All Made Up
by Kara Isaac
Summary
Everyone thinks Katriona McLeod is living the dream. Her professional career as a makeup artist sees her traveling the world working with the stars, and she’s got no shortage of men wanting her affection. Only problem is she’s never gotten over Caleb Murphy, the one guy she’s ever loved. When she accepts a job on the latest looking-for-love reality TV show, Falling for the Farmer, she discovers to her horror that Caleb is the leading man and she’s cast as one of his harem. But she hides a secret that means that even if she wanted a second chance with the guy who broke her heart, she could never have it.
Caleb Murphy couldn’t care less about C-Class celebrity fame or reality TV, and he certainly doesn’t believe it could lead him to love. The one thing he does care about is fulfilling his mother’s last wish. Kat’s presence on the show seems to offer up a solution that will make both the network and his mother happy. It might have been almost ten years since they split, but he knows he can trust her with his plan. Just as long as he doesn’t fall in love all over again with the woman who will never stay.
My Review
This was my first book by this author, and now I’m hooked! I’m already planning to read her entire backlist. This story was absolutely delightful—cute, wholesome, and deeply endearing. It had the perfect balance of humor, heart, and emotion, making me laugh, swoon, and even tear up a little toward the end.
I didn’t realize going in that this book follows a side character from another story in the series who finally gets her own happy ending. However, I never felt lost or like I was missing key details. That said, I’m now eager to go back and read the previous books, even though I already know how this particular character’s journey unfolds.
The premise of this story is so much fun—a dating reality show set in the Australian Outback, reminiscent of The Bachelor, but with a fresh and charming twist. I loved the behind-the-scenes look at how the show operated, with all the little details that made it feel like a real reality TV experience. The book also playfully poked fun at the genre without being too over-the-top, which I appreciated.
That said, I did wish there had been a little more time spent on Kat’s experience as a contestant. We didn’t see much interaction between her and the other women competing for Caleb’s attention, and I would have enjoyed a few more group dates and the inevitable reality-show drama before the setting shifted to Caleb’s farm. The transition felt a bit fast, and I would have loved to soak in that dynamic just a little longer.
Despite that, Kat and Caleb completely won me over. They felt like real people dealing with real struggles, making them easy to relate to. Their chemistry was fantastic, and I loved how their relationship unfolded with both humor and depth. There were plenty of laugh-out-loud moments (the pig scene on the farm was a highlight!), but the story also carried a surprising amount of emotional weight. That depth made their romance feel even more rewarding, and I found myself fully invested in their journey.
This is a sweet, closed-door romance with no language or spice, and it also includes faith elements woven naturally into the story, which I thoroughly enjoyed. If you love second-chance romances with emotional depth, well-developed characters, and a fresh, unique setting, I highly recommend this book! I can’t wait to read more from Kara Isaac.