Such a cute and useful book. Mothers and daughters will get so much from these dates. It’s mostly for the tween age range, and mine is a little too old for some of these. She’s 14 and we’ve had most of these conversations already and in fact have done a lot of these dates too. And I can tell you, it really does work. But what I love about the book is that each date is paired with a conversation point and “object lesson” to work in to it. But great things like “real physical beauty is the unique qualities that only I have.” Things that even moms could learn from in these conversations. I love it!

As a mother of a teenage daughter, I was looking forward to reading 8 Great Dates for Moms and Daughters: How to Talk About Cool Fashion, True Beauty, and Dignity by Dannah Gresh. The idea of the book was great but I found some of the suggestions to be awkward.

A must read for all moms of daughters. So important to take the one on one time to spend with your impressionable daughters

While the concepts of this book were good, some things were abstract and unconventional. I like the idea of mothers and daughters spending time together, but it shouldn't be expensive. It should happen a lot, but it doesn't have to be an extravagant event, it really just needs to be a connection and you should teach your girl that it doesn't need to be centered around money. A picnic, a walk, etc. would be equally as rewarding as an upscale restaurant.

I received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

This has been a lovely book to read, as a new mum to a daughter I look forward to spending time with her when she is older and can appreciate it more. Thank you!

The concept behind the book was fantastic. I really wanted to read it. But it was formulaic. It was all based around dates with significant lessons but in reality, girls need to hear these lessons all the time. They need to process these ideas of godliness anytime they are shopping or playing makeup artist with a friend, etc. Conversations like these should be happening consistently and that didn’t seem to be anywhere in the book.

Target audience reached. With a 10 year old daughter who is drifting away in the midst of hormonal changes, I had high hopes for this book to help us reconnect. The verse on the dedication page happens to be my focus verse for the year. Everything was lining up for me to love this book. Long story short, the content is good but delivery is “cringey” as my daughter would say.

Part one discusses what a typical girl goes through at puberty and what can be expected at this stage. It reminds mothers that we have been there and often relive the strong emotions for a couple of days each month. This portion of the book, while a nice reminder, could have been expanded more. The end of part one gives an overview of the dates, and some general suggestions about how to implement them.

The dates themselves are fine ideas of things to do to connect with our daughters such as visiting a fancy tea house, shopping for modest clothing, and a hair appointment. However, I found some of the details a bit strange. For instance, in date number one, the idea is to have a fancy tea date with fine china and fancy desserts to illustrate the concept that our daughters are special. However, the author suggests starting the date (in a public place) by massaging our daughter’s hands with scented lotion while kneeling. My daughter would be mortified at the idea.

Each date is well organized with preparation instructions, a podcast to listen to together (unavailable at time of this review), description of the date and how to incorporate a provided worksheet, followed by a reminder to pray before going home. While the questions on the worksheet are thought provoking, filling this out during the date does not feel like a natural thing to do. I think my daughter would lose interest if I were consulting books and worksheets, rather than being in the moment with her in a genuine conversation.

Part three at the back of the book includes twenty devotionals for the daughter, a FAQ section, and tear out worksheet pages to be used on the dates.

The timing of this release is unfortunate. The outings suggested are expensive or very difficult with public health restrictions. However, the author does give ideas for home based, less expensive options.

This appears to be a new edition of an existing book which is based on a workshop. The updated cover is significantly more appealing than the 2010 version. However, this feels like a workshop in book form, perfect for those who cannot get to one of the author’s workshops. I would recommend this book to mothers and daughters who enjoy following a detailed plan and filling out worksheets rather than to those who are more free spirited or want to put their own spin on things.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harvest House for providing this ebook for review.

This is a great book! I love how detailed the dates are! I appreciate the organization of the date, explanation of the purpose and thoughtful questions to help Mom plan and execute a great experience for both herself and her daughter! I appreciate the connection to scripture and think this is a great way for Moms and Daughters to bond in their faith and grow together through the important tween and teen years.

I will admit i totally did not see that this was a christian read, that said i enjoyed reading and learning more about the things my own daughter will be going through (also refreshing what happened to my body when i was becoming a women) I am in love with the dates which i plan to try out a few with my daughter.

thought this would be a useful read for lockdown and it didnt disappoint! Lots of cute and needed tips for moms and daughters

Such a fun and lovely book with lots of tips and fun ideas to do with your daughter. Can't wait to try them!