The Proposal Plot by Kathleen Fuller | Goodreads
Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

The Proposal Plot

Rate this book
A headstrong young businesswoman. An unlucky-in-love bachelor. And the chaperoning assignment that keeps pushing them together.

For someone so strong-willed and certain, Ella Yoder has never been more unsure of her life. It's been a year since she convinced her father to move with her and her younger sister Junia to Marigold, Ohio, to open E and J Grocery. Ella's got a keen eye for running a business and has big dreams to expand. But her plans are stalled because Junia refuses to lift a finger at the store--or listen to her about anything.

Nelson Bontranger knows one thing for creating his own artisan deli meats is his passion. Well, maybe one other he's sworn off women forever. After two bouts of heartbreak, he's not willing to open up himself to a third. When he eyes his own butcher shop next to E and J Grocery in Marigold, he's surprised to learn that Ella has had her eye on the property for some time. He doesn't trust this stubborn, pushy young woman--and for her, the feeling is mutual.

Against their wishes, Ella and Nelson's paths continue to cross when Nelson's nephew Malachi falls head over heels for Junia. Nelson and Ella are brought together to keep the lovebirds in check, but somewhere along the line, their frustration turns to something altogether more pleasant. But they will both need to come to terms with past pain before they can find their future happiness.

320 pages, Paperback

Published May 7, 2024

Loading interface...
Loading interface...

About the author

Kathleen Fuller

115 books961 followers
Best-selling author of Amish fiction. Also a wife, mother, crafter, coffee addict, football fan, and chocolate aficionado.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
36 (50%)
4 stars
30 (41%)
3 stars
5 (6%)
2 stars
1 (1%)
1 star
0 (0%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
Profile Image for Lynda.
1,129 reviews22 followers
April 26, 2024
The story starts with Nelson Bontrager who is about to propose … and then …

Ella Yoder has a problem. She has several — the man who is about to purchase the empty warehouse next to the family store, the warehouse Ella had planned to use for expansion. Her sister, Junia. And Ella was tired. Tired of having to do everything. No wonder she was bossy; she had to be or nothing got done. Her daed saw Junia shirk her duties. At the store. At home. And he did nothing.

And yes, the man interested in the warehouse is Nelson. He and his nephew Malachi are viewing it and Ella marches — no, better word — barges in asking if they are the new owners. And the fur starts to fly. After what happened to Nelson, he was not receptive to any woman, especially one like Ella. And who follows Ella into the empty building minutes later, her sister Junia. and Malachi’s mouth drops open and he starts drooling. Okay, okay. Ms. Fuller didn’t write that but if it was a cartoon that’s what Malachi would look like.

One more major character, an Englisher woman, a lawyer. A big city lawyer. New York City no less. Her name is Wendy Pearson; she moved to Marigold to care for her mother. I found her very interesting and hope Ms. Fuller writes another book with Wendy as the lead. Wendy finds she doesn’t miss NYC at all and the laid-back atmosphere of Marigold and the Amish community is calming.

When I start a new book, I want to like the main character or characters. The author has to make me care about them. Well, with The Proposal Plot, I didn’t like Ella much. That business of her flying into the warehouse uninvited and asking a question not very politely didn’t sit well with me. Junia I wanted to take out behind the shed and give her a good spanking. Spoiled brat. I do not like spoiled brats. Don’t like wimpy men either and Ella & Junia’s father, Barnabas, was a wimp. He let Junia get by with just about anything and said nothing. I think the first character I DID like was Wendy. Fortunately, she appeared at 6%.

The story starts to evolve. To change just as people do when things happen. Junia gets just as sappy about Malachi as he is with her and I chuckled my way through several passages where Ella is in the vicinity of the love birds and — well, you gotta smile at the scenes. I had to feel for Ella — she was being worked to death and like all of us … when we are bone-tired, we are not at our best. That’s when the attributes that we hope most people don’t notice — come out. And Ella’s does but I could understand why.

Barnabas grew on me too. I began to like the man. Malachi and Junia are slurpy, sloppy, in love to the point of ad nauseam. And Wendy seems to have found peace. The reader will like her mother too.

I loved that her mother’s favorite restaurant was Panchos. Brought back fond memories of eating at Pancho’s Mexican Buffet which is NOT where Wendy and her mother come for Taco Tuesdays.

There was one thing that made Nelson abnormal in my book. He doesn’t like chocolate. What!!! Now that is weird. Plain weird. But he does like gooseberry pie. My mother would make this pie and it was delicious. That combination of sweet and sour. Maybe even better with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream. Then, I think almost everything tastes better with ice cream. Or chocolate.

So, I ended up loving this book. I hardly could put it down the last 40%. This is book two of “An Amish of Marigold” series. I also reviewed the first book, The Courtship Plan, but didn’t like it nearly as much as I did this one. A core underlying element of this story is coming close to God. The reader will feel it most with Wendy. Rating: 5 stars.

I received a complimentary DRC (digital review copy) of The Proposal Plot via NetGalley from the publisher, Zondervan Fiction | Zondervan. A positive review was not required; the opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Rating: 5 stars
Series: An Amish of Marigold, #2
Cover: Good. Matches book #1 which will make them eye-catching in a display.
Pages: Unknown at the time of review but probably about the same length as book #1 which was 320.
Publish Date: 7 May 2024
#TheProposalPlot #NetGalley #KathleenFuller
Profile Image for Dana Michael.
1,275 reviews151 followers
May 3, 2024
Amish fiction is one of the biggest sellers in Christian fiction. I always see them in the best seller lists. I understand the attraction. It just fascinates me the way the Amish lives. It's so simple and yet hard, too. This book by Kathleen Fuller is a romance with three different couples who find their happily ever after. I enjoyed the family dynamics with polar opposite personalities and how they interacted with each other. I feel my favorite of the characters was Wendy. Kathleen Fuller is one of my favorite authors, and this book reflected why she is. I listened to this book, and the narrator did a wonderful job. I enjoyed it and recommend it to anyone who reads Amish fiction.
Profile Image for Christine B.
184 reviews6 followers
April 24, 2024
The Proposal Plot is a cute Amish romance. Nelson is finding it hard to trust women again after his hard times with love. Ella is dealing with family troubles with a sister who is not pulling her weight around their business and home. Love blossoms in three couples. Also the faith content was great. Jesus was mentioned which does not happen in all Amish books. I enjoyed reading this book. I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in trade for my honest opinion. My thoughts are my own.
Profile Image for Dale (Olde American Spirit).
52 reviews17 followers
December 8, 2023
First sewing, now cooking, and in a few months, she would start her new garden. She grinned. Now this is the way to live. ☕📚

This is a new release for May 7, 2024, by Kathleen Fuller.

I’ve read my fair share of Amish storylines and this one differed from the others. In past novels, these communities were never portrayed as perfect. Still, this main character’s attitude was really something. Ella was very hard to love with her bossy, often rude ways. Although she did have a heart of gold, it was hidden by her annoying attitude. I was concerned (haha).
Hang in there, though!

The realistic family drama was fantastic - both among Amish and Englishers. There were so many facets to each family’s dynamic. I could picture each group of people in their homes and as they went about their daily lives.
It was very interesting.

There is one scene where things get a bit, um, physical between two Amish sisters (not violently), and it was hilarious. Come to think of it, I laughed a lot throughout this book - which is not typical for me to do while reading romance.

WHAT’S THERE TO LOVE? I read A LOT. Can I say how much I adore it when authors can convey settings, personalities, and worlds so that it feels easy? Does that make sense? Some writing styles interrupt the flow because the wording seems complicated - like the book is trying too hard. You know? And to me, that makes reading fiction not as enjoyable. This book was not that way. The banter between one couple is pretty darn good. The scenes and dialogue flowed well and I looked forward to each reading session.
Oh, and the book cover is adorable.

ANY CAUSE FOR PAUSE? I will say there’s a lot of romance and talk of feelings, physical included (but not in a spicy way at all). I appreciated the way physical emotions were portrayed as natural, not bad, and yet as Christians, they wanted to approach them in the right, Godly way. For instance, there’s a scene where one “well-built” male character takes his shirt off and another instance where a couple is kissing and she ends up in his lap. The way these are handled is fantastic. This was a super clean romance book which I appreciate so much.

CONSIDER READING IF… you want super clean, VERY realistic romance storylines among Amish AND English characters, who are all very believable, flawed people whose lives aren’t always pretty, but real. And if you want to see interaction between the two groups with deep topics, conversations, and transformations on both sides. 😀

MY RATING 🌟🌟🌟🌟4 out of 5 stars. This releases on May 7, 2024.

☕📚 Thanks to Zondervan Fiction, the author, and NetGalley. I received a complimentary ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. ☕📚
610 reviews9 followers
November 22, 2023
I really enjoy reading books by this author. The characters and the plot are always enjoyable. Sometimes the reader can figure out what might happen at the end but it is still fun to see how the story progresses. Barnabas, Wendy, Ella and Nelson were my favorite characters.

Thanks so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. The opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Dali Castillo.
452 reviews14 followers
April 21, 2024
A Pure Delight

Author Kathleen Fuller is a master at helping the reader completely get to know the characters. and the Proposal Plot is no exception. She introduces us to some wonderful characters, both main and secondary, with such varying personalities that it makes you wonder how in the world their relationships will ever mesh. And yet, it always works out in the most entertaining of ways.

Ella absolutely annoyed me to no end. Her take-charge, bossy attitude, along with her justification of both, had me feeling some type of way, and I could not fathom how she would ever redeem herself. However, she did in fact manage to do so, which helped me change my mind about her. Nelson, on the other hand, was my favorite. He had me sympathizing with his feelings, struggles, and insecurities, and I wanted to see him overcome everything. With their night and day personalities, I found myself laughing and smiling on more than one occasion as I watched these two interact. Add in the contributions of the secondary characters, along with some unexpected twists and turns of events, and you are left with a very entertaining story of love, faith, and new beginnings that is a pure delight to read.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. All comments and opinions are voluntary and completely my own.
Profile Image for kerrycat.
1,903 reviews
May 21, 2024
I can always count on Fuller to deliver a clean Amish romance that is anything but predictable and boring - plenty of relatable relationship difficulties along with the central romance.
Profile Image for Megan Rang.
732 reviews4 followers
April 22, 2024
*****I received this audiobook free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I am a huge fan of Amish romance books. After I finished this audiobook I felt like awwwwww! It was SO sweet. I absolutely loved the sisters and how snarky they were to each other. Such sn enjoyable listen! A great book!
Profile Image for Gabrielle Baker.
537 reviews5 followers
January 2, 2024
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

In "The Proposal Plot" by Kathleen Fuller, readers are treated to a charming tale of love, family dynamics, and unexpected connections in the quaint town of Marigold, Ohio. The story unfolds as headstrong businesswoman Ella Yoder finds herself entangled with the determined and unlucky-in-love bachelor, Nelson Bontranger, through an unforeseen chaperoning assignment. As Ella strives to expand her grocery business, she must contend with her younger sister's reluctance to contribute, while Nelson is focused on realizing his passion for artisan deli meats.

Fuller skillfully weaves a narrative that explores the complexities of family, ambition, and the resilience of the human heart. The clash of strong personalities between Ella and Nelson creates a delightful tension that evolves into an unexpected connection. The reluctant partnership to chaperone Nelson's nephew and Ella's sister leads to amusing and heartwarming moments, highlighting the author's knack for infusing humor into the storyline.

"The Proposal Plot" stands out for its well-developed characters and the exploration of themes such as past heartbreak, forgiveness, and the possibility of second chances. As Ella and Nelson navigate the challenges of love and family, readers are drawn into a world filled with warmth and genuine emotion. Kathleen Fuller's storytelling shines, capturing the essence of small-town life and the intricacies of relationships.

With its engaging plot, relatable characters, and a perfect blend of humor and heart, "The Proposal Plot" is a delightful read for fans of contemporary romance. Kathleen Fuller delivers a four-star experience, making this novel a compelling addition to the genre.
87 reviews2 followers
February 22, 2024
Kathleen Fuller has written an engaging and fun novel that weaves three romances seamlessly into the plot. Nelson Bontrager is buying a building next to a grocery store run by the bossy Ella, her flighty sister Junia and their father. Nelson has been previously very unlucky in love and has sworn off marriage forever. Ella has been told she isn’t marriage material and Junia is boy crazy particularly for Nelson’s nephew Malachi. The girls are fighting bitterly over everything, their father is beside himself and retired lawyer Wendy Pearson offers to help with some family counseling. Sparks fly and ignite and Ella and Nelson are forced to chaperone Junia and Malachi and of course, find themselves attracted to each other.

It’s a fun story with lots going on but a book that will keep you turning the pages into the wee hours. Fuller also fills the novel with lovely descriptions of quaint locations and luscious home cooked meals.

I received a complimentary copy of this book and I am freely offering my honest opinion.
Profile Image for Sandra.
172 reviews2 followers
January 17, 2024
Wow, this author has done it again, a book you can't put down. Ella Yoder convinces her father to move to buy a grocery store in Marigold, Ohio. Junia, her younger sister who is the complete opposite of her overly confident, businss minded sister really didn't want to move. Nelson Bontranger is an artisian butcher, who just so happens to need a change of scenary after getting jilted a second time visits his family near Marigold. He buys the building nextdoor to the grocery store that Ella has had her eye one for expansion. Miss Know-it-all Ella keeps crossing paths with Nelson who has sworn off women. Nelson's nephew Malichi meets Junia and both are overly smitten. When family asks Nelson to chaparone, he and Ella are forced to contend with each other. Can they both look beyond their short sightedness and see each other in a different way?
I received a complimentary copy of this book, opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
1,398 reviews20 followers
May 7, 2024
The Proposal plot by Kathleen Fuller
(An Amish of Marigold Novel)
A headstrong young businesswoman. An unlucky-in-love bachelor. And the chaperoning assignment that keeps pushing them together.
For someone so strong-willed and certain, Ella Yoder has never been more unsure of her life. It's been a year since she convinced her father to move with her and her younger sister Junia to Marigold, Ohio, to open E and J Grocery. Ella's got a keen eye for running a business and has big dreams to expand. But her plans are stalled because Junia refuses to lift a finger at the store--or listen to her about anything.
Nelson Bontranger knows one thing for sure: creating his own artisan deli meats is his passion. Well, maybe one other thing: he's sworn off women forever. After two bouts of heartbreak, he's not willing to open up himself to a third. When he eyes his own butcher shop next to E and J Grocery in Marigold, he's surprised to learn that Ella has had her eye on the property for some time. He doesn't trust this stubborn, pushy young woman--and for her, the feeling is mutual.
Against their wishes, Ella and Nelson's paths continue to cross when Nelson's nephew Malachi falls head over heels for Junia. Nelson and Ella are brought together to keep the lovebirds in check, but somewhere along the line, their frustration turns to something altogether more pleasant. But they will both need to come to terms with past pain before they can find their future happiness.
This is Ella Yoder,sister Junia and father's story.
This is Nelson Bontranger and nephew Malachi Chupp's story.
I can’t believe it’s been nearly a year since we moved from Lancaster to Marigold. And what a year it’s been! Dad and I have been working hard to make our grocery store a success after we took it over from the Burkholders, and thankfully our efforts have paid off. Some days there’s more business than we can handle! I even mentioned to Dad that we should find out who owns the empty building next door and see if it’s for sale so we could expand.
I also wish he’d do something about Junia. She’s not pulling her fair share—no surprise there either—but he won’t say anything to her. She keeps complaining about being homesick for Lancaster, but that’s not an excuse to shirk her job and chores, and it’s driving me ab im kopp. She’s not the only one who’s missing home.
Nelson shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket and looked around the empty room. His brother Jesse, who had moved to Marigold almost a year and a half ago, told him about this place and encouraged him to check it out. But as had been his habit for more than a year now, he wondered if he was doing the right thing.
Malachi nodded. His straw hat was pushed back from his head—wavy dark-blond hair curled around the bottoms of his ears. “Agreed. But nothing wrong with hard work, ya?”
I recommend this book.
The Proposal plot by by Kathleen Fuller is a 5 star book.
I am looking forward to reading more books by Kathleen Fuller.
I received a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts are my own.
3,305 reviews1,738 followers
April 18, 2024
A captivating Amish romance full of surprises. Like that fiery meet-cute! Bwahahaha! And things don’t settle down for quite a while so be prepared for clashing wills and lamentable outbursts in this enemies to more romantic trope.

Truth: sometimes Ella frustrated me no end! She is opinionated and bossy to the point I wanted to purse whomp some sense into her. Her motives are good, but her delivery leaves a lot to be desired! Which means she makes a horrible first impression on Nelson and that doesn’t improve upon further acquaintance for a long time. I think it’s about the halfway point before they declare a truce.

And Nelson is just a tad grumpy over all things Ella which comes with its own frustrations. So this one isn’t your typical ‘sweet’ romance. I do like the way the author digs deep into both our hero ad heroine’s backstories and their family dynamics. Especially Ella’s. It really helps to explain nuances of her personality. I could totally sympathize with her and became righteously indignant on her behalf more than once. But then we’re given more insights into Ella’s father and sister and well..wow, it all makes sense. The author doesn’t just leave it there, though, she works some healing magic that includes even more romance which made for a delightfully satisfying read.

I enjoyed listening to the audio edition of ‘The Proposal Plot’ expertly narrated by Lauren Berst. She’s a familiar voice in my Amish Fiction listening which made this even more of a comfort read for me. Funny how I can become as attached to narrators as I am to my fave authors.

My thanks to Thomas Nelson, Zondervan Fiction Audio and Net Galley for providing me with an audio copy of this book.

https://kavsbestreads.ca/2024/04/18/t...
Profile Image for Eileen.
2,144 reviews
May 4, 2024
The Prosposal Plot by Kathleen Fuller, book two of An Amish of Marigold series, is an inspiring and heartwarming second chance tale dealing with loneliness, jealousy, love, mistakes, forgiveness, and faith. Nelson Bontrager, an artesian butcher, is buying the building next door to a grocery store run by business minded bossy Ella Yoder, her flighty sister Junia and their father Barnabas. Nelson is finding it hard to trust women again after his hard times with love. Ella is dealing with family troubles; especially her sister who is not pulling her weight around their business and home. Nelson has been very unlucky in love and has sworn off marriage forever. Ella has been told she isn’t marriage material while Junia is boy crazy, especially for Nelson’s nephew Malachi. The girls are fighting bitterly over everything, their father is beside himself and customer, retired lawyer Wendy Pearson offers to help with some family mediating. Sparks fly and ignite as Ella and Nelson are forced to chaperone Junia and Malachi. The more time they spend together, the more attracted to each other they become.

Ms Fuller wrote a heartwarming romance with three different couples who find their happily ever after. The family dynamics with polar opposite personalities and how they interacted with each other leaving you to wonder how they would be able to get their relationships to work; yet somehow they work out in the most entertaining of ways. With some unexpected twists and turns of events, and you are left with a very entertaining story of love, faith, and new beginnings that is a pure delight to read.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
#NetGalley # Zondervan
Profile Image for Katie.
73 reviews16 followers
May 1, 2024
Thank you to netgalley & Zondervan Fiction for the advanced reader copy of this audiobook!
Summary:
A year ago, Ella convinced her father and sister to move to the community of Marigold, and since then her relationship with her younger sister, Junia has been rough. It’s not like Junia & Ella had the best relationship before, but things have gotten so much worse since the move. Ella also has dreams of expanding their family's grocery store, but neither her father nor sister supports that move. Then comes Nelson Bontrager, who has sworn off love after having his heart broken one too many times. He has bought the warehouse next to their grocery store The very warehouse Ella wanted to expand to, so of course she has issues with him on the spot. But then Junia falls in love with Nelson’s nephew and as much as they try to avoid each other, they keep being drawn together to chaperone Ella’s sister & Nelson’s nephew. And the more time they spend together, the more they realize they may have misjudged each other.

Thoughts:
It has been a while since I have picked up an Amish romance, so I am really glad I got the opportunity to listen to this book. Although Ella & Junia did drive me a little crazy, I still fell in love with all the characters almost immediately. I was confused about the introduction of the Englischer, Wendy, but her introduction soon made sense. Nelson & Ella were both incredibly stubborn to the point I was certain they would never see that they were perfect for each other. There were a lot of love stories going on, but it wasn’t overwhelming and I was rooting for each couple to get their happy ever after. This was a great lighthearted Amish romance.
Profile Image for Jeanie.
2,973 reviews1 follower
April 30, 2024
I have really enjoyed this series. However, this took a different turn in that it was not a matchmaking plot but how an unsuspecting couple came together. Ella Yoder was all about her family's grocery store. Unfortunately, her sister Junia did not. She was about having fun, enjoying people, and not worrying about the details like her sister. Nobody could do it right anyways but Ella so why bother. We all have experienced people like that in our life or maybe we are one of those people. That kind of relationship always ends up with tension and nothing resolved. Ella begins to change when she is confronted by Nelson Bontranger. Maybe it's because Nelson is not in the market for a wife because of his past heart ache. He is focusing on his dream of owning his butcher shop adjacent to Ella's family store. Their first meeting did not go well. Ella is very straight forward and Nelson has his own prejudice. It could be a re-telling of Pride and Prejudice because there is a little bit of both with Nelson. The pride of not letting his heart love and prejudice because all women are alike. Both of those only lead to lost love and loneliness.

A fun romance with a little bit of family issues that need to be resolved. Loved the characters and how the progressed in learning about themselves.

A special thank you to Zondervan Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
Profile Image for Honestly Yours.
121 reviews1 follower
April 12, 2024
This was a sweet Amish Romance novel that I have rated against the specific genre and sub genre. It is definitely a clean beach type read but it had one sub plat that had a bit of meat to it.

I want to thank NetGalley and Harper Collins audio for the audio arc of this title.

The narrator was great. She read at a great pace and did give enough of the Amish linguistic touches to certain words to set the mood without sounding mocking as some audio books can come off in this space.

I really enjoyed the outside perspective of Wendi as she explored the faith and lifestyle of the Amish.

There were some parts that slowed down as I listened where I disconnected from the story in the first half of the book but after the midway point it really picks up and you want to keep listening to find out what happens.

So if you like clean romances that also happen to have a connection to God then this is a nice sweet read.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again
Profile Image for Barbara Schultz.
3,434 reviews257 followers
April 16, 2024
Book Title: The Proposal Plot
Series: Amish of Marigold Book #2
Author: Kathleen Fuller
Format: 🎧
Narrator: Lauren Berst
Publisher: Harper Collins Christian Publishing – Zondervan Fiction
Genre: Amish
Pub Date: May 7, 2024
My Rating: 3.2 Stars
Pages: 320

I do love a good Amish story. Kathleen Fuller has written over a hundred and this is my first- How have I not read any before this?

In this story is based in quaint town of Marigold, Ohio. Our protagonist is the headstrong businesswoman Ella Yoder; she and her father and younger sister Junia run a grocery story.
Nelson Bontrager is buying a building next door. Junia is pleased with this as she is interested in Nelson’s nephew Malachi.
Things are getting a bit out of control at the Yoder home and Dad decides Ella and Nelson need to chaperone Junia and Malachi.

Things get complicated as to who loves who and who wants to make who jealous!

Enjoyable light read.

Want to thank NetGalley and Harper Collins Publishing- Zondervan Fiction for this early audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for May 7, 2024.
Profile Image for Carissa.
20 reviews
March 4, 2024
I always enjoy reading Amish romances, Kathleen Fuller’s novels are always fun to read and The Proposal Plot is no exception. I couldn’t put this one down!

I enjoyed the banter between Nelson and Ella as their relationship evolved from enemies into a loving and happy one. The business minded oldest sister, Ella, has a lot of responsibility and stress helping to run her families grocery store. Nelson Bontrager is a butcher who has been unlucky in love buys the space next to the grocery store. Nelson's nephew Malichi meets Junia and both are overly smitten. When family asks Nelson to chaperone the pair, he and Ella are forced to contend with each other, and find themselves attracted to each other. Love finds a way with God’s timing.

The characters are easy to fall in love with and Fuller makes you fall in love with the entire Marigold community.

My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own
Profile Image for C Allen.
382 reviews14 followers
March 20, 2024
The Proposal Plot by Kathleen Fuller is definitely another winner. It is due for release, May, 7, 2024.

Kathleen Fuller has such a unique style in the way she pulls her characters together and make them your new best friends. She intwines three romances seamlessly, Ella Yoder and Nelson Bontranger who take an instant dislike for each other and I really enjoyed being able to watch their story evolve while we also enjoyed the secondary relationships between Barnabas and Wendy and Junia and Malachi.

Characters were well developed. I really like Ella with her strong bossy ways. Junia, not so much. She acted too spoiled and entitled, while Nelson is a really nice guy that has been disappointing one too many times.

The Plot was seamless and made an interesting storyline.

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Zondervan, and was not required to give a positive review. 5 stars all the way.
Profile Image for Kristina.
3,668 reviews67 followers
April 13, 2024
The Proposal Plot by Kathleen Fuller is an engaging Amish story. I thought the story was well- written with developed, realistic characters. I especially thought the author captured the bickering sisters (I have a sister who is the opposite of me in many ways and we squabbled often as kids). I liked Ella with her head for business and her bossy ways (I have been told that I am a “bit” bossy). I understood why Ella was frustrated with Junia (who got away with doing the bare minimum). There is plenty going on in the story with three romances, bickering sisters, and two businesses. It was interesting learning about an artisan butcher and how he creates his deli meats. The Proposal Plot delves into the themes of family, forgiveness, love, sibling rivalry, and second chances. I liked the humor in the story, and I actually laughed out loud a time or two. The Proposal Plot is the second An Amish Marigold Novel. It can be read as a standalone for those who have not read The Courtship Plan. I enjoyed visiting Marigold, Ohio again and I look forward to stopping by again soon.
Profile Image for Vicky Sluiter.
Author 1 book82 followers
May 12, 2024
Book 2 in the Amish of Marigold, Matters of the Heart can be read as a stand alone but I do recommend book 1, The Courtship Plan. It’s a good book and takes place in the same small town.

Goodness, what a lot of mistrust and assuming these characters are dealing with; both Nelson and Ella. A few times I wanted to shake each of them, then I would feel bad for them. And both are dealing with heartbreak. Will they ever get it all together??

Then there’s Malachi and Junia. Falling in love but immature. Will they ever grow up?

Sisters who can’t get along, a father who can’t stand up for himself, guys who don’t know what they want. Seriously, it was a good book full of forgiveness and personal growth. A fun read that goes to the heart of the matter, I recommend it if you enjoy Amish fiction.

I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.
108 reviews7 followers
April 22, 2024
This is a really good read with many enjoyable characters. Ella and her dad, Barnabas, and sister, Junia, purchase a store and move to a different community after her mother passes away. Nelson and his family live in this community. Ella and Nelson become acquainted but don't like each other. Ella can be a bit bossy because her dad has allowed her to be in charge of a lot of things. She has a lot of responsibility. Junia meets Nelson's nephew, Malachi, and falls hard for him. Barnabas meets an Englisher and they become fast friends. There are many twists and turns with each of these relationships. You'll need to read this book to see how things turn out. It's an enjoyable read. I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.
Profile Image for Kelly Zeit.
50 reviews3 followers
April 15, 2024
This is such a sweet audiobook with a fantastic narrator! There is a little bit of something for everyone in all of the different characters and personalities the author brought to the story.: strong-willed perfectionist Ella, beautiful and flighty Junia, heartbroken and sore Nelson, and solid and leading Malachi, just to name a few. The entire story you find yourself rooting for the characters, even when (especially when?) they are making poor choices and it seems they aren't working even in their own best interest! A precious romance (or three!) that will leave you with a faint smile on your lips long after you have finished listening!
571 reviews8 followers
May 2, 2024
This multi-layered Amish romance features a widower and his two adult daughters who run the grocery store in the town of Marigold. Then add to the mix two handsome Amish men and a kindhearted English lady and it all adds up to an engaging and, at times, unpredictable story. I loved the way the author brought out both the strengths and weaknesses of each character’s personality and it was very realistic to see how they clashed and then eventually learned to live harmoniously. If you are a fan of Amish romance stories and love happily-ever-after endings then I think you will enjoy this book. Highly recommend! I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are strictly my own.
Profile Image for Katie Brohard.
100 reviews2 followers
May 6, 2024
Well, I loved this book. I can't tell you what the title has to do with the story because it never made any sense to me, but there are three very sweet and satisfying love stories to enjoy! There is a lot of character growth and development and I can't wait to read the next installment. The book is released to the general public tomorrow (I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy).

I could really relate to Ella, but it was nice to have three very different women's perspectives to look at the story through. I enjoy Wendy a lot. Junia never did grow on me, but she brought a lot of contrast to the story and made me like Ella even more.
Profile Image for Jill.
984 reviews9 followers
May 22, 2024
The Proposal Plot
Kathleen Fuller
3.5 - 4 stars

What a lovely story. It traces the lives of Barnabas, a widower and his daughters Junia and Ella who are both of marrying age. This is a sweet story of reconnecting with the past and moving forward with forgiveness and love. I do hope there is a book three in this series because I would love to read more about these characters!

This is part of a series and I had not read book one. I was able to follow along well enough, but some parts were a tad hard to follow.
This is a highly readable book that many people will enjoy.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley.
Profile Image for Carla.
15 reviews3 followers
May 23, 2024
The Proposal Plot by Kathleen Fuller

This Amish romance features a widower, Barnabas and his two adult daughters, Ella and Junia who run the grocery store in the town of Marigold, Ohio.

I loved how the author seamlessly intertwined three romances and the characters were easy to fall in love with, Nelson and Ella, Junia and Malachi, Barnabas and Wendy.

Ella Yoder and Nelson Bontranger took an instant dislike to one another and I enjoyed their banter and loved watching as their relationship evolved from enemies into a friendly, loving one.

I couldn’t put this book down, I highly recommend if you are a fan of Amish romance and love happily-ever-after endings.
Profile Image for Melissa .
104 reviews3 followers
February 18, 2024
This is book two in the Marigold Novels. It was a fun book I enjoyed reading it . It's the story of Nelson who is the brother of Jesse from book one. Nelson is thinking of opening a butcher shop and while looking at a warehouse in thoughts of buying it he meets Ella Yoder and sparks fly. She's bossy and opinionated and the thoughts of working next door to her family's store gives him second thoughts.
I was given this book by Netgalley and opinions and review were of my own.
#Netgalley #KathleenFuller #TheProposalPlot
Profile Image for Vicki F.
215 reviews14 followers
April 10, 2024
The Proposal Plot by Kathleen Fuller is unlike any other Amish book I've read. So many twists, misunderstandings, and resolutions needed. Can sisters Ella and Junia resolve the division to their relationship. Can Daad become the Daad they need? Will Nelson discover that not all women are alike? So much to resolve but will the reliance on God solve all the problems?
I could not stop reading with all the twists. I just had to find the answer to all the questions. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.