When I was invited to take part in this book tour, I was incredibly excited. I know that the Regency era has had a resurgence in popularity in the last few years with Bridgerton but I have been fascinated with the period since my early teens. (And I’m… not that young…) There are many books that claim to emulate the Bridgerton vibe, but few actually do that. However, this is the glowing, rare exception that I loved cover to cover. Welcome to my stop on the book tour for An Unlikely Proposition by Rosalyn Eves!
Thank you to Austenprose PR and Rosalyn Eves for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
An Unlikely Proposition, Rosalyn Eves
A standalone companion to An Improbable Season, this Regency romance ― perfect for fans of Bridgerton ― is about following your heart, pursuing your dreams, and falling head over heels in love.
Eleanor did not come to London to be proper and boring. After the death of her husband and a year of mourning, the seventeen year old wants nothing more than her independence and to have a little fun. She’s hardly looking to remarry, despite pressures from her late husband’s nephew, who is keen on obtaining her inheritance. Eleanor quickly devises a plan that includes a fake engagement. What’s not a part of the plan? Falling for a dashing, quiet man outside of her social circle – a man who is not her betrothed. Can she survive the Season with her heart and her fortune intact?
Thalia is determined to begin afresh after a disastrous first Season in London. No romantic distractions, but only her work as a poet and newfound companion to Eleanor. Determined to get her poems published, she struggles to be taken seriously as a female writer. As the spring progresses, Thalia does not expect to take interest in a man from her past (a man who is engaged to her employer, no less!), but some feelings demand to be felt even if the timing isn’t quite right.
Why You Should Read This….
This is a romance that I would recommend for any age, and I don’t often do that! Technically it is a YA book but it didn’t feel specifically YA to me, simply that it was a clean romance. (Meaning there are no graphic scenes.) The characters are younger but I was still attached to them immediately, and I couldn’t help but root for each of them. And it features some fantastic banter, which is something I always look for in any romance. (What is life without banter?) It is wonderfully lighthearted- which is what we all need in 2024- and I could not put it down.
What I loved most about An Unlikely Proposition was the feeling of mystery and movement from both Eleanor and Thalia. Yes, they both have romantic interests but they are also trying to figure out their paths in life outside of romance. Without labelling each character, they very much give me Eloise and Penelope vibes from Bridgerton in the best way. They each may be taking unconventional paths but that makes them all the more interesting. (Like Eloise and Penelope from the show, it may not be the most period accurate but I think that it perfectly blends the period with our twenty-first century expectations.)
I also loved that Eves has clearly done her research on literary history of the period. Not only does she name particular authors and works, she acknowledges in her author’s notes when she has altered something. This is the perfect way to approach history in fiction, as it shows that the author has done their research but has taken creative liberties.
This is a companion book to An Improbable Season but you can absolutely read An Unlikely Proposition as a stand-alone. I read Unlikely first, and I did not feel like I was lost at all. If you are a fan of Bridgerton, the Regency period, or historical romance in general, I would say that An Unlikely Proposition is a must-read book of 2024!
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Is An Unlikely Proposition by Rosalyn Eves on your to-read list?
Cheers,
The Historian
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