I love a good Bachie reality TV show. I was there for the first season of The Bachelor, and I was there for the latest Aussie season last year. While I love the drama that comes with these types of reality TV series', I'm not naive enough to think that more than 15-20% of what we see on TV is real. At the end of the day, I work in the media industry, and I know how things work behind the scenes,

Which is what drew me to The One in the first place. Keneana takes her experience working in the industry and crafts an interesting look into what happens behind the scenes of the set of The One. The book follows the lives of three women — Darcy, the producer on the show; Bonnie, a heartbroken wedding photographer turned contestant; and finally Penelope, a mysterious girl that is linked to this year's bachelor somehow.

Following the lives of these three women, the story follows their lives during the latest season of The One, as they navigate their past loves, heartbreak and new beginnings.

The book is a cute summer read, but it was also long and slow paced. I didn't find myself drawn to any of the three main characters, so I wasn't rooting for anyone. There were times where I felt like I should just cut my losses and DNF. But, I soldiered through because it wasn't thaaat bad. A tad boring, but fine overall.

If you're looking for a book that emulates the drama you see on scenes, then you're probably better off investing your time in the TV show UnReal instead. The One is not that type of drama filled story. Sure, there's some drama scattered throughout, but it's more an exploration of different types of loves, and showing the reader when it's okay to call it quits.

I think it will appeal to many readers, but it just wasn't the right book for me.

A well written behind the scences story based on The Batchelor reality TV show. The characters were likeable and well developed. I really enjoyed this unique story line - well worth a read.

Bonnie’s sister finally convinces her to apply for Australian TV dating show The One, especially now that her former flame has returned with a fiancee in tow. Bonnie soon becomes a fan favourite but Ty, the bachelor, is also nursing a broken heart.
Field producer Darcy not only has to worry about keeping her boss happy with the show’s progress; she also finds that things aren’t all smooth sailing for her on the relationship front either. And then there’s Penelope, who has left her life behind to move to a quiet town – what is she running from?
This debut novel by a TV scriptwriter may be set around a Bachelor-type program but, while it does reveal some of the scene staging and editing that goes into these types of shows, there is not much attention paid to on-set drama or catty contestants (the stuff that reality TV fans live for). Instead the story focuses on the three main characters and their progress – or lack thereof - to move forward with their lives. I nearly DNF but the story really strengthens – and plays with the emotions – in the second half.

You don’t have to be a fan of reality tv to enjoy The One by Kaneana May. This debut novel is an engaging, witty, humorous and touching story about finding happiness and love. You can’t help but root for the three main characters as you eagerly turn the page to discover if they find their happily-ever-afters.

I enjoyed following the journeys of the highly relatable Bonnie, Darcy and Penelope and discovering how their stories are intertwined. They are very different women at different stages in their lives and I empathised with them in their efforts to juggle their career, relationships and life aspirations. I appreciated that all three women weren’t perfect (who is?!) and may not have always made the best decisions, which made them even more authentic. I also enjoyed the use of multiple character perspectives, which mirrored the sense of a change in scene on a tv show, the story flowed easily and this novel had me so entertained I binged through it the one sitting!

The drama and behind-the-scenes glimpses into the production of such a show like The One was a lot of fun and had me laughing out loud. I was also delighted to discover hidden depth to this novel despite the fun reality tv premise with an exploration of how messy life and love can be. For me,
the ending of the book felt a little bit rushed, there was enough there to delve a little further, in particular with Darcy and Penelope’s storylines.

Overall, The One was such an enjoyable read and I recommend this novel to lovers of contemporary fiction and romance. I look forward to reading more from Kaneana May in future.

Thanks to Harlequin Australia and Netgalley for providing me with a copy for review.

The One is Kaneana May’s debut novel and shows the promise of a successful writing career for this author. Set mostly in Sydney, this story focuses on the complex love lives of three women.
Darcy is a stressed reality TV producer whose relationship with long-standing boyfriend Drew has seen better days. As the story progresses her stress levels and her relationship suffers.
Bonnie is still in love with her ex-boyfriend Ollie and torturing herself over him and his fiancée, who have moved back to Port Macquarie. It doesn’t help that he seems content to fool around with her behind his fiancee’s back. Going on a reality TV show as a contestant seems to be a good way of putting some distance between her and Ollie, but it’s not as easy as she’d hoped.
Penny has left her old life behind and moved to a small coastal community where she’s clearly hiding away and deeply upset though it takes a while to learn why.
This book grew on me as I read. It did take a little while to get my head around the various threads and there were places where the author jumped tenses mid sentence which made me sit up and reread to get the flow but overall this is an emotionally compelling story that ends satisfactorily if a little sadly. I enjoyed it and will be on the lookout for more.

I really enjoyed this book, and considering this was a debut novel, it was even more impressive.

It tells the tale of unlucky-in-love Bonnie, whose sister persuades her to go on a reality show to find a romantic partner. There is a young woman who is working on the show, Darcy, who is having her own issues and then there is Penny. All of these women's lives intersect in this book and how things pan out is very interesting indeed.

The behind-the-scenes look at how reality TV is produced is fascinating and considering this is an Australian author who mentions places I am familiar with, it is doubly interesting to me. The ending of the book felt a little bit rushed; I was getting so emotionally involved with the characters that I didn't want it to end!

4.5 stars from me - looking forward to reading another book by this author.

I’ve met Kaneana May a few times at local library events, and I was excited to learn she had realised her dream to publish. Her debut, The One, is an engaging and emotional contemporary novel.

Using her experience in the television industry, May connects her characters by their participation in ‘The One’, a (fictional) reality television show in the style of the worldwide phenomenon, The Bachelor. To be honest, I abhor reality shows like The Bachelor/The Bachelorette, Married at First Sight, Love Island etc, so this aspect of the novel wasn’t particularly a draw for me, however I imagine fans of those shows will enjoy the idea of peeking behind the scenes of The One.

The One unfolds from multiple perspectives. Darcy is the ambitious producer who works long hours to ensure the success of the show, to the detriment of her decade long relationship with her high school sweetheart. Bonnie is a reluctant contestant, trying to put distance between herself and the man she believes to her ‘one’, who is about to marry someone else. Penelope is dealing with an unspecified heartbreak, of which ‘The One’ seems to be a painful reminder. And then there is Ty, the ‘bachelor’, a last minute replacement on the show, whose heart is not really in it.

Through her characters, May explores the the complexities of relationships. There is passion, anxiety, romance, regret, desire and heartbreak, as they all grapple with their questions about love. I had some empathy for Darcy and her situation, though honestly I would have preferred a different ‘ending’ for her. I was less sympathetic with regards to Bonnie and her relationship with Ollie.

Well written, combining drama, humour, pathos and romance, I really enjoyed The One, congratulations on a great debut Kaneana.

“The One” – reality TV which the viewing public devoured every season. But this year the predictable but exciting show would be much different. With the studio based in Sydney, the twenty two young women who had succeeded in their quest to be on the show headed there from all over Australia. Darcy and Mel were the people in the front line with the contestants, coaching them while the cameras were ready to roll. All the women were in lockdown in the hotel – no phones, nothing to connect them to the outside world.

Bonnie had arrived from Port Macquarie, shattered after learning the news from her ex. As she joined the other contestants, she wondered what she was doing. This really wasn’t her thing…

The on-camera dramas were suddenly overshadowed by a much bigger concern. What was going on? Why was it happening now; this year; this season? Could Darcy and Mel sort it out?

The One is the debut novel by Aussie author Kaneana May and it was filled with drama, angst, love, relationships and predictability. I’ve never been a fan of reality TV and reading about the artificial and staged show hasn’t created an urge to watch any I’m afraid. I have seen the high ratings for this book and feel that romance fans will enjoy The One – it just didn’t “do” it for me.

With thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins AU for my uncorrected proof ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

This is a debut novel and I have to say I was very impressed even though as a script writer Kaneana is writing in a known field by writing about a TV show it was still masterfully done

This is the story of three woman all at different points in their lives and all searching for the one They are all also involved in a TV show called the one as well.

Bonnie a contestant on the show is in love with her best friend Ollie even if he is engaged to someone else
Darcy the producer of the show is trying to get long time boyfriend Drew to make that final commitment and propose
While Penelope a avid viewer of the show is recently single and trying to adapt to her new station in life

This is a book about searching for the one come on a ride as these woman struggle with not only finding him but living life in the process

Darcy is the producer of a reality dating show. Drew, her long term boyfriend has just returned to their home town to take up a teaching position. Can Darcy and Drew survive the pressure of long distance love?

Bonnie’s high school love has just come back to town with his new fiancé. When they meet up the chemistry is still there, but Bonnie can’t be the other woman. She auditions, against her better judgement, to be contestant on a reality dating show. Imagine her surprise when she becomes one of the top 22.

Penelope is hiding, from her ex fiancé and from her past life as an editor. She has secrets that she doesn’t want anyone to find out. She just wants to be left alone.

The three women’s lives are suddenly intertwined. Can they all find The One?


I really enjoyed reading this. The main characters and supporting characters were relatable, I wanted to be their friend. Anyone who knows me well, knows how much of a sucker I am for reality shows. This insight into the production side was fascinating. Well worth a read.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this book.
It's a lovely heartwarming story of three women who are facing very difficult decisions in their love lives. First of all, reality television is something I don't watch, however I've now discovered it's interesting to read about. The author glosses over the rubbish and focuses on the important, and how everything's set up, manipulations and all.
The three main characters are very different and are in contrasting situations, yet the author manages to bring them together superbly. I liked the outcome for them all, a bit saddened by one of them but it was so exquisitely done that there can be no complaints.

I am sooooo not a fan of reality TV - just the ads on TV for The Bachelor and the like make me roll my eyes and switch channels.

However, this debut novel by former screenwriter Kaneana May intrigued me, and it was wonderful to get behind the scenes (albeit fictionally) to see the machinations manipulations of a reality show.

I liked all three of our ladies - Penelope, Darcy and Bonnie. My heart hurts for each of them in different ways, and can see the strength behind their decisions.

I liked that I knew quite a few of the areas where this book is set, and could get a good visual in my mind as I was reading.

The road to finding true love is never smooth, and as each of our ladies is at different forks in the road when it comes to their paths. I loved how their stories intertwine - unknowingly- and how we see each of their thoughts and feelings as they story grows.

And the last 15% of this book - wow!

This was a wonderfully written story, and Ms May's screenwriting past shows in this.

I enjoyed this story, read it in one day, and I look forward to seeing what she brings us next.

This a wonderful story about the different types of love and the unexpected ways you find someone. I loved the different characters and their journeys. Their voices were honest and while they certainly were foolish at times, there is a great human flaw to them. There’s a strange mix of predictability, but also the uncertainty that the story would go in that direction.

There are a lot of different relationships happening through this story and while some are inevitable, others are a nice mixture of complexity and realistic development. I really enjoyed the different relationships and friendships May explores. I wasn’t expecting this story to have as much depth as it does. It isn’t as light-hearted as one would expected but that also doesn’t mean there isn’t wonderful romantic and heartfelt moments. For a book centred around a reality show about finding the love of your life, there is a great exploration of the different types of love and discovering which one works best for you. A great read.

First of all I have to admit that I am not a reality TV fan at all. I have never watched an episode of Married at First Sight or The Bachelor - ever! And this book is all about finding The One... on national TV... and I loved it! I was sucked right into this story right from the very beginning and read this book in a weekend binge. Once I started I just had to keep reading to see who got their happily ever after. It was a wonderful change from my usual serial killers and police procedurals. To top it all off it was set in Sydney and written by an Australian author. I can't recommend this book more - it made me laugh, it made me cringe, I cried and I was invested in the lives of these 3 women - what more can you want from a story.

The One tells the story of 3 very different women - Bonnie Yates, Darcy Reed and Penelope Baker. Told from alternate points of view we learn their stories, their hopes and dreams.

Bonnie just wants go be happy but she falls too hard and too fast for the wrong guys. When her ex-boyfriend from high school returns to town, fiancé in tow she needs to get away or risk falling under his spell again. Her sister has applied of Bonnies behalf to the dating reality show The One and nobody is more surprised when she is chosen to be on the show. When she gets there she feels a connection to the bachelor immediately, but struggles to get along with the other women in the house.

Darcy Reed is the career driven producer on The One - a show that is pretty much The Bachelor. She has been in the same job for 4 years and is desperate for a promotion and knows that she has to make this season of the show the best one yet. Her long time boyfriend moves back to her hometown to take up a teaching role, leaving her alone in Sydney doing the long distance thing. Can their relationship survive her job and the distance?

And lastly we have Penelope who takes longer to get to know. She has packed up her life and moved away to a small seaside town where nobody knows her and she can keep her secret to herself. She just wants to be left alone.

This is a wonderful Aussie book that reads like a TV show or movie - one that I would absolutely watch. These women are completely different but deep down all they want is love.

Thanks to Harlequin Australia HQ, Mira and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased..

The One by Kaneana May is a story full of interesting character's who steal the limelight in their own way.
Review copy received from Harlequin MIRA via Netgalley