Madeleine-Cora Spencer, or MC, gets a little too drunk one night and decides to sign up for a reality dating show. Her love life is nothing to boast about, so why not? When she is chosen for the show, reality isn’t what it seems. Instead of a Bachelor-esque type dating show, MC is forced into the jungle with seven of her exes! Just when MC didn’t think having her personal life displayed on public TV was bad enough, another ex enters the picture- the one she may still be in love with.
Seven Exes Are Eight Too Many by Heather Wardell paints a realistic picture of reality TV. Lies, schemes, backstabbing, and not just among teammates, but the production crew as well! The behind the scene look of a craze that has swept society is an interesting concept for a novel, and with Wardell’s excellently placed humor and knack for bringing characters to life, it works. The main character may be slightly (mostly) neurotic, but her flaws only make her that much more relatable for readers. The seven exes each have distinct personalities, and I could easily love them or hate them. A few areas left me a little unsettled though: the concept of the reality show and the producer lying about what the contestants signed up for, and the ending. I don’t want to spoil it for anyone, but the finale episode didn’t do the story justice, in my opinion. Still an excellent novel from the always clever Heather Wardell, and I would recommend you check out Seven Exes Are Eight Too Many.
Rating: 4/5
