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emotional
funny
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I loved the Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic Schools but this one didn't quite hit for me. The story itself was good! And I love seeing physically affectionate "bros" (and the cringe and callout about hiding behind that "bro" label!) and the development of trust and vulnerability. But the writing didn't seem to support the story as well as I would have liked. And I wouldn't consider it a romcom — definitely more of a romdram with sprinkles of cute character-based humor (Thornelius 4 Eva! ). I'm admittedly bad at liking angsty* romances, though, so your mileage may vary!
*Not meant to downplay the emotional stress and distress of the situations discussed in the book, which were represented very well.
*Not meant to downplay the emotional stress and distress of the situations discussed in the book, which were represented very well.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Biphobia, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, Alcohol
Minor: Ableism, Addiction, Child abuse, Cursing, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Abortion, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail
blackmailing, threat of deportation
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
“If I couldn’t have Kenny for real, at least we could enjoy the pretending.”
I was so sure this would be the queer autistic romance of my dreams, and I am absolutely devastated that this book didn’t blow me away!
That being said, I greatly appreciate the incredible representation and important themes present in this book, and I’m grateful to @readforeverpub for gifting me an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
While this didn’t quite do it for me, there are so many things to love about it, and I’m sure a lot of readers would absolutely adore this. You might be one of those if you love:
🩵 friends to lovers romance
🩵 realistic autistic representation!!!
🩵 themes of abuse and trauma
🩵 marriage of convenience
The main reason I didn’t love The Broposal is that it had too many side-plots, and attempted to explore too many themes at once. As a result many of the plot elements weren’t satisfactorily resolved by the end, and none of the significant moments hit me as hard as intended.
Because of the many plot elements I also felt that the characters lacked depth, and I found myself struggling to understand the reasons behind their actions and thought processes. Both Han and Kenny are emotionally stunted, but I didn’t feel like this was properly explored, and as a result I was just mildly annoyed by both of them.
I was also incredibly frustrated by Jackie, Kenny’s almost cartoonishly evil ex-girlfriend, who is the driver behind the primary conflict of the story. I felt that the exploration of domestic abuse would’ve felt more nuanced and been more hard-hitting if there had been more depth to her character.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Deportation
Moderate: Drug abuse, Racism, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy
Minor: Ableism, Homophobia, Infidelity, Transphobia, Injury/Injury detail