The Bachelor meets Cinderella and The Hunger Games. Thirty five girls are plucked (willing or not) from their ordinary lives to compete in a reality style competition to marry the future king of a dystopian United States in which a royal caste system has emerged. I can see why this series is popular, it is light and fluffy and easy to read. There is this extreme sense of wish fulfilment, that of a dreamy, romanticised Disney style fairy tale, that appeals to the age old trope that girls just want to become a princess and live a glittering life of luxury and extravagance married to the (idealised rich and powerful) man of their dreams. 
 However, I have to be honest and say that this is not the sort of series that I will ever be able to enjoy. I just cannot get past how superficial this book feels, the disgusting portrayal of females in general and the wholly problematic gender stereotypes regarding love and marriage. There are so many of your typical overused young adult tropes in this book, from the romantic relationships to the characterisation. In most cases the characters are resoundingly one-dimensional, bland, self-insert Mary Sues or Gary Stus. No, just no. These are the sorts of stories that help to prevent gender equality. The sort of stories that teach young girls to aspire to be nothing more than a placeholder in a male dominated world. 
 I gave this 2 stars because I can totally understand why people love this, it's just not for me unfortunately.