The Boyfriend Candidate - by Ashley Winstead (Paperback)

About the Book

"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's 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?"--

Book Synopsis

"THE BOYFRIEND CANDIDATE is a total freaking delight. It's smart, sexy, funny and so sharply written."
--CARLEY FORTUNE, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Meet Me at the Lake

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's 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?

"Charming, swoony, and utterly unputdownable. I LOVE this book!"
--LYNN PAINTER, New York Times bestselling author of Better Than the Movies

Review Quotes

Praise for The Boyfriend Candidate

"Winstead brings both hilarity and heartfelt moments to this rousing rom-com. Readers will cheer Alexis on her path to discovering her inner strength and swoon over idealistic Logan. This is a winner."--Publishers Weekly, *STARRED review*

"Told in Alexis' fresh first-person voice, this heartwarming romance has both poignant introspection and a hero who sacrifices his dignity when faced with kittens and gerbils."--BookPage, *STARRED review*

"This is a fast-paced, hard-to-put-down novel whose happily-ever-after isn't what readers will expect; it's better."--Library Journal, *STARRED review*

"The Boyfriend Candidate catches fire, sizzles throughout and then bursts into flames. Highly recommend!"--ABBY JIMENEZ, New York Times bestselling author of Part of Your World

"The stuff of which Hallmark Channel Rom-Com movies are made, The Boyfriend Candidate by Ashley Winstead is an original and fun read from cover to cover...unreservedly recommended." --Midwest Book Review

"Mixing political and romantic intrigue, Winstead's novel combines the darker side of politics with the lighter side of life. With a few steamy encounters and a ripped-from-the-headlines feel, The Boyfriend Candidate will appeal to fans of Lianne Moriarty, Ellen Meister, Amy Mason Doan, and anyone looking for a little more escapism in their political diet."--Booklist

"THE BOYFRIEND CANDIDATE is a total freaking delight. It's smart, sexy, funny and so sharply written. I read it during a personally difficult time and it was both EXACTLY what I needed and a reminder of how good a good romance can be for the soul."--CARLEY FORTUNE, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Every Last Summer and Meet Me at the Lake

"The Boyfriend Candidate is everything I've ever wanted in a romance. Charming, swoony, and utterly unputdownable. I LOVE this book (and also Logan Arthur)!"--LYNN PAINTER, New York Times bestselling author of Better Than the Movies

"The Boyfriend Candidate is a romance worth rooting for: sexy and sweet, with characters that stay with you long after the last page. I couldn't put it down."--KATE SPENCER, author of In a New York Minute

"I devoured The Boyfriend Candidate in one sitting. Ashley Winstead effortlessly creates characters that are both flawed and lovable, and a romance that feels both heightened and real--plotted and paced like the master she is."--AVA WILDER, author of Will They or Won't They

"The Boyfriend Candidate is my favorite kind of romance: one where the couple learns to fall in love with themselves as much as they fall for each other."--RUBY BARRETT, author of The Romance Recipe

"Whether Ashley Winstead's intent is to thrill her readers or romance them, she nails it every time. Heartfelt, brimming with swoon-worthy romantic moments, and packed with sharp humor, The Boyfriend Candidate dazzled me from start to finish."--MEREDITH SCHORR, author of As Seen on TV

"An introverted children's librarian and a modern-day reformed rake come together in The Boyfriend Candidate, a romance that's simultaneously sexy and sensitive, brimming with keen humor, impeccable romantic tension, and a lively supporting cast. It's a story about breaking rules, reclaiming control of our internal narratives, and having the courage to rewrite expectations for ourselves--and for love. Ashley Winstead has written my favorite kind of opposites-attract romance: the kind where the leads aren't really opposites at all--they're simply two different halves of the same whole."--JEN DEVON, author of Bend Toward the Sun

Praise for Fool Me Once

"A hilariously sharp-tongued romance with an unforgettable, unapologetic heroine. Fool Me Once is a breath of fresh air!"--RACHEL LYNN SOLOMON, bestselling author of Weather Girl, on Fool Me Once

"A love story for every truly hot mess... A romance with bite, wit, and heart."--Kirkus Reviews, STARRED review for Fool Me Once

"A simmering slow burn bursting with banter, Fool Me Once has all the raunch, humor, and charm of a Judd Apatow movie but with the kind of flawed, dynamic heroine rom-com fans have been waiting for. This is a romance for anyone who's ever felt too messy to be loved."--ROSIE DANAN, author of The Intimacy Experiment, on Fool Me Once

"Winstead offers a sharp and witty rom-com styled novel in the vein of HBO's The Flight Attendant and Julie Valerie's Holly Banks Full of Angst... Fool Me Once is a gem."--Booklist on Fool Me Once

"I absolutely love a messy heroine; throw in political schemes and off-the-charts chemistry, and Fool Me Once delivers a wild, sexy ride from start to finish!"--TRISH DOLLER, author of Off The Map on Fool Me Once

"Fresh, funny, and chaotically wonderful, Fool Me Once had me hooked from the very first page! Winstead weaves an undeniably sexy tale of will-they/won't-they that is sure to be a phenomenal addition to every rom-com lover's library."--KATE BROMLEY, author of Ciao For Now, on Fool Me Once

"Sparks fly and laughs abound as Winstead rides the line between enemies-to-lovers and second-chance romance tropes. Readers will want to snap this up."--Publishers Weekly on Fool Me Once