romance and recommend this story for your next trip to the beach!

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for allowing me to read an early copy. All opinions are my own!

What I read: A Novel Proposal by Denise Hunter

Why I picked it up: Years ago I read and re-read all of Denise’s books because I loved them so much, so I was excited to see her new one available on NetGalley. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

How I read it: On e-galley over the weekend.

What it’s about: Sadie is a writer of Westerns – the only problem is she’s got about three devoted readers, so her publisher wants to back out of their 4 book deal. They either want her to write a romance novel or pay back the advances for her final two books – since she doesn’t have $20k, she decides to try writing a romance novel. Only problem is that she’s never been in love so she’s a little stuck on the particulars. She ends up staying the summer at her friend’s mother’s beach house and meets Sam. He teaches what it means to be in love and their story just might become the story she’s looking for.

What I liked: I loved how outgoing and friendly Sadie was. I could imagine being right there diving in to a new community, finding ways to delight in my little free library, and getting to know the people of the island.

What I disliked: The conflict in the book felt a little simple – he gets angry with her very quickly and jumps to many conclusions.

Genre: Chaste love story, books about books.

Rating & Recommendation: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and definitely. It releases on March 21st.

A Novel Proposal by Denise Hunter takes you to the South Carolina coast with Novelist Sadie Goodwin, needing a change of scenery from her apartment in New York to write her first ever romance. She meets hunky Sam Ford her hunky neighbor and slowly inspiration strikes.
This is a feel good story that has you wanting to know what happens between Sam and Sadie even though the tough times. Highly recommend this sweet HEA!

I was interested in this novel because of the "novelist-struggling-to-write-a-romance" trope, and this story took it one step further by having the novelist main character model her story after her own budding relationship. Plus it was a beach story featuring a Little Free Library and made good use of the opposites-attract and forced-proximity tropes... so it should have been a really lovely, sweet, cozy read.

But it just wasn't, in large part because I couldn't stand the main character. Between the constant baby talk to her dog, the aggressive perkiness toward her neighbor and eventual love interest, and the entitled and casual attitude toward her writing, Sadie drove me absolutely bonkers. Her love interest, Sam, was much less irritating, but his personality was underdeveloped, despite the fact that about half the book was from his point of view, so there wasn't much there to draw me in. I did think the plot was interesting, and Sadie's journey toward a greater understanding of love and her own parents' relationship was worthwhile, but it would have been a much more satisfying read with more likeable, or at least compelling, characters.

This is a romance story about Saide, an elementary art teacher and author, and Sam, who's been betrayed by his cousin and ex-girlfriend, who are now getting married. Sadie comes to the island to avoid distractions that are in NYC to try her hand at writing her first romance novel, because her westerns haven't been selling. Sam is also on the island to lick his wounds from his recent breakup.. Sam and Saide share a duplex. Will their romance story be material for Saide's new novel?

I did enjoy this story, but I was very disappointed in the lack of Christianity in it. It was a clean novel, but it was a little too touchy-feely to me, which are the two reasons I gave it a three-star rating. Forgiveness does play a large role in this story.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #ThomasNelson for an advanced e=copy of this book. All opinions expressed herein are strictly my own.

#ANovelProposal #NetGalley

In A Novel Proposal, we’re introduced to Sadie, a schoolteacher who writes Westerns. Her books haven’t been successful, and her publisher proposes that she write a romance novel. Feeling a need for change, Sadie escapes NYC ffor her roommate’s mom’s beach house in South Carolina.

The beach house is a duplex and in the other side is Sam For, a local from Bluffton (a town I happen to love) who has escaped some family drama.

Struggling to focus on her writing, Sadie installs a little free library on the beach path near her home. In one of the books is a unique find and it’s this find that sends Sadie and Sam on a quest to find the original owner of the book.

A Novel Proposal is a sweet story of unexpected surprises, new adventures, and opening yourself to change.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson Fiction and NetGalley for the ARC. #NetGalley #ANovelProposal

3.5
I have read this author a very long time and her books always hold my entrance. I loved the premise here, and it was very interesting. My thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishing for a copy of this book.

I live in the south, I adore the beach, and the men in my family are all the alpha types . . . so Denise Hunter’s books are right up my ally. I have happily devoured every book she has ever written. Having said that, this one was good, but not my favorite. I loved the setting. I loved the free library on the beach. I loved the basic plot. But for some reason, I never clicked with Sadie’s character. I enjoy a perky female lead, but this one was a little scattered, and her character had a bit of a shallow feel; more mildly annoying than cute. I was excited to see that there was a mystery in this book, but the conclusion of it fell flat for me. The ending also seemed rushed; maybe I would have enjoyed this book more if it had been a bit longer and more developed. (For example, Sadie had a new friendship with a girl from the beach, yet those encounters were all short and vague.) Overall, I enjoyed the book, and it’s definitely worth a read, but just not her best for me. (However, the entire Riverbend series has been excellent; she’s knocking those out of the park!)

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this early copy!

Sadie writes westerns. According to her editor, no one is buying westerns; however, they are buying romance novels. Sadie has never even read a romance novel so she is understandably freaked out over the required change in genres. Wanting to still be a writer, she decides to give it her best shot. When her best friend's mom offers her a free place to stay on the SC coast, she jumps at the chance.

Once in SC, she meets her grumpy neighbor Sam. He is not thrilled about having someone so chatty next door when he is trying to lay low and deal with his own stuff. Sadie makes friends and gets to know the locals that walk past her deck to the beach and visit the Free Little Library she put up on the beach path. When Sadie finds a donated book with a secret compartment containing a diamond ring, she talks a reluctant Sam into helping her. As they trace the books journey from its owner to her Free Little Library, Sadie and Sam become friends. She even thinks Sam may make the perfect romance novel hero.

I really enjoyed this novel and how each chapter began with a tip for writing a romance novel as Sadie's novel progressed.

Cute Book! is about an Art Teacher/Western Writer who needs to write a romance novel, and she doesn't know how to write one, because she had never been in love. I loved that the storyline had me hooked since page one and the way it centers around a Litte-free Libray and the beach setting was perfect, but I wasn't crazy about Sadie or her being a dog mommy (he/she) and like to talk all the time. I enjoyed Sam and his grumpiness and his relationship with his family.

A story about a writer and her creative processes, a little bit of mystery, featuring a quirky, sunshine heroine, a dog, and a wounded grumpy hero recovering from a broken heart, from a betrayal caused by his fiance and cousin. An Okay Read, predictable, Dual POV, Clean Read, kisses only, Lighthearted -Heartwarming story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I love, love, loved this book so much!! The double meaning of the title is perfect! Sadie is a friendly a lovable character from the beginning, and Sam was the perfect wounded and brooding hero in the story. They embark on a quest to find the owner of the engagement ring that Sadie finds in her little free library, and find themselves along the way. Highly recommend this wonderful book!

* I received an e-ARC copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

I enjoyed SO MUCH about this book! I was pleasantly surprised by the uniqueness of the premise - the heroine, an author, spends the summer in a beach duplex trying to write her first romance novel. She’s sweet & spunky, and full of energy and positivity; I found her charming and not at all annoying, which can be hard to pull off! Our hero is an upstanding man of character, protected by a seemingly grumpy exterior, and conveniently shares the other side of the duplex. The relationship that develops is authentic and realistic, originally based on friendship and a mutual quest to find the owner of a lost engagement ring.

While at times understandably predictable, the storyline held elements that kept me guessing. I also kept smiling at the title - perfectly puntastic.

One of my favorite parts was the way the tension in the relationship was handled with a refreshingly healthy resolution. Instead of falling back on popular troupes of miscommunication and avoidance, the author showed an example of healthy communication and conflict management. I also enjoyed seeing the heroine grow in her own development and understanding of herself.

My only complaint is that the heroine is described multiple times as an elementary art teacher who loves her job. But, other than building a Little Free Library and her writing, no other creative projects or art creation of her own is mentioned.

Completely clean. No language; kissing but nothing spicy and no bedroom involvement. Faith is mentioned in the sense that the characters attend church, but it’s not overt or evangelistic. I would describe it as Clean Romance Fiction as opposed to Christian Fiction.

Denise Hunter is a go to author for me and A Novel Proposal is another wonderful read. Set on an island off the coast of South Carolina, this is a great beach read. Fun and realistic characters and their interactions kept me reading. Perky and outgoing Sadie is there for the summer to write a romance novel. She is having trouble because she has never been in love and has always written westerns. Sam is her neighbor in the duplex where she is staying. Sam had a hurtful breakup and Sadie grates on his nerves. Until he gets to know her. She built a Little Library on the beach access, and someone left a book with a special cutout and lovely piece of jewelry inside. The two make a deal. He will help her find the owner of the book if she will be his plus one at the wedding of his ex and cousin, who is or was his best friend. Real life events help Sadie come up with an idea for her novel. This is really a novel within a novel. Lots of fun with sparks, healing, trust, faith, and bumps along the way make this a great read that is a little different from other Denise Hunter books.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A Novel Proposal by Denise Hunter was a sweet romance with a little mystery. I enjoyed this fun beach read. And don’t you just love it when the book cover matches the book so well!
I always look forward to her new releases. I don’t know how she does it, but she just keeps getting better. Be sure to have plenty of time to flip the pages in this one because you won’t want to put it down. I devoured it!

It was fun to read the rules for writing a romance and how they would play out for the characters. I was invested in the characters and wanted them to get their happily every after. His sister Hayley was a fun addition. Sam was a better person than me to give such a beautiful toast at the wedding. #lifegoals

The beach setting has me longing for a beach vacation.

I recommend the book if you enjoy a sweet romance.
Sexual content – kissing
Triggers – Sam is recovering from his girlfriend’s cheating

I love this author, the words flew off the page, and I wanted more!

We meet a man who it seems has suffered the ultimate betrayal, and Sam who is healing his wounds has rented part of a duplex on the beach in South Carolina. His peace and quiet are now in for a rude awaking when Sadie arrives. She is all in a dither, what is she going to do, when a dear friends mother gives her the use of part of a duplex for the summer. You guessed it! Sadie now is residing next to Sam.

This turns into a sweet romance, but there are obstacles and we journey with this couple, or should I say neighbors.

Pretty soon these neighbors are focusing on an engagement ring, and the journey to find the owner, well, it is not what you expect, and how this all ends up quickly became a page turner!

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Thomas Nelson, and was not required to give a positive review.

A Novel Proposal by Denise Hunter is a wonderful romance story. I loved Sams and Sadie story that takes place by the ocean. Wouldn’t it be cool to find a ring in a book? I love books for the words but to find a ring in a book and go on a quest to find the owner would be wonderful. Read the story you will love it.