Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

The Donovans #2

Love Reality

Rate this book
Librarian note: this is an alternative Kindle book cover for ASIN: B00U2DSXFY

A romantic who believes in love…

Walking love disaster, Mia Donovan, is a reality television production assistant by day, secret dating blogger, Lonely Girl, by night. All she has to do to get the job of a lifetime is face her fears and step in front of the camera. Unfortunately that also means dating her nemesis, Single Guy, for the entire world to see.

A cynic giving love advice…

Reluctant, dating columnists, Ryan Matthews, otherwise known as Single Guy, thinks reality-dating shows are soul-sucking endeavors that have more to do with selling unrealistic expectations than love. But for a shot at writing serious stories, he’s willing to go undercover on Love Reality to do an exposé on the dating competition. What he doesn’t count on is falling in love.

This book contains mature themes and is intended for audiences 18+

298 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 26, 2015

196 people are currently reading
523 people want to read

About the author

Nana Malone

168 books3,031 followers
Wall Street Journal & USA Today Bestselling author, Nana Malone writes Sexy Feel-Good Romance and loves of all things romance and adventure.

That love started with a tattered romantic suspense she "borrowed" from her cousin. It was a sultry summer afternoon in Ghana, and Nana was a precocious thirteen. She's been in love with kick butt heroines ever since. With her overactive imagination, and channeling her inner Buffy, it was only a matter a time before she started creating her own characters.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
144 (34%)
4 stars
151 (36%)
3 stars
104 (25%)
2 stars
15 (3%)
1 star
2 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
Profile Image for Tpagirl Loves Romance.
1,672 reviews185 followers
June 10, 2019
Love Reality was the second book in the Donovan’s series by Nana Malone.

Mia Donovan and Ryan Matthews we’re writers on opposing sides. Mia believed in a true love and was destined to find it while Ryan felt love was a total farce. They wrote the Lonely Girl blog and the Single Guy Column respectively. Mia was also a tv production assistant on the reality dating show Love Reality. Mia was the new Cinderella and Ryan was a contestant working undercover for his column.

I enjoyed the characters and the storyline. Malone kept me interested by unraveling the layers from both Ryan and Mia. I enjoyed their chemistry, their interactions and the sneak peeks into their souls, which they kept well hidden.

Although I enjoyed the plot, I was wanting more detail within the show. It only covered the surface but was a vital part of the story. I also thought the main conflict needed more fleshing out when it finally came to a head. There were too many facets for it to be brushed over and it seemed unfinished. Additionally, I wanted more Donovan interaction. As the focus of the series, I wanted to keep learning about the family and their dynamics as anticipation for the next book. Lastly, there were a few too many editing errors. With all that said, it was still intriguing and entertaining.

In the end, it was a quick, fun and lighthearted read. I hope to see more development from Mia and Ryan in future stories. Derek Donovan is up next in Race for Love.
Profile Image for Julie .
4,256 reviews38k followers
March 3, 2015
Love Reality by Nana Malone is a 2015 publication. I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I will be the first to confess I absolutely loathe “The Bachelor” type reality shows. I don't like the premise and the message it sends is demeaning. So, I when I realized this book was loosely based on this type of show, I was not sure about it. But, a couple of chapters into it, I knew I had nothing to worry about.

Ryan writes a dating advice column for guys. His tactics sort of reminded me of the movie “Hitch” in a way, but in others it was basically a guide for guys to do and say whatever it took to get a girl in bed.

Mia writes a blog called “ Lonely Girl” about young women trying to navigate the dating scene in modern times. Ryan's column really makes her mad. But, as fate would have it, when a blind date stands her up, Mia is rescued by a this really nice, smooth, and fun guy... named Ryan.

“As Mia's decisions went, she'd never made one like this before. Throwing caution to the wind was not in her playbook. Like ever. But, with Ryan touching her, she was in the say yes kind of mood. Following a total stranger to a Cuban bar in Spanish Harlem: YES. A couple of Mojitos , complete with sugar cane stalk: HELL YES! Press body up against the sexiest man she'd ever met in her life: FOR THE LOVE OF GOD YES!”

Mia is having a blast until she realizes Ryan is THAT Ryan... advice column Ryan. So, the fantasy date comes to a screeching halt.

When Mia is offered the opportunity of a lifetime if she agrees to be a on a reality show, she reluctantly agrees. The last person on earth she expected to be a contestant was Ryan. The fans and the show's producers are not immune to the chemistry between Mia and Ryan and no matter how much she dislikes him she has to go with it.. but little does she know that Ryan has ulterior motives.

This book details the behind the scenes drama on dating reality shows, and it's pretty much like you would expect. But, the show is just the backdrop for a perfect love match. Mia came from a large adoptive family and Ryan came from a wealthy family. but has given up his trust fund, plus he was still stinging from a break up. His main reason for signing up for the show was to write about it. But, when he starts to fall in love with Mia he has to decide about the column or Mia.

I love the realistic depiction of reality shows, loved the chemistry between Mia and Ryan, and the way each character developed along the way. Mia had real vision and was a character I thought I could be friends with. There were times I wanted to shake Ryan and times when I applauded him. In the end I was happy to see him finally make a stand and take some real steps toward becoming the man Mia deserves.

A light and easy New Adult/ Contemporary romance and an enjoyable read. Overall this one gets 4 stars
Profile Image for Monica **can't read fast enough**.
1,033 reviews374 followers
July 31, 2015
LOVE REALITY continues the Donovan family drama with Delilah's younger sister Mia's story. Mia is struggling to find her place in both her professional and personal life. Having little to no influence in her job as a production assistant on a dating reality show Mia jumps at the chance to pitch and possibly produce her own show. Mia is the creator of a dating blog and having her concept turned into a scripted show would be a dream come true. However, when Mia's boss makes her an offer that she can't refuse, she finds out that the devil is definitely in the details.

Mia (Lonely Girl) has an arch nemesis and polar opposite and he is the one and only Single Guy. Ryan is the one man who has sparked her interest since her last break up but ends up being the one man that she doesn't want to want. The temptation and chemistry is great between Mia and Ryan. Their mutual reservations and personal baggage trip them up but their attraction to one another is hard to resist.

Ryan has been pulling his own weight and making a name for himself without the backing of his family all of his adult life. He now wants the chance to break out from his Single Guy role and do more in depth and profound journalism. With the opportunity to report from behind the scenes of a popular dating reality show Ryan has a chance to write a break out piece. What Ryan finds when he shows up throws him for a loop and he has to decide how to do his job and get what he wants without loosing either.

I am now a true fan of Nana Malone's tightly told and clean writing style. When Malone tells a story she gives her readers an undiluted and fully fleshed out story. Her stories are populated with people who have depth and relatable characteristics; strengths and flaws alike. There's no extraneous drama thrown in for kicks and giggles either. The drama that unfold in her stories are actually pertinent to the overall story. I'm never left wondering what the heck just happened or asking myself why something was just thrown in. LOVE REALITY is another enjoyable addition to Malone's entertaining body of work and my ever growing Malone collection.

You can find more from me at
•(♥).•*Monlatable Book Reviews*•.(♥)•
http://www.monlatablereviews.com/
Profile Image for Tiffany.
10 reviews1 follower
March 2, 2015
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. When I first started reading this book I thought I had the whole story already mapped out, but little did I know I had no clue where it was heading. Two arch nemeses, secret lovers, a reality show, a crazy TV producer and a spunky best friend/co-worker... You can't go wrong! I loved every minute of it!

This is the second book in the Donovan series and can I just say I love that family! The starlet of the book, Mia, is such a likable character. She's fierce on the outside with some hidden insecurities on the inside. Ryan is HOT and lost and in need of a girl just like Mia! The chemistry that these two have is steamy! I loved their story! There's an extra bonus, Mia's co-worker and dear friend Larissa is a hoot and had me laughing out loud. If your looking for a fun read this is a must!!! Loved it!!!
Profile Image for Kim.
Author 23 books268 followers
March 19, 2015
Nana Malone's Love Reality is the second book in her The Donovans series and it's a fun, sexy read. The book revolves around my favourite hate object--reality dating shows--and what happens when two rival dating bloggers end up as contestants on the show. Mia, whose blog Lonely Girl is gaining success, is cast as Cinderella for the show while Ryan, whose blog Single Guy teaches men how to woo women with romantic games, is snared as one of the Prince Charmings set to win Mia's heart reality TV style. There just one catch: they know each other already. Mia thinks she hates Ryan. Ryan's only agreed to be on the show to write an exposé. But one thing goes without denying--the chemistry between them is smoking hot.

Love Reality is a great page turner that's funny and sexy with characters whose backstory pulls you in. Though you think you're going to hate Ryan, you end up developing a bit of a crush on him. And Mia's past as a foster child and how it still affects her makes her an interesting character study.

Lots of sexy scenes and oodles of chemistry, so perfect for people who like their romance extra hot.
Profile Image for Mspraise50.
1,597 reviews65 followers
June 22, 2015
I have read Nana Malone books before and reviewed for her too. This author is a great contemporary romance author who brings humour to her stories.

I had previously brought books 1 and 2 in the series but had not gotten around to reading them. I decided I would read them before book 3 comes out shortly. This is book 2 in the Donovan Series. I am not reading them in the correct order, although this does not really appear to matter very much, each story is a standalone read.

This is Mia and Ryan's story. The story is entertaining and I enjoyed some laugh out loud moments, its a page turner and I loved the chemistry between the couple. What I really enjoyed is how much time the author allowed the couples to dialogue and really get to know each other. Even though some sparks fly between the two of them you can always feel the underlying love and caring for each other. It was a really romantic read, this is how I love my romance stories.

This is a great and read and I am loving the series. I would recommend this story.
379 reviews6 followers
March 4, 2015
Thoroughly Enjoyed...

I started this book on a Monday and finished on the next day because I was so hooked on Mia and Ryan that I couldn't stop reading. Book two in the Donovans' Series does not disappoint. Nana Malone once again works her magic. Character chemistry oozes from the pages from beginning to end. I can't wait to read the next book in this series. I know that Larissa is not technically a Donovan, but I would love for her to have a story, perhaps with Reece??? Hint, hint Nana, lol. I don't do spoilers, but Mia and Ryan's story is a must read and it's One Click Ready!!!
T
Profile Image for Miranda.
201 reviews6 followers
July 29, 2015
Well

Let me just say, I Loved Mia & Ryan, what I don't understand is with the money Ryan has, how he couldn't get back at Mia's producer. I think so far that's what I'm missing the payback, if it had that, PERFECTION!!!!!
Profile Image for Barbara.
1,875 reviews6 followers
April 13, 2024
The premise was good, the characters were good, the plot was good until a lot of it went wrong. Mia was abandoned as a child, went into foster care, then was adopted. Even though she was adopted she has an ongoing self-perception that she's unlovable so she holds herself back to protect herself. Ryan walked away from his family's wealth to make his own way. Both of them write blogs about their dating life. They both decide to be on a dating show, with Mia as the "Cinderella", in order to move their careers forward.

All was going well until there were several major issues. The most significant is that an article was published, supposedly written by Ryan, in which he exposed Mia's belief that she's not lovable to the world. However, the author of the article was listed twice as not Ryan's byline. Then, it was proven that he didn't write the article but throughout the rest of the story that article is referred to several times as though he wrote it and it isn't questioned. He then published his own article, but the detail of that one is never explained. I won't get into the abuse of power from producer Jamie and any repercussions for her were never mentioned. On top of that, the book abruptly ends when there are several chapters left. The remaining chapters are actually the beginning chapters of the next book even though they are numbered as part of this book. Mia and Ryan do get their happily ever after, but I didn't understand why those chapters were lumped together.

I liked this book until about halfway through, then things just went downhill. I could not ignore the issues I mentioned and it really bothers me that although Ryan's real article was supposedly an expose about the abusive producer Jamie after all the build up it isn't even covered. What was the point of all that if the result isn't shown? Unfortunately, this went from good to bad.
206 reviews2 followers
December 28, 2017
From my personal notes:
This is book two in the series and was…not terrible. I did have the first book which I somehow got later than the second book and only a day or two after I downloaded it I started reading book one. I didn't like it. I really didn't like it. It was heavy-handed and kept drumming the same information into me over and over again. I got the message the first seventeen thousand times, thanks!
This book had a tendency to lean towards that at times as well but it was handled better this time around and actually felt valid with regards the character. I guess you could say that in the first book, she told us a lot of things very early on instead of showing them to us and letting them inform the characters, which grated, whereas in this book, we'd learned a bit about the characters by that point and so the expressed concerns rang true. This story was about a reality dating show and it just highlights all the reasons I hate them. I would have liked to see the 'villain' of the piece get more of a comeuppance or at least find out just what happened to her but as the story was more concerned with the romance aspect of things, the vengeance desired was lacking.
1 review6 followers
March 9, 2017
This is the story that hooked me on Nana Malone's books. I picked this up at my parent's house because I was between books. The story had me in it's spell from the first pages. I loved the chemistry between Ryan and Mia. They were two people who clearly did not want to fall for each other but couldn't help it. The dialogue was believable and the characters were (mostly) real.

I love the backstory of the Donovan clan and it helps shape Mia's character and helps the reader understand her reactions to different things in the book. Ryan was a great male lead. He wasn't too much of an alpha, but definitely a take-charge guy. He wasn't too perfect, he made mistakes, messed up and reacted in credible ways to his mess-ups.

I gave this book a five star rating because once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. The heat between the characters was amazing, but I also loved reading how their love unfolded despite them trying at every turn to squash it.
Profile Image for Stephanie.
620 reviews38 followers
May 9, 2017
I really enjoyed this book, the characters were well written and very engaging and I was routing for the main characters the entire way through.

Mia is well written and so easy to relate to as is Ryan. They both seem to resonate with each other and fit perfectly. And theres enough going on around and between them to make its all entertaining enough for a good read :)

The plot started out pretty obvious but there were a few twists which I found well done. It ended as was expexted but I still enjoyed it. And I'd go as far as saying I'd like to read more of Ms. Malones work.
Profile Image for Dawn Myers.
1,302 reviews2 followers
January 25, 2018
I read a similar book by another author so the story was about the same. This book was published before the one I read before. I like the Donovan family and can't wait to read about them all. Love Reality was interesting for me because I don't like the Bachelor. This book was predictable, but I was okay with that. I thought Nana Malone did a good job with the suspense, but it lost a little steam at the end. I think Nana Malone missed the mark with the biological mother. Overall I liked Love Reality even though I have read something similar.
Profile Image for Samantha.
524 reviews
February 6, 2018
2.75

This was just ok. It had elements that I really like in a romance: the reality show setting, the "You've Got Mail"-ish setup. But it felt a little off. There was insta-love, which isn't my favorite, the main things that interested me were kind of glossed over, the sex scenes had me skimming past. It felt like a big chunk of the story had already played out off page.
590 reviews1 follower
April 9, 2018
Running from love

I loved Mia right from the start. A woman with a harsh past and a heart not easily to allow love in. Ryan was a man who didn't want to let himself believe in love and relationships because of his past. Both found each other at the most craziest time in their lives. Great book. Totally ready for the next in the series.
Profile Image for Lisa.
1,729 reviews1 follower
May 5, 2017
Meh. Predictable, just ok. I was hoping for something funnier and more of a focus on the Bachelor-type show the characters were on. I guess this is part of a series, but I won't read anymore of the books.
Profile Image for Ellen (more books, please).
457 reviews5 followers
May 14, 2017
I enjoyed this immensely.

It had an interesting premise (h is TV insider who appears on the reality dating show she works for).
Light and enjoyable with a little bit of meat to the story.

Does not dwell on the BW/WM issue much at all, which kind of surprised me.
Profile Image for Darcie.
1,060 reviews11 followers
June 24, 2017
Absolutely amazing!

I couldn't put this story down. I loved the banter and chemistry between Ryan and Mia. They were both such beautifully broken people that found the pieces needed to heal in one another.
22 reviews1 follower
January 31, 2018
Love undercover

It was fun getting to know Mia and Ryan as they both came to terms with their feelings. The story had humor and the loyalty of their close family members. With each of them dealing wit their own issues. They were both so enjoyable. I would recommend this book.
130 reviews
February 22, 2018
Sweet

Mia and Ryan made such a cute couple. He brought out the not so safe side out of her and she pulled out his feelings. The Donovan family rocks. I can't wait to read about them. On to the next one.
4,881 reviews10 followers
November 4, 2018
Love the Donovan’s

Another great read from this author, and again my poor dogs have had to wait for their walk till I finish it. Wish Lila had taken over the takedown of the witch in the studios, otherwise very nice read.
Profile Image for Cynthia.
3,201 reviews102 followers
July 17, 2019
Reality Shows

They say at times that they are a little rigged. This is two people who are put together to do one. But come to realize they liked each other, but the producer had other ideas.
Profile Image for Ferbooks.
1,781 reviews13 followers
December 17, 2019
A lovely read

I love the story. I think it's well written and I love how the story progresses and that the Mia got the opportunity to continue her career. I also love the hot love scenes.
Profile Image for Stacey.
500 reviews3 followers
August 31, 2017
The main characters were too perfect. I couldn't relate. It was a bit cliché too. Didn't like this one much, but it was clean.
132 reviews
October 30, 2017
Captivating

Nana captivates you with her real and loveable characters before the story has even really got started. I can't wait to read the rest of the series
128 reviews2 followers
December 18, 2018
Great read

Careers can often seem to force you into things you didn't plan on. What happens when The One shows up and is tangled up in all those things?
8 reviews1 follower
January 9, 2019
Fun book to read. I love the series and getting to know the family.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.