About the Book
In this swoon-filled lesbian romcom, two dating show contestants vying for the affection of the leading man fall head over heels-for each other.
Fans of Ashley Herring Blake and Alexandria Bellefleur, and readers who love The Bachelor, will adore this steamy, laugh-out-loud debut romance.
Krystin knows exactly what she wants- a husband, a horse, and a place to hang all her competitive rodeo blue ribbons. But when none of the eligible bachelors in Montana end up being right for her, she turns to reality TV. On Hopelessly Devoted, Krystin will compete against dozens of other women for the heart of this season's Hopeless Romantic, Josh Rosen. She's determined to win the perfect life she came here for-if she can just ignore the glossy brunette whose crimson smile gives her goosebumps.
Lauren has never done anything for the right reasons-and she's definitely not on Hopelessly Devoted to win Josh's heart. Lauren's plan is simple- stay on the show long enough to build her social media following, and then gracefully leave when it's her turn to be eliminated. With enough followers, she'll finally have enough influencer clout to do whatever she wants-including come out of the proverbial walk-in closet. But the longer she stays on the show, the more she finds herself tangled up in a certain blonde's lasso.
But neither contestant expects a heteronormative dating show to challenge their own deeply-ingrained ideas of who they are-and what they want. Fans of The Charm Offensive and Love Island will swoon for this sparkling debut romcom.
About the Author :
Lydia Wang is the Love & Life editor at Women's Health magazine, and she's covered sex, dating, and pop culture (including reality TV) for Refinery29, Cosmopolitan, Vulture, and more.
Annabel Paulsen holds an MFA in Creative Writing from The New School, and her essays and criticism have appeared in NeoText, Electric Literature, Riot Fest Magazine, and Document Journal.
Together, Annabel and Lydia share a love for queer romance novels and dating shows (and each other). They started as friends and by the end of writing this novel, they were dating. They live together in Brooklyn, and hope to one day co-parent a black pug named Elise.
Review :
Praise for Here for the Wrong Reasons:
“A wonderful mix of sweet and steamy . . . This proves as deliciously addictive as the most bingeable reality show.”
—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
“This debut contributes bold new aspects to the romance genre while embracing that all-important happily-ever-after.”
—Kirkus
“An intriguing premise that is fulfilled with skillful worldbuilding and witty, humorous writing. Fans of Alexandria Bellefleur and reality TV will clamor for this debut novel by real-life partners Paulsen and Wang.”
—Library Journal
“A delightful sapphic romance . . . Not to be missed.”
—The Lesbian Review
“Writing (and romantic) duo Annabel Paulsen and Lydia Wang have crafted a steamy, satirical, sparkling sapphic romp of a debut! Here for the Wrong Reasons is a glorious send-up of The Bachelor franchise, full of nods to the show that will have the most die-hard fans giggling, even as they start to fall for Krystin and Lauren. Packed with reality television drama, queer love, and a lot of heart, this book is perfect for romance readers looking for a fun, frothy escape.”
—Alison Cochrun, author of Lambda Literary award-winning Kiss Her Once for Me and The Charm Offensive
“Packed with tension and humor, Here for the Wrong Reasons is a romp of a romance for anyone who has ever been surprised by love. A gorgeous story about identity and the beauty of being seen for who you are.”
—Ashley Herring Blake, author of Delilah Green Doesn't Care
“Here for the Wrong Reasons is like the best kind of reality TV: messy, drama-filled, and totally addicting. I couldn't take my eyes off Lauren and Krystin as they found their way to each other in the middle of a compulsory heterosexual circus.”
—T.J. Alexander, author of Chef's Kiss & Chef's Choice
“Juicy, dramatic, and surprisingly sweet, this romance is everything I want from a reality dating TV show and so much more. Krystin and Lauren might be here for the wrong reasons, but every moment of their love story hits just right.”
—Susie Dumond, author of Queerly Beloved and Looking for a Sign
“I binge-read this book like it was a season of the best reality show! It’s fun, impossible to put down, and full of juicy behind-the-scenes excitement. This book will win over your heart!”
—Camille Kellogg, author of Just As You Are
“Here for the Wrong Reasons is a creative, delightful, and angst-filled romance readers are sure to adore! I fell hard for Lauren and Krystin as they laughed, healed, and fell in love through every dating show predicament they faced. Paulsen and Wang are brightly talented new voices!”
—Courtney Kae, author of In the Event of Love
“A combined voice that is achingly tender and vulnerable, witty and whip-smart, sensual and scorching. Paulsen and Wang explore the experience of coming out, of learning oneself, of falling in love, with gentle care. Here for the Wrong Reasons is my new favourite reality TV romance.”
—Ruby Barrett, author of The Romance Recipe
