Katie has it all: the successful home makeover show with her sweet-natured husband Damian; the adorable tween daughters; and a designer mansion. But out of the spotlight, reality TV isn’t reality. Her marriage is disintegrating, her daughters despise her, and all her money can’t repair the damage. Now, with Damian ready to quit after one last holiday episode, Katie can kiss her artificial world goodbye. But if there’s one thing a pro like Katie knows how to do, it’s negotiate. From bestselling author J. Courtney Sullivan comes a sharp-witted new short story. Prime members read and listen free. But why are we all so obsessed with reality TV? I think we as human beings love feeling connected to other people, and in these increasingly disconnected times, it’s sometimes nice to feel like you’re getting to know real people on your TV every week. And now with the rise of Instagram fame, you can continue to follow these people and their stories long after their time on the screen is over. It’s also just nice to see normal people like us on TV. It bridges the gap between our lives and the celebrity lifestyle. On top of that, we enjoy watching the drama of it all. Even if it’s somewhat manipulated, we know it’s more real than a scripted television show, and that makes it fun. It appeals to our natural love of gossip and getting into other people’s business — and don’t lie. We all love this. Regardless of what draws us all to reality TV, we’re watching every week. Apparently writers everywhere are watching too, because there are lots and lots of fiction books out there that are written about and/or inspired by reality TV. Not just in one genre, either. There are romance novels, thrillers, horror novels, young adult titles, science fiction, and more that all capture the intrigue and drama of reality TV. Here are eight of the most exciting and dramatic books about reality television. Craving even more reality TV? Here are 15 Bachelor-related books that may or may not be here for the right reasons. We’ve also got some suggestions for 9 reality TV romcom reads. And here, we pair your favorite reality TV show with a romance novel you should read. And now that we’re all on the same page with reality TV books, I’ve got to go catch up with the latest episode of The Bachelorette! Keep on reading/watching, everyone.
