These 20 reality stars became best-selling authors

When Andy Cohen isn’t hosting a Real Housewives reunion or executive-producing a host of Bravo shows, he’s authoring best-selling books, including his 2014 release, The Andy Cohen Diaries. His most recent best-seller, The Daddy Diaries, which details never-heard-before stories about celebrities, hit the shelves in 2023. 

This former Apprentice star’s book, Unhinged, detailing her time in The White House as a staffer for Donald Trump, became a New York Times best-seller in 2018. If you know anything about Omarosa, then you’d know the title is fitting!

Bethenny Frankel is arguably one of the most successful reality stars there is. She starred in several television shows, including The Real Housewives of New York, The Big Shot, and her own talk show in 2013. She wrote a book all about her success, titled Business is Personal, which became a No. 1 NYT best-seller in 2022. 

Once this Real Housewives of New Jersey star was released from federal prison, her memoir, Turning the Tables: From Housewife to Inmate and Back Again, became an instant best-seller. However, her position wasn’t new to her. She’s been on the best-seller list prior, thanks to her cookbooks Skinny Italian and Fabulicious!

Travis Stork, known for The Bachelor and The Doctors, became a best-selling author after penning the fitness books The Lean Belly Prescription and The Doctor’s Diet. 

Lauren Conrad’s best-selling book, Celebrate, which gives readers the best tips and tricks for throwing the most extravagant parties, reached No. 1 following its release in 2016. She’s also penned additional books, including L.A. Candy, Sweet Little Lies, and Sugar and Spice.  

Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Heather Gay wrote about her experience leaving the Mormon church in her best-selling memoir Bad Mormon. 

Snooki’s book, A Shore Thing, was named to the best-seller list following its release in 2011. “OMG. I’m a New York Times Best Selling Author,” she wrote on X, formerly Twitter, when she announced the news. 

Next Level Basic: The Definitive Basic Bi-ch Handbook is a hilarious guidebook for readers wanting to embrace their “best basic selves” written by Vanderpump Rules star Stassi Schroeder in 2019. Three years later, she struck gold again with her second publication, Off with My Head: The Definitive Basic B*tch Handbook to Surviving Rock Bottom. 

This A-list matriarch detailed the early years of building her family’s multi-billion dollar empire in her Simon & Schuster best-seller, Kris Jenner… and All Things Kardashian, back in 2012.  

If you think Paris Hilton's best-selling memoir, Paris, details her life as an A-list socialite, you'd be right. However, it goes much deeper, touching on her activism, life as a wife, and new motherhood. 

The awe-inspiring Jessica Simpson bore it all in her 2021 memoir, Open Book. It’s a brutally honest and powerful account of her life from age 15 onward and shows readers why the celebrity is more relatable than one would think. 

You may know Nikki and Brie Bella from their time on Total Divas or Total Bellas. Or perhaps you’ve seen them drop-kicking their components on Monday Night Raw. Either way, their touching memoir, Incomparable, takes fans deeper than ever, sharing stories about how “loss, abuse, and plenty of rough times” ultimately made them shine bright as diamonds. 

Counting The Cost is the second book by Jill Duggar. This publication takes fans of her family’s wildly popular reality show, 19 Kids and Counting, on quite the ride, sharing the “unedited truth” of what it was like growing up a Duggar. The NYT best-seller shares shocking tales, including “secrets, manipulation, and intimidation.” 

Colton Underwood is definitely one of the most problematic contestants ever to pass out a rose on The Bachelor. He released his best-selling memoir, Finding Myself and Looking for Love on Reality TV, in 2020, where he wrote about his relationships with different women. The following year, Underwood came out as gay and announced his Netflix reality series documenting his journey, Coming Out Colton. 

For Queer Eye's Jonathan Van Ness, growing up as a gay man in the Midwest wasn't always easy. He detailed his lived experience in his best-selling publication, Over The Top, which will certainly leave readers feeling hopeful and empowered.  

Holly Madison was Hugh Hefner’s No. 1 girlfriend, so you better believe she had exciting stories to tell. And that she did. Holly’s book, Down The Rabbit Hole, hit shelves in 2016 and became an immediate hit among readers.  

Erika Jayne has always said it’s expensive to be her, and she wrote all about it in her NYT best-seller, Pretty Mess. 

Kristin Cavallari from Laguna Beach and The Hills produced two best-sellers following her time on reality TV. Roots, a cookbook of gluten-free recipes, and Balancing in Heels hit the New York Times Best Sellers' list. 

Fans loved Brandi on the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills because of her outspoken personality and demeanor, so it’s unsurprising that her memoir, Drinking & Tweeting, reached No. 1 on NYT’s list.