ALL THE RIGHT REASONS

A mother-daughter duo film a dating show for single parents with only children.

When 17-year-old Cara Hawn accidentally posts a private diary-style video of her and mom Julia crying and venting about her dad, the man who tore their family apart, it goes viral. Thanks to its popularity and their raw appeal, they’re invited to audition for a new reality show called Second Chance Romance. After they successfully land starring roles, Cara and Julia find themselves at the center of a Bachelorette-style dating game during which Julia will choose a potential husband and Cara vets her would-be stepsiblings. Things get complicated when Cara finds herself falling for Connor Dingeldein, a contestant’s son. For those who are curious about the behind-the-scenes elements of reality TV, the novel offers plenty of detail and gives a sense of the tedious nature of the process and the deliberate manufacturing of drama. Mangle deftly handles the tensions and hurt of a family post-divorce and the authenticity of a mother-daughter relationship. Overall, the plot feels low stakes and the story takes a while to build, but a little twist at the end offers a sweet wrap-up. Korean Julia was adopted by White American parents; Cara is biracial (her father is White), and there is some racial diversity in the supporting cast. White Connor self-identifies as disabled due to his Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

Fluffy and fun.