A review by libbyhb
One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Honestly, this was perfect reading for after a Bachelor finale when you're dying for Bachelorette to start. One to Watch was fun and a great premise. I REALLY appreciated how much care was put into the details of the show and the different media responses to it - so many books attempt to integrate tabloid coverage or make fake reality shows, but rarely do they actually feel like they could be real. Which is frustrating because it really takes you out of the book. Kate Stayman-London clearly cared about making things believable. I loved Bea as a character and honestly wanted to be her friend. Often I'm left frustrated by ~flawed heroines'~ actions but hers all felt so reasonable and I was really rooting for her! However, because I loved Bea and felt for her so much, I do wish she had gotten to have a little more of the fantasy-world romance novel type of arc rather than SUCH a realistic one. It felt like every time  things were turning up for Bea, some new horrible event happened, usually in a way that singled out her fatness. Like, by the time
the thing with Jefferson happened
it felt like a little too far. I know this is the reality of life as a fat woman, but there's a point where you do want the romance-novel nature to take over. In the end, this was a fun read with some frustrating elements, but I'd recommend this to anyone who loves The Bachelorette and can handle reading a lot of fatphobic incidents.
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