The Dating Charade | Book Review + Excerpt

ABOUT THE BOOK

Cassie Everson is an expert at escaping bad first dates. And, after years of meeting, greeting, and running from the men who try to woo her, Cassie is almost ready to retire her hopes for a husband—and children—altogether.

But fate has other plans, and Cassie’s online dating profile catches the eye of firefighter Jett Bentley. In Jett’s memory, Cassie Everson is the unreachable girl-of-legend from their high school days. Nervously, he messages her, setting off a chain of events that forces a reluctant Cassie back into the dating game.

No one is more surprised than Cassie when her first date with Jett is a knockout. But when they both go home and find three children dropped in their laps—each—they independently decide to do the right and mature thing: hide the kids from each other while sorting it all out. What could go wrong?

Melissa Ferguson’s hilarious and warmhearted debut reminds us that love can come in very small packages—and that sometimes our best-laid plans aren’t nearly as rewarding and fun as the surprises that come our way.

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Release Date: December 3, 2019

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MY REVIEW

Melissa Ferguson’s debut The Dating Charade is a delight. It easily lived up to my expectations—and more. If you are looking for a rom-com with some serious heart, this is the book for you.

Thanks to the joys of online dating, Cassie Everson has lost faith that she will find her person. Firefighter Jett Bentley has the potential to surprise her—but when each takes charge of three children, doubt colors their possibilities for the future. Will Cassie and Jett accept these changes in circumstances, or must they go it alone?

With a connection from the past, Cassie and Jett make a believable couple caught in a web of uncertainties and new romance. I had fun guessing at how they would navigate both the comical moments and the more complicated ones. And as they figure it out, their story proves heartwarming and sweet and oh so wonderful. I will definitely be revisiting this book in the future.

★★★★★

I received a complimentary copy of this book and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Melissa Ferguson lives in Bristol, Tennessee, where she is an adjunct professor at King University and pens books that make her laugh and grow. She used to have hobbies like running and backpacking the Appalachian Trail outside her door. Now she and her husband are outnumbered, and her hobbies include diaper changes, chasing toddlers in parking lots, and admiring the Appalachian Trail out her minivan window while singing “Winnie the Pooh.” She survives by Jesus, rom coms, and roughly two espresso shots a day. The Dating Charade is her first novel.

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EXCERPT

Read the first few chapters now.

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