The One

by Isabella Galbraith

Canadian debut author Isabella Galbraith's THE ONE, pitched as a YA The Bachelor meets FIVE SURVIVE, in which an 18-year-old signs up for a teen dating show to get over her ex-girlfriend, only to end up stranded on an island with a dead contestant—and a murderer.

Coming Summer 2026.

Genres: Queer, Young Adult

Paperback

Expected publication July 2, 2026

About the author

Isabella is a 24-year-old YA author represented by Gyamfia Osei at Andrew Nurnberg Associates. Her books often feature sarcastic protagonists (although she would argue that they’re just severely misunderstood). In 2021, she was selected to be a mentee for the final Pitch Wars class. She graduated from Queen’s University with a B.A. in English Literature and a MA in English Literature. She currently lives in her hometown of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada.

The One is her debut novel.

Reviews

[Anca Demeter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fell in love with this book on page one.

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had a chance to read a very early copy of this book and it is amazing in both premise and pacing; it's THE BACHELOR meets FIVE SURVIVE with a dash of LORD OF THE FLIES. When Constance gets on an island reality TV show, she thinks it will help her get over her ex-girlfriend, but the plane crashes, and then the bodies pile up, and it's a twisty path to tenuous survival, risky alliances, and to figuring out who is responsible for the murder. Buckle up!!!

[Jordan R · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to get access to an advanced copy of The One and I am so glad that I did.

Fans of reality TV will love this book for its drama and fans of thrillers will equally enjoy its suspense. For those of us who like both, it’s the perfect story. I was hooked from start to finish, each twist and turn had me second guessing every character and their motives right up until the end of the book.

I loved following Constance’s point of view as she navigated all the tension in both the villa and on the island. I often found myself laughing at her rather candid personality and snarky side comments.

I highly recommend The One as your next beach read if you’re looking for romance with some thrilling (and gory) twists!!