Not bad for a debut novel. I loved the beginning and the way a tough issue was broken up by light cheesy fun.
I would have liked to see more romance, though. I felt like there wasn't enough time spent together for the couple to commit to deciding that against all odds, they would come together to form a family.
I look forward to seeing what the author comes up with next.
This book was provided to me by the publisher, but as always, my opinion is my own.

This book is much more than a rom com!

Cassie Everton is an expert at escaping bad first dates. 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 dropping 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?

As a debut novel for Melissa, this was a total knock out. Not only was the romance between Cassie and Jett adorable, but it was also filled with laughter, heartbreak, and passion. What more could you want in a book? Both Cassie and Jett are passionate and selfless when it comes to those they love. I loved that this was more than a “meet cute” romance and instead filled with real social issues of child neglect, infertility, and adoption. I cannot wait to see what else Melissa writes.

I received a ebook copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This story has more drama than the typical rom-com. Still with all the flare and fun one expects from this type genre. There is also more depth and meaning to it.

There is a lot to love about this story. I love a book with a fun banter and this one had plenty of it. Plenty of laugh-until-you-cry moments along with sweet, heartwarming moments as well.

This was a really difficult book to review. I gave it 4 stars because I really enjoyed the story. But I feel like readers have been completely misled into thinking that this is a fluffy rom-com romance. At the heart of it, there is a love story, but there’s so much more! There were some really funny interactions throughout the book, but it spent a lot of time delving into deeper waters such as drug addiction, abuse, neglect, abandonment, fostering, infertility...the list goes on. I love how Melissa Ferguson deals with each of these topics, but what I feel is missing is the romance. I wanted to see how Cassie & Jett dealt with each other’s messy. I wanted to see some sparks fly. I wanted to know more of what happened in the gaps instead of radio silence.

Trigger-shy Cassie is tricked into a date with unencumbered firefighter Jett, who spent his formative years adoring Cassie from afar. It seems like an unbeatable match until she steps in to foster 3 kids that were part of her after school program. Their budding romance is also impacted when Jett’s drug addicted sister walks out during a visit, leaving her twins and a newborn behind for Jett to pick up the pieces. The chaos that ensues as they try to adjust to their respective new normals & not scare each other off is hilarious, and it’s pretty beautiful when their villages step up to lend a hand as they each embrace instant parenthood. But their hearts get tangled up in trying to tiptoe around what’s really happening, assumptions are made, and then the unthinkable happens. The good news is, it’s a gorgeous saga with a happy ever after, and deserves to be treated as such.

It started out good, but fizzled out. In the beginning the connection between Cassie & Jett was cute, but quickly disintegrated with misunderstandings and lack of communication. With the limited interaction between Cassie & Jet I don't know how they ended up together. The writing was good, but the children stole the show & saved this book.

THE DATING CHARADE -- I am going to admit to cheating. I read a two star review before reading the book and thought "No sexual tension? No romance? No fun!" But that said, that review was mostly wrong. There is no sexual tension, but there is romance of the lets be friends and have fun together type, and oh, there IS fun. Laugh out loud, subject your holiday guests to readings fun. I *loved* this book.



Okay, there are some soft swear words. There is lying - a lot of it. There are some gross things. And part of the ending felt so contrived. But that aside, this book is FUN. Murphy's Law fun. Take two singles who neither want kids, add three kids each, two elderly matchmakers, and a whole lot of inner-city teen girls and you have trouble to the tenth power fun.



If you like family drama, low-key friends-romance, and lots of laughs you will love THE DATING CHARADE. Grab your copy today. I will be looking for more by this author.





I was given a copy free. All opinions are my own.

Reflections From My Bookshelves
REFLECTIONS FROM MY BOOKSHELVES
The Dating Charade by Melissa Ferguson
The Dating Charade by Melissa Ferguson
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.

Purchase your copy here:
Amazon
My Review
When I picked up this book, I expected something silly and fun and light-hearted. What I didn’t expect was the deep and heart-wrenching aspect of this story. A story of kids dealing with a whole lot of family issues. It’s also a story of two people meeting and things seem to go well. The combination makes for a deep but also funny story. I liked how there was humor in the story. I giggled at several scenes.
Cassie and Jett were so fun to get to know. I wish they were real.
Although it wasnt quite what the story I expected, I was immediately drawn in and couldn’t put it down.

Melissa Ferguson weaved a story that will touch your heart and bring a smile to your face.

I recommend this book to my family and friends.

I received this book from the publisher to read and give my honest review. All thoughts are my own.

Looking at the cover of the book, I was expecting a fun lighthearted romance. What I didn't expect was the real life issues that children face everyday. The book is a look at two people trying to find their perfect mate. Cassie and Jett are both good characters but I found it funny that they didn't seem to really fit as a match.

Cassie has her doubts about using an online dating service but her profile does catch someones attention. Their first date is fun but will there be another one? There are a few funny moments in the story that I liked. However for me, the real story is about the children. I know first hand what it is like to know that your parents don't want you. For these children they go through such am emotional journey that my heart broke for them. It was hard to believe that Cassie and Jet find themselves with children at the same time. I couldn't figure out why they felt the need to hide the children from each other.

Star picked up right away that Cassie acted like she was ashamed to be seen with her. As a teenager what do you think that will do for her self esteem or rejection issues? The story just didn't flow well for me and it was difficult to connect with Jett and Cassie. I began the book with high hopes, but was quickly disappointed in the story because it was more about hiding children from each other than being honest with someone you wanted a relationship with. The ending was very predictable and the little conflict there was seemed to be skimmed over with an expected fix it solution. I didn't find hardly any faith element in the which disappointed me. I will be looking for more books from this author with expectations of more quality characters and a story that holds my attention.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

This book was so much more than I had expected. Yes, it is a romantic comedy that deals with being single in your thirties, and the online dating storyline was a hoot. As Cassie describes some of her "dates" I had to laugh. I am so glad I did not have to do this to find my perfect match. The humour and banter that Cassie and Jett have is heartwarming and fun. These two both wanted to find that "right one", and it seemed they were on the right track, until, the children. This was a well-written, heartbreaking storyline. It was extremely realistic, parents giving up their children for various reason, a major one being drugs and addictions. This could have been a very sad story, if not for two people who wanted to do the right thing. Both Cassie and Jett had strong feelings about abandoning the children they have taken under their wing, and they stepped up for their sake. Throw in children to a relatively new romance, secrets being kept, and two adults who are suddenly parenting three children each, neither of them with any experience raising children, and you know there will be humour along with heartbreak. I enjoyed this story a lot. Melissa Ferguson has an easy writing style, that flowed well, had fun dialogue and was totally relatable. This story was well balanced with humour, romance, love, and seriousness. A great debut novel, and an author I will watch in the future.

3.5 stars
"A hilarious and warmhearted rom-com debut..." That's the line that won me over and made me want to read this book because I do love a good rom-com. That said, this did not have that feel, not at all. Oh, it does have its funny moments, and I loved Jett's adjustments to dealing with toddlers and a baby, but rom-com? Nope. There is entirely too much serious here for that lighthearted, romantic comedy feel. I also didn't get much in the way of romance. This is a Christian romance, so I wasn't looking for steam or any of that, and I don't need that to enjoy a love story. After all, it's about love, not lust, but Jett and Cassie are overshadowed by the children in this story, and there's little room for romance. Which brings us to what I did like about this story. The kiddos. It's hard not to let these kids tug at the heartstrings, and some pretty serious issues are addressed throughout this story. In fact, some of those issues brought out my momma bear side, and I really wanted a few minutes alone with some parents. So, what it all boils down to is this - Christian fiction? Absolutely. Family drama? Yes, that too. Romance? Not so much, and the conclusion was a little farfetched in my opinion. The story kind of felt like a balance needed to be found between the drama and the romance, so that the reader could get some of both. Regardless, the story did hold my interest, and I'll be interested to see what this author does next.

I’m blown away that The Dating Charade is a debut novel because it reads like one penned by an expert, well-published author. I thoroughly loved every minute spent reading this book. The plot is highly engaging. One minute I was laughing hysterically, the next I was bawling like a blubbering baby. The characters are superb. I 1000% related to Cassie — to her ideals, to her naivety, to her well-meaning intentions, and to her insecurities and total fails. Jett is a swoony heartthrob who made me laugh so hard. I was rooting for him from the first moment he appears in the story. And, the themes in this novel are so thoughtful and timely. The Dating Charade is a true #MustRead story that I cannot recommend enough!

As I mentioned above, I really related to Cassie’s character. Cassie works with teen girls and has wanted to be a mother for as long as she can remember. Because Cassie loves kids, and because she is so naturally good with her girls from Girls Haven, she foolishly believes she is natural parent material. To Cassie’s way of thinking because she loves kids and is good with them parenting for her will be easy. I had to chuckle several times. Not at Cassie, but because once upon a time I was Cassie. Eight years ago I was pregnant with my one and only child. I knew with every fiber of my being that I was prime parent material. You see, in my family, I was called the baby whisperer. I adored children and had the canny ability to calm any child down. As a high school teacher who was really good at her job, I also knew how to speak teen. And, like Cassie, I had wanted to be a mom since I was a toddler. Naturally, all of this meant I was destined to be an excellent mom. Then I had my daughter and realized that I knew NOTHING and that I stunk real bad at the mom thing. It did not come naturally to me at all. It became very clear to me very quickly after my child was born that parenting is no joke and should never be entered into willy nilly. Like me, Cassie learns this lesson in spades and it was hilarious and heartbreaking to watch her receive her education.

The Dating Charade is a superb debut jam-packed with so much goodness I could not put this book down. I could go on and on in this review about the wonderfulness of this book, but I don’t want to spoil a thing. Suffice to say, The Dating Charade is a novel you need to get ASAP. Purchase your copy today. You will not be disappointed that you did!

I received a review copy of this novel in eBook form from the publisher, Thomas Nelson, via Celebrate Lit and NetGalley. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I really enjoyed THE DATING CHARADE! Are you sure that this is Melissa Ferguson’s debut? I am going to be putting her on my auto buy list after reading this wonderful story! THE DATING CHARADE will have you giggling out loud, at the same time holding your breath. Once I started reading, I couldn’t stop. Melissa Ferguson’s writing held me captive from the very first page until the last page. I can’t wait to read more of her stories. The characters are so real and believable, they feel as if they are people you know and really care about.


Jett and Cassie are both such wonderful and selfless characters. I was emotionally invested in Jett and Cassie, both of them work in jobs in THE DATING CHARADE that require sacrifice and they both care passionately about the people they take care of. Melissa Ferguson has written a contemporary story that takes place in Gatlinburg, Tennessee and is filled with strong, caring characters that everyone will be able to relate to and care about. Soon, you will feel as if you are right there with all these fun characters, struggling to figure out where their lives are going.



Melissa has a way of grabbing her readers and never letting them go! Such a fun and captivating story! There are some serious and sad parts to THE DATING CHARADE as well which really brought out just how giving they both are. And there is so much humor. I laughed out loud so many times while reading this refreshing story! Cassie has a great way of getting out of a bad date and it is so funny. When Jeff is at the church with the toddlers is hysterical. Make yourself a yummy hot drink, get your favorite blanket and get on the couch. THE DATING CHARADE is an awesome way to spend the afternoon or evening. Once you start, you won’t be able to put it down and will find yourself cheering for these amazing characters as they try to navigate their way through a very different and unique situation.





I received a review copy of this novel in from the publisher, Thomas Nelson, via Celebrate Lit and NetGalley. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

My Thoughts on The Dating Charade:
The Dating Charade is a great debut novel! I can’t wait to see what else Melissa Ferguson has up her sleeve. I didn’t want to put it down! The writing was great and kept me reading. Characters had their own voices and were delightfully unique. I mean who has a super tall best friend who works in an aquarium?! Umm not me but now I think I should!

While this book leaves you with warm fuzzies it also tackles some hard topics. Cassie herself can’t have children due to surgical issues and doctors not knowing quite what they were doing it sounds like. Jett just doesn’t want kids, but not for the reasons you might think. They both LOVE kids though! That’s how all the fun gets started!

Cassie takes in three little girls. She works at a place that helps at-risk children(particularly teens). When one of her girls goes off the radar and won’t reply to text messages she knows something is up. This also happens to be one of the girls she’s particularly close to. As she drives past her house last minute she sees things going down. Stopping to find out what’s going on she ends up going home with the three girls.

Jett gets three kids of his own when his sister(who he hotlined previously) shows up on his door. She’s got an extra little one from the last time he saw her. He loves these kids and will do anything he can to protect them.

As a mom of four siblings that I didn’t give birth to, I can really understand and feel for Jett. I know what it’s like to all of a sudden go from having none(well three in my case) to six kids overnight. I also know the heartbreak when you see someone not doing what is in the kids benefit or really taking care of them but you can’t do anything about it. This book tackles that and I love how well she does.

Hilarity ensues when Cassie and Jett keep dating but are determined not to tell the other about their new little kids. I laughed so hard! This book would not let me put it down. You’re going to love it! Highly recommend you read this book!

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Celebrate Lit. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.

I went in fully expecting a fluffy rom-com. What I walked away with at the end was a heartfelt drama with a lighthearted flare.

I knew both Cassie and Jett would have kids dropped on them, it’s there in the blurb. What I didn’t expect was the emotional toil that ran through each scene. That is in no way a bad thing. I appreciated the dose of reality amid all the fun and hilarity. Those moments helped ground the book and give it depth.

Cassie’s escape artist antics drew me into the story from the get-go. And thank goodness Bree has the good sense to know when enough is enough.

I’ll be honest and admit that miscommunication – or lack of communication – is one of my pet peeves. But I knew it was coming, again, it’s right there in the blurb. So, that helped me prepare for the disasters and I also thought Melissa Ferguson wrote the scenes in such a way that it felt natural. Would the truth have been easier…probably…but the end result might not have been the same and I loved how the story developed.

Can we get a novella just for Edie and Donna Gene? Pretty please? I feel these two have so much more to give and deserve their own story.

My favorite scene was the first basketball game between Cassie and Jett. Maybe because it touched on something personal between them while bringing back memories of my own dating experiences with my husband.

I requested a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. I was not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

The Dating Charade
By Melissa Ferguson
Rating: 4/5

This story was a lot of fun to read. I don’t think the title of the book is a good description of the story but I did enjoy it.

Cassie is fed up with the online world of dating but the girls at the youth center she runs have other ideas. Cassie longs to find a partner who wants to adopt but she is hesitant to put that on her dating profile.

Jett is a local fireman who signs up for online dating and notices that Cassie, his high school crush, is on the same site. When he sets up a date for them, he realizes that Cassie was completely blindsided and someone else had been sending messages on her behalf. Cassie refuses the date and doesn’t recognize him.

What happens when they finally start dating and falling in love and both of their lives jump head first into chaos and parental responsibilities?

The author alternates between Cassie and Jett’s point of view. The characters are flawed and fearful of sharing their messy lives with each other. Can anyone relate? They have huge hearts of gold and find themselves thrust into the craziness that is foster parenthood without warning. As someone who hopes to adopt some day, I loved this story. I liked how they talked about both sides of the story and how fostering is hopefully only temporary.

I highly recommend this story for those that love a heartwarming rom-com.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.

The Dating Charade is a very sweet contemporary Christian novel, it was a breath of fresh air! I loved the characters Cassie and Jett, they were likeable but not perfect! I was smiling a lot while reading the novel and excited to see how things between them and in their own lives would play out. I'm excited to see what this author comes out with next!

This was an absolutely charming read. I read it in one sitting and loved every minute. Bonus points for the absolutely spot-on depiction of the chaos of life with little people!

The Dating Charade by Melissa Ferguson is a enjoyable read. With scenes that will make you laugh out loud. Cassie has had many bad first dates and is about done with it and has decided that she will never find love. Jet sees her online dating profile and decides to give it a try, as he remembers her from high school. She was the unreachable girl. They have a great first date and then things get crazy for both their lives. A fun read. Looking forward to reading more from Melissa Ferguson.

I received this e-book from NetGalley. I was not required to leave a positive review and all opinions are my own.

The Dating Charade by Melissa Ferguson, 336 pages.
Thomas Nelson, 2019. $16.
Language: PG (3 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW
Since an accident that left her with injuries ensuring that Cassie would never have children of her own, she tries to make the most of her job with supporting girls who come from difficult homes. Jett, on the other hand, is a firefighter who wants to date and skip the having-kids part of life. When both Cassie and Jett find themselves caring for three children a piece, they learn more about kids, fixing mistakes, and love than they ever imagined.
While advertised as a Christian romance, I didn’t feel like The Dating Charade stuck out in either of those categories. I appreciate that this book is clean like Christian books are, but there are no strong Christian themes exhibited beyond going to church once. As for the romance, the complications of a new relationship are only a piece of the problems that the main characters are dealing with. My perspective is that the story is about two people with similar struggles who happen to cross paths during those struggles; the focus is more on their individual growth than on any blossoming romance. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book as I laughed aloud several times and even groaned at the inevitable misunderstandings. The mature content rating is for mentions of drug use.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

This debut novel by Melissa Ferguson leads me to believe she has a long, successful career in front on her.. This book was an easy, quick read with fun banter between the characters. I liked the main characters quite a bit, and there was a depth to the story due to the challenges they faced with their unexpected fosters.

What I didn't like: each character in this new relationship was hiding a major secret yet everything wrapped up so quickly. That didn't sit well with me due to the lack of trust in their relationship.

Overall, a fun read and I look forward to additional works from this author.

I was provided an advance copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.