Ashley Winstead wrote one of my favorite books of 2021, In My Dreams I Hold a Knife. I didn’t think she even wrote romance until I went back to look at her list of published books and saw that I had indeed read one before. It was good, average, sort of forgettable. But this one? I loved it.

Elementary school librarian, Alexis, at a bar to push herself out of her comfort zone, picks up hot Texas politician, Logan. What ensues is a fake-dating, opposites-attract situation with so much charm and chemistry I couldn’t put it down. The main characters carry the show with this book, but the supporting cast is delightful, too.

4/5 Stars – I highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, Graydon House for this complimentary ARC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Like if Beto were single, got involved in a slight scandal and fake dating were the only solution. Alexis Stone is a quiet shy librarian who only her only night trying to live out loud as an alter persona, finds herself literally wrapped up in Logan Arthur, a hot shot Democrat running for Governor in Texas. In order to help his campaign from scandal, they form a fake relationship that obviously (and we love it!) has very real feelings. Fun and sexy, this was delightful read until the last 15%. No spoilers but I'm not quite sure I needed art to imitate life quite this much.

I was just thinking about a political rom-com when I found out about this book (after watching Scandal, again). I had really high hopes for it and I was not disappointed.

Alexis is a very relatable character and I feel like her growth throughout the book of what she really wanted out of life was a good representation for an introvert. I feel like a lot of times, the quiet and shy character are pushed out of their comfort zone and end up staying there. Having Alexis realize that that is not wants she actually wants is so much more realistic.

Logan is exactly want I want out of a leading man. He’s a total hottie (obviously) but he’s also not afraid of being emotional. He’s passionate about things outside of the relationship and not afraid to make himself look bad.

This book does have pretty strong political leanings that may turn off some readers, but it wasn’t a deal breaker for me. Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me an advanced copy.

The Boyfriend Candidate by Ashley Winstead is wholesome with hints of steam (as will become obvious with the premise). When Alexis decides it's time to prove her ex wrong (the man had the audacity to say she's underwhelming in bed), she goes to a bar with the goal of picking up a one night stand. Enter Logan, a mystery man who she instantly clicks with. Unfortunately, a fire cuts their night short, and Logan runs off into the night. It's not until later that she realizes that Logan is running for governor of Texas, and pictures of them are all over the news. Now, Logan needs her help to prove that he's a serious political figure who has a girlfriend, not a playboy with a one night stand. Now Alexis is in the deep end, both politically and emotionally, but it'll all be over in two months when Logan's elected, right?

What I loved most about this book was that, while Logan was certainly a dreamy and likable character, I was more captivated by our main girl and her journey. On the surface of the novel, the gubernatorial race and Logan's chances of winning are the main plot driver, but Alexis's personal growth is the main event. It was lovely seeing her become the heroine of her own story, maintaining boundaries, and learning from her mistakes. She's refreshing. When referencing the romance novels that she adores, she's talking about the heroines and their bravery or tenacity, not lusting after the hero. Instead of hoping someone would come and sweep her off her feet, she becomes the kind of person she admires and fights for her own political beliefs.

My only critiques were that I felt the scene transitions were a bit abrupt at times and I generally dislike when two extremely intelligent people are somehow unable to grasp that they have mutual attraction for one another. Despite these small nitpicks, The Boyfriend Candidate was the perfect read to take me to a better place on a lazy Saturday.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’m completely obsessed.
I went into this one really on the fence. When I read the FMC was a librarian I was sold… because I’m a librarian 😂
The story sounded really cute and Alexis and Logan were the perfect grumpy/sunshine main characters. The fake dating came really naturally, and it was a believable solution to the problem. However, a lot of times, in stories like this… the conflicts are really predictable and almost cliche. IT WAS AT THIS POINT MS. WINSTEAD SAID HOLD MY BEER!
This story was an emotional roller coaster, and I was living for it. I laughed, I cried both happy and sad tears and best of all loved every word. The ending is amazing and not what I expected at all, but it was perfect.
The characters were so detailed and lovely. I want more of all of them!
All in all, well done Ashley Winstead, well done.

This book is officially in my top 5 favorite romcoms ever. EVER! Maybe even top 3. I absolutely adored both characters so much that I couldn’t put this book down. The chemistry between them was insane. I also loved that this book was about politics but just included enough in the stories to not make it feel weighted down. I seriously can not say enough how much I loved this book. This is definitely going to be a one that I read multiple times. I will say that the book was a bit spicy but I thought it was perfect. I will definitely be telling my friends to get this book. This might be best romcom I’ve read so far this year.

Ashley Winstead's Fool Me Once was such an unexpected, positive reading experience for me, that I was so eager to check out her next book. The Boyfriend Candidate, which stars Lee's little sister Alexis, is a political romance with tropes of opposites attract, second chance (ish) and fake dating. It's so fun and indulgent, full of compelling language that pulls me in -- and makes it nearly impossible to put down. It reads pretty quickly, and literally, I could not stop turning the page with this one. I just wanted more; even after the epilogue! Very fun and sweet with banter galore.

Review in progress and to come.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

OH. MY. GOODNESS! This book has sealed the deal for me loving the Romance genre. I loved Alexis so much and was practically in love with Logan as well (especially when Ashley confirmed who she envisioned him as *bites fist* Roy Kent).

In the beginning I couldn't stop picturing Alexis as a Taylor Swift meme saying, "I'm sorry, But the old (Alexis) can't come to the phone right now. Why? Oh, 'cause she's dead" and the book shows Alexis' through her journey.

I definitely related to Alexis a lot, especially in the relationship department. I have been there when an ex (or current significant other) would say negative things about you and you start to believe what they are saying to be true and it diminishing who you think you are. I have also been told by an ex that I was "boring" when I would read, and to be honest it hurt my feelings quite a bit. I had another ex tell me to get a new hobby, after I spoke passionately about what I read on attachment styles.

But just like Alexis, taking the time to think about what I wanted and put myself first and not caring what anyone else thought had made me embrace who I am. And now, I'm even in a relationship where my partner is my biggest supporter in the reading community (thank you David for sharing my bookstagran posts & fueling my book obsession) Oh, he's also a Tottenham fan & he was genuinely surprised that his favorite team was mentioned in the book I was reading hehe

Two quotes I resonated with were: "...if there's one thing I've learned, it's that people have to come to things in their own time." - Lee Stone pg. 334 & "...This is why I read all day. To escape the blasted world." - Muriel pg. 93 (I felt this to my very core)

I HIGHLY Recommend this book & plan to buy this book as gifts for my sister & my bf's sisters <3

I loved this romance novel! Perfect for fans of the fake dating trope, this novel begins with librarian Alexis meeting hot Texas politician Logan at a bar. She has no idea who he is, and when they are photographed together in a compromising setting, they begin fake dating to save Logan’s election campaign for Texas governor. This book is the sister novel to Fool Me Once, (the main characters are sisters,) and there is some crossover, but it wouldn’t be hard to read them out of order. I actually preferred this novel to FMO- I felt like it was more well rounded with less politics and so much charm!

I loved that this book had all the angst of the fake dating trope and that the two characters were so opposite but were able to come together with great chemistry. The political angle added a unique touch to the novel without being too heavy handed in the plot, and I found that this was a perfect novel to read before bed every night.

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.

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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?”

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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!
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I love Logan Arthur and Alexis Stone. Like LOVE them to the moon and back four times over.
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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!
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Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
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Read if you like:
📚 Introverted Virgo Librarian FMC
🥵 Tall, Dark, & British MMC
🧲 Opposites Attract
🤫 Fake Dating
📈 Political Setting
📣 Finding Your Voice
❤️‍🔥 Slow Burn
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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.