Thank you NetGalley and Park Miramar Publishing for this ARC!
I abhor reality TV love shows, and yet this book almost made me a convert?!

*Unscripted* by Megan Lynch brought a surprising amount of insight into just how complex and carefully planned reality TV can be. It also highlighted how incredibly invasive the filming process and the entire setup can become, and honestly almost made me rethink how I view the whole business.

With that in mind, I was on edge for so much of this book, wondering how everything was going to work out for Poppy, our FMC, and, more importantly, whether Callum was actually being genuine. Which, I suppose, is exactly the adrenaline rush viewers of these shows are chasing!

I also loved the lack of cattiness and the influx of camaraderie among the female contestants. It would have been so easy to lean into the stereotypical reality-TV drama between the women, and I really appreciated that the book went in a different direction. I genuinely enjoyed every minute of it.

My only feedback? I would have loved an epilogue! After spending so much time invested in Poppy and Callum—and questioning everyone's motives along the way—I desperately wanted a little glimpse of where they ended up.

Unscripted is a must read (binge!) for any fans of Love Island (UK or US), the Bachelor, or basically any reality dating show! It pulls the curtain back in the same way Unreal did, but without the darkness, instead the lightheartedness still allows room for a fun fake dating story!

First, thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for letting me get an e-ARC of this book.

5/5 — stars

This is the perfect book if you love Love Island, The Bachelor, or any reality show about dating.

Poppy was such a treat to read, and I normally wouldn’t give 5 stars to a single-POV book because I love dual POVs, but I loved it here. It makes you wonder along with Poppy if Callum actually likes her


- Reality show
- One POV
- Deal
- Force proximity

Thank you to NetGalley and Park Miramar Publishing for providing me with an advance copy of Unscripted.

Unscripted has exactly the kind of rom-com premise that is impossible not to find entertaining: six weeks, one fake relationship, a dating show, and two people who definitely aren't supposed to fall for each other.

Poppy Devlin arrives at what she thinks is an interview for a production assistant position, only to unexpectedly find herself being cast as a contestant on the UK's most popular dating show. Suddenly she's whisked away to Italy, where she meets Callum—a brooding castmate she immediately dislikes.

Naturally, Callum then suggests that they pretend to date so they can both stay on the show for all six weeks.

What could possibly go wrong? 😂

I love the reality-TV setting because it gives the fake-dating trope an especially fun twist. Poppy isn't simply pretending to date Callum in private—they have to maintain the illusion while cameras, producers, other contestants, and the entire premise of the show are working against them.

The combination of fake dating, enemies-to-lovers tension, reality television, Italy, and a grumpy love interest makes this sound like such a fun contemporary romance. And underneath all the chaos, Poppy is also trying to figure out what comes next after losing the job and life she thought she wanted.

A wonderfully entertaining setup with plenty of potential for banter, romantic tension, and deliciously complicated fake-dating chaos. Unscripted sounds perfect for anyone who loves reality-TV romances and watching two people fall for each other while insisting they absolutely won't.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Is this Love Island? Yes. Was it predictable? Yes. Did I enjoy it? Yes.

This was such a fun read and honestly gave me exactly what I wanted from a reality TV romance.

From the start, Poppy and Callum just felt destined to end up together. I loved their chemistry, the secret meet ups and watching the fake dating slowly turn into something very real. I knew where things were going, but I was enjoying every second of watching them get there.

Then there was Sara 👀 She definitely brought the drama, but I loved how it pushed Poppy out of her comfort zone and had her making some very bold choices of her own.

I also saw the friends and family drama coming a mile away, but that actually made me more excited for it. I was waiting for everything to come to a head and loved seeing how it all played out.

By the end, I was so invested that I just wanted more. More of Poppy and Callum working through everything together, more of what comes next for Poppy, especially knowing why she went on the show in the first place, and honestly more of the other couples too. After Chateau Desire, I was invested in everyone’s drama 😂

That is probably the biggest compliment I can give this book. I finished it still wanting more from these characters.

Overall, this was such a fun time and somehow made me want to go back and rewatch a few seasons of Love Island.

Tropes ✨
📺 Reality dating show
💋 Fake relationship
🤭 Secret meet ups
🏝️ Forced proximity
🔥 Slow burn chemistry
🇮🇹 Summer in Italy

As a reality TV show lover, I loved and devoured every second of this. I loved the writing style and the whole thing was just so much fun. Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this release in exchange for my honest review of the work!

Thank you Net Galley and Park Miramar publishing for this ARC!
Unscripted by Megan Lynch gave me the escape I didn’t know I needed! This book had total Love Island vibes, and I was absolutely eating it up. From the Italian summer setting to a villa full of people looking for love, this story had everything I love about a good romance.

Following the story through one of the cast members gave me a fun glimpse into the reality TV world while watching her fall in love with Callum and build friendships with the other girls in the villa. I loved the combination of romance, friendship, and drama. It felt like I was right there with them, soaking up the sunshine, dreaming of a beach vacation, and getting completely invested in everything happening around the villa.

This book truly hit everything I look for in a romance: a great escape, a swoon-worthy love interest, meaningful friendships, and plenty of drama. I was kicking my feet, fully invested in the characters, and genuinely did not want this book to end. If an Italian summer escape in a villa filled with hot people looking for love sounds like your kind of read, you need to pick this one up!

My only critique is that I would have loved an epilogue showing us more of the main character’s future. While I enjoyed the ending, it left me wanting more of the characters and their lives beyond the book. But I guess that’s what happens when you become so invested in a story!

I’m already hoping for a second season of Bella Amore and can’t wait to see what Megan Lynch writes next. This was such a fun, feel-good escape, and I would happily return to this villa anytime!

I absolutely loved *Unscripted* by Megan Lynch! The plot was so well done and beautifully written that I genuinely felt like I was watching everything unfold alongside the characters rather than simply reading it. Honestly, can we get this made into a movie?!

I usually enjoy books with dual POVs, but I actually loved the mystery surrounding Callum and getting to wonder what his real reasoning was for being on the show. That kept me curious and made me want to keep turning the pages to find out more.

I also really enjoyed the friendships between the women in the house. I loved how supportive and close they became and how well they all seemed to get along—although, Sara… we’re looking at you! 😂

Overall, this was such an entertaining read, and I’m definitely hoping we get a second book because I am very much requesting book #2, please! I’m not ready to leave this world just yet.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

This was such a fun read! I really liked the characters and the whole behind the scenes feel of the story. It kept me interested the whole way through and I definitely had a good time with it. Such an easy, enjoyable read!

Wow...what a blast! Poppy, an American who is used to working behind the camera, is a fish out of water (in more ways than one) on a Love Island-UK style dating show. Hilarity and sun drenched fun ensue. This is a grade A beach read. If you're a fan of reality TV or well written contemporary romance, read this book.

Lynch's writing is visceral. I felt like I knew the characters. I felt Poppy's butterflies. I became a Bella Villa fan.

I am giving this book as a gift to my Love Island UK loving sister in law this Christmas. Thank you, Megan, for this page turner!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc.

Unscripted is a fun, flirty romance that combines fake dating, reality TV drama, and plenty of grumpy-sunshine chemistry. I loved the unique setup of Poppy accidentally finding herself in front of the cameras instead of working behind the scenes, and the Italian setting adds the perfect summery backdrop.
Poppy and Callum get off to a wonderfully rocky start, but their fake relationship quickly creates plenty of entertaining tension and swoony moments. I especially enjoyed the behind-the-scenes reality show drama and watching the lines between what’s real and what’s just for the cameras begin to blur. The story was a little predictable in places, but that didn’t stop me from having a great time with it.
A solid 4-star read for fans of fake dating, grumpy-sunshine pairings, reality TV romance, and forced proximity with a gorgeous Italian setting.

This is by far the BEST Love Island book I’ve ever read. Oh my goodness, this was so much fun! It truly brought the magic of the show to the page.

My only “complaint” is that I wish it were longer. The whole climax could’ve been another ten or twenty pages, but even without that, I LOVED it.

I would’ve loved to see the other girls reunite and yada yada, but obviously Poppy was sad.

I also wish we got to see more of their chats, but either way, I loved this so much.

Review of an advanced reader copy received from Netgalley.

Unscripted was an addictive fun read! I don’t watch reality TV so I definitely went in a bit uncertain, but I am a huge sucker for a good fake dating trope and this book delivered on it so well. I ate up every page 😁

I absolutely loved this book! It was funny and so refreshing to read. I really enjoyed the story and the characters, and I especially loved the love story and all the drama! ❤️‍🔥

It was so engaging that all I wanted to do was keep reading and find out what happened next!

It strongly reminded me of a dating reality TV show. It’s like watching a short TV show, but with all the juicy behind-the-scenes events that you don’t necessarily get to see on screen! 😂 I found it really fun to discover what was happening behind the scenes.

I only found the ending a little rushed. I was expecting a bit more, but overall, the book was really enjoyable and I had such a great time reading it!

I definitely recommend it if you’re looking for a book that will make you laugh, keep you entertained, and make you want to know what happens next! 📚✨

Fake dating on reality tv - with cameras everywhere - means there is no opportunity to drop the act. I wasn't sure how I felt about the premise picking this up, I'm not really a reality show girlie. But Unscripted turned out to be a super fun fast paced romance, that sucked me in almost immediately. Poppy is really likable, Callum is hot, and I loved watching their fake relationship slowly become something more. The ending felt a little rushed, but overall it was such a fun easy read and I flew through it.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I LOVED this book!! ❤️ I flew through Unscripted in two days and honestly did not want it to end.

I’m always a sucker for a reality dating show storyline, and this one was SO much fun. Poppy was such a great main character, and I absolutely loved all of the contestants. The banter between them was hilarious, and every character brought something to the story that kept me completely invested.

This was funny, entertaining, romantic, and just an all-around good time. Exactly the kind of book you pick up and suddenly realize you’re 100 pages further than you thought. 😂

And now…I NEED A BOOK 2. Like, Megan, please. I’m not ready to say goodbye to these characters yet!!

Such a fun read and definitely one I’d recommend to anyone who loves reality dating shows and a good rom-com! 💕

This gave me exactly what I wanted from a reality TV romance, fun, predictable, and easy to fly through. Poppy and Callum's fake dating setup felt destined from the start, but honestly watching them get there was still enjoyable even knowing the outcome. Poppy came off a little stuck up early on and Callum rude for no reason, but I warmed to both once their dynamic deepened. I appreciated Callum staying loyal throughout the fake relationship, and the friendships Poppy builds with other contestants, especially Ella, added nice warmth to the story. My main critique is that a lot of the relationship building happens off page, we're told conversations happened rather than shown them, which made some of the emotional connection feel thin. Still, this is a fun, light escapist read, perfect for Love Island fans wanting something similarly fun and dramatic.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Unscripted by Megan Lynch is an engaging and heartfelt read that explores life, relationships, and the unexpected turns that can change us. I enjoyed how the story’s characters felt relatable and genuine, making it easy to connect with their experiences and emotions. Lynch’s writing style is easy to follow, and the story kept me interested from beginning to end. I especially appreciated the themes of personal growth and learning to navigate life when things don’t go according to plan. The title felt fitting because the story highlights how unpredictable life can be and how some of the most meaningful moments are the ones we never see coming. Overall, Unscripted was an enjoyable, thoughtful book with relatable characters and an uplifting message.

I received an ARC copy from NetGalley. Thank you for giving me the chance to read this novel and share my honest review of the novel

As a reality tv fan, this was giving a mix of big brother vibes and love island (if I’d ever seen love island I’m guessing). With the theme of “the book is always better” this holds true. Reading about how this played out is better than any reality show it could be on. The way your feelings change and grow along with the characters as you read will have you rooting for them to make it! The drama, the heartbreak, the love; it’s all here.

Thank you NetGalley and author for this ARC!

The first thing I want to say is that I couldn't stop reading. I was hooked from the very first page, and that doesn't happen to me very often.

I absolutely loved our main characters, Poppy and Callum. From the moment they met, I could feel their chemistry, and watching their relationship develop throughout the story was incredible.

I was so excited to read this book because the reality show premise sounded so fun and appealing. What's funny is that I rarely watch those kinds of shows, but I love that concept in books, and this one definitely didn't disappoint.

The only thing I wish we'd gotten was a little more of Poppy and Callum after the ending with a longer epilogue.

Overall, I loved everything that happened in this book. I'd definitely recommend it if you're looking for a quick, light, and super entertaining read with a romance that keeps you hooked from beginning to end.