I can always depend on this author to write clean romance. I always enjoy the stories and they always brighten the day. Enjoyed reading about these two characters. I enjoy the way this author weaves the characters lives together. A good beach read.
Thanks for the advanced copy.

A light, fun story following a girl who’s never fallen in love and is tasked with writing a romance novel. Of course there’s a good looking single guy in the other half of her vacation duplex. I found this one rather predictable but fun anyway. Hunter’s novels are the quintessential “beach read” sort of books, a bit of a ride through the middle but with a happy ending sure to come. I grab them in between heavier reads for a bit of something sweet.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free reading copy. A favorable review was not required.

Denise Hunter will probably always be a go-to author for me. I just love the uplifting, closed-door sweet romance found in her books. This book was no exception. It had romance, a smidge of a mystery, and a little bit of faith mixed in.

Sadie writes western novels but they aren't selling. Her publisher tells her she needs to write a romance and gives her one more chance before breaking their contract. She, of course, says yes and heads off to a beach house for the summer in hopes of some inspiration.

I loved Sadie's personality. She was so positive and upbeat. Sam is the cute guy next door - he was great and had a little bit of drama in his life that added to the storyline. They had a friendship before anything romantic happened. And I loved that they were able to easily communicate. So often in rom-coms the characters lack basic communication and it's so frustrating!

I really enjoyed this novel by Denise Hunter and I think many others will, too.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

A Novel Proposal was a wonderful book from start to finish, giving a unique take on engagement proposals. The setting on the island was a perfect way for Sam and Sadie to meet and fall in love. There were great lessons shared about trust and not patterning our lives from childhood experiences. This is a fabulous read for anyone who loves a pure romantic connection and a special ending.
Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson Publishing for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

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, reading and writing. 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.

A Novel Proposal

by Denise Hunter

I have read other books by Denise Hunter. I have read other clean romances. A Novel Proposal, however, is one of my favorites from both perspectives. The format of the book appeals to me so much. The author tickles my writing and reading sensibilities with her plot dilemma in which the protagonist Sadie, a budding author, has written several good western novels at a time when no one is buying westerns. Her contract is cancelled, and she will owe the advance money she received. Her publisher likes her writing, however, and gives her a chance to redeem her career with a romance. Romances are totally out of the comfortable range for Sadie, both in her personal life and in her writing experiences and goals. So, what makes A Novel Proposal unique? Each chapter begins with a quote from Romance Writing 101. These quotes summarize the steps in romance writing and reflect what is happening in each chapter. For example, Chapter 2 begins with “A meetcute is a charming encounter between two characters that leads to the development of a romantic relationship.” In this chapter Sadie meets the handsome, apparently broody Sam who shares half of a beach duplex with her when she travels from NYC to South Carolina to write a romance. She is gifted a stay there by her best friend’s mom. Sam is staying there to escape from a romantic disaster while continuing his job working for the family landscaping business. Supporting characters that you will enjoy include Caroline, Sadie’s best friend, and Rio, Sadie’s Maltipoo and constant companion. Hayley, Sam’s teenage sister, and the rest of his extended family add depth to the novel.

Sadie and Sam both have trust issues that hinder their relationship. Sadie is fun loving and blossoms in South Carolina where she starts a Free Library on the property and discovers something valuable in one of the books. She exchanges time as a “plus one” with Sam for his help in tracking down the owner. With publishing deadlines pressing, Sadie begins to write her novel based on her developing relationship with Sam using the old adage “write what you know.” Sadie and Sam are both characters with reader appeal. The reader knows that, as a romance, there will be a happily ever after, but how will the characters arrive at that end? Going along on the journey and watching the characters develop is such a fun reading experience. I had trouble putting the book down as each chapter led into the next in such a way that my mind kept say “One more chapter, one more chapter…”

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Rating: 5/5

Category: Romance

Notes: standalone, clean

Publication: March 21, 2023—Thomas Nelson

Memorable Lines:

A jet went streaking over their heads, reminding her of her noisy apartment, just a stone’s throw from LaGuardia with thin walls and thinner windows. Not to mention the construction project that had been going on next door since the Revolutionary War.

She was using a saw. A circular saw if his ears hadn’t failed him. What in the world was she doing? The ear-shattering noise stopped as she finished the cut—or sliced off a finger. He had a hard time believing a woman who couldn’t navigate porch steps might be handy with tools.

Maybe he needed space to figure things out. Just because her day had lasted eight decades didn’t mean his had too.

I was lucky to receive an advance copy of A Novel Proposal by Denise Hunter from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review and opinion. This book was the perfect beach read! I absolutely loved it and was sad for the book to end. The cover alone should draw you in! Read this ASAP!

Another hit for Denise Hunter - this one taking place on the South Carolina shoreline. Her romance novels are my go - to books when I need something light and easy to read and get into.

I love the setting of this book. As you can see from the cover and summary, it’s beach front and there’s a free library involved! Bookish fun!
The setup is that an experienced author must pen a full novel in a new-to-her genre, quickly. She’s a people person who’s never been in love, so it’s just a matter of time. That’s when Sam appears in her life.
These two engage in the fake-relationship trope—one of my favorites. The heroine is inspired by the neighbor in this story as the inspiration for the hero of her novel. They team up to solve a romantic mystery, which was an interesting layer.
The heroine is full of words, and they gush from her. This wasn’t my favorite element, and I had to skim her long speeches. I think it’s believable a character can be over-the-top in this way, and it did make her unique, but reading her dialogue was a chore at times.
The heroine makes friends easily, trusts readily, and engages with the community instantly. She seemed a little naïve, but she also drew people to herself, an extrovert who never a stranger.
In perfect contrast, the hero was introverted, less verbal, and closed off. He’s cautious, world wise, and perceptive of dangers Sadie doesn’t always see. A very strong mirror for comparison. He’s also a little jealous at times, which motivated him to reconsider his lonely life.
There are romance-writing tips at the beginning of each chapter, which are fun. They also provide hints of what’s coming in the following scenes.
Denise mentions a few fellow authors, which is enjoyable: Colleen Coble, Debbie Macomber, Jenny Hale. Sadie’s free library makes for some cool encounters.
It was a bit unbelievable to me that anyone could write a novel in a new-to-them genre in five weeks. From experience, I know it takes years to master any genre.
Readers who love bookish fiction, beachy romances, and who may themselves be aspiring writers will enjoy this story. Denise shares from her own experience as a best-selling author, both by example and by sharing tips. I applaud that fun approach!

One of my favorite books I read this summer. The story line caught my attention from the first few pages and I didn't want to stop reading, even when my plane landed. The characters were engaging, likeable and 'real'. This mystery behind the ring is another interesting part of the story. This book is well-written and has some twists and turns as it moves along. Overall, this is a great read!

Fantastic story by one of my favorite authors - Denise Hunter. Unique storyline with loveable characters, beautiful settings and delightful surprises. Loved this book! Highly recommend! This book was given to me through Netgalley by Harper Collins and the author. The views expressed are my own opinions.

Denise Hunter is on my MUST READ list of authors, so when she pens a new book, I pretty much drop everything else I'm reading and pick up her newest. A Novel Proposal is a stand-alone story (many of hers are parts of series.) I listened to it on the Libby app.

Sadie Goodwin fell in love with westerns growing up with her grandfather who also loved them, so when she became a writer, westerns were her genre. When her latest novel (book 2 in a 3 book series) bombs, her publisher tells her either she switches genres and writes a romance, or she needs to pay back the advance they gave her on book 3, which they no longer want. Great, right? Except, Sadie's never been in love. She's never even read a romance. Desperate, she purchases every "bodice ripper" she can find and heads to her friend's duplex on the beach to come up with a new book proposal.

Sam Ford has retreated to a duplex on the beach for the solitude and for the distance from his family. His cousin - his closest friend - betrayed him and stole the woman he had planned to marry. Now his cousin's wedding is coming up, and the family is pressuring Sam to let bygones be bygones. They know he was devastated, but feel that he needs to get over it. Yes, he's grumpy. Yes, he's antisocial. Having a new neighbor who has boundary issues is NOT something he appreciates - until Hurricane Sadie plows through his standoffish manners to the kind, gentle man he's hiding.

Can these two opposites work together to solve a mystery, and to mend the broken hearts that each has patched over?

Sadie made my head spin a bit. She's an extrovert - something I've never had experience with - and her mind bounces from one thing to another to another with the speed of light. I totally understood Sam's irritation with her! They seem like such an unlikely pair, so it was satisfying to have them find their way to each other.

I loved the story, and would recommend it to any reader who enjoys sweet romance.

I love it. The author cleverly placed a "quote" from Romance Writing 101 at the beginning of each chapter, so are you reading a romance novel (there is a HEA) or a book within a how to manual?

Sadie Goodwin is a grade school art teacher, but living in NYC is expensive, so she also writes Westerns to supplement her income. However, according to the publisher, there is no longer a market for Westerns, (I disagree), so to repay the advance they sent her, she now needs to write a Romance novel, a genre she knows nothing about. To help give her inspiration, her best friend's mother offers her the use of a beach cottage property that she owns in South Carolina. When she gets there, she finds that she has a handsome but grumpy next door neighbor. Sam Ford just wants to be left alone. He is still hurting from walking into the apartment that he shared with his cousin/best friend, to find Tag kissing Sam's girl friend. And now they are getting married and he is being pressured by his family to go to the destination wedding. But Sadie has a very sunny, vivacious personality and slowly pulls him in. Having writer's block, she builds a Little Library and becomes friends with many of the people that use the beach. One day she finds that someone placed a book with a compartment holding a diamond ring into the library and she becomes obsessed with finding the owner and returning his missing ring. As Sam tried to help her find the owner, he begins to let go of the hurt and betrayal. Sadie on the other hand, uses the idea and her blooming romance with Sam as the bases for her novel. And their romance follows the "formula" of romance novels.

As I wrote at the begging of this review, I love the story. And the characters. I probably would have read it straight though, but my Kindle ran out of juice. I read an ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley.com. this is my unbiased and voluntary review.

Sadie, a western genre writer, faces a challenge when her contract ends and she's prompted to write romance. Having never experienced love, she's clueless about this new endeavor. To seek inspiration, she retreats to a quaint beach house. Her neighboring duplex resident, Sam, still healing from a breakup a year prior, becomes an unexpected muse. Their connection deepens when Sadie needs help with an engagement ring situation, and in exchange, Sam wants her to accompany him to his cousin's (and ex's) wedding. Their chemistry is undeniable.

Sadie's lively and optimistic nature is refreshing. Although inexperienced in love, this innocence enables her to form a genuine bond with Sam before romance blossoms. Sam's personal struggles add layers to his character. A subtle subplot about the engagement ring adds intrigue. Witnessing Sadie's integration into the coastal community is heartwarming.

This was my first Denise Hunter book and it was a fantastic read! Sadie Goodwin has just learned that her publisher has decided that they would like to see her writing take a different direction and have asked that she move away from writing western's to contemporary romance novels. Sadie quickly realizes the difficulty of this task considering she herself has never been in love. In order to save her writing career Sadie decides the best thing to do is to completely submerge herself in the romance genre. Sadie's friends are in full support and offer Sadie a place at the North Carolina Shore for the summer to get away from the distractions of everyday life. Little does Sadie know that she will soon find inspiration for her writing from her very own life.

This book was a fantastic summer read. A charming story that the brings unexpected surprises. Would definitely recommend.

Very cute story with an added element with a surprising conclusion to that mysterious element. Otherwise it is a nice, light, enjoyable story of two people who don't seem to be able to relate to one another. Of course, that turns around and they have far more in common and interest than they ever imagined.

3.5- As always, Denise Hunter's characters sparkle and the plot intrigues. I didn't click as much with this heroine, and the story didn't grip me like her books usually do. Still, a fun summer read set in a beautiful location.

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC! My opinions were not influenced by the free read. :)

I haven’t read a Denise Hunter book in almost a year, but this one really just pulled me right in. The grumpy-sunshine trope is one that I don’t think I have read a lot of, but let me tell you, this one was done well, and I liked it quite a bit.
Sadie is borderline neurotic at some points, but her enthusiasm for life is not a stretch, so I think I am letting it slide. I appreciate that Sam does not have a stereotypical love interest job (see all the billionaire, military, doctor, etc romance novels that probs have a sexy man on the cover). He is also a reasonable grumpy without being a total jerk (my opinion could be flawed and I accept that).
Sam and Sadie fit well together overall. I don’t think the conflict was lame either. Sam had a reasonable reaction to what went down, and Sadie’s response matched her character well. It is refreshing to have something a little deeper than a miscommunication trope.
Overall, I think this was a good way to kickstart my rom com season 🤗

Sweet summer story of Sam and Sadie.
Sadie has found herself in quite the pickle. She writes Westerns, but sales haven't been what they should be and her publisher is dropping her. The fact that she now must pay back the publishing royalties only adds to her stress. There is a way out, though. She has three months to write a romance novel. WHAT?!! Sadie doesn't write romance. Westerns are her thing. How is she ever going to write a romance novel that will sell? She's never even been in love!
Sadie has a friend whose mom has a duplex beach rental in Florida. What a great place to write!
Sam Ford is the rental in the other side of the duplex. He is hoping to find healing for his broken heart. Then, in moves this woman with her annoying little dog right next to him! Not the summer he envisioned.
A must read if you want to find out what happens with these two summer beach neighbors!
I was given an advanced ecopy by the publisher, Thomas Nelson and Netgalley. I was under no obligation to leave a positive review.

Cute story. Some interesting plot lines. I normally love Denise Hunter’s books but I found this one harder to get into. I didn’t love the characters and the plot line was mostly predictable. There were some interesting turns that were good. I wish there were more details around them though. They were kinda anticlimactic. I received a digital copy from NetGalley. I was in no way required to write a positive review. All thoughts are my own.