REVIEW: "America's Next Reality Star" by Laura Heffernan (Chick Lit, Rom Com)

AMERICA'S NEXT REALITY STAR by Laura Heffernan
	Genre: Chick Lit, Rom Com Publication Date: March 7th 2017 Series: Reality Star, #1 Standalone: Yes
Categories:
Stuck With You, Closed-Door Romance, Pool/Beach Read
Trailer:
Description from Publisher:
SEEKING THE SMART ONE Twenty-four-year-old Jen Reid had her life in good shape: an okay job, a tiny-cute Seattle apartment, and a great boyfriend almost ready to get serious. In a flash it all came apart. Single, unemployed, and holding an eviction notice, who has time to remember trying out for a reality show? Then the call comes, and Jen sees her chance to start over—by spending her summer on national TV. Luckily The Fishbowl is all about puzzles and games, the kind of thing Jen would love even if she wasn’t desperate. The cast checks all the boxes: cheerful, quirky Birdie speaks in hashtags; vicious Ariana knows just how to pout for the cameras; and corn-fed “J-dawg” plays the cartoon villain of the house. Then there’s Justin, the green-eyed law student who always seems a breath away from kissing her. Is their attraction real, or a trick to get him closer to the $250,000 grand prize? Romance or showmance, suddenly Jen has a lot more to lose than a summer . . .
My Rating:	Heat Rating:
Ha! This did not end how I expected it to! It was a really fun and intriguing read, while also being pretty light and quick. About the first half of this sets up who our heroine is, where she is in her life (and how she finds herself free, in all ways, to go on the reality show), and the process she goes through to get on the show to begin with. This gave some great background for everything and fleshed things out well. Jen, our heroine, was the perfect personality to be seeing everything through. She was sweet but feisty and would have definitely been a favorite "Fish" of mine were I watching "The Fishbowl". And this really did feel like I was watching a reality TV show - in the best way. Everything was so vivid, it was like being behind the scenes on a set (in a weird glass-walled house). The drama and angst were perfectly balanced with the comraderie, and the little twists and turns added a great amount of "spice." The first third chronicling what Jen was going through and the entire casting process was good build-up for the show too. The only real critique I have of this is that the ending, from about 90% on, felt rushed and left me wanting more, in a slightly unsatisfied way. I could have done with less of the first half if it meant getting more meat in the last half. There is an epilogue of news articles that fill the reader in on who wins the grand prize and how that comes about, but a little more fleshing out would have really finished this off on the highest of notes. All in all, this was exactly what I had hoped from reading the blurb! It had some great characters, heart, and more than a few laughs!
My Source: I received a digital ARC from the author to voluntarily review. This in no way influenced my review. My opinion is unbiased and my 100% own.

About the Author: Laura Heffernan
Laura Heffernan is living proof that watching too much TV can pay off. When not watching total strangers participate in arranged marriages, drag racing queens, or cooking competitions, Laura enjoys travel, baking, board games, helping with writing contests, and seeking new experiences. She lives in the northeast with her amazing husband and two furry little beasts.