I thoroughly enjoyed every second of this romance! The reality TV angle was so fun, and I loved the genre-blending! I’m a sucker for rivals-to-lovers, and this did not disappoint!

Thank you to Quirk Books and NetGalley for an ARC!

I really enjoyed this unexpectedly funny romantic murder mystery. I'll definitely recommend this to my customers. I'm not usually a fan of reality TV but the chaotic mess that was created in this book would be a grossly entertaining extravaganza. I'm not also interest in more from this author since her characters are fun and relatable.

Cute and fun, especially if you're a reality TV fan. The mystery resolution had me feeling "meh" and I thought the final showdown bit was a bit over the top even for the level of cheesiness inherent to the premise. Solid main characters though and I'm sure it will be an easy beach read to talk up to patrons.

This book was so much fun! As a lover of reality TV, 1 loved the manufactured drama, the villain edits and the behind the scenes of what being on a reality TV show would be like. Throw in some fake dating & high school rivals and it made it that much better!
The characters were relatable and I was rooting for them hard. All in all, I loved every bit of this book!

Love Island, but there's a murder? Teehee! Sign me up! I'm famously a fan of anything with a reality TV angle, and I love that this is like a romance, but also there's murder so it's grittier and like...kind of difficult to put into a box. I'm not saying Love Island should add a big juicy mystery to spice things up a la Alice Chen, buuuuttt....it would drive ratings, that's for sure.

This book was so fun and had something for everyone - humour; romance, mystery and more. I love a book that’s set against the backdrop of a reality show and this book delivered. The characters were interesting and multifaceted and the cast provided a range of loveable heroes to people you love to hate. Alice was an engaging main character and Daniel was an A+ romantic interest. This will be such a perfect romantic mystery for summer!

Alice Chen’s Reality Check is a fun, fast-paced rom-com with a smart, fiercely competitive FMC, an equally smart and competitive, golden retriever MMC, and a twisty mystery that plays out like a movie.

Alice goes on a reality show (think Survivor but with couples) with her fiancé to win money for her sick mom, but things get complicated fast when her high school rival shows up… and sparks start flying.

I devoured Reality Check in a single day and had such a blast. It’s fast-paced, funny, and felt like the perfect mix of rom-com and mystery.

Alice is smart, driven, and fiercely competitive…she’s not just in it for love, she’s here to win. Watching her push past her anxiety in the name of helping her mom (while learning to trust someone else and work as a team) was so satisfying. And the MMC? Total golden retriever energy…sweet, supportive, and actually a good guy. Loved him.

There’s also a great, diverse cast of characters that kept things lively and layered. And the banter? Top tier. I laughed out loud multiple times.

Overall, Alice Chen’s Reality Check delivers big on heart, humor, and heat. Thanks so much to NetGalley and Quirk Books for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

Thank you, Quirk Books for this arc in exchange for an honest opinion.

I loved this book so much, I don't even know where to start...😂
Okay, first, big YES to Asian rep. If you follow my book reviews, you know how important cultural representation is to me and it's something that should be normal by now, but unfortunately isn't.
This book was so fun, I actually felt like watching a reality show, but this was even better!
I loved how Alice went on the show with Chase (who was 0% IQ and 100% vibes😂) and met her high school nemesis, Daniel. The tension between her and Daniel mixed with the fake dating and forced proximity gave me butterflies 😍 Seeing how much Daniel had a crush on Alice while she had no idea was so cute!
But this book isn't just a romance, it's a thromance (thriller + romance) and the suspense and mystery are intense. While each round of the show got crazier, so did the characters. That made the plot twist unpredictable because everyone acted suspiciously. I loved how they had a reunion episode at the end like in an actual reality show and how hilarious the chapter names were😂
The ending was wrapped up perfectly and I really liked that the characters took time with their relationship.

That being said, Alice Chen's Reality Check is a must-read for summer!

This book was fabulous!! I am a huge reality tv fan and once I finished reading I kept thinking to myself "I should check if there is a new episode of...what reality show am I watching right now? Ohhhh I'm thinking of Alice Chen and Dawn Tay's Inferno!" I'm being serious. This has happened to me twice today! Alice is reluctant to leave teaching behind and join a reality show with her fiancé, but when she finds out the prize is a million dollars she starts to reconsider, her mother has some pretty hefty hospital bills piling up and Alice really needs to figure out how she will pay them on a teacher's salary... The reality show is like Love Island meets The Challenge, with a bit of those one-off shows like Tila Tequila. Contestants compete with their romantic partner and must beat out the other contestants at challenges with themes related to Dantés Inferno. Like any good reality tv show there are a lot of unexpected twists for the contestants, but when the producers may be covering up a murder... things get a little too crazy and Alice needs to get to the bottom of what happened. This book has great romance tropes like fake dating and enemies to lovers, as well as some great reality tv tropes like the newly wed game, competitions where you have to decide between love and money, sound bites and quotes that come back to haunt you later, showmances and couples who break up because of stupid challenges. This book was so fun to read and I enjoyed every minute of it. I will definitely be recommending this book once it is out on June 3rd (just in time for summer reality tv!!) and I can't wait to see what these authors come up with next! Thanks SO much to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review this fantastic book!

A classic rivals-to-lovers, filled with laugh-out-loud moments, and fun reality-tv side-edits. Our heroine, Alice, is self sufficient and overly competitive, but all she wants in the world is to make her mom happy. My favorite part of the story was the tender mother and daughter dynamic; I wanted to know their relationship on a deeper level.
The plot turns quite chaotic in the reality show with near-death attempts, amateur sleuthing, and a mysterious murder. While vaguely interesting, I did feel like it took away from the central plot and main motivation for Alice to worry and care for her mom and winning the competition.
Our couple, Alice and Daniel, are pretty swoon worthy; they have undeniable chemistry, fun antics, and a deep understanding of each other— their relationship was truly a highlight of this novel. But what was confusing to me with the switching around of relationships: some of these events and emotional-processing times seemed a bit too rushed to be believable, and didn’t quite fall in line with what we were taught to believe about these characters, especially Chase and Alice.
In all, I loved seeing Loo and Young’s creativity shine, especially in the reality show challenges; these passages felt fresh, fun and unpredictable. I found to be a cozy and easy read. The romance (sworn nemesis, fake dating, one bed) was sweet and I appreciated how the ending was wrapped up!

Alice Chen needs money to pay for her mother’s cancer treatment. When her fiancé suggests going on a reality dating show to win $1 Million dollars, it’s not her first choice but she really needs the money. She works as a middle school math teacher and she has student loans.

This was such a fun book! It was lighthearted, entertaining and funny! The reality show aspect had plenty of moments that were over the top but it was a great ride. There are little press releases between chapters which really helped give insight into what was going on behind the scenes and to push the pace of the book. I went into this completely blind so was pleasantly surprised to find out there was a mystery aspect to this as well!

Alice joins the show with her fiancé Chase but once she arrives, she discovers her high school rival Daniel is also on the show. I really enjoyed these two characters and their banter and dynamic. Their romance was adorable but I think their chemistry could have been built up a bit more. I could see this would be challenging to navigate as a writer since there was so much going on with the show that the focus wasn’t just on the main couple all the time.

If you enjoy rivals to lovers, reality tv, fake dating and a bit of adventure, I’m sure you’d enjoy this!

Thank you to @netgalley and @quirkbooks for the arc in exchange for my honest opinions.

5/5 loved Alice Chen's Reality Check. It's as fun as the cover suggests, while also hitting on deep (and spicy) topics that make it perfect for a grown-up beach read. My favorite aspects were how well the main characters were developed, especially if you grew up Asian-American and have fallen in and out of love with the wrong person a few times. Seeing the world through Alice's eyes means being unapologetically nerdy, embracing your awkwardness, fiercely fighting for your loved ones, overcoming your own vulnerabilities, and yes, giving in to your hornball tendencies sometimes. How freakin' refreshing and real.

This book will resonate with reality TV fans and hilariously filled the void in my life when I stopped watching Love Island and the Bachelor (because justice for Jen, duh). The romance feels relatable and swoon-y, the murder mystery plot is suspenseful without being scary, and the authors do a really good job of keeping us guessing on both until the end. The side characters were also a bonus, from Alice's best friend Cindy (who I'm convinced should have her own book) to the other reality show contestants who are perfectly personified from internet memes. The chapter titles and production notes were great tongue-in-cheek interstitials throughout, and they made me chuckle out loud more than a few times.

I will be recommending ACRC to all my reality TV and romcom-loving friends this summer. I hope there's a sequel!

Rivals-to-Lovers, fake dating, and romantic suspense wrapped up in a tropical, reality TV package.

Alice Chen finds herself on a Hell themed reality TV show with her fiancé and her high school rival. When someone turns up dead, it raises the stakes for everyone.

This would make a great beach read! You get to experience the show aspect both in front of the camera and behind the scenes. The concept for the reality show is honestly something I would watch in real life. There are transcripts in between chapters that are really effective at moving the plot along and keeping the reader grounded in the reality TV setting.

It’s really fun to watch two ultra-competitive academics turn their analytical focus on fake dating, but I do wish we got more romantic tension between them. I could see the chemistry with their banter but felt like it dropped off during the actual romance.

The plot was consistently engaging from the start, but really hooked my interest once the suspense kicked in. The authors do a good job of making multiple people suspicious for different reasons, and I wanted to take notes to see if I could figure things out first. The climax of the show and the mystery felt a little over-the-top and cheesy. I wish there had been more foreshadowing for some of the reveals because it does feel like some of it comes out of nowhere.

It was really entertaining and I would definitely recommend it, but don’t feel any need to reread it in the future. This would be a great choice for readers who love reality TV drama, romantic suspense, and rivals-to-lovers tropes.

Unfortunately I needed to DNF this book due to the content surrounding stage 4 MBC. I was diagnosed not even a year ago and the topic is too heavy & triggering for me. What I did read of this book I did enjoy & I hope that the author can add in a content warning about this before the book is set to release.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for a chance to read this.

Alice Chen’s Reality Check is a refreshing, heartfelt, and engaging story that perfectly blends humor, self-discovery, and the complexities of navigating expectations versus personal aspirations. From the very first page, I was drawn into Alice’s world, and her journey felt both relatable and inspiring.

Alice is a wonderfully dynamic protagonist—smart, determined, and full of personality. Her struggles with balancing her ambitions, family expectations, and personal desires are portrayed with authenticity and depth. The writing is sharp and witty, making Alice’s voice stand out, and her emotional journey is one that resonates deeply.

What I particularly loved was how the book balances lighthearted moments with meaningful introspection. The humor is spot-on, adding charm and levity, while the emotional beats hit just the right notes. The relationships, whether romantic, familial, or friendships, feel organic and add richness to the story.

This is the kind of book that leaves you feeling both entertained and thoughtful, with a protagonist you can’t help but root for. If you love contemporary fiction with humor, heart, and a strong, relatable lead, Alice Chen’s Reality Check is a must-read.

I started reading this because I read a couple of books that were dark and sad in ways I didn’t expect. I decided I needed some levity. A romance where the mom has cancer, the fiancé cheats, and someone dies still fit the bill. It helped the red shirt was very hate-able

Alice goes on reality TV with her fiancé to win money for her mom’s cancer treatment. When her relationship blows up, she has to team up with her high school rival. The show was already an OSHA violation with a camera crew but then someone turns up dead. All of this is on the back so no spoilers.

This book has a little bit of everything. Drama and tough emotions, humor, mystery, high stakes thrills, and romance. The resolution is satisfying and the journey is messy and full of hijinks. The big romance tropes are rivals-to-lovers and the FMC clueless he’s into her. Possibly forced proximity but I’m not as familiar with the mechanics of that trope.

Alice has walls up and I get why. When a big trauma happens in your formative years, you get trust issues. It should still have dawned on her a lot sooner than it did that Daniel was into her from the beginning.

It was easy to read and I had a lot of fun. It’s heavier than your average romance but it didn’t bring me down. It got pretty over the top and ridiculous in places. I’m dubious a seasoned crewed would have kept filming after someone died. Overall, 4/5

For minor errors, reddit doesn’t allow apostrophes in sub names. The usernames were spot on though. ‘Unending possum scream’ sent me.

I will forever be a sucker for (one sided) childhood rivals to lovers, and this book did not disappoint with that, along with all the other great elements of this book. This book is for anyone who loves survivor (especially when there is love on the island), but also wants a bit of a murder mystery.

My favorite part of this book was definitely the romance (and development of it) between Daniel and Alice. It was just so cute, especially when Daniel was so obviously pining the whole time, and Alice was just trying to convince herself it was all for the cameras. I also loved their backstory—I was engaged during all the flashbacks, and it felt like there were the perfect amount of them. They were just so cute.

Thank you to Quirk Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book pulled me in with its mix of humor, heart, and all-too-relatable struggles. The protagonist’s journey of balancing ambition, family expectations, and self-discovery felt so real, like conversations I’ve had with friends. Chen’s writing is sharp and engaging, making even the heavier moments feel digestible. While some plot points were predictable, I still found myself rooting for the characters and reflecting on my own experiences. A thoughtful, fun, and insightful read—I’d definitely recommend it!

Miss Congeniality meets UnREAL! Alice Chen's Reality Check is a fun, fast paced read and a fun combination of romantic comedy and murder mystery.

Alice Chen is a maths teacher who finds herself on a reality show for couples, but she soon has to switch partners when her fiancé cheats, and she finds herself in the middle of a mystery that she can't help but trying to solve. There was always something happening with the reality show challenges, the on-set mystery and the romance with her new partner, Daniel.

Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley, but this is my voluntary and honest review.

The premise of this book is so fun, and right away, the first chapters grabbed me. However, as I got further into the story, it felt like it was trying to do too much: a satirical commentary, a romance, a mystery, a family story. Certain elements showed up early and then felt a little sidelined, while others didn't enter the plot until way later.

I don't want to knock the authors because, of course, books can be many things and I love that they melded so much into this one. However, I think there could have been more balance so that these themes carried throughout the entire plot, not just in the moments where the authors wanted to touch on them.

All of that said, I will absolutely be reading whatever they publish next!