A Proposal to Die For was such a delightful read—witty, charming, and full of quirky twists that kept me smiling. I loved the clever blend of romance and mystery, and the characters’ chemistry felt natural and fun. Some of the plot surprises were a little predictable, but the humor and heart more than made up for it. Overall, it was an entertaining and enjoyable story that kept me turning pages.

This book marks Molly Harper’s debut in the world of whodunit mysteries, and it’s a delightfully fun and fast-paced read. Perfect for fans of lighthearted, escapist fiction, it blends a twisty mystery with a charming setting and Harper’s signature wit. As a seasoned romance writer, she also weaves in a sweet romantic thread that adds warmth without overshadowing the intrigue.

Harper has a wonderful ability to write snappy and relatable dialog. While I'm used to reading her paranormal romance, I was happy to discover her wit and humor were still alive and kicking in her mystery romance as well. I would love to read more in this world!

⭐⭐⭐.75 | 3.75 stars rounded up

This was such a fun, unique take on a mystery romcom. I loved Jess's kindness and wit and the pace of this book. The first third of the book felt a bit tough for me to get into, but the last 70% was so engaging, funny, sweet, and intriguing. The ending was really satisfying, albeit a bit predictable.

I enjoyed that the romance was more of sub-plot, but it still felt a bit insta-lovey - hence why I couldn't give this four stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley for the eARC!

Jessamine Bricker is a marriage proposal planner. (Who knew there was such a thing?) She is a very organized person which is most important in her career and why she's thriving. Unfortunately, her office rent is going up. Because of that she decides to help her snobby high classmate, Diana and her wealthy boyfriend.
Jessamine gets pulled into be part of Diana's retreat at an upscale resort. From the first day things go wrong. Diana has a hissy fit over not being able to get cell phone reception. There are loud arguments from a nearby couple and Jess thinks see saw a drug deal. While Jess tries to calm Diana , there are ominous events that transpire. There is a drowning in the meditation pool and Jess discovers a body in the sauna. What is turning this resort retreat into a horror movie atmosphere? Can Jess help get everything back on track?
This engaging novel mixes mystery and romance in a different way. It's entertaining and easy to read.

Thanks to Berkeley, my favorite publisher, for giving me the opportunity to read and review this novel.

It's funny to describe a book as lighthearted and a murder mystery, but I found this to be exactly that. The main character was funny and had the ability to just roll with whatever was happening around her, which I found to be enjoyable. The other characters that she had to deal with were over-the-top, which just added to the fun. I recommend this book to those who enjoy a cozy mystery.

A book with some humor and a relatable character mixed with a murder mystery - sign me up!
Overall I enjoyed this book, but I do need to make it clear that there are several plot points and conveniences that require a lot of suspension of disbelief - more than the average "cozy mystery".
But looking past those, I was engaged in the story (ha, no pun intended) and was sleuthing along with Jess. I was suspicious of everyone and still didn't fully see the real culprit! Always the best.

I genuinely love everything Molly Harper writes and A Proposal to Die For was no exception. An intriguing cast of characters, a budding romance, and a bit of murder all in a picturesque spa setting. Say no more! It was a breeze to read and even as an avid mystery reader there still were some moments that surprised me and made me question my armchair detective skills. I loved it!

A different vibe than most Molly Harper books, but the murder mystery is still worth it. Especially when you get into the spa vibes.

I'll admit that when I started A PROPOSAL TO DIE FOR by Molly Harper, I was a little nervous. I've read everything she has written, so I know that everything she writes is entertaining and adorable in some way. But A PROPOSAL TO DIE FOR is her first murder mystery that doesn't include something paranormal. And it is set at a spa. It all felt a little too much out of her wheelhouse.

I needn't have worried, however, because A PROPOSAL TO DIE FOR is one of the most charming murder mysteries you will read. Jess is such a relatable character. From her reasons for taking the job that brings her to the spa to her inability to let go of a question bothering her, you know you would do the same thing in her place.

I also fell in love with the Osbourne family. I need to find a family like that in my life. Everyone should have a family like that in their life. Good people who care about their work but, more importantly, care about each other most of all, and it shows in every interaction. Plus, their spa sounds AMAZING, and I need to find a place like it. I don't know who I would go with because my husband would hate it, and I don't have many friends, but I still want to go.

Ms. Harper's stories are always so much fun to read. The way she revolves her stories around close-knit families and friends who would all die for one another is such a comfort. Adding to that, A PROPOSAL TO DIE FOR contains a damn good mystery. I suspected the perpetrator fairly early on, but that did not diminish my enjoyment of Jess' floundering for answers in the slightest. It also ends with one of the most beautiful, touching, and yet amusing scenes I've read in a long time. A PROPOSAL TO DIE FOR is a welcome addition to Ms. Harper's long body of work, and I hope we get more of these types of murder mysteries in the future.

Book Review: A Proposal to Die For by Molly Harper
Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3 stars)

This was a fun, quirky cozy mystery with a unique setup—a proposal planner caught in a murder mystery at a mountain retreat? Yes, please! Jessamine is a lovable, list-making main character, and the setting at the Golden Ash resort was charmingly eerie.

That said, the middle dragged a bit for me. I was hoping for more mystery and less of Diana being... well, Diana. Still, the plot had some great twists, and the Osbourne family (especially the gruff chef Dean) added warmth and humor.

If you’re into cozy mysteries with a bit of sass and a touch of romance, this one’s worth checking out!

I can't get over how much I loved this book. It's somewhere between a cozy mystery and a more intense thriller, with a protagonist and cast of characters that I really wish I could spend more time with. Jess is a professional proposal planner with a quick mind and an eye for details. So when guests start dropping dead at a luxurious but isolated resort, she's paying attention to every little thing. It's not so much that she's an amateur sleuth trying to solve the mystery -- she's just trying to deal with complelety unreasonable clients who keep sabotaging their own plans. I read the whole thing in one sitting and, while the ending is extremely satisfying, I wasn't ready for it to end. I've got my fingers crossed that the author will write another mystery and for now I guess I'll look for some of her romance novels.

Jess is a proposal planner trying to save her building when she gets an offer from an ex- high school classmate to plan her proposal to her ex-college classmate. That small world gets smaller when she goes on the spa retreat and she's sharing a suite with the hopful fiance, her cousin, and the wedding planner. While she's becoming friends with the family who owns the spa, and giving love eyes to the chef, she finds two dead bodies and everyone around her could be a suspect.
I loved this book so much. The mystery was wonderfully written, the characters were so different from the next, with so much personal background and individual motives that it left nobody off the table, and the ROMANCE! Jess and Dean are the cutest, tell me I'm wrong (you can't, I won't allow it). The story was beautifully written, and it felt like I was actually at the spa, which felt amazing. I couldn't get enough of this book and I was obsessed with reading it and finding the murder. Every twist and turn left me craving more and I started trying to find the killer with Jess. I would recommend this book to anyone dabbling in a mysery-romance who loves getting addicted to a hilarious group of characters and putting their sluthing caps on!

Thank you NetgGalley for giving me a ARC of this book and all opinions are my own.

Thank to Netgalley and publishers for allowing me access to this eARC. All opinions and words are my own.

Jess, a proposal planner made to fix a botched proposal at a secluded spa in the mountains. Ambitious and determined, but when she encounters not one body, but two.. will she finish the proposal in time?

Molly Harper is a good time, and this time was no different.
The grammatical errors drove me batty, the book seriously needs to be edited. Even so, I thought the book was fun.
There was a serious error though that I did indeed notice... the Will-oh-wisps part, and even Jeremy.. all that happened before they showed up.. yet the story later on was set up in a way where it seemed like it happened when they were there when in fact they were not.
The reasoning behind it all was just so ludicrous but honestly... considering both families, I'm really not surprised.

The romance between Jess and Dean did seem to be a little fast imo and sudden. Dean having gone through trauma, suddenly breaks out of his shell for her and her alone. 🤷🏼‍♀️

I know all this makes it seem like I didn't like it, but I actually did. I had a great time and had some laughs. I recommend to anyone who likes a murder mystery where you honestly couldn't figure out who did it.

P.S Diana can eat a big bowl of dicks. FR.

Harper's first cozy mystery is delightful. Full of snark, sass, and secrets, this mystery kept me guessing until the final chapters. A great read for cozy mystery fans.

A Proposal to Die For by Molly Harper is a mystery romance. Very light on the romance which I would have enjoyed more of. Our main character, Jess, loves her clients and will do anything for them, including going away on a vacation with a future bride. While the mystery plays out on vacation, I was hoping for more in this story but overall it was a quick fun read. This was the first time I read this author and I will definitely pick up another book.

A Proposal to Die For by Molly Harper puts Jessamine Bricker into a dangerous situation while planning a proposal that she didn't even want to do.

Can Jess pull off a proposal that will make Diana happy?

Jessamine Bricker
Jessamine Bricker likes to go by Jess and nothing else. She loves a good plan, to-do lists, and all of that. The one thing that she doesn't like is a lot of surprises, and that is what planning Diana and Trenton Tillard the Fourth's proposal is. Jess ends up finding two dead bodies and is starting to think that maybe, just maybe, taking this job wasn't worth it. Even if Jess likes the Osborne family a lot more, as she gets to hang out with them, she ends up liking Dean. Jess is a great character, and she definitely had some growth in the book. I feel bad that she had to deal with that growth while being with Diana and her messed up family.

The Proposal
Jess had a pretty great plan for Diana's proposal and one that would've ticked off all of her boxes. The one problem is getting Trenton's family there. Oh, and how the murders that are taking place around them have put a damper on everything. Overall, probably that means that Trenton's family is right on them not being right for each other.

The Mystery
Jessamine ends up stumbling on a dead body and can't help but investigate. Granted, she has her hands full planning a proposal, but that's neither here nor there. She then stumbles upon another dead body, and everything spirals out of control. Jess ends up solving the mysteries and a cold case that has left some of the Osbornes sad.

Five Stars
My rating for A Proposal to Die For by Molly Harper is five stars, and I recommend it to my adult readers. Ms. Harper has done a fantastic job of bringing me to the Appalachian Mountains and this spa resort. I felt so bad for Jess and everything that she got roped into doing thanks to Diana and her lies.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of A Proposal to Die For by Molly Harper.

Until the next time,
Karen the Baroness

If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out Baroness Book Trove.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me a copy of this book to review.

This was a fun novel, and I enjoyed it a lot. I am looking forward to reading more by this author.

A Proposal To Die For is a cozy mystery that has enough wit and fun to make anyone laugh. Jess is such a unique character that I loved spending time with. The mystery itself was deftly done and I did not end up solving it! The clues were great but solution slipped right passed me. The dash of romance added a great layer to the story as well.

The side characters are very satisfying for a reader with multiple people to keep track of with their personalities.
The romance was very heartfelt and not forced.
The pacing: was fast paced. The plot was fun.
The writing was very witty. I know Molly writes crime, but this was a solid one in my opinion.

Perfect if you love:
Who hurt you? Why are people dying?
Slowburn
Bridezilla vibes
Dark humor
Laugh Out Loud Moments
Death is sexy.

Thank you so much to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this arc!