Golden Years: What I’ve Learned from Love, Loss, and Reality TV

Turner recounts his stint on The Golden Bachelor in this affable memoir. Three years after his wife of 43 years died, Turner applied for the show at the urging of his daughters and got the gig. Here, he focuses primarily on his experiences filming the show, marrying (and then divorcing) winner Theresa Nist, and navigating the inevitable backlash that comes with the reality TV spotlight. Turner’s at his best when cataloging the emotional vertigo of having his first dates in decades be produced for millions of viewers: “As I slipped on a new crisp shirt and my Italian loafers for whatever insane mode of transportation awaited me,” he writes, “I constantly reminded myself that I was a Midwestern bumpkin living the fantasy life of someone much richer and more fabulous.” Though his aw-shucks tone mostly charms, readers may wish for a more candid approach in sections covering the contentious public reception to his and Theresa’s 2024 divorce. Still, fans of the show will be thrilled by the peeks inside the reality TV circus. It adds up to a sweet testament to the difficulties and rewards of searching for love late in life. Agent: Joe Veltre, Gersh Agency. (Nov.)