From the Publisher
A romantic tale with a heart and a brain—and a mystery that will keep you turning the pages.” — W Magazine
“A sweet and slyly charming love story...adroitly explores the nature of friendship—and love...a wise and witty—and well-written—romantic comedy that is filled with heart.” — Examiner.com
“Delightful…Peopled by appealing characters and filled with lush descriptions of the diverse L.A. landscape, Donovan’s winning first novel offers up a page-turning tale brimming with heart.” — Booklist (starred review)
“The Decent Proposal is clever as it is hopeful…Kemper Donovan’s voice is original, captivating, and assured. This book is both a moving love letter to Los Angeles and a thoughtful rumination on what people can mean to one another.” — Taylor Jenkins Reid, author of Maybe in Another Life
“A sharp, wise, and hilarious novel. Think ENTOURAGE meets Tom Wolfe with a touch of INDECENT PROPOSAL. . . . We loved it!” — Lucy Sykes & Jo Piazza, authors of The Knockoff
“Full of heart and humor, Donovan’s debut is a classic LA love story.” — J. Ryan Stradal, New York Times bestselling author of Kitchens of the Great Midwest
“Impossible to put down, this character-rich, breakout novel will make your heart burst with love. You’ll turn the pages so fast you might get a paper cut.” — Claire Bidwell Smith, author of The Rules of Inheritance
“Donovan takes what might have been a derivative tale and colors it with poignancy and self-discovery . . . Artful and arresting.” — Library Journal
“Smart and observant. . . . A strong, omniscient narrator anchors Donovan’s deconstructed, opposites-attract love story where emotional stakes deepen as the story unfolds. References to pop culture, classic literature and movies—along with snappy dialogue and well-drawn characterizations, especially in the cast of supporting players—infuse a clever plot filled with surprising twists that will keep readers entertained and in suspense.” — Shelf Awareness
“Donovan’s hilariously romantic debut novel is reminiscent of a modern Jane Austen-style story based in sunny Los Angeles. Dramatic and mysterious, this upbeat story is bound to become a classic with its enchanting setting and unforgettable, yet relatable characters.” — Steamboat Today
“THE DECENT PROPOSAL isn’t the typical romantic comedy. In fact, in many ways, it’s more of an anti-rom-com… that’s what makes it a thoughtful and entertaining study in personalities and relationships.” — WCBE's Shelf Discovery (Columbus OH)
Taylor Jenkins Reid
The Decent Proposal is clever as it is hopeful…Kemper Donovan’s voice is original, captivating, and assured. This book is both a moving love letter to Los Angeles and a thoughtful rumination on what people can mean to one another.
Booklist (starred review)
Delightful…Peopled by appealing characters and filled with lush descriptions of the diverse L.A. landscape, Donovan’s winning first novel offers up a page-turning tale brimming with heart.
Steamboat Today
Donovan’s hilariously romantic debut novel is reminiscent of a modern Jane Austen-style story based in sunny Los Angeles. Dramatic and mysterious, this upbeat story is bound to become a classic with its enchanting setting and unforgettable, yet relatable characters.
Examiner.com
A sweet and slyly charming love story...adroitly explores the nature of friendship—and love...a wise and witty—and well-written—romantic comedy that is filled with heart.
Shelf Awareness
Smart and observant. . . . A strong, omniscient narrator anchors Donovan’s deconstructed, opposites-attract love story where emotional stakes deepen as the story unfolds. References to pop culture, classic literature and movies—along with snappy dialogue and well-drawn characterizations, especially in the cast of supporting players—infuse a clever plot filled with surprising twists that will keep readers entertained and in suspense.
Lucy Sykes & Jo Piazza
A sharp, wise, and hilarious novel. Think ENTOURAGE meets Tom Wolfe with a touch of INDECENT PROPOSAL. . . . We loved it!
J. Ryan Stradal
Full of heart and humor, Donovan’s debut is a classic LA love story.
W Magazine
A romantic tale with a heart and a brain—and a mystery that will keep you turning the pages.
Claire Bidwell Smith
Impossible to put down, this character-rich, breakout novel will make your heart burst with love. You’ll turn the pages so fast you might get a paper cut.
WCBE's Shelf Discovery (Columbus OH)
THE DECENT PROPOSAL isn’t the typical romantic comedy. In fact, in many ways, it’s more of an anti-rom-com… that’s what makes it a thoughtful and entertaining study in personalities and relationships.
Lucy Sykes & Jo Piazza
A sharp, wise, and hilarious novel. Think ENTOURAGE meets Tom Wolfe with a touch of INDECENT PROPOSAL. . . . We loved it!
Kirkus Reviews
2015-12-23
Boy meets girl—for big bucks—in this high-concept Los Angeles rom-com. "One of my clients is offering you five hundred thousand dollars each, if you'll agree to spend some time together. At least once a week for two continuous hours, for one full calendar year." This eponymous "decent proposal" is delivered by lawyer Jonathan Hertzfeld to two complete strangers he has called to his office. At 29, Richard Baumbach is a lovable, superhunky bro type, a wannabe movie producer, the kind of guy who crawls out of bed hung over from clubbing at 12:45 p.m. on a weekday. Voluptuous, uptight loner Elizabeth Santiago, known as "La Máquina" in her own law office due to her relentless productivity, has enough sobriety and maturity for a small village. But with that payoff dangling in front of them, the patently incompatible couple puts their differences aside and buckles down to the task of weekly socializing. Fortunately, there are a few things they both like, among them the In-N-Out Burger stand, one of many vivid LA settings in this trendy, lightweight beach read. Amid the texting and the pop music, Richard and Elizabeth form a book and movie club, inviting everyone from Harold and Maude and Miss Daisy to Tess of the D'Urbervilles, Ivanhoe, and Jane Eyre into the sometimes comically aspirational narrative. Donovan's debut novel is as goofy and good-natured as its male lead, faltering only when it tries to be superserious and psychological. There's a homeless character named Orpheus Washington who is about as realistic as the Fresh Prince of Bel Air, and the long-awaited, somewhat poorly orchestrated reveal at the end is delivered in an awkward clump and followed by a silly coda. A Labrador retriever of a book—you'll find yourself smiling even when it knocks over the furniture and drools on your leg.
