Yes I have been on Google to see if this book was based on fact. I thought The Proposal was brilliant, living in Wiltshire it had an extra edge to it for me with the familiarity of the locations. It's a complicated read, edging on madness and superbly written. I feel a little bit freaked out having just finished reading, it's the age old saying. Don't talk to strangers, definitely don't invite them into your home!

Dark, unnerving and all consuming but most importantly for me, deliciously different! This book had me desperately wanting to turn the pages but needing to read slowly to savour every wonderful word and nuance. The characters, the pacing, the structure and the writing in this novel are a sheer delight and dare I say sprinkled with Genius? With S.E. Lynes you don't just know the character's thoughts, you get right into the deepest, darkest, maddest part of their psyche - and the scary thing is that no matter how dark and despicable they may be, you find yourself relating to and empathising with them ... just wonderful, a truly unsettling, memorable psychological thriller that has joined this author's earlier work, 'Mother', in my all time favourite reads. Thank you, thank you, thank you S.E. Lynes for once more raising the bar of excellence in this genre - I'm utterly in awe!

The first thing you should know, dear reader, is that I am dead… As the opening sentence of this intriguing thriller it is sure to pulled you in and will have you gripped until the final page! The story is told through Pippa’s journal entries and blog posts.  The story begins slowly, all the best psychological thrillers do! However you should pay attention!it makes up for that as it gathers pace and builds up to an excellently written conclusion.  Overall, if you like dark psychological thrillers then you will enjoy this dark and twisted story. This was my first read of this author and I look forward to the next novel. Thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and the SE Lynes for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

I chose to read and review a free eARC of The Proposal but that has in no way influenced my review. Well, this book is a bit bonkers! And by ‘a bit’ I actually mean ‘totally and completely’ — and I loved it! What an intoxicating and unexpected ride the author took me on. I’ll be completely honest, from the design of the cover, I was expecting a fairly run of the mill psychological thriller. But I should have known better! S.E. Lynes is always pushing the boundaries and The Proposal is proof of that. I have loved this author’s work ever since I read her outstanding debut, Valentina, and I continue to do so (although I have fallen a little behind with her books I’m ashamed to say). If you haven’t read an S.E. Lynes book before, then I heartily recommend you remedy that as soon as possible. Teacher and romance author, Pippa Gates, is uninspired with life. She’s recently divorced, has had a string of depressing Tinder hookups and is facing a deadline from her editor. The clock is ticking and she doesn’t have the foggiest idea of even the basic storyline for her next book, let alone any of the details her editor wants to hear. That’s when the doorbell rings. She’s not expecting company, but reluctantly opens the door and comes face to face with door-to-door salesman, Ryan Marks. Ryan has had a tough life but is trying to find his way back into society. It’s hard to describe, but Pippa feels an odd connection to this man. She wants to hear his story, it could help inspire her writing – the bestseller she’s dreamt of for so long could be stood in front of her – so she makes a proposal. She’s a street-smart and intelligent woman who knows exactly what she’s doing, doesn’t she…? Oh my flipping goodness! What a compelling novel The Proposal is. There’s such a delicious sense of foreboding from the start and I was hooked instantly. I’m not sure I liked Pippa Gates, Novelist but I was more than happy to spend time with her. There’s ‘something’ about this character that made me want to follow her, I was drawn to her. The story is told in the main by Pippa in the form of diary entries. She speaks directly to the reader, which is only one aspect of the many in this book which I loved. She almost has a conversation with her reader, making judgements about you, your thoughts and your feelings. I loved it. And if you’re not a little intrigued by that first line: The first thing you should know, dear reader, is that I am dead… then WTF? There are also blog posts, references to Instagram posts and audio recordings which all put you thoroughly on edge and wanting to know more. The first half of the book I devoured as I felt nervous as hell for a very reckless woman who seemed intent on putting herself in the most dangerous of situations. Lynes’s writing carried me along and I was lost in Pippa’s world. The second half of the book (it could have been the last third – I’m afraid I was so caught up in the action, I didn’t take note) slowed down a little for me as what I had feared, happened in full technicolour glory. The anticipation dropped a little, although my concern for Pippa certainly didn’t. This is one dark and devilish tale and I still stand by what I said earlier in this review – it’s a little bit bonkers. I was able to guess what one of the big twists was going to be but that didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the book at all. In fact, it made me read faster as I was desperate to have my suspicions confirmed or proven incorrect. Would I recommend this book? Absolutely! I would, yes. The Proposal is an edgy, no holds barred psychological thriller. There are times when the characters (or Pippa) do some pretty daft things, but just go with it. It’s such an intriguing, captivating, well-written book and goes to prove that Lynes is a ‘must read’ author (but I knew that already). Twisted, twisty and impossible to put down. Recommended. I chose to read and review an eARC of The Proposal. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

Three and a half stars1 Where to start in a review of this book? Original - definitely; a romance - the writing of the book by the main character, Pippa; the writing of the actual action in the book, again by Pippa is more like a psychological thriller and according to her we are reading it because she is dead; and then there is the recorded transcript by Ryan/Gary who is obviously mentally unstable. The novel moves between these three voices. At first I was not sure but as the book progressed I could not put it down. It is definitely a disturbing read! Many thanks to Netgalley for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.