3,649 bytes added
, 15:58, 16 May 2010
{{infobox
|title=A Perfect Proposal
|sort= Perfect Proposal
|author=Katie Fforde
|reviewer=Jo Heffer
|genre=Women's Fiction
|summary=Sophie and Luke could not be more different but they somehow end up together in Cornwall searching for a house Luke's grandmother Matilda visited as a child. Is it still the house of her dreams? And can Sophie and Luke agree what Matilda should do with it? In fact, can they agree about anything at all?
|rating=4.5
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|paperback=
|hardback=1846054494
|audiobook=
|ebook=
|pages=400
|publisher=Century
|date=June 2010
|isbn=978-1846054495
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1846054494</amazonuk>
|amazonus=<amazonus>1846054494</amazonus>
}}
I have read most of Katie Fforde's books and each and every one has proved to be enjoyable and entertaining. A Perfect Proposal comes up to the same high standard and, having just finished reading it, it has left me wanting more! Her style is very relaxed and easy going and she always creates believable characters that you can't help caring about.
A Perfect Proposal tells the story of Sophie Apperly and is set partly in the West Country and partly in New York. Because she feels unappreciated by her family, Sophie heads to New York to stay with her friend Millie, but soon bumps into Matilda, a very rich but lovely old lady. However, her grandson Luke is not quite so friendly and is openly suspicious of Sophie's motives especially when she agrees to search for an old Cornish house that Matilda once stayed in when she was a child in England. Sophie traipses down to Cornwall to try and find the house and quite unexpectedly is joined by Luke. Is his presence only because he wants to keep an eye on her or could it be something else? Also, once they find the house, will they ever agree on what's to be done about it?
A Perfect Proposal is a very easy and relaxing read that I found quite hard to put down. The story moves along at a good pace and, although a lot happens, it never feels confusing or farfetched. Katie Fforde also keeps the reader guessing right up to the very last pages about how things might turn out and she is very good at ensuring that there are no loose ends. Also, you might think that you are going to be reading about romantic gestures and wedding preparations but the proposal in question is actually something quite different.
The two main characters are hugely likeable and one can't help caring about what happens to them. I also like the way that there is such a vast contrast between Sophie, who is very homely and practical, and Luke with his large fortune and millionaire lifestyle. This leads to many misunderstandings between the two which makes for great reading. There are also many other minor characters who really made it for me too. Sophie's Great Uncle Eric has a reputation for being miserable and mean but really has a heart of gold which Sophie soon discovers. There's also Matilda, Luke's grandmother, who is very wise and is not averse to a small amount of matchmaking if she thinks that it will make her grandson happy. I kept hoping that these two wily old characters might meet up but perhaps that might happen in a sequel!
I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to The Bookbag.
Overall I thoroughly recommend A Perfect Proposal. It is light, entertaining and will make you smile as you read it. It will also leave you wanting to read more of Katie Fforde's novels so you could always take a look at [[Gong Dutch by Katie Fforde|Going Dutch]] or [[Wedding Season by Katie Fforde|Wedding Season]].
{{amazontext|amazon=1846054494}} {{waterstonestext|waterstones=7094325}}
{{commenthead}}