An Unlikely Proposition by Rosalyn Eves is the second book in a series of Regency romance novels. The author tells the story from two points of view: Eleanor, a 17 year old widow, and Thalia, her 19 year old companion. Eleanor's nephew-in-law wants to claim his uncle's estate, and causes her multiple problems in his efforts to ensure she loses everything to him.

Thalia was in London for a season the previous year, but did not find a husband. She answers Eleanor's ad for a companion and moves to London for the position. She writes poetry, and hopes to get published.

The story is amusing and the characters are engaging. The book is written for young adults, and well done. I plan to read the first book also.

I received a free copy of this book and am leaving this review voluntarily.

From the first line, Rosalyn Eves had me smiling at this witty Regency romance story, An Unlikely Proposition. Book 2 in the Unexpected Seasons series, this story also is a standalone romance. In it we meet two main characters, Eleanor and Thalia, who develop a friendship after Thalia is hired by Eleanor to be her companion. A widow at only 17 years old, Eleanor holds a considerable fortune and, with it, considerable pressure from the ton to find herself another husband. The sticking point? If she remarries, she loses her inheritance. Unless, of course, she marries the man it would go to in the event she remarries -- her late-husband's nephew, a proper Regency-era villain and a man she utterly detests. Thus, the marriage games (or rather marriage avoidance games) begin with a fake engagement, a pair of women who are determined to remain unattached and unhindered, the men who ultimately capture their hearts, and a few social gaffes along the way.  

Fans of Regency-era romances will appreciate some of the familiar themes in this narrative: finding love across boundaries of class and wealth, the mark of true gentlemen (who are always seemingly outnumbered by the rakes), the glitter and drama of the Season in London, and the plight of smart women who must play by the rules of society or risk disgrace. It rings true with the language and writing as well, with just a touch of contemporary humor.

Yet in this story readers also find a few elements that make this story unique. One is the presence of Regency-era poets as minor characters. Thalia is determined to become a published poet and finds herself in a circle of intellectuals, artists, poets, and writers by way of an invitation from her brother. I appreciated the care that the author took to select poets from this time, including John Keats and Samuel Coleridge, and referenced some of their works.
I was surprised when their representation in the story was rooted in the patriarchal thinking of the time. Eves did not make these poets feminist simply because they were romantic. On the contrary, she situated them as part of the stumbling points for Thalia's entry into a male-dominated profession.

The burning inside her grew hotter. "So a poet, if he is a man, has the whole spectrum of human experience before him: history, myth, love, war, science, art. He might even write about the domestic, as Wordsworth had done. But a female poet must confine herself only to what is deemed feminine? How is that fair?"

It is hard for Thalia to feel seen and heard in her chosen profession. In a similar way, Eleanor also yearns to take off the mask of propriety and expectation of the ton and find what truly makes her happy. The theme of being seen and heard is clear in the tender relationships that develop between the main characters, no less so than in the characters who fall in love. At the height of swoon-worthy romantic confessions, Thalia's gentleman declares:
"But this Season, I met a woman who was not simply beautiful, or kind, or funny.She also had a depth to her and an ambition that made me, for the first time in my life, wish that I had a depth that might match hers, an ambition to be more....As she is always wonderfully, beautifully--sometimes disastrously--herself, it was impossible not to see her. It was equally and damnably impossible not to love her. The miracle, though, is that I think she saw me too." 

The strength and sweetness of both Eleanor and Thalia's story was in their journey to find their sense of belonging -- of belonging to themselves, of belonging to their lovers, and belonging to what they've found as a new family together. Eleanor's journey ends with a revelation of her own: "Home, for me, has always been people. For these last weeks, home has meant you." An Unlikely Proposition was a warm and witty read. For more of Rosalyn Eves's Regency-era romances (and the first story where we meet Thalia), check out Book 1, An Improbable Season.

I am a fan of Rosalyn Eves and regency era books, so this was a no brainer for me to read. Such a fun and cute story, the characters were perfect for the theme and the ending was lovely.

I thought the pacing of this book was a little off but the ending made up for it. I really enjoyed this historical romance. It was sweet and cute. Such a fun easy read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the arc in return for an honest review!

I enjoyed this book even though I feel it was written for a much younger audience than myself. The main character, Eleanor, is supposed to be 17 but she comes across a little matronly. Having married an older man when told she had to leave her boarding school, she is widowed shortly after.
Here is where my problem lies with this character. She constantly is referring the poverty she came from but has attended a boarding school with society girls that someone has paid for. I am pretty sure she was fed and clothed so her constant obsession with being poor again lies flat. She was certainly more fortunate than many Londoners at the time.
Regardless, the book was entertaining and devoid of unnecessary torrid sex scenes which makes it great for YA readers.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

An Unlikely Proposition is an enchanting romance that captivated me with its relatable characters, genuine struggles, and remarkable talents. This swoon-worthy novel presents a compelling narrative that is engaging. The story delves into the lives of characters facing genuine challenges. These relatable individuals grapple with real-world problems, allowing readers to empathize with their experiences. The characters possess authentic talents that add depth and intrigue to the plot, making the story all the more captivating. With its relatable characters, genuine struggles, and remarkable talents, this book offers a delightful escape.

Rosalyn Eves has created another triumph in An Unlikely Proposition through realistic, likable characters struggling with real problems and exercising real talents. In the story, Thalia has come to London hoping to stimulate her writing and find ways to achieve her dream of publication. She takes a job as a lady’s, companion to young and recently widowed Eleanor. As the story progresses, Thalia finds herself falling in love with Henry, but learns he is engaged to marry her employer. Mysteriously, Henry’s attentions seem focused more on Thalía than on Eleanor, whose attention seems drawn to a young accountant named Owen. As Thalia’s writing blooms, she connects with her brother Freddy, who is in London and hoping to begin his own writing career. When Eleanor finds herself in trouble and on the verge of losing her inheritance, Thalia, Henry, Owen, and Owen’s sister team up to help Eleanor retain her home and find what matters most.
In this story, Eleanor is strong and resourceful, but she has never learned the skills of trusting others or accepting help. Thalia, brave, thoughtful, and loyal, learns the difference between trusting blindly and standing up for herself. Both young women are role models for readers, as are Henry and Owen, who show readers how to stand with others without taking away their agency or independence. YA readers will love these characters and their story.

This was a fun read! I'm always a sucker for a regency read and I loved that this one was YA. I liked the relationship between Thalia and Eleanor, but I wish there was more build up for their romances. I feel like Eleanor just fell in love with Owen really fast! Overall good, quick read, Very cute

Widow Eleanor Lockhart would like to retain the wealth that her husband left to her; if she remarries, she will lose it and his next of kin will receive it. Her husband’s greedy nephew George is pressuring her to marry–him, or anyone else, so she announces a fake engagement to her friend Henry Salisbury, much to the disappointment of her new ladies companion, Thalia, who harbors a crush on Mr. Salisbury.

Luckily for Thalia, Eleanor is falling for the lower class son of a jeweler and man of science who she has retained to decipher and help publish her late husband’s work (which is beyond her female brain to understand???). Owen Jones is a sturdy and steady match for her, but not a member of the ton.

Thalia is still recovering from the scandal of last season, and details her trials and tribulations in her perfectly adolescent and tongue in cheek horrible poetry, which becomes one of the more delightful elements of the narrative.

Drama and romance edge on darkness–men are greedy, powerful, and threatening. When the naive girls attend a Cyprian’s ball intended for loose women and prostitutes to mingle with prospective men who will take them as mistresses, they have no idea the danger they are putting themselves in, and the near miss sexual assualt adds a level of gritty seriousness to an otherwise lighthearted period romance.

The historical details give an authentic sense of time and place, from balls to dress to meals to manners. This companion novel to An Impropable Season will find its audience among fans of Bridgerton and Jane Austen.

This was a nicely done companion novel to An Improbable Season. It could be read as a stand-alone, however I don’t think the reader would get as much out of it without having read the first. It doesn’t go too much more in depth beyond a regency romance plot line, but if you’re looking for a cute and fun read- it’s worth it! The author does a nice job incorporating the historical aspects of society during the time period in which it is set. The relationships between the characters, whether friendship or romantic definitely drive the overall story. If you like a straightforward romance and are a Bridgerton fan, you’ll like this one!

Move over John Keats. Step aside Samuel Coleridge. There’s a new Regency poet on the scene: Miss Thalia Aubrey!

After a botched elopement in AN UNLIKELY SEASON, Thalia is working as a lady’s companion and pursuing her poetry. Her employer is widowed teenager Eleanor who is being harassed by her dead husband’s nephew for her fortune. Eleanor enters into a fake engagement (fake dating trope anyone?) and hijinks ensue when she meets another handsome young man. Love and poetry are messy too when Thalia starts falling for Eleanor’s fiancé!

Jane Austen fans will love this curtsy to the Regency period and modern young ladies will appreciate the two prickly and strong-willed heroines who fight for control of their own futures.

Future posts:
Newsletter: 3/1/24
www.SamanthaHastings.com 3/5/24
Instagram + Facebook @samanthahastingsauthor 3/5/24

I rated this book 3.5⭐️

This was a fun light read. For only 200pages we did get a lot of info on characters in the first few pages and the pacing on the book was off. It was pretty enjoyable but this book did feel very YA (yes I know it’s that category but I refer to the tropes and a bit of the writing)
The characters falling in love with each other and various plot points were quite predictable but I would suggest this as a fun easy read since it’s about 200 pages and it ends with a happy ending! ✨

Fun, cute, and a great historical romance read. I loved every minute of this. I would rank this higher than her previous release and that makes me so excited for future titles but the author.