As any Bachelor franchise fan knows, sometimes we just can’t get enough of the crazy contestants, and the drama that ensues as they fight for that coveted final rose. But as you wait to see who Pilot Pete picks, you'll need some juicy reading material to pass the time.
Luckily for us, some of these former contestants have made the transition from lovesick hopefuls to fully-fledged authors! Get the behind-the-scenes scoop on your favorite show from these eight books by Bachelor alums!
It's Not Okay: Turning Heartbreak Into Happily Never After
No, Juan Pablo: It’s not okay. And sadly for Andi, it’s not okay for Josh, either.
We loved Andi’s strong, straightforward style of telling it like it is on her run of Juan Pablo’s season of The Bachelor, and we were thrilled when ABC chose her as Bachelorette.
Though it seemed like she had met her match with Josh Murray, it was sadly not meant to be. In her memoir, Andi shares all the juicy details about what it was like competing on the show, the complicated ups and downs of being the Bachelorette, and her devastating break-up with Josh.
Final Rose
We loved Shawntel Newton on Brad Womack’s second turn on The Bachelor, and we love her even more after the publication of her aptly named 2012 memoir, Final Rose, in which she describes how her unusual profession makes it difficult to date.
Newton is a funeral director—you might remember Brad’s hometown visit to the embalming room, which totally freaked him out. Whatever, Brad.
Newton’s take on the show is refreshing, and her stories about helping families remember their loved ones in the most difficult time of their lives prove that she’s a catch.
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I Didn't Come Here to Make Friends: Confessions of a Reality Show Villain
Oh, Courtney. How we loved to hate you on Ben Flajnik’s season.
From her bitchy treatment of her competition, to the skinny dipping episode—it was obvious Ben only had eyes for her. As it turns out, Courtney was eager to keep it real even after the cameras stopped rolling.
In her 2014 memoir, she dishes on all your burning Bachelor-related questions, including: do the producers fiddle with things on the DL to make things go their way? (Yes); is the show edited unfairly at times? (Yes); and, most importantly, do people really have sex in the fantasy suite? (Yes!).
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For the Right Reasons
If you loved Bachelor Sean Lowe (“the most popular Bachelor in Bachelor history!” according to Chris Harrison—who never exaggerates), get more of his experience as the “virgin” Bachelor, who navigated the show and found a wife all while abstaining from sex until marriage due to his Christian beliefs.
Sean shares stories on his Baptist upbringing and growing up in Texas. He dives into his experiences on The Bachelor and The Bachelorette and how he was able to maintain his dignity and beliefs in such a crazy environment. This story is filled with ups and downs, successes and failures, heartbreaks and... love!
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I Said Yes: My Story of Heartbreak, Redemption, and True Love
Similarly to Sean Lowe, Bachelorette Emily Maynard is also a devout Christian. Her memoir recounts her experience as the winner of Brad Womack’s season and her own turn as Bachelorette.
She chose Jef (with one “f”), but alas, the romance was not meant to be. Maynard has seen her own share of hardship. After her fiancé was killed in a plane crash, a then 18-year-old Maynard found out just a day later that she was pregnant.
But it’s her Christian faith that has helped her persevere—and now she’s happily married with her third child on the way.
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Happily Ever After
Trista Sutter is basically the equivalent of Bachelorfranchise royalty. The first ever Bachelorette, she is still happily married to her choice for her final rose, then fireman Ryan Sutter.
The two have just celebrated their 13th wedding anniversary, and have two children. In her 2013 memoir Happily Ever After, Sutter relates the life-changing power of gratitude and positive thinking. It’s an inspirational read for those looking for “happily ever after.”
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My Reality
Anyone who’s been jilted in love felt for Melissa Rycroft in Jason Mesnick’s season of The Bachelor, when he chose her—only to change his mind and shack up with his second runner up, Molly, who is now his wife.
Rycroft’s memoir, My Reality, recounts her dating past, describing herself as “the girl who was always dumped.”
But nothing would hold spunky Rycroft down. A Dallas Cowboys cheerleader, she turned her celebrity status on The Bachelor into further television fame, including a spot on Dancing with the Stars. Now she’s the host of CMT’s Redneck Island, and is married with three children.
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The Perfect Letter
Yes, believe it or not, all that drama and romance on The Bachelor has inspired its host Chris Harrison to pen a novel. Leigh Merrill is a successful book editor in New York, engaged to the man of her dreams.
But when she must return home to Texas, she rediscovers a series of letters she wrote to a man she thought was the love of her life. Although it might seem like a slightly different version of Sweet Home Alabama, romance fans love this book, calling it “the perfect summer read” and “surprisingly un-put-downable.”
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This story was first published on Early Bird Books.
Promotional still from "The Bachelor" via ABC
