Review: The Proposal by Meg Cabot

Series: The Mediator Book 6.5

Format: Ebook

Rating: 3 Stars

How I Got It: Borrowed from Library (Overdrive)

Genre: Romance, Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Avon Impulse

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads

The last place Suze Simon expects to find herself during Valentine’s Day is a cemetery. But that’s what happens when you’re a mediator – cursed with the “gift” of communicating with the dead.

That’s how Suze has ended up at the graves of a pair of NCDPs - Non-Compliant Deceased Persons – whose drama didn’t end with death. It’s Suze’s job to make sure they move on—for good.

But the NCDPs aren’t the only ones with problems. The reason Suze is spending her Valentine’s Day with the undead instead of her boyfriend, Jesse, is because he’s having so much trouble adjusting to life after death . . . not surprising, considering the fact that he used to be an NCDP himself, and now his girlfriend busts his former kind for a living, while he tries to cure his kind of what used to ail him.

Can Suze use her mediating skills to propose a mutual resolution, and bring all these young lovers together - including Jesse and herself - especially on the night Saint Valentine declared sacred to romance?

Or will she end up alone—and possibly undead—herself?

Review

This was a cute little novella and it definitely got me excited to read Remembrance. It was nice to see Suze a little more grown up. And it is always a pleasure to see Jesse. Suze's voice had the same humor-although there was a little more sex under it. I hope that continues as their relationship grows/evolves.

The ghost story line felt a little thrown together. This was especially so at the end. It was like Ms. Cabot realized this was a novella instead of a full-length book so everything had to be tied up real fast.

But I'm still glad I read it, because these are fun characters.

Thanks for reading!

Holly

Review: The Proposal by Mary Balogh

Series: Survivor's Club Book #1
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 311
Rating: 3.5 Stars
How I Got It: Borrowed from Library
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Delacorte Press

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads

 

Gwendoline, Lady Muir, has seen her share of tragedy, especially since a freak accident took her husband much too soon. Content in a quiet life with friends and family, the young widow has no desire to marry again. But when Hugo, Lord Trentham, scoops her up in his arms after a fall, she feels a sensation that both shocks and emboldens her.
Hugo never intends to kiss Lady Muir, and frankly, he judges her to be a spoiled, frivolous--if beautiful--aristocrat. He is a gentleman in name only: a soldier whose bravery earned him a title; a merchant's son who inherited his wealth. He is happiest when working the land, but duty and title now demand that he finds a wife. He doesn't wish to court Lady Muir, nor have any role in the society games her kind thrives upon. Yet Hugo has never craved a woman more; Gwen's guileless manner, infectious laugh, and lovely face have ruined him for any other woman. He wants her, but will she have him?
The hard, dour ex-military officer who so gently carried Gwen to safety is a man who needs a lesson in winning a woman's heart. Despite her cautious nature, Gwen cannot ignore the attraction. As their two vastly different worlds come together, both will be challenged in unforeseen ways. But through courtship and seduction, Gwen soon finds that with each kiss, and with every caress, she cannot resist Hugo's devotion, his desire, his love, and the promise of forever.

Review

This was my first Mary Balogh book and I picked it up because of the DBSA podcast. I'm sure you're surprised. It did have my catnip all over it-the whole series does.

It was a solid book with strong characters. Gwen and Hugo are well-written characters who have gone through a lot. And I appreciate that Hugo has so many emotions to deal with from is time in the military. He can be stoic, but also shows his emotions, at least to some people, which is nice to read about.

The romance was nice. They have good banter and joke a lot which I like in a romance. I also thought it was fairly tame sexually. She does go into detail but it isn't constant or too much. Plus, a huge part of it was social-differences story since Hugo comes from the working class. These are some of my favorite conflicts/story lines and Ms. Balogh navigated it well.

Overall, I enjoyed this, but there was something about the writing that bothered me. Sometimes I felt a little distant from the characters and that frustrated me.

I do pan on reading more Mary Balogh books to see if she could be for me. In fact, I already bought the book that follows Gwen's brother because that story interested me.

Thanks for reading!
Holly