The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory

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The author of The Wedding Date serves up a novel about what happens when a public proposal doesn't turn into a happy ending, thanks to a woman who knows exactly how to make one on her own...

When someone asks you to spend your life with him, it shouldn't come as a surprise--or happen in front of 45,000 people.

When freelance writer Nikole Paterson goes to a Dodgers game with her actor boyfriend, his man bun, and his bros, the last thing she expects is a scoreboard proposal. Saying no isn't the hard part--they've only been dating for five months, and he can't even spell her name correctly. The hard part is having to face a stadium full of disappointed fans...

At the game with his sister, Carlos Ibarra comes to Nik's rescue and rushes her away from a camera crew. He's even there for her when the video goes viral and Nik's social media blows up--in a bad way. Nik knows that in the wilds of LA, a handsome doctor like Carlos can't be looking for anything serious, so she embarks on an epic rebound with him, filled with food, fun, and fantastic sex. But when their glorified hookups start breaking the rules, one of them has to be smart enough to put on the brakes...

Source: advance e-galley provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review


I read The Wedding Date earlier in the year and thought it was a super cute romance featuring a couple that was unexpectedly thrown together and it somehow worked out. The Proposal featuring another couple thrown together by circumstances while cute, didn't quite hit the spot for me in the same way.

Here's what I enjoyed about The Proposal. Once again Guillory has an interracial couple, Nik and Carlos (yes, Carlos from The Wedding Date). Their initial meeting at the baseball game is awesome when he rescues her from further humiliation after she turns down her boyfriend's very public and unexpected proposal and he left her stranded. Guillory adds more diversity in the form of Nik's Korean best friend, Courtney and a gay best friend, Dana. They're both supportive friends who help Nik see clearly when she can't. Carlos is a catch. He's smart, funny, caring and cooks which would make me propose to him. The theme of female empowerment is also explored as a subplot and is one that I appreciated. Guillory even takes advantage of this to introduce another diverse character with a history that'll resonate with many women, and I liked feeling that girl power.

I struggled with the book whenever I felt that the story was moving away from Nik and Carlos. There's a subplot involving his cousin's pregnancy that serves to demonstrate how devoted Carlos is to his family. However, I thought that it came up so often becoming a third central character that I felt overshadowed Nik and Carlos. I'd much rather that some of that space had been used to learn more about one of Nik's previous relationships that makes her so squeamish about declarations of love. It's alluded to but barely and without that insight I felt I lost out on gaining a better understanding of her. To me it's an important missing piece of who she is that affects her and Carlos later. Nik just winds up feeling kind of flat to me as does Carlos.

The Proposal is a cute story that does contain a powerful message about female solidarity which I'm totally here for, but I didn't get completely wrapped up in the romance this time. 

~ Bel

Did I Mention I Love You? by Estelle Maskame

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When sixteen-year-old Eden Munro agrees to spend the summer with her estranged father in the beachfront city of Santa Monica, California, she has no idea what she’s letting herself in for. Eden's parents are divorced and have gone their separate ways, and now her father has a brand new family. For Eden, this means she's about to meet three new step-brothers. The eldest of the three is Tyler Bruce, a troubled teenager with a short temper and a huge ego. Complete polar opposites, Eden quickly finds herself thrust into a world full of new experiences as Tyler's group of friends take her under their wing. But the one thing she just can't understand is Tyler, and the more she presses to figure out the truth about him, the more she finds herself falling for the one person she shouldn't – her step-brother.

Throw in Tyler's clingy girlfriend and a guy who has his eyes set on Eden, and there's secrets, lies and a whole lot of drama. But how can Eden keep her feelings under control? And can she ever work out the truth about Tyler?

Did I Mention I Love You is the first book in the phenomenal DIMILY trilogy, following the lives of Eden Munro and Tyler Bruce as they try to find their way in an increasingly confusing world.

Here’s the thing: I’ve been in a reading slump of sorts, the kind where it’s hard to get into a book so it takes me two or three times as long to get through one rather than my normal day or two. Thanks to Did I Mention I Love You? the is slump over! 

Eden is every bit the bitter daughter who’s so angry at her father for walking out on her and her mother years ago. Now he invites her to stay with him and his new family in LA for the summer to possibly reconnect. She's not yet at that point where she can forgive him. I got why she was upset and had every right to be but I also thought she was being a brat at times. I mean, come on. She's there for the summer, give the guy a chance before completely shutting him out. When she meets Tyler, the oldest of her three step-siblings, he’s not welcoming or civil. He’s downright nasty and hostile towards her. If I thought Eden was bitter, Tyler is 10 times worse. He has attitude, gets in trouble with the law, he’s into illegal things and he’s in a dysfunctional relationship with his girlfriend.

Poor Eden is stuck in this mess having to make the most of the less than ideal situation. Thankfully, she’s making some friends even if this circle of friends includes Tyler. Their constant partying is different from what she’s used to at home, however, she’d rather be goaded into doing that than having to stay home and make nice with her dad. The time with them provides ample opportunity for her to study Tyler’s idiosyncratic behavior and abrasive personality. She studies his relationship with his brothers, his mother and his girlfriend. She knows there’s something that’s fueling his need for the hard partying and reckless conduct. The harder she looks, the more she finds herself falling for someone that she absolutely, most definitely should not fall in love with.

DIMILY pushed my wiggy button many times. It’s not just the fact that they’re step-siblings so any kind of attraction between them is both hopeless and impractical. It’s also that Tyler is a mess and for Eden to even remotely consider anything with him is simply bad judgment. The guy needs an intervention, not a distraction as Tyler likes to label Eden. For him, a distraction is a welcome relief from what’s ailing him but it’s unfair to put that kind of expectation on her. I think it’s a testament to Maskame’s writing that despite their imperfections and at-times deplorable actions, I care about these two and want so many things for them. I want Tyler to get better, I want Eden and her father to mend their relationship, and yes, I even want Tyler and Eden to find happiness together.

Without realizing it, I was sucked into DIMYILY. I was genuinely surprised to discover that I'd become so emotionally invested in Eden and Tyler. I have no idea when it happened, just that I am. I do like that Maskame doesn’t give them a clean resolution and that they may still be screwing up but they’re doing the best they can under the circumstances. These are flawed, complicated and troubled young people for whom I want better futures. I hadn't realized this was a trilogy until I'd finished it and now I'm beside myself waiting for the sequel!

~ Bel

Boomerang by Noelle August

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The first book in a sensational New Adult trilogy from Noelle August

Welcome to Boomerang.com, the dating site for the millennial gen with its no-fuss, no-commitments matchups, and where work is steamier than any random hook-up

Mia Galliano is an aspiring filmmaker. Ethan Vance has just played his last game as a collegiate soccer star. They’re sharp, hungry for success, and they share a secret.

Last night, Ethan and Mia met at a bar, and, well . . . one thing led to another, which led to them waking up the next morning—together. Things turned awkward in a hurry when they found themselves sharing a post hookup taxi . . . to the same place: Boomerang headquarters.

What began as a powerful connection between them is treated to a cold shower courtesy of two major complications. First, Boomerang has a strict policy against co-worker dating. And second, they’re now competitors for only one job at the end of summer.

As their internships come to an end, will they manage to keep their eyes on the future and their hands off each other, or will the pull of attraction put them right back where they started?


Review:

The cover for Boomerang was one of the many sexy book covers we saw while at the Romantic Times convention.  It was sexy AND cute.  It was so bright and happy and so successfully screamed “READ ME” that all three of us noticed it and commented on it all week.  Then the chaos that is the Avon party happened.  After focusing on the big authors I was dying to meet (I met Lisa Kleypas, y’all!!!) I started to make my way through the crowd.  I almost gave up because it was like swimming up stream.  But I wanted to check out the YA authors attending the event so I gathered the liquid courage by quickly downing two glasses of wine (THANK YOU, AVON!) and thrust myself into the chaos.

As I was perusing the YA section I saw the very funny and talented Veronica Rossi.  She had a stack of Under the Never Sky.  While standing in line to acquire a copy for a future giveaway (because we love to share our favorite series with all of you) I noticed she also had advanced reader copies of Boomerang.  Wait?  What?  Veronica Rossi is Noelle August (well, one half of Noelle August - the other half being the lovely Lorin Oberweger)?  Boomerang just got seriously more appealing.   So yeah, I somehow was lucky enough to get a copy of Boomerang and it is now making the rounds between Bel, Shel and me.

I have to tell you, after reading so many New Adult titles that are full of angst and broken characters; it was refreshing to read a story about two highly functional people that are likable to the extreme.

Mia Galliano wakes up the first day of her internship in a stranger’s bed.  The events of the previous night are more than a little murky.  That’s kind of what happens when you see too much of a bottle of Patron Silver.  Normally, this would be an embarrassing scenario in a book.  But Mia is kind of amazing.  She is fiercely independent, highly intelligent, ambitious and so comfortable in her own skin that I was almost jealous.  She seems more amused than bemused by the whole situation.  Her only concerns are the fact that she isn’t sure of this hottie’s name (is it Evan or Ethan?) and that she is going to be late for her new internship.  That second concern being the most important because for Mia, her internship at Boomerang is the perfect opportunity to pursue her career.

Ethan is regretting that he can’t remember the night before.  Because the girl in his apartment (unlike Mia, he remembers her name) is a beautiful force of nature.  After giving Mia a shirt to wear over her dress (because it’s stained with booze) and helping her find her under wear (in the toaster oven) they leave his apartment and end up sharing a cab.  Just when Ethan has decided that he really wants to see Mia again, the cabbie drops them off.  At the same address.

The blurb tells you the rest.  They are both interns for Boomerang and are told they will be competing for one open position.  Oh, and there is a no fraternization policy.  This isn’t a story about two ambitious people doing anything to win a job.  This is a story about two ambitious MATURE adults that put in 110%  and work together so that one of them can win a job.  It is also a story about a young man and woman that are doing their damnedest to fight a growing connection that could ruin the financial jump start they both desperately need for their future.

If you are looking for angst and pain, you aren’t going to find it here.  But if you are looking for an amazingly well adjusted hero and heroine and a story that contains a healthy dose of humor and romance, then Boomerang is for you.  It’s definitely one I will be re-reading by the pool this summer.  Assuming I can pry it out of Shel or Bel’s fingers.

Nat

*Thank you to everyone (Avon, William Morrow, RT, etc.) for giving us the opportunity to read Boomerang and review it.  Boomerang will be released on July 8, 2014.