Messy, funny, and full of heart in all the best ways. Alec isn’t your typical YA lead—he’s already been through the reality TV machine and come out the other side bruised, judged, and desperate to make things right. His relationship with Joaquín, the boy he hurt (and maybe still loves), is complicated, layered, and deeply compelling.

Instead of giving us a tidy love story, Hanson leans into the chaos of being young and misunderstood. The fake kisses, road trip vibes, and emotional push-pull between the two leads make the story feel alive. It’s a story about love, yes—but it’s just as much about figuring out who you are when the cameras are off and the script is gone.

An interesting and unusual concept for this 'sort-of' romcom story that is more dramatic than one could think. Alec was very realistic and messy, and the book did a good job at showing how social media can shape our identity and take control of our lives and our desire to be 'likeable' by total strangers. The ending was satisfying too, a nice read overall.

I love queer YA romances and this book hits it out of the park! I think this is the first time I’ve ever read a book revolving around a reality show, and I was hooked! This was my first book by this author, and I can’t wait to read more!

Rating: 4.5 stars
When Alec was sixteen, he was on a very popular television show — a Survivor/Big Brother-esque show called Campfire Wars with high-school aged students — and he won. His edit, however, was less than kind, leaving Alec the villain of the season, with death threats, constant online harassment and hatred, and his parents’ discomfort with how he portrayed himself. Not just as a villain, but a gay villain, who betrayed his showmance boyfriend, Joaquín.

Joaquín was cast as a double minority: ethnic and gay. With his charming personality and handsome looks, he managed to gain quite a fan following, and when Alec betrayed him to win, all of those fans turned on Alec. Joaquín, though, still likes Alec, though more as a friend than a boyfriend, and has asked Alec to join him in a summer trip across the midwest while he takes photographs for his portfolio, which he hopes will win him enough money to go to college.

Alec loves Joaquín, even though they’re just … friends. Friends who kiss, who sleep in the same hotel bed, who cuddle and talk and behave in every way like boyfriends. Alec’s parents aren’t fans of the vacation idea, or the Joaquín idea, but they let Alec go. But when his family’s wildlife rehab center, Golden River, is vandalized, Alec has a choice to make; he can attend the Campfire Wars convention in New York (which will earn him a few thousand from a producer), and maybe earn enough attention to join an All Stars season? Or keep his head down and try to be the good person Joaquín wants him to be.

While Alec is in therapy now, he’s still reeling from everything that took place once he left the show, after the final episode aired and he won the prize money. Money which he put instantly into his family run animal rescue, Golden River. When the rescue is vandalized, Alec doesn’t stop to think if maybe his parents have an answer or a way to get more money; he instead takes it upon himself to do what he can to get more. He’s full of anxiety, nerves, and near-crippling self-doubt. The only thing Alec knows for certain is that he loves Joaquín, and would do anything for Golden Rivers.

Joaquín didn’t win the game and get the prize money, and while he has fans, those fans and social media hearts and likes aren’t going to get him to college. A good portfolio might, and using this vacation to recreate famous scenes from old musicals using a mixed race, gay couple is made easier by having Alec along with him. That, and it gives Alec a chance to be seen by Joaquín’s fans as a good person, someone who doesn’t deserve all the hate he’s getting online.

Alec and Joaquín are two different people with different ideas of love and sex. Joaquín is ready to move beyond hand holding and kissing, but Alec isn’t. Alec gets flustered, uncomfortable, and draws away. It’s why they broke up after the show, really, that lack of compatibility. But Alec is trying this time to be more relaxed, to be more put together, trying so hard to make this road trip work. Because he loves Joaquín.

This is one of those books that I think will work better if you’re not spoiled for the ending, or even for the middle, since the whole story is a long, tense, rising action until the very end where the slow and steady pressure resting on Alec’s shoulders, having been increased bit by bit, finally causes him to do … well, what he decides to do.

Through this whole book, I was very unhappy with the relationship between Joaquín and Alec. Alec, who is a wonderfully voic-y character full of charm, wit, and a desperate earnestness. Watching him contort himself into knots trying to please Joaquín made me uncomfortable. That, combined with the pressures from his parents to constantly call home, his mother’s quiet religion in the background, and it really came to a head when Joaquín told Alec: “[…} if you truly love me, you gotta change that about yourself. You just have to.” Fortunately, Alec —who varied between being besotted and feeling uncomfortable, who gave everything Joaquín said all the grace in the world — actually listened to the words and didn’t just hear what he wanted to her. From that point on, the rush to the ending had Alec standing up for himself, having no few words with Joaquín, and even with his parents who, I was pleased to see, accepted their son with all the love and warmth parents ought to have. And while they are very religious, their acceptance of him was never conditional on his taking part in that religion.

Alec is a great character. He’s trying so hard to make people like him. He’s a seventeen-year-old kid who is hated for his role on a reality television show, and his life defined by those few months. He wants to be in love so badly, he wants to be worthy of being loved so badly … and I will say this for Joaquín, when Alec was having a panic attack in the hotel, Joaquín asked him if he had been in contact with his therapist and suggested calling for a session. He knew Alec needed help and that his therapist would be better for him than Joaquín.

All of the characters in this book, from the producer, Erin, to other Campfire Wars survivors felt real and purposeful. They had opinions, they had backstories, and they had personalities. The writing is strong, the pace is perfect, and I loved the whole thing from start to finish. Please give this book a try! It’s well worth the read if you’re a fan of character-centric stories and coming of age stories.

I went into this thinking I was going to read a romance, and instead read a YA novel about toxic relationships somehow?

The plot of this book was confusing. It seemed like a romance with unlikeable characters up until the very end. It dealt with trauma and unstable emotions in a very real way, but even the characters that were meant to be likeable, came off very flat and boring to me. The plot felt unengaging, and I felt half the book was completely unnecessary

I think the marketing of this book was its downfall. If it was marketed as a book about toxic relationships, obsession, and teenage angst, I think it would have been better, and I would have felt much less confused.

Overall, I wouldn't recommend this book very much, at least not to an audience wanting to read romance. I would only recommend it to readers who want to read emotional literary fictions about messy characters and even messier relationships. To me, it wasn't really worth reading, and I don't think you would be missing anything if you chose not to read it.

A huge thank you Page Street Publishing and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Woah. Talk about a book that puts you on edge. I mean, the whole time, you can tell something's off - that Alec and Joaquin's relationship isn't right. It's not particularly hard to see that Joaquin is stringing Alec along. But what really sells it is that Alec is a fantastic unreliable narrator - his teenage insecurities, complicated emotions, and deep desire to be loved draw you in, and have the reader also questioning whether it really is a simple matter of just 'Joaquin is an asshole', and get you thinking maybe Alec is wrong, or also an asshole, or misinterpreting...
I found this a really compelling portrayal of someone who isn't in a stereo-typically abusive relationship, but one that is at least definitely unhealthy, and coming to terms with the fact that they need to leave..

It took me a lot time to get into this, I didn’t understand the history the characters had or why everyone hated Alec so much. And to be honest the Alec hate still doesn’t make that much sense to me. He was just someone who was painted as the villain on that reality show.

There is lots of pinning over an ex in this and the character development with that part of the plot is really good! Plus the banter is really nice.

The relationship for this book was pretty complicated and messy but at the same time there was love there, sometimes one sided other times mutual. In the end it was an entertaining read with lots of emotion behind it. This felt like a more realistic romcom, the characters weren’t perfect, nor the relationship, there was actual depth and issues that made this have the realistic feeling to it

Plot: 6/10
Pace: 7/10
Ending: 8/10
Characters: 7/10
Enjoyability: 7/10
Writing Style: 7/10
Would I Recommend? Yes
Favorite Character: Alec

Favorite Quote: ❝ Months and months of changing myself in dozens of ways, of trying so hard to be likable and worthy, and these people still hate me. They've had me feeling like I'm evil, caught up in my emotions, like | deserve this, but really, what's my crime here? ❞

Messy. Messy. Messy. Alec and Joaquin were both contestants on a Survivor-style reality competition show for teens. As token gays on the show, Joaquin was cast as the golden boy and Alec as the backstabbing villain. And Alec won the season by voting his boyfriend Joaquin off, cementing him as a snake to the fans. He's spent the last year trying to repair his image online.
Told from Alec's POV, we see his desperation. Desperate to win Joaquin back, to be "good," to save his family business, to be liked by Campfire Wars fans.
Now, Alec and Joaquin are on a road trip together, and their relationship is... messy. Are they friends? Boyfriends? Turns out the "golden boy" might be keeping secrets from Alec. And as Alec starts to come to terms with who he really is and who he wants to be, outside of others' perceptions, he also has to reckon with who Joaquin really is.

I received this ARC from publisher @pagestreetya through @netgalley. The opinions are my own.

America's Not-So-Sweetheart was just released on June 17, 2025, and is available at booksellers now.

this book really surprised me. tbh i expected something entirely different and was given something a million times better than i could have ever imagined.

Alec is a phenomenal protagonist. his inner thoughts were fascinating, and i loved being there with him as he worked through things. he's a complex character with complex goals that no one is really sure of until they're achieved. it worked SO WELL.

and this is the book's largest strength: the emotional complexity of its characters. and everyone has layers and layers to them. like there's some top tier character work going on here that most writers would struggle with, but Blair delivers it beautifully.

i love how it plays out almost like a sneaky reality tv season. the speculation, the lying, the alliances...it's brilliant. and i loved the commentary on reality tv.

really great read here. and the ending was perfect.

This book took up so much space in my brain! I really loved reading it. I never knew who I could really trust and who was the real antagonist of this story and I’m still not entirely sure if I’m being honest. I loved the twists and turns this story took and the lies and deception between the two MMC’s. I think if you want to read a fiction novel with some toxic m/m romance representation that feels like a trash tv show (said with love im a how for trash tv) you need to read this book! I think that’s there might be another book after this one I’m not entirely sure but the cover says 1/4 which leads me to believe there might be another, I really hope there is lol!

First of all, a moment for that cover, okay?? Stunning.

Alec and Joaquin were both contestants on a teen Survivor-esque reality show called Campfire Wars. Their showmance was a highlight of the season until an 11th hour move caused Joaquin to be voted out and left Alec the winner. Despite wanting the prize money for his parents' wildlife rehabilitation facility, Alec was branded a villain across social media. Now he's looking for rehab of his own: he's hoping to change his image and agrees to go on a cross-country roadtrip with Joaquin.

The more I read, the more I felt like I was missing huge chunks of the story. There's absolutely NO backstory whatsoever, we're simply told Alec was this ultimate villain deserving of brutal hate (even resulting in vandalization of the wildlife center). I didn't get that at all. The 'romance' between these two was also frustrating. Alec is still pining after his ex, Joaquin states multiple times he doesn't want to get back together, but is still more than happy to make-out, sleep together, be touchy-feely.

I was lured in my a fantastic cover, I wish the story lived up to it.

Alec and Joaquín met on the set of Campfire Wars, a teen reality show. There they started a showmance, but in a brutal move Alec voted Joaquín off to win the show. Now Alec is one of the most hated villains in the shows history while Joaquín is one of the most adored. Despite this, Joaquín forgave Alec and they went on to be friends. Alec wants nothing more than redemption arc and to win back Joaquín's heart. We see two very different sides of Alec in this book. The one who cares about his parents nonprofit wildlife sanctuary and the cutthroat, competitive one. He's messy, complicated, wants to do good, and still very much in love with Joaquín. For much of the novel we're not quite clear about what Joaquín's wants or his motives, but we have some suspicions. Honestly, this entire book was just full of red flags and I was just waiting for when the bomb would drop. While this wasn't my favorite read, I was invested enough to keep going until the end.

Two former exes and reality tv stars go on a road trip as feelings, betrayals, and money all come into play. Alec Braud has been labeded labeled as the biggest TV villain after his season on the hit teen reality show Campfire Wars. Alec is still reeling from his showmance with Joaquín Delgado and his betrayal of Joaquín which lead to the public hating him. Alec needs money though to help his parents' wildlife rehabilitation center and for Joaquín to forgive him. Joaquín was the golden boy of the season and he asks Alec to go with him on a roadtrip to recreate classic movie kisses. Alec is obsessed with getting Joaquín to fall in love with him again and with possibly attending the CW convention to get a chance to get his family more money. Alec is offered the chance to go on the new season of the show.. but can he figure out what he wants? THIS IS NOT A ROMANCE. I REPEAT THIS IS NOT A ROMANCE. This book was NOT for me. It was about a main character who is constantly whining, who has no backbone, who just desperately needs to be liked by everyone and is so toxic. The character is unlikeable and barely grows at all. Like I honestly rooted for no one in this entire book and forced myself to finish it to see how it would go... and honestly I don't see myself recommending this to anyone.

Release Date: June 17, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Page Street Publishing | Page Street YA for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

this one just wasn’t for me i'm afraid. it was a quick & easy read for sure, and i enjoyed the writing & would definitely be interested in seeing what else this author puts out.

i just didn’t enjoy either of the main characters & couldn’t work out what story this was trying to tell or message it was trying to send. i think there could have been something really interesting in here about reality tv and how social media is used to villainize and bully, particularly marginalized communities, but it never quite... got there. i wasn't overly invested in our two leads "working it out" and just felt pretty ambivalent at the end.

LGBTQ Coming of Age
Reality TV/Roadtrip YA

DNF @ 25%


I’m the problem, I think? I don’t know how or why I did this to myself but I have so many reality tv arcs when I only watch a couple shows in real life. This one could be interesting because it’s about villains and getting one’s image back after being hated by the viewers. However, this starts after the reality show Campfire Wars has ended already and it’s affecting my interest because I don’t have the backstory necessary to care about Joaquin or Alec. They had a showmance and one betrayed the other but we don’t see any of that and only have Alec’s POV telling us about it. Then because Campfire Wars is a made up show, I don’t know how anyone even gets betrayed so it makes the book feel one dimensional especially when it’s only in one POV. However, this isn’t marketed correctly either because the cover screams romance as did the blurb when in reality this is a coming of age type story. That said, there is fantastic pining and they seem to have good banter between them so maybe it will get to a place where the romance is worth it but there’s also miscommunication galore and it’s too messy and annoying right now for me to get into.

Thanks for the arc netgalley but I’m the problem here.

Just because you won doesn't mean the game is over. Alec is the winner of "Campfire Wars," the ruthless teen reality show. He played a cutthroat game and burned his showmance with Joaquin and his reputation to the ground. But when Joaquin asks Alec to help with a project on a week-long road trip, Alec jumps at the opportunity to rekindle their romance and repair his image along the way. Like any good reality show, there's no shortage of drama and frequency of twists and turns along the way may frustrate some readers while delighting others. By focusing on what happens after the show, Hanson courageously avoids the trappings of recent popular publishing trends, but the picture painted of Alec’s and Joaquin's time on the show feels more compelling than the story being told. While the romance is often outshone by backstabbing, the story excels in its quieter moments where the complexities of fame, romance, and inclusion are the focus. A supplementary addition to for libraries looking to expand their teen collections.

This concept is so cool! I love the idea of a relationship where you don’t know what’s real and what’s for the cameras. In my opinion, this would’ve worked better told chronologically before the fallout. I had no connection to these characters because everything that happened to them was before the book started and the main character was just trying to win him back. This cover is stunning and fits the story well. I ended up DNF’ing at 30% after a flashback scene because I wasn’t invested in the characters at all even with the context of what happened previously. This wasn’t bad in any way but I don’t feel like there’s enough plot to keep me invested for 250 more pages.

Thank you so much to Blair Hanson and Page Street Publishing for the ARC of America's Not-So-Sweetheart!

This is a standout YA debut. Alec, a former reality show contestant still dealing with a villain edit and social media backlash, embarks on a road trip with his ex-showmance Joaquín... a relationship that quickly reveals itself to be more toxic than tender.

I was deeply moved by how genuine and emotionally complex this story is. Alec’s anxiety and identity struggles are raw and relatable, and Joaquín’s manipulative behavior is explored with nuance. The writing feels organic and immersive, pulling you deep into Alec’s head as he navigates fame, self-worth, and impossible expectations.

Some of the pacing was a bit uneven, and the characters occasionally felt older than their ages, but overall this book was gripping and thought-provoking. I loved how it blurred moral lines and didn’t shy away from emotional messiness. A must-read for fans of introspective, character-driven YA.

I think this book just wasn't for me. It was very messy and dramatic. I can imagine the appeal, but I'm not the intended audience.

America’s Not So Sweetheart focuses on Alec Braud who is recovering from the aftermath of appearing and winning a reality TV show that is Survivor for teens. He won, but there was a cost and that was him being hated by thousands of viewers for being evil or one of the villains. Anyone who has watched the plethora of that kind of show knows that there’s always a villain or two and some handle it and some don’t. Alec had good intentions though, and wanted the money to help his parents with their non-profit animal shelter so we all know he has some redeeming factors even if the masses in the book don’t or don’t care. Because, Alec hurt the good guy and now he’s on a redemption arc to restore his good name and perhaps something more along the way, like getting back the boy he double-crossed in ‘Camp Wars’.

I would have liked to see glimpses of why he became the villain and some flashbacks perhaps to give us more of an insight as to how he took the path he did. Because quite frankly, I can understand and sympathise with a teenager who wants to help his parents out of debt and the animals he cares about; especially if it's like any of the shows that air where you know some of it is scripted and twisted for views. I liked how the author wrote the teenage characters, not just Alec but Joaquín who’s his ex and other teens who have been on various seasons of the show, they all feel very real and they all voice issues about the sudden fame they’ve received etc but also their day to day issues may resonate with readers.

What does stand out about America’s Not So Sweetheart isn’t even the story that focuses on Alex but how the author shines a light on reality TV and how many failings there are with representation, support for cast both during and after the season airs. As one character points out, they bring in nobodies who have no concept of public relations etc, and then cast them aside when their job is done. Everything is about the numbers, the views and the money the companies can get and people are fodder to them. It’s carried on throughout the book in such a fluid manner, from conversations between the teens over how they were treated, to having to say things in a stereotypical manner for their race or sexual identity, as well as Alec’s internal monologue of his own experience or to what he saw. It also demonstrated why I would become frustrated as to why Alec was portrayed as the villain, it’s primarily down to those who make these kinds of shows and not in this case, a teenager.

I will be honest and say this wasn’t a favourite of my recent reads, I was often frustrated by things, and not just as I’ve said repeatedly Alec’s forced persona but also I found myself hating Joaquín and his hot and cold treatment of Alec which often felt like a punishment for what has happened on air. He’d promise something only to snatch it away just as quickly.. The reader will no doubt see the red flags between the two boys and I dearly wish they would both realise what they’re doing to one another; there’s a vast difference between a messy relationship and what we see with these two teens. This is not a romance novel though, and I guarantee they wouldn't have even kissed if they hadn’t been brought together in the show where they’re isolated from the world.

All in all, I was invested in the story but there is so much that is missing from the events of the book that has me left wondering just how bad Alec was that he became so vilified that he needs a redemption arc to begin with. Because lying to a showmance partner as Alec calls his relationship with Joaquín which leads to him being the winner is mean yes, but also the point of these shows is last person standing - you sometimes hurt people you don’t want to get to the end.