An intriguing peek behind the curtain of a reality dating show similar to The Bachelor that reminded me of the TV show UnREAL. Argy must either have experience on this type of show or know people who do because her descriptions of everything happening behind the scenes feel extremely credible. Although Emily is a tough protagonist to get a bead on at first, as she seems overly aloof and naive, the reasons for her behavior become apparent as the book progresses. The portions devoted to producer Miranda could have been interesting, yet they are too slight to make much of an impression; I would have preferred for either these chapters to have been cut completely or devoted to a different character, such as Sam. The second half takes a welcome turn with Emily that isn't unexpected given what has preceded it and a close relationship that she has formed with a fellow contestant, but the ending lacks the finality that the story deserves. However, I did enjoy reading this book, most of the time not knowing where it was heading next.

4.25/5 stars! I love love love reality television. It is one of my guilty pleasures. So I always jump at the chance to read books about reality dating shows. As someone whose dissertation is on singlehood, I was extra interested in the angle of forced romance and societal expectations of women being engaged. I think this book was important in showing readers that there are different kinds of HEAs.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

The One by Julia Argy is the story of girls who are vying to be the young Dylan's wife in a show called "The One". Emily and Sam are chose to participate and woo Dylan, but love is not always what is seems, and as this story progresses, Emily makes a decision which will change the course of the show. It all ended well. I supposed I might have appreciated this tale more if I had ever seen such reality shows, like The Batchelor, but I have not. The whole premise seemed a little superficial and I had trouble finding the situation to be believable.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review The One

Emily is a 24-yo Stepford woman, raised in a religious home to be servant-minded to the point she's kind of a zombie. All she knows is how make herself useful to others. If they need a smile, she gives them that, even if it means she ignores her job to the point of being fired. When the story starts, she's unemployed, at loose ends, and completely unformed/immature. Almost immediately, she's spotted by Miranda, a producer for a Bachelor-type reality show. Emily signs the contract and is whisked away to be locked down with 29 other beautiful young women, all vying to be chosen by Dylan.

The girls' phones, ID, computers, etc. are taken from them for the duration. They're in an artificial situation, told what to say and when, awakened in the middle of the night to alarms and bright lights to be dragged off to another shoot, sleep-deprived, poorly nourished...it's like they're hostages in a terrible psychological experiment.

But what a great challenge for our character. As Emily begins to think for herself, she clashes especially with Miranda, who is so far into this messed-up life she's irredeemable. The only knock on this book is it's slow for a very long time, busy trying to make us hate other humans, particularly men. If an author wanted to demonstrate a character's arc of self-growth and development, they couldn't do a better job than this.

I was lucky enough to win an e-ARC of at THE ONE by Julia Argy through a Shelf Awareness giveaway. Thanks for the early look, and have a safe and happy weekend!

This book should appeal to fans of “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and the TV series “UnREAL.” It’s not a warm, fuzzy portrayal of reality TV, but a sharp look at those dating shows. It’s a sapphic love story blooming in a misogynistic, heteronormative environment.

It was adorable and this is a unique take on a Bachelor - style dating show. A fun read exploring romance and society’s expectations on love and relationships and what it should be.

This story starts out just like a dating show, but I ended up finding out that there was much more to it! The main character Emily, was questioning who she was as a person and as the book proceeded that gave the novel so many layers. I really enjoyed how deep this one got for a novel that's seemingly just a romance novel with a dating show twist. Thank you so much Putnam for the ARC of this one.

MY REVIEW: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
👉 The One tv show itself was low-key like the Bachelor/ette, which I've never watched before, but the idea of going behind the scenes was what initially drew me to this… And now I kind of do want to watch the show!
👉 Emily seems kind of bland at the beginning, which ultimately makes for a really great blank slate from which to observe everyone else; she doesn't know what she wants, she's just floating aimlessly, until her life slowly unravels and we begin to understand everything 👀
👉 My favorite part is the strong relationships between all of the women… Although they're all vying for the attention of "The One," they're so supportive of and caring for each other.
👉 Overall it was like an alternative romance (in many ways) meets deep literary fiction: light and fluffy and sweet but so heart wrenching and soul searching 🥺

I really enjoyed this behind-the-scenes look at a Bachelor-clone reality dating show. I was expecting snark and camp but there was a surprising amount of depth and meaning in this novel. Enjoyed the main character's development.

this is a fantastic read coming out on april 18, 2023. however i will be adding this to my top 2022 books!
emily, the protagonist goes on a dating show after being fired from her job. she’s the all-american girl aka the perfect choice for producer miranda to win the show.
i did not know what i was in for when i started this book. the only reality tv show i’ve watched is love island (this is i presume inspired by the bachelor) but i am familiar with the tv show unreal. like unreal, we see the production side and unravel how scripted and manipulated these reality shows are.
i was afraid i wasn’t going to like emily considering she was picked for the show because she was the “perfect girl” but i was very surprised and glad!
nothing is to your expectations and i found myself reading this in one sitting i was so engrossed in the pov switches between first person emily and third person miranda.
the side characters in this novel - sam, winna, wyatt, etc. serve their different purposes but also made some of the scenes what they were.
if you love messy drama with a dash of sally rooney angst. this is the one (lol)
thanks you to netgalley and the publishers for an arc in exchange for an honest review!

Emily's passiveness and lack of personality was the point but it didn't quite ring true, especially as her backstory was fleshed out. A lot of the plot and developments seemed to spring forward with little by way to back them up. But the writing was compelling and it was an interesting read.

Emily did not join the reality dating show to find love she did it for lack of something better to do but once she moved into the house and met the ladies and then met Dylan the reason she was there slowly but definitely changed. From the ballet dancer to the Instagram or she meet some really good friends but will she leave the show with her prince? I really enjoyed this book Waymore than I thought I would. I love the way the author for the most part made the women supportive and friendly and although they did have some Who like to make negative comments I noticed they were there that long. I found the authors has a great talent for writing this type of book novel with that there were some really funny moments in the book really touching moment and everything you look for in a contemporary romance novel. It is rare to read a debut novel that I would give five stars to but I would definitely give it to Julia Argy’s The One. I would definitely say this author came out with both barrels blazing with a five star read on her first outing I totally loved it and highly recommend it what a fun book. I receive this book from NetGalley and the publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

Did author Julia Argy once work for a reality tv show? It sure feels like she nailed every detail about a show where the contestants are looking for love and fighting over one man! This felt like a juicy behind the scenes look at finding love on camera, complete with all the producer manipulation that we all know happens on these shows.

Emily is plucked off the street to be a contestant on The One. She is young, adaptable, and still finding herself. The journey with the suitor on the show is almost a side note here, as the main journey is the one of Emily figuring out who she is and being brave enough to go after what she wants. She becomes friendly with the other contestants and those relationships become important to her as she discovers who she is.

The contestants are a fun bunch of characters, most of whom you can easily picture if you have watched these shows before. The book has hplenty to say about the experience of being a female and about how easily people can be manipulated into saying what others want to hear. It was an interesting read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

We all want to be The One. Loving and loved. So when Emily is asked to appear on the reality TV show The One, she’s intrigued. She’s just lost her job and the show offers, at least, a trip to Los Angeles. And if handsome, telegenic Dylan selects her, she’ll have a fiancé and social media fame.

Week by week, The One follows the staged filming and behind-the-scenes drama of this not-so-real show. The story is told in two voices. Emily shares the camaraderie she finds with some of the other contestants, the semi-scripted on camera interviews and the strangeness of getting to know Dylan while multiple cameras roll. Producer Miranda deals with the politics of show business, on set ageism and work and life balance. As The One moves toward its romantic, splashy conclusion, Emily finds love. It’s not what she expected.

Julie Argy must either be a former contestant or a producer on The Bachelorette. If not, she watches far too much reality TV! The One is far more serious than you expect. Emily slowly realizes what and who is important to her while workaholic Miranda manages pull a triumph out of disaster. This is an enjoyable, layered read that will leave you thinking. 5 stars.

Thank you yo NetGalley, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam and Julie Argy for this ARC.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I was intrigued to get a look at what happens behind the scenes of a major dating show. The story was definitely deeper and more thoughtful than the typical kind of “chick-lit”. I liked watching Emily’s journey on her way to finding herself. Recommended as a good read!

Reality TV is my guilty pleasure and I've watched quite a few seasons of The Bachelor/Bachelorette. The One breaks the fourth wall by adding in the points of view of the producers, which is really interesting. There is a big "twist" that I won't reveal, but overall it made me look at dating shows such of these in a new way. Also, I loved Emily and how real she seems!

Thanks for a free ARC, this is a unique take on a Bachelor - style dating show. Main character Emily has such an unusual personality and I loved seeing her naive reaction to the "journey."
Producer Miranda's hard realism was a great contrast.

Author did a great job writing multiple women characters with actual personalities.

this was exactly what i had hoped Patricia Wants to Cuddle would be. (and what a disappointment that book was...)

emily was perfect, sam was perfect, winna and jazmin were perfect. miranda was not. i wish i had wanted to root for her even a little? it's hard to have any sympathy for her when she is always written "objectively" in the third person vs the rest of the novel being written from emily's pov.

shout out to wyatt for his star behavior at the end - iykyk. made me tear up a little bit.

thank you to penguin group putnam for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to Dutton/Penguin Random House for Julia Argy's The One. This is a very thought provoking book, one filled with a new take on the behind the scenes of a reality show tropes; I was left with a lot of plot points and themes on feminism and identity and how much we do and do not control our own narratives. I chose this book for the reality show theme and got a lot more, in a good way, from this highly satisfying novel (I read this on an airplane and I was 100% drawn into the plot, helped me tune out the distractions of air travel!). I am still thinking a few days later about the parallel stories of a contestant, Emily, and her producer, Miranda; Emily and her self-growth. Miranda with an agenda of her own to have her contestant reflect a storyline. What does this book say about how we know ourselves and how very unreal reality TV is? it offers a lot, with thoughtful points about feminism woven in, and I think this will spark some interesting discussions.

Recommended for: fans of Holly James' Nothing but the Truth; fans of Evelyn Hugo (the ultimate public persona manipulator?); fans of One to Watch.