A Proposal to Die For is an engaging cozy mystery that blends humor, charm, and a touch of romance. Molly Harper shines with her sharp dialogue and quirky, well-drawn characters. Jess is a smart and relatable protagonist, and her interactions with both the eccentric resort staff and potential suspects bring levity and heart to the story. There's a nice balance of humor and tension, and the mystery keeps readers guessing without becoming overly dark. Though the pacing lags slightly in the middle, the resolution is satisfying and ties together the narrative threads well. This book is a great pick for fans of cozy mysteries who enjoy a little romance and a lot of witty banter. Thank you, NetGalley!

I requested this book on a whim to try to get into other mystery authors - it seemed cozy and I loved the premise of a proposal planner going to a fancy spa/resort. Unfortunately this book didn't really work for me!

Jess used to be a wedding planner but after some drama and burnout, she decides to create a new venture in the proposal planning space. She links up with rich dudes who want to spend money on an over-the-top proposal and Jess handles all the logistics. When a frenemy from high school wants to redo her fiance's proposal, she insists Jess help them and he'll pay anything to make it happen. Jess needs the money and agrees - they head to a resort to work on the planning... and a dead body or two make an appearance.

My biggest issue with this book is that it felt very disjointed - the way the characters interacted with each other and the scenes progressed felt so weird and underdeveloped. It's very hard to explain but I was glad to see from other reviews that I wasn't alone in feeling this way. The plot wasn't the issue but the way the author wrote the dialogue, character relationships, and overall scene structure was just very hard to read and sometimes confusing.

The romance was the most underdeveloped part; I didn’t believe any of it or see any progression for them throughout the book. All of a sudden they were kissing after a few weird interactions. The fact that Jess fell in with the resort owners (family/sibling group) was nice in theory because she was there working (not for leisure), but I didn't feel the connections. 

I was going to put this one aside but the drama picked up a little bit in the final stretch to make me just finish it off. I thought the ending was pretty predictable and obvious (in terms of the whodunnit). There were multiple mysteries and the one ~from the past~ involving the family was a bit of a random distraction, while I guess I understood why it was in there kind of?

Overall, this was a miss for me unfortunately!

3.5 stars

Jess wants two things, to plan fabulous and unique marriage proposals and to come up with enough money to buy her office building. She never expects to get pulled into mysterious deaths while working with a former classmate, Diana.

The story was interesting with a good setting and plenty to keep you guessing. I thought Jess made a good amateur detective while trying to deal with all the over-the-top requests from Diana.

While the pacing felt a bit uneven, I did enjoy the story and would love to see Jess solve more mysteries.

The author's passion shines through in this book. It's a fun, humor filled, mean girls-esque type of mystery thriller. I encourage other mystery lovers to check it out! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book.

**Many thanks to Berkley and Molly Harper for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley!**

Who needs to come up with a heartfelt, creative, and one of a kind proposal on your OWN...when you can have someone plan the ULTIMATE unforgettable experience FOR you?

For Jessamine Bricker, this is just another day at the office. She loves all of the tiny details and special flourishes, and of course the grand gestures that are part and parcel of the perfect proposal. She's helped several brides and grooms to be figure out JUST the right words, look, setting, and spectacle to make their proposals truly one of a kind. But when her next potential client turns out to be a snob from high school that she'd rather leave in the yearbook, Jessamine bristles at the idea of HELPING her former foe, Diana. The rotten apple has only continued her descent into Lifestyles of the Rich and HEINOUS territory with her current wealthy beau, Trenton Tillard the Fourth. (Insert the eye rolls here) With her rent coming due soon and the promise of a hefty paycheck, Jessamine feels she has no choice but to grit her teeth and join the couple to be at a fancy retreat to make Diana's lofty (and selfish) dreams come true.

When she arrives, however, Jessamine is met with so much more than she bargained for...and the Golden Ash Resort is home not just to luxurious saunas and world-class dining...but appears to also be a hotbed of criminal activity. Jessamine gets very distracted by hunky chef Dean Osbourne, but is shocked to hear him give her warnings about the dangers of the forest on property. All of these fears are realized, however, when the bodies begin to start piling up - first in the meditation pool, and later, in the sauna...and our protagonist finds herself square in the middle of the mystery. Can she keep the demanding bride-to-be at bay...AND keep herself safe? Or were the instincts that told her to stay far away from the bullies of her past actually a warning...one that she has chosen to heed just a BIT too late?

After some time to reflect on this one and why it just didn't click for me, I think I've figured it out. Have you ever been looking at a menu with a dish you've never tried but one that SOUNDS intriguing, even if you've never considered having those flavors together before? Perhaps it's chocolate chicken mole...and you figure, "Well, I like chicken. I like chocolate. This was dreamed up by a CHEF who understands flavor profiles, and who probably has a pretty decent palate....so sure, why not!"

But then you actually take a BITE of the dish when it arrives...and you wish you had NO knowledge of what chicken and chocolate taste like together because you cannot UN-TASTE it...and you're worried it might have driven you away from both chicken AND chocolate....forever?

THAT was this book.

At first, I was intrigued and pretty excited for this genre mashup. The story actually starts with one of the murders, and I figured we were going to get more of a straight cozy with a tinge of romance. Granted, not my favorite genre by a long shot, but it sounded fun and like a bit of a 'locked room' romp with a solid mystery at its core. After this exciting opening though, we dove deep into territory I wish we hadn't - we spent LOTS of time with the obnoxious, self-centered, and acerbic Diana and her expectations for the PERFECT proposal...and I'm pretty sure I felt even more miserable than Jessamine. So much of the first 30% of the book is built up around this, in fact, that it seemed like maybe I had hallucinated the part about the murder that lead the book off...and I was a bit confused, but hopeful that this was just world building that would make sense eventually.

...And I am STILL waiting for it to all make sense.

When Jessamine gets to the resort, everything snowballs from there...and the book loses focus entirely. As much time as we spent on Devious Diana before we spend essentially moving this plot to the back burner entirely. Not only do we have to watch Jessamine become ingratiated in trying to solve murders, there is a LOVE STORY plot line too, just to muddy the waters even further. I had no idea why this was even necessary...it seemed at that point that the entire premise of the book was just designed to give Jessamine somewhere to GO where these murders could take place...and I had a hard time not only focusing, but staying invested. I also felt like she willingly threw herself to the wolves for no reason at all, and being obsequious to Diana had ZERO payoff for Jessamine. All it did was sort of reinforce the bully-victim dynamic...and WHY as a grown adult would she VOLUNTARILY do this...?

I know I was supposed to be determined to figure out the identity of the killer and this SHOULD have led to somewhat of an exciting climax by the time the final chapters rolled around. But with such a cast of unlikable characters (honestly, I was hardly even sold on Jessamine...so that says enough right there!) it really didn't MATTER who the killer was, and I don't recall being overly impressed with how the big reveals played out. To cap it off, there's a requisite cheesy Hallmark ending that you can probably predict based on the synopsis and the title alone - it's just THAT expected. Although this certainly has the potential to become a series, I think even Jessamine herself wouldn't be too disappointed for Harper to keep this as a 'one and done.'

And while I won't reveal whether Trenton's proposal ever lived up to Diana's lofty expectations, I did come to one solid conclusion: I'm not sure that I'll EVER be willing to try chicken and chocolate.

3 stars, rounded up from 2.5

I honestly don't know what to rate this, took me literal months to get past 25% but then I was hooked and finished the remaining 75% in a day. The overall mystery was intriguing but it felt like there were a LOT of irrelevant characters (muddying the waters, perhaps?) and I struggled keeping tabs on who went with whom. The romance/friendships also felt SO weird, like everyone has known each other for less than a week, lord. Still an enjoyable, light read.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

I liked this but it wasn’t love. I loved the big cast of quirky family members. I loved the dialogue. The murder plot was easy to figure out and was boring for me. I had trouble buying in to the quick romance as well. Enjoyable and I would read this author again. Also go in knowing this is a no steam romance. I think a little steam would have helped.

I just finished A Proposal to Die for By Molly Harper and here are my thoughts.

Jess has a successful business.. Marriage proposal planning… But with rising rent she takes on the proposal of her snobby highschool classmate…. At the bridal retreat, things go from bad to worse… People are turning up dead and if Jess doesn’t unravel the mysteries … she might not make it out alive…

Who doesn’t love a multi-genre mashup!!!
The plot was the right mix of humor, and suspense with a pinch of romance.

The characters are all really quirky and mildly annoying. No one was particularly likeable but it didn’t detract from the enjoyment. The start was a bit rocky…. But it was well paced and I got sucked in, especially when they got to the retreat.

I did figure out what was going on but I am the master of that haha!

I really enjoyed the writing style and I gave it a solid 4 stars or bookalorian thumbs up

Thank you @berkleypub and @netgalley for my gifted copy!!!

Fascinating premise but the execution just wasn’t there for me. The characters, from Jess, the main character, to the supporting cast, were so unlikeable (yes, some were meant to be) and there were so many of them that it was confusing and didn’t hold my interest. The murder is mentioned in the beginning and then doesn’t come back until the very end of the book so that all you’re left with is the unlikeable lot and their silly demands. This just wasn’t for me.

I hadn’t heard of this book before but the premise sounded cute so decided to give it a try and it ended up being the most entertaining cozy mystery!

This book is full of small-town Southern charm and has a quirky cast of characters-especially Jess. She is smart, sarcastic, and refreshingly down-to-earth with an inter monologue that had me laughing so hard at times!

The plot has just the right mix of romance, humor, and suspense. While the whodunit aspect isn’t overly complex, it’s satisfying and with enough red herrings to keep you guessing. This was an easy book to binge and I would highly recommended for readers who enjoy a good mystery with a touch of humor and heart!

A Proposal to Die For is a charming cozy mystery that will leave you chuckling even as you try to unravel the whodunit. Jessamine Bricker, our protagonist, is a meticulously organized proposal planner whose life is thrown into delightful disarray when she takes on a seemingly simple job that quickly spirals into a murder investigation at a remote, luxurious resort.
Harper expertly sets the stage with Jess's type-A personality clashing hilariously with the chaos that ensues. The contrast between Jess's love for spreadsheets and the increasingly bizarre events at the Golden Ash resort creates a constant undercurrent of comedic tension. From the demanding bride-to-be, Diana, to the suspicious guests and the unsettling warnings from the ruggedly handsome chef, Dean Osbourne, the resort is a breeding ground for secrets and suspicion.
While the mystery itself is intriguing, complete with red herrings and unexpected twists, it's Harper's signature wit that truly shines. The dialogue is sharp, the internal monologue hilarious, and the situations Jess finds herself in are often absurdly funny. The author manages to balance the darker elements of the murder mystery with lighthearted moments, ensuring the reader is both captivated and thoroughly entertained.
Overall, this book is a perfect escape for fans of cozy mysteries with a romantic touch. It's a clever, funny, and thoroughly enjoyable read.

Jess Bricker is willing to do just about anything for her clients. Going on a "work" vacation with a future bride is a first for Jess. Jess has to keep her eye on the prize and get this proposal done and get the payment she needs to fillful her dream.
At some point Jess will have to ask how much is too much? Maybe it is the bad attitudes rom the future bride or maybe it is the ghost lights or quite possibly it could be the dead body?

Join Jess on this adventure to the Golden Ash and find out what is Jess's final breaking point.

A Proposal to Die for was another great adventure with Molly Harper.

Full disclosure before I start reviewing. I love Harper's paranormal romances, but I love them almost exclusively in audio format. Amanda Ronconi is an absolute gem of a narrator. If I had listened to the audiobook version of this one, I would probably have given it another star. It's just as snarky and full of adorable familial setup, but without that narration it just didn't pull me in as quickly as they normally do. By half way I was invested and wanted to know what was going to happen next, but it did take a little while to get to that point in the story. Still, perfectly enjoyable cozy romance mystery, and I'd probably read other books about the same group of characters if they became available. I am a little curious about some of the Osbournes, particularly.

A Proposal to Die For by Molly Harper has a great premise, but fails to deliver. The writing itself is good. I enjoy Harper's writing style, but the story fell flat for me. Most of the characters are awful, terrible people, and even though Jess, Dean, and the rest of the Osbournes are okay, they couldn't balance the terrible ones. Too many side stories conflicted with the main plot, which was difficult to follow. I also figured out the killer early on. This one wasn't for me, but others may love it.

What a fun read. I did think the balance between contemporary romance/mystery was off and I would have liked the mystery aspects to come up sooner and be more of a focal point. Sometimes I got bogged down by the main character's job and the intricacies of that and navigating the group she was forced to hang out with and all their drama, that the romance felt like an afterthought. I did like the romantic lead, but I also felt like it took too long to get there. I enjoyed Jess's humor a lot and while I did like getting into her work, I think if there was another cozy mystery following this, I'd like that one more since we have established characters now.

This was a fun cozy mystery and I would definitely read more like this.

3.75 stars - this was such a good time. I love a cozy mystery and this was a delight. While there were many things that felt a bit implausible, it didn't take away from the story at all. I was totally surprised by who was guilty at the end and I thought the romance between Jess and Dean was very sweet. I was a little surprised by how quickly they went from what felt like innocent flirting and banter to being together, but at the end of the day I loved them together so I was a fan. The ending and epilogue was excellent.

Thank you so much to Berkley Romance and NetGalley for the eARC - all opinions are my own!

A Proposal To Die for is a cute and funny story that entertains while keeping the reader guessing with the mystery and suspense.

Jess has accepted a job to help plan the proposal and engagement of a former high school rival. It takes her to a remote spa (and the swoony Dean Osbourne).

I really enjoyed this fun and unique book. This author definitely has a way with telling a story that keeps you chuckling even while murders are occurring on the page!!

I listened to lots of this on audiobook and love this narrator. She did a wonderful job with these characters.
-4 Stars-

A Proposal to Die For by Molly Harper
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Jess is a proposal planner; she is hired by people who want elaborate proposals and need help to arrange them. She is hired by a woman she hasn’t seen in years to assist in a re-proposal, which is a first for her. She’s also never found a dead body before but this job will be a first for that as well.
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What I liked:
-This was a very amusing and entertaining cozy mystery. I immediately liked Jess and was worried for her to spend all week with these snobby people. But a girl’s gotta earn that money!
-I really liked the exclusive Golden Ash Resort and the family that was running it. (Especially Dean)
-The mystery was great and I loved following along, there were so many great theories I had!
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4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A fun and immersive cozy mystery that had me craving meatballs for some reason. I would love to read another book with Jess, especially if I could learn more about her grandma.

A Proposal to Die For by Molly Harper is a cute title with several meanings. A Southern mystery set in Tennessee, a proposal takes center stage throughout it all.

The hopeful bride-to-be, Diana, was not at all likable. She was very self-centered with visions of riches due to her chosen bridegroom’s family wealth. But first, she needs the perfect proposal, which is where Jess comes in. As the proposal planner, Jess has a lot on her plate, but it will be worth it in the end if she gets her large fee because then she’ll have the money to help fulfill her dreams. The groom, Trent, seems easy for Diana to mold, but is he really? And will the proposal actually take place?

Much of the story takes place in a small town at an upscale spa. When Jess, Diana, and others in her wedding party stay there to make a plan for all of Diana’s wishes to come true, things go astray repeatedly. Several stories keep the pace moving, but when there are several deaths, things tend to go off the rails, especially since they might be murders.

Clues are gathered and sifted through to figure out whodunnit. As Jess gets close to the family that owns the spa, especially the chef, Dean, there’s a little bit of romance at play, adding another layer to the story. When the crimes are solved, and the whodunnits revealed, there is some closure, but the real closure comes a year later in the epilogue. I just wish it went on a little longer.

A Proposal to Die For is filled with Southern charm and some murders and mayhem. This cozy mystery has many clues leading us to whodunnit.

The review is posted on NovelsAlive.

I thought this was going to be a romance, but it was a mystery mixed with romance. I found it mostly tedious. Only Jess and the Osbourne family were somewhat likeable, all the other characters were awful people. The murders didn't make a lot of sense, it seemed a bit far-fetched.
The story could have been much more. Jess is a proposal planner, helping prospective grooms make a perfect proposal. When Diana, a money-hungry acquaintance, is unhappy with her boyfriend's proposal, she has him hire Jess to make it better. They head to a spa for the pre-proposal and everything goes awry.