Reality TV comes in all shapes, sizes
and types, from the sensationalist attention grabbing headline variety to the
ones with a genuine self-help ethic.
It was this which sparked the idea
behind my contemporary romance novel The Love Programme.
What if someone who had never had the
opportunity to date much, fall in love and discover all about themselves in the
process ended up as part of a reality TV series about finding love…
In the novel Lucy has to get away from
her home town for a while thanks to her ex-boyfriend and former childhood
sweetheart Marcus abandoning Amelie, his bride to be, at the altar. The reason
he walks out on his wedding? He says he’s still in love with Lucy, even after
all this time!
Lucy feels stifled by Marcus and his
reluctance to accept they don’t have a future together so she jumps at the
chance to be a last minute replacement on a TV series called The Love
Programme. Two weeks of luxury living on a grand country estate in the
Highlands of Scotland – complete with castle and handsome laird – and the
chance for some expert help and advice from the programme’s love psychologist
Zelda. Maybe this will give Lucy the chance to finally discover who she is and
what she wants from life, men and relationships.
In the book the reality TV series The
Love Programme is based on contestants having one to one advice sessions with
the TV psychologist and then going on tailor made dates with the programme’s
‘love interest’ Isaac. All designed to help each person learn about their dating
likes and dislikes and get a picture of the right kind of man and relationship
to suit them in the future.
This is Lucy’s chance to, for once, just
be herself and not who Marcus, or anyone else for that matter, wants her to be.
Unfortunately things are not as straight forward as Lucy hoped when she fails
miserably at her first task – to complete a detailed profile questionnaire for Zelda
the psychologist! Lucy simply doesn’t know the answers to all those thought
provoking and soul searching questions!
The handsome laid and estate owner Paul
– definitely not part of The Love Programme course and firmly off the agenda,
or so the contestants are told – provides something of a welcome if confusing
distraction for Lucy. He’s charming, friendly and good company but who is the
mysterious Hannah who keeps being mentioned?
Working with Zelda and her programme
date Isaac, Lucy starts trying to figure out her feelings about life, love and
relationships but then she hears Marcus isn’t giving up just yet and is on his
way to Scotland to find her and convince her to give him another chance.
It seems The Love Programme has its work
cut out if it’s going to sort out Lucy’s life…
The Love Programme by Zanna Mackenzie is
available in paperback and ebook formats via Amazon:
Lucy’s life is a mess. With her ex
pursuing her across the country, she flees to Scotland and finds herself part
of a reality TV show about love… will she find some answers or end up even more
confused in matters of the heart?
No comments:
Post a Comment