Food and The Proposal

 

The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory

 

The second in the series, The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory is a contemporary romance about a freelance writer, Nikole Patterson, who goes to a Dodgers game with her actor boyfriend. When he unexpectedly proposes on the JumboTron she turns him down. Saying "No" wasn't hard, but getting out of the stadium without too much attention was. Fortunately Carlos and his sister, who are sitting a few rows behind Nik at the game, come to her rescue and help her get away from cameras and disappointed fans. 

Carlos becomes Nik's rebound. Why not? He's a cute doctor who isn't looking for anything serious. However, they soon begin to have real feelings for each other as they bond over food and family.

 

The Deliciously Easy Cupcake Cookbook by Jessica Hallows

Both of the main characters in this story are motivated by food. They use it as a comfort, stress relief, and social experience. Nik and Carlos are in and out of Nik's best friend's cupcake shop. They bond over one of her spicy chocolate cupcakes in particular, and while we can't be sure, it might taste something like the recipe in The Deliciously Easy Cupcake Cookbook on page 126. 

My Grandmother's Tamale Recipe by Gabriela Garcia 

 

Carlos is teaching Nik to make tamales (a family recipe) when he is called away unexpectedly. Nik finishes the tamales and takes them to Carlos to help bring him comfort. That is when she makes an important realization and once again their bond is strengthened over food. There are no recipes in the book, but we have to imagine Carlos' family tamale recipe was something like My Grandmother's Tamale Recipe by Gabriel Garcia at modernbrowngirl.com. 

The Proposal is the second book in Jasmine Guillory's series of stories of various romances that spring from the couple we first meet in The Wedding Date. You can read more about the first book in the series in our previous blogpost: The Wedding Party Guilty Pleasures. While you don't have to read these books in order to enjoy them, it is definitely fun to see how the threads of each of the characters intertwine throughout the books as the series continues.

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Food is a good ice breaker, conversation starter, and even a match maker. Nik and Carlos get to know each other and even fall in love in their kitchen and across the dining room table. What food do you love to share with the people around you?