Book Review: The Love Proposal

By Sara Steven

Summer Knowles does not want a boyfriend. Relationships have caused enough problems in her life. As bridesmaid at her sister’s wedding, she’s going to avoid all things romantic – especially the brawny, hipster best-man who has commitment-phobe written all over him!

When Archie Hill meets Summer, he immediately thinks bridesmaid-and-best-man-with-benefits! They have one week together and may as well make the most of it. But what if one week just isn’t enough…

As wedding fever takes hold, can a sworn-off-men bridesmaid and a die-hard bachelor learn a thing or two about happy-ever-after? (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)

This is a great addition to the First Comes Love series! I’ve read the majority of the books within the series, so I know of Summer and Archie, and I felt as though it was great to focus in on finding a way to have some redemption for Summer, given her rocky past with relationships, particularly one in general. Archie is the type of character who could definitely be described as a bit of a womanizer–there is no way he would ever consider getting into a serious relationship. It’s too much work and effort. He prefers to have fun and let the connections ride out and end naturally, willing to move onto the next conquest when it suits him. The complete contrast between the two characters worked really well in creating drama and heightened emotions–particularly when they both let their guards down.

I couldn’t help but sympathize with Summer. She’s basically going to the wedding with the proverbial scarlet A on her back. Throughout most of the book, she laments over past decisions and expresses her remorse time and time again, yet the majority of the wedding party, even her own family included, can’t seem to get over the past. On the one hand, she takes the lumps because she feels like she deserves it. Yet, how long can you punish someone for making one of the worst decisions of their lives? Archie becomes a much-needed distraction from the seriousness of the situation she’s in, which made perfect sense to me. 

Then there’s Archie. He tries really hard to maintain that bachelor status, but there is something about Summer that begins to change his perception on what he wants for his future. It was interesting to witness the other relationships that are highlighted here, too. They become a bit of a roadmap for Archie. If other couples look forward to a happily-ever-after, why is he running away from that? There is a lot of soul-searching involved. It made him more than just the two-dimensional “fun guy.”

I really liked the character development for Summer and Archie. Summer could settle for the type of relationships she’s been left with, but she wants more than that. She deserves better than that. That extends out to Archie. She’s worth more than settling for someone who doesn’t see past the wedding week, which enables Archie the opportunity to do just that. Maybe there is such a thing as the future. The chemistry between the two was red hot, too, making them the perfectly imperfect couple. It was a definite five-star experience!

Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for the book in exchange for an honest review.

Purchase Links:
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Camilla Isley is an engineer who left science behind to write bestselling contemporary rom-coms set all around the world. She lives in Italy and her first title for Boldwood, The Love Theorem, a Hollywood-meets-STEM romance, was published in June 2023.

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