I really enjoyed this book. It had everything from fake dating, reality tv show, and a murder mystery! When I first read about it, I was a little concerned it would be a little overwhelming with all the tropes. But Kara Loo and Jennifer Young did a great incorporating everything. I read this book in one weekend and could not put it down. I can't wait to post and tell my followers about it.

Books that are set at reality TV shows or some kind of televised media are always a blast to read because of the sheer chaos that such a form of media brings. Alice Chen's Reality Check was no different. It was funny, it was charming, and really, just all-around chaos with a million code violations thrown in. So, you know, it was like a classic reality TV show. The writing was so funny and captivating, and it made me want to keep reading. It was more addicting than I expected and I'm so here for that.

Alice was a very likeable main character. Being a math teacher, she's a complete fish out of water when it comes to reality tv shows, so it was hilarious to see her competing in one and being determined to win. Of course, she had a very special reason for it, so you'll understand why she's even competing. One of the main reasons that I was excited to read this book was the murder mystery aspect of it.

However, I felt like we were a little too deep into the story when the murder mystery part of it happened; like it could have easily happened a few pages ago. That's what I was wanting and looking forward to, but as I flipped through the pages, I came to realisation, that it came towards almost the very end. It felt like the meat of the story had already happened, and I was waiting for the story to be over, which was a little disappointing.

I will say though - the romance between Alice and Daniel was so so good and the writing did such an amazing job at showing the chemistry between the two. They were thrown together in some deeply chaotic and out of this world circumstances, but somehow, with them, it just works.

Overall, Alice Chen's Reality Check was a pretty enjoyable read and I will be looking forward to other works by both authors!

Truly had everything you need in both a great romance novel and cozy mystery! The chemistry between Alice and Daniel was 🔥 and the consent was on point, we love to see it! The issues on set and murder plot kept me guessing and I loved following the twists and turns. This was one of those “can’t put down” books that kept me reading well after my bedtime!

This was everything I didn’t know I needed in a book—fake dating, reality show chaos, sizzling chemistry, and yes, a murder mystery that actually keeps you guessing. This book was fun, fresh, and completely addictive.
From page one, Alice is a relatable and compelling main character. Her decision to join a reality dating show isn’t for fame—it’s survival. Between student debt and her mother’s mounting medical bills, she’s doing what she has to do.
Enter her high school nemesis, now a charming and infuriatingly attractive contestant. Their banter is endearing, their chemistry undeniable, and despite the cameras, their romance grows in a way that feels surprisingly real—sweet, authentic, and even spicy at times.
Adding to this already fun rom-com is a mystery that Alice can’t shy away from. Clues are planted with care, keeping the suspense without overshadowing the romance. I found myself racing through the pages, trying to solve the mystery alongside her.
This book achieves everything it sets out to do. I can’t wait to see what the authors come out with next!
Thank you Quirk Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for ARC
Unfortunately, it’s DNF at 20 percent and I will not be continuing as it just wasn’t for me. I found myself feeling quite detached from both the plot and the characters, which made it difficult to stay engaged. While the premise had potential, I personally couldn’t connect with the story in a meaningful way.

That said, I still recommend giving it a try and what didn’t work for me might resonate with others, especially readers who enjoy lighthearted plots with funny characters.

Alice is not expecting to meet her old nemesis when she signs up for a reality TV show. She wants to win to help pay her mum'smedical bills, but will her relationship stand the test of the TV show? A fun read.

A romcom murder mystery set on a tropical island? My favourite part of this book was definitely the romance. Alice and Daniel had chemistry, it was sweet, charming, and full of witty moments. I also appreciated that the male lead was down bad for Alice! I don’t know what about that, but I just love that!

While I came for the murder mystery, I stayed for the romance... and I wish the mystery had played a stronger part. The story seemed caught between two elements, unsure of whether it wanted to commit to the whodunnit or lean fully into romcom territory. I was hoping for more balance or better yet, a mystery plot that could match the energy of the romance. It felt like the writing/plot was struggling to pick a side, and after reading this book, it would have been best if this stuck to just being a romcom even though the murder mystery element was the main selling point for me.

The writing itself is solid and fast paced. I liked the podcast snippets and post-episode discussions. The behind the scenes reality show moments was a fun inclusion and made the book feel like I was also inside a reality TV show.
Overall, I was completely entertained and had a fun time. Although the murder mystery element didn’t quite land for me as I would have liked but in the end I still had a good time.

Thank you to Quirk Books for the ARC!

This was cute and I loved the reality show/rom-com/murder mystery mash up! Loved how the characters worked together and how snippy and cute with each other.

This book was a total delight! Alice Chen is a math teacher who ends up going way out of her comfort zone to participate in a reality TV show called Dawn Tay’s Inferno (cute, right) with her fiance Chase, hoping to win a million dollars to help her afford her mother’s medical bills. Little does she know, her high school nemesis Daniel Cho is also joining the cast of the show. Nothing like a good rivals to lovers romance, and this one didn’t disappoint!

I loved the premise of the reality show on a tropical island, especially when it started having those mystery thriller vibes with all these “accidents” on set. The competitions were themed on the nine circles of hell in Dante’s Inferno, and I thought they were really well done. I was fully into what was going on and who was being eliminated just as much as I was in the mystery of the sabotages and eventual murder.

Alice was a bit frustrating to me in the first half of the novel or so, as I do not identify at all with her competitive streak and I just wanted her to embrace the show and her chance with the gorgeous Daniel Cho. But once things warmed up around the halfway point, I was hooked in until the end!

Highly recommend for anyone who likes reality dating shows and doesn’t mind a little murder and mayhem mixed in.

Thank you NetGalley and Quirk Books Publishing for sending this DRC for review consideration.

I very much enjoyed this romcom cozy mystery set within the world of reality TV! I don’t want to give too much away, but I really loved the main character Alice and her drive to win (for very good reasons). The reality tv shenanigans were over the top and very fun to follow!

Note: there are themes of serious illness of a parent, absent parents, and cheating to be aware of before reading.

Overall I recommend this as a fun vacation/beach read

Survivor meets love island.... yes please.

This fun rom com follows Alice Chen who goes on a reality show for couples based on Dante's Inferno. Its cute, cheesy and twisty when a dead body shows up on set. I loved Alice she is uber competitive and when her arch nemesis Daniel from school quiz bowl is on the island too, that only fuels her to win even more. I adored the playful banter between these two characters they had such a great dynamic. There is some predictable moments if you are used to watching reality tv. But that didn't deter my enjoyment at all. This book was such a fun read that I didn't want to put it down. I loved the easy going writing which immediately immersed me in the story and had me thinking I was on the island with them. I highly recommend this if you love rom-coms, mystery and of course reality tv. Pick this up I can guarantee you will not be disappointed.

Alice Chen's Reality Check is a Murder Mystery Rom-Com with a reality tv twist!

Alice and her boyfriend, Chase, get cast on a competitive reality tv show for a chance to win 1 million dollars. A million dollars is a life changing amount of money to help Alice be able to take care of her mom. When Alice arrives to the resort, she runs into her high school nemesis, Daniel, and his girlfriend.

Alice and Chase break up early on in the competition and teams up with Daniel so they can continue being on the show. Can they keep up the facade that they're in love? You gotta read this to find out!

The reality tv concept and the murder mystery sucked me right in! However, I found Alice's extreme competitiveness and overall personality very unlikable.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review this book as an eARC.

I’ve previously read Kara Loo and Jennifer Young’s writing on the visual novel app Choices several years ago, as they were authors of The Freshman, The Royal Romance, Rules of Engagement and several other Choices book. I was excited to read a full-length novel from them, and I wasn’t disappointed by Alice Chen’s Reality Check.

The novel centers on Alice, a math teacher who joins a reality TV show with her fiancé because she needs to pay off her mother’s medical bills. Unfortunately, while on the show, her fiancé Chase cheats on her and she’s forced into a fake relationship with her high school rival, Daniel, by the producers because they need more couples. While falling in love with Daniel, it becomes clear there’s foul play on the set when a dead body shows up. The two team up with a sound tech, Lex, to solve the murder mystery and hopefully survive while doing so.

I was a little confused by how far into the novel the murder mystery portion of the plot starts. The novel overall is definitely heavier on the rivals-to-lovers fake dating romance than the mystery aspect, which may be important for prospective readers to know. There’s a lot of the typical reality TV drama, which can be fun to read, but with a mostly surprisingly mature cast. The girl that Chase cheats on with Alice, Selena, actually ends up being an important amount of the plot and not as one-dimensional as the “other woman” frequently is in novels. I did like that, especially because Selena is Latina and it would otherwise be awkward if the only Latina in the cast was an evil man-stealing witch.

It felt at some points like the transitions were rushed between scenes, which made things flow less well. I did enjoy the snippets of behind-the-scenes notes from the producers, episodes and online discussion of the show that were included at the end of every chapter. The authors also did a creative job of including a trigger warning for the Gluttony challenge without breaking up the flow of the novel, including a note from production about needing a trigger warning for vomiting and food sensitivity on the episode. It was a really inventive way to include a trigger warning without breaking immersion, which I appreciate. It was something that could easily be triggering to people with food issues, so it makes sense that they included that portion. The “meta”-ness of the production notes were also interesting, and in the end made the fictional TV show feel more real.

Alice Chen’s Reality Check is a slow-burn second-chance romance that delivers a fun, flirty read. Two exes forced together on a reality dating show - a situation that created plenty of space for witty banter, unresolved tension, and heartfelt moments. Once the story gets going, the chemistry between the leads shines, with emotional baggage and awkward history giving their interactions real weight and relatability.

Early chapters are a bit slow, and a few of the side characters don’t get quite enough development to match the richness of the leads. Still, the core premise is enjoyable, and the execution improves as the story progresses. A second-chance romance with a pop culture twist. A really fun read!

If you are a fan of fake dating, rivals to lovers, murder mystery/thrillers and reality dating THIS IS FOR YOU!!

I always tell myself to not read a mystery because I have no chill and as usual got suckeddd into it. Writing is well done!!

Great read if you are into reality tv and nursery mysteries!

Alice Chen needs money. So when she has the opportunity to star in a reality show and compete for a million dollars, she goes for it. Dawn Tay's Inferno, set on a remote island, is a new reality show designed for couples to test the strength of their relationship. Alice is convinced that she and her fiancé, Chase, have this in the bag. Until she reunites with her high school rival and enemy, Daniel Cho, who is still just as competitive as Alice.

Things don't exactly go according to plan for Alice...Chase ends up cheating on her with Daniel's girlfriend, and now all of a sudden, the couples are swapped and Alice has to fake date Daniel to remain in the competition. On top of that, strange and mysterious things are happening on set that put Alice and Daniel on edge. And when a dead body turns up? Alice and Daniel start investigating the cast and crew to find the killer. After all, what good is a million dollars if Alice doesn't make it off the island alive?

OMG I had so much fun reading this book. It actually felt like I was watching a reality show. The setting is atmospheric and elevates the drama between the contestants. We also get an inside look into the behind the scenes drama with the producers and crew. It's all so juicy! Just like reality shows are a fun escape from real-life problems, this book managed to distract me in the best way possible.

I just want to put a note out there that the cheating doesn't happen until the 27% mark–that's when the fake dating begins. Alice and Daniel's banter is so epic; I especially love their nicknames for each other 🤣 The murder also doesn't happen until the 58% mark, but there's enough mysterious build up leading to it. Not to mention that after the murder, everyone is trapped on the island with no signal or way out. I love a good old mystery set on a remote island LOL.

Overall, this was a fun and fast-paced story, with a good balance of romance and mystery–a mix of two of my favourite genres.

This book is a chaotic mess of pop culture references, romance, and a murder mystery all in one and I love every second of it. It was fun, it was cute and sweet, and then it was dark and contemplative. This was such a great summer read and I look forward to more work from these authors!

This book is a perfect blend of mystery, witty banter, and slow-burn romance that keeps you hooked from start to finish. The characters are incredibly well-developed, with chemistry that leaps off the page, making every interaction feel genuine and full of depth. DeWitt’s writing is warm, engaging, and full of humor, creating a story that feels both comforting and fresh.

This is sort of a wild cross between an enemies to lovers romance, reality tv, a murder mystery and spy thriller. Astonishingly it works really well. The romance is great and the plot moves along smartly through many twists and turns. I will say, however, that if you are not used to reality shows, that this was so stressful to read! I stayed up far too late because I couldn't put it down and I had nightmares afterwards. Recommended, but only if you're ok with survivor type reality shows.

This book was WILD. Alice is engaged to Chase, a sort of happy go lucky dude. She's a teacher who needs to make more money and her mother has really high medical bills from her cancer treatment. In a scheme to make money, Alice and Chase decide to on a dating reality show called Dawn Tay's Inferno. As if that wasn't enough, Alice runs into her high school nemesis Daniel Cho--he's a contestant on the show. Very quickly the plot goes haywire: Alice catches Chase cheating with another contestant, and they break up. In order to say in the running for the one million dollar prize, Alice teams up with Daniel. Then accidents keep happening on set, and it becomes clear someone is trying to harm people on the show. Alice and Daniel let sparks fly. Their chemistry is really great, and even without all of the hijinks of the show, I would enjoy the two of them together. Overall, a very entertaining, far-fetched romp.