"A standalone companion to An Improbable Season, this Regency romance - perfect for fans of Bridgerton - is about following your heart, pursuing your dreams, and falling head over heels in love.

Eleanor did not come to London to be proper and boring. After the death of her husband and a year of mourning, the seventeen year old wants nothing more than her independence and to have a little fun. She's hardly looking to remarry, despite pressures from her late husband's nephew, who is keen on obtaining her inheritance. Eleanor quickly devises a plan that includes a fake engagement. What's not a part of the plan? Falling for a dashing, quiet man outside of her social circle - a man who is not her betrothed. Can she survive the Season with her heart and her fortune intact?

Thalia is determined to begin afresh after a disastrous first Season in London. No romantic distractions, but only her work as a poet and newfound companion to Eleanor. Determined to get her poems published, she struggles to be taken seriously as a female writer. As the spring progresses, Thalia does not expect to take interest in a man from her past (a man who is engaged to her employer, no less!), but some feelings demand to be felt even if the timing isn't quite right.

Rosalyn Eves's An Unlikely Proposition is a transportive Regency drama that captures the sparkle of London, thrill of friendship, and swoon of new love."

So... Um... Eleanor was married at sixteen? Bit Lydia Bennet that...

Two young women in very different circumstances make their way in London without being torn down by those who don't agree with their burgeoning freedom!! Such a cute read because even though the characters are young, I loved the feelings of true friendship and sisterhood that develop!

*If you loved Little Women or even the courageous young women from the Bridgerton series - you'll love An Unlikely Proposition!!

**Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) & NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. – SLR 🖤

Gracious! I LOVE good romance novel, and a regency one at that!! Too good! Here is what I adore about this Rosalyn Eves series… you get the feel good regency love story BUT you also get real life + hard lessons learned! What a breath of fresh air! I didn’t think Miss Rosalyn could top An Improbable Season but she did!

An Unlikely Proposition" by Rosalyn Eves is a captivating Regency tale that weaves together the desires for independence, love, and literary recognition. Eleanor's quest for freedom after her husband's death, cleverly navigating societal pressures with a fake engagement, adds intrigue to the story. Thalia's determination to establish herself as a poet in a male-dominated world is also a refreshing perspective that will resonate with modern women & girls. As both women navigate love and ambition in the glittering world of London, Eves transports readers with the sparkle of Regency drama, the thrill of steadfast friendship, and the sweet swoon of newfound love. For fans of Regency romance, especially those in the young adult genre, "An Unlikely Proposition" is a delightful read.

This was the perfect book for YA readers who want try out a historical romance for the first time. It was light, fun, and easy to follow. The characters were very well developed and made you fall in love with them so easily. The beginning was a tad bit slow for me, but once the story picked up I was HOOKED! I definitely love this one and I hope everyone else does too!

Writing reviews usually comes easily to me. I read, and I make notes, read and make notes. And then, all of a sudden, I’m reading a book without writing anything down. And when I open my notes app, words get stuck in my brain, and I can’t get them out. Maybe this is what writers call a writer's block. And this is what happened while reading An Unlikely Proposition.

So bear with me. First of all, I liked this regency romance about two teen girls, Eleanor, a young widow, and her new companion, Thalia.

An Unlikely Proposition is a light Regency romance for anyone who wants to dream away for a while and even wants to read a book in just one sitting. Think of Bridgerton and even more Queen Charlotte. Imagine sitting in front of a fire, a blanket wrapped around your body, or with your face in the spring sun, taking your thoughts back to that era. Envision that smile growing on your face and rooting for Eleanor and Thalia. This is such a book. Light and easy, as if you’re floating across the dance floor.

Sometimes, we just need light and easy reads. Actual rating 3.5 stars, rounded up to four.

This was cute but not as exciting as the Bridgerton series for me. I know I shouldn’t compare but when I read a book that has been compared to Bridgerton, I can’t help it. Worth a read if you’re not actually expecting Bridgerton :)

I received an advanced copy from netgalley in exchange for a review and opinions are my own.

This regency romance follows Eleanor and Thalia as they navigate London society. Eleanor is young and recently widowed from an older gentleman. She was born into poverty but rose in society. Thalia becomes her hired companion while in London, needing to get away from her overbearing family and do what she loves, write poetry.

The two discover love in unlikely places that bar them from fully exploring it’s potential. Eleanor’s late husband’s nephew is insistent she marry so he can have the inheritance he feels she unrightfully stole when marrying his uncle. The juxiposition of Thalia and Eleanor creates an interesting basis for character development.

This is a perfect book for fans of regency romance. It’s also labeled YA, a genre I also love. The beginning felt a little slow but the ultimate set up of the plot created a spectacular climax. I was impressed how Eves put it all together as I wasn’t sure how the resolution would come about.

This was such a charming, fun, transporting Regency romance! I adored following these characters as they fall in love and follow their dreams. Truly perfect for Bridgerton fans!

This was adorable! Light and easy to read, but gave me lots of opportunities to smile. The romance was very cute, and although I usually like a slow burn, this hit the spot nonetheless. Definitely recommend for fans of Bridgerton!

This was a beautifully done historical romance novel, it had a great overall feel to it. I enjoyed the Regency romance elements and how realistic it was. The characters were everything that I was hoping for in this time-period and it had a great story going on. Rosalyn Eves does a great job in writing this and the characters were perfectly written.

A sweet continuation of the story Eves unfolded in An Improbable Season, following the further adventures of her tenacious poetess and introducing a wealthy young widow besieged by unwanted advances from a scheming fortune seeker. Their lives link up in London when the widow gets a friend to pose as her fake fiance in order to stave off the other man's advances, while the poetess falls for the man she now assumes to be engaged. It's everyone's favourite fake dating trope, with an added twist. Things are further complicated by a friend's hasty elopement, a handsome mathematician's determination to remain unattached, a brother's underhanded dealings with a publisher, and a talented young actress offering up timely use of her skills with disguise. Readers who enjoyed the first book in the series will delight in seeing Thalia get her happy ending as she and her new friend banter their way through balls and drawing rooms, full of determination not to settle for anything but the lives they truly want to live. Original poems provide clever glimpses of Thalia's creative voice while quotes from the era help ground the reader in the time period. Joyful and upbeat, with two plucky heroines at its center, two cinnamon role love interests, and no shortage of delightful misadventures.

Excuse me?!?!?! I have way too many 5 star reads this year I can’t possibly add another!!! Oh well! Into the 5 star pile it goes!! Ive been in a lighthearted romance era lately and this one does not disappoint! I am OBSESSED with the strong personalities that are found in this novel! This was one I definitely couldn’t put down! I read it all in one sitting! I’m definitely going to be recommending this to friends and I cannot wait to get a physical copy that I can enjoy forever!

Hello Book friends!

Today I’m reviewing An Unlikely Proposition by Rosalyn Eves. In this standalone companion novel to An Improbable Season (which I absolutely LOVED) we follow a young widow and her companion as they find love in the unlikely of places.

What are some of your favorite tropes in YA?

I’m always a fan of found family. Where the main character is an orphan, but surrounds themselves by friends who fill that emptiness and eventually realizes they’ve found those rare few people who they can call family.

As I mentioned, I LOVED An Improbable Season. Filled with quirky characters, banter and clever dialogue, it is such a fun read and I highly recommend you check that one out. For An Unlikely Proposition it’s a slower pace, introducing a few new characters and bringing Thalia from An Improbable Season. Even though it was a slow start, I did enjoy the slow burn (almost forbidden romance) between Eleanor and Owen. Though I wanted to be more interactions between these two, some sparring and witty banter would have made it even sweeter.

There were a few pit falls for me, besides the pacing, I’m not a huge fan of love triangles. Even though Eleanor has zero romantic feelings for Henry, the setup for that didn’t work for me. The shock value that Thaila (gasp) falls for her employer’s fiancé, wears off when sparks fly between Thaila and Henry. It’s a tricky slope to walk on, trying to balance two relationships (one fake and one not) and can work or be a stumbling block in the overarching plot.

An Unlikely Proposition checks all the boxes of found family, fake engagement, and regency romance, YA readers should keep this one on their radar when it hits shelves in March of next year.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book. I loved it so much it. The romance was just so cute I couldn't put it down.

If you're looking for a light, quick, and fun historical romance, then this is the book for you! The pace moves along at a fast clip and introduces you to all the players very quickly. The book fits in very well with the regency period, pulling in real life people and events to really set the scene. There's angst, there's betrayal, and drama abound in this book. If you're looking for a slow burn this isn't for you, but if you want something witty and fun you should pick it up!

I thought this book was such a great feel good historical romance! It was fun and light and just a really enjoyable read overall.

This was a really fun continuation of Eves series! While I did like the first novel better, and I do wish that we'd seen MORE of the characters we'd come to know and love in An Improbable Season, I still really enjoyed Eleanor and Thalia's love stories in this second installment!

I especially enjoyed the variety of romance tropes that find their way into this book! Fake dating, friends-to-lovers, secret romance, marriage of convenience, and more!

rating: 4 STARS
genre: young adult, romance, historical romance
release date: March 5, 2024

I really love the strong personalities that you find in this series! Each character, even those who are trying so hard to fit into society, are still able to make their own choices and be their own woman. Plus - they're all so witty! I love the back-and-forth between the FMCs and their beaus...and their friends!

Honestly, if you're looking for a light & fun YA historical romance, look no further. I anxiously awaited this release, and bothered the author (and the author's publisher for it), and I'm so happy to have been able to continue my time in the ton!

Read If You Like:
Queen Bee by Amalie Howard
Bridgerton
Witty, Smart FMCs
Found Family

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a digital review copy of this book via NetGalley!

This is my first read from Rosalyn Eves. An Unlikely Proposition is a standalone book but part of a series. I think it works fine as a standalone though certainly could tell there was some backstory I could have gained from reading the first book in the series. This is a Regency romance geared to the young adult audience. It follows two main young ladies as they navigate society following great changes in their lives. I thought having these 2 POVs in particular was a unique choice. Overall, I think this was a light and enjoyable read, although it faltered a little bit for me in the development of the romances -- I did not feel the chemistry for either of the romantic relationships was fully developed, which was a disappointment.

This book just didn't particularly capture me, but if you're looking for a YA Regency, I think this would be a solid read.

Widowed at the age of 17, Eleanor Lockhart has the financial independence she has always longed for, thanks to the provisions her kindly older husband made for her in his will before he died. Finding herself besieged by fortune hunters, Eleanor enters into a sham engagement with her friend’s brother, Henry. When Eleanor finds herself falling for someone else, will she have the courage to reveal all and risk her heart in the process? Although the plot development is rather ponderous, the setting and characters will appeal to fans of Regency romance.