Rating: 
Summary: Bugger me! What a wonderful surprise! I just simply LOOV it!
Review: The Proposition has been on my TBR pile since May. I read the first chapter in May then stopped because I did not like the profession of the hero as a ratcatcher. Ugh, I thought and simply dismissed the book. Fortunately for me a good friend borrowed it, read it and told me that I definitely MUST read it. So I did and I was glad I read it because THE PROPOSITION IS VERY GOOD BOOK TO READ! Even though the plot is an old one - My Fair Lady, Pygmalion - the characters of this book are the ones that carried it. The way Judith Ivory portrayed Mick and Winnie was just, simply said: Well done! Mick is a wonderful hero! He was so charming, so good looking, so adorable, so very sexy and so honest about his feelings for Winnie it left me quite breathless. I just "loov" him! Winnie, on the other hand, is supposed to be a sort of ugly duckling. A tall, gangly woman of 29 who is not sure about her own sexuality. But Mick, oh yes Mick - sigh, sigh, sigh, - just simply adored her! Who would'nt feel adored if a hero like that gave you his attentions?! Loving everything about you, no matter what, making you feel like the queen of all queens. I know now never to judge a book because of the characters profession. Rich or poor, a marquis, earl or duke, a story with so much romance, hilarity and with great characters, is a story worth reading. The Proposition has no big misunderstanding. It is wonderful to read about a man who just simply adores a woman who finds herself unatractive without being such an arrogant fool. The Proposition is a joy to read! It will make you laugh and cherish the wonderful moments in life. It will make you understand the saying "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" or "love has no bounds" or something like that. I'm ranting... Anyway read The Propositon. It will leave you with a smile on your face and make you fall in love again!!!!
Rating:
Summary: THIS IS A GREAT BOOK!
Review: This was the first Judith Ivory book I have read and I absolutely loved it. Winnie and Mick were such great characters. I really liked Mick. He seemed almost innocent (though, of course, he wasn't). The scene with Winnie dancing on the tables was great. He had a way of bringing out her secret desires. They seemed to have such a great relationship. This book also had several funny moments. I have fallen in love with Judith Ivory's writing style and hope she continues to write such great books. In fact, I ran right out to my local used bookstore and bought "Beast" and "Sleeping Beauty," which were also very good. I also bought two of her books that she wrote under the name of Judy Cuevas. I haven't read them yet, but am looking for to it. This book is making the rounds at the office and is definitely a keeper!
Rating: 
Summary: Not as funny as it thinks it is
Review: After a really fun and promising start, I found this novel, "The Proposition" quickly degraded into endless silly dialogue and flat plotlines which went nowhere. The hero "Mick" started of quite amusing, but I quickly grew bored with the way the author chose to portray his speech patterns (yes I know this was a major plot point, but I still found it grating). The Cornish-Cockney "Ye'll be excusing me duck" and "Idden me choice to stand 'ere with me shirt done up..." soon had me roll my eyes in frustration. Plus the first few chapters are filled with almost incomprehensible paragraphs of unattrributed dialogue wherein a mob of characters voice their opinions for pages which grew annoying. Eh. Further, the proposition's attempts at humor fell flat for me. I found nothing 'charming' or 'cute' about Mick bargaining with the heroine to look at or touch her legs in exchange for him shaving his mustache. I dunno...It just struck me as silly and vaguely perverted. I still like class in my heroes even if they are supposed to be poor and uneducated. I won't even go there about the amazingly trite ending. This light-hearted novel just fell flat for me. I prefer my historicals more realistic and with tighter more succinct dialogue.
Rating:
Summary: SUPER DUPER FIVE STARS FOR THE PROPOSITION!
Review: The Proposition is my first Judith Ivory novel and I am sooooooo impressed! I read all the great reviews regarding this book and when I got my hands on this book, I couldn't put it down! True to the reviews, this book has great plot, great characters and a great ending! I coudln't stop sighing at the end! Loved Mick and Winnie's story and I laughed so much! And there were many poignant moments, as well! (Wait til you "hear" Mick sing!) The sexual chemitry between the two were strong and powerful... I just couldn't get enough of the two! Mick, even when he was "unpolished" was sexy and totally charming! My heart just went out to him! As for Winne, she was not the typical romance heroine but strong and individual and beautiful in her own way. I just like Winne so much! After I finished the book, I had to flip through it again to savor the "good" parts. If you're thinking about getting this book, don't wait- GO GET IT NOW!
Rating:
Summary: SLIP ME A MICKEY
Review: As I was reading, I suddenly realized I had been smiling for 226 pages. No kidding! In many ways, this may seem like a familiar Pygmalion story, but Mick's personality enlivens every page so much that you don't even care. The reader looks forward to reading Mick's thoughtful observations about social rules, life, and Winnie. He is so endearing that you want to reach in and give Winnie a little push in his direction ("Let yourself go, Winnie girl!"). Their chemistry tickles and sizzles. Once you get past chapters 1 and 2, you won't put it down, because you'll be smiling too!
Rating:
Summary: One of the best
Review: What a delightful, irresistible story. Such enchantment, such passion!
Rating:
Summary: Simply and Outstanding Love Story
Review: Sometimes there are really special stories...this is one. I almost tossed this book aside when into the first chapter I figured that this was going to be a take off of "Pygmalion" or "My Fair Lady" only with a male lead being the metamorphous, rather than the flower girl turned into a lady. I am so happy that I persevered and read on, as this story was so very special! The plot of course is the simple story of a bet made that within six weeks, a genteel woman, Lady Edwina Bollash, and a noted linguist, would take a cheeky, incorrigible, Cornish rat catcher, Mick Tremore cleaning up both his speech and himself, and pass him off as a Viscount at the Duke of Arles ball. What a simply divine story with so many light hearted and touching scenes. Lady Edwina - nicknamed Winnie by Mick, has never considered herself attractive or loveable. Her self esteem was basically non-existent in spite of the fact that she did believe herself to be accomplished as both a lady and of course successful in her profession as an instructor in elocution and deportment. What she did not do, was fool herself into believing that she was in any way pretty or attractive. Mick Tremore, outrageous, handsome, cheeky, personable and extremely down to earth - was an absolute delight and while he was initially the student - he also became an instructor as well. There are so many scenes in this story that are memorable - one episode in particular, that was absolutely hilarious - were the negotiations that took place between Edwina and Mick to shave his mustache off - priceless! And the dialog as this very earthy and honest man compliments her nose "Yes, it's a good-sized smeller, loov. If it weren't so pretty, I might have sympathy for you." - I will say, you have to love Mick - he may not have been born to royalty but in terms of humanness - he is a prince! When you think of the metamorphous angle of the story, I think the more important one was in the mind-set of Edwina who finally came to the conclusion that in the eyes of the man she came to love - she was beautiful! This story is simply outstanding with a surprise ending and you should definitely give it a read! I truly enjoyed this book!
Rating:
Summary: Great book! Must read!
Review: Great book - very funny, compelling characters and a fun story line.
Rating: 
Summary: An Imperfect Hero You'll Love
Review: The Proposition is certainly a unique historical romance novel. Throughout the first three chapters we see a most unlikely hero. He is not a gentleman, he is not rich, he has ragged clothes, he can't speak proper English, and he is a rat catcher! But don't let those first chapters influence you - this hero already is or will be all you want him to be. Lady Edwina (Winnie) Bollash is a well-known linguist and is presented with the challenge to transform Mick Tremore into a gentleman in six weeks. She accepts the challenge and Mick comes to stay in her home for the six-week period of training. We soon discover that Nick is not weak, undisciplined, or without principals. He is a person that unconsciously demands respect and he has a very good self-image. Of course, he is impossibly handsome as well. Soon Winnie, a spinster and a very proper daughter of a Marquess, is finding her first impression of Mr. Tremore was dead wrong. She sees the magnificent man he is and he learns much more quickly than she thought possible because she finds he is incredibly intelligent. A mutual attraction and admiration develops between Winnie and Mick and it soon envelops them. The communication between the couple is straightforward and at times heart wrenching. Mick is honest and up front and attempts to open Winnie's eyes to her own beauty and overall attractiveness. It is refreshing to read a romance novel in which both the hero and heroine are imperfect individuals. Winnie is not portrayed as a beauty although Mick believes she is. It's good to see regular people (although Winnie is a daughter of a marquess - she has very little wealth) growing individually and together. The story is told without the drama of overused ridiculous misunderstandings or lies. Around the middle of the book, the story begins to drag (thus the 4 star rating) as Winnie talks to herself again and again about her feelings for Mick and the impossibility of a relationship between them. Although the book dragged during this period of Winnie's self examination, I do believe a woman of her upbringing would have needed a hefty amount of self-talk if she feared she was falling in love with a rat catcher. Even in the USA today, it would be quite a bridge to gap in six weeks. We become certain that Mick will find his way once this six week period is over and whatever he chooses to do with the rest of his life will be admired by others and done with a great deal of self confidence. The sensual scenes are few and don't come until late in the book. But when Judith Ivory does write these times of physical intimacy, it is a definite 4 out of 5 rating (see "more about me" for scale guidelines). While this is a story of Mick and Winnie, Mick is definitely the strongest part of the book. He stands out because he does not have a mean nature at all and he is no less a man for it. It is great to see such a mature and nicely rounded character - a man in a romance novel with so many good traits and with so few poor ones. He is completely male and yet is so kind and gentle. This is quite an accomplishment in today's romance novels.
Rating:
Summary: A treat!
Review: This is my first Judith Ivory book and I was so impressed by this talented author that I will be running out to buy all of her previous efforts. Lady Edwina Bollash is a myopic spinster who has been given the task of transforming a handsome rat catcher into a respectable gentleman and she only has a few weeks in which to do it. There's a sweet chemistry between the two from the beginning. Edwina is attracted to Mick's looks but also to his good and kind heart. Mick is attracted to Edwina's unconventional looks and her simplicity. These two are destined for each other, however the road to happily ever after is going to be quite bumpy. There are some twists and turns that makes this take on Pygmalion unique. Do not miss this wondeful story. Highly recommended!
| 
