The One

February 15, 2023
Who has what it takes to be a media sensation wife? Twenty-four-year-old Emily Boylan has never seen The One, a ringer for The Bachelor, but she has just been fired from her dead-end job when a recruiter spots her on the street. In no time, she's entering the bizarro world of reality TV, stepping out of a limousine--one of a long line of limos filled with women--and meeting Dylan Walter, the show's potential love interest. Emily's star quickly rises thanks to her producer, Miranda, who believes she will clinch the end-of-show proposal and works hard to make it so. And Emily befriends a group of contestants who keep her (relatively) sane and up to speed, developing a particular fondness for savvy Sam with the secret, tragic backstory. The women have no say in how their days go, so they have a dreamlike quality: There's extreme boredom, a helicopter ride, rule changes, and having to repeat themselves for the camera (they get unnervingly good at rephrasing their feelings in reality TV patois). Emily is a pliant good girl who goes along with everything yet cannot justify to herself why, try as she might. Does she want to marry Dylan, or is she just supposed to? A moment when the bubble breaks and the show learns of an unrelated mass shooting by an incel doesn't do quite enough for the themes or plot to justify its inclusion. However, debut novelist Argy is fantastic at showcasing the subtle power dynamics among Dylan, the women, and the producers in all iterations. Alternating chapters from Miranda's shrewd perspective illuminate the extent of her control, which is extreme but not complete. She cannot, for instance, prevent the growing bond between Emily and Sam that threatens her narrative. A reality TV novel stripped of fluff and fantasy.

COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

February 13, 2023
Argy skewers reality TV in her smart debut. After 20-something Emily Boylan loses her admin job, she’s approached by a casting associate for The One, a Bachelor-esque reality show with a last-minute opening. Four days later she’s on her way from Boston to Los Angeles to meet Dylan Walter and the other 29 women vying for his proposal. Supporting Emily is Miranda, one of the show’s three producers, who needs a win and sees Emily as her ticket, a “fresh package of Model Magic.” Over a grueling six weeks of production, Emily struggles with her insecurities and people-pleaser tendencies while grappling along with the other women over what it means to be desired for superficial reasons rather than being loved for who they are. Through it all, Emily tries to figure out who “Real Emily” is, aware that “Screen Emily” will remain cast in history. Argy takes on voyeurism, feminism, and gender norms, as Emily wonders if she really ought to put all her energy into finding love, which is what she was conditioned to do all her life. It makes for a winning portrait of a young woman trying to come into her own. Agent: Amy Williams, Williams Company.

March 1, 2023
Emily doesn't have a life plan or any kind of plan, really, so when she's approached by a producer for the dating show, The One, there's no reason to decline the invitation. Seemingly quiet and maybe a little socially awkward, Emily nonetheless quickly becomes a top contender to win the heart of Dylan, the man looking for love in the show's house full of women. Forming friendships with her three roommates, Emily might be more invested in her fellow contestants than a proposal. Fans of reality TV will appreciate the insider feel first-time novelist Argy creates for her version of a very famous dating show, with the addition of cheeky suggestions of the secret motivations of some contestants that have nothing to do with love or marriage. The characters are flawed and likable, utterly convinced of the rightness of their participating in the unhealthy behaviors encouraged by the producers. Ultimately, it's up to readers to decide if they're disturbed or charmed and amused by Argy's knowing satire. A pop-culture send-up bound to inspire lively discussions.

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