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The Decent Proposal
An addictively readable debut romantic comedy, drama, and mystery rolled into one, about two very different strangers whose lives become intertwined when they receive an unusual proposition. This is a funny, tender, and enchanting story about love, attraction, and friendship: Jane Austen in Los Angeles.
A struggling Hollywood producer, Richard Baumbach is twenty-nine, hung-over, and broke. Ridiculously handsome with an innate charm and an air of invincibility, he still believes good things will come his way. For now he contents himself with days at the Coffee Bean and nights with his best friend Mike (that’s a woman, by the way).
At thirty-three, Elizabeth Santiago is on track to make partner at her law firm. Known as “La Máquina” The Machine—to her colleagues, she’s grown used to avoiding anything that might derail her quiet, orderly life. And yet recently she befriended a homeless man in her Venice neighborhood, surprised to find how much she enjoys their early-morning chats.
Richard and Elizabeth’s paths collide when they receive a proposal from a mysterious, anonymous benefactor. They’ll split a million dollars if they agree to spend at least two hours together—just talking—every week for a year. Astonished and more than a little suspicious, they each nevertheless say yes. Richard needs the money and likes the adventure of it. Elizabeth embraces the challenge of shaking up her life a little more. Both agree the idea is ridiculous, but why not?
What ensues is a delightful journey full of twists, revelations, hamburgers, classic literature, poppy music, and above all love, in its multitude of forms. The Decent Proposal is a heartfelt and often hilarious look at the ties that bind not just a guy and a girl but an entire, diverse cast of characters situated within a modern-day Los Angeles brought to full and irrepressible life.
A struggling Hollywood producer, Richard Baumbach is twenty-nine, hung-over, and broke. Ridiculously handsome with an innate charm and an air of invincibility, he still believes good things will come his way. For now he contents himself with days at the Coffee Bean and nights with his best friend Mike (that’s a woman, by the way).
At thirty-three, Elizabeth Santiago is on track to make partner at her law firm. Known as “La Máquina” The Machine—to her colleagues, she’s grown used to avoiding anything that might derail her quiet, orderly life. And yet recently she befriended a homeless man in her Venice neighborhood, surprised to find how much she enjoys their early-morning chats.
Richard and Elizabeth’s paths collide when they receive a proposal from a mysterious, anonymous benefactor. They’ll split a million dollars if they agree to spend at least two hours together—just talking—every week for a year. Astonished and more than a little suspicious, they each nevertheless say yes. Richard needs the money and likes the adventure of it. Elizabeth embraces the challenge of shaking up her life a little more. Both agree the idea is ridiculous, but why not?
What ensues is a delightful journey full of twists, revelations, hamburgers, classic literature, poppy music, and above all love, in its multitude of forms. The Decent Proposal is a heartfelt and often hilarious look at the ties that bind not just a guy and a girl but an entire, diverse cast of characters situated within a modern-day Los Angeles brought to full and irrepressible life.
308 pages, Hardcover
First published April 5, 2016
About the author
Kemper Donovan
4 books358 followersKemper Donovan is a full-time writer who is currently publishing an ongoing mystery series via Kensington Books (The Busy Body is the first in this series). Previously, he published the standalone novel The Decent Proposal (HarperCollins). He is also the host of the podcast All About Agatha, dedicated to all things Agatha Christie, in which guise he has appeared on BBC TV and Radio New Zealand, and written for the official Agatha Christie website at agathachristie.com. Kemper attended Stanford University and Harvard Law School, and now lives in Southern California with his husband and two daughters. Learn more at www.kemperdonovan.com, @allaboutthedame on Twitter, @allaboutagatha on Instagram, and kemperdonovanbooks on Facebook.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 506 reviews
April 12, 2017
The premise was nifty... A mysterious wealthy benefactor offers a million dollars to a young man and young woman, who are complete strangers, to meet weekly for two hours for one year. They appear to have no link to each other, and indeed, find themselves with little in common.
The delivery of the story was passable, and after two days I barely remember any of it. It just didn't manage to find much momentum. The benefactor's appearance and the secret revealed were deflating, which is a darn shame because the author could have made things fun and interesting instead of the ho hum he chose instead.
A great idea for a fun novel - but not that fun, with secondary characters who added little except distraction and a meandering plot which included them too much. 2.5 stars because the idea was good, I liked the main characters and the wardrobe descriptions were awesome.
The delivery of the story was passable, and after two days I barely remember any of it. It just didn't manage to find much momentum. The benefactor's appearance and the secret revealed were deflating, which is a darn shame because the author could have made things fun and interesting instead of the ho hum he chose instead.
A great idea for a fun novel - but not that fun, with secondary characters who added little except distraction and a meandering plot which included them too much. 2.5 stars because the idea was good, I liked the main characters and the wardrobe descriptions were awesome.
September 17, 2018
Nope. Let me tell you how big of an impression this book left on me. I read this over a year ago. And completely forgot about it. Went to the library this weekend to find a "filler" book until the books I have on hold are released to me. Got home, read 4 pages, flipped to the last page and realized I had read this book before and hated it. I found it boring AF and the ending annoyed me. Four pages in and all the annoyance and boredom came rushing back. I blame this unfortunate event (accidentally checking this book out TWICE) on this snooze fest book itself and not on my rapidly fading goldfish memory.
February 3, 2016
I'm not sure what to make of this book is it a lite romantic comedy or is it's supposed to be something more serious? I didn't love the characters but I did want to know what their connection was and how their relationship turns out. I don't think this story suited the author's writing very well. The story felt disjointed, sometimes it was awkward and strange but I kept reading anyway. I think I'm a little out of the intended audience's age range, characters in the books I read don't usually do so much partying.
I did find all of the descriptions of LA interesting, LA was as much a character as the main protagonists were. This was just a so-so read for me, I can't recommend it but I would consider reading the author's next work just to see how he's improving his skill. I don't think he's a bad writer. I think the storyline could have benefited from some additional honing and polishing.
Thank you to the Amazon Vine Program and Harper Collins for the advance reader copy.
I did find all of the descriptions of LA interesting, LA was as much a character as the main protagonists were. This was just a so-so read for me, I can't recommend it but I would consider reading the author's next work just to see how he's improving his skill. I don't think he's a bad writer. I think the storyline could have benefited from some additional honing and polishing.
Thank you to the Amazon Vine Program and Harper Collins for the advance reader copy.
April 9, 2019
*HEAVY SIGH* I'm so glad this one is over.
Look, I don't want to be a hater or anything like that because the idea is pretty cool, and at some points the story was kind of good but dude, it's kind of the weirdest and most confusing writing that I have ever read.
And I'm not sure is entirely my fault that I find this book disturbingly weird. Also, I don't even understand why the actual fuck this book was recommended to me because I love The Hating Game. I assure you friends, this book is nothing like The Hating Game so, don't fall under false pretenses.
Like I said before, I like the idea of the book. It had potential, and I'm pretty sure that this could have been a good book if the ideas weren't all over the place.
It was anti-climactic and really boring. I feel that introducing all this characters that didn't have a real part in the plot was just unnecessary.
When I say that the idea is pretty cool, I'm making reference to the fact that two strangers that are paid to spend time with each other over a year so they will earn half a million dollars each is kind of intriguing.
But this book is everything but intriguing. The "mystery" of who is the benefactor and why this person came up with this "decent proposal" was crap, I didn't care at all and when the mystery was revealed I was so freaking bored.
The most "intriguing" moment was when the whole Mike thing came up. And even then I lost my interest because it went nowhere.
And the fact that the romance came out of the fucking blue is the fact that I hate the most. Elizabeth and Richard didn't have any flick of romance or attraction or freaking sweetness in them. They weren't even platonic. Richard was kind of an asshole the whole book and I don't even care. Elizabeth was really plain the whole book.
This is the most two dimensional book I have ever read. Nothing transcended, nothing is worth of a reminded or anything like that. I don't even care that the last chapter was the most bizarre thing in the universe.
I mean, suddenly, the whole thing was bullshit.
I know suddenly, I came out as a hater of this book, but I don't mean it like that. I'm okay with the fact that this book has a good idea but doesn't have the correct development to carry on said idea. It's alright, and a lots of books happen to be like this one, there is no shame.
And, I'm actually quite proud of myself for finish this one.
Look, I don't want to be a hater or anything like that because the idea is pretty cool, and at some points the story was kind of good but dude, it's kind of the weirdest and most confusing writing that I have ever read.
And I'm not sure is entirely my fault that I find this book disturbingly weird. Also, I don't even understand why the actual fuck this book was recommended to me because I love The Hating Game. I assure you friends, this book is nothing like The Hating Game so, don't fall under false pretenses.
Like I said before, I like the idea of the book. It had potential, and I'm pretty sure that this could have been a good book if the ideas weren't all over the place.
It was anti-climactic and really boring. I feel that introducing all this characters that didn't have a real part in the plot was just unnecessary.
When I say that the idea is pretty cool, I'm making reference to the fact that two strangers that are paid to spend time with each other over a year so they will earn half a million dollars each is kind of intriguing.
But this book is everything but intriguing. The "mystery" of who is the benefactor and why this person came up with this "decent proposal" was crap, I didn't care at all and when the mystery was revealed I was so freaking bored.
The most "intriguing" moment was when the whole Mike thing came up. And even then I lost my interest because it went nowhere.
And the fact that the romance came out of the fucking blue is the fact that I hate the most. Elizabeth and Richard didn't have any flick of romance or attraction or freaking sweetness in them. They weren't even platonic. Richard was kind of an asshole the whole book and I don't even care. Elizabeth was really plain the whole book.
This is the most two dimensional book I have ever read. Nothing transcended, nothing is worth of a reminded or anything like that. I don't even care that the last chapter was the most bizarre thing in the universe.
I mean, suddenly, the whole thing was bullshit.
I know suddenly, I came out as a hater of this book, but I don't mean it like that. I'm okay with the fact that this book has a good idea but doesn't have the correct development to carry on said idea. It's alright, and a lots of books happen to be like this one, there is no shame.
And, I'm actually quite proud of myself for finish this one.
May 2, 2016
This book had a lot of surprises and hidden gems. I'm not just talking plot here, I'm talking the diversity of the characters (class, race, culture, age, etc) and the profundity of the writing.
Having committed the cardinal sin of judging a book by it's cover, I thought this was going to be a quick, easy rom-com of a book and instead what I found was many overlapping narratives that spoke of family, loneliness, friendships, tragedies, hidden pasts and love.
The kind of strange and absurd situations that many of the characters get themselves into reminded me of Amanda Filipacchi's writings, especially Love Creeps.
I enjoyed this whole book all the way through, including all the fun cultural references that seemed tailored to my age-group (mid-30's).
The only negative I have is that the ending seemed kind of hasty or tacked on. After such a lovely book that made time for all kinds of explorations of character and plot, the rushed ending was out of place and did not match the tone of the rest of the work.
Having committed the cardinal sin of judging a book by it's cover, I thought this was going to be a quick, easy rom-com of a book and instead what I found was many overlapping narratives that spoke of family, loneliness, friendships, tragedies, hidden pasts and love.
The kind of strange and absurd situations that many of the characters get themselves into reminded me of Amanda Filipacchi's writings, especially Love Creeps.
I enjoyed this whole book all the way through, including all the fun cultural references that seemed tailored to my age-group (mid-30's).
The only negative I have is that the ending seemed kind of hasty or tacked on. After such a lovely book that made time for all kinds of explorations of character and plot, the rushed ending was out of place and did not match the tone of the rest of the work.
February 29, 2020
3.5*
Хм, странна книга, малко противоречива за мен, не съм много сигурна какво да мисля. Първо беше ми странно, че авторът е мъж, а книгата си е чиклит - май за първи път чета подобна комбинация (изключвам Гейбриъл на Силвейн Рейнард, защото там е еротичен роман, което си е съвсем различен жанр, нищо че публиката и в двата случая е от жени). Второ - замисълът на книгата беше много добър - случайни мъж и жена, които никога не са се срещали и нямат нищо общо трябва всяка седмица да разговарят по два часа в продължение на цяла година и ще получат по половин милион долара - и не, това не е реалити и няма скрити камери и скрити подбуди. Всъщност не се знае какви са подбудите, защото те не знаят на кой и защо е хрумнала тази идея - срещнали са се само с адвокат. И така започва всичко за темпераментния Ричард и суховатата работохоличка Елизабет, а това "всичко" е с много неизвестни и не се знае до какво ще доведе, защото те изобщо няма за какво да си говорят. Лошото в книгата беше, че има прекалено много за моя вкус описания - от кварталите на Ел Ей до интериори, дрехи, гоблени дори и това твърде много отежняваше сюжета. Почти нямаше разговори между героите, всичко беше описано в трето лице "той каза", "тя каза" - много дразнещо. За второстепенните герои имаше също много дълги описания, а те не бяха много интересни - поне за мен. И докато се чудиш това или онова защо е написано и как ще се навърже, изведнъж краят беше супер претупан и книгата свърши. Всички разкрития бяха направени на края само за две страници. Ето защо мнението ми е противоречиво, но все пак книгата е приятна.
Хм, странна книга, малко противоречива за мен, не съм много сигурна какво да мисля. Първо беше ми странно, че авторът е мъж, а книгата си е чиклит - май за първи път чета подобна комбинация (изключвам Гейбриъл на Силвейн Рейнард, защото там е еротичен роман, което си е съвсем различен жанр, нищо че публиката и в двата случая е от жени). Второ - замисълът на книгата беше много добър - случайни мъж и жена, които никога не са се срещали и нямат нищо общо трябва всяка седмица да разговарят по два часа в продължение на цяла година и ще получат по половин милион долара - и не, това не е реалити и няма скрити камери и скрити подбуди. Всъщност не се знае какви са подбудите, защото те не знаят на кой и защо е хрумнала тази идея - срещнали са се само с адвокат. И така започва всичко за темпераментния Ричард и суховатата работохоличка Елизабет, а това "всичко" е с много неизвестни и не се знае до какво ще доведе, защото те изобщо няма за какво да си говорят. Лошото в книгата беше, че има прекалено много за моя вкус описания - от кварталите на Ел Ей до интериори, дрехи, гоблени дори и това твърде много отежняваше сюжета. Почти нямаше разговори между героите, всичко беше описано в трето лице "той каза", "тя каза" - много дразнещо. За второстепенните герои имаше също много дълги описания, а те не бяха много интересни - поне за мен. И докато се чудиш това или онова защо е написано и как ще се навърже, изведнъж краят беше супер претупан и книгата свърши. Всички разкрития бяха направени на края само за две страници. Ето защо мнението ми е противоречиво, но все пак книгата е приятна.
July 26, 2016
I will confess that I didn't finish this book. I made it about halfway before realizing that I didn't actually care what happened to anyone. It is a completely "readable" book; the language isn't too complicated and it all makes sense. It is the content that was a bit of a head scratcher. If I can say this without being mobbed, the secondary characters (Mike's dad and Orpheus) felt more well rounded and richer than our two main characters, who felt rather like cardboard cut outs of stereotypical Hollywood producer and lawyer.
I am tempted to turn to the end just to see what happens. I mean, I can tell you that Richard and Elizabeth probably fall in love after having a gigantic fight (probably about Richard's best female friend OR over a book/movie they disagree about) and everything just "clicks."
If I cared about this book any more, I would probably go on a rant here about how Elizabeth's colleagues call her "La Máquina" because she is 1) a Latina so her nickname obviously has to reflect that and 2) she logs the most hours of billable time at the law firm. If she was a man, people would congratulate and generally be jealous, but still be cordial. In this novel, she doesn't seem to have any friends and the fact that she excels at her job is a teaseable offense at the office. But I'm not really going to talk about that.
I was very excited to read this book, I promise. But I just can't and won't waste reading time on a book that hasn't captured my interest and feels like a cliche at every turn.
I am tempted to turn to the end just to see what happens. I mean, I can tell you that Richard and Elizabeth probably fall in love after having a gigantic fight (probably about Richard's best female friend OR over a book/movie they disagree about) and everything just "clicks."
If I cared about this book any more, I would probably go on a rant here about how Elizabeth's colleagues call her "La Máquina" because she is 1) a Latina so her nickname obviously has to reflect that and 2) she logs the most hours of billable time at the law firm. If she was a man, people would congratulate and generally be jealous, but still be cordial. In this novel, she doesn't seem to have any friends and the fact that she excels at her job is a teaseable offense at the office. But I'm not really going to talk about that.
I was very excited to read this book, I promise. But I just can't and won't waste reading time on a book that hasn't captured my interest and feels like a cliche at every turn.
January 10, 2024
The Decent Proposal
⭐️⭐️💫
📚 Fiction
🎶 Take On Me - a-ha
One sentence synopsis:
Strangers, Richard and Elizabeth, are gifted $500k each by someone unknown if they spend two hours each week on a date for an entire year.
My review:
Boring and the story didn’t go anywhere I expected it to, and not in a good way. I didn’t care about any of the characters. The addition of the homeless guy seemed odd. Was this supposed to be a romance? I sure hope not because it most definitely wasn’t.
I couldn’t tell how old the characters were. They came off like they were in their 40s of 50s. Neither were completely likable. But they each have some quirky qualities that kept me intrigued.
This book wasn’t bad. It just wasn’t what I was expecting. It was just a book about how two people are somewhat forced to be together for a few hours once a week for a year.
Also, don’t judge me on the song pairing. It’s just what popped in my head while writing this review and I had no other song leads to go on.
⭐️⭐️💫
📚 Fiction
🎶 Take On Me - a-ha
One sentence synopsis:
Strangers, Richard and Elizabeth, are gifted $500k each by someone unknown if they spend two hours each week on a date for an entire year.
My review:
Boring and the story didn’t go anywhere I expected it to, and not in a good way. I didn’t care about any of the characters. The addition of the homeless guy seemed odd. Was this supposed to be a romance? I sure hope not because it most definitely wasn’t.
I couldn’t tell how old the characters were. They came off like they were in their 40s of 50s. Neither were completely likable. But they each have some quirky qualities that kept me intrigued.
This book wasn’t bad. It just wasn’t what I was expecting. It was just a book about how two people are somewhat forced to be together for a few hours once a week for a year.
Also, don’t judge me on the song pairing. It’s just what popped in my head while writing this review and I had no other song leads to go on.
May 29, 2019
2019/
Добра идея, която е разпиляна в някои досадни, дълги описания , за да се забърза в самия край.
2016/
Малко не й достига на книгата , за да задоволи моя вкус.
Сюжетът е интересен, напълно непредвидимо развитие и неочаквана развръзка.
Това , което на мен ми липсваше е пряка реч.
Харесвам добрите диалози, а тук можеше да ги има.
Също така чувството за хумор .
Иначе бях приятно изненадана да открия много от нещата , които харесвам , споменати като любими на героите.
Разбира се научих и някои нови.
Добра идея, която е разпиляна в някои досадни, дълги описания , за да се забърза в самия край.
2016/
Малко не й достига на книгата , за да задоволи моя вкус.
Сюжетът е интересен, напълно непредвидимо развитие и неочаквана развръзка.
Това , което на мен ми липсваше е пряка реч.
Харесвам добрите диалози, а тук можеше да ги има.
Също така чувството за хумор .
Иначе бях приятно изненадана да открия много от нещата , които харесвам , споменати като любими на героите.
Разбира се научих и някои нови.
Shelved as 'own-will-read-soon'
September 21, 2016Just received notification that I won this in a giveaway from The Reading Room! :)
February 14, 2019
Намерих братче на Нюансите... Не съм мислела някога, че ще има книга, която ще е толкова зле написана като Нюансите... Наистина очаквай неочакваното.
Идеята за историята не е лоша. Но! Всичко е направено толкова зле, че не знам с кое да почна. Просто... тотален абсурд. Наистина не знам как тази книга е стигнала до печат, че и чак преведена на български език. И, ако още веднъж прочета за това колко главозамайващо красив е главният герой - лично ще застрелям думата. Явно няма речници и интернет в този Лос Анджелис, че да намериш някой друг синоним на думата "красив". Отделно, не знам кой им казва на тези автори, че хората обичат да четат безсмислени словоизлияния за даден град или местност в художествен роман. Искаш да възхвалиш мястото, където живееш, защото го обичаш? Направи го, но пишейки пътеводител или туристическа книга!!
Книгата е покъртително зле. Наистина! Героите не струват, историята не е развита както трябва. Да не говорим за абсурдните коментари на автора за различни и чувствителни теми. Беше си тотална загуба на време и пари тази книга.
Идва ми да си заблъскам главата в стената...
Идеята за историята не е лоша. Но! Всичко е направено толкова зле, че не знам с кое да почна. Просто... тотален абсурд. Наистина не знам как тази книга е стигнала до печат, че и чак преведена на български език. И, ако още веднъж прочета за това колко главозамайващо красив е главният герой - лично ще застрелям думата. Явно няма речници и интернет в този Лос Анджелис, че да намериш някой друг синоним на думата "красив". Отделно, не знам кой им казва на тези автори, че хората обичат да четат безсмислени словоизлияния за даден град или местност в художествен роман. Искаш да възхвалиш мястото, където живееш, защото го обичаш? Направи го, но пишейки пътеводител или туристическа книга!!
Книгата е покъртително зле. Наистина! Героите не струват, историята не е развита както трябва. Да не говорим за абсурдните коментари на автора за различни и чувствителни теми. Беше си тотална загуба на време и пари тази книга.
Идва ми да си заблъскам главата в стената...
April 7, 2016
Every once in a while a novel comes along that I just want to put into my friends’ hands immediately, so that someone I know can also bask in the awesomeness of reading it. This one absolutely fits that category. I quite liked the creative plot, and the characters quickly grew on me. The third-person narrator may have been my favorite aspect of the entire novel. There was a formality to his voice (using the generic his, not assigning specific gender), that almost carried a bemused undertone, in that everything he saw and described was in great detail, even if he himself thought some of it to be ridiculous. I couldn’t help but imagine real-life actors whose voices would work well in this role. The one that was the most fitting in my head was Morgan Freeman, with his stately and utterly recognizable voice. Hearing that voice lay the story out for me made me love it even more.
June 14, 2016
Although written well, the ending left a lot to be desired.
October 24, 2023
I'm disappointed about this one. I was so intrigued by the premise and thought it was going to be a cute, low-key romance. But instead, it tries to be a bit of everything and, for me, mostly failed. Because it didn't make sense that there were no in-betweens, everything went 0 to 60, all or nothing, really fast. I also didn't get the side comments about race in some parts. Not that there's no place for that, but it felt forced, and I'm hoping the author had sensitivity readers who could relate to the characters. I'm white, so I can't speak to it much except to say the writing of those parts felt awkward.
I do think some people will like this one. It's certainly a love letter to Los Angeles. I would probably recommend it to people who like what I call "American city fiction," where a big U.S. city determines the vibe and large sections of the book. Also, I might recommend it to readers who enjoyed Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld but would like a little more positive diversity in their story.
I do think some people will like this one. It's certainly a love letter to Los Angeles. I would probably recommend it to people who like what I call "American city fiction," where a big U.S. city determines the vibe and large sections of the book. Also, I might recommend it to readers who enjoyed Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld but would like a little more positive diversity in their story.
August 29, 2017
Fun, light read. Different kind of romantic comedy story than typical. I enjoyed the LA setting and the pop culture references.
December 5, 2022
3.5 stars. Very fanfiction-y premise with a kind of chaotic ending, but I had a good time. Great, easy plane read.
May 25, 2017
Well, I know it sounds trite, but this book The Decent Proposal "should have been better than it was".
It isn't a bad book, and the author has the seeds of being a very good writer, but somewhere down the road. This book really needed a much better editor to reign in the author.
The story is basically this: take two people who don't know each other and offer them a prize- in this cast 1/2 a million each, if they agree to meet with each other for two hours every week, for a year. Gee what do you suppose will happen between the two?
I'm guessing like most movies- of which the author is part of the entertainment industry, where he is a lawyer who represents writers- this book was purchased by the publisher based on the premise, not the finished product. This is the author's first book, and it is painfully clear. There was way too much filler, details, lingo, of life in Los Angeles, that added nothing to the story. Add in wooden one dimensional main characters, and a couple of politically correct beliefs and liberal politics plus all of the predictability and the sudden hidden surprise near the end, and you have The Decent Proposal"
Watch for it or something like it at a movie theatre someday down the road.
It isn't a bad book, and the author has the seeds of being a very good writer, but somewhere down the road. This book really needed a much better editor to reign in the author.
The story is basically this: take two people who don't know each other and offer them a prize- in this cast 1/2 a million each, if they agree to meet with each other for two hours every week, for a year. Gee what do you suppose will happen between the two?
I'm guessing like most movies- of which the author is part of the entertainment industry, where he is a lawyer who represents writers- this book was purchased by the publisher based on the premise, not the finished product. This is the author's first book, and it is painfully clear. There was way too much filler, details, lingo, of life in Los Angeles, that added nothing to the story. Add in wooden one dimensional main characters, and a couple of politically correct beliefs and liberal politics plus all of the predictability and the sudden hidden surprise near the end, and you have The Decent Proposal"
Watch for it or something like it at a movie theatre someday down the road.
May 17, 2017
I wanted to like this more. There were a lot of good things about it including a mystery, a love story, and lots of love for my city, Los Angeles. (The parts about L.A. could have been cut down by a third or a half, really, and I say this as someone who's crazy about L.A. and recognized most of the places in the book and while I enjoyed the descriptions, many of them didn't really serve a purpose other than setting the scene, which didn't always need to be set quite so elaborately.)
Much of the writing was really good, but there were a lot of things about the book that bothered me. Multiple POVs, which isn't my favorite way to tell a story; many instances where it felt too clever by half, as if the author was really digging himself; the characters were all insanely self aware and there was a lot of telling this to me through their thoughts rather than their actions; the end was not to my taste; and on and on. I might read more by Donovan when his next book is released because I think there is much promise there, but I might be wary of it being too ... just too much, like this one.
Oh, and what's the deal with this being compared to Jane Austen? No. Just no. Jane Austen's not even my favorite in book form, but this didn't feel Austenlike at all to me, good or bad, so I'm unsure where that came from, other than "this is way too wordy so let's compare it to Jane Austen, who was also way too wordy." ;-)
Much of the writing was really good, but there were a lot of things about the book that bothered me. Multiple POVs, which isn't my favorite way to tell a story; many instances where it felt too clever by half, as if the author was really digging himself; the characters were all insanely self aware and there was a lot of telling this to me through their thoughts rather than their actions; the end was not to my taste; and on and on. I might read more by Donovan when his next book is released because I think there is much promise there, but I might be wary of it being too ... just too much, like this one.
Oh, and what's the deal with this being compared to Jane Austen? No. Just no. Jane Austen's not even my favorite in book form, but this didn't feel Austenlike at all to me, good or bad, so I'm unsure where that came from, other than "this is way too wordy so let's compare it to Jane Austen, who was also way too wordy." ;-)
April 19, 2016
I can't even tell you how in need of a light, fun read I was and I am so glad I had this in my review pile. Right away this reminded me of Catherine McKenzie's Arranged, slightly different but it was the first thing that popped into my head, which is a great thing because I loved that book too. Also worth noting is that this book felt totally L.A. I've never been there but when I think of L.A. this book is what I think it would be like. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or bad thing, but every stereotype and preconception you'd think of when you think of L.A. is in this book somewhere.
Right away, I kind of related to Elizabeth because while I can be a bubbly, fun person, I really understand her work ethic and her sometimes awkwardness with people. It's hard to make friends as adults and break into a "group" and not having that natural ability can really hinder your career and maybe other opportunities. Richard.. alright, so I didn't love him so much. He kind of comes off as a loser though it's not like he isn't trying to be successful. He just.. isn't. So pairing these two together not only doesn't seem like an obvious choice but also kind of seems like it's totally right. They each have something the other needs and they both reluctantly jump at this seemingly too-good-to-be-true offer.
I liked their "courtship", and the focus on her love of books and his love of movies. Their meet up's/dates are fun and enjoyable and if I was a single gal, I'd hope some of my dates would go like theirs do.
The only thing I didn't love about the book is the epilogue. It's a little cheesy and while I usually love an epilogue as a last hurrah for the characters, a peek into their future down the road, this one was just meh for me. To be fair, I am also coming off of some books I was absolutely hooked to and this one was fun, but it wasn't one I couldn't put down, so maybe that's my problem. So feel free to completely ignore my opinion on that.
Overall? I'd have to give this a 4/5 stars. It's fun, it's a cute story line, it's funny, it's chick lit but still a light, enjoyable read that even a guy should read to get ideas on decent dates. Just sayin. Ha!
Right away, I kind of related to Elizabeth because while I can be a bubbly, fun person, I really understand her work ethic and her sometimes awkwardness with people. It's hard to make friends as adults and break into a "group" and not having that natural ability can really hinder your career and maybe other opportunities. Richard.. alright, so I didn't love him so much. He kind of comes off as a loser though it's not like he isn't trying to be successful. He just.. isn't. So pairing these two together not only doesn't seem like an obvious choice but also kind of seems like it's totally right. They each have something the other needs and they both reluctantly jump at this seemingly too-good-to-be-true offer.
I liked their "courtship", and the focus on her love of books and his love of movies. Their meet up's/dates are fun and enjoyable and if I was a single gal, I'd hope some of my dates would go like theirs do.
The only thing I didn't love about the book is the epilogue. It's a little cheesy and while I usually love an epilogue as a last hurrah for the characters, a peek into their future down the road, this one was just meh for me. To be fair, I am also coming off of some books I was absolutely hooked to and this one was fun, but it wasn't one I couldn't put down, so maybe that's my problem. So feel free to completely ignore my opinion on that.
Overall? I'd have to give this a 4/5 stars. It's fun, it's a cute story line, it's funny, it's chick lit but still a light, enjoyable read that even a guy should read to get ideas on decent dates. Just sayin. Ha!
September 3, 2016
Richard and Elizabeth are perfect strangers until the day a lawyer contacts them both and presents a very interesting proposal. An person who wishes to remain anonymous will give each of them a half a million dollars. All that is required of Richard and Elizabeth is to meet for two hours a week, every week, for a year.
Richard starts referring to this innocent plan as The Decent Proposal.
His best friend (and ex girlfriend) Michaela "Mike" hates the idea. She has just realized that she's never gotten over Richard, despite having broken his heart in college.
Elizabeth's friend Orpheus hates the plan too.
Both Mike and Orpheus feel their relationships with Richard and Elizabeth are threatened.
I loved that you really can't tell what the reason is the offer was made to Elizabeth and Richard, you have to wait to find out. I also liked all the layers to these characters and their relationships with their friends.
Sometimes I found Orpheus hard to bear but he was a good way of illustrating what a big heart Elizabeth has.
Sweet story. It made me smile a lot.
Richard starts referring to this innocent plan as The Decent Proposal.
His best friend (and ex girlfriend) Michaela "Mike" hates the idea. She has just realized that she's never gotten over Richard, despite having broken his heart in college.
Elizabeth's friend Orpheus hates the plan too.
Both Mike and Orpheus feel their relationships with Richard and Elizabeth are threatened.
I loved that you really can't tell what the reason is the offer was made to Elizabeth and Richard, you have to wait to find out. I also liked all the layers to these characters and their relationships with their friends.
Sometimes I found Orpheus hard to bear but he was a good way of illustrating what a big heart Elizabeth has.
Sweet story. It made me smile a lot.
November 17, 2017
I oscillated between 3 and 4 stars before deciding to round up. This book is quirky and fun, and I enjoyed the rom-com-with-a-mystery vibe. Also, the author has a much cooler name than me, got his law degree at a way better school, and is now living out the dream writing fiction instead of practicing.
Not an unequivocal four stars because the ending just didn't land like I hoped it would. I guess it felted a little rushed, and it definitely didn't pack the emotional punch I expected.
I hope Donovan writes more--I'm interested to see what he comes up with next.
P.S.
If this was a movie starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, it would make approximately a bajillion dollars.
Not an unequivocal four stars because the ending just didn't land like I hoped it would. I guess it felted a little rushed, and it definitely didn't pack the emotional punch I expected.
I hope Donovan writes more--I'm interested to see what he comes up with next.
P.S.
If this was a movie starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, it would make approximately a bajillion dollars.
Shelved as '10-thank-you-print-won-gift'
February 22, 2016Update February 12, 2016. This book arrived today so I'm thrilled to have it to read and also I got to take the one star rating, for purposes of keeping good standing with Goodreads, down. Thank you so so much @HarperCollins for the gift!
A million thanks to the author Kemper Donovan @Goodreads and @HarperCollins for this book win through the Goodreads first reads program.
A million thanks to the author Kemper Donovan @Goodreads and @HarperCollins for this book win through the Goodreads first reads program.
May 16, 2021
I won this book in a book give-away. It was a fun read as a romcom. The characters interacted well together and the author did a nice job of making you wonder who set up the decent proposal. He tied it all up nicely at the end. I would read another book by Kemper Donovan. It would be interesting to see what he writes next.
Read
December 26, 2016I despised this book. I really tried to read it. I just couldn't get into it. I barely made it to finishing it. May still try other books by this author still.
May 26, 2017
An uneven novel that I decided to keep at 4 stars, which was my feeling toward it in the first half.
Two people, young and single in Los Angeles, are mysteriously brought together by an unknown benefactor and offered the split of a million dollars if they spend two hours a week in each other's company.
The introduction of this plot, the main characters, peripheral characters and the Los Angeles backdrop all made for a strong start. The big reveal felt awkward and disappointing, while the final few pages were poignantly sweet.
Overall a funny, contemporary story that really captures the magic haze of L.A.
Two people, young and single in Los Angeles, are mysteriously brought together by an unknown benefactor and offered the split of a million dollars if they spend two hours a week in each other's company.
The introduction of this plot, the main characters, peripheral characters and the Los Angeles backdrop all made for a strong start. The big reveal felt awkward and disappointing, while the final few pages were poignantly sweet.
Overall a funny, contemporary story that really captures the magic haze of L.A.
March 4, 2020
A romcom with a mystery! Why would someone give you a million dollars to just meet someone 2 hours every week? The story shrouded with this mystery unravels in the backdrop of the vibe of LA on companionship and love, with an unexpected ending on what connected the lead characters! Fun one time read!
August 12, 2017
The basic premise hooked me: Richard and Elizabeth have never met, but they are offered a million dollars by a mysterious benefactor if they will spend two hours a week together for a year. What kept me reading was the wonderful characters. And Kemper Donovan, who is a male author if you are unsure because of his name, really knows how to write women. I'm looking forward to his next book!
March 15, 2018
3 1/2 stars. The ending threw me off. Light entertaining reading. I like the fact it was clean. I felt it was meant to be written for some chick flick. I was hoping I’d find it funny and hilarious, unfortunately I didn’t even smile or chuckle.
February 4, 2018
This is such a fine book! Excellent writing. I’m thinking that if you loved the movie “Lalaland,” this is the book for you. Unusual plot. Interesting characters. And most of all, I cared about the characters. I don’t know how the writers make that happen. But I think talent is involved.
January 12, 2019
The plot was very clever but I felt as though the story got very strange at the end. Decent Proposal was a decent read.
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