A Novel Proposal-A sweet and sizzling story of a romance writer surprised by her own happily ever after.

348 pages March 21,2023 publish date Thomas Nelson publisher

ABOUT THE BOOK

When novelist Sadie Goodwin is forced to stop writing westerns and charged with penning a contemporary romance novel to rescue her lackluster sales, there’s only one tiny problem: She’s never been in love.

Desperate to salvage her career, Sadie begins devouring romance novels. Knowing she must devote herself to this confounding genre, she accepts an invitation to hole up at her friend’s beach duplex for the summer. Where better to witness love in bloom than on the beautiful North Carolina shore?

However, once ensconced in the charming ocean-front home with her sweet maltipoo Rio, she finds many ways to procrastinate. First there’s the beach, right outside her backdoor, with all its interesting visitors (research). Then there’s the free library she decides to build and set up by the back deck (She has to do something with all those romance novels). To say nothing of Sam Ford, the grumpy neighbor on the other side of the duplex . . . who she can’t seem to stop annoying.

A social butterfly by nature, Sadie soon gets to know all the beach regulars—sunbathers, walkers, and surfers alike. The free books draw a crowd right up to the house for nice little book chats, which further irritates her reclusive neighbor, to break up her “writing.” But things take an unexpected turn when Sadie opens a recently-placed novel to find a secret compartment—and tucked inside is a beautiful engagement ring. To whom does the ring belong? Sadie is convinced she needs to find the owner and save the man’s proposal from certain doom.

She draws a reluctant Sam into the project, and slowly their connection begins to develop. Are these weird fluttery feelings the first stirrings of love? Has Sadie managed to stumble upon the very subject about which she must write—and wouldn’t Sam make the perfect alpha hero?

Will Sadie find the ring’s rightful owner? And will she manage to pen a career-saving romance novel by summer’s end?

MY THOUGHTS

A Novel Proposal is a Women’s fiction book that has been on my shelves for over eight months.
I was drawn to the book for the cover and the author who I have read before and enjoyed. Who wouldn’t relish the idea of being able to relax on the beach for the summer while having a changing selection of books available at your fingertips at the Little Free Library?

Not having made a splash in sales, her publisher is not impressed and will not renew her contract to write more westerns and advises Sadie to turn in a book in a genre totally unfamiliar for her in reading and writing, it is romance.

When her friend offers her half a beach house duplex for the summer for relaxing and writing she jumps at the chance. In this enemies to more she meets the tenant on the other side of the duplex, grumpy Sam. He’s had a bad breakup from his cheating girlfriend and he’s not ready to allow his heart to get attached to another woman, namely Sadie and her. adorable dog.

The descriptions of the Little Free Library and the South Carolina beach is marvelous, and I’d love to be there. Sadie, an out of towner, just there for the summer is able to meet a lot of people through her library there and it sounds like a great conversation starter.

Sadie one day finds a book that has been donated to the library with something of great importance in it. She enlists Sam’s help in trying to trace this item back to its rightful owner. After several weeks of phone calls and more they frustratingly seem no closer to finding the rightful owner than when they started. Will they find the items owner?

I thought Sadie’s character was a bit too pushy for my tastes, she barges into Sam’s house unannounced quite often. She’s just too over the top for me. I am neutral about Sam’s character; he didn’t have any redeeming qualities to make me really like him, but I didn’t dislike him either.

As Sam’s heart starts to warm to Sadie, he finds out something about her that makes him sad and hurt. Can they talk things over and come to an understanding or will this romance fade away like the sunset? I enjoyed the book, but it wasn’t one of my favorites by her.

Pub Date 21 Mar 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

THE AUTHOR

Denise Hunter is the internationally published, bestselling author of more than forty books, three of which have been adapted into original Hallmark Channel movies. She has won the Holt Medallion Award, the Reader’s Choice Award, the Carol Award, the Foreword Book of the Year Award, and is a RITA finalist. When Denise isn’t orchestrating love lives on the written page, she enjoys traveling with her family, drinking chai lattes, and playing drums. Denise makes her home in Indiana, where she and her husband raised three boys and are now enjoying an empty nest and three beautiful grandchildren. DeniseHunterBooks.com; Facebook: @AuthorDeniseHunter; Twitter: @DeniseAHunter; Instagram: @deniseahunter.

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