The reality of a reality TV show

Synopsis

‘Hilarious and highly original’

Julie Houston, bestselling author of A Village Affair

Once upon a time, twelve women joined the hottest reality TV show looking for love. Except one had a secret identity . . .

Abby Jones is a serious writer. Or at least she will be, one day. Right now, she spends her time writing recaps of reality television under a secret identity.

When a recap for The Stag – the must-watch dating show – goes viral, her editor thinks she should be on set, writing the drama as it happens. The good news: the next season will be filmed in Sydney. Sun, sea and a glamorous trip abroad, this could be Abby’s big break.

The bad news: the producers don’t just want Abby to write the recaps, they want her to be on the show. Abby can’t think of anything worse than being undercover and followed around by cameras. But her career depends on it, and when she meets gorgeous producer Jack, Abby begins to wonder if this job might not be so bad after all . . .

My review

Abby Jones didn’t expect that her article of the latest reality television would go viral. Her thoughts, written under a pseudonym, over The Stag, are a success in such a way that her editor thinks that Abby should be on set and live the all the drama from the front seat.
not only does this mean that Abby has to fly over to Sydney, but suddenly she is also a contestant on the show.
Will Abby be able to keep her cover from the other contestants? And are friendships made during the show real? And most important, will Abby be able to resist gorgeous producer Jack, who knows about her part on the show?

I am not a great fan of reality shows where women are trying to make a man fall in love with them. Not because I don’t believe in love (happy single over here!!!) but I find it demeaning that women should fight over a man, while the man just has to pick out a woman out of a bunch who would do anything for his attention and affection…
But when this lovely author wrote a book about a dating show, I just *HAD* to read it!

I liked it that Abby was just so normal! She writes what everyone is thinking while watching such shows. Even if she is not using her own name, her thoughts match perfectly mine!
Abby is just so easy to like and love, even if her self – esteem surely could be on a higher level, because she is just so amazing!

Sydney is the place where the Games truly start. Like Abby said herself, in each show you can divide the contestants into different groups, like the Villians, the Dark Horses, the Bride etc. and how hilarious it was to easily divide the participants into these groups and see how nice/lovely/despicable/awful the women could be.

I had to admit, I had rolled my eyes several times reading how the women were seeking the attention of The Stag Daniel, because he was just so easy not to like, being so superficial and just having no own thoughts…
And knowing some of the ladies better, I just wished they could see they all deserved better! Especially knowing that so many moments are being staged behind the scenes!

Talking about behind the scenes, can I have a Jack myself? Not only is he gorgeous (yeah yeah, I know looks aren’t everything, but it surely helps, even for a happy single like me!) but he is kind, caring and just perfect in every way!

This was hilarious, funny, but also heart – warming story to read! I liked this from the start until the very end!
The author managed to write a captivating story, showing us what happens behind the scenes of a reality show, but also showing us that love can come when you least expect it and that it can be an opportunity to let your life take a different direction.
But also that friendships can be made at the strangest locations, and even if not all the friendships can be kept alive, the most important can stand the test of time, place and the tests that life gives us!

I had high expectations for the author, and she managed to even exceed them! And the ending was just perfect for my own feelings, because no man is worth of women to fight over! The right man has only eyes for you and surely sees the real you, in all your beauty, inside and outside!