<b> Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio for providing me with an advance copy of this audiobook! As a fan of Hallmark-esque romance novels, I couldn't wait to dive into <i> The Broposal </i> by Sonora Reyes, and it certainly didn't dissappoint. </b>
<u><b> 3 ★★★'s!! </b></u>
<i><b> The Broposal </i> follows the story of Alejandro and Kenny, two best friends and roommates who navigate their personal challenges while developing feelings for each other. The book is told from both their perspectives, but it primarily centers on Alejandro. </b> As he faces the precarious situation of obtaining his green card after losing his job due to his short temper, Alejandro's world becomes even more complicated. His best friend Kenny, fresh from a toxic relationship with a girlfriend who doesn't accept his bisexuality, is dealing with his own set of struggles.
<b> At its core, this book is a charming exploration of friendship, love, and identity, and it unfolds exactly how you might imagine-a delightful Hallmark-style romance that delivers exactly what it promises. </b>Despite its predictability, the story is heartwarming and easy to fall into, particularly if you love stories where the characters navigate their relationship alongside self-discovery.
<b> One of the standout features of the audiobook was its narration. The voice actors, Andre Santana and Alejandro Antonio Ruiz, brought the characters to life with their engaging performances. </b> Santana's voice captured Kenny's warmth and sarcasm, while Ruiz gave Alejandro's inner turmoil and passion a compelling depth. Their voices complemented each other perfectly, reflecting the bond and contrasting personalities of the two characters. While I enjoyed the overall performance, my one critique woud be that at certain points, the emotion felt somewhat flat-especially in moments that could've benefitted from more intensity. This is a common issue with audiobooks, but it did slightly impact the emotional impact in a few keys scenes.
<b> The frequent use of the word "Bro" also provided a bit of comic relief, though it was repeated so often that it became a bit jarring, especially in more serious moments (I know, it's literally the title of the book). Overall, this audiobook was an enjoyable read that's easy to recommend to fans of sweet, predictable romances with plenty of heart. The cultural elements and the vibrant performances of the voice actors elevate the book, and I'm happy to have had the chance to listen to it. </b>

This was so cute and a breath of fresh air! I loved how it merged pressing issues with comedy and romance. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a little levity but still wanting to discuss hot button issues.

Thank you so much for letting me listen to this audiobook. This was a emotional and romantic story to listen to.

Kenny and Alejandro were the sweetest characters! Their friendship and support for each other was lovely to read throughout the pages. The depiction of Jackie and ICE were so valuable to read in the story. Each added to Han and Kenny's character growths. I enjoy stories in which there is fake dating/fake marriage so when I saw this book synopsis I knew it was a must read! I listened to this book on audio and the two narrators for the points of view brought the story to life! Thank you to Forever Pub for an advanced copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own!

This was a fun story with some issues that were also pretty serious. I think there could have been some more thought in getting from the begining to the end but mostly it was good.

I love a marriage of convenience and faking dating story and this was very much that. It was fun but had a lot of hard situations and topics. Kenny and Alejandro were such amazing characters with so much complexity.

Jackie was the worst and was written so well that I hated her so much and it was visceral.

I loved the narrators, they truly brought Kenny and Han to life.

Unfortunately, this book is very relevant currently and shows how scary ICE is and how much the fear impacts peoples lives.

*Thank you so much netgalley, Hachette Audio, and Forever for advanced copies in exchange for an honest review.

The Broposal is one of those rare romances that manages to be sweet, sexy, funny, and deeply moving—all while tackling incredibly timely, important themes. It’s the story of two lifelong best friends who fake a green card marriage… only to realize there’s nothing fake about the love growing between them. But underneath the swoons and slow-burn chemistry, this book also explores the very real fear and hardship of being undocumented in the U.S.—making it one of the most emotionally resonant romances I’ve read in a long time.

Han is a young undocumented immigrant who’s built his entire life in the U.S. but lives every day with anxiety, limitations, and fear. The book doesn’t shy away from showing the emotional toll of this: the abuse he endures at work, the inability to seek medical care, the constant need to hide. It's powerful, it's real, and it’s a stark reminder that the right to live a life of dignity should not be in question.

Against this backdrop, we have the most wholesome, perfect romance between Han and Kenny. Best friends since second grade, their bond is so warm and full of mutual care that it’s no wonder everyone around them assumes they’re already in love. Their friendship is beautiful on its own, and while I’d love to see more representations of strong, healthy, platonic male friendships in fiction, I couldn’t help but cheer when they started to realize what everyone else already knew: they’re soulmates. The chemistry? Off the charts. The emotional depth? Devastating in the best way. It also features the most heartbreaking sex scene you will ever read in your life.

Another highlight: the book thoughtfully includes the experience of emotional abuse from a female partner—something rarely depicted in romance, especially from a male perspective. Kenny’s past relationship is handled with nuance and care, and it adds even more complexity to his emotional journey.

I listened to the audiobook and can’t recommend it enough. Having two separate voice actors for Han and Kenny was such a gift—it’s still surprisingly rare in queer romance audiobooks, and it made a huge difference. Both narrators brought such life and individuality to their characters.

In short: The Broposal is more than just a romance. It’s a story about identity, safety, love, and the messy beauty of realizing you’ve had everything you needed all along. It's timely. It's tender. It's so worth reading.

Even with the many heavy topics this one contains (Sonora includes a great list and author’s note at the beginning), watching these two dummies dance around their obvious love for each other was so dang fun. I couldn’t put this one down.

What a ride!!! This story took so many twists and turns, explored so many depths and nuances in the characters and in their lives, but always brought us back to the romance at the heart of it all.

I listened to the audiobook, with different narrators for Han and Kenny. Both of them brought their respective characters to life so vividly, and I really felt like I knew the characters like real people in my life by the end. Both characters go on such a journey that having a dual POV was a real asset.

This book deals with some really heavy topics, and I thought they were all discussed in a really sensitive way. The challenges the main characters face are at times nearly impossible situations, but they were always dealt with in a nuanced and thoughtful way. Of course, this is a romance, and the romantic couple prevailed in the end! But it was often a rocky journey to get there. I thought the way marginalisation and identity were explored was particularly good, with the way Han and Kenny are each perceived in the world – from their ethnicity, to their gender, to their sexuality, to their skin colour – affecting how they both move in the world.

From the very start, the care Han and Kenny have for each other was evident. Their relationship felt inevitable, and every time it looked to be impossible I got more and more stressed out! But the way they navigated their feelings for each other, while messy, also felt very real and authentic. I was completely hooked and invested the whole time, and I was giddy with excitement when everything finally did work out for them!

I received a free copy for an honest review.

I wasn't able to fully listen to the audiobook because it was archived. But from what I did listen to I was very immersed in the story and I enjoyed the smooth production.

Alejandro (Han) and Kenny have been best friends since they were kids, and are currently roommates. Kenny is one of the only people who knows Han’s secret - he’s undocumented. After Kenny’s breakup with his abusive ex-girlfriend and immigration threats looming for Han, they come up with a plan - a real marriage but fake relationship in order to help Han get his green card.

The Broposal held so many emotions for me and it is a very timely read. It’s joyful and heartbreaking, and there were times I was so angry for Han and Kenny. Narrators André Santana & Alejandro Antonio Ruiz really shined in bringing them to life and I thought their work was so well-done. Sonora Reyes is a true talent and I look forward to reading more of their work in the future. I received an advanced listening copy, receipt of which did not impact my review.

I really wanted to love this one - it has so many components that I love: queer romance, representation of immigration issues, fake relationship, etc. etc., but Kenny's girlfriend Jackie is toxic and abusive and sucks all the air out of this story. I wish I didn't have to rate this as I don't want it's ratings to tank based on this, but gosh, Jackie is a vampire of joy.

Thanks to Forever for a gifted copy of this book.

The Broposal by Sonora Reyes
Contemporary M-M diverse romance. NA.
Alejandro (Han) and Kenny have been best friends since grade school. When Han loses his job and sponsorship for a visa, Kenny asks Han to marry him. They have been friends for so long, they can get past any complications or questions from immigration. But Kenny’s ex girlfriend isn’t wiling to let him go. And she’s not above blackmail or threats to Han’s safety. Their upcoming marriage is accepted by both families as expected which has them self reflecting on what’s real and how they move forward.

This was not a comedy that I expected from the cover. It’s highly emotional with multiple troupes, abuse, coming out, angst, tears, and a debilitating fear of being separated from everything known or being alone.
It’s also a romance with a roller coaster of issues. Any time there is a “No kissing rule”, you know there are lots of hidden and locked down feelings.

Ultimately happy, but heartbreaking on so many levels along the way. Really didn’t like the ex girlfriend. More, to be able to communicate, they have to know their own dreams, issues and deal with them. So much angst in complicated lives.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.

This book made me frustrated and happy and all around emotional. A good best friends to lovers-romance is my absolute favorite and this is a sweet one.

But it’s not just a story about two friends falling in love. It’s also a story about abuse, about the fear of being deported and a lot of family and friendship.

There were a few about the book that made it not fully perfect and one was Jackie. She was absolutely awful, almost a caricature of an abusive partner. But I also found the way Han and Kenny never asked anyone for help. They had so many loving people around them who would have dropped everything to help. Or raise hell. So that made the book a bit less great for me.

But the romance, the sweetness and how the author made place for mental health, autism, domestic violence and exploration of sexuality, makes the book a bit more great.

/ Denise

Alejandro (Han) and Kenny have been friends for forever. When Han loses the job that promised to sponsor his work visa and Kenny finds himself free of an abusive relationship, the two friends decide to enter into a marriage of convenience so that Han can stay in the country legally. But what happens when they realize their fake relationship comes with some very real feelings?

This was such a fun feel-good romance. While the author doesn't shy away from difficult topics, such as the physical and emotional abuse Kenny suffers at the hands of his ex-girlfriend, his relationship with Han is so sweet and such a huge breath of fresh air.

There is one open door spicy scene, but if you prefer closed door romance, it's easy enough to skip over this scene without missing any main plot points.

I listened to this one on audio and really enjoyed both the narrators - they both did a great job really bringing their characters to life. My only complaint was that when it came to female characters, neither narrator did a great job creating voices so during scenes with multiple female characters, it wasn't always easy to immediately identify who was talking just based on voice.

Read if you like:
Marriage of convenience
Queer rep
Contemporary romance
Friends to lovers
Dual-POV
Strong family bonds

Reyes’ The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School is one of my all time favorite books and I could not wait to dive into their newest release. I deeply admire and appreciate how Reyes writes such complex stories and characters and delves into heavier themes and nuance with incredible care and sensitivity. And The Broposal is no exception to that as it handles topics like toxic relationships, addiction, immigration, and domestic violence.

While I think Reyes did a phenomenal job with these conversations and important representation, I really struggled with a few things. The first being Jackie. Jackie’s character was truly awful and she was manipulative and abusive and I have never loathed a character more. I do understand having her character on page as there are Jackies in the world and it isn’t as simple as “just leave” for the Kennys who are gripped by fear from constant lying, threats, and violent outbursts. That being said, it was truly too much and her toxicity was carried too far through the book.

The other qualm I had was the lack of communication. Kenny and Han, they’re endearing and I wanted to wrap them both in a hug, BUT my goodness… they still weren’t communicating at the 97% mark… like we get a declaration of love from Han but Kenny’s response is for them to get physical. Ahhhhh say it back, Kenny!!!

For those going into this book expecting a romance, I would say this is more contemporary fiction. There is a romance, but The Broposal is more focused on Han and Kenny’s individual journeys and the romance is not at the forefront.

Ultimately, I am quite conflicted because I enjoyed parts but there were others (ahem, Jackie) that had me yelling at the audiobook because I just wanted Kenny and Han to be safe, loved, and to admit their feelings for each other.

I did really enjoy the audiobook narration and was so glad that Reyes gave us a dual POV and the narrators each gave such emotional and moving performances as they brought these characters to life.

This romance was...uneven. It tries to be funny, but when juxtaposed with some of the serious themes of the book it kind of falls apart. I really enjoyed a good chunk of this book, but the last 10% really wrapped up too fast, characters moving through tense and traumatizing moments way too fast. The narrators of the audiobook, on the other hand, were unequivocally wonderful, truly bringing the characters to life. They made me enjoy the book a lot more than if I'd read it in print.

I really enjoyed this book. Whew Jackie worked all my nerves. I’m so glad that Kenny came to his senses and chose his childhood friendship over this toxic relationship. I enjoyed the undocumented character and I appreciate that it touches on a topic that’s currently in the headlines. Such a beautiful friendship that turns into so much more. Alejandro watching kids movies is so relatable. Overall, this was a great rom com and the narrators were the perfect fit to bring these characters to life.

I received an e-ARC and am giving my honest review.

This was so lovely. I’d like to preface by saying that I will never understand the fear and anxiety that Han felt in regards to citizenship, and have no comments in regards to that besides how well I felt the fear that was written that citizenship problems cause. Especially- as someone who does not have to deal with these problems. I don’t want to speak for a group of people I am not a part of, so don’t want to overstep anymore about that topic matter.
The romance between Kenny and Han was so sweet and well spaced out. I loved the little bits we were given starting at the beginning, but not completely breaking the tension until the nearish-end. They had moments, kisses, tension all throughout the book the kept the romance going easily and keeping the reader entertained and wanting to follow their romance. It was truly so sweet, seeing how their love languages fit each other so well and how they were so intertwined in each other’s lives that their habits even complement each other’s. I loved the side characters as well, and felt that both boys’ families were really good additions to the stories. The complexities of each and how they changed Kenny and Han. I loved this book, and the narrators did an excellent job as well. Their voices really came to life with this audiobook.

ALC BOOK REVIEW

The Proposal by Sonora Reyes
4 STARS

Thank you Forever and Hachette Audio for the #free ALC of this book!

SYNOPSIS: “Alejandro (Han for short) has never been in love. He purposefully keeps his heart at arm’s length from anyone who might want it, which he lets his family and friends think is due to commitment-phobia paired with a heavy dose of emotional constipation. Now, though, he's coming to learn that it might have more to do with his fear of looking too deeply inward, whether that be his sexuality (he's straight, right?), or the looming anxiety about being undocumented in an increasingly hostile environment.

On the other hand, Han’s roommate and best friend, Kenny, is stuck in a soul-sucking relationship with a woman who wants nothing more than for Kenny to ditch Han and marry her. Kenny can't stand being alone, and has always been afraid of being punished for making the wrong choice, so his girlfriend happily makes most of his decisions for him. But when she forces his hand and makes him choose between their relationship and his best friend, he finally knows without a doubt who the correct choice is.

But things aren’t as easy as they should be with Kenny's ex out of the picture. When Han loses the job that had promised to sponsor his work visa, it leaves the two of them anxious as ever. In order to give his best friend a chance at security (and ok, maybe to make his ex a little jealous), Kenny asks Han to marry him. But neither of them are prepared for the very real feelings pretending to be madly in love stirs up.”

REVIEW: The Broposal is a strong debut in adult romance, blending humor, sweetness, and emotional depth. The story centers around a modern marriage of convenience plan between best friends, which brings a fresh twist to the romance genre. Their journey is filled with moments of levity but also addresses deeper, more serious issues.

What sets this book apart is how it balances its romance with important topics like immigration and abuse. These themes are woven into the narrative, giving the story added complexity and making it feel more grounded in reality.

Narrators André Santana and Alejandro Antonio Ruiz did a really lovely job bringing these characters to life.

I’m so happy I had the opportunity to read this one. It’s a lovely example of contemporary romance, offering a compelling mix of light-hearted moments and emotional intensity. It’s a thoughtful exploration of love, friendship, and the challenges that come along the way.

Publisher: Forever, Hachette Audio
Pub date: OUT NOW!