The One

A razor-sharp and seductively hypnotic debut novel about the very fantasy of falling in love.

Emily is not particularly interested in dating. She simply wants to change her life after being fired from her dead-end job. So when she is recruited for the popular reality dating show The One, it doesn’t take much thought for her to sign up; it’s not as if she’d actually fall in love. But upon her arrival on set, it becomes clear her producer, Miranda, will do nearly anything to make sure Emily gets engaged by the end of the season, even if it means breaking Emily’s trust. The pressure builds as Emily navigates her connection with the lead and a growing relationship with another contestant. As the arc of the season begins to slot into place, both Emily and Miranda are forced to decide what they want-and what they are willing to do to get it.

A brilliant send-up of our cultural mythology around romance, The One examines how people can confuse wanting to be looked at-to be singled out and desired-with desire itself.