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endemictoearth's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
tense
fast-paced
3.25
I appreciate what this book was trying to do, and I think it did some of it well. However, if a book keeps making me think how it could be written more effectively . . . it maybe isn’t fully gripping me. I kept thinking it would be really cool to see a scene as it plays out on screen, then go back and show what really happened and how it was manipulated by editing. This book tried to give us that with the unsympathetic, ruthless producers, but some of the tv stuff fell flat, bc they didn’t develop all the players. I do think focusing on a few characters was smart, but we were never for a moment in any doubt as to who Walker was going to choose, even when he reluctantly played the game with a couple of other contestants. I think Ben was a lost opportunity, unless they were planning to write a follow up with him as the central bachelor.
And the sex scenes were somewhat overblown, bc of the artificial structure of the show and no privacy, there were only two of them. The first one wasn’t too bad, but the final one was chapters long and I think the authors were like, ‘Let’s throw everything at this one to make up for the lack elsewhere!’ It just seemed to go on and on, and at some point lost its appeal.
All that said, I really did like the main couple, how they both were torn up about having to put themselves in this position for the money, and genuinely cared about each other beyond the show.
And the sex scenes were somewhat overblown, bc of the artificial structure of the show and no privacy, there were only two of them. The first one wasn’t too bad, but the final one was chapters long and I think the authors were like, ‘Let’s throw everything at this one to make up for the lack elsewhere!’ It just seemed to go on and on, and at some point lost its appeal.
All that said, I really did like the main couple, how they both were torn up about having to put themselves in this position for the money, and genuinely cared about each other beyond the show.
ntdan's review against another edition
4.0
8/10
holy 23-page sex scene
i liked the premise a lot, and i truly love the ending, but it feels like there is still some unresolved plot
holy 23-page sex scene
i liked the premise a lot, and i truly love the ending, but it feels like there is still some unresolved plot
writtenechoes's review against another edition
3.0
I mean, the title and summary says it all. This is really just a gay bachelor including all the drama and hijinks.
The start was a solid four stars for me. Sparks flew when Roan and Walker first met (no matter how awkward of a meet cute). I loved the whole reality show setting on Walker’s farm. Seeing the production of it, the fabrication of the show. Walker and Roan were sweet on their own and together. I loved the almost forbidden aspect of it because the production team was rooting for other bachelors to take Walker’s notice. Of course the closer Roan and Walker got, the more hijinks ensued from the production team trying to add drama. The reader knows from the start that everyone’s just in it for money, including Walker. Roan was there because he needed the money for his dying mothers medical bills. Roan kept that secret from Walker. The beginning was so much fun but honestly hardly anything happened for the first 80%…… then it predictably went off the rails. What I knew would happen, happened. And that’s when the whole thing lost it’s spark for me.
ALSO I thought the Ben thing was really weird. He was there as a contestant but he wasn’t interested in Walker. He was just divorced after marrying his high school sweetheart at sixteen because she got pregnant. And he was shy and weird with Walker. But super sweet with Roan. Then suddenly he’s confessing he’s in love with Roan? But then nothing happened with that???? Walker sent Ben home and then Roan tells Walker Ben came after him but that’s it? The whole unresolvedness of that killed me.
I just didn’t see the spark for Roan and Walker once they were alone. And this is VERY low smut. And the one real sex scene they had was just weird? Not really romantic to me so it didn’t sell me on them. The ending was so rushed. I felt like it ended before I really saw them together. I wish there has been an additional chapter before the epilogue. This was good but I wasn’t blown away. I think the concept was more fascinating than anything else really.
The start was a solid four stars for me. Sparks flew when Roan and Walker first met (no matter how awkward of a meet cute). I loved the whole reality show setting on Walker’s farm. Seeing the production of it, the fabrication of the show. Walker and Roan were sweet on their own and together. I loved the almost forbidden aspect of it because the production team was rooting for other bachelors to take Walker’s notice. Of course the closer Roan and Walker got, the more hijinks ensued from the production team trying to add drama. The reader knows from the start that everyone’s just in it for money, including Walker. Roan was there because he needed the money for his dying mothers medical bills. Roan kept that secret from Walker. The beginning was so much fun but honestly hardly anything happened for the first 80%…… then it predictably went off the rails. What I knew would happen, happened. And that’s when the whole thing lost it’s spark for me.
ALSO I thought the Ben thing was really weird. He was there as a contestant but he wasn’t interested in Walker. He was just divorced after marrying his high school sweetheart at sixteen because she got pregnant. And he was shy and weird with Walker. But super sweet with Roan. Then suddenly he’s confessing he’s in love with Roan? But then nothing happened with that???? Walker sent Ben home and then Roan tells Walker Ben came after him but that’s it? The whole unresolvedness of that killed me.
I just didn’t see the spark for Roan and Walker once they were alone. And this is VERY low smut. And the one real sex scene they had was just weird? Not really romantic to me so it didn’t sell me on them. The ending was so rushed. I felt like it ended before I really saw them together. I wish there has been an additional chapter before the epilogue. This was good but I wasn’t blown away. I think the concept was more fascinating than anything else really.
teresab78's review against another edition
4.0
Good
Cheesy in spots but in a good way. The reality show was drama but fun too. I liked the setting and the characters. There are moments of sadness but I felt they were handled well.
Cheesy in spots but in a good way. The reality show was drama but fun too. I liked the setting and the characters. There are moments of sadness but I felt they were handled well.
aubreyfrogger's review against another edition
4.0
The bit about Walkers ex boyfriend showing up was pointless and didn’t add much to the story. I understand the need for last minute drama but I didn’t like that part.
love_bookswillbetheendofme's review against another edition
5.0
The emotion in this was amazing! The way the characters questioned their feelings because of the show were so realistic! Roan was so adorably awkward the first few times he was around Walker! I loved the way the two of them fell in love.
missysreadingcorner's review against another edition
5.0
Best Depiction of Reality TV
I had The Bachelor, The Bachelorette and all of those finding love reality shows. Andy and Molly were the most annoying characters. I would have loved if Molly fell over a branch and twisted her ankle because she was so ruthless, just like all of the other reality tv producers. I’m glad Walker and Roan got their happy ending.
I had The Bachelor, The Bachelorette and all of those finding love reality shows. Andy and Molly were the most annoying characters. I would have loved if Molly fell over a branch and twisted her ankle because she was so ruthless, just like all of the other reality tv producers. I’m glad Walker and Roan got their happy ending.
adammm's review against another edition
3.0
This book had a lot of potential, but the love-at-first-sight trope and the clearly forecasted 80% break up negatively impacted the book. The characters constantly trying to work against their edits in the reality TV show also took me out of the book. Like, you know what you signed up for - why bitch and moan about it now?
Finally: sex the same day as your mother's funeral??? And not just a gentle little poke but three chapters worth of bed-breaking pounding??? Really??? Ugh.
Idk, this book wasn't that bad but it sure wasn't good. A solid 2.5-3.
Finally: sex the same day as your mother's funeral??? And not just a gentle little poke but three chapters worth of bed-breaking pounding??? Really??? Ugh.
Idk, this book wasn't that bad but it sure wasn't good. A solid 2.5-3.
liza5326's review against another edition
4.0
It was a slow-starter, probably because I am NOT a fan of reality dating shows, but once I got into it, I was completely invested in the story and had to know how it all turned out! I loved Roan and Walker and how they just clicked, even in the most uncomfortable of circumstances. I would also love a book about Ben, he was a sweetheart and deserves his own HEA!