The Dating Charade Review and Excerpt!

Posted by abakersp in Contemporary / 1 Comment

Welcome to the blog tour for The Dating Charade!! Get ready too add another favorite romcom author to your list!

Book: The Dating Charade

Author: Melissa Ferguson

Genre: Contemporary Romantic Fiction, Romantic Comedy

Release Date: December 3, 2019

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.

Click here to get your copy!

This story was everything I wanted it to be and more. It was funny, a little quirky, emotional, romantic, and had a great message. Ferguson managed to sweep me off my feet with her debut novel, and has inserted herself on my favorite romcom author list. Cassie and Jett are just the perfect pair – I think could read about them all the time.

Romance aside, what really spoke to me was the storyline about the kids – both on Cassie’s side and Jett’s side. I really have a heart for helping kids, and Cassie is someone I really admire. There is so much darkness in the world, and many times that darkness has an affect on children. It absolutely breaks my heart. But then comes Ferguson, reminding me that there are good people in the world, trying to make a difference and helping out. It absolutely warmed my heart. Was it easy? No way, and I’m glad she didn’t sugar coat it, because it’s not. But it is doable.

Storyline aside, Ferguson’s writing style is just wonderful. It kind of reminds me of Bethany Turner, another author I absolutely adore. She writes realistically, even the thoughts in the character’s head. And she writes in today’s world – she had online dating, which I found hilarious by the way. Not that Jett and Cassie ended up together, but the way Cassie described her prior dates. I was rolling on the floor! And that kind of humor was found throughout the book, but Ferguson also knew how to weave in emotion, serious topics, and real life. It was just a great balance of everything – kind of like an everything bagel (my favorite!). Romcom readers are going to fall in love with this story, and its author!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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.