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Summary: Charming Story
Review: I liked the story. I love it when the hero is somehow, changed for the better<g> I've enjoyed Ms. Ivory's previous works and she doesn't disappoint. There were several lagging areas that I skimmed. Hey, I didn't want to but nothing was happening! Also, I didn't have any trouble liking the characters. Judith Ivory delivers as usual but there were several quibbles I had but none that would warrant any space here. It's a good story but if your asking me to compare this to her previous work like BEAST, it doesn't come close to the excellence of that story. The characters are fleshed out, the dialogue--sharp, an all around feel good read. Did I mention the kissing? A lot of that. Plenty of sexual tension and as for sensuality, I'd say it is rather warm.<G> Hope you enjoy!
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Summary: Fall in love with a ratcatcher
Review: I could go on and on and on about how wonderful this book was, but I will try to keep it short. If ever there was a man who was not a gentleman, it was Mitch Tremore. Mitch is of all things, a ratcatcher in London. He's good at his job and down right proud. (as he should be!) One day while catching a rat a local seamstress puts him in a "compromising positon" and Mitch is forced to run from her family. He runs into a local tea shop, where Lady Edwina Bollash is having tea. Almost forced to go to jail, Edwina saves him by talking to him about his unusual Cornish speach. Two gentlemen in the shop take notice and they strike up an unusual proposition: Edwina is to teach Mitch the ratcatcher how to be a gentleman, speak the Queen's english and be passed off as a viscount. Quite a job indeed! Edwina and Mitch both agree because they need the money (and Mitch has a secret yearning to be a gentleman) So the two go off to her home in Knightsbridge for six weeks of training. At first Mitch is a terrible student. Refusing to take a bath, wanting his pet ferret to sleep with him, etc. Eventually Edwina wins out, with a few tricks of her own. As time goes by the plain spinster Edwina is drawn to the handsome would be viscount, really a ratcatcher. But he's a ratcatcher! She couldn't fall for a ratcatcher, could she? Judith Ivory has written a wonderfully written story that I can guarantee you will savor. My only complaint would be that the end is too nicely put together, but I will overlook that fact. Mitch will truly win your hearts and Edwina will make you smile. This is one book that will stay on your keeper shelf.
Rating: 
Summary: Ms. Ivory's writing is excellent but...
Review: Winnie the linguist, tries to correct the manners, elocution, of Mick the ratcatcher. Two brothers bid Winnie and Mick do this in time for an important ball, which is to be hosted by Winnie's cousin. Winnie doesn't like her cousin; and, she is thrilled with the thought of fooling him. Mick likes Winnie, and the possibility of earning a good deal of money. I've been reading Ms. Ivory since she started writing as Judy Cuevas. I always like her books. And, to say that she has improved with each book, is something I would agree with. The first page, tells you that you're reading a "masterpiece". But, it's just not my kind of "masterpiece". And, I'll try to explain why.... Maybe, because Ms. Ivory is such a good writer; her characterizations done so well, I could never forget Winnie's spinsterish persona, her seemingly uptight personality. And, I had the same problem with Mick. Handsome as he is, sweet as his personality seems, ladies' man that he is, I never forget his occupation. As a result, I never learn to like Winnie or Mick. The story itself, is too contained for me. It has very few supporting players--the strongest support coming from the butler, Milton, and Mick's "pets". Also, I found my attention wandering, and kept waiting for something to happen. I understand that most readers found the relationship itself, that "something". For me, it's just not quite enough. I saw a book about mores, and the effects they have on relationships. But, I also saw it as a book about sexual tension. And, when I got to the part about the consumation of that tension--well, to be honest, I really disliked the sound effects, and even the descriptions used in the love scene. Once again, Ms. Ivory just may have done too good a a job with her writing, for me. Finally, like others whom have read this book, I found the ending to be too convenient, and unlikely. Will I recommend this book to friends? No, probably not. Will I recommend this author? Yes. I will always be a fan of such skill, in storytelling.
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Summary: Right up to par with her other stories
Review: I have always enjoyed reading Ms. Ivory's reworking of fairytales. This Cinderella/Pygmalion story is no different. The book is well thought out, well written, and the characters are very colorful. Nick and Winnie play perfect foil for each other. Nick is just such a likable guy, it is almost impossible not to like him. He has a definite carefree attitude and enjoys life, yet takes his obligation to his 14 younger brothers and sisters very seriously. A down-to-earth lead, honest in his feelings and his desires, is an enigma to Winnie. He is smart, though mostly uneducated, but whatever he does, he seems to excel at (even if his given profession is a ratcatcher). We have all met someone like Winnie. An average looking person, who has very little self-esteem. They view themselves as unattractive, though they are not necessarily so, they just lack the confidence to see beyond a few cruel remarks. Because she has always thought over herself as unworthy, and had been shunned by her family, Winnie feels the need to control everything in life. When things "go wrong" she feels guilty, as if she didn't plan it well enough. Basically a worry-wort. It is fun to watch Mick pick away at these barriers, letting Winnie enjoy herself, life and their growing love/attraction. The six weeks they spend making Mick into a gentleman is wonderful to watch unfold. I did feel that the ending was a bit rushed, both in length and in content. We know that there is something going on behind this wager to make Mick a gentleman, but the actual plot, when unfolded in the last few pages, seems contrived and wholly unrealistic. Mick should have been left as just a ratcatcher, Winnie love him anyway and that's the true moral of the story.
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Summary: Will I? You betcha.
Review: Judith Ivory can't do wrong. Really. She doesn't just write - "The Proposition" is a gorgeous piece of artwork. And it is romantic too. Mick and Winnie are two of the best characters I've ever read in a novel, and just in time for the New Year too. What a treat! Yes, I admit the ending is tad too convenient and unworthy of an author who has taken risks before in her stories in the past, but I can't really complain. Every word is lush, romantic, and sweet while the foreplay and love scenes are hot enough to scorch. Judith Ivory can sure create romantic yet erotically-charged romances with characters I care deeply about, and for that, I'm in awe. Will I? Get out of the way, here I come! You bet I will.
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Summary: Trading Places, Pygmalion, and Ugly Duckling rolled into one
Review: THE PROPOSITION succeeds on so many levels that it would be stingy to call it anything less than a masterpiece. In it, two conniving brothers with an agenda of their own, arrange for linguist and philologist, Edwina Bollash, to make a gentleman out of ratcatcher, Mick Tremore, in just six weeks. Mick may be impoverished in circumstance, but Edwina soon learns that he is rich with the sheer joy of living. Through him Edwina, tall and in her mind, unattractive, learns to appreciate herself and learn to love life as much as the man she cannot help but love. This novel is full of smiles, laughs, a bit of intrigue, redemption, and joy. Treat yourself to THE PROPOSITION.
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Summary: Witty, smart, and sexy . . .
Review: Judith Ivory's books are always sensuous, intelligent and literate, and this one is her best yet. She's put a new twist on the old Pygmalion myth, smartly playing with gender and class assumptions without ever forgetting her first priority: unforgettable characters doing fascinating things. When Edwina transforms Mick, she transforms herself, too, (with considerable help from him) and her triumph at the end is even more satisfying because it's so well deserved. Great author, great book!
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Summary: Superlatives for this Pygmalion Twist
Review: Ivory/Cuevas has a unique and delightful voice in romantic fiction and with her latest, The Proposition, she delivers. Mick Tremore is multi-dimensional, tender, wise, mischievous and now one of my favorite heroes. Winnie, the linguistics specialist, is a great foil for him. Read this re-take on the Pygmalion/My Fair Lady story! It's good from beginning to end!
Rating:
Summary: 4-1/2 Stars: Great Story - Great Characters
Review: This was one book I've been waiting months to get hold of and I wasn't disappointed. It stumps me why Judith Ivory isn't the most popular romance author writing today. Her characters are by far the most developed I've read. Her stories are original, even when they're based on old themes (Pygmalion, Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty, etc.). I've been reading her books since Black Silk and have always been impressed with her talent. She just keeps getting better and better. I'd deduct 1/2 a star only because the ending was a little too convenient. Maybe it's not fair, but I've come to expect more from Ms. Ivory than the usual run-of-the-mill romance happy endings.
Rating:
Summary: Fun book from a terrific writer, but the end was predictable
Review: Ivory is perhaps the best romance writer around these days, hence I have to give THE PROPOSITION five stars. The mustache shaving scene alone deserves it! This book had wonderful characters, great description, strong metaphors, erotic loves scenes, and a plot that kept me turning the pages. The writing is twenty times better than what you see in most romances. What more could I ask for? Unfortunately, I have to agree with the reviewer below. A fresh and original ending was the one thing this book lacked. Ivory made Mick and Winnie so real that when her plot took a cliche turn, I was disappointed. This kind of thing is par for the course in a lot of romances, but this book was so great that I expected something more original. I absolutely agree that the duke was convinced too easily, and the readers as well... What's more, I would have rather seen the unconventional characters go in a less conventional direction. The whole point the book made about class structure was contradicted by the way it ended. Even so, it's a terrific, funny and sexy read, and quite likely the best romance of the year. My favorite books by Ms. Ivory are BEAST, and DANCE, which she wrote under the name Judy Cuevas. I hope to see it back in print soon!
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