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If these books about The Bachelor and The Bachelorette prove anything, it’s that Bachelor Nation is full of tea. It’s been more than a decade since the first season of The Bachelor premiered in 2002, and in that time, there have been hundreds of men and women who have moved in and out of the Bachelor Mansion with hopes of finding love.
The Bachelor, hosted by Chris Harrison, premiered on March 25, 2002, with entrepreneur Alex Michel was the first-ever Bachelor. Though Alex broke up with his winner, Amanda Marsh, soon after his season, the Bachelor and its spinoffs—The Bachelorette, Bachelor in Paradise, Bachelor Pad, Bachelor Winter Games and Bachelor: Listen to Your Heart—became mega hits for ABC with millions of viewers each week. It’s no secret that the Bachelor franchise is a cultural phenomenon, but in the 15-plus years since the series started, there have been endless questions about how real the Bachelor franchise really is.
We’ll never know every deep and dark secret in Bachelor Nation, but thanks to these books about The Bachelor, we’re able to learn a bit more behind-the-scenes about America’s guilty pleasure. Ahead are the best books about The Bachelor to read if you want to know every juicy detail about Bachelor Nation.
Image: Courtesy of Penguin Books.
Though not written by a Bachelor Nation alum, Los Angeles Times writer Amy Kaufman’s book, Bachelor Nation: Inside the World of America’s Favorite Guilty Pleasure, is a deep dive into the Bachelor franchise. The book uncovers the secrets of Bachelor Nation, from how much the Bachelor and the Bachelorette are paid to the rules contestants have to follow, that producers don’t want fans to know. It’s a must-read for any Bachelor Nation fan who wants to know the deep and dark secrets of the franchise.
Image: Courtesy of Gallery Books.
Season 10 Bachelorette Andi Dorfman’s memoir, It’s Not Okay: Turning Heartbreak into Happily Never After, was one of the first big books to come out of the Bachelor franchise. In the book, Andi writes about her time on season 18 of The Bachelor and the real reason she rejected Bachelor Juan Pablo Galavis for his “bad behavior.” The book also talks about Andi’s time as the Bachelorette and her drama-filled relationship with winner and ex-fiancé Josh Murray after the show.
Image: Courtesy of It Books; HarperCollins.
Courtney Robertson, the winner of The Bachelor season 16 with Ben Flajnik, is often remembered as one of the greatest villains in Bachelor Nation. In I Didn’t Come Here to Make Friends: Confessions of a Reality Show Villain, Courtney writes about the “reality” of The Bachelor, why she called of her engagement to Ben and what fans didn’t see from her season.
Image: Courtesy of Plume.
Tyler Cameron was a fan favorite on season 15 of The Bachelorette with Hannah Brown. He was eliminated in second place and went on to date celebrities like Gigi Hadid. In his memoir, You Deserve Better: What Life Has Taught Me About Love, Relationships, and Becoming Your Best Self, which hits shelves on July 27, 2021, Tyler talks about toxic masculinity, his time on The Bachelorette and what Bachelor Nation fans don’t know about Tyler C.
Image: Courtesy of Gallery Books.
Season 23 Bachelor Colton Underwood’s memoir, The First Time: Finding Myself and Looking for Love on Reality TV, came amid his drama-filled breakup with winner, Cassie Randolph. The two split a couple months after his book’s release, and in an Instagram post at the time, Cassie accused Colton of trying to profit off their breakup by writing new chapters about their relationship. (He re-released the book in January 2021.) In the book, Colton recalls his “raw” breakup with Cassie and what it was like to be the franchise’s first virgin Bachelor.
Image: Courtesy of Thomas Nelson.
Of the 25-plus Bachelors who have been on our TV screens, Sean Lowe is among the few who is still with the winner of his season. The season 17 Bachelor married winner Catherine Giudici and shares three kids with her. In his memoir, For the Right Reasons: America’s Favorite Bachelor on Faith, Love, Marriage, and Why Nice Guys Finish First, Sean talks about what it was like to be a born-again virgin Bachelor, his life leading up to the franchise and the moments from his seasons fans didn’t see.
Image: Courtesy of Da Capo Lifelong Books.
Trista Sutter was the first-ever Bachelorette in 2003. She went on to marry winner Ryan Sutter, with whom she shares two kids. In her memoir, Happily Ever After: The Life-Changing Power of a Grateful Heart, Trista writes about what it was like filming the first-ever Bachelorette season and what it means to find her “happily ever after” on reality TV.
Image: Courtesy of Gallery Books.
Melissa Rycroft had quite the dramatic time on The Bachelor. After she won season 13 of The Bachelor with Jason Mesnick, Mesnick broke up with her following his realization that he was still in love with his runner-up, Molly Malaney. Melissa went on to become a fan favorite in Bachelor Nation and even competed on Dancing With the Stars. In My Reality, Melissa writes about what that breakup with Jason was really like and the behind-the-scenes secrets fans don’t know about.
Image: Courtesy of Thomas Nelson.
Emily Maynard was the season 8 Bachelorette and is known as one of the highest-paid leads to date. Though she got engaged to Jef Holmes on her season, it wasn’t until after the show that she found her happily ever after with her current husband, Tyler Johnson. In I Said Yes: My Story of Heartbreak, Redemption, and True Love, Emily looks back on the heartbreak she’s experienced in Bachelor Nation.
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