The audiobook of Here for the Wrong Reasons is a captivating listen, brought to life beautifully by phenomenal narrators, Mara Wilson & Lindsey Dorcus. Their expressive performances and distinct character voices elevate the story, making every moment engaging and vivid. These narrators’ skillful delivery enhances the emotional depth and humor, truly immersing the listener in the narrative.

This partial sexual awakening and coming-out story centers around the complexities of reality dating shows, making it a great pick for fans of such TV genres. If you enjoyed Never Getting Back Together and are looking for a more adult version, this story is for you.

Despite my general aversion to reality TV, particularly dating shows, and my dislike for love triangles, I found this debut novel from these two talented authors, Annabel Paulsen & Lydia Wang, to be an emotion-provoking experience. The characters are complex and developed, and the plot takes you on a ride of the emotional spectrum- I experienced a wide range of emotions through this listen, everything from frustration and eye-rolling at the lack of communication to giddiness over these two FMC's finding each other. This novel offers a sapphic take on familiar themes. I enjoyed the writing style and I would love to read more from these authors, especially stories that aren't centered around reality shows.

Overall, Here for the Wrong Reasons is a great debut, and the audiobook version is a standout, thanks to the exceptional narrators who bring every aspect of the story to life.

Thank you to Netgalley, Dreamscape Media, & Annabel Paulsen; Lydia Wang for an ARC of this Audiobook.

This book is one of my most hotly-anticipated releases of 2024 and it truly did not disappoint.

I really enjoyed the characters of both Krystin and Lauren as they navigated being contestants on a dating competition but also finding love with one another. I think this book also did a really good job of including snippets of confessionals like you would see on a dating TV show which did an incredible job of making the dating TV show feel fully-realised and something that you would be able to tune into watch weekly.

I had SUCH a good time listening to this book! Before you read the review, full disclosure: I have been a faithful Bachelor viewer for many, many years. After such a long time with the franchise, I know the Bachelor (t)ropes. The artificial setting is perfect for a romance novel, and I especially love when authors give us a little twist on the formula.

Here for the Wrong Reasons features two very different contestants ("ladies") on a very Bachelor-inspired show, "Hopelessly Devoted." Lauren C. is a closeted influencer looking for clout. Krystin is a Rodeo Queen who thinks it's totally normal to want to kiss her friends and has never had a serious boyfriend - but not because she's not straight! She just hasn't met the right guy who will let her follow what she thinks is the normal path to happiness: like the song says, "first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby..."

Through group dates (that include mud wrestling and horseback riding in the Pampas) and forced proximity, Lauren and Krystin end up falling for each other. At the same time, the lead is also falling for them. Sure, everyone is leading everyone else on at least a little bit, but Lauren and Krystin are also thinking hard about the goals they had when coming on the show and how their very real feelings will end up determining how important those goals ultimately are.

This book is on the nose for any Bachelor viewer, but it's also a heartfelt (and steamy!) sapphic romance. I listened to this one, and the dual narration was perfect for the format and concept of the book. If you liked The Charm Offensive or One to Watch, you'll definitely like this one. And for all you non-Bachelor viewers out there, the romance stands on its own. I had a great time with this.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the audiobook.

‘bachelor’ dupe. horse girl. sexual awakening. social expectations.

what worked for me:
- great humor that made me literally LOL
- characters i wanted to root for!!
- last chapter was a fun and silly perfect ending
- audiobook: narrators did a great job with different voices and loved the dual POV. pacing was perfect. casting was spot-on.

what didn’t work for me:
- pretty much everything before hometowns until the end of the show. no spoilers here but the character’s intentions were confusing, frustrating, and, to a level, irredeemable.
- slow burn - not just in the romance but the plot!
- too much filler about the show. that space would have done better to deepen relationships (or add a final spicy scene!!)

overall a fun story that was well-written, but it was difficult to accept the character growth that occurred. one honest conversation could have solved so much, OR the conflict could have been written in a way that didn’t feel so yucky at the expense of others.

i would read future books by these authors, but a sapphic bachelor spinoff deserves better / 3.25 stars

thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this audio ARC!

2.5 stars

This is basically a book version of The Bachelor, TV show. With a twist!!!

Hopelessly Devoted is a reality TV show where Josh Rosen had his heart broken. This season, it is his turn to be the lead with dozens of women vying for his love.

There are group dates, “ribbon cutting ceremonies”, honeymoon dates, and a lot of cattiness and drama among the women. One turn of events occurs when two of the female contestants fall for each other.

Lauren knew going in she was not going for the right reasons. She wanted to increase her social media following in order to receive endorsement deals, sponsorship and clout. She is also ready to come out to her friends and family.

Krystin thought she was going in for the right reasons, looking for a husband to settle down with and grow a family. Until she and Lauren begin to bond and get to know each other.

I found this book pretty predictable and thought it really dragged on. Maybe it would have gone over better if I was unfamiliar with The Bachelor. I didn’t really think I got to know the characters in the way I like to, and I didn’t find any of them very likable.

The book was decent enough. I love the fact the LGBTQ community was represented. But overall, it felt a little forced and drawn out.

Thank you #NetGalley and #DreamscapeMedia for an advanced audio copy of this book.

For more of Angie and Lauren's book reviews, follow us on Instagram: @BluejackBookGirls

Here for the Wrong Reasons-a standalone

By-Annabel Paulsen and Lydia Wang-debut

Narrators: Mara Wilson and Lindsey Dorcus. The voices fit the characters, the reading style, and brought the story to life. The pacing was great and flowed easily with the story. The narration and the author were in sync, and they fit together perfectly.
The narrator paused and announced every time a new chapter came. The book had a table of contents which helped me follow along with the e-book and audio.

Run time 🏃🏾‍♀️ : 11:34

Page count📖 : 365

Publication date: 5-21-24 , read 5-18-24

Rating: 4/5 ⭐

Spice level 4/5 🌶️

🤷🏾‍♀️WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ Adult Fic
✨ Sapphic Romance
✨ LGBTQIA+
✨ reality TV (think The Bachelor)
✨ dating competition
✨ Jewish rep

⚠️: homophobia

Summary: Krystin and Lauren are contestants on Hopelessly Devoted reality TV show. The bachelor Josh Rosen has 33 women compete for a chance to marry him. As Krystin and Lauren grow closer while capturing Josh's heart, who will win?

Characters

- 🚺 FMC -Krystin 23, the rodeo queen of Montana. Into competitive rodeo, actually looking for a husband.

-🚺 FMC-Lauren C. 25,a social media influencer looking to gain followers from being on the show. Hasn't told her family she's gay.

🥰 What I liked:
- A genuinely nice man in Josh Rosen 27,-the Jewish bachelor on the show
- Krystin being the queen of the rodeo and love of horses
-Great nod to the movie "10 Things I Hate About You"
- The challenges they have to do to impress Josh
- Lauren and her sister Rachel rekindling their relationship

😞 What I didn't like:
-Lauren having to "come out" to her parents and followers
-Delia-Krystin's old BFF is highly judgmental of Krystin being on the show

🤔My Thoughts: This was a solid sapphic romance with 2 likeable heroines. I even enjoyed Josh and how honest he was with the women. I loved that Lauren's ex boyfriend Damon became her BFF once they knew they weren't meant to be. I can't end without giving a shoutout to one of my favorite movies "Grease," and John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John's rendition of "Hopelessly Devoted."

🙏🏿Thanks to NetGalley, Alcove Press, and Dreamscape Media for this ARC and ALC💖! I voluntarily give my honest review and all opinions expressed are mine alone.

Story: 2 ⭐️
Steam: 3 🔥
Audio: 5 🎧

I wanted to love this so much but unfortunately it was a miss for me.

If you like the bachelor you might like this. The show is EXACTLY like the bachelor.

I did not like Lauren at all. She’s manipulative and selfish for almost the entire book. I was hoping she would get a redemption arc but every time I thought it was going in a good direction she did ANOTHER selfish and/or manipulative thing.

I ended up just feeling really bad for Josh. He seemed like a nice guy and Lauren played him so bad. At least Krysten actually was there for him. I feel like by the end I just felt like Krysten deserved better. And even Josh and McKenzie.

Thank you Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for the ALC!

- I really struggled to cheer for the MCs because of how selfish some of their decisions were. I think a lot of my issues come from how far they go in the competition. The line of what is cheating for someone on a reality tv show where one guy is dating 20 women is a little strange, but the way it's written felt really dishonest.
- This was made even ickier with how persistently kind Josh was, which made both MCs look worse in comparison.
- I struggled with Lauren's reasons to stay in the closet, and the conversation she has with her friend about being in the closet was strange (why does he have to stay in the closet because she is? Her having an ex-boyfriend who is gay wouldn't mean that she also has to be gay?)
- A lot of this felt really tongue-in-cheek and cheesy, but that didn't mix well with the more earnest parts. It's strange as a reader to see so much criticizing reality dating shows, but then also see the last chunk making it seem like reality dating isn't fake.
- I liked the narration, and the voices for both MCs were really well done!

I definitely enjoyed Here for the Wrong Reasons. I'm a total sucker for reality tv show based books, sapphic romance, and incorporation of scripts, texts and other media. If those apply to you, or you loved One to Watch, you should definitely pick up a copy of this book!

The premise is set on a bachelorette style show, and for lovers of the premise, I think you'll have a good time. The one drawback for me was the lack of a show host. Without a cheesy Chris Harrison style character, it felt like the lead had to carry some of the cheesier components of the "show" which kept him a little flat to me.

I listened to this as an audio ARC, and I think that is a great way to enjoy Here for the Wrong Reasons! Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the ARC!

I love behind-the-scenes stories of dating shows and this one had a huge emphasis on the show and its format which was fun. The characters were OK and while this was a dating show, it also had a big chunk of exploration and finding a way to being true to yourself. I get all that. I just also wasn’t a fan of the deception to stay on the show (which I know is rampant on the actual shows) but you get to know Josh and he seems like a great catch for someone and I was sad for him. And because there are so many dating scenes for the show, you don’t really get the romance so much with Krystin and Lauren; it’s just all of a sudden and they’re together. All in all, it was OK but not sure if I would recommend this.

For anyone who appreciates The Bachelor franchise at all, this book is a perfect sapphic version. Krystin and Lauren are selected as contestants vying for Josh’s heart on Hopelessly Devoted. While Krystin is a rodeo queen from Montana genuinely looking for a husband, Lauren is a closeted lesbian looking for a social media boost. While they don’t initially hit it off, Krystin and Lauren develop a palpable chemistry between themselves while dating the same man, who is oblivious to their budding romance. Both women have to choose what they are willing to risk to figure out what they really want.
I found both their journeys, and even Josh’s journey, to be really fun to follow. I appreciated how they addressed the heteronormativity of reality shows, especially romance reality shows. The book felt like it was pulling back the cover (hehe for the pun) on a dating show and letting the reader see inside the drama. There was a good balance of humor, spiciness, genuine feelings, and character growth. The dual perspective allowed for seeing deeper into both characters’ mindsets and I felt like I got to know them both as friends. The ending really wrapped up the book perfectly and all the “confessionals” within the novel really added humor and the right dose of reality tv in book form. I wish the two narrators had more different voices because it sometimes got confusing whose perspective was being told. This was more confusing at the beginning when there were so many characters and also in some of the very long chapters. Overall, this book was a really excellent read that was a sapphic take on a traditionally heteronormative reality romance tv trope. 4.5⭐️, 2.25🌶

4.5 stars rounded up!

An affectionate tribute to the dating show genre, this book is cute, steamy, and just plain fun!

I was instantly hooked by the premise of this book and was so excited when I was able to get an ARC of the audiobook. I was so excited, in fact, that I was a bit worried that the book might not live up to my expectations and I would be disappointed... but this book did not disappoint in the least! I am so impressed by this debut novel from Annabel Paulsen and Lydia Wang. It was gloriously executed, and I enjoyed every moment of it - even the sad parts that I wanted to be over sooner! Ultimately, this book was just so satisfying.

What worked for me:
- First of all, the narrators did an excellent job! I really liked how Krystin and Lauren had such distinct narrative voices that matched well with the way each of their perspectives were written.
- I really liked the cast of characters in this book. They were just cheesy and cliched enough to fit for the genre, while also being developed enough to keep them interesting and unique from each other! Even though I feel like some of the character reactions to situations were a bit unrealistic, it was in a way I was willing to forgive because it made for a more enjoyable/satisfying story at times.
- The spicy scenes were so well done. I often find myself skimming through the spicy content because it can just be so awkward at times - especially in audiobook form! - but the scenes in this book were executed so well.
- It was just so entertaining. I don't even watch dating shows, and I still had a great time with this!
- Krystin's journey of delayed self realization was so real and relatable.

What didn't work for me:
- My only real complaint was at the very, very end where some of the stuff that is said by side characters and in the wrap up content regarding being an "ally" put me on minor alert, but there is nothing specific that I could point a finger to.

Overall, this book was such a fun read and I enjoyed it even more than I'd hoped!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the authors for providing me with an ARC of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

3 stars.

"Here For the Wrong Reasons" by Annabel Paulsen and Lydia Wang is a "fine" book. This will likely be a huge hit with fans of "The Bachelor" franchise, or people who love reality television. While I don't love either, I have read several successful books with this premise that have garnered my attention and praise. To me, I thought the concept was better executed in Sophie Gonzales' "Never Ever Getting Back Together." I thoroughly enjoyed that book... this one didn't always do it for me. I don't love the idea of one of the main characters, Lauren, only being on the show to get followers so she can be a full-time influencer/content creator. I'm sure there are plenty of people who actually go on dating shows to further their own careers in some way, but it felt like the lie went on way too long and manipulative to Josh Rosen (the main character of the reality show, the one looking for love). It made me feel some type of way about Lauren. I'm not saying that reality TV shows are the bastion of truth telling, but it really rubbed me the wrong way. This story becomes an enemies-to-lovers romp because Lauren and Krystin eventually end up hooking up, relatively out of nowhere. They apparently feel a spark with each other at some point, but I don't think the authors properly build the tension and connection between Lauren and Krystin like they should have. Apart from their one personality trait each (Lauren is a content creator, Krystin does rodeo horse stuff), they are very one-dimensional people and are not very interesting to follow apart from the queer love story (which, as I mentioned, is not all that strong). The spicy scenes did not feel particularly epic, again, because of the lack of connection between them. Very forced to an extent. I did enjoy the end of the book, though, and I like how my expectations of the situation were not correct (in a good way). Mara Wilson and Lindsey Dorcus are great audiobook narrators, and they bring these characters to life. I love Mara Wilson's narration in particular. Like I said, some readers will gobble this up, but I had many complaints.

Thank you to NetGalley, Annabel Paulsen, Lydia Wang, and Dreamscape Media for the complimentary ALC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

This is a cute and sweet romance. I think if you're into reality tv romance, this could be a good pick, although I frankly think there are better options out there. Krystin is a little too naive, and Lauren is just not super interesting or likeable, but contrary to several of the reviews, I did feel they had good chemistry. I was interested in their coming out storylines. I think we were supposed to like Josh, but why? I guess I've been fairly negative here, but I definitely didn't hate this book. I think for people like me who read a whole lot of sapphic romance, this isn't necessarily revolutionary, but if you were reading as someone who took a longer time to realize you weren't straight, I can imagine this feeling super relatable.

I do think audiobook narrators Mara Wilson and Lindsay Dorcas added to my enjoyment.

Grateful to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for early access to the audiobook.

OH MY GOD
THIS BOOK
It had me kicking my feet and screaming. I love them your honor. Honestly at Costa Rica I was just begging for them to just dump him but like I get it. And the ending was so good.
The narrators were phenomenal. Josh was annoying at times. I’m glad he reamed himself and ended up with Mckenzie. Krystin and Lauren were adorable and I just love them so much. Watching my baby gays fumble and find themselves was wonderful and also watching them come out to their friends was great. I eat up a reality show book and I’m so so glad to have read this one. Ugh the after season live episode and coming out and declaring their love was so cute and perfect for them.

I will say meeting the contestants as blocks of text at the beginning of the book was a bit difficult to track it’s something that I would’ve gone back to in a physical book that was hard to do in an audiobook. Otherwise it was truly amazing

My favorite trope and done very well. If you're into queer Bachelor contestants falling in love like I am, definitely read this one.

The Bachelor type dating show but what happens when two of the contestants fall in love with each other and not the bachelor? Absolutely loved this queer spin on heteronormative television. It was fun to listen to and the pacing was absolutely perfect.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a fun listen set in a world similar to The Bachelor and Rock of Love (a personal favourite) which follows Krysten and Lauren as they attempt to win the heart of Josh on a national television show. Unfortunately for them - and Josh - the girls' hearts have other plans.

The story is easy to listen to and the narrators Mara and Lyndsey do a good job of using tone and pitch to really separate the characters to avoid them sounding too similar.

Truthfully, the pacing is a little chaotic and things go from nought to one hundred really quickly. This combined with the third act breakup/miscommunication trope really should have put me off but there's something so easy and enjoyable about the title that I wasn't.

One issue I did have with the ALC, however, was the fact that most of the characters were given a biography at the very beginning which, in a physical title, you could cross reference, though you can't do this with the ALC.

I am such a fan of reality shows where people are there for love. I know there are many reasons that people go on these shows and just like this book. It is not always for the right reasons. I love when people on the show actually find love. This book was exactly how I wish some of the reality shows would end up. It is good to read about characters that have emotional intelligence because not everyone has that. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes those kinds of shows and loves a happy ending.

Thanks Netgalley for the advance listening copy.

I don’t even watch the bachelor but I sure do love the queer women find love on heteronormative dating shows troupe! I have to say, this is the BEST iteration of this I have seen yet.

Lauren is a social media influencer from NJ, on the show for clout, and hiding her sexuality when she meets Kristyn, a gorgeous, if inexperienced rodeo queen from Montana. After initially butting heads, sparks fly between the girls as Kristin begins to realize maybe her interest doesn’t lie with this season’s most eligible bachelor, Josh. Kristyn's journey to coming to terms with her sexually is handled beautifully - I do think seeing a novel with two lesbians struggling with the outward expression of their sexuality under the lens of a public TV show was fascinating. It plays a little bit with the fact that we make assumptions about both characters based on their outward appearances, but the reality of who they are is quite different.

I could have done with 50% less Josh but I do think he was in it for the bare minimum amount of time.

I love that Lauren is in it only for exposure - that is the realest thing I have ever seen portrayed in one of these books. Also poor sweet Kristyn - so many signs including her "friendship" with Delilah. As Taylor Swift said, I don’t want you like a best friend….

Thank you to Netgalley and Alcove Press for the ARC!