Love, Hate & Clickbait
A Novel
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4.4 • 13 Ratings
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- $3.99
Publisher Description
A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK SELECTED BY BUZZFEED & THE NERD DAILY
"Quick-paced, sharp, and thoroughly entertaining. I couldn’t put it down!”—Helen Hoang
Shake some hands. Kiss some coworkers.
Cutthroat political consultant Thom Morgan is thriving, working on the governor of California’s presidential campaign. If only he didn’t have to deal with Clay Parker, the infuriatingly smug data analyst who gets under Thom’s skin like it’s his job. In the midst of one of their heated and very public arguments, a journalist snaps a photo, but the image makes it look like they’re kissing. As if that weren’t already worst-nightmare territory, the photo goes viral—and in a bid to secure the liberal vote, the governor asks them to lean into it. Hard.
Thom knows all about damage control—he practically invented it. Ever the professional, he’ll grin and bear this challenge as he does all others. But as the loyal staffers push the boundaries of “giving the people what they want,” the animosity between them blooms into something deeper and far more dangerous: desire. Soon their fake relationship is hurtling toward something very real, which could derail the campaign and cost them both their jobs…and their hearts.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Bowery's promising debut has handsome political consultant Thom Morgan anxious to propel California governor Leonora Westwood to the White House. But "Lennie" is adept at putting her foot in her mouth and is often sabotaged by a leaker. As damage control for Lennie's most recent gaff—a homophobic comment to a reporter—Thom is asked to fake-date his colleague, Clay Parker, a data analyst. Clay and Thom hate each other, but their unlikely "Schrödinger's Relationship" becomes an internet sensation, thanks in part to a photo of them kissing at a charity basketball game. Soon the guys are playing footsie under the table and spending quality time together. As Clay falls for Thom's "intoxicating smile, infuriatingly perfect body, and easy charm," he fears their fake relationship is going to end in heartbreak. Then Lennie asks the guys to get married to help her campaign, and things go into hyperdrive. Bowery keeps the romance light and engaging, with some delightfully cheesy moments and domestic scenes, and delineates the politics in a subplot about a student loan reform bill that Thom is pushing. With political intrigue, social media virality, fake dating, and an enemies-to-lovers romance, there's arguably a bit too much going on here. Still, it's a charming, breezy rom-com.
Customer Reviews
Solid romance novel
The celebrity relationship plot is a stretch, but the character development between the couple was excellent. Had a hard time putting the book down.
Unrealistic
I genuinely love writers and storytellers and wouldn’t normally leave a “bad” review but there was something about this book that genuinely very unrealistic for me. I believe the central theme/plot of it being political and then having it about two main characters who were basically forced down each other throats, as if LGBTQ was the only basis of the political campaign and forcing characters to date was weird. Also, the progression of the love story wasn’t giving romance, more like forced proximity love. Kind of cliche for me. Others might have differing opinions and that’s fine.