Spring has us in the mood for love! And what’s a better way of finding it than by reading a romance novel? We at THP are no strangers to romance novels. So today, we’re sharing our thoughts on Ashley Winstead’s sophomore rom-com, The Boyfriend Candidate!
The Boyfriend Candidate centers around a fake relationship between two seemingly total opposites: an introverted elementary school librarian and a foul-mouthed and outspoken political candidate. And we love how the progression of the romance aligns with the campaign and election!
Although Ashley Winstead is well-known for her bone-chilling thrillers, her new romance novel is becoming one of our favorites! We’re voting in favor of The Boyfriend Candidate being your next read, and here’s why!
Book Overview
Content Warning: deceased parent
Summary: 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?
Their Chemistry
We think everyone knew how much Alexis and Logan cared about each other before either of them figured it out. Their chemistry from the first to the last chapter comes naturally, and their dialogue is hilarious yet sincere. Especially when they’re on their so-called “fake dates.” These dates were beyond intimate, by the way. We were hooked on the fake dating scheme and opposites-attract dynamic from the start! Alexis and Logan’s romance comes full circle, and we even notice a parallel between Logan’s relationship with Alexis and his last serious relationship. It’s a well-written attraction of opposites who ultimately are not so different.
The Character Development
One of our favorite things about The Boyfriend Candidate is how much we see the main character evolve. In the beginning, Alexis wants to reinvent herself entirely and venture outside her comfort zone. She makes up an alias and exaggerates her life in her first encounter with Logan. But her fake relationship with Logan leads to her involvement in his campaign, which means public speaking, uncomfortable conversations, and general chaos. By the end, she gains so much self-confidence and figures out what she truly wants to do with her life. She’s no longer afraid of other people’s opinions of her, and we love that for her.
The Supporting Cast
You know a romance story is good when you fall in love with every character, flaws and all. Zoey Carmichael is one of our favorite side characters, and her friendship with Alexis is #goals. We love women supporting women! She’s relatable and honest, and she ships Alexis and Logan heavily. (Same.) Another one of Alexis’s biggest supporters is her older sister, Lee. Lee is fiery, powerful, and everything Alexis dreams of being (or so she thought.) Alexis has always wanted to be like Lee, but she couldn’t separate that goal from her true identity. Their sisterly relationship grows stronger when they start communicating and clarifying past misunderstandings.
Ashley Winstead delivers a masterpiece with The Boyfriend Candidate, and we had to reread it as soon as we finished it the first time. It’s our official feel-good novel of the season, and you’ll know why once you get into it!
With its rich, politics-driven plot, enjoyable cast of characters, and breathtaking romantic tension, Ashley Winstead’s The Boyfriend Candidate is dialing up the heat on our springtime reads!
The Boyfriend Candidate is out May 9th and is available for preorder here!
Thinking about reading The Boyfriend Candidate yet? Let us know on our Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!
If you’re in need of more new book releases to read, we got you!
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