My new favorite catnip are political romcoms and this latest from Ashley Winstead was amazing! This fake dating, opposites attract, slow burn sees Alexis, an Elementary School Children's librarian forced to pose as girlfriend to Logan, the man running for Governor of Texas when they get caught in a scandalous looking photo in an attempted one night stand.

I loved Alexis so much (probably not least of all because she's a romance loving librarian like me) but also because she's struggling to break out of the timid, people-pleasing mold she's been cast in all her life, so often coming in second next to her much brasher sister, Lee (who we met in Fool me once).

I also couldn't get enough of Logan! He's got a British accent, speaks his mind and has a heart of gold while struggling to always do the right thing, even if it costs him the woman he might love. Throw in another possible love interest to spice things up and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough!

My only complaint was that this book wasn't a dual POV, I would have really enjoyed getting inside Logan's head a bit. Other than that the secondary cast of characters were top notch, the humor was great and the romance was so worth the slow-burn build up.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy of my newest favorite from one of my auto-buy authors. Recommended for fans of books like Love, hate & clickbait by Liz Bowery or The last minute first lady by Tinia Montford.

The Boyfriend Candidate
By: Ashley Winstead
Review Score: 4 Stars

Five Key Feels

-I love that this book is set in Texas.

-Alexis and Logan have amazing chemistry.

-It was fun to learn about Alexis’ job, and how she used that to strengthen her own platform.

-No spoilers, but there is an entire section about a cat rescue that Alexis’ mom runs and it’s hilarious.

-This had a very satisfying ending, I really enjoyed the epilogue.

——

The Boyfriend Candidate was kindly provided as an ARC by Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, Graydon House. Thank you for allowing me to read this wonderful book!

Release Date: 5/9/23

I went into this book not sure what to expect. Obviously, I knew it would be about politics, and about 2 strangers pretending to be in a relationship, but I wasn’t sure what else.

The good news is, I was totally blown away by how fun this book was. It wasnt too “preachy” or overly “political”. It also felt real in the context of the story. You can really feel the chemistry between Logan and Alexis, but also the uncertainty of what will happen between them.

This was a fun read, and definitely worth checking out.

#bookstagram #books #readingnow #boogiereadsbooks #fivekeyfeels #audiobooks #audiobook #fiction #arcreview #netgalley #theboyfriendcandidate #ashleywinstead #harlequintradepublishing #graydonhouse

Fans of Christina Lauren and Ali Hazelwood will love this fake dating rom-com from Ashley Winstead.
Alexis Stone is a school librarian that has been called mousey one too many times. She is on a mission to change, and her first stop is a one night stand at a high end bar in town.
Logan is a politician with a loud mouth and a lot of charm. When he sees Alexis being bullied by a guy at the bar, he tells the guy to beat it. Alexis and Logan hit it off and in the middle of their attempted one night stand, the fire alarm goes off. Logan bolts and leaves Alexis without another word.
The next day she gets a call from his campaign team, they want to meet with her asap. To keep Logan's ratings up and dispel rumors of his "playboy" behavior, they want Alexis and Logan to fake date until the election. They set some important ground rules and both agree to give it a try.
It's harder and harder to tell what's real and what's "just a performance" and feelings get muddled.
Is this the push Alexis needs to go after what she really wants in life?
I would definitely recommend this book and can't wait to see what Ashley Winstead writes next!
Thanks to netgalley for an eARC copy to read.

I will forever read anything Ashley Winstead writes. I was a tad skeptical because politics plays a key role here BUT it was so so well done. Alexis was such a vulnerable and real character. Logan was swoon-worthy! The TENSION and the chemistry those two had was so palpable. I loved every second of this book and read it in one day.

Thank you NetGalley for eARC in exchange for an honest review

Ashley Winstead never fails to write a five star book! Her characters and plots are so fleshed out that I can never put her books down. I absolutely loved the romance between Logan and Alexis and loved their individual stories as well. I was rooting for their relationship and for all of their personal goals the whole way through. I also loved the way it tied in perfectly with Fool Me Once and that Alexis got her own beautiful redemption story.

Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for an arc in exchange for my honest opinions.

Publication: May 9, 2023

This is my first romance by Winstead but I loved her thrillers! I squealed when I got the emailed that I was approved for this book.

This was a cute read and I found that I was thinking about Alexis and Logan after I would close my book. They had amazing chemistry and I felt that Alexis was a modern day Belle from Beauty and the Beast. She is known in the book to be a bookworm, "nerdy" and quiet/reserved. I loved that Winstead gave her growth and she began to find her voice.

The biggest thing that knocked a star for me is that it would have romance pieces but also had a lot of political aspects too. There were points where the story felt like it couldn't decide to be a romance or political fiction.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and can't wait for her next book (whether it's a thriller or romance). I found this book to have the cinematic/writing ease that you find with Lucy Score, wit and humor like Emily Henry and romance similar to Christina Lauren's "The Soulmate Equation".

“Do you know what it’s like to work for something your whole life and then have someone walk in and become the most important thing to you in an instant?”

.

Ashley Winstead won me over the second I read In My Dreams I Hold a Knife, and I was SO EXCITED to receive this eARC! Thank you NetGalley, Ashley Winstead, and Graydon House Publishing for sending this to me!
.

I love Logan Arthur and Alexis Stone. Like LOVE them to the moon and back four times over.
.

What do you do when your one night stand turns out to be the up and coming candidate for governor? Enter into a fake relationship to save his reputation, push for changing the things that matter, and embark on an entire journey of self discovery and acceptance!
.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
.

Read if you like:
📚 Introverted Virgo Librarian FMC
🥵 Tall, Dark, & British MMC
🧲 Opposites Attract
🤫 Fake Dating
📈 Political Setting
📣 Finding Your Voice
❤️‍🔥 Slow Burn
.

Pick this up May 9, 2023!

This book had me laughing and it was so good. I loved Logan and Alexis. Please may we have more like this!
I just reviewed The Boyfriend Candidate by Ashley Winstead. #TheBoyfriendCandidate #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for an electronic advanced reader’s copy of this title. All opinions are my own and are honestly given.

Plot: After a picture of them together goes viral, governor candidate Logan and librarian Alexis commence a fake relationship to help his election chances, never guessing that real feelings might emerge in the process.

Thoughts: This was my first Ashley Winstead, and I enjoyed it. It was sweet and charming, and I especially enjoyed seeing how Alexis grew and came out of her shell over the course of the relationship. I did sometimes wish that we had gotten Logan’s POV so that he felt like a more-fleshed out character to me, but I think people looking for a slow-burn, fake-dating summer romcom will like this one. 3.75 stars.

Ms. Winstead, I'm begging you- keep writing contemporary romances! I love your thrillers, too, but these little ditties are so just scrumptious.

"The Boyfriend Candidate" is on par with its predecessor, "Fool Me Once"- witty, left-leaning, and heartwarming. I honestly wasn't that interested in hearing Alexis' story at first, but Winstead makes her a 3-D character with believable insecurities and genuine positivity. I connected with Alexis on a heart-level far more than I did Lee, although Lee is a lot of fun to watch!

Logan is an ideal "boyfriend candidate": idealistic, charming, and thoughtful. However, he is less dynamic than Alexis. What makes him struggle in his gubernatorial race is that he's too "brash" and "aggressive," and the public thinks he's too unprofessional. But, we don't really get any solid glimpses of that? Sure, he swears a lot, but so do a lot of people, and we certainly wouldn't categorize them as aggressive. Winstead needs more evidence from Logan to prove beyond a doubt that Logan cannot help but be brutally honest, and this would help the reader understand why he's considered so "unelectable."

Lee and Ben, from the previous installment, make a few appearances here, but they don't detract from the main storyline. (Which is a pet peeve of mine. They had their book! Move on!) As a politics junkie myself, I loved all the discussions of the everchanging allegiances and sacrifices made to get legislation on the table, and how you sometimes have to align with a colleague you really detest, in order to get what you want to better the lives of your constituents.

Like "Fool Me Once," the cultural references were spot-on (the animal shelter commercial attempting to be shot like "Goodfellas" is hilarious) and the banter is dry and sharp. I'm a sucker for grumpy/sunshine, and this fulfilled that trope in spades. I had to smother some laughter during my students' silent reading time!

The ending felt a little rushed, but the overall results of the election are believable. Sure, we want the "good guys" to win, but politics hardly ever lets that happen.

This book was maybe...15% spicier than "Fool Me Once"? It's fairly tame compared to some current popular romance authors (I.E. Colleen Hoover and Tessa Bailey), so I wouldn't feel too uncomfortable keeping this book in my classroom library. Really, some of my students read spicier books than I do!

Ashley Winstead, please put me on your ARC list forever, thx.

After being called boring by her ex, Alexis is looking for a one night stand to prove him wrong. She meets Logan and things are going according to plan- until the hotel gets struck by lightning and photos are taken of her and Logan fleeing the hotel by the paparazzi. It turns out Logan is running for governor and a one night stand is not the campaign booster he was looking for. Alexis and Logan begin fake dating to avoid harming his campaign.

Oooook this was a CUTE read. What I loved:
-the banter. The on camera teasing/pranking was adorable!
-fake dating
-Alexis is a LIBRARIAN
-loveable characters
-family relationships
-character growth throughout
-despite fake dating a politician, Alexis definitely has her own influence/role

This was a super cute read that I enjoyed immensely. Highly recommend! 4.5/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for the advanced reading copy.

This had so many complex elements - a MC librarian fighting for educators' rights, some realistic workers' union drama, the Texas political scene - but they all played together really well and built towards a central goal. The reason this book isn't higher for me is that [SPOILERS FOLLOW]: the second love interest that is introduced never gets a comprehensive enough introduction or development to be truly believable, he is 100% just there to advance the main romance. Otherwise, this was cute and fantastic! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free advance copy.

Ashley Winstead really found her romance voice with this her 2nd rom com. I absolutely adored it! Started reading it again as soon as I finished. What an interesting setting for a romance novel - the Texas political scene. And...I'm not mad that her heroine Alexis is a librarian. Randomly, I had no idea what "euphoric beverages" are - had to look them up. And I placed an order so I could try them!

5 huge stars!!!! Ashley Winstead is so incredibly talented is so many genres! Whether it is an edge-of-your-seat thriller or a swoony romance novel, Ashley Winstead absolutely does not disappoint! Her latest read, The Boyfriend Candidate is a romance novel that’s filled with of sweetness, laugh out loud humor, and a depth filled storyline that had me at hello! Centering around a school librarian and a gubernatorial candidate who after an blissful evening together, they mutually decide to “fake date” for the betterment of their careers—it was at that point that I was completely hooked!

This novel was a total and complete 5 star romance novel! The storyline was well paced, I flew through this book! I found both the primary and supporting characters were extremely endearing! I loved that The Boyfriend Candidate was a sort of spin-off of Ashley’s other romance novel Fool Me Once—you definitely don’t need to read it prior, but if you love The Boyfriend Candidate as much as I did, I highly recommend you check it out! I am already looking forward to Ashley Winstead’s next novel!

hi, i binged this book in a day 🥹🙌🏼🫶🏼👏🏼 4-4.5 stars on Winstead’s latest for me! i am so torn on if i liked this or FOOL ME ONCE more… a great problem to have 🤪🤓

if you read Ashley’s romance debut FOOL ME ONCE, you’ll see the similarities and character crossovers in THE BOYFRIEND CANDIDATE. i’m forever impressed by authors who can write across multiple genres (yes this is the same author of THE LAST HOUSEWIFE and IN MY DREAMS I HOLD A KNIFE). the talent!!!!

THE BOYFRIEND CANDIDATE had everything i want out of a romcom—some laugh out loud moments, it’s believable andddd it’s deeper than just a romance. this fake-dating trope romance also has so many fun side themes—the MC loves reading, sister themes/family relationships, character crossovers from FOOL ME ONCE (the MC is the sister of the MC in FOOL ME ONCE), a sexy library scene in the stacks 👀, a more relatable MC, knowing your worth/believing in yourself and putting yourself first, doing something you’re passionate about and that makes a difference, dealing w grief and loss (the acknowledgements w Ashley’s dad🥹). see?! MUCH more than just a romcom!!

similarly to FOOL ME ONCE, TBC covers politics again but in my opinion it’s not as heavy as in FOOL ME ONCE since the MC isn’t a politician, instead her fake bf and sister are. heads up there bc some of you have asked or called that out as a “dislike” in FOOL ME ONCE!

full review to come closer to pub day. sooo grateful to Ashley & her publicist for getting this in my hands early AND partnering with me on the cover reveal 🥹

add this to your spring TBR and let me know what you thought!!

This was such an interesting take on the fake dating trope. I think the political aspect was really well managed and is a tricky line to walk that Ashley did masterfully.

I felt at times the story went too deep into the campaign itself but I do appreciate that this helped develop and grow Alexis.

I also love a slow burn that gives a little bit of flame right in the beginning and little sparks throughout which helps to sustain us until the payoff at the end!

This was fun and cute and fluffy which is exactly what you want in a rom-com. Could there have been a bit more spice and a bit less longing? Sure. I also felt like the politics could've been mentioned and examined more carefully and clearly - I think there were a lot of assumptions made that everyone knows everything about Texas politics, etc. and I didn't - but again, this is a rom-com, I didn't really pick it up expecting a Texas political primer.

My only knock really is that they have "rules" in the beginning, and then the rules aren't brought up again until close to the end - and I get it, I love the rule trope - but by the time we come back around to it, I'd forgotten the rules, and I never got the sense that our leading lady really cared or gave them a second thought either, considering it's the major folly for the hero and why he waits so long (but seriously, SO LONG) to make a move, I wish that they'd been mentioned a bit more throughout.

This was fun, I will be reading it again.

Alexis Stone is such a fun character!!
Fake dating is my absolute favorite trope, and this is a solid one! Miscommunication is a hit or miss for me, but this one was done well. The politics weren’t so heavy in this one. Loved it.

I received an advanced copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

I loved this book so much!
Shy, bookish Alexis Stone decides to have a one-night stand one year after her boyfriend cheated on her, broke up with her, and insulted her skills in the sheets. Armed with a killer outfit and some confidence, she avoids a creepy dude with the help of a handsome stranger. Logan (said stranger) ends up being more than she bargained for, as a freak accident at the hotel forces them into an arrangement to spare Logan's reputation. Alexis gets a taste of Logan's life and what it means to be the opposite of a "mousy" librarian!

This book has a few of my favorite tropes! I was nervous about the amount of political talk, but it fits in really well with the story. Alexis and Logan are both fun characters and their chemistry is AMAZING! Loved this book, I would highly recommend!

Ashley Winstead did it again! She has quickly become one of my favorite writers. The Boyfriend Candidate is a "spin-off" to her debut romance novel, Fool Me Once, and it did not disappoint. I LOVED Fool Me Once, so reading about Alexis Stone was such a treat. First things first, The Boyfriend Candidate can be read as a stand alone novel with ease. However, Winstead's previous love birds (Lee & Ben) are the cherry on top! They make more than a few cameo appearances, and references to their "love story" are peppered throughout. If you haven't read their story it is OK. It simply is an IYKYK situation, which I really enjoy.

Winstead is back at it blending a classic romance trope with a touch of Texas politics. It is so evident in her writing that she herself is a lover of books and words. She adds in with purpose two things I am passionate about..., a teacher's room romance book club and standing up for banned books, Let's not forget a few music mentions like Wreckless Eric's song, Whole Wide World, and of course, Amarillo By Morning...a nod to all the cowboys and maybe even the 4-H kiddos (Logan). You need to read the book for that part to make sense. She is so great at effortlessly bringing awareness to hot topics while at the same time teasing readers with an off the chart romance!

Alexis and Logan stole my heart. The both truly came into their own as their stories unfolded.. Their fake dating, political dilemmas, and personal baggage make them so much more than a hot politician running for Governor and a small town school librarian. I loved how Winstead kept their "fake" relationship piping hot with conflict and a whole lot of sexual tension. She created a significant amount of "anticipated steam" that kept the pages turning and turning all day long until I reach the end ...SWOON!. I was DYING for these two to pull-it-together and just get together!!!! .

The Boyfriend Candidate is a must read this spring! I am hoping there is a third book in this Texas romance world Winstead created and I even have bets on who it will be about!!!!