So much fun! As someone who spent a lot of time watching reality tv in my 20’s this was perfect for me. Great beach read.

DNF…I tried to read the first few chapters of this book, but I couldn’t get into it. Edie came off as too desperate and I found her to be quite annoying. Overall, this was not for me.

Edie is 35, hopelessly single, and desperate to find The One™️. After a million bad dates and a recent break up that stings a little too much, she can barely believe it when her high school boyfriend appears on her living room tv as the star of the most popular dating show. A few drunken DMs to the show’s producer later, she’s flying to LA to win him back on reality TV. What could possibly go wrong?

Unlike the influencer-models she’s competing against, Edie is the trips-over-her-own-feet, actually-likes-to-eat girl the majority of the population can relate to. As America falls in love with Edie, Edie starts to realize who she is and what she wants. This messy, chaotic book spotlighting much more than just reality tv and all of its drama turned out to be such a fun summer read. It was witty, feel-good, and actually had me laughing out loud.

If you love reality TV, dating shows, or rom-coms, this book is for you! Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for sharing an ARC. Fan Favorite hits shelves June 24th!

Fan Favorite is a lively, clever rom‑com debut that playfully skewers reality‑TV tropes while delivering heartfelt character arcs. It stands out for its humor, relatable heroine in her mid‑30s, and three‑perspective storytelling. If you enjoy behind‑the‑scenes dating show drama (UnReal, The Bachelor‑style fame), plus a protagonist you can root for, this one’s a delightful binge.

Y’all!!! I read this book in ONE DAY! I thoroughly enjoyed reading Edie’s story.

Edie Pepper just wants to be loved. After numerous failed relationships she sees her high school boyfriend on tv as the new suitor on a Bachelor-type reality show called, The Key. She feels he’s the one that got away and finds a way onto the show to win him back.

She was a real, honest character. Her stream of consciousness was witty and felt authentic. The multiple POVs were also entertaining. Peter, the show producer, had a fantastic inner monologue. With the title of ‘Fan Favorite’ I was expecting more mention of Edie’s appeal to the viewers of the reality show earlier on in the book, though it didn’t detract from the story. I also appreciated the age representation of older (mid-30s) main characters for a change. Despite the low amount of spice, you still feel the delicious angst and yearning. This was a great romcom that had me laughing, yelling, and cheering for the couple. Wishing Edie her happily ever after!

Best of luck to Adrienne Gunn! And thanks to her, her publisher and NetGalley for the ARC so I could read this fun story early and share my review with you all!

I could not get into this book at all. Normally, I try to get at least halfway through before making any judgments but I just couldn't do it with this title.

I was immediately turned off from the FMC with the way she was acting on her date - it was cringey and strange. She didn't seem to be self aware in the slightest and it honestly made me really uncomfortable.

The writing felt immature despite the characters being in their mid 30s. I understand wanting a relationship to lead to something but the way she goes about informing people of that feels weird. It honestly reminded me a lot of Bridget Jones (not in a good way) and maybe that resonates with some but I don't think I'm the target audience for that.

Fan Favorite by Adrienne Gunn ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

This was an absolutely adorable read! Filled with humor, heart, and a relatable FMC, this book was a blast.

There were so many times I found myself grinning as I read this one. Our FMC was so well crafted, and quite frankly, a breath of fresh air. She wasn’t perfect, but she was strong and knew what she wanted. The other characters were just as rich, and I enjoyed them all.

The reality tv show aspect was so well done. I was completely obsessed and enjoyed how it moved the plot along. I also was here for the social commentary - it was perfectly placed without being overdone.

This one gave me One to Watch and The Rom Con vibes as I was reading. If you are looking to read a fun romcom with relatable characters and a reality tv show backdrop, pick this one up ASAP!

Edie is a 35 year old single woman who is desperate to find love so when she sees her high school boyfriend is the new lead for The Key (aka The Bachelor irl), she gets herself on the show to win him back.

This book had so many things I love: reality shows, pop culture references, he falls first and it made me genuinely LOL. But I feel like the story didn’t flow as good as it could’ve. I don’t think we got as much of the MMC and FMC actually falling for each other so when they did I was like, OH? When did this happen like how did we get here?! It felt disconnected and it jumped around a lot. But I still gave it three stars because like it said, it had elements I did really like.

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for the ARC!

Okay, I almost DNF’d Fan Favorite in the first few pages—not because it’s bad (far from it), but because the energy is a lot right out of the gate. Edie Pepper crashes in like a desperate, rose-drunk hurricane of millennial chaos. But thank goodness I held on, because by the end, I was fully obsessed.

Edie is 35, burnt out on dating apps, and suddenly watching her high school ex turned hot reality TV lead flex his glow-up on national television. Naturally, she does what any rational person would do: DMs her way onto The Key (basically The Bachelor) to win him back. What follows is a perfect blend of hilarious social satire, a touching journey of self-discovery, and a lil' love story thrown in the mix.

The social commentary? Chef’s kiss. Adrienne Gunn absolutely nails the ridiculousness of dating culture and reality TV manipulation while still making space for heart and humanity. And as a 90s baby? I lived for the references—Friday Night Lights, The Bachelor, NSYNC vs. Backstreet Boys, a Phil Collins birthday party? My pop-culture heart felt so seen.

3.5 rounded up. This is a fun romp for fans of the bachelor. Gives major early-2000s romcom vibes. Lost some points for lack of depth with most characters. While the story is meant to be fun and lighthearted and ultimately deliver on the HAE, it became hard to understand why we were supposed to care about the characters and their decisions when it felt like we knew so little about them.

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and Netgalley for the eArc. This title is set to release on June 24 2025.

THIS. BOOK. IS. SO. GOOD. Adrienne Gunn's writing feels effortless and hilarious. I cannot believe this is a debut novel. The romance was amazing. The reality TV references and tie-ins were spot on. Edie Pepper is THAT girl. I love everything about this book. I cannot wait to recommend it to everyone I know.

35-year-old Edie Pepper is getting over a recent breakup and slogging through the dregs of modern dating. Depressed after yet another shallow date, she happens across the newest season of a dating reality show that happens to star her high school boyfriend. Whether it's fate or desperation that pushes her to sign up to compete, Edie is well on her way to figuring out what she really wants. Right??

I really liked this book! I clicked with the writing style very early on, and the wit and humor throughout were just delightful. *This* is the rom-com I've been waiting for! (I have read sooooo many books deceptively described as rom-coms that had minimal humor, but this story was a breath of fresh air and genuinely enjoyable). The writing and plot were over-the-top in an entertaining way, and Edie's frustration and anxiety over her love life felt pretty universal. (Edie is an interesting mix of both naïve and mature with a huge dash of romantic delulu mixed in. She was hugely relatable.) There is a nice amount of snark overall, and the author has a deft way with phrasing that I'm not ashamed to say made me snort-laugh multiple times. There's a great hook in engaging the reader to try to figure out how and why high school Charlie and present-day "Bennett" are just so different, which does pay off. Adding showrunner Peter into the mix was a great move, and the hope and expectation was that jaded Hollywood Peter and the starry-eyed romantic Midwest Edie would meet somewhere in the middle and become the better versions of themselves. I'm putting this book solidly in the midlife representation category, which is always a plus for me when it comes to romances. The reality show setting was not groundbreaking, but that didn't matter too much as it really only served as a forced-proximity vehicle for the Edie/Bennett/Peter love triangle. There's a great supporting cast of characters and multiple POVs (which was risky but added depth and perspective). Adding in Edie's genuine experiences with some of her co-competitors was a nice touch. I stayed up way too late to finish this book and I regret nothing. I would absolutely read this author again and I can't wait for whatever her next book will be! 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars for the sheer fun of it all. Publishes June 24, 2025. This review was based on a complimentary eARC of the book, all opinions are my own.

3.5 stars rounded up.

This was a fun, funny, and introspective read. Fans of The Bachelor franchise will likely eat this one up.

I personally loved Edie and felt like I could relate heavily to her. I admired her ability to take chances and continue to put herself out in the dating world to find love after heartbreak. I could also understand her motivations for wanting to try…and her penchant to romanticize situations that were not going to turn out well.

The reality show backdrop provided opportunities for comical and forced proximity setups between Edie and Charlie Bennet/Bennet Charles, time with her fellow contestants, and “forbidden” moments with Peter. It was all highly entertaining to me while also leading to deeper thinking about the things people go through on reality tv, what some are willing to do for a brief flirtation with fame, and how far some people take risks for a chance love.

One thing about this book though was a prime example of where pop culture references can detract from story. So many of them in here felt dated to me — Ryan Seacrest hasn’t been on E! News for years, Ellen’s show was cancelled ages ago, etc — and it took me out of things every time another one came up. In the grand scheme of things, the lack of accuracy/realism here isn’t that important, but it was distracting to me.

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing via NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Eddie Pepper, thirty-five and recently dumped, is back on the apps and HATING her life. When a friend lets her know that her high school boyfriend will star in Bachelor style reality tv program, she falls down his Instagram rabbit hole! Charlie Bennet, band nerd with psoriasis, is now Bennet Charles--a world traveling, hunky adventurer. Eddie does what any self possessed, independent woman would do. She gets drunk and tweets at the production crew that she "wants her man back."

Eddie begins as a hot mess, but she shines on the show. A real person with real life experience set amongst influencer wannabes makes America fall for her. But, as she catches the eye and real feelings for showrunner Peter, Eddie finds herself over her head in the most peculiar of circumstances.

Fan Favorite was an absolute, irreverent delight and commentary on influencer/dating culture. This was is so fun and should not be missed! Thanks to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for an advanced copy!

Adrienne Gunn's 'Fan Favorite' is a sharp, funny, and surprisingly tender debut that spins the glittery chaos of reality TV into something genuinely heartfelt. At its center is Edie Pepper, a 35-year-old copywriter who impulsively auditions for a dating show after recognizing the star as her high school ex. What follows is a deliciously awkward journey full of manufactured drama, personal reinvention, and the slow unraveling of what it means to be seen - both on camera and off.

What makes Edie such a memorable narrator is her blend of self-deprecating humor and quiet vulnerability. She's a woman who's spent years watching other people's love stories unfold from the couch, so stepping into the spotlight herself forces a confrontation with both her past and her assumptions about romance. Her inner monologue is hilarious - think clever asides, cultural references, and the kind of offbeat honesty that makes even the most cringe-worthy situations feel charming.

The love triangle at the heart of the novel is well-balanced and layered. Bennett, the polished heartthrob she once knew as a teenage debate nerd, is every bit the reality-TV ideal, while Peter, the jaded producer, offers a dry, reluctant magnetism that slowly deepens. The dynamic between Edie and Peter is a particular standout - grounded, emotionally resonant, and crackling with tension that feels earned rather than scripted.

But 'Fan Favorite' isn't just a rom-com with a backstage pass - it's also a smart exploration of how we perform versions of ourselves, especially when we think the world is watching. Gunn has a gift for poking fun at the spectacle without ever mocking her characters. Even the most over-the-top moments carry a kernel of truth about loneliness, reinvention, and the hunger for connection.

Some pacing hiccups appear in the third act, and a few resolutions feel a little too neat, but the story's heart never wavers. This is a feel-good read with real depth - funny, thoughtful, and perfect for anyone who's ever yelled at a reality show from their couch while secretly wondering what it might be like to compete for love on national television.

Recommended for fans of: Reality TV satire with emotional payoff; Messy, lovable heroines in their 30s; Slow-burn, behind-the-scenes romance; Smart, self-aware romantic comedy

3.5 rounded up
If you’re a fan of The Bachelor this is the perfect book for you! This adorable romcom is centered around Edie Pepper, a 35 year old who is newly single. While watching tv in the midst of her despair she find that her high school sweetheart is the newest eligible bachelor & she must find a way to get on the show and win him over. As Edie immerse herself into the crazy world of reality tv she finds herself unexpectedly falling in love with one of the show producers. This is a fun little drama filled read. I loved the show aspect of the book and loved show script spin it had. Thank you NetGalley & Grand Central Publishing for this ARC

This book is messy, it’s ridiculous, but it’s a whole lot of fun.

The characters all kinda suck, but in the way you want your reality TV shows to - they’re frustrating and annoying and maybe terrible people? But you can’t pull away and you can’t help rooting for their happy ending - whatever that looks like for them.

very well written story with some strong romantic themes and some cool character traits. would definitely recommend. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

Edie Pepper is a reality TV loving copywriter from Chicago who wants to find her dream date she has tried Hinge,Bumble and tinder. She is hopeful to find her love but she has faced so many issues.

The reality show thing has been done. A Lot. But it seems to get refreshed and new occasionally and I am almost always here for it. I really liked this one.

Fan Favorite is the story of Edie. She is a little lost and when she hears that her high school boyfriend is the new start of The Key, she emails the producers and begs to join the show. What I liked about this was all of their transformations. From the other contestants to Bennett himself, history and time have lead to change and growth. Not always for good....

I was rooting hard for Edie. I was invested in the reality show and the BTS of the show. It was just a fun ride.