This was a fun read for anyone who loves reality TV, dating shows, and especially The Bachelor (even if it's a hate-watch). I did wish the romance between Krystin and Lauren would've started sooner in the book, and there was a bit too much focus on some of the more minor cast members, but it was still entertaining. It just felt maybe more like a book about a reality TV show that ended up having lesbians than it did a lesbian romance novel set on a reality TV dating show, which was what I was hoping for.

I am a huge fan of trashy reality tv, especially the ones with dating elements in them! I have also wondered what it would be like for two of the contestants to fall in love, especially if they were supposed to be going after the main bachelor/bachelorette.

Boy did I get my wonderings answered with this sapphic romance! And it is needless to say that I absolutely ate this up and LOVED it!

Watching Lauren C. go through this experience, knowing that she was just there to expand her fame was amusing and honest. (Seeing that is my opinion of a lot of reality stars.) It was fun to watch her calculate her movements, and I couldn't help but root for her. Her calculating movements made me laugh and brought me back to watching Big Brother.

Krystin on the other hand was there for the whole romantic whirlwind. Currently a Rodeo Queen and not really knowing what was the next step for her, marriage seemed like a good option. Perceiving a deep pit in her stomach as butterflies is some next level gaslighting. But I can understand how dedicating yourself so deeply in something and wanting your heart to fall into place can be.

Watching Lauren not being able to help herself but looking at Krystin, and noticing all the little things about her, was oh so sweet. It was giving: wanting forbidden fruit. And then in turn watching Krystin having feelings towards Lauren while not actually realizing it, very much a thing I have done.

All in all, I had a grand time and will probably be rereading it!!!

4.5 stars

I like watching Bachelor Nation content, and I always wish things could get more queer, so this premise really drew me in. The book delivered! I thought it was a really fun (though sometimes stressful) read.

---The Breakdown---

Lauren C. isn't actually interested in Hopelessly Devoted's new leading man, Josh Rosen. In fact, she isn't interested in men at all. But being a contestant on the popular dating show is a chance for her to boost her platform and further her influencer career. She never expects that she might find love on Hopelessly Devoted after all. Rodeo queen Krystin has never had a serious boyfriend. She's just never felt that spark with the men she's dated. She's hoping Josh will be the exception. If only she could stop thinking about her prickly competitor, Lauren C....

cw: compulsory heterosexuality, maybe infidelity (MCs keep dating/kissing Josh even after getting together)

The Characters: Krystin is a really likable character. She's genuine, grounded, and has a good heart. Lauren might be more controversial. She is somewhat manipulative and calculating, is on the show to chase fame, and lashes out whenever she's hurting. But I did think that Lauren generally treated Krystin well and was patient and understanding with her. I liked both Krystin and Lauren and could empathize with both of them. There was a large cast of characters in this book, and especially at the start, I had trouble keeping up with all the women in the house. My favorite side character might be Josh, surprisingly, though it might also be because he is more fleshed out. I didn't like the vibes from Krystin's "best friend" Delia, and I wasn't fully satisfied with how the story addressed that plotline.

The Romance: I don't know if Krystin and Lauren would actually work in real life - they both have issues to sort through and I'm not sure how compatible their personalities actually are. But I was definitely rooting for them as I read the book. They had great chemistry and there were some great emotional and angsty scenes. One thing I was slightly frustrated by was how Krystin and Lauren continued dating Josh on the show even though they were at a good point with each other. I know it added to the final drama, but it didn't necessarily align with the feelings they seemed to have for each other.

The Plot: The plot is presented in the format of a Bachelor-type show, with challenges and eliminations every week. The first couple weeks were a bit slow to me, mainly because there weren't many interactions between Lauren and Krystin. Then once they had their first major interaction, things picked up and I was engaged the rest of the way.

The Writing: Easy to read!

All in all: While not the perfect book or love story, this was certainly entertaining. Would recommend as long as you can stand a little drama!

** I was provided a free ARC via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Krystin knows exactly what she wants: a husband, a horse, and a place to hang all her competitive rodeo blue ribbons. But when none of the eligible bachelors in Montana end up being right for her, she turns to reality TV…….

Lauren has never done anything for the right reasons—and she’s definitely not on Hopelessly Devoted to win Josh’s heart…..

READ IT. It’s good it’s funny and I give it 9 stars if I could!

If you are looking for an easy read LGBTQ+ book and you enjoy reality TV, then this is for you.
A fun book with likeable characters and a great storyline.
Could this of been better? Yes, definitely.
I think it was long winded at times, especially at the start. And I think the relationship built very fast. I would of loved to of seen less of the show and more of the relationship. It felt like the relationship was a side story to the main plot, which was the show. And I don’t think that’s what the author intended.
That being said, I came out of this book with a smile on my face.

This was sooooooo cute! I truly enjoyed it, like a lot. And i really don't care for reality TV and especially TV Shows like the Bachelor etc. etc. But this was so well written and the storyline was amazing. I loved the slow burn and how fun this romance truly was. obsessed!

Thankyou to Alcove press and Net galley for the ARC of this amazing read!
I was wary going into this as i’ve read this concept before and it’s just fallen flat for me but I was proven so wrong! I devoured this book and any time I had to put it down I couldn’t wait to get back to it. Lauren and Krystin had such an interesting timeline through this book, but the rest of the story had me equally as hooked, in the end I was even feeling bad for Josh by the end of the show but even his helping Krystin and Lauren come together warmed my heart for him as a character. This read had drama, steam, and complexities of characters and their relationship. Watching them both accept and come to terms with their sexuality both personally and publicly was so endearing and I would absolutely love to see more of these twos love story after the show.

I've never seen any reality dating TV, despite the fact that so many of my best friends love it, but I was completely enraptured by Annabel Paulsen and Lydia Wang's Here for the Wrong Reasons, a sapphic romance that plays out behind-the-scenes of a long-running, super-straight reality show called Hopelessly Devoted. There was so much to love about this book; it surprised the absolute heck out of me.

First of all, the world-building is aspirational. Paulsen and Wong have created not only an entire dating show, but a whole believable universe around that dating show, one that feels so lived in I could easily describe the entire enterprise using all the shorthand language longtime fictional viewers have created over the show's 20+ seasons. The characters in the book talk about it with such matter-of-fact earnestness, it somehow both skewers Bachelor-type shows while also winking fondly at them. Second of all, the relationship between Lauren and Krystin is simply wonderful, in large part because neither of them are squeaky-clean-perfect; they have complicated, sometimes selfish motivations, and they also sometimes hurt the people they love. But there's something so beautiful about seeing two people come to terms with their sexuality in completely different ways, in their 20s, and find ways to be authentic about it, for themselves and for each other.

I started laughing out loud on page two and kept it up throughout the whole book. Not laughing AT these women, but with them (mostly) — Paulsen and Wong apply so much empathy to the brushes they use to fill in the lines of their characters. This book came to me at the exact right time, when I needed a warm, light-hearted, hilarious gay book. And yes, this book is GAY GAY GAY. I saw a review that said it was for straight readers, and it boggled my brain. The only straight dude main character is simply an avatar for innocuous curly-haired decent every-guys everywhere. The real story and development is all Lauren and Krystin, and it is through them that the book cements its female-only gaze.

Thank you to Alcove Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book and provide an honest review.

I fully expected not to enjoy the novel very much: as a rule, I don’t enjoy reality shows and found the premise of a man gradually choosing from a pool of young women problematic on many levels. However, I enjoyed the story itself more than I thought I would, which was a pleasant surprise. I liked that there was not that much internal struggle for one of the MCs while coming to terms with her sexuality - it really shows how we have progressed, but also how far are we yet to come.
Overall, 4/5 stars earned for the sheer surprise I felt at the quality :).

Thank you Netgalley, publisher Alcove Press, and authors Annabel Paulsen and Lydia Wang for providing an ARC in exchange for a review! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3.5 (rounded to 4 stars)

This book is definitely one for "The Bachelor" fans!

From what I’ve read in the comments, this book is based on the reality TV show “The Bachelor”. As a person who has never watched any versions of that show, I was highly intrigued by the plot and the premise of the book. Maybe due to my unfamiliarity with the show and its concept, I would’ve enjoyed knowing a bit more about what was happening when they were not filming, in their spare time… were they all day sunbathing? Chatting? Walking around the chateau? Daydreaming about Josh?

Lauren and Krystin got me giggling and kicking my feet, but I felt like their kiss was rather rushed. They had only interacted with each other a couple of times prior to that, and I reckon there wasn’t a good enough buildup between the two contestants, nor any emotional depth.

Furthermore, I did not like how the other women in the show were portrayed: shallow, simple-minded, catty and annoying. I don’t have much to say about Josh, mainly because he was a very bland and forgettable character.

Nonetheless, it was a nice “feel-good” rom-com, an easy, fun and quick read! If you like “The Bachelor”, I would highly recommend this book.

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

'Here For The Wrong Reasons' by Lydia Wang and Annabel Paulsen.
Krystin knows exactly what she a husband, a horse, and a place to hang all her competitive rodeo blue ribbons. But when none of the eligible bachelors in Montana end up being right for her, she turns to reality TV. On Hopelessly Devoted, Krystin will compete against dozens of other women for the heart of this season’s Hopeless Romantic, Josh Rosen. She’s determined to win the perfect life she came here for—if she can just ignore the glossy brunette whose crimson smile gives her goosebumps.
Lauren has never done anything for the right reasons—and she’s definitely not on Hopelessly Devoted to win Josh’s heart. Lauren’s plan is simple: stay on the show long enough to build her social media following, and then gracefully leave when it's her turn to be eliminated. With enough followers, she’ll finally have enough influencer clout to do whatever she wants—including come out of the proverbial walk-in closet. But the longer she stays on the show, the more she finds herself tangled up in a certain blonde’s lasso.
But neither contestant expects a heteronormative dating show to challenge their own deeply-ingrained ideas of who they are—and what they want.
I enjoyed this story, it was an exciting rom-com with well thought out characters. Loved Krystin and Lauren and was rooting for them from the start.
Thanks to NetGallery UK, the publishers and the authors for letting me read a copy in return for an honest review.

Here for the Wrong Reasons by Annabel Paulsen & Lydia Wang

Oh, my god! It was wonderful! I've never watched the Bachelor or any shows like that, but I could relate to The Selection by Kiera Cass.

I loved it very much! A Rodeo Queen and a Content Creator fall for each other while participating in a reality show competing for the love of the handsome and nerdy Josh.

Lauren and Krystin won my heart as the story moved on. The title is apt and the book cover is very pretty. The thing I enjoyed the most were the Confessionals and the participants' information right in the beginning. And of course, the lovely ending!

I'd love to read more novels if this is turned into a book series- maybe of Damien's, next.

This was better than I was expected! I'm queer and a big Bachelor fan, but I think I sort of expected this to be like other recent books in this genre - a little superficial, with a MMC who is a one-dimensional villain that the FMCs have no problem ditching for each other.

Instead, this was a really sweet coming-of-age/coming out story about two women who find each other on a reality dating show. Krystin is a wide-eyed innocent from Montana who is totally ready to find a husband, despite the fact that she's never had boyfriend and only ever felt passion for her female best friend when they were in high school. Lauren C. (haha) is a cynical closeted lesbian who is on the show for one reason: social media followers. There's a spark, then a kiss, and then both women have their lives thrown into chaos.

There's something really sparse about the writing here - I actually really vibed with it, although I can see how some people may not enjoy it as you don't get to spend as much time in each woman's head as typical in romances like this. For me, it worked. It kept the pace moving along nicely and I was still all in with both women's journeys. And like I mentioned, Josh isn't the typical goofy lead - he IS goofy, and he does make the wrong choice at almost every turn, but he seems to genuinely mean well. He's a real Himbo, a la Ken (at the end of Barbie, not in the middle).

This won't change the world, but it is a very enjoyable read with some really fun characters. 4 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and Alcove for the ARC.

This story definitely had a different plot than what I was used to for lesbian romances. While I'm not a fan of reality TV or shows like the Bachelor, this storyline was one for the books.
Reading the progress of character development and not knowing what would happen on the next page was my favorite part. Like other lgbtq stories, there was some predictably but not enough to know the exact story.

Would definitely recommend to anyone who likes reality TV drama and some side romances.

This is a wonderful read about a group of women competing for a marriage proposal while being filmed for broadcast.
What could devolve into a set piece about women using nasty tricks to eliminate each other instead becomes a love story involving two of the contestants. Their respect for the game show and other contestants makes this a story that defies conventions.
It makes you root for the happy ending.

3.5 stars
a quick and enjoyable read! I love books with settings on reality tv shows way more than I actually like to watch reality tv shows. Last year I felt burned by a different "two girls go on a straight dating show and end up falling for each other and not the man" Bachelor style book. Here for the Wrong Reasons almost healed me from that disappointment.
I say almost because while the romance was solid and its conclusion satisfying, I found the language used for all other female contestants to be frustrating. Our second main character, Lauren is literally participating in the show for internet clout, but the text repeats over and over how all the other contestants are the shallow ones. Even Krystin, who is there to find love, makes these nasty judgments towards the others. I wouldn't mind if it was a character flaw, but when its apparent across both point of views, it reads as very mean-spirited. There also needed to be more introspection. Shocking for me, since I always complain about too much introspection, but this book desperately needed some thoughts bonking around in Krystin and Lauren's heads because I never understood them. Major events were happening and I'd just be like hmm it would sure be great if I knew what was going through their head in this moment. Everything that happened I would be shocked because there would be absolutely no critical thinking done by the characters.

Did Lauren and Krystin ever feel guilty for stringing Josh along? Did Krystin ever like Josh? If she didn't then why did she continue with the competition? Why did Krystin like Lauren? No idea! It is hard to root for people to be together when they're assholes to everyone else around them and you don't know what's going on inside their head! If i wanted to read rehashed 2010s feminism with characters I couldn't connect with in a reality tv format I would reread The Selection.

As a long time lover of the Bachelor/Bachelorette franchise, this was such a cute read - and it was SPICY! The writing was clever and witty, and I found myself chuckling at the humorous references (including Josh's stereotypical "bachelor" character!). I really adored both Lauren and Krystin and the whole "kinda enemies to lovers" trope. Paulsen and Wang really captured the corniness of the production (screaming Josh's name for footage) and poked fun at the confessionals and girl drama - I loved it!

As much as I loved the storyline and punchy writing, some parts dragged on - I feel like the romance between Lauren and Krystin took too long to develop and I was losing some interest by the end. I get the whole idea of building tension, but it resulted in me just becoming impatient. Other than that, this was a really fun, quick read for any romance reader!

This was a cute RomCom. It’s the first F/F RomCom I’ve read and I really enjoyed it. We need more of the rep for our gals!
You’ll laugh, kick your feet and smile the whole time.
But it also pulls on your heart strings.
It’s fun and all of the characters are well written.
I recommend reading!

I really enjoyed this book, it’s the third book I’ve read in the past year I think that combines f/f romance with the dating show format and this was my favourite of the three. The pacing worked well which I think is no mean feat when it comes to writing a book that is trying to represent a very formulaic TV show, and I got very invested in the romantic relationship between the two protagonists - they seem like believable characters with understandable motivations. I also liked a lot of the side characters - Damien and Delia in particular. One of my favourite romances of the year.

I have so much love for this book and its unique characters. Both Lauren and Krystin had heartbreaking back stories and emotional arcs and I truly cared about each of them before they fell for each other. The book was laugh out loud funny and I even teared up at the end. This is a great read for fans of The Bachelor franchise and romantic comedies. I will revisit the book when it's published and I can't wait to read it again with fresh eyes. I want a spin off about Damian!!