Thank you to @netgalley, @harlequinbooks, and @graydonhousebooks for this review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Kicking the new year off right with Ashley Winstead’s forthcoming rom-com, 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘽𝙤𝙮𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙙𝙖𝙩𝙚! This is a follow-up to last year’s 𝙁𝙤𝙤𝙡 𝙈𝙚 𝙊𝙣𝙘𝙚 (which I also adored!), but this time focusing on Lee’s younger sister, Alexis. We are back in Texas, and we kick the novel off with Alexis trying to find a one-night stand to take her mind off her (loser) ex-boyfriend. Insert meet cute and here comes our leading man, gubernatorial candidate Logan Arthur.

I mentioned that I loved Winstead’s earlier foray into the rom-com genre, but honestly? I loved this one even more! This has all the fun political vibes, but with a protagonist I identify more strongly with — an introverted, public school librarian with a need of a confidence boost.

I just adored Alexis and this entire story. I was happy to be back in the land of Lee Stone, who is a secondary character here, and all the friends from the earlier novel. But this one has a better love story (seriously, Logan — *swoon*) and one of my favorite tropes — fake dating.

Beyond this, there was a great sub-theme involving Alexis truly diving deeper through personal reflection to not only find her own passion (separate from her love interest) and learning more about her family. I really loved watching that part of the story unfold.

This was pure fun, start to finish, with heart in the middle. I loved the characters, I enjoyed the plot, and I finished it all in one day. I adored it.

Also, the acknowledgements/author’s note made me cry. So. 😭

If you loved 𝙁𝙤𝙤𝙡 𝙈𝙚 𝙊𝙣𝙘𝙚, you definitely want to pick this one up when it drops on May 9! Ashley, I love your rom-com books and I hope you keep writing in this space.

Cute, but I really had to roll my eyes at some of the political things because they were so unrealistic. I would be interested in seeing what Winstead writes in the future, but am not sure if I'd read it.

The Boyfriend Candidate by Ashley win stead published may 2023. When a meek librarian goes out for a one night stand. She ends up helping a possible candidate for governor of Texas. I did not like the female character at all. She tried to want you to believe she was meek and shy. But I felt she used this to make her pawn to help her self esteem. I was not cheering for a hea

I wanted to enjoy this but found both the main character and the love interest to be super annoying and one note. Not for me.

Loved the book; stayed up until 2:30AM to finish it. The characters were well developed and had an interesting journey. However the complication with Alexis goingl on a date with her sisters brother in law just didn’t make sense: that her sister would ask knowing what a risk it would be to Logan’s campaign and that Alexis would agree to go against their agreement not to date anyone else when they were in the homestretch of the campaign. I understand why the author used it to keep Alexis and Logan apart, but it was too out of character given the circumstances. I would still recommend it, though.

I love Ashley Winstead! She is a must read author for me now, This book definitely did not disappoint, I loved the main couple and I loved the ending!