Reality TV Bites

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Men I've Dated #2

by Shane Bolks

Allison Holloway may be one of the last a true reality TV junkie. (Hey, there's no shame in admitting you enjoy watching the Donald say "You're fired!" for the millionth time.) But when her boss signs up their interior design firm for Kamikaze Makeover , Allison knows things are never going to be the same again. Dozens of cameras are set to tape every embarrassing moment as two teams compete for $3 million by executing a bold design concept using unorthodox materials (sex toys, anyone? ). As if that wasn't bad enough, a hunky producer tries to seduce Allison with fine champagne and limo rides, while an equally hunky Dave wants to introduce her to the finer things in his life like beer and basketball games, and a piranhalike press hounds her day and night - and let's not forget the vibrator wall art. Will Allison ever get her life back? Will she finally find her prince after kissing so many frogs? Join Allison as she fights back against the lies, the double-dealing, and the backstabbing to prove that she's a survivor even a gooey round of pudding wrestling can't defeat.

Genres: Chick Lit, Romance, Fiction, Contemporary Romance

304 pages, Paperback

First published October 13, 2006

About the author

Pseudonym:
Shana Galen

ABOUT ME
For as long as I can remember I've been a storyteller. Just ask my little sister how often I kept her up at night, telling her stories into the wee hours. Of course, she loved them and was only pretending to be asleep!
When I got old enough to write, I started writing my stories. One of my first attempts at a story about Star Wars is in the Little Black Book section of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly Men I've Dated I wrote as Shane Bolks. Why did I decide to write romance? Even that first Star Wars story had a romantic slant, but I guess the best answer is that stories about relationships have always intrigued me. And romance itself fascinates me—the first meeting, the first kiss, the first day as husband and wife...

Want to know more about me? Friend me on Facebook or follow me on Twitter I post daily as Shana Galen. You can also read more about me at the Peanut Butter on the Keyboard blog , The Sisterhood of the Jaunty Quills, and the Casablanca Authors, where I blog with the best writers in the industry.

Reviews

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was lame, yet slightly entertaining. A quick, painless read, if anything.

Girl who is loaded works for some interior design company who participates in some reality show. She dates like the financier, who turns out to be a prince (it's her dream to marry royalty) but then she breaks up with him and he sues the company for breach of contract unless she is fired because talent isn't allowed to date production. So lame! It was his fault as much as her's and this never gets resolved. Lame. She ends up with a friend of her best friends boyfriend anyway. That was lame. She starts off the book hating him and then of course by the end, they end up together. Blah.

The worst part of this book was the name dropping of a certain brand of nail polish. I was reading this other book one time and the characters worked in publishing and as a joke, they mentioned how to make more money was dropping adverts into the book without the reader knowing, like dropping a name brand here or there. This book totally did it! It's one thing to drop a word like Diet Coke or something, but this author repeatedly used a certain brand of nail polish that a normal person would never say or use! I wanted to strangle the book every time I read it.

Grade: C-

[Kourtney · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was a bit disappointed in this storyline. After reading Room For Improvement by Stacy Ballis, I thought this book might be similar in that designers go on a Trading Spaces-esque show. Being a reality tv junkie myself, I thought I would enjoy this book more than I did. The show was not even close to a main part of this book (which was disappointing given the title of the book!) It instead focused on the rich, spoiled main character and figuring out her love life while coming to terms with her past. One major turnoff was how every other page had the main character mentioning which nail polish color she was wearing. We get it - she's shallow. Why do I care that she is wearing Wine Party while being spoiled and shallow?!?!

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This isn't my normal genre but I needed something light and funny to read for a bit.

I would have liked more emphasis and the silly reality TV show she ends up on and less on the romance but maybe that's typical of chick lit? I'm not sure.

It was total romantic escapism to me - a beautiful woman with men after her, being independently wealthy, wearing designer clothes, eating at trendy restaurants. Nothing I could really relate to, but a quick easy read for lunchtime. Also, if I were as bitchy as this woman, there wouldn't be a happy ending in my own novel.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

The kind of book that gives chick lit a bad name. The main character was vapid and unsympathetic, and the story was over the top and not believable. And with each chapter referencing at least one OPI nail polish color, I actually started wondering if they had paid the author for product placement in the book.

[MyChienneLit · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this work of chick lit despite its sometimes hokey plot twists. At times, the book is too far removed from reality and the cares and perspectives of everyday people to allow the reader to become fully absorbed in it. However, Allison, the main character is drawn so well that you find yourself rooting for her anyway. A fast read good for hanging out by the pool over the summer.

[Melanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

alright, final review: the brand names got really irritating, and the plot was predictable at best. however, it wasn't poorly written, and it was a light, entertaining read. but i won't be re-reading.

p.s. the star wars references got old faster than the brand names.

[Jerica Griffin · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's hard to review this book because honestly nothing stuck out. It was one of your typical funny romance novels meant for females. It was a little too predictable and somewhat entertaining. I read it when I was bored at night, not really because I was riveted by it.

[Jessica · Rating 1 out of 5]

this book bites

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun read, light hearted chick-lit.

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Red it on my teenage years. Slighty regret buying it. But still read it once and over it.

[Stefanie Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

""

[Anastasia Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bisa dibilang ini lebih menarik dari sisi plot ketimbang "Bachelorette #1" kemarin, "Reality TV Bites" - Reality Show Gila karya Shane Bolks sepertinya memang klise dalam memilih acuan untuk berfilosofi, tapi tidak seperti chicklit kebanyakan, twist ceritanya lebih elok kalau dibayangkan sebagai script sebuah film drama komedi romantis, mirip "Asking For Trouble" (karya Elizabeth Young) atau "Confession of A Shopaholic" (karya Sophie Kinsella), pokok permasalahnnya dijabarkan secara jelas, namun alurnya tidak dapat ditebak.

"Reality TV Bites" bercerita tentang kehidupan Allison Holloway yang sejak kecil berandai-andai ingin menjadi seorang puteri, dijemput oleh seorang pangeran termasyhur, kaya, juga berperawakan oke. Sekarang, sebagai seorang penyedia jasa desain interior, Allie tak ayal mendapatkan keduanya, ia dan kedua rekan kantornya terpilih untuk mengikuti acara "Kamikaze Makeover". Berikut sang produser, Nicolo Parma (yang notabene seorang pangeran) jatuh hati padanya. Menjadi kekasih seorang pangeran tentu luar biasa meningkatan status Allie, ia bertemu dengan sederet orang penting, juga menghadiri sederet acara ternama, namun seorang bangsawan tidak selalu berperangai sopan dan baik seperti seharusnya. Nicolo berhasil menjebaknya hingga terlibat intrik yang melanggar kontrak perusahaan.

Well, kalau dilihat dari plotnya sih memang sederhana. Segalanya telah tersusun rapi dan mudah ditebak, tapi ada sedikit bocoran nih mengenai keberadaan Dave, yang kata Allie sih seekor kodok lantaran Dave itu miskin, tidak seperti Nicolo yang dapat memanjakannya secara menyeluruh. Tapi, justru hubungan keduanya yang sangat ditunggu, kalau boleh diibaratkan, mungkin mirip dengan hubungan kedua tokoh dalam film "No Strings Attached" atau "Friends with Benefits", hanya saja lebih bermain dengan perasaan sedari awal.

Dari sisi tokoh dan karakter, Allie bukan yang terbaik sepertinya, lagi-lagi Allie dihadirkan sebagai sosok cewek yang sombong, tapi sesungguhnya rapuh, juga bodoh lantaran termakan oleh bentuk fisik dan materi. Tidak berpendirian dan agak sedikit sangsi dengan segala hal yang dia miliki. Sedangkan, Dave, dengan gaya agak sedikit cuek, malah berhasil memikat perhatian pembaca ketimbang si Nicolo Parma itu, yang jelas saja dideskripsikan agak sedikit cabul.

Pembawaan ketiganya mempunyai porsi yang agak jomplang, Shane Bolks agaknya lebih tertarik buat membuat banyak kontroversi antara Allie dan Nicolo ketimbang menceritakan keromantisan antara Allie dan Dave. Tapi, sepertinya itu strategi yang tepat agar pembaca betah menyimak kisah ketiganya yang penuh kebodohan dan keromantisan.

Dari lima bintang, 3 nyaris ke 4 bintang mungkin bisa menjadi nilai yang pas untuk "Reality TV Bites" dengan ide yang sederhana, pesan moral yang cukup klise, tapi bermanfaat, juga twist yang menarik, membuat pembacanya jadi terus penasaran dan ingin mengetahui bagaimana nasib si Bodoh Allie yang terobsesi menjadi seorang putri.

[Dhyn Hanarun · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ada yang bilang cerita novel chick-lit itu cenderung klise dan bodoh. I have to admit, aku sendiri mengharapkan hal yang sama ketika mulai membuka halaman pertama Reality TV Bites – Reality Show Gila ini. Tapi ternyata novel ini gak separah yang aku kira. Memang masih ada tokoh utama cewek yang sudah menginjak usia kepala tiga, punya karir sukses, teman-teman baik tapi masih kurang beruntung di dunia percintaan. Lalu ada tokoh cowok sempurna datang dan hampir saja mewujudkan semua impian si cewek. Kita pun, pembaca yang kebanyakan cewek, ikut jatuh cinta. Tapi si cewek masih punya harga diri dan waras. Dia akhirnya malah jadi sama satu cowok yang selama ini dia hindari (dan para pembaca pun kembali jatuh cinta). Plot utamanya hampir mirip kayak gitu tapi yang ini punya konflik yang lumayan menarik, reality show dan masa lalu si cewek. Aku ngaku dulu pernah tergila-gila dengan reality show. Lama-lama muak dan berhenti dengan sendirinya. Aku gak kebayang gimana orang-orang di depan dan di balik layar acara itu bekerja dan hidup tenang. Reality emang kenyataannya kejam dan reality show membuatnya tambah kejam. Nah, untuk masa lalu si cewek alias Allison ini menarik tapi kurang tergali dan tidak terasa dark sedikitpun. Mungkin disesuaikan juga dengan genrenya. Tapi menarik melihat seorang cewek yang tampaknya baik-baik saja ternyata menyembunyikan rahasia dibalik pakaian bermerk dan cat kukunya yang berganti tiap hari. Faktor ini juga bikin pekerjaannya sebagai dekorator masuk diakal. Nggak nyangka sebuah chick-lit bisa sedalem ini ;p

Baca review selengkapnya di sini --> http://dhynhanarun.blogspot.com/2014/...

[Rebekkila · Rating 1 out of 5]

Allison Holloway may be one of the last holdouts: a true reality TV junkie(Hey, there's no shame in admitting your enjoy watching the Donald say "You're fired!" for the millionth time.) But when her boss signs up their interior design firm for the Kamikaze Makeover, Allison knows things are never going to be the same again. Dozens of cameras are set to tape every embarrassing moment as two teams compete for the $3 million by executing a bold design concept using unorthodox materials (sex toys anyone?). As if that weren't bad enough, a hunky producer tries to seduce Allison with fine champagne and limo rides, while an equally hunky Dave wants to introduce her to the finer things in life like beer and basketball games, and a piranha-like press hounds her day and night - and let's not forget the vibrator wall art. Will Allison ever get her life back? Will she finally find her prince after kissing so many frogs? Join Allison as she fights back against the lies, the double-dealing, and the backstabbing to prove that she's a survivor even a gooey round of pudding wrestling can't defeat.
I couldn't even get to my one quarter rule, where if after I read a fourth of the book and I don't like it I put it down. This book was so awful that I couldn't even find humor in how bad it was. The man working for the reality show was literally a French prince. Allison was so unlikeable that I wanted something bad to happen to her like getting fired or horror of horrors buying clothes off the rack. Good luck to the next reader, this book is terrible.

[Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, so as far as quality literature is concerned, I gave it a 2. But that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it -- I was looking for a goofy, light summer read and that's exactly what I got. I started out thinking the characters were cliche and predictable, and they turned out not to be. It was a really enjoyable read, and the message at the end was a very positive one (none of that "women need a man to take care of us" crap), but also a very satisfying one (people got what they deserved, for better or for worse). I'd recommend this for anyone looking for a lighthearted and quick bit of entertainment.

[Mirella Grace · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bintang 2 ajalah. Ceritanya... Aneh bin ajaib. Maksudku, reality show kamikaze make over itu? Halloooo, serius nih? Ada acara reality show seperti itu? Gak heran namanya kamikaze. Lha wong si dekoratornya memang melakukan kamikaze alias bunuh diri kok.

Untungnya (ini yang bikin aku gak kasih bintang 1) di akhir2 cerita, aku trenyuh juga ama kisah masa lalunya Allison. Well, dibalik sikap glamornya, ternyata Allie punya kisah masa lalu yang membikin dia rada illfeel ama suatu hubungan cinta...

[Wieta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite the whole idea of 'princess world and its attributes' (prince frog and so on), this book is entertaining yet easy reading. In the few first pages, I've already know what and how the ending will be.
Always need a lot of turn till you arrive at the junction where you've to choose happy end with the right person (whom you deny in the whole story) or the wrong person (whom you stun at your first meet).
The rest is how good/interesting the main character was developed and the background of the story.

[Nilam Suri · Rating 3 out of 5]

seru dan bodoh, ya khas chick-lit biasanya lah.
untungnya buku ini ga basi dan standar seperti kebanyakan chick-lit yang ada akhir2 ini.

dan yang paling gue suka adalah, Allyson, tokoh utamanya bukan cewek2 bodoh yang selalu mengkhawatirkan berat badannya kayak tokoh utama chicklit biasanya.

membaca buku ttg seorang perempuan yang punya self-esteem cukup selalu lebih menyenangkan dibanding membaca tentang yang kurang.

pesan moral: sometimes the frog is better than the prince himself.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read and re-read this book 6 times now, and it never failed to cheer up my day. Hell, never have I hesitate to give it less than 5 stars. Well, it might be my first chicklit, so I have some kind of private bonding here ;)

I'm not a fan of any reality TV shows, but I adore this book because of the main character is so tempting. Allyson Holloway is everything I want to be as a woman. She's deadly gorgeous, sexy as hell, smart, confident, and wealthy.

[Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

In terms of chic lit, for younger women looking for something fun and easy, who dislike idiotic FMCs, I would recommend them this book. The main character is not one-dimensional, her love interests are likable (and hateful, accordingly), and her best friend is a Star Wars geek who often uses words like "nerf herder" and references the Skywalker lineage.

I <3 it.

[cont'd review later]

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A light and entertaining read about a woman who is put on a reality show that turns her life upside down. I was hooked more towards the end than the whole book. I would like to read her other novel.

[Debbie is on Storygraph · Rating 3 out of 5]

The sequel to The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Guys I've Dated follows Rory's best friend Allison as she tries to survive her work being invaded by a reality TV show and the man of her dreams entering her life. Very fun chick-lit.

[Kati · Rating 2 out of 5]

A chick-lit-y story, as follows: girl is obsessed by reality tv; girl's boss signs up for reality tv challenge; girl realizes that reality tv isn't all it's cracked up to be, but still manages to find true love. Rinse. Repeat.

[Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this one more than the first one about Rory. I think it's because I can relate more to Allison, minus the money and wanting to be a princess. I also have a reality tv addiction. :). Good book.

[Emily Worth · Rating 3 out of 5]

It wasn't bad, but it was not what I expected. I expected a book all about a reality tv show and this was more about a woman trying to choose between two guys. I liked it, but again, not what I expected.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun, quck, easy read. I loved this one! I couldn't put it down until I found out how it ended.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author writes like I think. Good movement through story. You kind of move most of the way through thinking it will end one way, then it takes a hard left and you wind up pretty happy at the end.

[Jana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I normally don't like chic lit books, but this was great, funny and the author is from Chicago and makes Chicago references.

[Lindsay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Colorful characters, disfunctional family and quirky friends make this a read that had me laughing, groaning, and cheering.

This book is for all the girls who wanted to grow up to be princesses.

[Veronica Widya · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is okay, easy to read also.
the story may be happen to all of us, when we must choose someone who best for us, not for our eyes.