Book Review
Jul. 11th, 2022 09:56 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kenjariThe Proposal
by Jasmine Guillory
This contemporary romance was low-conflict and low-angst but fun and relaxing. When Nikole refuses a very public and grandiose surprise proposal at a baseball game from her boyfriend of only a few months, Carlos and his sister Angela step in to help Nikole get away from the camera crew and out of the stadium. Nik and Carlos then embark on what they both intend to be a fun, casual fling. Of course, this being a romance novel, it turns into more than that.
I liked The Proposal well enough. It's not as swooningly romantic as some of the other romances I've enjoyed, but the characters were great and the development of the relationship was sweet and realistic. Nik is likeable without being perfect or idealized. She's very smart, devoted to her friends, and thoughtful, but also a bit brash and not always in touch with her emotions. Carlos is sweet and caring as well as smart and very competent, but takes a lot on his shoulders while neglecting self-care. Their relationship develops very naturally, due to their genuine enjoyment of each other's company and the element of friendship that is present alongside the great sex. I also really liked the feminism, which Guillory weaves in very beautifully - there's a great subplot about Nik and her friends taking a self-defense class, as well as some thoughtful looks at the effects of having a abusive relationship in one's past.
by Jasmine Guillory
This contemporary romance was low-conflict and low-angst but fun and relaxing. When Nikole refuses a very public and grandiose surprise proposal at a baseball game from her boyfriend of only a few months, Carlos and his sister Angela step in to help Nikole get away from the camera crew and out of the stadium. Nik and Carlos then embark on what they both intend to be a fun, casual fling. Of course, this being a romance novel, it turns into more than that.
I liked The Proposal well enough. It's not as swooningly romantic as some of the other romances I've enjoyed, but the characters were great and the development of the relationship was sweet and realistic. Nik is likeable without being perfect or idealized. She's very smart, devoted to her friends, and thoughtful, but also a bit brash and not always in touch with her emotions. Carlos is sweet and caring as well as smart and very competent, but takes a lot on his shoulders while neglecting self-care. Their relationship develops very naturally, due to their genuine enjoyment of each other's company and the element of friendship that is present alongside the great sex. I also really liked the feminism, which Guillory weaves in very beautifully - there's a great subplot about Nik and her friends taking a self-defense class, as well as some thoughtful looks at the effects of having a abusive relationship in one's past.
