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Every night, millions of viewers tune in to watch the latest episode of their favorite reality TV show—whether it’s The Bachelor or Dancing with the Stars or American Idol. But reality TV isn’t as glamorous as it may seem—at least not if you’re Abby Edwards, the heroine in Natalie Aaron and Marla Schwartz’s novel, Unscripted.
Abby always dreamed of becoming a writer. But instead of moving to Los Angeles and living the Hollywood dream, she wound up working in reality TV. Now she lives her life from job to job, compiling clips for clip shows, writing interview questions, and trying to coax drunken singles into a hot tub. To make matters worse, her ex has finally made it as a screenwriter—and the resulting film bears a striking resemblance to some unflattering parts of their relationship.
As Abby begins her latest (and biggest) job, she ends up juggling all kinds of drama—and not just the kind on-set. Her roommate, Zoë, is going through her own relationship crisis—one that puts a strain on their friendship. And Abby finds herself falling for her aloof (and maybe even unavailable) boss.
Fans of reality TV will love the fictional behind-the-scenes look at their favorite pastime in this dishy contemporary novel. Aaron and Schwartz load the story with plenty of Hollywood horror stories—obviously gleaned from their own experiences—and you’re sure to be amused by their accounts of nightmarish celebrity interviews, creepy coworkers, evil publicists, and superficial wannabe starlets. In fact, the reality TV parts of the best parts of the story. The authors clearly know the business, and they enjoy talking about how reality TV production works, how it’s manipulated, and what goes on when the cameramen aren’t around.
The rest of the story, however, is rather unfocused. From the beginning, it’s pretty obvious where the story’s headed (this is, after all, chick lit), yet the storytelling gets sidetracked along the way. Abby’s love life (or lack thereof) seems to be the key, yet the authors spend so much time talking about her job and her ex’s movie and her roommate—and her roommate’s love life—that the heroine’s own love story gets lost in the shuffle. It isn’t until the end that it’s brought to the forefront—and, by then, it almost feels like an afterthought.
At the same time, while the characters are the kind of quirky characters you’re bound to find on the streets of LA, they’re not all likeable. Zoë, especially, is a frustrating character. She’s generally spoiled and superficial and self-centered—yet, in the end, readers are somehow supposed to believe that she’s actually a really good friend.
While it may not be the most solid or consistent novel, though, Unscripted is still a light and entertaining read—the kind of e-book that you’ll want to have handy on your next weekend getaway. If you just so happen to be one of those people who schedule their lives around their favorite reality TV shows, you’ll love this fictionalized insiders’ look at the true reality of reality TV.
