Customer Reviews

Bachelorette #1 (Signet Eclipse)

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Sarah is an investigative journalist who has been assigned the scoop of a lifetime - get the goods on the newest reality dating show, The Stag! Despite being married and having a toddler at home, she takes the assignment and quickly shows her competitive edge and decides that she doesn't merely want to be a participant - she's out to win.

Her marriage to lawyer husband Jack has gotten boring and predictable, so the attention she receives, particularly from Chris (the "stag"), is very welcome. She figures that she'll be stuck with a bunch of desperadoes, but quickly manages to form relationships with women that she might actually hang out with. So we get to spend a lot of the book with Sarah as she tries desperately to find an angle for her story.

This one had me hooked from the first page. The writing is so crisp and the author manages to capture all the backstabbing that we all are pretty sure is present in those dating shows, making the secondary characters more than just caricatures. Sarah's many blunders without realizing that she has a camera on her 24/7 were hysterical (especially her comment at the beach before looking horrified at the camera). And Sarah fighting her attraction to her stag, while still remaining true to her husband is a treat to watch. One thing I felt was missing from the book - should have seen the aftermath of the show as well as how Sarah's behavior is received by her family and friends.

This book had it's moments but I found the writing a little dry for much of it. I guess it didn't hook me as much toward the middle and through to the end as it did in the beginning. I also didn't believe that the guy on this reality show would truley be "so freaking nice" as the author kept telling me. But overall it wasn't a terrible way to spend a few afternoons. Perhaps I will pick up another by this author and give that a try.

When searching for a book to read, I seek books that are simple and easy entertainment, an escape if you will. Well, this book Bachelorette #1 is just that. I became captivated by the characters in the book and found them all very engaging. I was completely engrossed with the main character, her life, her story and her choices.
Even if you are not a fan of the TV show, you will still enjoy this book. The author Jennifer O'Connell, kept me interested from the first to the very last page.

Reality TV shows have become a household name among cable television. It doesn't surprise me that there are novels based on the aforementioned ubiquitous programs out there. At first, I thought Jennifer O'Connell's Bachelorette Number One was a satire on The Bachelor. It isn't. It's so much better than that!

Sarah Holmes is an undercover journalist for Femme magazine, doing an expose about The Stag - a show where desperate single women look for love and, inevitably, rejection on national television. Older, wiser and with much more perspective than the hopeful candidates on the show, Sarah sees it all with a cynical eye. As the show progresses, however, Sarah becomes competitive, wanting to snag the sexy bachelor before the others get a chance to charm him. The tables are turned and things don't turn out the way she'd anticipated. To make matters worse, Sarah has a loving husband and toddler child back home in the suburbs. Does she want to give up her marriage in favor of the romance and luxury The Stag provides? There are various fun twists and surprises throughout the novel.

The writing is sharp, the dialogue is crisp and the novel is fast-paced fun. I couldn't keep it down and found myself not wanting to let go of Sarah's fantasy world crashing with reality. Jennifer O'Connell has crafted a fun novel to read in one sitting. Are novels based on Reality TV programs increasing? Yes. Are they worth reading? Well, Bachelorette Number One is definitely worth giving a whirl. Highly recommended...

If you are prone to finding the species of human known (thanks to Bridget Jones) as the 'smug married' thoroughly insufferable, then this is NOT THE BOOK FOR YOU. I'm serious. The heroine Sarah's utter self indulgence, not to mention contemptuous attitude towards single women, may urge you to throw the book across the room. Frankly, who can feel any sort of sympathy for someone who spends the majority of the novel bitching and moaning about the fact that she has a lawyer husband and a beautiful child??? (Yeah, really. Tough life. Woe is me). Sarah comes across as so thoroughly high and mighty, it's incomprehensible as to how the Bachelor (whoops, I mean "The Stag") could ever have been possessed to choose her in the first place. And let's not even go there with some of the truly awful dialogue she comes out with!!! For a woman who keeps telling everyone how smart she is, she sure as hell makes a lot of very inane comments!

Another big problem is the rushed conclusion -- the interesting part of the story would have been the reaction of the other women, and the Bachelor, when they find out that Sarah has lied and cheated her way through the whole process. Unfortunately this isn't dealt with at all. Essentially, Sarah has behaved in quite an immoral fashion, yet there's no acceptance of this on her part, which definitely detracts from her character arc. And seriously - does anyone truly believe her husband would so quickly get over the fact that his wife tonsil hockeyed - more than once - a cute guy on national television???

If you're still set on buying this, I suggest you get a second hand copy, the cheapest one you can find. Don't pay full price. It's simply not worth it.

And if you really want some good, very well written, chick fic, I suggest you read "The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing" by Melissa Bank.

Jennifer O' Connell has done it again! With Bachelorette #1 she has opened a "whole new can of worms," presenting readers with an insight into the mind of Sarah Holmes- wife, mother, writer, and newly found woman!
This book was awesome!! It was impossible to put down and i found myself wanting to continue reading and see what the next page would hold for Ms. Sarah Divine. The writing is excellent and the story line continuously entertaining. It's a book that carries its readers to places they never imagine being but always wish to be.
It's a must have read and a guarantee to entertain!!

***Contains Spoiler***

I read Bachelorette #1 in a night. But the story just seemed so-so to me. I didn't latch on or truly care what happened to the characters. Jennifer O'Connell's writing style is probably what kept me hooked to the story and not the characters. The premise is good but I just have a hard time accepting that this woman who is married would go so easily into this, make out with a man that's not her husband and almost go further with the Stag, and then-SPOILER- go back to her husband so easily. And also that her husband would take her back after she kissed the Stag several times. I know it wouldn't have been the same but perhaps Jennifer O'Connell could have made Sarah either be single or had a boyfriend with no child involved. I wish that the ending had been fleshed out some more because it just seemed to end too quickly. But I did like some of the characters in the book like some of the other contestants-not Holly of course. And I will read another of Jennifer O'Connell's books because I like her writing style. So the book was okay but there is better chick-lit out there.

Take a woman who knows she's older, thinks she's wiser, and send her on assignment to write an article about how horrible reality dating shows are, and you're in for a great time! This book hooked me with its wonderful main character, who is smart, funny, sarcastic, and still ends up making mistakes that keep her realistic. The other women were all different, the dates funnier and funnier, and the plot never stood still. I especially enjoyed the ending, which brought the story and character back to real life to deal with the fallout from her actions. I'd highly recommend this book and am off to read the author's second one.

I found this book the best example of Chicklit ever read! It is light and quick to read with relatable characters. Highly recommended if you like reality television shows!! The author lets us in on the behind the scene scoop of reality shows while at the same time dealing with true marriage life issues. While Sarah discovers herself, I found my own eyes being opened. When O'Connell writes about the "currency" of saying "I love you" and about attraction, it's really good -- a helpful reminder for those of us who are married.
I'm left wondering ... will there be a sequel that will be based upon the show airing?

Even if you're not a fan of reality television, you'll like this book. It's funny, touching, and has a lot to say about love, marriage, and children. When O'Connell writes about the "currency" of saying "I love you" and about attraction, it's really good -- a helpful reminder for those of us who are married.

Great concept and a great read.