I had no idea what to expect as I didn’t read the description before starting this book, but I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I thought it started out witty, funny, relatable, and enjoyable. There were some parts that KJ had me smiling from the silliness of Gracie. I found that Gracie can be very relatable and that I was also falling for Colin, as Gracie was too. However, as the story progressed, I found that the relationship between the two wasn’t quite there for me, especially when things started going wrong and when everything started to unravel (also the way Gracie acted/reacted... wtf). Gracie became annoying, and honestly, I really didn’t like her (I thought that maybe she was written to be TOO relatable, but that made her… not? She was just not logical and all over the place). At about 80% into the book, I slowly fell out of “love” with it. I wanted more character development for Gracie, and it felt like that fell short. I also felt like the ending was a bit rushed as this book feels like it’s meant to be a fluffy-go-happy book, but the end didn’t entirely give us that. Overall, I enjoyed this book for the most part, but there were gaps here and there.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5522629865
This book is perfect for fans of romance books like Marian Keyes or Sophie Kinsella. The story follows a writer working on a two-book deals. She tries something new - having the male lead as the main characters in the romance - and uses anecdotes of her boyfriends real life to develop the story. Well, all hell breaks loose from there.

This is an easy read. I actually liked having both Gracie's and Colin's perspective. I think this worked well. And I think it's kind of interesting that Gracie as a narrator can describe more of her book than what we actually get to see in her persona life (in terms of connection between the main characters). It just seems that we get a lot more from Gracie than Colin. It almost feels like Micciche was too afraid of jumping right in with what her character was trying to do, so she compromised and added more of Gracie as a narrator. I hope that for her next book she tries out more of the male narrator! In a Taylor Swift association, perhaps this is her Red (she is trying a bit pop) and the next one will be 1989 (full on male narrator).

Some of the things that I didn't like are side plots that seem to go nowhere (a) the drama between Colin and his dad is never actually resolved (what happened there?) (b) Gracie never goes out with her friends to actually celebrate getting her life together and if you think about it she's kind of a bad friend. It's almost as if she blames her friends for all the drinking when she is the one that is actually drinking. (c) What happened to Colin's divorce: did he actually like fixed the terms of the divorce? (d) all women who dated your current boyfriend are crazy exes?

Finally, and perhaps this is a problem with all romance novels, I am tired of this trope of being "sexy AND fun". Go be sexy and grumpy girlll!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

Swooning over KJ Micciche’s The Book Proposal! It’s art imitating life imitating art imitating a telenovela, and/or a Georgian soap opera with tons of humor and relatable events throughout this book.


I love a good romance, but usually can’t stand the overused novela/soap opera misunderstanding trope that separates all lovers after the first episode until hundreds of episodes later. This book was different. The misunderstanding was gentle and introduced in parts throughout the book, so that it wasn’t like abrupt until close to the end of this love story’s beginning.

So, in this book, Gracie pined for a classmate for all of high school, assuming that she wasn’t at his social level, popularity-wise, and so he was always that unrequited love for her. Fast forward to adult life, and she drunk-emails his work email after her world implodes, and she accepts the challenge to text a yearbook crush. This opens so many cans of worms, including reconnecting with that old crush who still lights her fire.

As a professional writer, Gracie enters into a collaboration with her new/old friend to get help when she gets stuck and just can’t get in step with her characters. This collab leads to So Many hilarious issues, steamy scenes of romance, and Drama.

I loved it to the very last word.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for providing the audio ARC that made my month!!

This rom-com follows Gracie, a romance writer and her high school crush, Colin. After a drunken message the two reunite the two almost friends with a chance to catch up and possibly turn to more.

At times I could see how the characters can seem a little too quirky but overall I found myself laughing more than rolling my eyes. Some moments felt a little too over the top and the characters definitely seemed more like young 20 somethings than 30 year olds. That being said I loved the premise. A little bit of a nerdy girl finds a chance with the popular guy with a heart of gold. Don't mind if I do! It was quick and lighthearted so it was definitely a low stacks. read.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a goofy rom-com. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this story!

Swooning over KJ Micciche’s The Book Proposal! It’s art imitating life imitating art imitating a telenovela, and/or a Georgian soap opera with tons of humor and relatable events throughout this book.


I love a good romance, but usually can’t stand the overused novela/soap opera misunderstanding trope that separates all lovers after the first episode until hundreds of episodes later. This book was different. The misunderstanding was gentle and introduced in parts throughout the book, so that it wasn’t like abrupt until close to the end of this love story’s beginning.

So, in this book, Gracie pined for a classmate for all of high school, assuming that she wasn’t at his social level, popularity-wise, and so he was always that unrequited love for her. Fast forward to adult life, and she drunk-emails his work email after her world implodes, and she accepts the challenge to text a yearbook crush. This opens so many cans of worms, including reconnecting with that old crush who still lights her fire.

As a professional writer, Gracie enters into a collaboration with her new/old friend to get help when she gets stuck and just can’t get in step with her characters. This collab leads to So Many hilarious issues, steamy scenes of romance, and Drama.

I loved it to the very last word.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for providing the audio ARC that made my month!!

Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape for the ALC. This was a tough one for me to rate. I enjoyed the narrators and the parents in Gracie’s life were so entertaining. However, I don’t feel like this was a great book for audio. All the back and forth by email was torturous to listen to. Gracie was too immature for me. I know she was meant to be funny but it didn’t quite come across that way. There were times that it felt like the author was trying to fill the pages more than tell the story (like every step of getting ready “I dig out shoes from the closet, I return underwear to the drawer. I return the drawer to the dresser. I walk through the apartment and turn off the lights.”
It had its funny moments and I would enjoy audiobooks with these narrators again but this was only about 2.5⭐️ for me.

Grace is a romance author in the midst of writers block with deadlines around the corner. Feeling uninspired and uninterested in writing her current romance novel due to her recent break up, she gets drunk and emails her high school crush...

Colin is a recently divorced estate lawyer, surprised by the email remembering Grace from school as quiet and pretty. unknowing she was his secret admirer that left him notes throughout high school...

The two exchange flirty and fun emails and realize have a lot in common, both getting over exes that hurt them and going through big changes in their lives. The two become friends and quickly become more...

But... This relationship could be detrimental to her career and to his heart...

I absolutely loved Grace & Colins story, I think Dom needs his own finding love story!
Thanks to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media & of course KJ Micciche for this Audio Book.

(I wanted him to bring up the notes from school so bad!)

The Book Proposal
By: KJ Micciche
Narrated by: Kelli Tager, Nick Mondelli
Publisher: Dreamscape Media
Release date: 05-16-23

I really wanted to like this one. There were some good moments but I think a big negative was how unlikeable and immature the main character is. And honestly, her high school self was pretty cringey and not in a charming way either. In high school she writes her crush secret admirer letters that are not cute but creepy and somehow he is into them? It's odd. Also I don't think she ever tells him that it was her when they were younger and I'm not sure if he figured that out or not. Grown up now, she goes out drinking to deal with her fiance leaving her for their wedding planner and ends up emailing her high school crush. They end up chatting back and forth and get to know each other better as adults. That part I actually did like but at the same time it the situation just didn't feel realistic. Also the author goes into too much detail about the main character farting and sharting which really takes you out of the romance.

Title: The Book Proposal
Written by KJ Micciche
Narrated by Nick Mondelli; Kelli Tager

I received an ARC (advanced reader copy) of this audiobook through Netgalley.

This is a good romance story overall. The ending was so short and abrupt that I feel like I left the movie theater 15 minutes before the movie ended. I am left wondering what happened next. I know cliffhangers are common in book series, but this feels like a stand alone book - so where’s the ending the characters deserve? They’ve been as short changed as I have.

Gracie is an author struggling to make it big in the book world - a tumultuous undertaking. Her fiancee is no longer her fiancee. She takes a stroll down memory lane and contacts a high school crush.

Colin is a successful estate attorney with a recently failed marriage under his belt. He receives an email from a high school girl that he only sort of remembers.

These two come with baggage, but their hearts are open and hopeful.

Drama ensues as is usual. The plot is solid. The characters are 80% likeable - room for both to become better people.

But, the ending was just … blah. I could have given the book 4.5 stars…until the end.

Do I recommend this book? Um, not really. If there is a second book that tells the next part of their story… then it will be worth it.

Overall: Good narrators. Good writer. Shoddy ending. I really hope the author puts out a book 2!

The Book Proposal by KJ Micciche was a fun romantic debut! Our FMC is a romance author, who is facing an impending deadline, and she's freaking out because she's fresh out of ideas. Heartbreak will do that to a gal. Her ex-fiancé is now married to their wedding planner, and the father to their new little girl. Drunk on wine and regret, she emails the hot guy from high school, who she crushed on for years, and that one drunken email leads to a back-and-forth conversation that leads to more than she ever expected. He even helps her with the plot of her book--which her agent is hounding her for. But the plot is a little too close to real life, and things get messy really quickly.

I thought it was a cute premise, and honestly, even though I should have seen the twist coming, I totally didn't, which made it even more fun. (Usually I'm good at anticipating the conflict in books.) The audiobook was a great way to enjoy this one while knocking out chores around the house. Nick Mondell and Kelli Tager were both new-to-me narrators, but they did a great job bringing The Book Proposal to life.

Gracie is definitely the typical "hot mess" character--the one thing I didn't love was the role alcohol played in the story. Gracie is flirting with having a problem with alcohol; several times during the story, she drinks so much she pukes or blacks out. That kind of took me out of the story temporarily. But that's a small complaint.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for my ALC.

Gracie used to have a crush on Collin in high school, slipping anonymous love notes in his locker. Until his friends got their hands on the notes and started making fun of whoever wrote them. And until Collin got with another girl. Now, Grace is trying to finish writing her romance novel, Collin on her mind as her male protagonist, and she sends him a drunken email out of nowhere on a Friday night. They exchange emails back and forth, him trying to find out more about where she's at, her to push him away at first, then getting caught in the epistolary relationship that quickly evolves into a phone relationship. She is excited to get a proposition for an incredible book deal most writers can only dream of, but it means she has to write a second novel and is not sure about her idea, so Collin, now a lawyer, offers her to read what she has so far and give her feedback.
This is a funny second chance, closed door romance, I liked it a lot! I read the ebook and listened to the audio book, and the narration in dual POV was great, although in the audio version the reading of the email headers was annoying.
You'll find there is lots on focus on body image and relationship to food, and quite a lot of talk about going to the bathroom, and digestion, which I'm not sure I like... I know it's part of life, and natural, but it takes a bit too much space in a romance... on the other hand, it does give a more down-to-earth, realistic spin to romance.
I loved to see her thought process on Gracie writing her novel. And I loved the flashbacks. And I also loved Evan.
There is a very original/unexpected twist that leads to the 3rd act breakup, and I was pleasantly surprised. Although it does lead to a bit of an overreaction of the FMC. I get that she's disappointed (she's totally entitled to be), but she overreacts and acts too impulsively while drunk, dumping a guy who never intentionally did anything bad, it was really an honest mistake, and he's genuinely trying to fix the situation that rose from the twist. I also found the ending a bit abrupt, I would've loved to read at least an epilogue to see where life took the MCs (although you can easily imagine).
Finally, the characters in this book should seriously reconsider their relationship with alcohol...
I totally recommend this fun and entertaining read!
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

No. Just no. 9% in the FMC starts sharting herself and it just goes from there. I have up at 20% this one isn't for me.

Cute and funny romcom. Great for summer. Terrific dialogue. Although there are a lot more fart references than in a typical romcom, so that may offend some. LOL I really liked both main characters separately and together. I enjoyed the peek into the writing process as Gracie works on her novel with a very tight deadline.

The narrators are excellent as well. I enjoy an audiobook with both male and female narrators.

*I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media and I am required to disclose that in my review in compliance with federal law.

The Book Proposal
Pub date: May 16 2023
4.5 ⭐️

This book was literally hilarious, just what I needed after reading so many thrillers this month! You ever read a book and wonder do these characters ever have stomach issues like most FMC are always perfect but not Gracie she felt human and real to me! I absolutely love her and her flashbacks to high school were so on point, she was so honest & witty.
I can totally imagine all the back story on her writing process. Definitely a Rom-Com to read and add to your tbr.
Very fast paced- I had the ALC with NetGalley and absolutely recommend audio.
I really enjoyed this one thank you NetGalley!

Gracie Landing is the definition of a hot mess. One night when she is drunk, she goes back through her high school yearbook and finds Colin Yarmouth’s picture which stirs up lots of bad memories. Colin is responsible for her nickname that she was not fond of and she drunkenly finds his email and tells him how she really feels. This leads to a correspondence and them becoming friends. He even gives her some ideas for the second book that her editor is asking for. When Gracie finds out that her editor is actually Colins ex-wife, things start to go south. Gracie has just started feeling better about life and where she is headed when that happens…will she be able to keep the positive outlook?

This book was a little odd to me. The main character seemed a little crazy and immature but wanted everything to be perfect in life without really working for it. There is so much drama that is unrealistic and how she could go from absolutely loathing Colin to immediately being his friend did not make sense to me. I will say, the narrators were great.

I wanted to enjoy this. But I found myself struggling to understand the relationship dynamics among characters, and the climax was just... not really interesting to me. I felt like I was swimming through mud to finish this.

Thank you Netgalley for granting me access to the audiobook of The Book Proposal.

I absolutely adore books about books, publishing books, writing books, and authors going to through the ups and downs of publishing books in a world saturated with so many books.

Recently I read The Neighbor Favor and I absolutely loved it. I was hoping The Book Proposal would be similar. Unfortunately it totally missed the mark for me. I think the reason I didn’t like the book was because of the main female lead. Gracie was insufferable and so very unlikable. She was immature and I just couldn’t connect with her.

The book dragged towards the end, and I think I lost interest in what happens to Gracie and Colin.

Sadly, this book was not a win.

Thank you NetGalley for this audio ARC of this book. This was a great romantic comedy and would be great for Emily Henry fans. It had a fun and light feel the whole time, and I really enjoyed the comedy of this read and actually laughed out loud in parts. Fun chemistry and was only hoping for some more steam.

Must read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook. I had to stop at 3% listening to this. It felt extremely juvenile and immature - I could not get past that. It felt like something I could have written in middle school.

I am really on a roll of LOVE THIS BOOK!

The Book Proposal follows Grace Landing, she's an author struggling to get a book written on deadline to help her get a REALLY good deal! She gets drunk and emails a boy from high school telling him off, to her surprise he emails her back and they begin an email relationship. They end up meeting up so he can help her with her new book. Anyway, DRAMA abounds with ups and downs and I loved every single minute of it.

K.J. Micciche really knocked this one out of the park and Kelli Tager and Nick Mondelli brought it to life perfectly with their narration.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to ALC this story and offer a review. This one releases May 16th and you should absolutely add it to the top of your TBR.