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Laura Heffernan
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America's Next Reality Star Paperback – May 13, 2021

by Laura Heffernan (Author)
3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 748 ratings
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Is it real love or all part of the game?Life after college isn’t as seen on TV: Jen’s low-paying job is uninspiring, her boyfriend won’t commit, and she just got evicted. The most exercise she gets comes from dodging debt collectors. Then she sees an ad seeking competitors for a new reality show with a $250,000 prize. She desperately needs money and the lottery isn’t looking good, so she applies, never expecting to get the call. Until she does.With nothing to lose, Jen packs a bag and heads for the Hollywood hills to star in The Fishbowl. Most of the contestants want to create drama to gain viewer votes, but Jen is all about the joy of the game. Unfortunately, she becomes embroiled in a love triangle and battling another woman for the attention of a fellow contestant. It’s a tricky balancing act to hold onto viewers without lying, cheating, or backstabbing—things that don’t bother her opponents. When Jen discovers that she’s on the verge of elimination, she must decide whether “winning” means sacrificing the money, love, or her sense of self.
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  1. Book 1 of 4
    Reality Star
  2. Print length
    294 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    May 13, 2021
  5. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.74 x 8.5 inches
  6. ISBN-13
    979-8746529282
  7. See all details
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B094SXTBBJ
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Independently published (May 13, 2021)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 294 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8746529282
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15.8 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.74 x 8.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 748 ratings

About the author

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Laura Heffernan

Laura Heffernan

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Laura Heffernan writes fun, witty romantic comedies and more serious women’s fiction. After a few years of practicing law, she realized that she much preferred arguing with her characters rather than other people. It’s easier to win that way.

When not watching total strangers get married, drag racing queens, or cooking competitions, Laura enjoys board games, travel, board games, baking, and board games. She lives in the northeast with her husband, the world’s most active toddler, and two furry little beasts.



Laura loves connecting with readers. For news and update, click the Follow button to the left or sign up for Laura's newsletter at www.lauraheffernan.com. Also find her on Facebook, www.facebook.com/lauraheffernanbooks, or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/LH_writes, where she spends far too much time tweeting about reality TV and Canadian chocolate.

Customer reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars
3.9 out of 5
748 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Michelle H
5.0 out of 5 stars So addictive!
Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2017
Verified Purchase
I'm not a big reality TV fan, but this book hooked me hard! It's one of those books that you pick up, and you just keep turning pages without really noticing it's sucked you in. It's just as addictive as I imagine reality TV to be: there's constant stakes as to who will leave the show, lots of suspense with the little challenges and contests along the way, and plenty of drama with clashing personalities amongst people in the house, as well as getting to know more about the nice ones that you root for and don't want to see leave. Plus, I'm always a sucker for the behind-the-scenes version of anything.

I love how the author avoided a lot of cliches I was expecting--the MC isn't bookish and shy (getting really tired of that one), her boyfriend at the start of the book is really nice and endearing (because I read so many books where the MC starts out dating a total jerk and I always think, what's the attraction? Maybe...don't date a jerk?). And the line, "The gay guy never wins these things." So sad, so true. The endearing gay guy is probably a strong second place finisher in lots of reality shows, huh? That sucks. Anyway, this book was a really fun read, and I enjoyed all the growing friendships and secret reveals throughout. Having the very end told through media coverage of the show was a fun technique and a great way to picture what happened to everyone afterward. 4.5 stars!
6 people found this helpful
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Kat Darby 📚🔮 Lifted_pdx
4.0 out of 5 stars God I'm a nerd
Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2023
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America's next reality star is very cute and as a huge fan of big brother and survivor I'm pretty sure this book is probably written for me. However there were a couple of issues with the book and it's timeline of pop culture which was the only reason why this wasn't a 5 star read for me but It was definitely a very strong 4 star read.
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Audra Coldiron
3.0 out of 5 stars but I like novels with a little more substance
Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2017
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It was engaging, but I like novels with a little more substance.
2 people found this helpful
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Diana M. Hockley
5.0 out of 5 stars A THOROUGHLY ENJOYABLE READ
Reviewed in the United States on March 28, 2017
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I have read books about "reality" shows before this one, but none I liked as much! This is the sort of book which starts strongly and ends just as powerfully. The characters are well shown and the main - Jennifer - is a person with whom I could be friends, an aspect of a novel which always wins me over.

The author's writing is excellent, flows well and the dialogue is natural. The cover is excellent!

Having no idea what goes on behind the scenes of a "reality" show - and suspecting everything is contrived - I was not disappointed in the plot, but this work felt "realistic" in that the author didn't try to go too far over the top. Certainly, some of the characters were larger than life and obviously production companies choose them for that reason. Tension is well maintained, not the least of which is why Jen, a reasonable person, is regarded by the viewers as a person to be eliminated throughout the show. The revelation of the reason for this is a very clever tying up of the plot.

One aspect I particularly liked about this book was the lack of hysteria in the plot, in spite of the subject matter frequently being shown as chaotic and hysterical when shown on TV!

I would like to read more by this author :)
8 people found this helpful
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Heather Dean
4.0 out of 5 stars A Very Cute Romance
Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2023
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This is the Non-Smut type of romance. I absolutely adored it. The characters were easy to like and some were easy to dislike (the way you should). There were some twists I didn’t see coming and this book acted more like a Reality Show RomCom! I would love to continue reading this series. Hopefully it will follow Justin and Jennifer.
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Lorraine, New Zealand
3.0 out of 5 stars Written well but ...
Reviewed in the United States on October 9, 2021
Verified Purchase
... this story about reality star Jen got a bit groundhog-day after a time, what with all the challenges and living-in-the-fishbowl stuff. Maybe a tad too long?
One person found this helpful
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Anne
2.0 out of 5 stars Ridiculous
Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2023
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This whole thing was ridiculous. The characters were awful and the entire story was repetitive. There are other books about reality shows that have a solid plot, not this one.
3 people found this helpful
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Chris W.
5.0 out of 5 stars A quick, fun read about life behind the scenes in reality TV
Reviewed in the United States on January 7, 2024
Verified Purchase
I got exactly what I was expecting with this book - a fun read about life behind the scenes at a reality show.

I found Jen, our protagonist, to be a relatable MC, despite her not being likeable at times. But, the reason she behaved the way she did was understandable. Stiff competition makes us do things that we wouldn’t normally do.

We are also introduced to and get to know the other contestants on the show, all who have their unique personalities and were easily distinguishable. The blossoming romance between her and another contestant felt well done and the angst was real.

It’s told entirely from her POV in first person. The pacing felt on point. The ending felt a little abrupt, but showed Jen’s growth as a character.

Overall I enjoyed this read, and would recommend it to people who love reality-show based rom-coms. This is book 1 in the Reality Star series.
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Top reviews from other countries

SassySara
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read
Reviewed in Canada on March 30, 2017
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If you're looking for a quick fun read and enjoy reality TV this is the perfect book for you. Well written and I'm looking forward to the sequel!!
One person found this helpful
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Kerry Kennedy Author
4.0 out of 5 stars Cute and funny light-hearted read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 28, 2023
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Reality shows aren't really my thing but the cover of this book was so cute I thought why not?
This is a cute and light-hearted read about a young woman who ends up being in debt due to medical bills, after she has a broken leg.
She loses her marketing job and her landlord pulls on the lease, and she decides to enter a reality show for the winnings.
What she doesn't expect us to fall for one of the other competitors but it's not all smooth sailing
If you're a fan of reality TV, you will love this sweet romantic comedy.
Well written with rounded characters that are likeable.
Kerry Kennedy Author
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