Thirty-five year old Edie Pepper, a rosé loving, reality TV obsessed copywriter from Chicago, dreams of plucking her soulmate from the depths of Hinge (or Tinder or Bumble). Following yet another dumpster fire of a date, Edie is consoling herself with boxed wine and E! News when Ryan Seacrest drops a bomb: Edie’s high school sweetheart has been cast as the lead in America’s most beloved reality dating show, The Key, and wow, does he look different. Charlie Bennett, Edie’s chubby cheeked, cosplay loving high school boyfriend has had a serious glow up, and is now a world traveling, extreme sports hunk.

Desperate to reclaim her One True Love, Edie DMs the show’s conniving producers, who are more than happy to shove Edie headfirst into the competition. But Charlie isn’t quite who she remembers, and he’s as desperate to hide his past as Edie is to reveal it. Further complicating matters is Peter Kennedy, The Key‘s cranky showrunner, who, despite his best efforts, finds himself drawn to Edie’s everywoman charm.

Navigating increasingly absurd dates, Edie starts to rethink everything she thought she knew about love. Is the biggest risk she’s ever taken about to culminate in disaster? Or is Edie about to secure the Happily Ever After she’s always wanted?

Find out this season on The Key.

Okay, I’ll admit it. When I saw the words “reality dating show” in the synopsis, I was sold. As someone who shamelessly devours reality TV (especially anything involving housewives and wine-fueled chaos), I had a feeling this book would be right up my alley. And it absolutely delivered on the fun, drama, and reality TV absurdity I was hoping for.

Our leading lady, Edie Pepper, is a riot. She’s loud, crass, chaotic, and so deeply relatable that I found myself wishing she lived in my neighborhood. We would totally be friends, if only because her antics would provide me with endless amounts of entertainment. The book kicks off with her in the middle of yet another failed (hilariously so) date. She’s nursing her wounds with boxed wine when she learns via E! News that her old high school sweetheart, Charlie Bennett, has just been cast as the lead on The Key, a wildly popular dating show (think The Bachelor). Much to Edie’s surprise, he looks very different (and now goes by Bennett). Gone is the chubby, awkward cosplayer she remembers. In his place? A swoony, world-traveling hunk with perfect hair and a smile that makes panties around the world drop instantly. Naturally, Edie does what any hot mess would do in that moment of wine-fueled impulsiveness—she DMs the producers. And they pounce.

From there, the book becomes a hilarious deep dive into the madness of reality TV. Edie joins the show as a contestant and brings her trademark chaos with her. Her commentary is gold, her wardrobe is—well, it’s not quite up to par—and her refusal to play by the rules turns every ceremony into a delightful disaster. But this isn’t just a rom-com about second chances. It’s also a surprisingly sharp look at how media packages love, identity, and nostalgia for public consumption. Even when the story veers into the absurd (and it definitely does), Edie’s emotional journey remains honest and heartfelt.

I loved watching her reconnect with her childhood crush (even if he isn’t the person she remembered) and grow close to a certain cranky showrunner who might just see her for who she really is. It’s part second-chance romance, part enemies-to-lovers, and entirely bingeable.

There aren’t any shocking twists, and that’s totally okay. I wasn’t expecting them. There also weren’t any real surprises. I knew exactly where this one was going, but again, I was perfectly okay with that. The book is comfort food with sparkle and snark. If you’re craving a rom-com that balances outrageous dating show antics with sharp humor and genuine heart, this one’s for you. I’d 100% tune in for another season with Edie.