NATIONAL BESTSELLER • Real love . . . as seen on TV. A plus-size bachelorette brings a fresh look to a reality show in this razor-sharp, “divinely witty” (Entertainment Weekly) debut.“Effortlessly fun and clever . . . I found the tension impeccable . . . and that made my reading experience incredibly propulsive. Read it in a day and a half.”—Emily Henry, #1 bestselling author of Beach Read and The People We Meet on Vacation
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY Time • NPR • Marie Claire • Mashable Bea Schumacher is a devastatingly stylish plus-size fashion blogger who has amazing friends, a devoted family, legions of Insta followers—and a massively broken heart. Like the rest of America, Bea indulges in her weekly obsession: the hit reality show
Main Squeeze. The fantasy dates! The kiss-off rejections! The surprising amount of guys named Chad! But Bea is sick and tired of the lack of body diversity on the show. Since when is being a size zero a prerequisite for getting engaged on television?
Just when Bea has sworn off dating altogether, she gets an intriguing call:
Main Squeeze wants her to be its next star, surrounded by men vying for her affections. Bea agrees, on one condition—under no circumstances will she actually fall in love. She’s in this to supercharge her career, subvert harmful beauty standards, inspire women across America, and get a free hot air balloon ride. That’s it.
But when the cameras start rolling, Bea realizes things are more complicated than she anticipated. She’s in a whirlwind of sumptuous couture, Internet culture wars, sexy suitors, and an opportunity (or two, or five) to find messy, real-life love in the midst of a made-for-TV fairy tale. In this joyful, wickedly observant debut, Bea has to decide whether it might just be worth trusting these men—and herself—for a chance to live happily ever after.
Kate Stayman-London is a novelist, screenwriter, and political strategist. She served as lead digital writer for Hillary Rodham Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign and has written for notable figures ranging from President Obama and Malala Yousafzai to Anna Wintour and Cher. When not writing or traveling, Kate can be found obsessively ranking Taylor Swift songs, laughing loudly with friends over really good bottles of wine, and of course, watching reality TV. She lives in Los Angeles.
“Thoroughly charming”
—Hillary Clinton
“[E]ffortlessly fun and clever . . . I found the tension impeccable . . . and that made my reading experience incredibly propulsive. Read it in a day and a half.”—
Emily Henry, #1 bestselling author of Beach Read and People We Meet on Vacation“One to Watch is a fundamentally entertaining and uplifting book. . . . A powerful imagining of how reality TV could look . . . Stayman-London dismantles stubborn and destructive ideas about plus-size women: Namely, that they can’t be fashionable, popular, or successful. [Bea is] complex in a way that fictional plus-size characters often aren’t. . . . As the title makes clear,
One to Watch is a
book to watch.”
—O: The Oprah Magazine“Bea Schumacher is an irresistible heroine, and
One to Watch will win you over just as quickly. Its clever skewering of reality TV tropes is balanced by a sweet sincerity and a real belief in true romance.
The Bachelor should be so lucky as to land a Bea of its own.”
—Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan, bestselling authors of The Royal We and The Heir Affair“A delicious and whip-smart page-turner about the complication of being a complicated woman in the world today.”
—Jo Piazza, bestselling author of Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win“
One to Watch is a powerful story about the love we have for ourselves and others. It’s a vibrant, tender, stylish, sexy, and outrageously joyful book, and I couldn’t bear to put it down for one second.”
—Hannah Orenstein, author of Love at First Like“A fast, furious read, one that is brimming with wit but also packs a serious punch. The compelling narrator—Bea Schumacher—won my heart immediately, and Stayman-London’s storytelling sizzles.”
—Fiona Davis, nationally bestselling author of The Chelsea Girls“
One to Watch drew me in from the first chapter; this book was relatable, incredibly smart and thoughtful about body image and the way the media treats women, and just plain entertaining. I adored this extraordinary debut and had so much fun reading it!”
—Jasmine Guillory, New York Times bestselling author of The Wedding Date and The Proposal“Bea’s journey shines a bright spotlight on the treatment of plus-size women in fashion, entertainment, and social media, but the character shows beautifully that women are more than their dress sizes. Creative, intelligent, and vulnerable, Bea brings depth and emotion to a story purposely set in a shallow environment. Whether readers loathe or adore reality TV, this unconventional love story deserves the final rose.”
—Shelf Awareness“Stayman-London’s charming debut is chatty and fun, brilliantly capturing the highs, lows, and drama of reality TV. . . . This smart, delightful page-turner is a great way for dating show fans to pass the time while waiting for the next season.”
—Publishers Weekly
