When I tell you I have never clicked so fast on a "Read Now" on Netgalley IN MY LIFE! I've also never immediately started reading an ARC after downloading it, but with this one, how could I not???! Sonora Reyes has become one of my favorite authors this year, and for good reason. I fell in love with their books because of the queer, mental illness, and autism reps (OwnVoices), all focused on Mexican-American characters.

Like Sonora Reyes' other books, The Broposal is not without trauma (pleeeease check content warnings!!), so don't go in expecting a just light and fluffy fake dating/marriage of convenience romcom. Like seriously, this book is HEAVY. Of course, Han and Kenny together are FLUFFY PANCAKE MAGIC (pancakes have nothing to do with the book or their relationship, but the word fluffy reminds me of pancakes because who doesn't love a fluffy pancake). If you're not a fan of friends to lovers romance books, I still think you'd like this one! The way Han and Kenny slowly come to realize their feelings for each other is beautifully done. The buildup in tension was just... UGH. Chef's kiss. At so many points I just wanted to (consensually) smush Han and Kenny's faces together and be like "WAKE UP ALREADY, YOU'RE PERFECT FOR EACH OTHER GOSH DARN IT." Han's realization that he was in love with Kenny was also complicated by the fact that he thought he was "straight," LOL.

When Han loses his job that promised him a green card, he fears impending deportation to a place he hasn't been to since he was a young child. His best friend and roommate, Kenny, offers to marry him so Han can get his green card and eventually become naturalized. Kenny has been in an on-again-off-again abusive relationship with a girl named Jackie since high school. Abuse is about power and control, and I loved how Sonora Reyes depicts its cyclical nature and how it typically gets worse over time. They made it clear that no matter the reason for it, there is no excuse for Jackie's abuse. She is a grown woman making her own choices. Ironically, Jackie works at a shelter for women escaping abusive relationships; I appreciated this detail because a) I'm sure there are more employees who abuse their partners working at shelters than we'd ever be comfortable with knowing, and b) it made it that much harder for Kenny to acknowledge the abuse (not that I wanted it to be hard for him, but it was that much more realistic in showing how abuse can have a stranglehold on so many people).

I also loved the jellyfish motif, and how it kept repeating itself throughout the book!

Last point: I was endeared by Han's emotional constipation and his overuse of the term "bro" to avoid expressing any type of vulnerability. I loved that he watched Disney movies to make himself cry (relatable, honestly).

I can't wait to read whatever Sonora Reyes writes next (which will apparently be out in 2026)!

Could not put this down, I read it in like 3 hours. I love it when gay people it's so fun. The icky characters got what was coming those parts were great and I loved all the side characters.

This was an incredibly sweet and genuine portrayal of what friendship turned to romantic love looks like. The two main characters have such distinctive personalities and it was clear to see what they saw in each other. I appreciated the communication that they had with each other when things were going down.

The "villain" of the book seemed very exaggerated probably because of how the reader was meant to see Kenny's abuse while he was blind to it. And I just wanted to give him a hug at all times.

❤️ For the representation: cultural, mental health, queer

Would recommend for lovers of slow-burn, friends to lovers and anyone that wants a deeper love story.

Was sent this book and immediately dove in. This seemed like exactly what I was in the mood for. It ended up being a little heavier than I expected, but I still enjoyed it a lot.

I love a friends to lovers romance and the way these two were so oblivious had me wanting to shout at my Kindle. But it was understandable as well, because they're each going through some really difficult things. Kenny is just barely getting out of and trying to come to terms with an abusive relationship, and she keeps coming back and trigger him. Han has just lost his job and with it, the chance at a green card, which is terrifying for him. So it makes sense that they both didn't immediately notice their feelings for each other.

The themes in this book were all on the heavier side, but the friendship, and later the romance, was so precious and felt so safe, because even before they started a relationship, they're all in with each other and they're each other's support system. I never had any doubts that these people belonged together, and I loved seeing them spend time together and grow even closer.