I laughed so hard. For any fans of the Bachelor, this is a must read. Pithy, cheeky,and so much fun!!! Read it!

This was a really fun and easy read! One thing about me is that I LOVE a queer romance novel. The characters were likable and easy to fall in love with. I’m not a huge reality TV/bachelor fan so that was a little over my head, but that didn’t take away from the story!

Overall, I love being able to see queer representation in the stories I read today, and am thankful for authors who write it & readers who buy and enjoy!

Here for the Wrong Reasons was so much fun. We follow Krystin and Lauren as contestants on the reality dating show Hopelessly Devoted. Lauren is an influencer that has come on the show to give her career a boost. She does not have any expectations of falling for the show's lead, Josh. Krystin however is looking for love and looking to get out of her small town. Sparks end up flying between the two and they must navigate actually finding love, just not with the leading man. I really enjoyed the romance between Krystin and Lauren. It was especially interesting seeing Krystin navigating her sexuality and I thought that was handled very well. This book was sweet, funny and very steamy!

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars, rounded up

A group of women is competing on a dating show called Hopelessly Devoted, hoping to end up with Josh, or at least gain some social media followers along the way. Krysten is a rodeo queen hoping to find a husband to settle down with, while Lauren just wants her 15 minutes of fame. Because the truth is, Lauren is gay, but hasn’t come out yet. And the chemistry that Krysten finds on the show certainly isn’t with Josh.

I liked the Bachelor-style telling of this story, including some of the confessionals. The cliches were abundant if you’ve ever watched a show like that. The cast always talks about being “here for the right reason” or the “journey” they’re on to find love. But, for Krysten in particular, I enjoyed that she was able to discover herself on her “journey”, even if it wasn’t what she expected.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for an advanced copy of this book.

I am always so happy to get my hands on Queer romance books, so was super excited to read this one!
However, I didn’t enjoy this as much as I thought i would, I think it was something to do with the writing style maybe 🤔 the characters were okay but I didn’t really care for them that much.
I did love the lesbian representation though and I think more books should have this!!
Overall it was still a fun quick read

This was a cute sapphic romance. I am a fan of The Bachelor and all the little callbacks to silly things said and done in the show were super fun. Lauren is a closeted lesbian and Krystin has a gay awakening while on a straight dating show. I was a little surprised to see how far they got but it did end in a happy ever after for all. It definitely had some very sweet moments. Lauren is sassy and confident and Krystin is shy and sweet. I would recommend this to all fans of the bachelor that also love romance books.

Here For The Wrong Reasons is a truly adorable romp of a love story (Taylor’s version)! Perfect for fans of We Are Never Getting Back Together and The Charm Offensive or for those who always though the Bachelor or the Bachelorette could be a tad bit gayer (and with more Taylor Swift)!!

If you're a queer woman who watches the Bachelor, odds are you've thought about what would happen if two of the women (there for the man) fell for each other, and this, my friend, is your fantasy come true! #wishfufillment

Even if you haven't watched The Bachelor/Bachelorette TV show, and aren't a fan of reality TV this still could be a cute read for you but it's absolutely for anyone who follows the show, knows the structure/tropes etc. It didn't get too spicy but offered some bits and wasn't a fade to black/closed door.

Parts of the book felt rushed and the stakes didn't seem high enough at certain points but it was a quick enjoyable read and I'm so grateful to read more wlw modern romance! More please!

3.5 rounded up to 4. Thank you to Alcove Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read this super cute wlw romance coming MAY 2024!

I have mixed feelings about this book - but I will start by saying that overall, I really enjoyed the story, the characters, and I had fun reading it. I appreciated having both characters say that they were explicitly lesbian and I think that Lauren and Krystin were a great match for each other. And for the former Bachelor fan in me, this book really nailed the vibes.

At the heart of this story is overcoming compulsory heterosexuality and finding who you are. And I think that we missed a key element of this in Krystin’s storyline, in that there was no build up to the first kiss with Lauren. There were no lingering glances, moments of “what the heck am I feeling” and some of those key thoughts that are, or at least for me were, kind of instrumental in questioning sexuality. ESPECIALLY when Krystin was not questioning hers sexuality before coming on the show. I think that I felt confused, more than anything, when the kiss happened because there was so much focus on the world-building, for lack of a better phrase.

I loved Lauren, honestly. And I know that that is going to be a very controversial opinion to a lot of readers. Because her storyline is rough at times.

Personally, the sheer amount of time spent to showcasing the other contestants, and Josh (the Bachelor) detracted from Krystin and Lauren’s love story. And while I appreciate how everything was wrapped up, I think that there are about 5 other ways I could have seen this ending, and most of them involve the two lesbians not having so much time kissing a dude neither were interested in.

Again, truly mixed feelings about this book. It was fun, it was sweet, it was sort of steamy (in a vague but also explicit way). I love that it was co-written by girlfriends. I would definitely try another book from these two. But hopefully it would be significantly more couple focused.

Couldn't put this one down! I'm not usually a fan of the romance genre (or reality tv) but this one had me cracking up and really rooting for Lauren and Krystin. Rodeo! Mud Wrestling! Character development! Had a bangin time.

DNF @ about 40%. I love sapphic romance and I love the Bachelor, so I thought this would be right up my alley. But it was too much of the leads dating the male star of the show, and then their connection seemingly came out of nowhere.

when i finished this book i was SO GIDDY!!! i loved every character so dearly, it was such a heartwarming story and i LOVE that they made the bachelor Josh a nice person and there was no real homophobia so the story focused on the relationship between the MCs <3 so feel good, so focused on character building and their love and communication and relationship.

This was just fine, though the outcome was clear from the first chapter. The narrative switches back and forth between two women, so duh.

Starting out with bios of all the contestants was a bore, because I'm not going to memorize all those people. I mostly skipped that and the story filled out everything I needed, so that part wasn't necessary.

Everyone was nice, mostly, and everything worked out, but this just wasn't as satisfying as another dating show romance, [book:Never Ever Getting Back Together|59808187]. That had more tension in the setup, more action in the competition, and had me more on edge at the end.

“Here for the Wrong Reasons” captivated me from the very start with its intriguing premise of contestants Krystin and Lauren navigating a dating show to win the heart of Josh Rosen. As a fan of queer romance and reality TV, this book seemed tailor-made for my tastes, and it certainly did not disappoint. The story unfolds perfectly with humour, passion, and unexpected romance. As a rodeo queen seeking love, Krystin’s journey is handled with tact, showcasing her confidence and self-awareness. Lauren, the influencer with her own agenda, adds depth to the narrative, and their chemistry is palpable, making every interaction engaging and delightful.

What pleasantly surprised me was the book’s ability to provide a behind-the-scenes look at the reality TV show, playfully sassing the genre while delivering a nuanced and entertaining storyline. The author skillfully balances the romance with the reality show setting, making it a thoroughly enjoyable read. While I couldn’t help but wish for more development for Josh and some other contestants, the focus on Krystin and Lauren’s relationship kept me invested. The exploration of queer identities, particularly Kristyn’s complete and the characters’ struggles with internalised homophobia, added depth and authenticity to the story.

The constant references to reality TV, especially ‘The Bachelor,’ added a layer of humour that resonated with my own experiences as a viewer. The book cleverly navigates the assumptions and stereotypes associated with reality shows, offering a refreshing take on the genre. In the end, “Here for the Wrong Reasons” is not just a love story but a celebration of queer relationships, challenging preconceived notions while providing a thoroughly entertaining and satisfying read. As a fan of Ashley Herring Blake and Rachel Lacey, I found the vibes of this book to be immaculate, making it a standout in the realm of romantic comedies. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey of Krystin and Lauren and eagerly look forward to more from this author.

If you’re really interested in the nuts and bolts of reality dating shows, in minute detail, this could be for you. I had trouble connecting with the characters and their chemistry was a miss for me, but I do love to see queer representation in unlikely places, so I give it credit on that count.

I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley.

Oh yes! This is perfect story with love and heart.

A cute contemporary romance between two contestants on a dating show who fall for each other instead of the guy. This one felt a bit slow to me since much of the story was focused on a blow-by-blow of the show rather than the characters' relationship with each other, especially towards the beginning.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc! Opinions are my own.

I wasn't a fan of this, it took me a while to read and i ended up dnf-ing it after pausing on it for months.

Fans of “The Bachelor” and other reality dating shows will certainly enjoy “Here For the Wrong Reasons” as well as people looking for a quick read with some steamy romance! I watch “The Bachelor/ette” sporadically and I had no problem getting sucked into the world of "Hopelessly Devoted" and all of the drama that came with it. I had such a fun time reading this. It reminded me of Sophie Gonzales’s “Never Ever Getting Back Together”, which I enjoyed reading. The writing was easy to read and each of the characters had a clear voice. Lauren and Krystin both had their (wrong) reasons for getting on the dating show and it was fun to watch them just fall for each other entirely accidentally after not starting in a great place. I feel like I missed some of the growing tension and feelings between these two. The first kiss was there out of the blue and even though we do get a lot of Lauren's inner monologues, I wish I had some more of Krystin's. The author did a nice job with flushing out each character and I enjoyed how the book was put together where it bounced back and forth with cast interviews, behind the scenes while shooting, and the down. The ending was predictable but I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. I felt that the wrap up after the climax of the story felt a bit rushed and I wanted to see Krystin and Lauren actually together and outside of the setting of the show. Thanks to Annabel Paulsen, Lydia Wang, Alcove Press, and Netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for my thoughts. I am looking forward to reading more by these authors.

It's really hard to decide on a star rating for this book because I devoured it and the writing is good, there are just some things I wish were a little different...

Krystin and Lauren are both contestants on a dating show with Josh as the "romantic" of the season.

Lauren is there to increase her social media following and Lauren is actually there to find the kind of love her parents have.

Only... Lauren's a lesbian, and Krystin is realizing her sexuality may not what she was trying to force it into.

There is a LOT of miscommunication in this book. Like, the entire book is centered around deception and half truths and miscommunication or just plain NOT communicating. And that can be quite frustrating when you just want characters to talk it out.

That said, the relationship that blossoms between Lauren and Krystin and slow and tender and lovely and heart warming and even a little spicy (more on that later) and I loved them together. I wanted them both to just leave the show and ride off into the sunset together.

As for spice, there are some decent spice scenes but they are all done while ON the show, and none post-dating show. And I feel like it was missing the connection between them once they were no longer living under the same roof. A spicy epilogue or even just an epilogue of them together would have been great.

I also really appreciated the coming out stories here. I thought they were handled with care.

I was satisfied with the ending, and it was an enjoyable read, I just wanted more. I honestly think a first person POV for Lauren and Krystin might have made all the difference for me. But I did love it!

Gah. 3.5 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read and review this book early!