Great chemistry and I loved the political need for fake dating. They kept their feelings from one another quite a bit but it made sense for the situation so it didn’t bother me in this story. Loved the couple and the slow burn!

Thank you to the tagged publisher and @kayepublicity for my #gifted copy in exchange for an honest review! I was beyond excited when I received this in the mail and binged it ASAP! Also, my goal will be to eventually get a signed copy of this one to add to my other collection of Ashley Winstead signed books 🤩 I had the pleasure of meeting Ashley at the end of April at the LA TIMES FESTIVAL OF BOOKS, and she is an absolute gem and signed my copies of her books for me & was sweet enough to gift me an ARC of her up-coming thriller MIDNIGHT IS THE DARKEST HOUR, which publishes on 10/3/2023! Thank you @ashleywinsteadbooks 🤗



✨𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐈 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤?

Winstead does it again with her new up-coming romance🙌🏻 How can one author be this talented?! I mean—from writing A-M-A-Z-I-N-G thriller books, being so sweet, and being able to write some of the best romance books I have read?! I think it takes pure talent for an author to cross over from one genre to another, and do it where they absolutely slay at both! I absolutely loved Ashley’s previous romance called FOOL ME ONCE, and this one was just as fun and addictive.This is such a super fun romcom fake-dating trope with characters that I became so invested in. The MC-Alexia-is shy, nerdy, and a book lover📚 and she crosses paths with the suave sexy Texan, Logan (swoon-worthy!) I love the relationship between Alexia and Logan! I also enjoyed that Ashley connected this book to her previous romance, FOOL ME ONCE, by making Alexia the sister of the MC from FOOL ME ONCE-how fun and creative! Although this book is a romcom, it does have more depth to it and a few real-life relatable moments throughout, and I absolutely loved and adored every moment of it!

✨𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐃𝐢𝐝 𝐈 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤?

I loved every bit of this one, but if I had to pick one thing I guess it would be that this one, like FOOL ME ONCE, does include some political talk throughout, which I don’’t necessarily enjoy in my books as they are my escape from the real world. Other than that bit, this was pure perfection from Winstead, yet again!

✨𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤?

EVERYONE! Go-pick-this-one-up-NOW! Trust Me! Especially if you enjoy romcoms with LOL moments, fake dating tropes, sexy chemistry, and some very likable and fun MC’s.


𝐌𝐲 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫4.5/5

This book was an easy grab for me because FAKE DATING y'all!! I mean how could I not, when the fake dating trope is quite literally the best trope on the entire planet! No but seriously, this book grabbed my attention almost instantly, and I fell head over heels for their love and chemistry! They were sweet and cute, but also had a passion to them that made it so juicy to read!

I absolutely ate this book up in one sitting and enjoyed every moment of it! It was fun, easy to read, and overall the plot was super well thought out and cute!

Definitely one of those books I'll be picking up again and recommending for book club!

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

"The Boyfriend Candidate," by Ashley Winstead, is a perfect cozy, snuggly, comfort-food-like read. It tells the story of Alexis Stone, a shy reclusive librarian, who, after 2 years, is still trying to get over her last breakup. One night, she decides to let go of her inhibitions at a popular bar in Texas and meets Logan Arthur. Oblivious to the fact that Logan is a Gubernatorial candidate in the upcoming state election, Alexis is shocked when incriminating photos of her and Logan are published in the press. To save his campaign, Logan asks Alexis to pretend to be his girlfriend for the remainder of the election cycle. This leads to a series of rather cliche events during which they both begin to question their true feelings for eachother..

Alexis and Logan are thoughtful, likeable, and fun characters, whom readers with come to cheer for. Although the book is predictable, anybody who is looking for a lovely escape for a few hours, will love "The Boyfriend Candidate."

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collings for the ARC.

I could not put this book down and I easily finished it in two days! Not only is the plot entertaining, the writing is phenomenal. Ashley Winstead can take a popular trope and create a story so unique, it’s as if every book written before had actually followed her lead. This refreshing take on fake dating is hilarious, heartfelt, and captivating. I laughed until I cried multiple times but also shed a few tears. I honestly cannot recommend this book highly enough!

I swear, the chemistry between Alexis and Logan is electric! Their banter is hilarious and their personality differences complement each other perfectly. Even if you aren’t a fan of politics, you’ll find yourself rooting for Logan Arthur for Governor before the halfway mark! This five star read will stay with you long after the final page.

Fool Me Once was one of my favorite romances of 2022, so I was thrilled to see that Ashley Winstead wrote another romance in the same "universe" as that one. The Boyfriend Candidate follows Alexis Stone (younger sister of Fool Me Once's main character Lee) as she navigates her way through the lingering bad feelings of an extremely painful breakup that shook her confidence and left her feeling incompetent in more than just love. Out one night seeking a one-night stand to give herself a boost and a much needed reset, Alexis connects with Logan, a Democratic candidate for Texas governor who needs to carefully manage his image in the weeks leading up to the election.... and long story short, we embark on one of the best "fake dating" romances I've ever read. Ashley Winstead has a genuine gift for creating deeply relatable, REAL characters and putting them in situations that make them bloom, and so far she's crafted two of my favorite book boyfriends of all time. I can't wait to see what she does next. 100/10, put this on your spring reading list IMMEDIATELY.

The Boyfriend Candidate was such a delight!! If you loved Fool Me Once, you'll be glad to see similar vibes but a totally different heart with Alexis Stone centering the book. I was so excited to dive into this one and it did not disappoint! I loved seeing Alexis find herself and really set out on her own path as the book progressed and Logan is a perfect dreamy steamy love interest. The way they both grow throughout the story and their relationship grows too was super sweet - I was rooting for them to get it together and get together the whole time!

Pick this up if you love romance with a side of heart, fake dating, plenty of antics (including a pinch of political intrigue), a little pining, and a whole lot of cute!

WOW! Absolutely loved this book. As a teacher I loved the education element of this book, and the chemistry between Logan & Alexis was SWOON. The characters, dialogue, and plot were all amazing. Grateful for the chance to read this!

The Boyfriend Candidate by Ashley Winstead is an absolutely delightful rom-com that will leave you grinning from ear to ear! Alexis Stone, a shy and reserved school librarian, decides to shake things up by having her first one-night stand with Logan, a handsome and outspoken stranger she meets at a hotel bar. However, a freak lightning storm and a hotel fire lead to their embarrassing escape being caught on camera, and it turns out Logan is a hotshot politician running for governor.

What follows is a hilarious and heartwarming journey as Alexis and Logan navigate their fake relationship in order to save his political career and her job. With witty banter, steamy romance, and plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, The Boyfriend Candidate is the perfect escape from reality. You'll root for Alexis and Logan as they learn to embrace living outside their comfort zones and discover that sometimes the best things in life come from taking risks. If you're looking for a fun and feel-good read, look no further than The Boyfriend Candidate!

Alexis is an introverted librarian trying to get over a break-up and decides to try a one-night stand at a local bar. She meets Logan after he helps get rid of a sleaze-ball guy trying to hit on her. A perfect one-night stand. Until it isn't. And then the fake dating begins... and who doesn't like a fake dating trope when the 2 participants have such hot chemistry for each other. Always a frustrating scenario for everyone involved, including the reader. This was such an enjoyable read for me. I loved the characters and the story, especially when there are animals involved in parts of it.

I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH!
Literally my favorite book Ashley Winstead’s ever written. It was so good. I think what really sealed the deal for me though was the author’s note at the end 💔 It explained so much about some of the content of the book and it was so heart wrenching.

It hardly happens, but I truly loved every single character in this book. Logan was perfect, and I found Alexis to be extremely relatable- moreso than Lee was in Fool Me Once. Lee wasn’t my favorite in that book, but she definitely grew on me in this one. I feel like we go to see a different side of her, a fiercely protective and more down to earth chilled out version. I really enjoyed that. I gritted my teeth a bit when her condition for endorsing Logan was that she had to go on a date with Ben’s brother, because surely she would have known how bad the fall out would be if Alexis got caught out with Will. Being a politician herself. That seemed a bit selfish to me, but I guess she realized soon after the fact that Alexis and Logan were catching real feelings for each other.

I loved Logan’s entire demeanor. I really wish there were more politicians like him. The cussing kind, so passionate about certain topics that they just bulldoze their way through debates. Honest. Relatable. I was heartbroken when he didn’t end up winning governor, I kept waiting for there to be a recount or something, but I think he did find his calling at the end. The way he was around Alexis… SWOOON! He was such a good book boyfriend, I could just go on and on.

Thank you SO much, Netgalley, for my advanced copy of this! I loved it so much and will be purchasing a physical copy when it releases!

SHE DOES IT AGAIN!!! I swear this woman writes books JUST FOR ME! AN alternate world where Texas has viable democrats?? A brunette, grumpy, genuine male MC? A LIBRARIAN Female MC??? Fake dating?????? It is wonderful. Also I cried. And I got goosebumps and it was just ALL AROUND A GREAT TIME

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the Arc.

The Boyfriend Candidate by Ashley Winstead
FIVE OF THE HUGEST STARS

I absolutely LOVED this book! I loved it. L.O.V.E.D. I.T.

The Boyfriend Candidate follows Alexis, a school librarian who has decided to take charge and move on from a bad break up. She's going to make un-Alexis-like choices and just take and have a good time. Enter Logan. Logan and Alexis meet at a bar, she's going to make him her one night stand and he's just trying to have a drink after a hard day. Ruby Dangerfield, as Alexis introduces herself, has a wild and interesting life and after a night of hearing her tales Logan decides he's up to take the one night stand risk. Of course...drama...and Logan disappears into the night. Alexis finds out the next morning that Logan is actually a politician in the middle of a hot race and now his team needs to do some damage control. Now we have fake dating.

Alexis and Logan are so freaking adorable. I really enjoyed how this entire story played out, it really couldn't have ended better. I laughed and cried and was on the edge of my seat so many times. I shouted at them to just TALK ALREADY! If you enjoy the fake dating to love trope then this book is for you. Even if you just like a good romance, this book is for you!

HUGE thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the opportunity.

The Boyfriend Candidate- 3.25⭐️ 3🌶️

As a shy school librarian, Alexis Stone is comfortable keeping out of the spotlight. But when she’s dumped for being too meek—in bed!—the humiliation is a wake-up call. She decides she needs to change, and what better way to kick-start her new more adventurous life than with her first one-night stand?

Enter Logan, the gorgeous, foul-mouthed stranger she meets at a hotel bar. Logan is audacious and filterless, making him Alexis’s opposite—and boy, do opposites attract! Just as she’s about to fulfill her hookup wish, the hotel catches fire in a freak lightning storm—and in their rush to escape, Logan is discovered carrying her into the street, where people are waiting with cameras. Cameras Logan promptly—and shockingly—flees.

Alexis is bewildered until breaking news hits: pictures of her and Logan escaping the fire are all over the internet. It turns out Logan is none other than Logan Arthur, the hotshot politician challenging the Texas governor’s seat. The salacious images are poised to sink his career—and jeopardize Alexis’s job—until a solution is proposed: to squash the scandal, he and Alexis could pretend to be in a relationship until election day…in two months. What could possibly go wrong?

✨My Oponion✨

This was a great palate cleanser for me to get caught up in between fantasy series! It was fun, light hearted and a romcom based in the world of Texas democratic politics.

the character arc of the FMC was a bit fast. Going from shy younger sister of a Texas democrat senator to a force to be reckoned with of her own in an instant. She made up for it by having a passion for her field of work and ending up being someone who knows her worth.

The MMC’s character arc is also really good, although less dramatic.

Rom-com
Opposites attract
Insta-lust
Slow burn
Forced proximity
Fake dating
Miscommunication trope
Close sisters

The chapter titles gave away the plot, and instead of thinking they were cute, I just ignored them.

It was also a lot of politics. Being a democrat focused book, I think it may be ok for people who may be republicans to enjoy because it focuses on candidates from the same party and not two from opposing parties. The point is more about the institution vs the little guy than republican vs democrat.

*thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing, Graden House and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Boyfriend Candidate by Ashley Winstead is a captivating romance sure to give you the feels with a fascinating story & sizzling chemistry all set in the midst of a grueling gubernatorial race in Texas. When strangers at a bar become front page news after the hotel they escaped to becomes aflame from a shocking lightning storm, the shy elementary school librarian, Alexis Stone, & hotshot candidate, Logan Arthur will never be the same.

Once I started this book, I was fully engrossed to the point that I finished this in two days! The journey that these two go on is sure to have you flipping the pages. I loved that they are on very different paths & going through very unique times, but together they create such a powerful force. It was a joy to watch Alexis go from down on her luck librarian that was recently broken up with to the person she was at the end of the book. I’ll keep it vague because of spoilers but it is an inspiring & heartwarming read.

Thanks to the precarious situation the two leads are in, there are moments where wires get crossed. I am usually someone fully against the miscommunication trope, however this is one of the only books that does it where it makes sense & is handled with such grace.

After reading the acknowledgments of this book, it helped me finally pinpoint what made this book so special. It’s the heart & all the emotions, which are perfectly balanced so that it feels extremely realistic & tugs on the reader’s heartstrings the exact amount.

If you are looking for a unique romance book with fantastic individual journeys & dynamic chemistry, I highly recommend The Boyfriend Candidate! I enjoyed this one so much!


Massive thanks to NetGalley & Graydon House for the free arc, which I voluntarily read & reviewed!

I will post this on social media & Amazon around release date & add links once I do.

A very highly anticipated read for me, and it did not disappoint! If she writes it, I’m gonna read it. I loved the chapter titles! Logan made me LOL on numerous occasions. Absolutely love his personality and his commentary. Alexis is such a lovable MC and I was so invested in her story. This was definitely a slow burn read, so buckle in. Fake dating + grumpy/sunshine = a happy lil reader named Delaney. If you love a romance read, I would 100% recommend you read this one!

Thank you to the author & publisher for an ARC.

Oh my! The Boyfriend Candidate was SUCH a fun read that I gobbled it up in one sitting!

I absolutely loved Winstead's previous novel FOOL ME ONCE, so I was tickled when I realized that Stoner's sister was getting a story of her own!

The setup of the story was so fun - and awkward. Alexis just wanted to get out of her comfort zone, and she was thrown into the fire instead! (almost literally) This has all of my favorite (when done right) tropes going on: the fake boyfriend, the slow burn romance, the one-night stand gone wrong.

I also appreciate a main character who is SMART and passionate about what she does, and in this story, she doesn't just sit by and play the cute girlfriend - she makes the best of an uncomfortable situation to make real change in the world, too. It was something I wasn't expecting given how initially introverted and lacking in self-confidence her character was written.

The characters were fun and flawed (in a good way), the story was sexy without getting too graphic, and it was a fast and easy read. I'm always annoyed when things go sideways when a simple conversation (and the honest truth) would clear things up, but Winstead handled this trope well enough for me.

Boyfriend candidate

Thank you so much to the sweetest Ashley Winstead for the digital ARC of The Boyfriend Candidate! I have had it preordered forever, but couldn’t get my hands or eyes on this fast enough! As always with my reviews for her, buckle up and get ready for a gush fest! I am forever in awe of the way Ashley is able to change genres from the darkest thriller to this laugh out loud romcom! I will forever be first in line to read anything she writes! Not only does she come out with five star book after five star book, she is the kindest human! So responsive and sweet and she has her wine fridge in her author bio 😂

While not a sequel, we do get to revisit our old friend Lee Stone from Fool Me Once and see how she is making waves in the political world, as well as a little more background of her and her sister. So while reading Fool Me Once before The Boyfriend Candidate isn’t necessary to enjoy the story, I still highly recommend Fool Me Once and will say I loved catching up with the same characters! Also love that the titled chapters are back!! How many times can I say love in this review?? 😂 Politics are prevalent in Boyfriend Candidate, but I would say not as much so as Fool Me Once. If I was forced to pick a favorite, it would be Boyfriend Candidate and Alexis and Logan 😍 Logan is completely swoon-worthy! I loved that Alexis is a librarian who is so passionate about sticking up for what she believes in and is really finding herself. She’s trying to prove her own self worth and was so relatable! I really empathized with Alexis and her struggles. The chemistry between Alexis and Logan is there from the first meetup and continues throughout with a heavy layer of sexual tension! Starting with Alexis planning to step out of her comfort zone and have a one night stand and then progressing into fake dating that man who she gave a fake name and backstory! 🤣 I can’t remember the last time a book has kept me up past midnight! It just flows so well, I could not stop reading and couldn’t believe when I looked at the clock and saw the time! This book just has it all and I know will be a huge hit when it hits shelves May 9th!
Then after absolutely adoring this novel, I got to the acknowledgments. And 🥺😭. As a fellow daddy’s girl, it had me in my feels. Ashley, I cannot imagine how difficult it was for you to copy edit this and I have no doubt your dad would have loved this book just like he loved all your previous work and you! 🫶🏼🫶🏼

Ashley Winstead had easily become a favorite author of mine. I love that she can write different genres of books and write them so well, too!

The Boyfriend Candidate was a fantastic book filled with interesting characters. The writing was excellent and the plot was unique. This was a joy to read. I definitely recommend this book to other readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I want to thank NetGalley and Harlequin trade publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book was so good! As a lover of the fake dating trope, it’s hard to find a unique take on it! This story is about Alexis and Logan. Alexis is a school librarian who wants to be more adventurous. Logan is a politician running for office in Austin, Texas. After a photo of the night Alexis and Logan first met hits the news, the campaign decides to have the two fake date to save face. This is a slow burn and is only told from Alexis’ POV, so we don’t get a peek into Logan’s mind. We could definitely tell that it wasn’t fake for him though!

This is perfect for someone who loved The Love Hypothesis!
🇺🇸Politician and Librarian
❤️Fake dating
❤️Slow Burn
🥺 Swoony Moments
🌶 A couple open door scenes

You won’t regret picking this one up!