If only life were as simple as choosing between Toaster Strudel and Fruit Loops.
Katherine Galloway is two years divorced and still living out of boxes. Between her brothers (cops that work with her ex) and her mother’s constant reminders that her clock is ticking, Kate is trying to hold it all together. But the truth is, she’s eating Toaster Strudel for dinner, and living and breathing her PR … breathing her PR career.. When it comes to public relations, there’s nothing she can’t handle . . . or at least that’s what she thinks.
Grady Malendar, the only son of United States Senator Patrick Malendar, has a reputation as a playboy who likes to have a little too much fun. The senator is running for re-election and needs Grady’s help with the youth vote. But what they want is a new and improved, headline-free Grady, so they hire a PR firm. Grady is willing to participate in the dog and pony show to help his father win, but there are some things about Grady’s life he wants to keep hidden. Especially from his snoopy new PR “babysitter,” Kate Galloway.
Somewhere between campaign stops and fundraisers, Kate and Grady discover that neither of them are what they appear to be on the surface. Tensions between them grow until there is no denying they are falling in love behind the scenes of a façade they both need to keep in place. Will scandal, old wounds, and secrets tear them apart, or will Kate and Grady realize, despite appearances, they are both candidates for love?
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I had immediate sympathy for Kate. Two years on from her divorce and she is still living out of boxes and eating Toaster Strudel. The only part of her life that she has under control is her career in PR, that’s until her firm takes on a new important client, a senator looking for re-election and she is giving the task of “babysitting” his son.
Grady Malendar could be an asset to his father’s campaign but his playboy public image needs to be cleaned up and Kate is the one for the job. Once she meets Grady she is immediately attracted to him as Grady is to her, and she struggles to keep everything professional between them. To Grady she is a beautiful ice queen that he wants to thaw out but as time goes on she becomes a lot more to him, but they both have to reveal deeply hidden secrets before their relationship can stand a chance.
I really loved this slow burning but passionate love story, the characters were very believable. Kate as she struggles so hard not to fall for Grady as she is so afraid of being hurt again, and Grady who is used to always being in the public eye but works so hard to keep his real life secret.
A great story from Tracy, easy to read and enjoy. I received a free copy of this book and this is my honest review.
The slow build-up to the story was just addicting! There were so many little moments along the way, I highlighted several swoon-worthy passages. There were some seriously amazing, simple little moments. And the ending -I loved it, I got a little misty-eyed but still kept a giant smile on my face. It was the perfect ending to this story
This was such a great book! Kate works for a PR firm and is tasked with “babysitting” Grady during his father’s campaign. Both are closed off and only let people see what they want to see. What happens when they let each other see the real Kate and Grady? Great characters and a great story line. I really enjoyed reading this book.
3.5 Push/Pull Stars
Candidate A love Story was a pretty good book. The reason I didn’t enjoy it more was it made me like it , and frustrated me in equal measure! I loved Kate and wanted to choke Kate also in equal measure. Kate felt real. I could understand her pain, and fear, from being cheated on by her ex husband. So I understood her not wanted to get close to Grady. But I felt she held on to that fear for far too long. The push/pull she did drove me a little crazy, and at times made me want rip my hair out! I loved the other sides of Kate where she was strong, took charge, and smart. I loved that she stood up for herself to her family when they didn’t really have her back over divorcing Nick (her cheating ex).
Grady was the star of the book for me. He was a very deep, dynamic, and complex character. He shows the world his slacker, rich , playboy side, but there is so much to Grady. I really felt for him. For the hurt teenage boy that walked in and caught his father cheating with his math teacher, and lost his childhood hero-dad. The man that helped so many, but didn’t want any of the fame. I especially loved the side of him that seen what he wanted and went after it, fought for it. Grady was very thoughtful. When he let his guard down and let Kate in he was this sexy, playful, smart-butt that was easy in his own skin, and I fell in love with him!
The author did such a good job building up their relationship. You could feel them fall for each other. I did get frustrated with Kate kissing Grady, making love with him, or telling him she loved him and then holding him at arms length. I could understand, to a point, that she was fearful, but she held that fear for far to long. She hurt Grady over what her ex did, and I loved Grady’s character so much, that I felt protective of him. I liked most of the other characters. I didn’t really care for Grady’s father. Besides the fact that he cheated on his wife, he seemed self-center. Other than the push/pull relationship the only other thing I didn’t like in this book was the ending. It was so abrupt. No epilogue, just fight, time apart, make up, and bam over. It didn’t give me any real closure. Over all this was a sweet, but some what angsty love story. I would like to read more from this author.