Watch out world — I’m ready to date again. The seven years I invested in my ex left me with nothing but scorch marks from the way he peeled out and left me at the altar. I’m not looking to put my heart into a relationship any time soon. But getting back out there? That sounds like a helluva good idea to get my groove back.Then I bump into Chris….Clever and funny, with a sexy surfer’s bod and a … sexy surfer’s bod and a brilliant nerd brain, he has just the right screwdriver to fix my hard drive. (Yes, the one for my computer.) I wouldn’t mind dating him. The trouble is he just proposed to me—to be the new dating guru on his TV show—and now he’s my new business partner.
What happens when you meet the right person at the wrong time?
Note: Back in the day, I wrote a book called TROPHY HUSBAND, and though it’s no longer available for sale, the characters of Chris and McKenna seemed to demand another chance in the spotlight. THE DATING PROPOSAL is a complete reimagining of their romance, with 85 percent brand-new material, a fresh plot, and vastly expanded characterizations so you can come to know and love Chris and McKenna like I do. Enjoy!
more
After her fiancé dumped her over a year ago, McKenna has not been too keen on accepting any kind of relationship proposal, but that doesn’t mean she’s not ready to get her dating groove back. So when she runs into Chris – a hunky geek who has one heck of a proposition for her – she attempts to fight her attraction to him and keep things strictly professional, because neither of them are willing to mix business with pleasure or risk messing up the good thing they have going with their Webflix show.
Here’s the thing, though…because readers are privy to McKenna and Chris’ internal musings and true feelings for their co-worker, we see what’s happening between them long before they do, which makes sense given their working relationship and the fact that they’re both a little gun-shy and have trust issues when it comes to the opposite sex.
But I was just waiting for these two to finally give into what’s been building since their first interaction because, in my opinion, it was never a matter of if but a matter of when, they would realize that finding the right person, even if they work with you, is worth the risk.
Lauren Blakely’s comedic prowess shines through with the amount of humorous situations and laugh out loud moments that are included in McKenna and Chris’ story. The smile never left my face as I was reading because these two were just too damn cute for words. Their quirky banter, electric chemistry, and instant connection never wavered, even when their fears tried to take over. And with the bevy of jokes strewn throughout the text, The Dating Proposal is a laugh out loud romantic comedy that was just the light and sugary sweet read I needed.
4 Poison Apples
5 stars plus
A book with a geek to hotness ratio of millions!! Seriously outrageously entertaining with such witty flirty banter that made my cheeks hurt from laughing so much!
This story was the book dreams are made of! True connections between a couple of very click together strangers! If you get what I mean!
Amazingly lighthearted but incredibly fun to read and I want so very much more! Quirky pets, geek speak and great friendships made this one of the best books this year!
I’m not going to tell you more, all I will say is you just have to read it! Go on, you know you want to!!!
The Dating Proposal is a fun, sexy, workplace romance that had me smiling from ear to ear! This story was previously released at The Trophy Husband but has been given new life and I have to say, this version is SO much more fun!
McKenna is getting back into the dating world after being dumped the day before her wedding and Chris, well, he’s learned the hard way not to date a coworker. Getting back out there is something both McKenna and Chris are willing to do but it seems to be they have a connection after their meet-cute! They have a flirty, easy and playful banter, chemistry that set my Kindle on fire, and the slow burn of this relationship completely made this story in my eyes! This is a must read from Lauren Blakely!
4.5+ star…This is a fun, unique, quirky read. It is a complete revamp of her book Trophy Husband with male point of view added and completely rewritten so that only the characters and a few things are the same(per author around 85% new material).
I love Lauren Blakely’s lively sense of humor. Her heroines are always smart, determined, successful and looking for true love. Her men are magnetic, sexy, and swoon-worthy. McKenna and Chris are no exception.
McKenna is a successful fashion video blogger who has been suffering from the worst kind of broken heart as a jilted almost-bride, and her most significant current relationships are with her dog and her girl crew. But after a year of wallowing, she is done. It is time to start putting her foot into the dating pool and asks her friends for set ups and will video document pertinent progress.
In the midst of all this, she unexpectedly meets Chris. He is a more mature, hot geek and show host, and they immediately hit it off, have chemistry and share similar interests. She is actively trying out her new adventures in dating, but Chris just keeps coming to her mind. And they continue seeing each other as they do a joint project.
I liked McKenna. She was sassy, feisty, intelligent, and sweet. She has a great sense of humor and big personality. She has good friends who both support her and tease her, but her ex has really done a number on her. I totally loved Chris! He was sexy, charismatic, funny, successful, and just perfectly swoony. He was down to Earth and real. Together they were fun, had great rapport and chemistry. But they both had trust issues and fear of relationships. In fact he has a rule about not dating with anyone he works with. And they both are scared about saying what they really want, and think they want something that they can’t have. They keep getting bogged down in all the reasons why they should just be friends…even if their bodies, minds, and even hearts keep begging for more.
This was a delightful read that drew me in and just left me feeling happy. It was charming, sexy, romantic, emotional and just plain fun. I thoroughly enjoyed their flirty and witty banter. The main characters were likable and down to Earth. I loved the getting both the male and female points of view. Having Chris’ voice really added to the story. The side characters added depth and fun, and some will be familiar to Lauren Blakely fans.
It illustrates the importance of opening your heart, letting go of the past, and embracing trust and love with the right person. But this one really shines with the quirkiness, humor, and banter of the leads.
I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
A year after having her heart broke McKenna realizes that it’s time to start dating again. In her dating adventures she meets Chris and the two have chemistry from the start. However the two and their trust issues will make an interesting start to a relationship. This book was everything you would expect from a Lauren Blakely book, great characters, a sweet romance and a HEA. This book was a quick and enjoyable read.
4.5*
I first read Chris and McKenna’s story in 2017, in its original version as Trophy Husband, and loved it! It was a 5* read for me, so I was kind of surprised to find out Ms. Blakely was updating it. Considering it’s been just over 2 years since I read it, I figured enough time had passed and I could go into this reimagining of their love story with a fresh outlook and not be swayed by my previous thoughts or feelings. The bulk of the story has changed, but the character are just as wonderful as before, so I may be plagiarizing some of my previous review!
McKenna is such a great character…she’s strong, vulnerable, feisty, smart, independent. She has an amazing job, great friends and family, and the best dog a girl could want. After being jilted by her jerk of an ex the night before their wedding, she’s spent the past year holding onto the pain and getting over a broken heart…and she’s tired of it, she’s ready to let go and move on and enter the dating world. But then a fortuitous (my favorite word!) meeting with the awesome Chris causes McKenna to rethink her “just for fun” dating policy.
This is a sweet, fun book, not in any way angsty or drama-filled. It’s a lovely romance, that builds from friendship and blossoms into an all-out love. I really enjoyed seeing McKenna and Chris skirt around their feelings for each other. They had such great chemistry and were so fun and flirty together. Chris is a doll! He’s that delightful combination of smart, nerdy, sweet, and sexy. You could tell he wanted McKenna for himself, even while going along with her dating plan. I loved these 2 together!
A year ago McKenna Bell was dumped right before her wedding and she’s now ready to get control of her life as it was before the heartbreak. Ready to put herself “back in the market” she ventures out in the world with a hard earned and new found attitude.
Chris McCormick needs to attract the female audience to his already successful show when he meets McKenna and offers to help her out. During their initial meeting a budding idea will give way to a business proposition and the two will form a mutually beneficial partnership.
I honestly enjoyed this story as it was fun and ridiculously cute. Chris and McKenna make a hot couple with a sizzling chemistry and their exchanges are fun to read. It also happens that Trophy Husband, was my very first read by Ms. Blakely and I remember liking it so much that I eventually became a drop dead fan, but as I couldn’t really recall all the facts of the story, I went back for a reread in order to see the changes and I’m definitely on board with the changes. The tale of the hot geek and the sexy fashionista is one you shouldn’t miss whether you are a fan or a new reader.
The Dating Proposal is Lauren Blakely’s next rom-com. It also brought me back to 2013 when I first discover my very first Blakely Boyfriend, Chris McCormick! If you read Trophy Husband then you are in for a treat. If you didn’t then you well…you are too! I will talk more about that later.
McKenna is ready to date again after being left at the alter a year ago. She was over her ex of seven years. She was over wasting her time on the what-ifs. She wasn’t ready for the whole “love thing” but she was ready to put herself out there and have some fun. It would even be good for her fashion blog. To show them what to wear on dates. Maybe it would even help her viewers get out there too. To show them ways to find dates IRL. No apps. No profiles. Real life first connections. Like the one she had with the hot geek in the video game store. Except he doesn’t ask her on a date. He asks her to work with him. On his web-show.
Chris doesn’t date anyone he works with. He learned his lesson. He got the t-shirt. Not worth it. But, he can’t stop thinking about McKenna. The woman with curves in all the right places. Wit for days. A woman who plays video games who can hold a conversation on just about anything. The exact reasons why she would be perfect for a dating segment of his Geeking Out show. Damn his own rules.
I absolutely loved spending time with Chris and McKenna again. This did not feel like a re-read. At all. Yes. Lauren left in some of my favorite parts but even those were surrounded by new words. And she kept the characters’ personalities and added to them. And we get Chris’s POV!! Yes! It’s was the perfect mix of new and old Lauren style. She killed it.
Overall…I loved, loved, loved it!! It’s fresh, fun, flirty, and sexy. It makes me want to go back and read more of her older books all over again. I laughed. I cried. I swooned. I cried again.
Quotes:
This guy has the kind of arms that women driving cars slow down for, the kind of physique that turns a gal into a gawker. The way his T-shirt falls just so tells me all I need to know about the abs that lie flat beneath.
“Look, lady. All I want is my screwdriver unharmed. No nicks, no dings, and no more choking. I have the dough. That’s what we discussed.”
“You taste like sugar,” he murmurs.
“I dusted myself in it before I went out tonight.”
I can’t help falling in love with this new retold story of McKenna and Chris! Elizabeth @ Carolina Chic’s Read
Chris and McKenna get a whole new spin on their love story, this is completely different than the previously titled “Trophy Husband”.. but Chris is a prize. He earns his spot right into McKenna’s heart and their Insta-love is fun, flirty and super sexy! I dove right in and fell in love… I couldn’t help it! 4.5 Amazing Stars!
I loved this new and fresh, re-imagining of McKenna and Chris’s romance! I read Trophy Husband when it was released and loved both characters then. But this is a whole new wonderful story with the perfect blend of sass, wit, and steam. McKenna is ready to explore the dating world after recovering from a devastating breakup. She is strong, funny, and relatable. She has a confidence and spring in her step that draws people in. When she has a ‘cat’astrophy, she meets Chris, a sexy surfer geek who helps her out. They are wildly attracted to each other, but aren’t looking for attachments. They forge a working relationship that makes their desires forbidden. But while McKenna continues to date, Chris begins to rethink all his rules. I really love Chris and McKenna, they are so perfect for each other and completely adorkable. I love their fun banter, the fun they have together, and their fiery passion that’s off the charts. Ms. Blakely expertly creates genuine, authentic characters in her smart, funny and heartfelt stories. This book is another brilliant, clever, sexy romance that totally satisfies!
I love re-imagined Chris and McKenna.
So full confession – Chris McCormick was my very first BBF! I absolutely loved “Trophy Husband”, so I squealed with joy at the chance to read their new re-telling and this one did not disappoint.
“I can’t let another guy have the chance to go on a date with this fantastic woman before I do.” Seriously – what is there not to love about this guy. And one of my favorite scenes with the Qbert machine stayed in – woot woot!! You’ll never look at arcade games the same. And the new Qbert scene – oh be still my heart!!
Chris and McKenna both have understandable trust issues – man McKenna’s ex is a d**che!! They meet by happenstance, connect, then decide to have a business arrangement which makes them gun shy about anything more. But you can’t deny this kind of chemistry and Chris is just flat out HAWT!! So casual they go…until it isn’t…until someone freaks…until… Well you have to read it to find out the rest.
“What if he’s your sailboat in the moonlight?” I say he’s mine!
This book is witty, fun, steamy, entertaining, with lots of great banter, and just all around goodness. I LOVE these two!! And seeing the sibling characters knowing they get their own stories – extra special with a cherry on top!!
I voluntarily requested and read an advance reader copy.
Chris and McKenna’s story pulled me in from the start. In true Lauren Blakely style this story features a strong woman who knows what she wants in a man and refuses to settle for less. The man of course is willing to prove he is worthy. In the case of McKenna she is ready to start dating again after a year of shutting herself off when her ex fiance left her right before the wedding. Chris has set his own rules when it comes to dating, do not date someone you work with. The two meet and feel they can be friends and work together without crossing that line. Chris says his work comes first and McKenna is not ready to start a relationship. what soon happens is that as they grow closer as friends they both realize the attraction to one another and the connection they have is also growing. This is a well written book and the chemistry between the two is great. Each are willing to trust one another and allow themselves to be vulnerable while letting love back into their lives. I absolutely loved this story and the wonderful HEA!!! I look forward to more books from Ms Blakely.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
Another amazing story by Lauren Blakely! This is a revamp of Trophy Husband and I normally hate when authors do that! But, I’ve read so many books between the release before and this one, that I don’t remember a good amount of it, so it worked out great!
I loved Chris from the beginning! He’s like the perfect man!
McKenna has sworn off men since her ex dumped her on their wedding day! However, who knew a satan cat could bring two people together!!
Loved these characters so much!
Another 5 star book
Lauren Blakely is one of my favorite authors. You can’t go wrong reading any of her books. I read this book when it was called Trophy Husband and fell in love with it back when it first came out. Now she has rewritten the story and updated it and I fell in love with Chris and McKenna all over again. The story is fresh and lively and you just can’t help but fall in love with these characters. Even the secondary characters add to the story. The chemistry that Chris and McKenna have is off the charts and I love the way they banter with one another. It is so funny and will make you chuckle how they interact with each other. Don’t pass this story by.
I’m pretty sure this one is going to leave a smile on my face for days. So fun, flirty and smart. Chris and McKenna stole my heart along with great side characters and loveable animals.
McKenna is a fashion influencer. She and her blog have become sought after because of her honest and frank assessment of clothes. You can pair a marked down Gucci with a Target find and still pull off a look that makes a statement of good fashion, she says.
As put together as she looks on the outside, her emotions have been anything but. Being left at the altar by her longtime fiance absolutely shredded her heart. Now, it is time to start dating again before life passes her by completely. Things are looking up when men begin to approach her for dates. Only one problem. She wants to make sure they understand she is not ready for a relationship. She just wants to have fun and friendship.
Meeting Chris is a godsend. Not only is a handyman in a geeky sort of way, but he also has an Internet show for geeks. What Chris does not know is how to help them find dates and keep them. Especially, how to dress to succeed. His fans have a lot of questions about dating, so who better than McKenna to fill in that gap?
This book is an entertaining journey into the online world of dating and hooking up. There is more to dating than finding a live being willing to go out with you. If you haven’t dated in a while (or ever!) you need the low down regarding what to say, how to dress, where to go, etc. Get my drift?
I am voluntarily reviewing this book. Thanks to the author for sharing a copy with me.
I can’t tell a lie. I freaking loved this book… and what about that gorgeous cover, huh??
Chris and McKenna were just so great as well. Fabulous chemistry, sexy banter, a kinda slow burner and just… all the sweet and sexy feels, that Lauren supplies with aplomb.
The story was filled with red hot lines of innuendo, deep feelings and nerdy love. No commitment or strings attached was all they were meant to be, but things never go to plan.
There’s a host of secondary characters making for some interesting interactions and hilarious dialogue.
Grab your copy today and get ready to swoon over it too.
This jumped between 4 and 4.5 stars while I was reading.
I had a complete déjà vu moment at the beginning of the book because the scene was so similar to another book I’ve read. It turns out The Dating Proposal is a re-imagining of the romance between Chris and McKenna, the two characters from Lauren Blakely’s book Trophy Husband. I was a little concerned when the first scene at the diner felt so familiar, but besides that scene and the characters themselves The Dating Proposal is a completely different book. I actually liked this story so much more than Trophy Husband, the characters were great in both but the story line for The Dating Proposal was so much more relatable!
McKenna is a fashion blogger who was dumped a day before her wedding a year ago. While it had taken her some time to get over the betrayal and heartbreak, she is living her best life with a job she loves and a great group of friends. After a run in with her ex and his new wife she realizes that she is completely over him and the universe helped her out by having an attractive man ask her out on a date right afterwards. With her revelation, she decides to jump into the dating world full force and post about it on her blog. McKenna is a great lead female, she is sassy and feisty with a great support system of friends. With her attitude, cupcake addiction and love of all things 80’s I would be willing to overlook her fashion obsession and become best friends with her myself! Chris on the other hand is an absolutely perfect book boyfriend! He is a hot nerd who is successful, surfs, charismatic and a mister fix it… does it really get any better than that! Chris and McKenna have a chance meeting because a hateful cat breaks McKenna’s hard drive. The two instantly hit it off but fight the attraction because they both have some major trust issues. This is a purely fun romantic comedy with some steam thrown in! I love some angst and darkness in my romance, but everything now and then you just need something light and fun that makes you walk away feeling happy and The Dating Proposal is definitely that book!
This rom com is absolutely fabulous McKenna and Chris are the perfect couple and you feel their chemistry as they meet. Both have issues when dating but the spark between them is undeniable. Chris is a geek with a web tv show for geeks on gaming and he needs to increase his female demographic and McKenna has a fashion and info group and she needs to increase her male base. When Chris suggest she join him for segment on his show the chemistry gets even hotter when McKenna agrees. This is their story as two broken souls learn to love and trust. Once again Lauren’s characters will win your heart. Definitely a five star read. I’m so excited Lauren decided to give Chris and McKenna another go, with revising the Trophy Husband characters in a new exciting adventure. I was fortunate to receive an ARC copy for an honest review.
Aww, I really liked Mckenna and Chris’s unique funny stoy. Lauren is always giving her readers such great stories. Always lots of laughter, steamy stuff, sweetness.