Reviews

A Proposal They Can't Refuse by Natalie Caña

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gibbyupsidedowncake's review against another edition

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Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

invisible_universes's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I struggle to rate this book because there are very few objective criteria that made an impact here. The plot, characters and setting were all fine. None objectionable, not enough to rouse passion. Whether or not a person enjoys this book will come down pretty much entirely to whether they enjoy the way the author writes. She's very clear and direct in her writing. She spells things out in very clear and extensive terms. Not a lot is left to chance or uncertainty or implication. There's a benefit to just putting all the cards on the table like that-- it's easy to follow and understand, and she does a great job at addressing any big concerns or potential plot holes. But it also leaves out a little bit of the subtlety that I think helps other books hit so hard. There's less room for imagination, which I consider a negative.

Personally, I'm also not sure that I loved the morals or the takeaway from the book as a whole, which focused a lot on familial duty and sacrifice. But that's a personal disagreement, not a critique of the way the book was written.

Lastly I'll just note that one character has really insufficient resolution at the end that left me unsatisfied.

When it's revealed Kamilah lied about getting into college, her best friend walks away from her. Pretty much all the other relationships are fixed by the end, but this one remained unaddressed. A point being made about how some sins are too heavy to forgive would be heavy for a lighthearted romance, but I think even that would be better than leaving the ending there unstated. That drama was a rather important plot point-- perhaps not a catalyst for action, but it weighed heavily on Kamilah's internal struggle and I don't think leaving it uncertain like that was helpful to the narrative.