Out today: The Boyfriend Candidate

A bonus review for you today, because I was miraculously beforehand with the world and read it last week – and as it was one of several good books I read last week I’ve taken the opportunity to write about more than one of them! The heroine of Ashley Winstead’s The Boyfriend Candidate is shy school librarian Alexis, who decides to step out of her comfort zone after being dumped and try a one night stand. Her plan seems to be going well when gorgeous but sweary Logan rescues her from the attentions of someone she’s not interested in at the bar, and the two of them end up heading for a hotel room. But before they can hook up, the hotel catches fire and in getting out Alexis is photographed in Logan’s arms – and he promptly runs away. The reason for his flight becomes clear when the pictures hit the internet – he’s standing to be the governor of Texas. His candidature has already suffered from claims that he’s a playboy, so his campaign recruits Alexis to pretend that she really is his girlfriend for the two months until election day. As the blurb says: what could possibly go wrong.

I read this across the space of 24 hours and ate it up with a spoon. It rattles you along while it’s happening and is an enjoyable ride, although I had a few issues at the back of my mind when I was reading it and I just wanted to give them a mention too. Firstly Alexis somewhat oblivious to Logan’s feelings for her. This is told entirely from her point of view – and even with that it’s very, very clear that Logan is catching feelings for her and it’s a touch irritating that she doesn’t pick up on it. If you’d had his PoV too it would have been unbearable.* On top of that she’s somewhat lacking in common sense in other aspects of the fake relationship that I can’t explain without giving more spoilers than I ought to. It was also a little surprising that Alexis went from super shy and retiring to being able to give speeches in public happily and comfortably with no in between stage. I know politics in romance novels is also a controversial issue – and the fact that it’s set in Texas might have you wondering what you’re going to get here – so a heads up for those who are interested: Logan is a progressive Democrat. I was also a bit worried about how they were going to be able to sort the whole fake relationship situation out in a satisfactory manner, but it actually surprised me on that front.

Anyway – if you like a fake relationship romance, and don’t mind politics being very much front and centre in the plot then this is worth a look. My copy was from NetGalley, but it’s out today on Kindle and Kobo and apparently also in paperback.

*There is a trend toward The Most Oblivious Heroines That Ever Failed To Notice A Guy Is Into Them at the moment and I do not like it. A bit of not noticing is fine. Not noticing when he’s making heart eyes at you and picking you over everyone else all the time is not fine (Sarah Adams I’m looking at you)