Calling all fans of The Bachelor/ette! This book review of One to Watch gives you everything you need to know about reading the book. And because this is a book pairings blog “where books meet lifestyle,” I have also provided some recommended lifestyle companions for you to enjoy with the book.
Review of One to Watch by Kate Stayman London
One to Watch was an impressive debut about Bea Schumacher, a plus-size fashion blogger who is offered the lead role in the Bachelor-like show Main Squeeze. She accepts the spot, but only in order to supercharge her career and subvert anti-fat beauty standards -- not to fall in love.
Being the lead is just as dramatic as one would expect. There are guys there "for the wrong reason," production antics, a past lover and the ever-present feelings and discussions about Bea's size.
But there's also a lot of heart. No one is perfect, including Bea, and many of the main characters are forced to face a lot of demons, as they live in front of a lens and try to find love. The book as a whole is refreshing, and the character of Bea is extra refreshing, as the reader empathizes with a very real woman.
One to Watch is my kind of rom-com. It's a lighthearted, feel-good story about an underrepresented protagonist, with depth, complexity and twists along that way. And it's perfect for fans of The Bachelor and/or body positivity. I named it one of my Best Books of 2020.
Book + Lifestyle Pairings
For more like One to Watch:
- Watch The Bachelor, The Bachelorette and UnREAL (the popular fictional behind-the-scenes account of these shows).
- Read the juicy behind-the-scenes book Bachelor Nation: Inside the World of America's Favorite Guilty Pleasure (as a fan of the show, I loved it!).
- Read Reality Steve's blog and/or listen to Reality Steve's podcast -- he's the renowned guru of all things The Bachelor and The Bachelorette. I've been following him for about a decade.
- Check out more of my favorite love stories.
That concludes this book review of One to Watch with some recommended lifestyle companions for you to enjoy with the book.