ARC Review - Publish Date May 9, 2023
Author: Ashley Winstead
Series: Stand Alone
Category: Contemporary Romance
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
"I, Alexis Rosalie Stone, was going to have my first one-night stand. I was going to sleep with a man with no strings attached, no stakes or expectations: just one night to do whatever felt right. Alexis the unadventurous bore? I'd killed her and buried the body." - Alexis
The Boyfriend Candidate was witty, laugh-out-loud funny and I couldn't put it down! Fake dating is my current favorite trope, so sorry not sorry if this book review is gushing a little too much but I loved every second!
Literally, all the boxes were checked off:
Initial deal
Promise to keep things platonic
Sexual tension
Lying to friends and family, awkward situations
More sexual tension
Admitting feelings
Sex
Crash and burn
Reunion
What more could a girl ask for?
Logan is the perfect book boyfriend, without the over-possessive attitude that most romantic male characters have ingrained in their actions. His driven attitude, mixed with roguish charm and a loyalty streak was perfection. Logan was clearly split in two throughout the entire book, trying to balance his dream of enacting change for people through his run for governor with his growing love for Alexis. Sure, there were times he didn't put her first, but with all the pressure he was under and people counting on him, I didn't hold it against him.
"And even though he dragged me here to bait the crowd into listening to him, I wasn't mad. The whole point of our arrangement was to help each other. And I knew how badly he wanted to win- I'd heard it in the tenor of his voice, the fire in his eyes. He was right that people told you who they were in a million different ways. And when I looked at him, I saw his longing." - Alexis
Alexis was a down-to-earth introvert who thought she needed to change who she was because she let someone's careless words get inside her head and fester. Been there before...! Watching her tackle things that made her uncomfortable was admirable and she has such wonderful character growth. I had so much respect for her ability to face her fears of public speaking, all for the greater good because I would have thrown up. Alexis was almost too nice, unwilling to be selfish at times because she was trying to be understanding and put people above her own wants and needs.
"It was surreal: Logan spoke the lies so effortlessly that I was half convinced myself. With his thumb rubbing a comforting circle on my hand, it was hard to distinguish fiction from reality. He was very good. I was grudgingly impressed." - Alexis
I was rooting for Logan and Alexis the entire time, they were such a good fit together, and the chemistry between them was evident from the beginning. I'd say the book was more sweet than spicy, there was more emphasis on heavy make-out sessions and sexual tension than anything else.
Because I've seen the topic come up in some negative reviews, a fair warning that progressive politics do make an appearance in the story and factor into the overall plotline. If you don't like the "real world" creeping into your romance novels, this story may not be for you.
"True, I was only twenty-seven, but after these last few months in politics, I felt whatever age Patches was in cat years. Forget giving in to my inner sex goddess; it was time to cede the floor to my inner sexagenarian." - Alexis
I'd highly recommend The Boyfriend Candidate to anyone who loves fake dating and shy female characters finding their voice. Although this story can be read as a stand-alone, Alexis's sister Lee was featured in a previous book by this author so you might want to read "Fool Me Once".
*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you, NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the opportunity.
Tropes and Themes: One Night Stand, Fake Dating, Romcom, Politics, Slow Burn.
Blurb
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?
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