I thought A Proposal They Can't Refuse was a great debut release for the author. You definitely get that hybrid of women's fiction and romance, it felt like it went into the women's fic, which is something I don't tend to gravitate toward. And in saying that, I wish there was more on the romance front. 

I have to say that I wouldn't call this a lighthearted romcom, I appreciated the author trying to keep things light, but the undertones were pretty heavy with the MCs trauma. 

I truly loved Kamilah and Liam's chemistry, which had a lot of promise towards some great steam, but that fell short for me too. 

Overall, not quite what I expected, loved the author's writing and I'm definitely looking forward to what Natalie writes, next.

For as long as this book was it was a quick read. I loved the mix of Latinx and Irish cultures as told through the family lives of Kamilah and Liam. I also loved the glimpses into both restaurant and distillery management. Unfortunately for me personally the Best Craft Whiskey Distillery contest and the Foodie Tour almost took up too much of the story and I would have liked a little more communication and depth from the relationships in the book.

The romance in this book was pretty hot and heavy. There were a lot of pent up feelings hidden behind the fake relationship, it was interesting to see them surface. If you like stories with meddling family members this is definitely for you.

This book did an excellent job highlighting the family first part of Latinx culture.

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley. This is my honest review.

So many feelings with this one. 

Kamilah and Liam are forced into faking an engagement when their respective grandfathers threaten to sell the land on which the restaurant and the distillery stand unless the two get engaged. Kamilah dreams of making the family restaurant the heart and soul of the Puerto Rican community again. Liam dreams of taking over the distillery he and his grandfather run together. 

Let’s start with the good stuff: I enjoyed the antics of the two grandpas. They were meddling, pushy, and endearing. I loved the thought of them constantly getting in trouble at the retirement center and the grandkids having to bail them out. Though I will say they became almost too manipulative at the end.

Then there was the integration of Spanish into the story. The movement between English and Spanish felt seamless. I really appreciate the author not giving verbatim translations. She made it all part of the conversation. Also, the food descriptions had me drooling. 

The slow relationship growth between Kamilah and Liam was incredibly sweet (with a little bit of spice). Their past friendship serves as a solid base to a more intimate understanding. I really enjoyed their idea sessions which showed how well they complement each other.

Now for my not so favorite part: The Undoing. A fallout was inevitable and there were some great discussions within the respective families after. But, I still found myself a little frustrated at the lack of consideration for Kamilah’s choices and feelings. Her brothers and parents walked a very fine line between tough love and bullying throughout the entire book. This along with a few loose ends made me want more from the ending.  

Overall, I did like this book. The genuine relationship between Kamilah and Liam saved this book from spiraling. 

I received this as an advance readers copy from Mira Books via NetGalley for an honest review.

This was a lovely romance that focuses on familial expectations, childhood loves, and finding happiness. I received an ARC. Lovely story.