You don’t have to be a fan of reality tv to enjoy The One by Kaneana May. This debut novel is an engaging, witty, humorous and touching story about finding happiness and love. You can’t help but root for the three main characters as you eagerly turn the page to discover if they find their happily-ever-afters.

I enjoyed following the journeys of the highly relatable Bonnie, Darcy and Penelope and discovering how their stories are intertwined. They are very different women at different stages in their lives and I empathised with them in their efforts to juggle their career, relationships and life aspirations. I appreciated that all three women weren’t perfect (who is?!) and may not have always made the best decisions, which made them even more authentic. I also enjoyed the use of multiple character perspectives, which mirrored the sense of a change in scene on a tv show, the story flowed easily and this novel had me so entertained I binged through it the one sitting!

The drama and behind-the-scenes glimpses into the production of such a show like The One was a lot of fun and had me laughing out loud. I was also delighted to discover hidden depth to this novel despite the fun reality tv premise with an exploration of how messy life and love can be. For me,
the ending of the book felt a little bit rushed, there was enough there to delve a little further, in particular with Darcy and Penelope’s storylines.

Overall, The One was such an enjoyable read and I recommend this novel to lovers of contemporary fiction and romance. I look forward to reading more from Kaneana May in future.

Thanks to Harlequin Australia and Netgalley for providing me with a copy for review. ( )

I’ve met Kaneana May a few times at local library events, and I was excited to learn she had realised her dream to publish. Her debut, The One, is an engaging and emotional contemporary novel.

Using her experience in the television industry, May connects her characters by their participation in ‘The One’, a (fictional) reality television show in the style of the worldwide phenomenon, The Bachelor. To be honest, I abhor reality shows like The Bachelor/The Bachelorette, Married at First Sight, Love Island etc, so this aspect of the novel wasn’t particularly a draw for me, however I imagine fans of those shows will enjoy the idea of peeking behind the scenes of The One.

The One unfolds from multiple perspectives. Darcy is the ambitious producer who works long hours to ensure the success of the show, to the detriment of her decade long relationship with her high school sweetheart. Bonnie is a reluctant contestant, trying to put distance between herself and the man she believes to her ‘one’, who is about to marry someone else. Penelope is dealing with an unspecified heartbreak, of which ‘The One’ seems to be a painful reminder. And then there is Ty, the ‘bachelor’, a last minute replacement on the show, whose heart is not really in it.

Through her characters, May explores the the complexities of relationships. There is passion, anxiety, romance, regret, desire and heartbreak, as they all grapple with their questions about love. I had some empathy for Darcy and her situation, though honestly I would have preferred a different ‘ending’ for her. I was less sympathetic with regards to Bonnie and her relationship with Ollie.

Well written, combining drama, humour, pathos and romance, I really enjoyed The One, congratulations on a great debut Kaneana. ( )