The (Un)Popular Vote by Jasper Sanchez

Vaseline on the teeth makes a smile shine. It’s a cheap stunt, but Mark Adams knows it’s optics that can win or ruin an election.

Everything Mark learned about politics, he learned from his father, the congressman who still pretends he has a daughter and not a son. To protect his father’s image, Mark promises to keep his past hidden and pretend to be the cis guy everyone assumes he is. But when he sees a manipulatively charming candidate for student body president inflame dangerous rhetoric, Mark decides to risk the low profile he assured his father and insert himself as a political challenger.

One big problem? No one really knows Mark. He didn’t grow up in this town, and he has few friends; plus, the ones he does have aren’t exactly with the in-crowd. Still, thanks to countless seasons of Scandal and The West Wing, these nerds know where to start: from campaign stops to voter polling to a fashion makeover. Soon Mark feels emboldened to get in front of and engage with voters—and even start a new romance. But with an investigative journalist digging into his past, a father trying to silence him, and a bully front-runner who stands in his way, Mark will have to decide which matters most: perception or truth, when both are just as dangerous.  

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I enjoyed this more than I didn't. Mark is a politician in the Lesley Knope School of Politics; he honestly wants to make things better for people, and he honestly believes that politics is the way to do it. Seeing people abuse and misuse power is a great way to piss him off.

He has a great support system, kids who like him and want to help him. It's wonderfully diverse, both in sexuality and nationality, and it's not shoved in your face like some books do; it's just the way his friends group is. I love the moment when Mark realises he's enjoying talking to people from different groups, that he's glad he branched out even if he loses the election; he realises it's worth it to get to know these fun, interesting people.

However, Mark does commit one of my least favourite MC crimes; he wavers back and forth over the course of the novel, depending on who he's talked to most recently. It's fine to change your mind once; a character needs to learn in order to grow. Twice is maybe ok; if you find out something huge you didn't know before, it makes sense. More than that and you're just waffling and indecisive. It leaves me less sympathetic to a character.

There's also a scene that is a very obvious homage to a famous scene in The West Wing - possibly the most famous scene in that show - but I didn't feel it added anything to the narrative; it was just a reason to reference that scene.

Other than that, I really enjoyed this. I'm glad I got to read it, and I'll be watching out for more books from the author. I think he's going places.

The (Un)Popular Vote publishes on the 1st of June, 2021 in the US and on the 8th of July, 2021 in the UK, using the same cover as far as I can find out. I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.