Can we steal you for a sec? It’s time to spice up your summer reading. While New York Times bestsellers and riveting thriller novels are great options, nothing screams “poolside reading material” like juicy tell-alls and romance novels written by some of your favorite Bachelor and Bachelorette reality stars.
Gone are the rose ceremonies and fantasy suites – once these stars left the show, they wasted no time getting to work on writing memoirs and behind the secrets about their time on ABC’s beloved franchise. We all wonder what really goes on in the mansion or what it’s really like when a couple announces their separation, and thanks to these books, Bachelor superfans can get an inside peek straight from the best sources themselves. So, kick back, relax, and find your library card. These are 16 books written by Bachelor stars that you need to read to spice up your summer reading.
16. I Didn’t Come Here To Make Friends, By Courtney Robertson
Courtney Robertson certainly didn’t appear on Ben Flajnik’s season of The Bachelor to make friends. In fact, she was so passionate about not wanting to make friends that she wrote a book about it. While she was considered the villain of her season, she did walk away as the “winner” – she and Ben were engaged by the final episode, but their relationship only lasted for seven months before they broke it off. In I Didn’t Come Here to Make Friends: Confessions of a Reality Show Villain, Courtney spills all about the “reality” of reality TV, what it was actually like to be considered the bad girl of the season, and how her “happily ever after” wasn’t all that it seemed it would be.
15. For The Right Reasons, By Sean Lowe
Sean Lowe was The Bachelor’s token good boy. Not only did he rely on his strong Christian beliefs during his season, he’s one of the few bachelors to actually have a seemingly solid, lasting relationship (he and Catherine Giudice got engaged on their final episode and have been married for four years and have two sons together). In For the Right Reasons, he opens up about how he felt that sticking by his religious morals on a risque reality show hurt him while he was a contestant on The Bachelorette. But during his turn on The Bachelor, he learned that being there for the right reasons is truly what will bring Bachelors success. And if future Bachelors are to take advice from anyone, it should probably be from one of the few men who actually found a lasting relationship!
14. My Reality, By Melissa Rycroft
We all know the horror of what happened to Melissa Rycroft. In one of the most shocking moments in Bachelor history, she got engaged to Jason Mesnick – but during the live After the Final Rose special, Jason confessed that he was still in love with runner up Molly Malaney. Not only was she blindsided, she was also dumped on live TV while her ex-fiance professed his love for someone else. But Melissa was determined to not let heartbreak hold her back. In My Reality, she give a personal account on how she found her happiness after heartbreak. She’s now married to her former boyfriend Tye Strickland and has gone on to star on Dancing with the Stars and Good Morning America. File this one under “How to handle a breakup like a pro.”
13. Final Rose, By Shawntel Newton
Okay, before you judge this book by its cover, consider giving Shawntel Newton’s Final Rose a chance. While the cover doesn’t exactly look like a juicy read, Shawntel dishes on the behind the scenes secrets from both of her appearances on The Bachelor. Though she was originally dumped by Brad Womack, she briefly appeared on Ben Flajnik’s season to confess her love for him and ask if she could stay as one of the women vying for his heart (Ben said no and sent her home the same night she arrived). Her book also touches on her struggles to build relationships given her eerie job as a funeral director (her love life was a bit dead at times if you ask her). While Shawntel never got a final rose on the show, you’ll be happy to know she’s since found a husband who isn’t too creeped out by her profession.
12. Happily Ever After, By Trista Sutter
Trista Sutter is the O.G. Bachelorette, and she has one of the most successful relationships to ever come from the franchise! She gave her final rose to Ryan Sutter, and they have been married for a whopping fifteen years and have two kids together, making them a rare (but seriously adorable) example of how the show can actually work for some people. In Happily Ever After: The Life-Changing Power of a Grateful Heart, she gives an inside look at how she handled heartbreak after being on the very first season of The Bachelor, how she paved the way for future women on The Bachelorette, and how she and Ryan continue to make their unconventional marriage last. *Cue the heart eyes*
11. Better Single Than Sorry, By Jen Schefft
Jen Schefft was one of the more unconventional contestants on the franchise, but only because she knew exactly what she wanted and stuck to her guns no matter what! She originally appeared on The Bachelor, where she was selected as the “winner” and got engaged to Andrew Firestone. Five months later, she broke off their engagement and landed the gig as The Bachelorette. In the end, however, she rejected both of her final two men and left the show just as single as she was when she started. She wrote Better Single Than Sorry to preach that being single isn’t bad or embarrassing. Instead, she prompts readers to feel empowered and excited by their single life. Because when it comes down to it, she constantly tells her readers that it’s better to know your worth and be single than to be in a bad relationship and be sorry! Preach, girl.
10. Diamonds And Hearts, By Chris Siegfried And Desiree Hartsock
Equal parts cute and cringe-worthy, Diamonds and Hearts is the kind of book you pick up to read knowing that it’ll probably be super cheesy and personal – but as Bachelor superfans, we all want to know what really goes on once the camera stops rolling. Now, thanks to BacheloretteDesiree Hartsock’s husband, Chris Siegfried, we can get that – but through his poetry. This poetic memoir is filled with poems written by Chris during his career as a professional baseball player and during his time on The Bachelorette (hence the clever title). Finally, you get to see exactly what Chris was feeling as he found love with Desiree and the book also features poetry and original postcard messages to Chris from Desiree herself. While it’s cheesy, no doubt, if you’re a fan of Chris and Des, you’ll love this intimate look at their relationship.
9. The Man Code, By David Good
David Good was one of the “bad boys” on Jillian Harris’s season of The Bachelorette. He quickly became known for drinking a lot and getting aggressive, and Jillian sent him home within a few weeks. He then went on to win the first season of Bachelor Pad before falling out of the limelight for a while. But in 2010, he released The Man Code: A Woman’s Guide to Cracking the Tough Guy. Before you roll your eyes, consider reading this book just to cringe at it. David claims to know exactly how to help women crack the “tough guys” in their lives. You know, the “manly man” who probably owns a “Saturdays Are For The Boys” flag and is more concerned with sports and cars than women. Whether or not you really need David’s relationship help (spoiler alert: you certainly do NOT), this book will succeed in giving you some laughs.
8. Nobody’s Perfect, By Helene Eksterowicz And Gwen Gioia
Helene Eksterowicz and Gwen Gioia both competed for Aaron Buerge’s heart on the second season of The Bachelor. While Helene ultimately got the final rose and ended the season engaged to Aaron, they were broken up just five weeks later. So, Helene and Gwen teamed up to write Nobody’s Perfect: What To Do When You’ve Fallen For a Jerk But Want to Make It Work. Essentially, this book is a guide for girls to overcome the less-than-attractive parts of a man in order to make their relationship work. Not only that, they give you help for specific awkward situations, like if he “makes you pump gas on your first date,” or “hands you the restaurant tab, since you wouldn’t trade your dinner entree,” or even “invites other women to join you at your table, during a romantic dinner.” Thank goodness these two are here to help you with all your dating needs..?
7. The Perfect Letter, By Chris Harrison
Chris Harrison is practically the father of the entire Bachelor franchise. As the beloved host, he’s been there for every season and he’s seen every single engagement, breakup, change of heart, cry-fest, and so much more. So it’s no surprise that his unrivaled experience would make for a great romance novel! In 2016, he released The Perfect Letter, a tale about a small-town-turned-big-city girl who falls in love with her glamorous life until she heads back home and falls for her high school sweetheart all over again, leaving her to choose which life she wants more. Oh, and there’s a murder thrown in there too. Basically, he’s giving Nicholas Sparks a run for his money.
6. It’s Not Okay, By Andi Dorfman
It’s Not Okay is literally a must-read for everyone who’s ever watched The Bachelorette. You’ll remember Andi Dorfman as the sassy attorney from Georgia who didn’t take any of Juan Pablo’s nonsense on his season of The Bachelor. So, when she thought she found love with Josh Murray on her season of The Bachelorette, she was thrilled – only to have her fairy tale come crashing down once the cameras stopped rolling. Andi spills all of the dirty details in her book – so much so that you’ll find yourself unable to believe she really just said that! She also dishes on that moment when runner-up Nick Viall called her out on live television for “making love” to him during the fantasy suite dates. She also offers tips for getting over the worst kind of breakups imaginable (it’s going to take lots of red wine, and it’s okay).
5. Single State Of Mind, By Andi Dorfman
Given the success of her first book, Andi Dorfman released her second book, Single State of Mind, in 2018. This time around, now that she’s single and thriving, she details her life as a single woman who recently put down her roots in New York City. From finding her first apartment to using “celebrity Tinder” and seeing her ex-fiance propose to another woman, Andi’s signature sass and honestly shines in this book. She also spills more deets from behind the Bachelor cameras, so what’s not to love?
4. I Said Yes, By Emily Maynard Johnson
Emily Maynard Johnson had two unsuccessful tries at love on television. After she was a contestent (and winner) as Bachelor Brad Womack looked for love (or so he claimed), the two broke up and she starred on season eight of The Bachelorette. She ultimately chose Jef Holm, though they separated a few months later. Emily felt humiliated since the entire nation watched her fail at love twice, so she wrote a book, I Said Yes, where she explains her journey. She found solace in knowing that she would always be chosen by God, and she found strength in her religion following her TV appearances. By putting her faith in God, she shares how she overcame heartbreak and ultimately found love with her current husband, Tyler Johnson.
3. Don’t Be That Girl: A Guide To Finding The Confident, Rational Girl Within, By Travis Stork
Much like David Good’s book, Travis Stork’s book Don’t Be That Girl: A Guide to Finding the Confident, Rational Girl Within should only be read with a large grain of salt. While it’s unclear why a man thought he was qualified enough to give women advice on how to act in relationships, he went ahead and published this work after his failed attempt at being on season eight of The Bachelor. While he gave his final rose to Sarah Stone, the two were separated just a week after the pre-taped finale aired on television. Despite his own failed relationships (he divorced his wife Charlotte Brown after less than three years of marriage), he uses his medical expertise (he’s a certified emergency physician) to tell women how certain ways they act can be the factors that lead to their failed relationships. While it’s not necessary reading material, it’ll probably just make you feel better about your own love life because at least you aren’t dating that guy.
2. You’re Not That Great, By Elan Gale
As the producer on The Bachelor and all of its subsequent spin-off shows, Elan Gale knows a thing or two about what it takes to be successful. That’s the focus of his self-help book, You’re Not That Great (But Neither is Anyone Else). Unlike every other self-help book that uses positive reinforcement to make a positive change, Elan claims that it’s using negative energy that will make you successful. So instead of stocking up on inspiring Pinterest quotes, he’ll have you using your negative thoughts to create a positive outcome. After all, he says, “Negative thinking is for winners.”
1. The Princess Of Nowhere, By Prince Lorenzo Borghese
Remember when The Bachelor went royal (kind of)? The ninth season of the show featured Lorenzo Borghese as the suitor looking for love. While he also goes by “Prince Lorenzo Borghese,” his father is actually currently the 17th Prince of Sant’Angelo and San Polo. But Lorenzo’s time on The Bachelor was a royal failure – he chose Jennifer Wilson as his final lady, but they never got engaged and broke up shortly after their finale aired. But Lorenzo went on to publish his first book, The Princess of Nowhere, in 2010. He draws inspiration from his ancestors (he’s a descendant of the brother-in-law of Napoleon Bonaparte) for this historical fiction book about a princess who conquers everything. We wonder if even she could conquer The Bachelor dating scene??