Here for the Wrong Reasons by Annabel Paulsen and Lydia Wang is a delightful sapphic romance that has two dating show contestants vying for the affection of the leading man fall head over heels—for each other.
Krystin, a passionate rodeo rider, seeks a husband, horse, and a place to hang her copious ribbons. After finding no suitable bachelors in Montana, she turns to reality TV on Hopelessly Devoted to compete against thirty-four other women for the heart of this season’s Hopeless Romantic, Josh Rosen. She’s determined to win the life she’s set her sights on, if only she could stop thinking about the gorgeous brunette with effortless style who won’t stop giving her tingles.
Lauren, who has never done anything for the right reasons, is certainly not on Hopelessly Devoted to win Josh’s heart. Her goal is simple: stay on the show long enough to garner more social media followers to enhance her brand and gracefully exit the show when it’s her turn to be eliminated. What she doesn’t plan is the attraction she feels for a certain blonde barrel racer the longer she’s on the show.
Neither contestant expects a heteronormative dating show to challenge their own deeply-ingrained ideas of who they are—and what they want.
Writing
Jenna: My romantic heart truly loves Annabel Paulsen and Lydia Wang’s real-life romance that developed while they were writing this book! Their chemistry shines through in how the book is crafted as their combined writing styles are seamless and together they’ve penned a really engaging story.
Mildred: This book is super romantic and gives a lot of feels. It took me a minute to get used to the simple present tense, but I got so caught up in the characters that I didn’t even think of it after a while.
Jenna: The attention to detail with the behind-the-scenes aspect of filming a reality TV show allows readers to be fully immersed in the sequestered world created during filming. With so many supporting characters who could easily all run together, the confessionals not only provide insight into characters’ thoughts but also help to remind readers who exactly the characters are.
Mildred: There’s just something about seeing a realistically rendered behind-the-scenes look at something as familiar as a reality TV show. For one thing, it adds a lot to the romance aspect. I will admit to having trouble keeping the many, many characters separate in my head at first, but that’s on me because the authors made every one of them distinct and fully realized.
Pros And My Favourite Parts
Jenna: A title like Here for the Wrong Reasons sets the stage for a narrative filled with flawed decisions and potentially messy situations and I was totally there for all of it. I knew going in why both Krystin and Lauren go on the show and what I found so intriguing was when they find themselves in morally ambiguous situations (that sometimes had me shaking my head in mock indignation), I was taken along with them on their journeys of self-discovery, growth, and redemption.
Mildred: The first thing that comes to mind when thinking of this book is that danged song! I cannot get that out of my head, possibly because the first time I heard it was at the theater and it created quite the crush. I can’t remember reading a wlw romance before that had the main characters fighting so hard for the affections of a man. After a while, that aspect felt deliciously twisty all in itself, but mainly it continued to underscore just how far from fully understanding (themselves) both Lauren and Krystin are at the beginning of the story.
Jenna: Here for the Wrong Reasons is a powerful and resonant story. The contrast between the glitz and glamour of reality TV and the profound emotional journey of the characters adds an intriguing layer I wasn’t expecting. The themes of self-discovery and acceptance are explored within such a flashy setting highlighting the genuine struggles and triumphs individuals face in understanding and embracing their true selves. This blend of external glamour and internal depth makes this a remarkable story.
Mildred: Time for another confession. I’ve never been able to bring myself to watch any of the dating shows, so the whole environment was mysterious and fascinating. For a while, it was almost like a fantasy story. Lauren and Krystin go through a lot and gain so much from their experience, but so did several other characters and that was a lot of fun to watch unfold. I felt so sorry for Josh, for instance. His character could have ended in several ways, but I loved how the authors treated him.
Jenna: And now for my confession, I have maybe only watched about 37 seconds of one reality dating show about a decade ago, so this was a treat for me as well. I agree, Lauren and Krystin did gain a lot from their experience and the self-discovery and maturity really enhanced both of their characters. I adore Josh and you’re right, his character could have gone in many different directions and the one chosen was my favorite.
Mildred: Fauxmance is probably my favorite genre, and it feels a little strange because of the setting, but this became one of my favorites. This story is chock full of fakery, from Lauren and Krystin faking their attraction to Josh, and both living life being untrue to their own self.
Heads Up
Jenna: Readers may or may not get ONJ’s Hopelessly Devoted stuck in their heads for a solid forty-two hours like me. It’s not a bad thing, I just wanted to be upfront about it.
Mildred: Same! I think I would have gone insane if someone had worn a poodle skirt.
The Conclusion
Jenna: Whether you’re a fan of reality TV, Here for the Wrong Reasons is a story that is not to be missed. On the surface, Krystin becomes a contestant on a reality TV show to find a husband and Lauren is there to build a social media following but the story is so much more than this. It’s a layered tale about self-discovery, acceptance, vulnerability, humility, and redemption. There is drama, laughs, eye rolls, hot women in stilettos, and spicy chemistry that keeps readers engaged through every date, plane ride, conversation, tear, and smile. Grab your copy now!
Mildred: This is a surprisingly deep story about people who think they’re doing big things with their lives for reasons they think are good and smart. Lauren and Krystin do a lot of soul-searching and learning about themselves in ways they would never have expected from being on a reality TV show. Even better, there are a lot of characters in the story and more than just those two experience surprising and deep revelations by the end. I’m happy to have read it, and recommend it.
Excerpt from Here for the Wrong Reasons by Annabel Paulsen and Lydia Wang
Only Krystin and the brunette are left in the limo by the time Penny gives Krystin a two-minute warning.
“Get ready,” Penny instructs her, her eyes glittering with the excitement Krystin thought she would only see from the Devotees. She turns to the brunette. “Lauren, you’ll be going after her.”
Lauren, Krystin repeats silently, as Penny faces her again.
“You have your prop?”
She does. Krystin slides a hobby horse from underneath the seat and holds the stick between her knees. The mane got a little matted during the car ride. She fluffs the synthetic hair, and plucks a stray fake eyelash from its nose.
Lauren gestures at the prop. “Classy.”
“I do rodeo,” Krystin explains, ignoring the brunette’s snark. She smooths out her sash, which proclaims her Rodeo Queen Montana.
“Looks like you more than ‘do’ it.”
“I’m a rodeo champion,” she amends. “A queen.” Lauren smirks.
“No crown?”
“Ten-gallon hat,” she corrects. “Left that at home.”
In a few minutes, Krystin thinks, Lauren will probably regret having nothing to distinguish herself from the herd of women that each expect Josh to remember her name. Though, looking at this woman—the left corner of her lips curled up derisively, her eyes wide and brown and framed by a spray of curled lashes—Krystin can’t imagine anyone forgetting her.
Penny snaps. “Horse. Go.” Krystin looks at her. “Oh! Yeah. Going.” She slides across the seats toward the door. “Going, gone.”
The brunette gives her a finger flutter wave. Krystin tips her head before remembering she’s not wearing the hat.
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Bits and Bobs
ISBN number: 978-1639107094
Publisher: AlcovePress
Annabel Paulsen and Lydia Wang Online
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