This one was better in theory. I like the premise and it could have been a good rom com. If the heroine had actually been likable it would have been a much better book. And the fact that she couldn't let go of grudge. But the guy didn't do anything to her other that not knowing she existed.

This was such a fun and humorous read! Always enjoy a book that has a bookish element to it. The second chance romance in this was also done really well! A great book to fly through.

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The cover, the description, the title --- all of it sounded perfect, and I requested this book so quickly it's a little pathetic. Unfortunately, the book didn't live up to my expectations. The characters felt extremely juvenile, which is disappointing as I am roughly the same age as them. The jokes were awkward at best and cringe-worthy at worst, and I honestly almost DNFed. Perhaps people in their late teens/early twenties would enjoy this book, but I didn't find it relatable in the least.

When I saw the premise of the book, a romance author and her unrequited crush from high school teaming up to write a novel requested it immediately, however, there were some parts that I felt should have been developed more throughout the book to show the characters growth. I also had a hard time believing that Gracie ever really had feelings for Colin the way they interacted felt very superficial.

Overall, this wasn't a bad read it just lacked some of the story development and character growth that I think could've made this novel a 4 star book!

I have mixed feelings about this book. It was laugh out loud funny at multiple moments and the MCs were intensely likable. However, the plot felt incredibly fast paced. The entire story took place over just the course of a very weeks. It would have been much more plausible for the timeline to have extended.
Additionally, the third act breakup and the reasoning behind it felt completely impossible. It read entirely too much like a soap opera. That can sometimes be fun in a kooky sort of way but in this book it was just a bit too unbelievable.
Ultimately, I stuck with the story and rated it 3 stars simply because I did really enjoy Colin and Grace. Their chemistry was apparent and they were both funny and flawed characters. I was rooting for them the entire time, which is always important in a romance. This was a fun read, if a bit sloppy in its overall execution.

I wanted to love this book, but sadly I didn’t. Gracie was super cringe and basically wrote fan fiction about her high school crush and GAVE IT to her crush. The Alfredo shart portion of the book was too much for me. I had to read it twice and then read it out loud to my mom so she understood what I was going through. I would’ve liked to see more from Colin’s POV maybe about him noticing Gracie in high school? Idk, overall I just wasn’t super impressed. Ends with an HEA though!

When I saw that this was a book about a romance author and her crush from high school teaming up to write a novel, I was so intrigued by the concept because I was expecting angst and slow burn, but I was just disappointed by how this book came out. The entire story takes place in a course of like a week or two.

Both the characters are 30+, but they are so immature and irrational that I feel like it would've been better written as a high school romance. I didn't see any character development. The thing that pissed me off the most was a lot of uncomfortable jokes made in this book. I tried to ignore it a few times but it happened so much that it got hard to ignore it. Once again, if they were teenagers this would've settled better with me rather than 30-year-olds. I can't focus enough on the weirdness of jokes made in this book and I just do not like it and it's not something that I liked.

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun and light rom-com with a unique premise. The main character was really immature, but I think that’s relatable to anyone that remembers how they might have been when they were her age. This could have had more depth, and a bit more character development, but it still an entertaining read.

Gracie is a romance writer who desperately needs to get some progress in her latest novel, but it just isn't happening -- until she meets Colin, who has an amazing, appealing story. She can't resist using his story for her work, and that gets her into all kinds of trouble. A great romance that I look forward to recommending.

Gracie and Colin have both been through A LOT. Cheated on, dumped, humiliated, stressed out at work. One night, after Gracie has reached her breaking point, she drunk-emails her high school crush. What happens next...well, it had a lot of potential.

I thought this book was really cute, but definitely had it's share of problems. Gracie was FUNNY but their emails back and forth were so wooden. I had a hard time picturing Gracie and Colin in their 30s when they act/talk like mayyyybe 19 year olds. And Gracie is "big" and "curvy" at 5'6 and 145 lbs. Hahahahahahahahaha NO. Overall, this one had a lot of potential but ultimately fell flat.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

3 stars. Two words: alfredo shart.

I swear, this is an actual thing mentioned early on in "The Book Proposal" by KJ Micciche. Trust me when I say that I am SURE this is the moment at least 50% of readers checked out and signed off from reading this book. I am *not* a *prude,* so I kept reading. I personally think *more* romance books should be *more* real when it comes to women, you know, functioning as actual human beings with real-life bodies, and if alfredo sharts are the way to do it, by all means, shart away! Have you never actually met an adult who acts like a teenager? I know several! They DO exist! I enjoyed the main character, Gracie, and I appreciate the fact that her life is an absolute mess. She's a little judgmental, but it didn't bother me. She teeters on "not being able to care for herself as a functioning adult" territory, but hey, some people are just terrible with money?? Does this sound like an excuse? Maybe so. I didn't love Colin as a character. Some of the stuff he says early on in the book is sexist, fatphobic, and downright rude. It sets the tone for him going forward. I couldn't for the life of me understand why Gracie wanted to be with him apart from the nostalgic feelings she had about him in high school. He sounds like a real douchebag. Because of this, I did not find myself rooting for Gracie and Colin to get together. The writing is a little all over the place. There are too many side characters who contribute nothing to the overall plot. The story is also very predictable. Luckily, you can push through this book in a day or two because it's a fast-paced read. I will admit, I skimmed a few chapters towards the end since I knew where the story was going. I rarely if ever do that, but I just wanted to be done with this book. I won't recommend it to anyone, but I think people are being way too harsh about the potty humor aspect of this novel. Stop being prudes and get over it.

Thank you to NetGalley, KJ Micciche, and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca for providing me with an ARC copy of this book! All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for my review.

A sassy, provocative, unlikely love story. This novel was filled with the best niche tropes: dual POVs, a former high school crush, email flirting, strangers-to-friends-to-lovers, and of course, the extrovert v. introvert romance. This is a wonderful modern parody of "You've Got Mail," with the hilarious emailing back and forth between the main characters. Grace is such a relatable protagonist and I love that she stated outright all of her insecurities for the reader to understand. Her dating history is annoyingly universal and her high school bullying story made this novel stand out to me. Her relatability and self-deprecating humor really struck a chord with me. This is the perfect read for nineties romcom film lovers and young people in their twenties who are just trying to get their act together.

I didn't find the narrator of this book enjoyable. I DNF very early in. This could be a factor of not the right time, but I couldn't connect to the characters.


I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

It's definitely a romance. I just don't know who it's for. I wanted to say New Adult because how young the characters act but they're in their 30s. I think more things would make sense if they were barely out of college. There were other parts that was just a bit cringey and could do without. Somethings are just ugh.
It also just ends.

This was a sore disappointment. The author has dumped some unique ideas into this book but seemingly forgot to arrange them. Micciche's writing felt monotonous and sloppy, with the POVs that made no sense. The backstories were creative but presented in random and completely irrelevant places. About the characters, there is nothing remotely interesting about them, with their personalities so dull that I couldn't wait to finish reading.

Final thoughts- The book is a sleeping pill, so don't buy this for entertainment. If you're looking for some out-of-the-box sub-plots, this could help. (I haven't come across any of these ideas before, and that was the one thing that kept me going)

PS: I hate being so harsh with my thoughts, but I found this read quite frustrating and can't think of a better way to convey my emotions.

Gracie Landing is having a rough go of it. Her ex-fiance is marrying their former wedding planner, she needs money, and she is suffering from writer's block. So after one too many drinks, she messages her old high school crush, Colin, whom she hasn't spoken to in 15 years. He responds, and after some friendly back-and-forth banter and tales of Colin's romance issues, Gracie begins to write Colin's story. But will they fall in love in the process?

Unfortunately, the premise was cute, but the execution was a hot mess.

If the author didn't tell you, you would never know these characters are in their 30s. All the characters in this book are some of the most immature characters I have ever read. The sheer amount of fart/poop jokes is astonishing. The female lead sharts herself at the beginning of the book. If that wasn't enough, there were several jokes regarding STDs. None of it is funny. The dialogue also feels very young. None of it worked for me.

Further, the characters have zero chemistry. The entire plot takes place over the course of 2 weeks. You have no time to fall in love with them as a couple. Further, both of them are terrible, and I didn't care what happened to them.

Colin and his terrible friend have some very problematic views of women. The way they spoke about women was gross and cringey.

The fact that I read this entire book should win me an award.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Book Proposal by finds romance author Gracie in the aftermath of a drunk hate email that she sent her high school crush, Colin, because he inadvertently gave her an unfortunate nickname. He is so offended by her insults that he feels the need to respond and defend himself. From there, an ongoing correspondence begins and a friendship blossoms.

This book is so incredibly funny. I absolutely loved the email banter between Gracie and Colin. They bounced so well off of each other and it help really build the tension between them before things turned romantic.

I cannot say enough about how hilarious this book is and how hungry it made me. I'm such a sucker for any book with food involved, and now I desperately want to hop on the train to NYC to taste all of the things! I'll even forgive the author for her Boston bagel slander, because let's face it, she's right.

I highly recommend this one for anyone who likes books about writers, hot lawyers, softball, and romances that leave you grinning your butt off!

Thank you so much to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

The Book Proposal is laugh-out-loud funny. I highlighted so many passages in the first 50% of the book that I should have just highlighted every page to save myself some time.

Gracie is wildly, refreshingly three-dimensional. Most of the funniest portions of this novel are seen through Gracie's internal monologue. Her thought process and musings completely reminded me of conversations I've had with my best friends and wouldn't even bat an eye.

Colin was a pleasant surprise. If someone drunk emailed me to tell me I was less-than-stellar, I can't say I would have handled it with as much... dare I say... Grace. Colin handles it beautifully, though, and their correspondence afterward feels masterfully done.

I loved this novel and I hope that everyone who picks it up and reads it loves it too. I can't wait for more books by KJ Micciche. Thank you!

Gracie Landing has had a heck of a year. Her fiancee was boinking the wedding planner and knocked her up, she is broke, and she is suffering from writer’s block. So when her best friends took her out to cheer her up, she got blitzed. Instead of drunk texting her ex, Gracie drunk emails her high school crush, Colin Yarmouth. Colin, who is going through some issues, is shocked when Gracie emails him. He is also intrigued. His reply to her email snowballs to them emailing and texting daily. When Colin shares his unhappily ever after with Gracie, she uses it as the base for a novel (with his permission). Gracie doesn’t know that Colin’s story is about to wreak havoc on all areas of her life. Will Gracie come out the other side of the fallout unscathed? Will she be able to continue having a relationship with Colin? Or is everything over before it had a chance to begin?

I have been reading many books that either feature authors or publishers or are in some way about books. Four of the last six books I have read have been what I stated above. Don’t get me wrong; I am not complaining. I like it when a book centers around a book. That is one of the main reasons I decided to read The Book Proposal.

The Book Proposal is a fast-paced book in Brooklyn and Queens. The pacing was right for this book. With the quick dialogue (Gracie had some epic snapback comebacks), the book would have lost some of its “oomph” for me if it had gone slower. Also, the pace matched the almost frantic pace of the characters’ lives and the city where they lived.

The Book Proposal’s main storyline concerns Gracie, her writer’s block, and her email to Colin. I loved that Gracie was a romance writer that wrote smut. Some of the best lines were when she tried to develop the dialogue between the two characters in her newest book. I was dying laughing while reading. It also made me want to read that book (even if it was fictional). Oh, and let’s not forget the steamy secret admirer letters she wrote to Colin in high school. Again, they were epic.

I wouldn’t say Gracie was a hot mess. At the book’s beginning, she is immature and doesn’t know what she wants. But her character growth (helped by a very steady Colin) was good for a romance. I liked that she became self-aware that she caused her messes. I also liked that she realized she didn’t need a man to make her happy.

Gracie’s drunken email to Colin was epic. I have heard about drunk texting (never done it, my drunken days consisted of drunk dialing, and yes, I am that old), but drunk emailing was another thing. Her email was because she blamed him for the nickname (Elvis) she got in high school. I also liked that the author kept them to email, texts, and eventually seeing each other.

Colin’s backstory was just as bad as Gracie’s. It took a while for Colin to tell Gracie what happened. All I have to say is, “Yikes,” and I didn’t blame him for divorcing his wife. Colin also had his issues, which were centered around his father. Colin’s father was an idiot and a jerk. I loved that he got his comeuppance at the end of the book. He deserved it.

The romance angle was interesting. It’s interesting because it didn’t present as a romance until Gracie and Colin met face to face. Put it this way, if I didn’t know I was reading a romance, I would have figured this book to be a chick lit. But, once the feelings got turned on, they were all in. Of course, as in any romance novel, there are a few detours and roadblocks. I liked that Gracie and Colin (unwillingly on his end) dealt healthily with those detours and roadblocks.

There were a couple of twists to this book that did take me by surprise. One is the connection between Colin, Gracie, and Colin’s ex-wife. I was not expecting that minor storyline to blow up the way it did or its ripple effects (good and bad). The other twist was between Gracie and her ex. Again, I was surprised to see him show up toward the end of the book. But, in this case, I did get a good laugh. All I will say about him showing up is: “You reap what you sow,” and Gracie was lucky to avoid marrying that hot mess.

The end of The Book Proposal had me feeling conflicting emotions. On the one hand, I was mad and sad for Gracie and Colin. But I felt that Gracie did the right thing, and while it felt like she was getting the short end of the stick, she didn’t. On the other hand, I was super happy for Gracie and Colin. I loved that they got their HEA.

I recommend The Book Proposal to anyone over 21. There is language, mild violence, and nongraphic sexual situations. Also, see my trigger warnings at the beginning of the review.

Many thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca, NetGalley, and KJ Micciche for allowing me to read and review The Book Proposal. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

I received a complimentary copy from Sourcebooks Casablanca and all opinions expressed are entirely my own,

This is my first K.J Micciche book and I enjoyed it . The Book Proposal is every bookish readers dream but it's quite unreal and a perfect escape from the world. It tells the story of Gracie who is a romance writer with writer's block and so one day after drinking one too many ends up emailing the one guy that didn't like her back. The guy she emails is Colin and isn't as sweet as she expected initially on email but they end up talking. The premise of the book was fun and I expected to like the book but could have used more banter but overall an enjoyable read.