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

Fool Me Once by Ashley Winstead may have a cute cover but the content in this book is deep. There are issues of cheating, death or a parent, alcoholism, and drug use. It is very impressive how Ashley Winstread can so strongly write in different genres! This is a very solid romance that has some spice and hilarious moments.


*Thank you so much to the publishers for gifting me an early release copy to give an honest review. My opinions are my own*

Ashley Winstead has done it again! Not only can she write a killer mystery but a swoon-worthy romance too!! The main character, Lee, was extremely relatable and flawed and the love interest, Ben, was honestly the perfect man ngl. This was a fantastic enemies-to-lovers romance that I would recommend to everyone.

Lee Stoner is a mess. Not professionally, professionally she is a total boss babe on a mission to get her beloved Green Machine Bill passed and overhaul the state of Texas. But personally, a total mess. After four major heartbreaks, Lee no longer believes in love or happy endings. She actually goes out of her way to self-sabotage before anyone can hurt her like her father did (her first major heartbreak).

But her fourth major heartbreak, Ben Laderman is her new work partner & they must work together to get Lee’s bill passed. Lee quickly finds out that she actually broke Ben’s heart too, and neither of them fully recovered. But the past has to stay in the past for them to succeed professionally. Which would be a lot easier if Lee wasn’t feeling all these feelings…

Oh my goodness, talk about swoon-worthy! Unrequited love/second chance romances get me every time. What makes Fool Me Once stand out from other books in these tropes is the witty banter. I loved the back and forth between Ben & Lee and devoured this book in two days. This is my favorite romcom I’ve read recently & Ashley Winstead is becoming an auto-read author for me!

WOW. Ashley Winstead can clearly write any genre and write it WELL!!

I recently finished her debut thriller, In my dreams I hold a knife and was completely blown away. I knew I had to immediately go check out her new romance and it sure didn't disappoint either!

This book features Lee Stone aka "Stoner" a woman jaded about love but so passionate about climate change, and in particular a Green Machine bill she's working hard to get passed in Texas. Lee is finally forced to confront her issues with love and trust when Ben, the ex whose heart she broke five years ago comes back to Texas and ends up being her partner to help get the bill passed.

These two have a messy history but both clearly still love one another even if neither will admit it. I loved the many hilarious moments between Ben and Lee, but especially how Ben is always there to support Lee even though most people would have been too hurt to forgive and move on.

While Lee might be a mess in her personal life (she drinks a little too much, parties a little too hard, and enjoys the occasional drug here and there), she isn't afraid to stand up for what she believes in and call out all the rampant sexism in Texas politics.

You definitely want to pre-order this one if you love a great second chance romance, want a good laugh, and can appreciate a truly flawed but relatable heroine who works hard to deal with her issues plus you do not want to miss one of the swooniest book boyfriend alive! I mean it Ben is the DREAM book boyfriend!!

Much thanks to NetGalley, Graydon House and the author for my advance review copy in exchange for an honest review. I absolutely loved this book and couldn't put it down once I started. HIGHLY recommended, especially for fans of Meet me in the middle.

Thank you, NetGalley and Graydon House for providing me with a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

Lee Stone aka Stoner is in and out working hard to make the world a better place. Electric cars in Texas- her dream project is finally getting a chance. It's a risky task, she also gets a partner to convince the authorities- Ben Laderman, her ex-boyfriend. What could go wrong?

Ashley Winstead has done it again! Her debut book is one of my fav thrillers of all time. FMO is the best romance book I have read in a while. The plot, characters, writing are all so good. I loved this workplace romance. This book is funny, emotional, spicy, discusses gender disparity, and more. Highly recommend.

✨𝐑 𝐄 𝐕 𝐈 𝐄 𝐖✨

𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐌𝐞 𝐎𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐀𝐬𝐡𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝

Oh my gosh 😍 this book was exactly what I needed right now. I’ve been in the worst reading slump the last few weeks with no motivation to read anything, but this story brought me back to life!! 🙌🏼📖

This was such a hilarious, second-chance romance with a hard working, ambitious female lead who is flawed just like the rest of us!

👍🏼: I loved the banter, competition & undeniable chemistry between Lee aka “Stoner” & Ben (who pops back into her life 5 years after a disastrous ending). BUT I think I loved Lee’s journey through healing & self-improvement even more. It’s so refreshing to get the perspective of a character who is flawed, but working on loving herself & bettering relationships in her life 💖

I also really enjoyed the political storyline (even though it’s not really my thing) as the characters work to pass an important “green” bill for the state of TX. @ashleywinsteadbooks highlighted the importance of climate change & female voices in a super entertaining way.

👎🏼: I only wanted to shake Lee a few times into making better choices, but in the end her journey made perfect sense!

If you can’t tell, I loved this book!! 😂Recommend putting it on your radar if it isn’t already ☺️

Thanks to @graydonhousebooks @htpbooks @netgalley for the e-ARC✨ this one will be out 4/5!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

After reading In My Dreams, I wasn't sure what to think of this book. But it was amazing. I don't understand the switch in genres but Ashley is an excellent writer. I loved the character of Lee. I always love when authors portray a strong female, independent character. I really love enemies to lovers. This book was great!

2.5 stars rounded up

After I read In My Dreams I Have A Knife last year, I knew I must get my hands on everything else Winstead writes. Once I found out she had a romcom releasing this spring, it landed high on my TBR list! (also the cover!! it is gorg)

Let me start off by saying that this book FUNNY! Winstead did a fabulous job incorporating humor and wit into this romcom and I am eager to see what else she comes up with.

But unfortunately, this one fell flat for me. Initially I could tell that the Stoner would be a unique female lead, but the more I read, the more she annoyed me. She is extremely immature and was hard for me to relate to. On top of that there was SO much infidelity (and i am someone who normally does not get bothered by cheating as long as it doesn't interfere with the MC relationship). I get that it is a theme throughout the book, but it was too much for my personal taste and thought some actions were unforgivable in a relationship. I think it's one of those cases where the MCs needed therapy and not necessarily each other. (seriously questioning stoner's friends and family for not pushing this harder)

I did, however, love Ben. His patience and forgiveness is *unmatched*. There is also a political subplot that I think most readers will enjoy, especially if you want a little more than "just a romcom".

My takeaways - I am hesitant to recommend, but with all of the praise it's getting, maybe there is something I am missing. But if you are someone who does not enjoy infidelity in a book, I would stay far away.

Also want to note that I absolutely would still read another book by this author and I cannot wait to read her next thriller that releases in August!

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

Fresh, smart, and funny. In a sea of modern romances/rom-coms this one stands out. I vacillated between wanting to pull my hair out over Stoner's choices and desperately wanting her to win, the mark of a great book?? In the end I found the storyline relatable and warm in a way that few books accomplish. Thank you netgalley for the arc!

I absolutely adored this book!! A perfectly written romcom - with absolutely hilarious laugh out loud moments.. paired with incredibly profound "real life" scenarios that make you stop and think and reflect. Lee is one of the more flawed, realistic and captivating MCs I've read in a long time. Ben is the absolute gooey-ist cinnamon roll! I love the way this book incorporated so many of my favourite romance tropes, all while stay really bolstering so many important messages. Overall, and incredible romance read... with some real "meat" to it!! Highly recommend!!!

Let me start off by saying if you haven’t read In My Dreams I Hold A Knife, you NEED it! Hats off to this talented author for writing a fantastic thriller and then a rom-com!

Lee is the kind of character I wish I could be more like. She is who she is, and doesn’t take crap from anyone. She is so strong, but also has some major trust issues.


This is a different kind of second chance romance. Stoner is hilarious, flawed, REAL, and heartbroken. Her dad cheated on mother and has been through so many heartaches she no longer believes in love. She’s broken and lost, and then her ex shows up. Cue the tension and sparks that make for a great story!

I did not love Stoner in the beginning of this book, but boy did I love her in the end!

Thank you @netgalley @harlequin and @Ashley for this ARC!

What do you get when you cross my favorite new author with my favorite romantic troupe? My next Five star read and a contestant for my favorite of the year. It’s official, I will now read anything Ashley Winstead Writes! If you loved The Hating Game you will love Fool Me Once! It gave me all the feels. The female protagonist, Lee “Stoner” Stone is ambitious. She is the communications director of a woman owned, electric car company determined to make big changes in her Republican home state of Texas. The only thing standing in her way.. 3 right wing congressmen and the one who got away. Ben Laderman is as handsome as she remembers and just as competitive. Determined not to fall victim to his charms, she sets out on mission to get her bill for clean vehicles passed. Fate, however has other plans for her. It was funny, Spicy, and at times deep, but most of all it was amazing! A must read for 2022!

Four and a Half Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭒
Fool Me Once by Ashley Winstead is a second chance romance where the romance sizzles and delivers a lively story laced with environmental concerns. I loved these characters and was rooting for their happily ever after throughout the entire book.

Lee Stone is a communications director at a woman-owned electric car company similar to Tesla (but better!). She loves her job and is working on an energy initiative for the state of Texas to replace all the state-owned vehicles with all-electric vehicles, manufactured by her company. This would be a boon to her company, and also to the environment and help the state be less dependent on fossil fuels. Lee has always been unlucky in love and has decided to only have short-term affairs with men and never again let her heart be broken.

When she is tasked to meet the Texas Governor, she learns the Governor's new policy expert is her old boyfriend, Ben Laderman, who she hasn’t seen in five years. Can Lee and Ben work together on the policy without re-igniting the old flames?

Lee is brash, ambitious, and sometimes crass, but I loved how the author showed us her vulnerable side, and how she hides her emotions behind that bold exterior. And Ben is equally ambitious and so reluctant to allow himself to be hurt again. His pain in facing his old girlfriend was realistic and heartbreaking. You could see him warring with himself over his present feelings for Lee, and his need to defend himself from heartbreak.

I was immediately drawn into the story and enjoyed the journey with Ben and Lee. Although it was a political story, I didn’t feel like the author beat me over the head with politics.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a steamy, contemporary romance. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Another book where I have mixed opinions about..

Fool Me Once follows Lee Stone, Stoner to her friends, a communication director for an electric car company working on establishing a clean energy bill in Texas. After cheating on her college boyfriend because she thought he had cheated first, he's back in her life working as the governor's policy expert. Will the two manage to put aside their differences to pass the bill, or will the past be too much for them both?

I loved Stoner. She was such a unique voice and I loved seeing her progression throughout the book. Even though I didn't experience what she did growing up, I know I would have reacted the same way so I loved seeing Lee go through that and then learn from it. The scene at the cemetery made me cry because it was so raw.
We really see this woman at her lowest and get back up again. Winstead writes a beautiful individual character without making her "not like other girls" and I appreciated that. I also loved Ben mostly and thought he was a great foil to Lee.

The main problem, and what gave this book a three instead of four stars, is the cheating. The whole book is centered around it and at some points it's made to see... ok? I personally think cheating on someone is unforgiveable in a relationship so I struggled with that a lot.

Overall, I enjoyed Winstead's writing and will definitely pick up any other romance books she writes, but only if she leaves out the cheating.

Our MC Lee is a little unlikeable at times but I appreciated that she wasn’t without flaw. The steam was pretty minor which I didn’t mind but the story never hooked me. Maybe it was the pacing or maybe it was the chemistry between the MCs… but it never really grabbed me. I’d still read more of Ashley’s work in the future!

Hot new romance coming at ya! You have to read this one 💯

❤️‍🔥 REVIEW: FOOL ME ONCE ❤️‍🔥

By @ashleywinsteadbooks

📖 SUMMARY: Lee Stone is a straight-laced, respectable professional… at work, that is. In her personal life, she’s Stoner — an admittedly chaotic party girl who has completely given up on love since her Four Major Heartbreaks. The most recent one was her grad school boyfriend Ben, whom she cheated on in retaliation after finding what she *thought* was evidence of cheating. Imagine her surprise when, five years later, Ben has moved back to Texas from California (where he fled to after Lee broke his heart) and just so happens to be the person she has to work with to achieve her biggest professional dream — getting a bill passed that would make Texas a leader in green energy. Can these former lovers make a professional partnership work without old feelings bubbling up? I’ll give you one guess…

💭 THOUGHTS: I haven’t read any of Winstead’s past work, though it comes HIGHLY recommended, and now I know that I need to after devouring this novel! Reading this felt exactly like watching a Netflix romantic comedy, from the banter to the unbelievable situations that our MC gets herself into. I did find Lee unlikable at first, thanks to her love-is-never-real attitude and insistence (to their faces!!) that even her best friends’ relationships will inevitably come to an end, but I warmed up to her by the end. The book has the perfect recipe for an enjoyable romance: a good backstory, a fast-paced plot, a delicious love interest who is also a feminist icon HEYYY, laugh-out-loud antics, fleshed-out side characters, and all the heartwarming moments you could want. I think we’ll be seeing this one all over bookstagram next month!

Thank you to @netgalley and @harlequinbooks for the ARC. This one comes out April 5!

✨ RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🥰 YOU’LL ENJOY IF: you like the second chance lovers trope and have dreams of battling climate change with public policy