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booksuperpower's review
4.0
The Puppy Proposal by Katie Meyer is a 2015 Harlequin publication. I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
A delightful and charming feel good contemporary romance!
When Nic arrives in Paradise Island on an acquisitions assignment he encounters a dirty dog running lose and in need of rescue. Arriving at the Paradise Animal clinic, Nic meets Jillian, the vet technician and the two become acquainted.
But, the sweet connection they made was shattered in an instant when Jillian finds out Nic is about to buy the Sandpiper Inn and her small town community will never be the same again.
I love stories that feature animals or pets, and that is what drew me to this book initially. Murphy is a border collie with an elderly owner, and is in need of some special help, which Jillian and Nic are more than happy to give him, and he returns the favor with panache.
While the small town girl pitted against the rich powerful city boy is not exactly a unique trope, exploring the themes of family, friends, big businesses moving into small communities and wiping out all the charm and close knit sense of family one feels in that environment, gives this one a little more depth. I cheered Jillian on, was firmly in her corner, even though at times I thought she became a little overwrought. I liked her fight and determination and how she stuck to her principles, even if it came at a very high price.
Nic is the character who, while nice enough, was the one who has the most to learn and must make some pretty difficult choices. While it's hard to feel sorry for people in Nic's situation, I did understand the huge risk he was taking, but it was good to see him make a stand and be his own man, not to mention doing what is right. So, although I didn't dislike him, he did have to grow on me a little, but as his character developed so did my respect for him.
The steam level in this one is very low, but it seemed to fit this couple perfectly and so I was fine with it.
If I have my facts straight, this is a debut novel for this author and if that's correct then she is off to a solid start. The characters were defined, even Murphy, who of course is the star of the whole show!
I believe this book was intended to be a sweet, light and fun read and it does what is set out to accomplish. This is a quick, easy read, that will lift your spirits and leave you smiling!
Overall 4 stars.
A delightful and charming feel good contemporary romance!
When Nic arrives in Paradise Island on an acquisitions assignment he encounters a dirty dog running lose and in need of rescue. Arriving at the Paradise Animal clinic, Nic meets Jillian, the vet technician and the two become acquainted.
But, the sweet connection they made was shattered in an instant when Jillian finds out Nic is about to buy the Sandpiper Inn and her small town community will never be the same again.
I love stories that feature animals or pets, and that is what drew me to this book initially. Murphy is a border collie with an elderly owner, and is in need of some special help, which Jillian and Nic are more than happy to give him, and he returns the favor with panache.
While the small town girl pitted against the rich powerful city boy is not exactly a unique trope, exploring the themes of family, friends, big businesses moving into small communities and wiping out all the charm and close knit sense of family one feels in that environment, gives this one a little more depth. I cheered Jillian on, was firmly in her corner, even though at times I thought she became a little overwrought. I liked her fight and determination and how she stuck to her principles, even if it came at a very high price.
Nic is the character who, while nice enough, was the one who has the most to learn and must make some pretty difficult choices. While it's hard to feel sorry for people in Nic's situation, I did understand the huge risk he was taking, but it was good to see him make a stand and be his own man, not to mention doing what is right. So, although I didn't dislike him, he did have to grow on me a little, but as his character developed so did my respect for him.
The steam level in this one is very low, but it seemed to fit this couple perfectly and so I was fine with it.
If I have my facts straight, this is a debut novel for this author and if that's correct then she is off to a solid start. The characters were defined, even Murphy, who of course is the star of the whole show!
I believe this book was intended to be a sweet, light and fun read and it does what is set out to accomplish. This is a quick, easy read, that will lift your spirits and leave you smiling!
Overall 4 stars.
jordanbates91's review
4.0
The Puppy Proposal by Katie Meyer
Purchased: Kindle - $4.49 [Gifted by author for honest review]
My Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
What's it all about:
Paradise Isle is home to Jillian Everett. She has never had a real family, but a pseudo one; her friends on this island are the ones who get her through the day. Nic Caruso only knows family. He has worked in the family business is whole life, preparing to take over for his father. He needs to make them proud, but when Jillian jumps into his views and his priorities change, he changes. Jillian wasn’t expecting to fall for such a man who wanted nothing more than to tear her home apart, but what will these star crossed lover do? With this florida based story it wouldn’t be complete without beaches, food, and of course a not so little trouble maker named Murphy.
The Best Parts:
When I dove right into this book I had a broken heart and needed something light and fun. That is exactly what this book is. The fun loving nature of Jillian and Nic’s banter helps ease the ever growing tension between them. This isn’t your sizzling romance novels, but very tame. A few romantic moments to tide you over to the end. This book focuses on the story and the back story a lot. I loved the characters and definitely felt like Nic grew as a person, but didn’t feel that Jillian had. Her minor freak out and wanting to leave was changed by just a quick chat and a quick thought. Nic went home, went out, talked to his family. He actually accepting his change and did something about it. Jillian numbly walked the earth after Nic and just pretended like nothing has happened; it felt like two different stories going on at the same time towards the end. One thing that I really liked in this though was that the minor characters helped build the main characters up. They wouldn’t be there without them which helped with reading it since the story focused mainly on the main characters and there little amount of time together.
Also, you can’t forget Murphy. That little trouble maker, or match maker I should say, was an adorable addition to the story and made the laughs keep rolling in.
The Worst Parts:
So there were a few things that got to me while reading this book. The first was that it was mostly semi-long paragraphs just describing what was going on. I understood that most of the book was lots of thought, but it felt like the paragraphs just tided you off until the next meeting between Nic and Jillian. Those were the only true parts that we got, and the other were just skimmed through, such as Nic’s night out and Jillian going to Cassie’s. There were a lot of parts that I felt could have been drawn out and made more into detail, but it just skimmed by, like the end. This whole story was tension after tension, even the character said that waiting would be worth it, but then the sex fell short. On their wedding night Nic and Jillian’s first time together was maybe climactic for them, but not for me. The scene lasted maybe at least half a page on my kindle, and even then that is a little generous, it lasted two short paragraphs. I know that this story wasn’t supposed to be a heavy romance and was supposed to be light, but that was just like a wet blanket thrown over me.
Final Thoughts:
So even though I couldn’t get my sexual frustrations taken out with the book it really was a great read. It was fun loving and light which made for a great happily ever after, which is definitely what I needed in life. I’m quite eager to read the second novel that goes with this series that focuses on Cassie’s story. She is one feisty woman with a child, she can’t get into too much trouble, right? ;]
Purchased: Kindle - $4.49 [Gifted by author for honest review]
My Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
What's it all about:
Paradise Isle is home to Jillian Everett. She has never had a real family, but a pseudo one; her friends on this island are the ones who get her through the day. Nic Caruso only knows family. He has worked in the family business is whole life, preparing to take over for his father. He needs to make them proud, but when Jillian jumps into his views and his priorities change, he changes. Jillian wasn’t expecting to fall for such a man who wanted nothing more than to tear her home apart, but what will these star crossed lover do? With this florida based story it wouldn’t be complete without beaches, food, and of course a not so little trouble maker named Murphy.
The Best Parts:
When I dove right into this book I had a broken heart and needed something light and fun. That is exactly what this book is. The fun loving nature of Jillian and Nic’s banter helps ease the ever growing tension between them. This isn’t your sizzling romance novels, but very tame. A few romantic moments to tide you over to the end. This book focuses on the story and the back story a lot. I loved the characters and definitely felt like Nic grew as a person, but didn’t feel that Jillian had. Her minor freak out and wanting to leave was changed by just a quick chat and a quick thought. Nic went home, went out, talked to his family. He actually accepting his change and did something about it. Jillian numbly walked the earth after Nic and just pretended like nothing has happened; it felt like two different stories going on at the same time towards the end. One thing that I really liked in this though was that the minor characters helped build the main characters up. They wouldn’t be there without them which helped with reading it since the story focused mainly on the main characters and there little amount of time together.
Also, you can’t forget Murphy. That little trouble maker, or match maker I should say, was an adorable addition to the story and made the laughs keep rolling in.
The Worst Parts:
So there were a few things that got to me while reading this book. The first was that it was mostly semi-long paragraphs just describing what was going on. I understood that most of the book was lots of thought, but it felt like the paragraphs just tided you off until the next meeting between Nic and Jillian. Those were the only true parts that we got, and the other were just skimmed through, such as Nic’s night out and Jillian going to Cassie’s. There were a lot of parts that I felt could have been drawn out and made more into detail, but it just skimmed by, like the end. This whole story was tension after tension, even the character said that waiting would be worth it, but then the sex fell short. On their wedding night Nic and Jillian’s first time together was maybe climactic for them, but not for me. The scene lasted maybe at least half a page on my kindle, and even then that is a little generous, it lasted two short paragraphs. I know that this story wasn’t supposed to be a heavy romance and was supposed to be light, but that was just like a wet blanket thrown over me.
Final Thoughts:
So even though I couldn’t get my sexual frustrations taken out with the book it really was a great read. It was fun loving and light which made for a great happily ever after, which is definitely what I needed in life. I’m quite eager to read the second novel that goes with this series that focuses on Cassie’s story. She is one feisty woman with a child, she can’t get into too much trouble, right? ;]
hinalovestoread's review
5.0
Orphaned at 2, Jillian has never found a safe haven that felt like home until she was almost 18 and was brought to Paradise Isle, a community centred small town in Florida that not many people may have hear of. A beautiful place with the scenery and the people with equally beautiful souls. Her character, I liked a lot. An independent woman who knows when to fight for herself.
Nic loves his family but what is always top most on his mind is responsibility. His responsibility to his family. His responsibility to his father's business. Responsibility everywhere. He is suffocated by them as he can do nothing he pleases. Everywhere he turns, he sees the chains of responsibility making him do things. He needs to get his head checked. One can't just go on like that as a piece of soul is lost little by little until a time coes when nothing left is what was in the first place.
As these two meet for the first time, there is definitely a buzz of the sparkle between them but these two choose to ignore the good looks of the person standing in front of them. Really, it is not something special but plain old lust.
But as they meet again for the sake of the naughty dog they both (now) love, they get to really see each other. Understand each other. Find out what the person's character is made up of. And what they see gives life to feelings. Tender feelings that wound themselves around their hearts entwining them together. The way it is penned has a beauty of its own making one continue to read more.
Alas, nothing good comes that easily. There is this issue about island preservation that Jillian is all for but again who likes to see their perfect world being bulldosed for good? On the other hand Nic is their to raze an important building on the island to build a five star (maybe more stars) resort as part of a chain of resorts that his father owns.
Pushing the other away they focus on what needs to be done but again life has something else store for them.
Nic needs to learn that love is what binds a family together not responsibility while Jillian need to start trusting people as people are what make families (even if the bond is not of blood) and not things. Though having things that you like, that give you a feeling of comfort (that you can afford) is not a bad thing.
Enjoyed every word of it.
Nic loves his family but what is always top most on his mind is responsibility. His responsibility to his family. His responsibility to his father's business. Responsibility everywhere. He is suffocated by them as he can do nothing he pleases. Everywhere he turns, he sees the chains of responsibility making him do things. He needs to get his head checked. One can't just go on like that as a piece of soul is lost little by little until a time coes when nothing left is what was in the first place.
As these two meet for the first time, there is definitely a buzz of the sparkle between them but these two choose to ignore the good looks of the person standing in front of them. Really, it is not something special but plain old lust.
But as they meet again for the sake of the naughty dog they both (now) love, they get to really see each other. Understand each other. Find out what the person's character is made up of. And what they see gives life to feelings. Tender feelings that wound themselves around their hearts entwining them together. The way it is penned has a beauty of its own making one continue to read more.
Alas, nothing good comes that easily. There is this issue about island preservation that Jillian is all for but again who likes to see their perfect world being bulldosed for good? On the other hand Nic is their to raze an important building on the island to build a five star (maybe more stars) resort as part of a chain of resorts that his father owns.
Pushing the other away they focus on what needs to be done but again life has something else store for them.
Nic needs to learn that love is what binds a family together not responsibility while Jillian need to start trusting people as people are what make families (even if the bond is not of blood) and not things. Though having things that you like, that give you a feeling of comfort (that you can afford) is not a bad thing.
Enjoyed every word of it.
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