Editorial Content for The Boyfriend Candidate
Contributors
Reviewer (text)
Readers who loved Ashley Winstead’s last rom-com, FOOL ME ONCE, will remember Alexis Stone, the heartbroken younger sister of Lee “Stoner” Stone. Alexis couldn’t be less like her brash, outrageous older sister, who’s now a progressive Texas state legislator after once being a lobbyist for green tech. Alexis, by contrast, is a quiet, thoughtful school librarian who shuns the spotlight. But as the anniversary of getting dumped by her former fiancé approaches, Alexis can’t stop thinking about Chris’ complaints that she was boring in bed.
"Alexis is a winningly flawed and vulnerable heroine, and her attraction to Logan rings true.... [R]eaders will vote for Alexis and Logan to succeed."
Determined to turn over a new leaf, Alexis decides to go way outside her comfort zone. She shows up at a swanky hotel bar, which is known for being one of Austin’s top hookup spots, looking for a one-night stand. And she seems on track to find one, too, after making a sexy new identity and flirting shamelessly with a handsome man who defends her honor from a creepy stranger. But just as they make their way to a hotel room --- the Governor’s Suite, no less --- a freak lightning strike starts a fire. When they leave the hotel, clothing in disarray, Alexis’ mystery man bolts as soon as they get outside.
Alexis is perplexed and dismayed, especially since she really thought she had a connection with her mysterious suitor. But she quickly discovers the reasons for his hasty exit the following Monday, when photos of the two of them surface in the local news. It turns out that her one-night-stand-who-got-away is none other than Logan Arthur, the brash, hot-headed progressive candidate challenging the Republican incumbent governor. Logan’s crisis team soon finds Alexis’ real identity and calls her into his campaign headquarters, where they beg her for a favor. Logan has been called a playboy in the past, and getting photographed with a sexy stranger (i.e., Alexis) outside a hotel is not the best thing for his image. Their solution? Alexis and Logan should pretend to have been secretly dating for six months, and to keep up the charade through the election, which is only two months away.
Alexis reluctantly agrees and even starts to enjoy her new role, especially when she establishes her own platform centered on funding for public schools and libraries. Logan’s polling numbers are doing better than ever. But Alexis is still a little rough around the edges, hardly the politically savvy candidate’s girlfriend, and she makes more than a few errors. Fortunately, Logan seems endlessly forgiving; Alexis could find herself falling for him for real if it weren’t for his repeated insistence that he’s not looking for anything approaching a real relationship.
Readers who enjoyed FOOL ME ONCE will be happy to see another politically focused romance from Winstead, though Alexis’ story also stands on its own just fine. Alexis is a winningly flawed and vulnerable heroine, and her attraction to Logan rings true. At times, the obstacles to their relationship seem a bit unrealistic (particularly the introduction of a rival), but regardless, readers will vote for Alexis and Logan to succeed.
Teaser
Alexis Stone, a shy school librarian, meets Logan at a hotel bar. Audacious and filterless, Logan is Alexis’ opposite. Just as she’s about to fulfill her hookup wish, the hotel catches fire in a freak lightning storm. In their rush to escape, Logan is discovered carrying her into the street, where people are waiting with cameras. Alexis is bewildered until suddenly 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 candidate challenging the Texas governor’s seat. The salacious scandal is poised to sink his career --- and jeopardize Alexis’ job --- until a solution is proposed: he and Alexis could pretend to be in a relationship until Election Day…in two months. What could possibly go wrong?
Promo
Alexis Stone, a shy school librarian, meets Logan at a hotel bar. Audacious and filterless, Logan is Alexis’ opposite. Just as she’s about to fulfill her hookup wish, the hotel catches fire in a freak lightning storm. In their rush to escape, Logan is discovered carrying her into the street, where people are waiting with cameras. Alexis is bewildered until suddenly 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 candidate challenging the Texas governor’s seat. The salacious scandal is poised to sink his career --- and jeopardize Alexis’ job --- until a solution is proposed: he and Alexis could pretend to be in a relationship until Election Day…in two months. What could possibly go wrong?
About the Book
A laugh-out-loud rom-com about learning to embrace living outside your comfort zone.
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! --- 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. Audacious and filterless, Logan is 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. 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 suddenly pictures of her and Logan escaping the fire are all over the internet. Turns out Logan is none other than Logan Arthur, the hotshot candidate challenging the Texas governor’s seat. The salacious scandal is poised to sink his career --- and jeopardize Alexis’ job --- until a solution is proposed: he and Alexis could pretend to be in a relationship until election day...in two months. What could possibly go wrong?
Audiobook available, read by Ann Marie Gideon
