The Leftover

Author: Brooke Williams

Category: Contemporary Romantic Comedy

Suitable for: Teens+

My Rating: 5 Stars

Format Read for Review: Kindle ARC provided by the author in return for an honest review.

Pages: 269

“She loved her sister and there wasn’t much she wouldn’t do for her, but go on a reality TV show in her place? Not happening.”

Description: Megan reluctantly agrees to take her sister’s place on a reality TV Show called The Leftover after her dear sister discovers she is pregnant and becomes disqualified from participating at the last minute. The show is like Survivor but on a smaller local level and Megan being very shy and lacking survival skills wants nothing to do with it. Due to their close bond and a strong sense of loyalty she eventually accepts the call to adventure and experiences much more than she could have imagined.

“‘I knew you’d freak out and I really wanted to see it. You’re circling the couch, aren’t you?’
Megan stopped in her tracks. ‘No I’m standing perfectly still, thank you very much. She squinted through the window across from the couch to make sure Molly wasn’t sitting out front in her car. The street was empty. She resumed pacing.”

In Short: Overall this is a great book. I don’t usually like contemporary romances but every once in a while one like this comes along and gives me a whole new appreciation for the genre. This book is very funny too, I laughed out loud many times. A must read for anyone who likes clean romantic comedies. If you also like reality TV, you’ll love this book because it is set mostly behind the scenes (and on camera too) of a reality TV show that is similar to Survivor.

“‘You win The Leftover and you can name the kid anything you want.’

‘Promise?’ Megan stuck her pinky finger across the table.

‘Pinky swear.’ Molly wrapped her finger around her sister’s and shook.

Done deal.”

Pros: I loved the complexity of our main character, Megan. She is introverted and a bit awkward but by trade she is a talented voice actor. Although for some reason she doesn’t use this term and instead just says she “talks for a living” which always came off so awkward. She definitely is a modest character who often sells herself short, but that doesn’t stop her from giving it her all on the show. I really liked how she listened to her sister and was willing to go out of her comfort-zone at times to give her sister’s suggestions a try. She was such a likable character it made the story really enjoyable to read. I loved the character development throughout the story too. Not just Megan’s transformation but some of the other characters as well. I loved Grace, she is a strong and genuinely good person who is a great role model. I liked Megan’s sister, Molly. I think she brings out her sister’s potential and I shudder to think how lonely Megan would have ended up if she didn’t have her sister to always encourage her to get out there. Now on to the male characters, there are 2 I want to talk about. The ‘villain’ and the romantic lead. The villain is a fellow contestant on the show, and OMG I hate this guy. Wow, he was so well written I really feel like I hate him and he isn’t even real. He did bring additional conflicts, humor and subterfuge to the story, which did make it interesting. But, I still hate him. The romantic lead is a very likable character and he makes it a very sweet story. This book is well written and smooth and easy to read. The story is interesting and full of action and twists. The idea of the reality show and seeing how the contestants did in the competitions was really interesting. I really, really loved how Megan did on the show, but I wont spoil any of those juicy details. Lastly, I have to say I loved the ending. It was perfect!

“… though he still had a soft spot for her in his heart, he had a much larger space reserved for the woman he was actually meant to be with.”

Cons: I don’t have any notable issues with this book.

Parent’s Guide: Clean romance. I didn’t notice any swearing or rough language. There was no sex.

Author Links:

Brooke Williams on Twitter
Official Site