Lately, I had been reading a lot of darker and edgier reads- mostly thrillers so it was nice for a change to read a contemporary romance/chick lit read. Fool Me Once was a fun read as we meet Lee Stone aka Stoner who is a political fighting machine, she works for a green company that is trying to push through a bill in Texas with electric cars. She has been tasked to try and win the three last remaining voters for her bill to pass. Though her worst nightmare is about to happen as the Governor has brought in someone to help her win these votes. The someone turns out to be Ben Lauderman. Five years ago, Lee and Ben were happily in love until Lee ruined the relationship and his life at the time by cheating on him which caused a domino effect of events to happen including bombing his finals, losing his #1 class ranking and internship. The next day, Ben was gone and for five years it has been silence between the two of them. We learn throughout the book that Lee still loves Ben and that she has strong issues when it comes to cheating and love. She never gets close to guys as she expects that when things are going great, it will end with them cheating and so she breaks it off before it can reach that point. She will do everything she can to sabotage the relationship which is what she did with Ben. Fool Me Once was a great read despite the strong elements of cheating throughout the novel. It also has some funny moments like Ben dressing up as Captain Planet (as someone who grew up loving Captain Planet, I liked this part as it brought back good memories) as well as a strong political theme throughout the novel with trying to pass bills, win votes and sleazy politicians and events going viral. If you are looking for a good political chick lit / romantic comedy, then check out Fool Me Once by Ashley Winstead - releasing this month.

This was cute and I enjoyed the second chance romance aspect of it. I didn't love the political aspect of it because I just don't enjoy reading about politics so that was my biggest qualm of the book but that's just personal preference.

Second chance at love? Enemies to lovers? Yes please!

I'll be honest - I was pretty skeptical for the first few chapters. Lee "Stoner" Stone, the main character, comes across as a bit of a party girl and it took me a little while to really connect with her, but once I did, I was hooked. After a string of heartbreaks, Lee adopts a "hurt them before they can hurt me" mentality and swears off serious relationships or falling in love. When she's reunited with her last serious boyfriend, Ben - the one she cheated on as revenge when she thought he was cheating on her, only to realize she was wrong - and they're forced to work together to pass a clean energy bill, she's forced to come to terms with the issues she has repressed.

While I love romances, I often feel that they're rushed and the resolution doesn't feel believable, but that's not the case with Fool Me Once. Ashley Winstead takes her time with the plot and every progression feels natural instead of forced or convenient. The banter between Lee and Ben is fantastic, and the slow burn physical connection is palpable long before they find a way to resolve their differences.

As an added bonus, the supporting cast of characters is richly portrayed - I especially loved Lee's connections with her circle of friends, and appreciated how they supported each other and how their friendships evolved over time. The book is heartfelt and also has some genuinely laugh-out-loud funny scenes - usually at Ben's expense, like in the form of his Captain Planet costume!

Ashley Winstead is not only a fantastic thriller/mystery writer, but she just jumped into a different genre and I LOVE it! Fool Me Once was great, and all the rom-com lovers need to check this out! Full of wit, second-chance love, and a lot of laughs. I'm excited to hear more from Ashley Winstead, and she's now one of my top authors to auto-buy!

After having her heart broken time after time, Lee swears off love and believes that everyone cheats, even the most perfect relationships.
During grad school, she meets Ben. Things with Ben are going too well and Lee decides to cheat on Ben with his nemesis before he gets a chance to hurt her. Ben is devastated and leaves town.
Five years later, Ben shows back up in her life. Forced to work together to get a clean energy bill pass. Tension builds and old sparks reignite, the pair fall back to old habits.

Let’s start off and say this book had a lot of wit and humor. I really adored this enemies to friends second chance romance. The main characters, Lee and Ben, were well developed and both complex and multilayered in their own way. Lee is unique, brash, and immature yet a strong and empowering woman. You want to dislike her but can’t because she is emotionally damaged based on past experience and it’s embedded in her view of relationships.
Ben is perfect in every way possible.

I really enjoyed In My Dreams I hold A Knife by Ashley Winstead and was really excited to get my hands on this e-ARC! This book was funny and started off really strong for me! I I believe the author did a fabulous job with incorporating humor and with into this romcom!
Once I reached the last half of the book it kind of fell flat for me. The main character Lee was getting annoying and was a little immature for me. I did love and enjoy all the other characters and I really wanted to enjoy this one but in the end I was no longer intrigued. I skimmed the last half and kind of got bored. I was hesitant to leave this review because I know so many people who were raving about this one. Maybe I missed something or maybe the political rom-com is just not for me.
I am still looking forward to the authors new thriller releasing in August!

Thank you NetGalley & Harlequin for the eARC in exchange for an honest review

Pub date April 5, 2022

I really enjoyed In My Dreams I Hold A Knife by the same author so when I saw that she was coming out with her sophomore book, I was excited to read it. I was expecting another thriller, and much to my surprise is actually a romance book! Which i was so down for! I was really impressed that she writes for both genres.

Thank you so much to Ashley Winstead and HTP books for this gifted physical ARC!

Pub date: 4/5/22

Lee Stone never trusted men. She always assumed they were cheating because of her history, beginning from her father down to her ex boyfriends. She assumed the worst of her last boyfriend Ben Laderman and thought he was also cheating (even though he wasn’t), so she beat him to it. 5 years later, they are forced to work together and are brewing with a lot of emotions and unresolved issues.

Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. Things I really loved about this book include: women empowerment, fun setting in Austin TX, addressing climate change and great chemistry between the two MCs. Lee and Ben’s chemistry and their witty banter was really enjoyable. No doubt that Lee is flawed, but her character was strong and eventually grew and matured even though it took quite some time. Ben is also the nicest ex boyfriend ever. Too nice that I thought Lee did not deserve him at times. Because cheating is a common theme in this book, be warned as there a lot of it in it and the issues that stem from it. There’s also a lot of politics in this book. If you don’t mind any of that, then I do recommend this second chance romance as it can be really fun, hilarious and enjoyable! I can totally see this as a romcom movie!

This reminded me of a Christina Lauren book, good fun romance. I didn’t like the characters a whole lot, or the fact that so much of the plot revolves around cheating, but I did enjoy the political plot lines and journey. I wish the love story had been less toxic, and I didn’t need the steamy scenes (skipped right past). I definitely preferred the author’s previous book, which was a thriller, but if you like steamy romance with blundering characters, this book is well written and probably for you!
Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

I had no idea that this is the same author that wrote In My Dreams I Hold a Knife. Talk about talent for writing across genres. This novel felt like the perfect springtime read. I loved the second chance romance aspect of this book more than anything. Lee is an easy to root for lead once you stick around long enough to understand why she is so closed off. Ben is amazing and his emotional scenes really do pack a punch. It surprised me in the sense that I came into this book with expectations of a rom-com (thanks to the cover) but it was a very deep story about grief, heartbreak, and forgiveness. Can't wait to read more of Ashley Winstead in the future, whatever genre she decides to take over next.

Once I started this book, I was so triggered that I had to finish it. I couldn’t put it down. I didn’t want to. I needed Lee to find her happily ever after.
When Lee finds out that Ben, the one person whose life she destroyed in grad school, is getting hired to help her pass a bill at work, she’s not sure how she’s going to survive. You see, when she thought Ben cheated on her, she went and did the same, only to find out that he didn’t, and she destroyed the one good thing she’s ever had.
Understandably, Ben wants nothing to do with Lee romantically ever again. He’s moved on from the aftermath of the atomic bomb that blew up his life and his heart, he’s not interested in a repeat. A good dose of competition is just what Lee needs to put her in her place, and he always comes out a winner.
Lee has issues. A whole host of issues, that have even more issues on top of them. She doesn’t believe in love, or that you can trust someone not to hurt you, when for all her life it’s what she’s seen and felt, over and over again. After Ben, she’s not let anyone in, and isn’t planning to again. Even if she just might be still in love with the boy who stole her heart and never gave it back.
These two. All Lee wanted is someone who wouldn’t leave, no matter how hard she pushed, but she knew love isn’t enough to withstand everything and inevitably they will leave. When we are young, we don’t understand communication and the thing about pushing is, we can only take so much. I saw a lot of people saying “Ben could do so much better, but I guess he wanted Lee.” Sure, we all can find relationships that aren’t messy, but it means nothing if the heart isn’t in it.
Thank you to Ashley Winstead, Graydon House and Netgalley for an early copy.

How do you not fall for a book that starts with its main character, Lee Stone, sneaking out of a man’s hotel room after a Disney-themed wedding at Disney World, dressed as Belle? Running through the theme park to get to her hotel, she’s stopped by children hoping to meet their favorite Beauty and the Beast character. But Lee has to get home to Texas and back to work.

Lee (“Stoner” to her friends) works hard and plays hard. She’s sharp and smart in her job and is a hot mess in her personal life. Through too many disappointments, Lee does not believe in true love and happy endings. She’s the communications director of Lise Motors, a female-run electric car company. Lee is the force behind getting a green energy bill enacted which would replace Texas state vehicles with electric cars. The governor is onboard and hires Ben Laderman to work with Lee and the Lise team. Could it be the same Ben Laderman who was Lee’s fourth and last major heartbreak five years ago? Of course it is and the two have to work together. Ben has moved on and Lee has since avoided any real intimacy, choosing meaningless hookups.

Author Winstead has created in Lee a flawed character who is fooling herself that she is truly over Ben. As their professional relationship develops, the two have to navigate their complicated feelings for one another. As the two experience a rollercoaster of emotions, they have to also deal with the challenges of Texas politics. Fool Me Once has humor and romance. There’s heartache and loss. And there’s a wonderful group of supporting characters including great friends and family who help Lee through it all. It's a very appealing book.

This is the same author who wrote last summer’s exceptional mystery/thriller, In My Dreams I Hold a Knife, which was a 2021 favorite of mine and quite an impressive debut. Fool Me Once reinforces Winstead’s writing talent and this book demonstrates her ability to deliver in multiple genres. Quite a feat. Don't pass this one by.

This was a super fun read! I loved the political and progressive elements, and the second chance trope. The beginning felt a little immature for me, but I soon began to love the characters and saw myself rooting for them to make it.

Ashley Winstead debuts a twisty thriller <I>In My Dreams I Hold a Knife,</I> gets us all hooked on her as a thriller writer, then essentially tells us “hold my knife” as she drops a ROMANCE as her follow up book. It was a bold, ballsy move and I’m so happy she did it because <I>Fool Me Once</I> is one of my favorite romance books I’ve read in recent years.

I love reading across genres but one genre I struggle with is romance because they can be a bit fluffy. As much as we all need a little fluff in our lives, sometimes it gets a little too cotton candy fluff that sticks in my teeth and leaves us with gut rot. <I>Fool Me Once</I> has all the things romance loving readers want—a flawed protagonist, chaos, sexual tension, witty banter and belly laughing humor. What sets this book apart though is the substance—politics, family trauma, addiction and feminism laced within each page of this second chance love story.

I loved our independent spark plug protagonist Lee “Stoner” Stone. While at times her stubbornness and jaded attitude made me want to rip my hair out, she very much embodies the modern woman. Her mistakes, scars and overall personality is relatable and I think readers will definitely find pieces of themselves in her character and if not in her, then in one of the secondary characters in her social and work circle. The book is loaded with strong female characters and their personalities are sharp and refreshing. Ben is an equally likable leading man and you’ll find yourself rooting for Stoner and Ben to have a second chance at love. It’s brimming with sexual tension, it’s saucy and sexy and you may find yourself blushing when things finally climax (no pun intended).

A fun, witty romance with a Texas-sized personality, <I>Fool Me Once</I> firmly plants Winstead in a unique school of writers who are able to successfully write across genres.

I haven’t read Ashley Winstead’s thriller In My Dreams I Hold a Knife yet, but if it was anything like the fun ride that Fool Me Once was, I’ll be pushing it up on my TBR. This was a fun book to read that had me laughing out loud in so many parts, but also had a lot of heart to it.

I went back and forth with how I felt about Lee because at times her self destructive tendencies made it hard to like her. I did like her growth that started happening in the last quarter of the book and that those who cared about her never gave up on her. The chemistry between Lee and Ben was great and I loved that their relationship was a mash up of second chance and enemies to lovers. There were a few subplots that at times I think slowed the book down a little, especially when I was so invested on Lee and Ben and just wanted to focus on them.

“Pain is a part of love. When you open yourself up, pain is inevitable. But you do it anyway because love is worth it.”

If you’re looking for a great romance with lots of moments in this story where you’ll literally laugh out loud, this one’s for you! A second chance romance with some great 🔥 and loveable characters. It was so cute and I need to figure out how to get these friends from the book to be my real life friends!

I enjoyed this book so much and can’t wait to read more from this author!!

Fool Me Once is Ashley Winstead's dive into romance after her debut thriller last year. Fool Me Once follows Lee Stone as she tries to get the Green Machine Bill passed. She is working at Lise Motors and living her life, then her ex from five years ago walks in. The ex that she ran out of Texas. The ex that she cheated on with his rival. And he's here to qork on the bill with her. I enjoyed this novel and thought it well written. I have become an Ashley Winstead fan. A solid 4 stars!

Last month I was in a bit of a reading slump. All the books I had been reading were only subpar to my tastes and I was getting bored. So I decided to try out some of the ARCs I have received and I made a good call. Last year I read Ashley Winsted’s novel In My Dreams I Hold a Knife. It was a great thriller, and in April her next book comes out—except she throws us for a loop with switching up genres. Her next book Fool Me Once is the opposite of a thriller…she gives us a romance!

I won’t lie, I was a bit skeptical but Fool Me Once did not disappoint. Winsted gives us Lee Stone aka Stoner, who is a kick ass woman as Director of Communications for a woman-led electric car company. But at night comes out Stoner the woman who loves to party, smoke a bowl and has had her heart broken one too many times to believe in love. Things are going well until Ben, the man she scorned and drove out of the state of Texas, returns to her life. God, Stoner is the most flawed, relatable character I’ve met outside of Winsted’s Jessica Miller from her thriller. I’m convinced she’s reading my high school and college journals.

All of her characters are like this. They beautifully flawed and amazingly constructed. The story line kept me pulled in and interested because it was so much more than just a silly romance. It was full of pulling back emotional layers of an onion leaving you feeling raw at the end. Needless to say, I don’t think that is a thing that Winsted would write that I wouldn’t read. I loved her thriller and I love this romance!

Did the author ever, ever, EVER visit Disney World? Do any research at all? I’m pages in, and I can’t. I just canNOT. There isn’t a hotel inside Magic Kingdom itself. Adults aren’t allowed to be in costume within the parks. Etc, etc, etc. If the, author was too lazy to make the opener *work*, then I’m not going to put forth the effort to read this whole book.

“Pain is a part of love,” my mom said calmly. “When you open yourself up, pain is inevitable. But you do it anyway because love is worth it.”

In My Dreams I Hold a Knife was one of my favorite thrillers last year, one of the very few I rated 5 stars, so when I saw a new @ashleywinsteadbooks book on @netgalley I requested it ASAP! But this time - a romcom!

Lee Stone (AKA Stoner) is a total boss at her communications job at a female-run electric car company by day, and a total hot mess by night. She’s faced too many heart breaks in life, her last being Ben Laderman in college, so she’s sworn off love and never trusts a man. She gets a big break at work trying to pass a clean energy bill (in Texas no less) but the Governor’s new policy expert is none other than Ben. What ensues is hilarity, hijinks, competition, and of course growing romantic tension. This book was very funny! There were multiple scenes where I laughed out loud - the half marathon and the breakfast tacos to name a couple. I also was surprised by how much I enjoyed the political aspect of it (which is a lot if that’s not your thing, FYI). I also really liked Ben, he was patient and kind and incredibly supportive. However, my qualms with this one are the same I’ve had with what seems to be a lot of books lately - cheating. While the cheating storylines of this one make sense with the story (if you read it, it’ll make sense) there was just SO much of it and it was really starting to make me sad when reading it 🤷🏻‍♀️

Overall, I’ve rated it 4⭐️s - I really liked it. It’s a solid second chance romance, it’s comedic, and it highlights women in business. I could’ve done with at least a few less problematic couples and I wanted more character development sooner from Lee. I’m definitely looking forward to more by Winstead!

Thank you to @netgalley and @htpbooks for this eARC! This is on sale April 5th!

3.5 ⭐️.

Things I Liked: watching Lee’s journey of self-discovery and working through her personal baggage, the incorporation of politics and gender dynamics in the workplace/government, supportive female characters, Ben as a likeable male lead

Things I didn’t like: Lee’s immaturity (although we had context for it, it grew frustrating at times), a little too much push-pull