It turns out that as a community, all we really want in life is for the women competing for men’s hearts on reality television programs to forget that guy and fall deeply in love with each other. Or, you know, for two girls to meet on a reality show that isn’t about dating, but still decide to date each other! Or, if we can’t have that — for girls on the Bachelor Nation, in general, to eventually come out as queer. (Gabby Windy of course, is the moment). So rarely do our dreams come true! But it’s no surprise that reality television has been ample fodder for works of lesbian fiction — romance novels, of course, but bleeding into other genres as well.
LGBTQ+ and Sapphic Romance Novels Set On Reality TV Shows
Never Ever Getting Back Together, by Sophie Gonzalez
F/F Romance, bisexual lead character
When Maya is invited on a reality dating competition Second Chance Romance, centered around her now-famous, cheating, royal-adjacent ex-boyfriend Jordy, she sees an opportunity to finally get revenge, in public, two years post-breakup. But her plans are complicated by the presence of Skye, another contestant and the girl Jordy cheated on Maya with. Forced into close proximity, Maya and Skye develop a reluctant alliance and an unexpected chemistry.
Love at 350º, by Lisa Peers
F/F romance, lesbian lead character
Tori Moore is a recently-divorced Mom of twins, a high school chemistry teacher and devoted baker. Kendra Campbell is the queen of a cookie shop empire and a ruthless judge on American Bake-O-Rama, When Tori’s kids submit their to the show without her knowledge, Tori finds herself unexpectedly drawn to Kendra, who’s eluded true love all her life, being so devoted to her food and her French bulldog. “If you’re looking for a cozy read, Love At 350° is absolutely it,” wrote Sai in her review of Love at 350, who also appreciated this book for being a love story between women over 40.
Hot Summer, by Elle Everhart
F/F romance, bisexual lead character
Cas Morgan agrees to do a spot on her favorite reality TV show Hot Summer not because she’s genuinely looking for love but because her company’s inking a partnership with the franchise and promises her a promotion if she makes it to the finals as a contestant. But she’s not prepared for what she does encounter at her exotic island giveaway — a beautiful, charming girl named Ada who makes her feel some type of way, and gets in the way of her strategy.
Love & Other Disasters, by Anita Kelly
F/NB romance, queer lead character
Dahlia Woodson and London Parker hit it off on the set of cooking competition series Chef’s Special, romance blooming all over the place while they each face their own personal struggles — Dahlia’s feeling guilty over her recent divorce, while London’s struggling with the transphobes rooting for them to lose the game. In a mostly-positive review, Vic of the Lesbrary wrote that “Their shenanigans and their banter made me laugh, and it never felt out of place when the silly moments turned into more serious conversations.”
D’Vaughn and Kris Plan a Wedding, by Chenica C. Higgins
F/F romance, lesbian lead characters
“This book has several of my favorite things: a wedding, a reality wedding show, and the fake dating trope,” wrote Sai in her review of D’Vaughn and Kris Plan a Wedding. As participants in the show Instant I Do, the titular heroines are getting married in six weeks, but each has their own motives for being on the show at all — Kris, an influencer, wants to boost her brand. D’Vaughn wants an innovative way to come out to her family. As fake chemistry turns to real chemistry, they’re not sure if television is the best place to start their relationship. Or maybe it is!
The Charm Offensive, by Alison Cochrun
M/M romance, queer female side characters
Disgraced tech wunderkind Charlie Winshaw is the new bachelor on reality TV show Ever After — a last-ditch effort to rehabilitate his image. Renowned producer Dev Deshpande, who still believes in fairy tale love, is finding Charlie to be the series’ most challenging contestant. He’s awkward, anxious, and not really connecting with any of the contestants — but my friends, he eventually does find quite the connection with Dev if you know what I mean. While the show’s central romance is M/M, queer female characters abound!
Here for the Wrong Reasons, by Annabel Paulsen & Lydia Wang
F/F romance, bisexual lead character
Montana Rodeo rider Krystin joined the cast of reality TV show Hopelessly Devoted in hopes of snagging the husband of her dreams. Unlike Krystil, fellow contestant Lauren isn’t there to win the chosen bachelor, she just wants to stay in the game long enough to build her social media following. But YOU GUESSED IT what happens when Krystin and Lauren start developing feelings… for each other??
Big Date Energy, by Bethany Rutter
F/F romance, lesbian lead character
Fran hasn’t been single in a long-ass time, and after a lifetime of serial monogamy, she’s ready to just date. But her Mom still dreams of Fran settling down with real love and thus nominates her daughter to participate in a new TV dating show, The Meet-Cute. Fran figures at worst it’ll be a good story to tell, but the story takes a turn when she steps on set and finds herself face-to-face with Ivy: her high school girlfriend, her first love, the one who got away.
Reality in Check, by Emily Banting
F/F Romance, bisexual lead character
Sculptor Arte Tremaine leaves her teaching position in Italy after her grandmother’s death to help run the rundown English country hotel that was left to her and her sister, determined to make it a success despite minimal resources, painful memories, and Arte’s sister’s hope to sell it. Charlotte Beaumont is a hotel empire heiress and the host of reality TV show Hotel SOS. When Hotel SOS descends on Arte’s property, she and Charlotte initially clash — but as they grow closer, a chance develops for an ice queen and an artsy dreamer to achieve their dreams together in this age-gap romance.
Can I Steal You For a Second? by Jodi McAlister
F/F Romance, bisexual lead character
Mandie Mitchell signed up for Australian Bachelor-esque dating show Marry Me Juliet in hopes of getting over her ex — and her connection with strong, outspoken Dylan at casting gives her the push she needs to take the plunge. But once filming begins in a pandemic bubble, Mandie finds herself just as attracted to Dylan as she is to the show’s chosen Romeo.on
Queer Young Adult Novels Set on Reality TV Shows
I’ll Be The One, by Lyla Lee
YA novel, bisexual lead character
Version 1.0.0
Casey warmly recommended this as a “fat positive queer book featuring fat characters in all their glory.” Bisexual Korean-American teen Skye Shin dreams of being the first plus-size K-Pop Star, even though nobody believes she can. But she nails her audition for a K-Pop reality show and ends up deep into a world of “endless rehearsals, back-stage gossip, dramatic performances, and crush-worthy co-star and competitor Henry Cho.”
The Dos and Donuts of Love, by Adiba Jaigirdar
F/F YA romance, queer lead character
This Young Adult contemporary romance is set on the “first ever Junior Irish Baking Show,” where Shireen Malik, despite still reeling from her breakup with her ex-girlfriend Chris, has been invited to live her dream. She’s eager to win the prize money and to promote her parents’ beloved donut shop. But guess who is a contestant on the show? It’s Chris! But Shireen is also drawn to her fast friend, extrovert Niamh. She’ll have to navigate all of these sparks while keeping her eye on the prize.
Queer Literary Novels Set On Reality TV Shows
Patricia Wants to Cuddle, by Samantha Allen
literary horror, multiple queer main characters
The final four contestants on the reality dating show The Catch arrive on a remote island, expecting the usual challenges as they vie for a chance at love with a sleazy, unworthy bachelor. But then they encounter Patricia — a woefully misunderstood local living in the woods — and gradually find themselves participating in something more like a real-life action-packed thriller. Both an indictment of reality TV culture and an opportunity for star-crossed lesbian lovers to rise above their intolerant town, Allen’s debut novel was an Autostraddle Book Club pick back in 2022. Kayla called it, “a delightfully strange and wondrous book, one that takes multiple high concepts and smashes them together, ultimately spinning a story about desire, the things we want, and what we’re willing to do and sacrifice to get them.”
Small Game, by Blair Braverman
literary horror, queer lead character
The producers of reality TV show Civilization came directly to (queer protagonist) Mara’s survival school (where she teaches rich people to survive during a night outdoors), Primal Instinct, to recruit her for a contestant on their show. Mara’s prepared for discomfort and hard work, but not so much for trusting the four strangers she’s stranded with in an unknown location, or for the twist that may or may not be part of the game.
OK, so if you’d asked me, I wouldn’t have said I’ve read a lot in this sub-genre, but yeah I’ve read 4 of the first 10 romances listed. And I like them all.
I’ve also read Mangos and Mistletoe by Adriana Herrera – F/F romance set in a holiday baking competition show in Scotland.
I know it’s funny cuz I don’t watch any of these shows, but! Which ones have you read? I’ve read Charm Offensive, Never Ever Getting Back Together (probably my favorite), Hot Summer and Patricia Wants to Cuddle.
Right!? I’ve watched some cooking and baking competition shows but I hate dating shows. But apparently I like reading about fictional dating shows.
I’ve read Love & Other Disasters, Can I Steal You For a Second?, Here for the Wrong Reasons, and D’Vaughn and Kris Plan a Wedding. And they’re all a lot of fun.
Haha, I had the same journey! “What a weirdly specific genre” ≥≥ “oh wait, it turns out I love this genre”.
I’ve read Small Game, Patricia Wants a Cuddle, I’ll Be the One, and D’Vaughn and Kris Plan a Wedding and they’re all so great.
i’ve only read Patricia Wants To Cuddle but it’s a fav!
You missed one! I just spent a half hour feeling like I was crazy, because I was positive I had recently said to someone that I had somehow read four books in this genre despite never having seen an episode of any reality dating show or even having any particular attraction to the premise, but I had only read three on this list. After way too much scrutinizing of my libby app, I found it!
The One by Julia Argy — it’s F/F on a bachelor-esque show. I think it probably slipped through because the description is weirdly coy about the queer part. If I’m remembering correctly, it was very similar in premise to Here for the Wrong Reasons, but I preferred it a little (although The Charm Offensive is still my favorite in this weird micro genre!).