America's Next Reality Star

ROMANTIC COMEDY

Title: America’s Next Reality Star
Author: Laura Heffernan
Publication date: 03/07/2017
Publisher: Lyrical Shine
Kindle Unlimited: No
Cliffhanger: No
Rating: 4 out of 5
 
Amazon blurb
Twenty-four-year-old Jen Reid had her life in good shape: an okay job, a tiny-cute Seattle apartment, and a great boyfriend almost ready to get serious. In a flash it all came apart. Single, unemployed, and holding an eviction notice, who has time to remember trying out for a reality show? Then the call comes, and Jen sees her chance to start over—by spending her summer on national TV.
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Luckily The Fishbowl is all about puzzles and games, the kind of thing Jen would love even if she wasn’t desperate.

The cast checks all the boxes: cheerful, quirky Birdie speaks in hashtags; vicious Ariana knows just how to pout for the cameras; and corn-fed “J-dawg” plays the cartoon villain of the house. Then there’s Justin, the green-eyed law student who always seems a breath away from kissing her. Is their attraction real, or a trick to get him closer to the $250,000 grand prize? Romance or showmance, suddenly Jen has a lot more to lose than a summer . . .

My Review
​I’m not a fan of reality TV. I’ve never watched an episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians or The Bachelor. I think that overall, reality shows are lazy TV for networks who don’t want to pay for good writers to come up with original, scripted shows. Further, I think that every time someone watches a reality show, a book dies. But a book about a reality show? Well, I’ll admit the concept intrigued me, so I gave this one a read.​

America’s Next Reality Star is a fun, cute read. It’s light-hearted and in spots, hilarious. It’s also a clean read, which you don’t come across too often. (You could read this one aloud at home if you were so inclined and not scandalize your kiddos) Overall, this reads like a classic rom-com movie.

 I can very well imagine seeing this at the theatre starring Anna Kendrick as Jen and a young Owen Wilson as Justin. ​

​Jen is a fun heroine. She’s smart, funny and quick-witted. She’s also not afraid to laugh at herself, and doesn’t fall to pieces when she finds out her perfect boyfriend isn’t so perfect after all. If there’s one thing I can’t tolerate, it’s a heroine who lays down to die when she runs into romantic troubles. (I’m looking at you, Bella Swan)
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Justin was a decent hero, too, but we didn’t get to know him as well as we got to know Jen. If I was to get all judgey, (which, let’s face it, I often do) I’d probably complain that there wasn’t more interaction between Jen and Justin so that we could better understand Jen’s attraction to him.
 
I will warn y’all of this: If you go into this book expecting a contemporary romance, you’ll be sorely disappointed. This one is straight-up romantic comedy. Lots of laughs, but no sex, barely any kissing, with a HFN (happy for now) at the end.
 
Long-story-short, this one’s a fun, light, quick read that will appeal to fans of reality shows and romantic comedies. It’s definitely worth a one-click.       
     
Does this book contribute to or help crush the romance stigma?
I don’t think that applies here, since this wasn’t really a romance. It’s certainly not hurting the genre in any way.    
 
Other reading suggestions
For a sexy contemporary romance about a fun, quirky heroine who agrees to televise her weight loss journey and ends up falling for her hot trainer, try He Loves Lucy by Susan Donovan. And for a hot read about a bachelor who loses a bet and ends up on a reality show to settle it, try My Bachelor by Tess Oliver. (Psssttt: I hate to be shallow, but check out the cover hottie on My Bachelor. You’re welcome.) ​

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