Have you ever wondered what really happens behind the scenes on those reality shows like Survivor and The Amazing Race? Are the romances that develop just for the camera crews, or are they authentic? How much food do the contestants actually eat off-screen?

Lisa S. Gayle gives us a completely fictional, but completely possible, look at reality show romances with her new novel, Crush in the Cascades. A production crew has put together a new action-race-romance show called The Race for Riches or Romance, with a million-dollar prize for each member of the winning team. Among the contestants lured to participate in the grueling race taking place in the beautiful forests and mountains of the Cascade Range in Oregon are Easton Cooper, a loner-type Colorado mountain trail guide and Amity Rose, a fashionable woman from California with little outdoor exploration experience.

I’m not usually a huge fan of the romance genre, but the reality game-show setting immediately drew me in, as I was a huge fan of The Amazing Race years ago. The use of the race gave an organic, realistic reason for two totally opposite people to be forced to work together, a refreshing change from simply meeting at a bar or at work. Easton and Amity both have genuine reasons for being on the show and watching them learn to begrudgingly work with one another on certain tasks played out the way you would actually see on a reality show race. The supporting characters absolutely feel like the sorts of people you’d see on a reality show–one is there hoping solely that the exposure brings him fame and is deliberately a jerk, knowing the cameras will focus on him for drama; others are there hoping the winning money will help them kickstart a personal business. Even the host of the show, Alex, speaks and acts exactly the way you’d expect, enough that I basically heard the voice of Phil, host of The Amazing Race, in my head every time he spoke.

However, the end third of the book drags. With most teams having been eliminated, we spend more time with a core group of six or so people–but the supporting characters never feel fleshed out the way our protagonists do. Some of the challenges the teams must face are skimmed over, and the reader sees only the drama between characters, which is disappointing since the whole reality game aspect is what makes this book unique. I felt that the misunderstandings between characters were overblown by the end and were completely unnecessary by that point in their character development.

Gayle is writing a sequel–because there’s got to be a Season 2, right?!–and like all sequels, I hope it manages to improve on the original in every way, with plenty of twists, turns, and surprises to keep the viewer–er, the reader–intrigued.

Crush in the cascades is a contemporary romance novel with an action-packed plot about a reality competition for 1 million dollars. I’m very competitive so the theme of the book worked really well for me. And it stands out from other romance books I’ve read in the past. The reality show aspect isn’t overwhelming at all. The amount of cameras are mentioned a lot but that’s about it.

I really enjoyed the characters.
Easton the grumpy rock-climber from Colorado. A lovable MC that signed up for the competition to save his friend. And Amity is just to good for this world. She’s there to travel and experiencing the world. Their love hate relationship along with being competitors kept my interest up throughout.

I would definitely recommend this one, it’s a great read. It seems like there will be a sequel so I’ll definitely keep an eye out for that!

This book gets 3.5 stars from me. I thought the premise was interesting. I haven't read a lot of reality show based books - especially out door wilderness reality shows. It did definitely feel plausible from an emotional development perspective - just based on what seems to happen in shows like the Bachelor franchise, etc.
This book felt like it was channeling The Bachelor, Survivor and probably a few other reality tv shows all at the same time. I also like how it wrapped up, I always wonder how contestants deal with watching themselves played back on shows like that - and this book handled that part of it well.

I struggled a bit with the main characters and a lot of how their relationship went down - especially how they treated each other. It's definitely an enemies-to-lovers with a bit of forced proximity thrown in - but the rollercoaster was a rough ride. I appreciated the spice, though it did feel like there was a lot going on and those scenes were almost forced into the storyline.

Overall, a fun, escapist read that was decently enjoyable. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher & author for an early copy of the book to read & review.

✨Book Review✨
Crush in the Cascades
By Lisa S. Gayle

Sigh…..this book……where do I start!?!? Right from the get go this book did not work for me, which was very disappointing, as the synopsis was rather intriguing! I’m a big fan of game shows, and dating themed reality television, so I thought this read was going to be right up my alley!

This book made me feel like I was eavesdropping on two people that are having a feud. The way the dialect was presented was really not my cup of tea.

I really struggled to finish this one, and found the storyline to be very bland, the characters were very one dimensional and contained no depth at all, making it hard to relate or become interested in the story.

The repetition in this book was big. Same phrases and terms used over and over each chapter.

Sadly this one did not work for me. You can read this book for yourself on May 23rd when it’s released!

Rating ⭐️⭐️/5

I did receive this book as an E-ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion. Thanks to @netgalley for allowing me the opportunity!

A reality TV show offering the chance to win a million dollars is our backdrop for this romance. It relied heavily on the assumptions made by key characters, and while this offered some amusement it felt a little repetitive on occasion.
While there’s a large cast initially taking part, they are whittled down and our attention is - obviously - focused on some key players. The main two are Amity and Easton, both of whom have many redeeming qualities though it takes a bit of time for these to become apparent.
From the outset it was pretty clear that we were going to be watching the romance unfold, while also watching the heavily manipulated drama surrounding the competition.
I enjoyed elements of this a lot. Letting us know the background to Amity and Easton kept us rooting for them as they allowed their own misjudgments to get in the way of their cause. The outdoors setting was a nice distraction, but I found the manipulations of the crew and the rather drawn-out nature of the show frustrating.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this in advance of publication.

Very cute story. Really enjoyed. And set in cascades around my hometown! Would definitely read the sequel.

This book was a really fun, quick read. I liked the reality tv aspect, as that’s something different than the same old, same old. I think realty tv fan will really get into that. My one thing is that I don’t think the title actually fits the book at all.

Crush in the Cascades follows Amity Rose and Easton Cooper, as they compete on an adventure reality show to try and win a million dollars! While they definitely don't hit it off in the beginning, "The Race for Riches or Romance" leads to more in store for them. I give this book 2 stars, and here's why:

Easton, especially in the beginning, is a really unlikeable character. He makes many sexist comments and clearly has only prioritized himself in his past relationships. Also, considering a couple of the men arrive wearing suits, his judgement of Amity for wearing heels and a dress seems very misogynistic!

I did really like the premise of it being an action-reality show. The challenges were fun to follow, especially if you enjoy similar shows (The Amazing Race fans, looking at you) and the outdoors! However, it led to the romance being quite fast paced, which seems unrealistic for the characters.

Miscommunication was rampant throughout the book, and the main conflicts could have easily been avoided. After everything that happened, I really believe Amity deserved better.

Amity was a fun character! I was rooting for her throughout the book, and was glad she was able to prove herself in different ways. There were a few cute moments throughout the book, and while I did not rank it too high, I was still interested in seeing how the ending played out.

Thank you NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the eARC!

A very cute premise - reality TV game show with Survivor and Amazing Race vibes + a side of romance.

I truly loved the setting of the book. PNW and Pacific Coast Trail? Yes, please! However, I feel like a lot of the book was mostly describing the scenery and game show aspects. It left a lot to be desired in character development between the love interests. I didn't feel their connection throughout the entirety of the book.

I was craving a short, happy ending story and while contemporary romances haven’t been my cup of tea, I was pleasantly surprised by this one!

Set in the Oregon Cascade mountains, our main characters find themselves as contestants on an action-adventure reality show. Easton Cooper is there for the money - he hates reality TV but he’s desperate for the one million dollar top prize. Amity Rose is there for an adventure, and she isn’t exactly the wilderness loving type.

When Amity shows up to the first scene in a formal gown and high heels, everyone assumes her to be a pampered princess only there for the screen time. Imagine his utter disdain when Easton finds himself paired with her for a challenge… Sparks fly right away (and not the good kind).

Reality TV isn’t 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺 the everyday experience, but as far as crazy scenarios go in romance novels, I was on board. The action-adventure show provided a solid setting and provided a more exciting plot than I was expecting.

The story really read like I was watching a reality TV show - with challenges, villainous contestants, power couples, the whole bit. Who doesn’t like bingeing some dramatic reality TV on occasion?

This book was certainly emotionally charged. The tension between Cooper and Amity was ever-present and the volatility of their personalities made for a classic enemies-to-lovers scenario.

I liked this one - I look forward to giving the next book in the series a read!

I wanted to like this book but I didn’t. Reading the description I thought for sure it would be a book I would love. I didn’t find the main characters likable. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This is fantastic! The gameshow concept is original and creates a lot of drama, as well as two wonderful tropes: enemies-to-lovers and forced intimacy. Easton and Amity were two of my favourite characters, but why did he do that? This tension felt natural to me since I understood why Amity didn't want to be completely honest when there were cameras around, but if I were her, Easton would need to do a bit more to gain my forgiveness. Bria was a cool side character, so I'm glad she had a happy ending. I'm looking forward to reading the next book!
thank you for this arc!

2.5⭐️- An interesting and fun idea for an enemies to lovers romance, but unfortunately just not for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Books go Social for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review

I want to start by saying this wasn’t necessarily a bad book, and other people have rated it much higher than me but unfortunately I just found the writing style and pacing wasn’t for me.

This was a super fun and cool idea and as soon as I saw the description I wanted to read it- it’s basically Love Island but with a wilderness, outdoor adventure competition twist. It had a lot of potential and was both an Enemies to Lovers and Forced Proximity romance.

My main problem with it was the pacing- I felt like the relationship between Amity and Cooper progressed VERY quickly and didn’t feel real because of it- there was the classic enemies to lovers spark between them but it just fell a bit flat and I also didn’t really gel with them as MCs.

I did really want to love this book and hate that it wasn’t a higher rating for me but if you like the sound of the description I’d still give it a go- just because it wasn’t for me doesn’t mean it won’t be for you🥰

I absolutely devoured this book! It had me from the first glance at the fun and energetic duo!! The reality show setting made the whole cast of characters interesting and set beautiful scenic picture for the romantic plot to take place. This book was hard to put down!! I can’t wait to see what is in store for the next book in the Riches or Romance series!!!

The pacing felt very off. The enemies to lovers troupe seemed to hit the enemies too hard then the liking each other too hard. There wasn't very good tension. I also did really like either character.

As someone who loves reality tv and competition shows, I was really excited for this book.

It’s like Survivor meets any trashy dating show. What’s not to love? Unfortunately I just didn’t connect with either of the main characters. There was a lot going on with the competitions and I felt like the MC’s didn’t get fully formed because of that. The romance just fell flat for me. Good for a quick afternoon read that you can breeze through though!

4.5 ⭐️

Survivor meets Love Island in this adorable story. I loved the fun story line that sucked me in immediately and kept me want more. A perfect beach read for those who love a good love/hate relationship troupe. Already looking forward to book #2 in this series!

Hello!

I absolutely loved this story right from the beginning! It was giving me The Bachelor meets Hunger Games vibes. Also love the enemies to lovers aspect.

I will be posting my full review on the pub date(tomorrow), on my Instagram and tiktok @manas_library and also on my goodreads account!

I will be highly recommending this book I absolutely loved it!

I went into this book blind, only seeing the cover which instantly I loved. Especially the cartoon cover which are very popular at the minute. It caught my eye as soon as I saw the cover.
The premise of the book - an adult reality TV show combining physical and mental challenges to win $2 million dollars - was a different read for me and I really enjoyed how fast paced it was.
I loved how as a reader, we all believed Amity was a pretentious rich girl. Although stereotypical it worked in the setting of the novel.
Easton came across as judgemental from the offset. I preferred when he was vulnerable and real but I found the character slipped into the role of misogynistic male which I didn't like.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. There were a few times I got bored with the descriptive sections of the challenges but that may be because I have no interest in those hobbies. I'll definitely read Hannah's story in the next book.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great book! There was never a dull moment for the main characters. I can usually figure out what is going to happen with the story, but not this time! I look forward to the next book in this series!