The Decent Proposal: A Novel

Film producer Richard and lawyer Elizabeth did not know each other until a mysterious, wealthy stranger brought them together offering them each a staggering amount of money simply for spending two hours together once a week for an entire year. It’s crazy and absurd and yet the two decide to accept for purely mercenary reasons. Suddenly, Elizabeth’s calm, mostly solitary routine has been upset, while Richard finds himself withdrawing from the social scene and taking more pleasure in quieter things. And unexpectedly, the two find themselves, well, starting to depend on one another. But maybe–just maybe–it might be something more.

This comedic love story by Kemper Donovan is truly a delight to read. The Decent Proposal is full of all kinds of fascinating little things, and the many well-rounded characters contribute greatly to the story. The perspective does switch back and forth frequently between characters, and not just Richard and Elizabeth, but this adds significantly to the overall flavor. The plot is a big outlandish, but in L.A., it somehow manages to be believable. This is a fantastic novel that readers will want to see through to the very end.