{"id":42659,"date":"2019-05-06T09:30:25","date_gmt":"2019-05-06T13:30:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/?p=42659"},"modified":"2019-09-21T15:11:20","modified_gmt":"2019-09-21T19:11:20","slug":"new-release-excerpt-giveaway-arc-review-the-dating-proposal-by-lauren-blakely","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/?p=42659","title":{"rendered":"New Release, Excerpt, Giveaway & ARC Review: The Dating Proposal by Lauren Blakely"},"content":{"rendered":"

The first rule of dating? Don\u2019t fall for your business partner! Find out what happens when McKenna breaks that rule in THE DATING PROPOSAL, a witty, clever new standalone romantic comedy from #1 NYT Bestseller Lauren Blakely now available in KINDLE UNLIMITED!
\nGrab it at the amazing price of 99\u00a2 NOW because the price will be going up to $3.99 at the stroke of midnight tonight!<\/b><\/h4>\n

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The Dating 101 lesson rule book…
\n<\/i><\/strong>\u2714<\/i>\u00a0Get back out there!
\n<\/i><\/strong>\u2714<\/i>\u00a0Have some fun!
\n<\/i><\/strong>\u2714\u00a0Don’t fall for your new business partner!<\/i><\/strong><\/h4>\n

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Dive into this\u00a0fun, fresh romance about the pitfalls and perils of the dating circuit! Especially when they involve falling for the one person you shouldn\u2019t!
\n<\/strong><\/h4>\n

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Available Now!
\nAmazon<\/a> \u00a0| \u00a0Paperback<\/a>
\n*FREE in KU*<\/strong><\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n

THE DATING PROPOSAL\u00a0is\u00a0narrated by\u00a0Andi Arndt\u00a0and\u00a0Sebastian York!
\nLose yourself in this fantastic story, and then, treat yourself to the bonus novella, DELAYED SATISFACTION! <\/strong><\/h4>\n

Get your copy today!
\nAudio<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n

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\n

\r\n <\/div><\/div><\/strong><\/h4>\n
\n

Blurb<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Watch out world \u2014 I\u2019m ready to date again.<\/b><\/p>\n

The seven years I invested in my ex left me with nothing but scorch marks from the way he peeled out and left me at the altar. I\u2019m not looking to put my heart into a relationship any time soon. But getting back out there? That sounds like a helluva good idea to get my groove back.<\/p>\n

Then I bump into Chris\u2026.Clever and funny, with a sexy surfer\u2019s bod and a brilliant nerd brain, he has just the right screwdriver to fix my hard drive. (Yes, the one for my computer.) I wouldn\u2019t mind dating him. The trouble is he just proposed to me\u2014to be the new dating guru on his TV show. Now he\u2019s my new business partner.<\/b><\/p>\n

What happens when you meet the right person at the wrong time?<\/p>\n

Find The Dating Proposal\u00a0<\/i>on\u00a0GOODREADS<\/a><\/p>\n

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\"\"<\/p>\n

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Review<\/strong><\/h4>\n

4.5 \u201cif we dated\u201d stars!<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Dating Proposal<\/i>\u00a0is an entertaining, feel good read that will make you laugh-out-loud while you swoon. It is so sweet and it filled me with nothing but happiness as I followed McKenna and Chris\u2019 journey to love.<\/p>\n

A year after being left at the altar, McKenna is ready to move on and get back into the dating scene. She\u2019s up for some fun but not looking for anything serious. When she meets Chris at a video game store, they click instantly but he has a business opportunity McKenna can’t turn down. They enter the friend zone when they start working together because Chris knows firsthand how bad things can go when you date a coworker and things go belly up. But when they have a moment of weakness, a single, hot kiss flips everything upside down and they discover just what they may be missing.<\/p>\n

These characters are awesome! McKenna is nerdy, unique and so much fun. She is ready to date and date she does! Only, things don\u2019t go as planned and all her prospective suitors pale in comparison to the man in front of her. Chris is a smoking hot geek who is sweet and swoony, and more perfect for McKenna than she knows.<\/p>\n

These two characters are awesome. I love that they are a little quirky but have so much in common. They form an easy, fun friendship and the banter is hilarious. The attraction is immediate, the chemistry is amazing, and the sexual tension is off the charts.<\/p>\n

My body is a comet with Chris. I\u2019m a shooting star from the way he kisses me.<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Everything feels right in the world when Chris and McKenna are a together and I loved seeing them take a chance. They are sexy and steamy, flirty and fun, and they gave me the\u00a0warm fuzzies and a\u00a0huge smile whenever they were together.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you do that?\u201d
\n\u201cDo what?\u201d
\n\u201cKiss me like that?\u201d
\nHe slides his thumb along my jaw. \u201cLike it\u2019s all I want to do?\u201d
\n\u2026\u201cYeah. Just like that,\u201d I say with a dopey grin.
\n\u201cBecause kissing you <\/i>is all I want to do. I can\u2019t get enough.\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I have to add that I loved that we got to see\u00a0Most Valuable Playboy<\/i><\/a>\u2019s Cooper and Violet again. They are always there for their friends and I love their interactions. These characters are hilarious and wonderful, and I will eat up every moment I get with them!<\/p>\n

The Dating Proposal<\/i> is a lighthearted read that will make you laugh out loud, send butterflies flying, and make you fall in love.\u00a0I recommend it to everyone who wants and fun, low angst, smile inducing love story.<\/p>\n

*ARC generously provided by the author and Inklinger PR in exchange for an honest review*<\/i><\/p>\n

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\n

Excerpt<\/strong><\/h4>\n

~McKenna~<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat other games do you like?\u201d Hot Guy asks, and something about the question startles me. Maybe because it\u2019s so normal, and he seems legitimately curious. Then there\u2019s the simple fact that we\u2019re having a conversation in the middle of an electronics store.<\/p>\n

\u201cScrabble, Trivial Pursuit, Monopoly,\u201d I say with a completely straight face.<\/p>\n

He picks up the cue easily, raising an eyebrow as he asks, \u201cClue?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course. And it was always Professor Plum in the library with the candlestick.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cInteresting. Because Miss Scarlet was pretty wicked with that rope in the ballroom, if memory serves. What about Chutes and Ladders?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s not forget Candy Land either.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat was your favorite candy destination in that game?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe vintage game, right? Not that new King Candy imitator?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs if I\u2019d even be talking about that game,\u201d he says playfully.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m about to answer when he puts his hands together as if he\u2019s praying and says in a whisper, \u201cPlease say Ice Cream Floats. Please say Ice Cream Floats.\u201d<\/p>\n

I laugh with the kind of mirth I haven\u2019t felt in a while, the kind that radiates through my whole body and turns into a huge grin. \u201cOf course. I wanted to live in Ice Cream Floats.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was all set to build a chocolate and licorice home in Ice Cream Floats. And this reminds me that I need to stock up on the classic games too. But I don\u2019t think they sell them here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI came here because Gadgets, Gizmos, and Geeks is closed, and that\u2019s the only place nearby that actually fixes hard drives.\u201d I put on my best sad face. \u201cI was the victim of a cat hard-drive attack.\u201d<\/p>\n

He pretends to be taken aback. \u201cI\u2019ve heard of those. How awful.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was terrible. Fur, claws, and metal everywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy condolences. Hopefully you at least caught it on camera so you can post it on YouTube?\u201d<\/p>\n

I snap my fingers, aw-shucks-style. \u201cIf only.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNext time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOr perhaps next time I will do a better job making sure the hard drive is out of his reach.\u201d<\/p>\n

He shrugs confidently, quirks up his lips. \u201cCan I see it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUm, sure.\u201d Does he have a thing for broken hard drives? I reach into my bag where I have the drive and show him the silver device with the cracked end.<\/p>\n

He surveys the damage. \u201cI can fix it.\u201d<\/p>\n

I give him a quizzical look. \u201cSeriously? You can fix a hard drive? Do you moonlight as a computer-repair guy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot exactly. I can fix pretty much anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s impressive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWant me to try?\u201d<\/p>\n

I study his face, trying to figure him out. \u201cYou really want to?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI do. Yeah,\u201d he says, as if he\u2019s digging the prospect of repairing the damaged device. \u201cI really enjoy that kind of challenge. It\u2019s kind of like a game to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

But I don\u2019t want to hand over a hard drive to a total stranger. \u201cActually\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

He smiles, raises a finger. \u201cAnd I bet you probably don\u2019t want to give your hard drive to a total stranger.\u201d<\/p>\n

I shrug, a little embarrassed. \u201cSorry. But you can\u2019t be too careful.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hear you completely. But this is simple. And\u2026\u201d He inches closer, reaches into the pocket of his jeans, and dangles his keys. Is he going to take me for a ride? \u201cI have the tools right here.\u201d<\/p>\n

I blink, surprised. \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n

He waggles the keys, and I spy a tiny little tube that looks like it holds screwdrivers.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou carry computer-repair tools with you?\u201d<\/p>\n

He smiles casually. \u201cYou never know when you might need them. I also carry a Swiss Army knife. I read 101 Things a Navy SEAL Knows<\/i>.\u201d He glances out the window of the store at Chestnut Street, teeming with pedestrians. \u201cAnd I also know the caf\u00e9 next door makes a killer espresso. I\u2019ll fix it while we get a cup of joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cup of joe! That\u2019s almost like a date!<\/p>\n

I mean, it\u2019s not a date.<\/p>\n

Obviously.<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s training-wheels time. Talking to this guy as he fixes my hard drive might help me prep for when I go out with Steven from Madcap, the Lemonhead Guy, Nathaniel from Julia\u2019s bar, and the other men I hope will come knocking on my door\u2014not literally\u2014once my dating prowess improves.<\/p>\n

\u201cSure,\u201d I say, with probably way more enthusiasm than the prospect of a repair job and coffee deserves.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a big bonus to this cuppa. I\u2019ll get to look at his handsome face while he fixes it. I mean, I\u2019ll look at his hands, because the sight of a man using a tool is super hot.<\/p>\n

\u201cBy the way, I\u2019m Chris McCormick.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMcKenna Bell.\u201d<\/p>\n

He extends a hand.<\/p>\n

We make contact, and there\u2019s something about the feel of his strong hand in mine that kind of turns me on. Maybe it\u2019s the firm grip, or the way his eyes light up as he smiles. I want to tug him closer and plant a hot, wet kiss on his lips.<\/p>\n

Nothing will happen though. He didn\u2019t ask me on a date, and I didn\u2019t ask him either.<\/p>\n

But it can\u2019t hurt that I\u2019m thinking slightly naughty thoughts. It\u2019s evidence I\u2019m getting my groove back.<\/p>\n

Hello, groove. Nice to see you. I\u2019ve missed you bunches.<\/i><\/p>\n

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\"\"<\/p>\n

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\n

Giveaway<\/b><\/h4>\n

\u00a0Who doesn\u2019t enjoy a night out!
\nThis amazing giveaway includes a $100 gift card to your favorite restaurant and a $100 gift card to your favorite clothing retailer to purchase just the right outfit for the occasion.<\/b><\/h4>\n

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ENTER HERE<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n

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The Escapist Book Blog is not responsible for this giveaway.<\/em><\/p>\n

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\n

About the\u00a0Author<\/strong><\/h4>\n

\"\"A #1 New York Times Bestselling, #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling, and #1 Audible Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that’s sweet, sexy and witty. Her heroines are strong and smart and her heroes have hearts of gold and fantastic funny bones. She lives in California with her family, including her smoking hot and hilarious husband and her two brilliant and kind children. She has plotted entire novels while walking her dogs — she might have four dogs, or maybe five. If she’s lucky, she’ll soon have six dogs. With fourteen New York Times bestsellers, her titles have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Lists more than 100 times, and she’s sold more than 3 million books. In May she’ll release THE DATING PROPOSAL, in June SATISFACTION GUARANTEED and in September INSTANT GRATIFICATION.<\/p>\n

To receive an email when Lauren releases a new book, sign up for her NEWSLETTER<\/a>!<\/strong><\/p>\n

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WEBSITE<\/b><\/a>\u00a0 | \u00a0<\/b>FACEBOOK<\/b><\/a>\u00a0 | \u00a0<\/b>TWITTER<\/b><\/a>\u00a0 | \u00a0<\/b>GOODREADS<\/b><\/a><\/h4>\n

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Check out our LAUERN BLAKELY AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT<\/a> for more amazing reads!<\/strong><\/h4>\n

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 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The first rule of dating? Don\u2019t fall for your business partner! Find out what happens when McKenna breaks that rule in THE DATING PROPOSAL, a witty, clever new standalone romantic comedy from #1 NYT Bestseller […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":41640,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","yasr_overall_rating":4.5,"yasr_post_is_review":"","yasr_auto_insert_disabled":"","yasr_review_type":"Product","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[65,9,29],"tags":[59,301,298,56,344,48],"class_list":["post-42659","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lol-funny","category-romance","category-steamy","tag-arc","tag-excerpt","tag-giveaway","tag-lauren-blakely","tag-new-release","tag-review"],"yasr_visitor_votes":{"stars_attributes":{"read_only":false,"span_bottom":false},"number_of_votes":0,"sum_votes":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/The_dating_proposal_lauren_blakely_small.jpg?fit=200%2C300&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7gaNL-b63","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42659","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=42659"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42659\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/41640"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=42659"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=42659"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=42659"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}