This is my review as posted on Goodreads. I apologize that it was not submitted on time, as my family was dealing with a very serious health issue with my son at that time.

I had received an advanced copy of this book earlier this year, but was unable to read it before the publication date due to family needs. I had saved it for this summer, thinking it would be a really fun read based on one of my favorite shows. Unfortunately, it ended up being very different from what I expected. It left me with the same feeling as watching the show during some of the cringy seasons…the writing wasn’t especially great and I didn’t like all the current social issues brought into the book. I guess I just didn’t get what I expected and it left me feeling blah about it. I did enjoy the “behind the scenes” parts of the book where you get an insight into how reality television is staged and manipulated, hence the 2 stars as opposed to just 1 star.

This was a fun read and I enjoyed the behind the scenes looks at a show that was similar to The Bachelor franchise. Crazy how manipulative and mean the production aspect of things good be. I didn't super love Emily's character, she was a bit lacking there, but she showed wonderful growth throughout the story. Thank you to Netgalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the ARC.

I’m not a fan of reality shows but I thought experiencing it in a book form might keep me intrigued. Unfortunately, I can’t say I enjoyed it any better. There were too many things happening in this book that I couldn’t really focus. I became bored and ended up not finishing this book.

Thank you to #NetGalley and Putnam Books for the early copy. All the above opinions are my own.

An interesting premise with shaky pacing and characterization, though I appreciated the nuanced look at how "reality" tv collapses the boundaries between authenticity and performance and the deleterious effects that can have on identity.

This premise sounded fascinating to me, but the execution was just mediocre. There were too many topics in one story and it felt too unfocused as a result. The actual romance was also too obvious, which didn't keep me as engaged.

I was intrigued by the premise of a Bachelor style book, but this was just not good.
I have many issues with this book. The main character was insufferable, she was very immature and I did not like that she was 22/23 looking for the love of her life. It seemed very unbelievable. The people I know that age are not thinking about marriage.
I also did not appreciate all the religious references throughout the book with this book not being labeled as having religious themes. It was really off putting.
Overall I would not recommend this book.

A "romance" with an exciting plot, but not the best execution. While I found the writing well done with some likable characters, I ultimately saw it falling flat for me in the end. With an exciting premise, I thought this would be an excellent book for me, but I did not see myself connecting with any of the main characters and their desires for anything: an okay read but nothing grand.

I was hoping this would be more of a romance in the TV worldbut it instead was more of contemporary fiction with a lot of social elements to get you thinking. Would be good for readers that enjoy these types of books.

An interesting read. I wasn’t enthralled but it was interesting.
Many thanks to PENGUIN GROUP and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Couldn't get into this. Terribly boring plot and a main character who was nothing special. What a bummer, though, I traditionally love novelistic takes on The Bachelor. DNF @ 20%.

This story was fun to read because it exposes some of the smoke and mirrors of reality TV. While I did enjoy the peak behind the curtain, I kept waiting for something to happen-- not like a thriller, but all good stories have some sort of dramatic moment, a twist, something shocking. This did not deliver unfortunately. This was definitely more of a coming of age (since Emily is in her early 20s), self-exploration story than one of romance, fun, or entertainment. Other than the main character Emily coming from a very religious background and now exploring her sexuality, there is nothing particularly interesting about the other characters or the overall storyline. The ending left much to be desired. There is some diversity amongst the twenty-some contestants and of course LGBTQ+ representation. I have no doubt that this would appeal to fans of The Bachelor, but for a book about a reality dating show I expected more. 3 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Books for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book reads like reality TV. Emily goes on a dating show. It is entertaining. Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC.

I think that the book itself was good, I just for some reason hate a bachelor book, lol. Just not terribly interesting of an overall premise.

By 15% through the book, I just have no interest in these characters so I’m DNFing. I liked the beginning just fine since I love the Bachelor/Bachelorette, although the descriptions of the dating show in the book seemed like a bit of a rip off of The Bachelor franchise. It was formatted the exact same.

I don’t really like Miranda and just don’t care about Emily either or any of the characters. Thanks anyway for the ARC!

Julia Argy's "The One" was not my favorite. I realized about a quarter of the way through the novel that I was the wrong audience for this book. I believe the right reader will find this love story sweet and endearing, especially if they enjoy shows like "The Bachelor" or adore Hallmark movies.

I was drawn to the idea of a love story unfolding behind the scenes of a popular dating reality show. Emily, the main character, is discovered by a producer out in public one day, and the next thing she knows, she's starring on a Bachelor-style dating show called "The One." She's surrounded by many other female contestants, who had to audition, unlike her, and are desperately looking for love, fame, or both. And they're all fighting for the same man, whether they want to, or not.

Unfortunately, I became bored quickly. Emily struck me as a caricature of a real person; she felt flat, uninteresting, and not at all realistic. Again, anyone who enjoys or doesn't mind a character lacking a lot of substance might enjoy Emily, but I didn't. And sadly, Emily was the most developed character in the book.

As always, read other people's reviews and watch "The One" for yourself, but it's not one I recommend.

3.5 Stars!

After losing her dead-end job, Emily is approached to be a contestant on a popular dating show called “The One.” In an attempt to do something different with her life and to come out from the shadows of life, Emily agrees. Once she arrives, she quickly discovers that her tenacious producer will do anything to win, and has slotted Emily to win it all. As she navigates how to be the perfect and most desirable contestant, she develops a close relationship with another girl on the show and Emily is forced to decide what she really wants.

When I first started this book, I didn’t think I was going to like it much at all. The MC and the writing felt a little awkward to me and I don’t watch dating shows so there wasn’t a huge draw for me. I’m glad I stuck it out because it ended up being a really tender exploration of finding yourself when you’ve always just done what is expected of you and the cultural expectations of what “falling in love” should look like.


Thank you Netgalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A fun book for anyone who loves realityTV and romance. A fun (possibly) behind the scenes look at the reality TV world. This would be a fun beach read.

Fun engaging book with great representation I enjoyed it the whole way through and as an avid bachelor watcher it was right on point. I was so into it that I felt like I was watching a bachelor season and after I finished the book I even dreamed about some of the characters lol. Definitely would recommend this one

I am grateful for the opportunity to read and review The One. I did not expect the ending and I enjoyed reading it. It was not my favorite book but I enjoyed seeing what would happen.

Many thanks to Netgalley for the e-arc! Honestly I really struggled trying to get through this book. I feel that it starts off strong but then I just grew annoyed with our main character Emily. Wish this was a better book for me.