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The One
A razor-sharp and seductively hypnotic debut novel about the very fantasy of falling in love.
Emily is not particularly interested in dating. She simply wants to change her life after being fired from her dead-end job. So when she is recruited for the popular reality dating show The One, it doesn’t take much thought for her to sign up; it’s not as if she’d actually fall in love. But upon her arrival on set, it becomes clear her producer, Miranda, will do nearly anything to make sure Emily gets engaged by the end of the season, even if it means breaking Emily’s trust. The pressure builds as Emily navigates her connection with the lead and a growing relationship with another contestant. As the arc of the season begins to slot into place, both Emily and Miranda are forced to decide what they want—and what they are willing to do to get it.
A brilliant send-up of our cultural mythology around romance, The One examines how people can confuse wanting to be looked at—to be singled out and desired—with desire itself.
Emily is not particularly interested in dating. She simply wants to change her life after being fired from her dead-end job. So when she is recruited for the popular reality dating show The One, it doesn’t take much thought for her to sign up; it’s not as if she’d actually fall in love. But upon her arrival on set, it becomes clear her producer, Miranda, will do nearly anything to make sure Emily gets engaged by the end of the season, even if it means breaking Emily’s trust. The pressure builds as Emily navigates her connection with the lead and a growing relationship with another contestant. As the arc of the season begins to slot into place, both Emily and Miranda are forced to decide what they want—and what they are willing to do to get it.
A brilliant send-up of our cultural mythology around romance, The One examines how people can confuse wanting to be looked at—to be singled out and desired—with desire itself.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 18, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 369 reviews
February 23, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Books for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Three days of my life I won’t get back. 😢😂 The premise of this book? Awesome. I absolutely loved watching The Bachelor with my mom when I was in high school, and this is the third book I’ve read featuring a television show of the same concept. But the execution of this book? Terrible. I unfortunately was bored for the majority of it. The main character, Emily, was super uninteresting. She does not apply to The One to find love, but rather was approached by a producer on the street and asked to join because she might fit the show’s image. She agrees to the offer because she “just got fired and has nothing better to do.” Huh? The author glossed over a lot, and I didn’t find myself rooting for any of the characters at any point. There was even a passage in which she tried to convey that women control society with sex. A very weird attempt at a feminist(?) book that I would not recommend. Good thing it was only 300 pages. Found one good quote, though!
“‘I had better things to do because I had my person to go home to. Don’t you want that for yourself, to have your person? Don’t you want to have a better place to be?’”
Three days of my life I won’t get back. 😢😂 The premise of this book? Awesome. I absolutely loved watching The Bachelor with my mom when I was in high school, and this is the third book I’ve read featuring a television show of the same concept. But the execution of this book? Terrible. I unfortunately was bored for the majority of it. The main character, Emily, was super uninteresting. She does not apply to The One to find love, but rather was approached by a producer on the street and asked to join because she might fit the show’s image. She agrees to the offer because she “just got fired and has nothing better to do.” Huh? The author glossed over a lot, and I didn’t find myself rooting for any of the characters at any point. There was even a passage in which she tried to convey that women control society with sex. A very weird attempt at a feminist(?) book that I would not recommend. Good thing it was only 300 pages. Found one good quote, though!
“‘I had better things to do because I had my person to go home to. Don’t you want that for yourself, to have your person? Don’t you want to have a better place to be?’”
August 24, 2022
This book manages to be both brilliant and fantastically entertaining. It is somehow about toxic masculinity, the commodification of love, the power and stress of beauty, homophobia, religion, attraction and a million of other things while also being a cohesive, propulsive narrative. It is Sally Rooney meets Lily King. It is a literary page-turner that will leave you completely satisfied.
February 20, 2023
Great debut! 📘🤩 This story follows Emily who is fired on the same day from her job in Boston that she is approached and offered an answer to her dilemma (that seems too good to be true!)
With no job and nothing better to do.. she says yes.
She auditions a day later, and is chosen to be a contestant on the hit dating show, The One 🎬.
Four days later she’s on a flight to LA. Pretty miraculous right. It’s there that she meets Dylan, a fourth grade teacher 🧑🏻🏫.. who is chosen as the lead on The One, and Emily instantly notices his tousled hair and toned muscles, and is that possibly makeup he’s wearing?
She has made supportive friendships with a few of the women, but it’s still a competition 🎯, so of course there are snarky remarks 🤬 from other contestants mainly over all the attention she is getting from Dylan.. more specifically.. over her brazen kiss with him on the beach. But her attention begins to focus much less on him.. leading up to one heck of a surprising twist! Where this goes you’ll just have to read it to find out. If you enjoyed The Bachelor this book will be right up your alley. 4 stars — Pub 4/18/23
Much thanks to the publisher via NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
With no job and nothing better to do.. she says yes.
She auditions a day later, and is chosen to be a contestant on the hit dating show, The One 🎬.
Four days later she’s on a flight to LA. Pretty miraculous right. It’s there that she meets Dylan, a fourth grade teacher 🧑🏻🏫.. who is chosen as the lead on The One, and Emily instantly notices his tousled hair and toned muscles, and is that possibly makeup he’s wearing?
She has made supportive friendships with a few of the women, but it’s still a competition 🎯, so of course there are snarky remarks 🤬 from other contestants mainly over all the attention she is getting from Dylan.. more specifically.. over her brazen kiss with him on the beach. But her attention begins to focus much less on him.. leading up to one heck of a surprising twist! Where this goes you’ll just have to read it to find out. If you enjoyed The Bachelor this book will be right up your alley. 4 stars — Pub 4/18/23
Much thanks to the publisher via NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 29, 2023
I very much hope the author never sees this review. I think authors are amazing and I have never finished writing a book. I don’t know what it takes. This feels to me more of an issues in editing than in the writing.
THAT SAID this book was so bad. Here’s my best attempt to list the issues.
1. The book has no idea what it’s doing or where it’s going. It’s a romance. It’s an LGBTQIA+ romance. It’s a female empowerment story. It’s a commentary on reality tv. Oh and there’s a mass shooting! It’s got religious trauma. Let’s tackle some class differences! It’s got sexual inexperience and consent issues. Think of something, it’s probably got it. If a book wants to tackle all these things, it needs something that connects them all. This didn’t.
2. There are two narrators. The first is Emily, the female contestant on “The One” and the second is Miranda, her PRODUCER. What??? Is this a romance novel? Why is Miranda’s story there at all?! It was underdeveloped and I was left fully unsatisfied.
3. At the end of the book I cannot say I enjoyed anything about reading it. I didn’t learn anything, I didn’t have fun, I wanted it to end. I realized while reading it that it was so confusing and so disjointed that I just had to keep going. I sped it up to 2.5x to finish faster and was STUNNED when the narrator thanked me for listening. That’s it? Wow.
This book was like four different plots that could’ve been good if written independently, but absolutely didn’t work when written in 300 pages all at once.
THAT SAID this book was so bad. Here’s my best attempt to list the issues.
1. The book has no idea what it’s doing or where it’s going. It’s a romance. It’s an LGBTQIA+ romance. It’s a female empowerment story. It’s a commentary on reality tv. Oh and there’s a mass shooting! It’s got religious trauma. Let’s tackle some class differences! It’s got sexual inexperience and consent issues. Think of something, it’s probably got it. If a book wants to tackle all these things, it needs something that connects them all. This didn’t.
2. There are two narrators. The first is Emily, the female contestant on “The One” and the second is Miranda, her PRODUCER. What??? Is this a romance novel? Why is Miranda’s story there at all?! It was underdeveloped and I was left fully unsatisfied.
3. At the end of the book I cannot say I enjoyed anything about reading it. I didn’t learn anything, I didn’t have fun, I wanted it to end. I realized while reading it that it was so confusing and so disjointed that I just had to keep going. I sped it up to 2.5x to finish faster and was STUNNED when the narrator thanked me for listening. That’s it? Wow.
This book was like four different plots that could’ve been good if written independently, but absolutely didn’t work when written in 300 pages all at once.
August 28, 2022
When I started this book I had high hopes. Making a competitive reality dating show into a book form is a great idea. This book however missed the point. It was long and wasted words. I never felt a connection to the characters and the odd chapters on the set props was strange.
December 20, 2023
Other thoughts found here.
Earlier in the year I had checked this out and returned it unread, and mayhaps that's where my journey with this story should have ended.
This book attempts to do a lot given how long the actual book is. There simply isn't enough time to do all the things that Argy attempts to do. While it's set in a reality dating competition and we get the perspective of the front runner and her producer, the actual contestant very clearly doesn't want to be there. Even as that storyline plays out it only serves to get more frustrating. As for the producer's storyline it was slightly ore entertaining.
Overall the book wasn't bad. I just don't think that it's a book that will stick with me in any meaningful way, even as just a book that was fun to read in the time that I was reading it.
Earlier in the year I had checked this out and returned it unread, and mayhaps that's where my journey with this story should have ended.
This book attempts to do a lot given how long the actual book is. There simply isn't enough time to do all the things that Argy attempts to do. While it's set in a reality dating competition and we get the perspective of the front runner and her producer, the actual contestant very clearly doesn't want to be there. Even as that storyline plays out it only serves to get more frustrating. As for the producer's storyline it was slightly ore entertaining.
Overall the book wasn't bad. I just don't think that it's a book that will stick with me in any meaningful way, even as just a book that was fun to read in the time that I was reading it.
May 12, 2023
this was like the poor man’s version of the show UnReal. the main character was SO boring and unlikeable, even more so after her vivid description of needing a cast mate to help her with a yeast infection. and empathizing with a mass shooter’s manifesto. and having a sudden lesbian panic awakening out of nowhere.
December 11, 2022
Emily did not join the reality dating show to find love she did it for lack of something better to do but once she moved into the house and met the ladies and then met Dylan the reason she was there slowly but definitely changed. From the ballet dancer to the Instagram or she meet some really good friends but will she leave the show with her prince? I really enjoyed this book Waymore than I thought I would. I love the way the author for the most part made the women supportive and friendly and although they did have some Who like to make negative comments I noticed they were there that long. I found the authors has a great talent for writing this type of book novel with that there were some really funny moments in the book really touching moment and everything you look for in a contemporary romance novel. It is rare to read a debut novel that I would give five stars to but I would definitely give it to Julia Argy’s The One. I would definitely say this author came out with both barrels blazing with a five star read on her first outing I totally loved it and highly recommend it what a fun book. I receive this book from NetGalley and the publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.
October 28, 2022
Thank you to Dutton/Penguin Random House for Julia Argy's The One. This is a very thought provoking book, one filled with a new take on the behind the scenes of a reality show tropes; I was left with a lot of plot points and themes on feminism and identity and how much we do and do not control our own narratives. I chose this book for the reality show theme and got a lot more, in a good way, from this highly satisfying novel (I read this on an airplane and I was 100% drawn into the plot, helped me tune out the distractions of air travel!). I am still thinking a few days later about the parallel stories of a contestant, Emily, and her producer, Miranda; Emily and her self-growth. Miranda with an agenda of her own to have her contestant reflect a storyline. What does this book say about how we know ourselves and how very unreal reality TV is? it offers a lot, with thoughtful points about feminism woven in, and I think this will spark some interesting discussions.
Recommended for: fans of Holly James' Nothing but the Truth; fans of Evelyn Hugo (the ultimate public persona manipulator?); fans of One to Watch.
Recommended for: fans of Holly James' Nothing but the Truth; fans of Evelyn Hugo (the ultimate public persona manipulator?); fans of One to Watch.
April 18, 2023
Genre: Women’s Fiction with hints of romance and satire
But what is this about: Emily the girl bet on by producers specifically her producer to win it all on a Bachelor like show called The One. However Emily is still finding herself and this show helps her discover who she wants to be.
Read if you love: The Bachelor, sapphic stories, Unreal (the tv show), Love is Blind, behind the scenes looks at reality shows, friends to lovers, discovering your true self, Never Getting Back Together (the book not the song), I don’t know why but Boygenius but also Taylor Swift
What wine should you pair it with: A nice merlot
How many roses: 🌹🌹🌹🌹.5
Would I give this book a necklace: Yes this book is making all the way to the top 3
Who do I need a spin-off for: I can’t say without spoilers
Amanda fun fact: I wrote a research paper on Gender Roles in the Bachelor franchise in college and this book reminded me of that paper and my findings which I loved. For this research paper I watched 3 seasons in the span of a week and hand marked certain things I saw. I will never do it again lol.
Final thoughts: There is a lot I related to in this one and I truly adored Emily and her journey (as they would call it). This book was such a lovely surprise and I binged in a day. It felt different than other Bachelor inspired books and I loved that. This book is a huge rec from me
Thank you Putnam for my gifted copy
But what is this about: Emily the girl bet on by producers specifically her producer to win it all on a Bachelor like show called The One. However Emily is still finding herself and this show helps her discover who she wants to be.
Read if you love: The Bachelor, sapphic stories, Unreal (the tv show), Love is Blind, behind the scenes looks at reality shows, friends to lovers, discovering your true self, Never Getting Back Together (the book not the song), I don’t know why but Boygenius but also Taylor Swift
What wine should you pair it with: A nice merlot
How many roses: 🌹🌹🌹🌹.5
Would I give this book a necklace: Yes this book is making all the way to the top 3
Who do I need a spin-off for: I can’t say without spoilers
Amanda fun fact: I wrote a research paper on Gender Roles in the Bachelor franchise in college and this book reminded me of that paper and my findings which I loved. For this research paper I watched 3 seasons in the span of a week and hand marked certain things I saw. I will never do it again lol.
Final thoughts: There is a lot I related to in this one and I truly adored Emily and her journey (as they would call it). This book was such a lovely surprise and I binged in a day. It felt different than other Bachelor inspired books and I loved that. This book is a huge rec from me
Thank you Putnam for my gifted copy
October 10, 2022
Meet Emily. Emily is in her early 20's, not very sure of herself and want more than anything to blend in. Recently let go from her job, she grabs the opportunity to be on a reality dating show when recruited. Before long, Emily finds herself on "The One," a reality show that she has never watched. Matched with a strong producer, Emily finds herself regurgitating lines and thoughts that do not necessarily reflect her as a person. A big problem however, is Emily is not really sure who she is. When Emily does begin to feel the stirrings of love, the very fragile
This is a whip smart book that will enthrall you to the end! If you like reality shows, quick witted heroines and coming of age stories, The One is for you!
.#PenguinBooks
This is a whip smart book that will enthrall you to the end! If you like reality shows, quick witted heroines and coming of age stories, The One is for you!
.#PenguinBooks
April 2, 2023
A book based on a Bachelor type premise was all the info I needed to request this one.
This story centers around Emily and her “handler”, Miranda. It felt like I was behind the scenes witnessing the girl drama throughout this book. Told sometimes through Miranda’s POV, it was an interesting and eye opening look at how much a reality series is actually directed and choreographed.
Emily was a likeable enough character, but I never really felt like I got to know her. Her friends were the same way. They didn’t have depth to their characters. Especially true with man in the center of the drama- but I didn’t really expect to get to know him well.
I thought this was a fun read, and if you enjoy watching reality shows, I think you’ll enjoy it too. Thank you to NetGalley and GP Putnam and Sons for the ARC to read and review.
This story centers around Emily and her “handler”, Miranda. It felt like I was behind the scenes witnessing the girl drama throughout this book. Told sometimes through Miranda’s POV, it was an interesting and eye opening look at how much a reality series is actually directed and choreographed.
Emily was a likeable enough character, but I never really felt like I got to know her. Her friends were the same way. They didn’t have depth to their characters. Especially true with man in the center of the drama- but I didn’t really expect to get to know him well.
I thought this was a fun read, and if you enjoy watching reality shows, I think you’ll enjoy it too. Thank you to NetGalley and GP Putnam and Sons for the ARC to read and review.
May 30, 2023
Emily is a contestant on the reality show "The One", which is a "The Bachelor" style show. The perspective bounces between Emily, and Miranda, one of the producers on the show. I'm not a reality show person in real life, but I do enjoy the behind the scenes information, both of the contestants and the producers.
This was a fun, deeper book than I was expecting, I thought it would simply be fluff, but it has a depth that I didn't expect when reading the synopsis.
Thank you Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons for the ARC!
This was a fun, deeper book than I was expecting, I thought it would simply be fluff, but it has a depth that I didn't expect when reading the synopsis.
Thank you Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons for the ARC!
May 8, 2023
3.5 stars
After being fired, 24-year-old Emily is approached on the street and invited to audition for The One. She agrees because she doesn't have anything better to do, and it sounds like a fun adventure. Emily realizes early into filming that she's being groomed by her producer, Miranda, to be the last woman standing, and she's willing to go along for the ride. After all, Emily is open to falling in love...but it may surprise everyone, Emily included, who is on the receiving end of her feelings.
The One is a generic version of The Bachelor. I have watched The Bachelor on and off for years and the show still fascinates me: how millions of people tune in, week after week, season after season, to watch beautiful people fall in love an environment manufactured for that purpose. Julia Argy's debut novel takes us behind the scenes of, giving us an inside look from both in front of and behind the cameras. Argy uses this environment and these women to bring up thought-provoking ideas about how much control we have over our own narratives, how we differentiate what is real from what is manufactured, and how we perceive ourselves vs. how others perceive us. The themes of female empowerment, toxic masculinity, sexual identity, the power and pitfalls of being beautiful, the joy of true connection, and the literal business of falling in love make the book much more than it initially appears to be.
After being fired, 24-year-old Emily is approached on the street and invited to audition for The One. She agrees because she doesn't have anything better to do, and it sounds like a fun adventure. Emily realizes early into filming that she's being groomed by her producer, Miranda, to be the last woman standing, and she's willing to go along for the ride. After all, Emily is open to falling in love...but it may surprise everyone, Emily included, who is on the receiving end of her feelings.
The One is a generic version of The Bachelor. I have watched The Bachelor on and off for years and the show still fascinates me: how millions of people tune in, week after week, season after season, to watch beautiful people fall in love an environment manufactured for that purpose. Julia Argy's debut novel takes us behind the scenes of, giving us an inside look from both in front of and behind the cameras. Argy uses this environment and these women to bring up thought-provoking ideas about how much control we have over our own narratives, how we differentiate what is real from what is manufactured, and how we perceive ourselves vs. how others perceive us. The themes of female empowerment, toxic masculinity, sexual identity, the power and pitfalls of being beautiful, the joy of true connection, and the literal business of falling in love make the book much more than it initially appears to be.
April 26, 2023
Summary: Emily is not particularly interested in dating. She simply wants to change her life after being fired from her dead-end job. So when she is recruited for the popular reality dating show The One, it doesn’t take much thought for her to sign up; it’s not as if she’d actually fall in love. The pressure builds as Emily navigates her connection with the lead and a growing relationship with another contestant. As the arc of the season begins to slot into place, both Emily and Miranda are forced to decide what they want—and what they are willing to do to get it.
Billed as a romance, this is more contemporary fiction with a reflection on upbringing and choices. The behind-the-scenes look at the manipulation and editing we all know goes into “reality” TV was interesting, as were the depictions of strong female friendships. It was a candid look at how savvy marketing can create desire through supply and demand.
It was slow in spots and glossed over in others, culminating in a rushed and mostly resolved ending. At only 304 pages, I had no problem finishing it, but if it had been longer, I would have DNF’d.
I don’t watch The Bachelor or any other “reality” TV shows, so I’m likely not the target audience.
Thanks, NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons, for the digital review copy.
Billed as a romance, this is more contemporary fiction with a reflection on upbringing and choices. The behind-the-scenes look at the manipulation and editing we all know goes into “reality” TV was interesting, as were the depictions of strong female friendships. It was a candid look at how savvy marketing can create desire through supply and demand.
It was slow in spots and glossed over in others, culminating in a rushed and mostly resolved ending. At only 304 pages, I had no problem finishing it, but if it had been longer, I would have DNF’d.
I don’t watch The Bachelor or any other “reality” TV shows, so I’m likely not the target audience.
Thanks, NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons, for the digital review copy.
April 18, 2023
They asked me to describe my ideal man while being loose and conversational. My mind went blank as I tried to picture him. The only man I could think of was Woody from Toy Story, so I described him: tall, loyal, resourceful, flexible, passionate, committed, down-to-earth.
It's been several years and seasons since I watched The Bachelor, and the entire idea behind the show still fascinates me: how millions of people tune in, week after week, season after season, to watch beautiful people fall in instalove in a fantasy environment manufactured for that very purpose. Julia Argy's debut novel takes us behind the scenes of a Bachelor-esque show called The One, giving us an inside look from both in front of and behind the cameras.
After being fired from her receptionist job, 24-year-old Emily is approached on the street and invited to audition for The One. She agrees because she doesn't have anything better to do, and because she is the type of person who is agreeable and pliant. Emily realizes early into filming that she's being groomed by her producer, Miranda, to be the last woman standing, and she's willing to go along for the ride. After all, Emily is open to falling in love...but it may surprise everyone, Emily included, who is on the receiving end of her feelings.
The One is very intentionally a basic, generic version of The Bachelor. Argy doesn't really make an effort to make the fictionalized version of the show much different from its real-world counterpart, aside from swapping roses for necklaces. The women are beautiful and perfectly curated for their appearances and how well their personalities (or lack thereof) will play on-screen. Even Emily, our narrator, is as basic as they come. She is pretty and affable and laid-back, perfectly happy to go with the flow and be molded into any shape that fits, because she doesn't really know what shape she prefers or who she really is. This sometimes makes her a frustrating character to follow, but it's ultimately satisfying to watch her growth over the course of the novel as she begins to understand some elemental truths about herself. Argy uses this environment and these women to bring up thought-provoking ideas about how much control we have over our own narratives, how we differentiate what is real from what is manufactured, and how we perceive ourselves vs. how others perceive us.
In a narrative just as insightful as it is propulsive, and injecting the perfect amount of sharp humor, Argy explores themes of female empowerment, toxic masculinity, sexual identity, the power and pitfalls of being beautiful, the joy of true connection, and the literal business of falling in love. Much like the characters themselves, The One is a book that is so much more than it initially appears to be, and I'll be thinking about it for a long time. Thank you to Putnam and NetGalley for the advance reading opportunity.
August 23, 2022
Thank you to #NetGalley for letting me read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. As a reality TV fan, I was excited to read the story of Emily, who is recruited as a contestant on The One, a Bachelor-style show after being fired from her administrative assistant job. The book follows her through taping as she vies to win the heart of Dylan, a runner-up on a previous Bachelorette-style season. She’s there on a whim, in search of her own purpose as much as love. The perspective shifts between Emily’s and that of Miranda, the casting assistant who recruited her and is assigned to her throughout production. I liked the nuances with with Julia Argy imbues both the contestants and the crew, and the book was both entertaining and sharp and incisive on topics like sexuality, gender roles and artifice. It reminds me of “Unreal” meets Nora Ephron, in the best way, with social commentary on the role women play both in front of and behind the camera.
May 23, 2023
3.5 stars
Not as good as One to Watch - The One has a wet blanket main character I normally don’t enjoy. BUT there is enough behind-the-scenes drama that carried me through. I especially liked how the author showed the producers’ work to convince the women they were falling in love with a guy who, realistically, nobody cared about. A pressure to get physical with a man you barely know and who is “dating” 20 other women was shown as (rightfully) gross quite well too.
This is not a romance.
Not as good as One to Watch - The One has a wet blanket main character I normally don’t enjoy. BUT there is enough behind-the-scenes drama that carried me through. I especially liked how the author showed the producers’ work to convince the women they were falling in love with a guy who, realistically, nobody cared about. A pressure to get physical with a man you barely know and who is “dating” 20 other women was shown as (rightfully) gross quite well too.
This is not a romance.
May 2, 2023
have you ever read a book that just felt so...pointless? like, you just read the whole thing and all you can think is "okay?"
it just had nothing to say.
i also HATE to say this because i was anticipating this one so strongly as it was written by the host of one of my favourite podcasts :(
it just had nothing to say.
i also HATE to say this because i was anticipating this one so strongly as it was written by the host of one of my favourite podcasts :(
May 19, 2023
This was more of a mess than Peter Weber’s season of The Bachelor.
April 23, 2023
3.5 stars. While I wouldn't be caught dead watching a reality dating show on television, I quite enjoy reading novels set in this world. It's so ripe for drama and satire! Honestly, this one doesn't especially stand out from the pack, but it was a quick entertaining diversion, and sometimes that's enough.
September 29, 2024
smart, appealing prose (not the math metaphors!) and believable tension. the john berger epigraph was a little too on the nose for me, but the novel illustrated its point on gender, performance, and surveillance well.
July 12, 2024
loved this. It’s definitely not a romance book, though it’s full of longing, and I do agree with criticisms that the main character is slightly 2D. But I thought it was an instructive way to think about shows like the bachelor and what the draw is. Even inspired me to tune into the latest season of the bachelorette. Looooved the writing.
September 28, 2022
I had to sit on this one for awhile before I could write a review because it was just SO layered. Somehow just as satisfying as a light romance novel but as deep and challenging as my favorite literary fiction novels, The One manages to tackle so many topics in a concise package.
I have difficulty believing that Julia Argy has not been a contestant on the Bachelor, as her descriptions and insights of the show are insanely detailed and truly spot on. I'm a fan of the show, but this book will have me watching it in a different light from now on. The One explores the idea of performance, how we perform ourselves for each other, and how we perform love as an expectation, with the heightened reality of the fact that these characters are performing for cameras. Performance is inherently an interactive activity, and it was fascinating to see these "performers" attempting to interact with an audience that didn't exist yet, as they tried to fit themselves into familiar love story narratives and character archetypes, and do things that will earn them more screen time, and therefor more favor with the audience.
I'm going to keep thinking about this book for awhile. I'm sure I'll have more thoughts and I'll add them here when they occur, but for now, make sure you add this to your 2023 reading list, you won't regret it.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for granting access to the ARC.
I have difficulty believing that Julia Argy has not been a contestant on the Bachelor, as her descriptions and insights of the show are insanely detailed and truly spot on. I'm a fan of the show, but this book will have me watching it in a different light from now on. The One explores the idea of performance, how we perform ourselves for each other, and how we perform love as an expectation, with the heightened reality of the fact that these characters are performing for cameras. Performance is inherently an interactive activity, and it was fascinating to see these "performers" attempting to interact with an audience that didn't exist yet, as they tried to fit themselves into familiar love story narratives and character archetypes, and do things that will earn them more screen time, and therefor more favor with the audience.
I'm going to keep thinking about this book for awhile. I'm sure I'll have more thoughts and I'll add them here when they occur, but for now, make sure you add this to your 2023 reading list, you won't regret it.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for granting access to the ARC.
February 21, 2023
Thanks to Putnam for the copy of this book!
On the same day she's fired from her job, Emily is aproached to go on reality dating show The One. While I was expecting this to be a romance read, it was more of a contemporary fiction read with a side of romance.
This was a lot like taking a behind-the-scenes look at The Bachelor, both from a contestant and woman producer's point of view. During the show, Emily goes on a journey for all the wrong reasons, but ends up learning a lot about herself, reflecting on her Catholic upbringing, role of women, and her sexuality. She's honestly pretty uninteresting until about 60% through the book. I flew through this read because I wanted to see what would happen, but felt the ending was a little lackluster and could've used more of a resolution.
Read if you:
- are interested in the behind-the-scenes of The Bachelor
- have ever felt like you're putting on a front
- like Sally Rooney books
On the same day she's fired from her job, Emily is aproached to go on reality dating show The One. While I was expecting this to be a romance read, it was more of a contemporary fiction read with a side of romance.
This was a lot like taking a behind-the-scenes look at The Bachelor, both from a contestant and woman producer's point of view. During the show, Emily goes on a journey for all the wrong reasons, but ends up learning a lot about herself, reflecting on her Catholic upbringing, role of women, and her sexuality. She's honestly pretty uninteresting until about 60% through the book. I flew through this read because I wanted to see what would happen, but felt the ending was a little lackluster and could've used more of a resolution.
Read if you:
- are interested in the behind-the-scenes of The Bachelor
- have ever felt like you're putting on a front
- like Sally Rooney books
August 23, 2022
This Trojan horse of a novel was one of my favorites this year. If you are looking for a quick, charming read set on a reality show, The One can work in that respect. If you are looking for a novel that is rigorous on the level of the idea, The One is also for you. Through sly writing and a compelling plot, the book integrates big questions about what privacy means in a time of over sharing, and how an individual’s desires can get muddled by societal pressures. It requires you to figure out the molds you’ve unwittingly cast yourself in, and asks what the cost would be to break out of them.
May 13, 2023
Book about a reality dating TV show and the people in it and the people running it. Interesting premise, but I disliked the main character (and most of the others too) and the premise of the show. Also found some parts of it to be implausible.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free e-ARC of this book.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free e-ARC of this book.
April 17, 2023
I received an ARC from the Edelweiss
TW: mentioned misogynistic public shooting, referenced religious homophobia
3.3
If you enjoy reality TV based romances, you’ll at the very least enjoy the atmosphere of this book. You never forget that they’re on a show, that things are being orchestrated, or that a game is being played. Emily is also a good eye to watch the proceedings through, as she’s involved but also somehow other, having the least experience.
I think the actual romance in text does feel organic. From the beginning I spotted it and thought I was one the wrong path, and then was pleasantly surprised to see that the hints were purposeful. The romance has a sweetness and certainly has an honesty.
But from the start this one was odd for me. I really don’t understand why this needed to be a two POV story, and why, if it did, that POV had to be Miranda. Miranda’s POV adds so little to the book and does nothing for the actual plot. Had this been an entirely behind the scenes story focused on Miranda, I could buy it. I think that could’ve worked well, actually. But the random glimpses at Miranda did nothing for me. I kept waiting for them to be important, and they never were.
The ending also just wasn’t satisfying for me. The book mostly canters, with little really happening beyond the eventual romance, and so the ending maybe shouldn’t have been a surprise, but some actual closure would have been great and left me feeling better about this read as a whole.
TW: mentioned misogynistic public shooting, referenced religious homophobia
3.3
If you enjoy reality TV based romances, you’ll at the very least enjoy the atmosphere of this book. You never forget that they’re on a show, that things are being orchestrated, or that a game is being played. Emily is also a good eye to watch the proceedings through, as she’s involved but also somehow other, having the least experience.
I think the actual romance in text does feel organic. From the beginning I spotted it and thought I was one the wrong path, and then was pleasantly surprised to see that the hints were purposeful. The romance has a sweetness and certainly has an honesty.
But from the start this one was odd for me. I really don’t understand why this needed to be a two POV story, and why, if it did, that POV had to be Miranda. Miranda’s POV adds so little to the book and does nothing for the actual plot. Had this been an entirely behind the scenes story focused on Miranda, I could buy it. I think that could’ve worked well, actually. But the random glimpses at Miranda did nothing for me. I kept waiting for them to be important, and they never were.
The ending also just wasn’t satisfying for me. The book mostly canters, with little really happening beyond the eventual romance, and so the ending maybe shouldn’t have been a surprise, but some actual closure would have been great and left me feeling better about this read as a whole.
April 27, 2023
3.5 stars rounded up. Accidentally read a romance 😉 but not really because this doesn’t fit genre romance style. This might be called a literary romance.
Emily, the protagonist, fits into this disillusioned, directionless generic woman I see a lot in lit fic - reminds me of the main character in Version Control by Dexter Palmer. But it works for me, I enjoy that voice. Readers of romance I think would be disappointed at the darker tone here, though.
I liked the ending a lot. Some great moments and imagery.
I felt like the romance itself lacked build up. I quickly saw where it was going but at 60% in with nothing happening I was like … um maybe not?? But then things finally proceeded as I expected. I think I needed a little more from Emily to feel the build up of something, though I also understand her blindness to it.
I also thought there were too many women that blurred together… but at the same time that is what happens on this kind of show. Would have been cooler if the book showed more of a contrast between the reality of the women with their show personas.
VERY very readable and had a tone I like, so overall I enjoyed it.
Emily, the protagonist, fits into this disillusioned, directionless generic woman I see a lot in lit fic - reminds me of the main character in Version Control by Dexter Palmer. But it works for me, I enjoy that voice. Readers of romance I think would be disappointed at the darker tone here, though.
I liked the ending a lot. Some great moments and imagery.
I felt like the romance itself lacked build up. I quickly saw where it was going but at 60% in with nothing happening I was like … um maybe not?? But then things finally proceeded as I expected. I think I needed a little more from Emily to feel the build up of something, though I also understand her blindness to it.
I also thought there were too many women that blurred together… but at the same time that is what happens on this kind of show. Would have been cooler if the book showed more of a contrast between the reality of the women with their show personas.
VERY very readable and had a tone I like, so overall I enjoyed it.
May 10, 2023
3.75. If you are reading to see an inside look at the behind the scenes of a show like The Bachelor I think you’ll love. So many books like this this year! Romantic Comedy, The Golden Spoon. Loved that part of all of those
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