Just when you think you’ve met your match . . . the charade begins. 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. … 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.
“A heartwarming charmer.” –Sheila Roberts, USA TODAY bestselling author of the Moonlight Harbor series
“The Dating Charade will keep you smiling the entire read. Ferguson not only delights us with new love, with all its attendant mishaps and misunderstandings, but she takes us deeper in the hearts and minds of vulnerable children as Cassie and Jett work out their families–then their dating lives. An absolute treat!” –Katherine Reay, bestselling author of The Printed Letter Bookshop
“The Dating Charade is hilarious and heartwarming with characters you truly care about, super fun plot twists and turns, snappy prose, and a sweet romance you’re rooting for.” –Rachel Linden, bestselling author of The Enlightenment of Bees
“Melissa Ferguson is a sparkling new voice in contemporary rom-com. Though her novel tackles meaningful struggles–social work, child abandonment, adoption–it’s also fresh, flirty, and laugh-out-loud funny. Ferguson is going to win fans with this one!” –Lauren Denton, bestselling author of The Hideaway and Glory Road
“A jolt of energy featuring one of the most unique romantic hooks I have ever read. Personality and zest shine through Ferguson’s evident enjoyment at crafting high jinks and misadventures as two people slowly make way for love in the midst of major life upheaval. A marvelous treaty on unexpected grace and its life-changing chaos, Cassie and Jett find beautiful vulnerability in redefining what it means to live happily-ever-after.” –Rachel McMillan, author of The London Restoration and the Three Quarter Time series
“Ferguson delivers a stellar debut. The Dating Charade is a fun, romantic albeit challenging look at just what it takes to fall in love and be a family. You’ll think of these characters long after the final page.” –Rachel Hauck, New York Times bestselling author of The Wedding Dress
- A sweet romantic comedy that can be read as a standalone.
- Book length: 76,000 words.
- Includes discussion questions for reading groups.
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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.
Oh my word, what an absolutely delightful novel! From the first chapter I knew I would love this book, and love it I did! Cassie and Jett were both such great characters and I loved their story! It has been quite a while since I read a great rom-com, and this one is fabulous, I lost count of the number of times this book had me laughing out loud, and while this book does tackle some tough topics I never felt like it was a depressing read, quite the contrary in fact, it is heart-stirring and immensely entertaining in equal measures!
All the children were wonderful characters, and so well drawn.
I can’t forget to mention that I was particularly charmed by the fact that Jett is a firefighter!
I loved this book from beginning to end, and hated to stop reading! I’m already itching to re-read The Dating Charade, it’s that good! Melissa Ferguson has a forever fan in me!
If you’re looking for a book that will crack you up, have you happy-sighing at the romance, and also tug at your heartstrings, The Dating Charade is the perfect choice! This book is just the thing to turn your frown upside down! I most highly recommend The Dating Charade, and I cannot wait for Melissa Ferguson’s next book!
(5 Stars!)
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. Which did not influence my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions are one hundred percent my own!
I appreciate a story that tackles real and serious and heavy issues in life, and Ms. Ferguson does it so well.
On the surface the romance was almost too cute, the dialogue, banal banter—ban-ban—was fun and entertaining. But then fate threw both Cassie and Jett a spiral curve ball and the easy romance was suddenly tangled and tricky.
Ms. Ferguson does not gloss over or make light of the messy issues that landed the children with Cassie and Jett. The juxtaposition between their responses added a depth to the story—Cassie embracing the task with open heart and arms, Jett trying to figure how to get out of it.
The balance of gritty reality and sweet romance, with a generous dose of humor, makes this a superb read. Ms. Ferguson writes with a natural and easy style, and her debut novel is a definite winner!
ROBIN’S FEATHERS
ALL | THE | FEATHERS!
I received a complimentary copy of this book, but was under no obligation to read the book or to post a review. I offer my review of my own free will. The opinions expressed in my review are my honest thoughts and reaction to this book.
#Blogwords, Tuesday Reviews-Day, #TRD, Book Review, The Dating Charade, Melissa Ferguson, Celebrate Lit Tours
Jett and Cassie went to high school together and several years later meet on an online dating website. Cassie has her dates and escape plan down to a science-thanks to her friend Bree but eventually gives Jett a chance.
Suddenly Jett and his roommate Sunny find themselves trying to take care of his sisters 3 kids-2 three year old twins and young baby. Thank goodness their neighbor Sarah also helps with the kids while Jett continues to work his job as a firefighter and is thrown into the life of diapers, tantrums, and messes.
Cassie works with teenage girls at The Haven needing assistance and suddenly finds herself with custody of teenager Star and her two younger sisters. Cassie quickly realizes that working with teenagers is completely different from raising teenagers.
Some of the details of both sets of kids were so horrifying and brought me to tears-the neglect, abuse, drugs, starvation, development delays… both Jett and Cassie work hard in their separate situations to give the kids a temporary home all the while trying to date each other but not share the news about their “kids”.
I’m not sure why it took them so long to share personal details because I think they could have helped each other out more. I guess because it was a new relationship and they didn’t want to scare each other off with the news of-by the way I have custody of 3 kids now?!! It was funny how they tried explaining off the noises, dirty clothes and calls to the firehouse as neither of them wanted to tell the other about their living situation.
All the day to day drama with both of them made me laugh and cry. This author did such a great job with the struggles and horrors of foster care, trying to be a single parent, and trying to just get thru the day-loving and hating every minute of it-being exhausted but grateful at the end of the day. As a parent, I could relate to so many of the struggles, laughs and tears. I loved reading this book!
I received a copy of this book complimentary for blog and social media review. All opinions are my own.
This was a very emotional story for me. The things Cassie and Jett went through separately brought tears to my eyes at times. But there were funny moments and loving moments as well. The main characters and supporting characters were all people I’d be proud to call friends. The elderly pair, Edie and Donna Gene, gave me some chuckle moments too.
Cassie keeps getting bum dates from a dating site but she wisely has an escape plan ready in case of a misfire. When she bumps into an old high school acquaintance, Jett, things begin to happen between them. Unexpectedly Cassie takes in three children that have been abandoned by their mother. At the same time Jett finds himself taking care of his nephews and niece that his sister practically drops on his doorstep. They each think the other dislikes children because of their dating profile. The fun starts when they both try to hide the existence of the children from each other. “Oh what a tangled web we weave!”
I throughly enjoyed this novel. It was time well spent. The cover is quite eye catching too.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through Celebrate Lit but was not required to write a review positive or otherwise.
If I had to describe The Dating Charade by Melissa Ferguson in one word, it would be adorable. I liked this book from the first page and went through all the emotions with it. I laughed, I cried, and I smiled again. While there’s laugh-out-loud humor, there’s also intense emotional drama that brought me to tears. Embedded in it all are themes about family, love, and self-sacrifice.
Adoption and fostering children play a large part in The Dating Charade. It was a pleasure to watch Cassie and Jett adapt to their new normal as foster parents. While I didn’t like some of their decisions/actions, the sweet romance and the promise of a happily-ever-after kept me interested. The ending felt a bit rushed, without Cassie and Jett really working to resolve/compromise on some of their differences of opinion. Still, I finished the novel with a smile on my face.
The Dating Charade by Melissa Ferguson will appeal to readers who enjoy inspirational contemporary romance. Attendance at church functions is depicted, but the book is not overly preachy. It’s a strong debut novel that I’ll keep to reread and I look forward to more of Melissa Ferguson’s work.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided an arc copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.
Wow! I loved this story!!! I cannot believe that this is Melissa Ferguson’s debut! I am definitely going to be watching out for more of her work! I hope she’s a fast writer! This book was full of everything I love in a romance – humor, heart, wonderful main characters, great secondary characters, and, of course, a happily ever after with a few bumps along the way!
Jett and Cassie are both such wonderful and giving characters. There are some serious and sad parts to this story, which really brought out just how giving they both are. And the humor? I laughed out loud so many times while reading this story! Cassie’s sure way out of a date is so funny. And Jett with the toddlers at church is hilarious! I think I laughed nonstop that entire scene! My only one tiny issue with this story is that I wished Jett and Cassie had more page time together.
I’m really hoping we get Bree’s story next. But, if not, I’ll be reading whatever Melissa Ferguson writes next! Wonderful debut!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review.
This is a charming debut novel by Ms. Ferguson. If you enjoy comedy and romance, then this is a book for you. This story features Cassie and Jett. Jett remembers Cassie from high school and is intrigued with her. Cassie’s idea of a date is in trying to discover her date’s omissions and shortcomings. Then, Jett attempts to go on a date with Cassie. After their first blunder, readers will go on a journey to discover if Cassie and Jett are meant to be together. There are many surprises along the way for both as each are faced with fostering children. Additionally, this book draws the reader in to the entire story so that you not only want to know what happens to Cassie and Jett, but all of the secondary characters as well. The family dynamics in the book are well written and heartfelt. I highly recommend this book! I believe that you will thoroughly enjoy it! I will be reading this author again!
***I was given a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher. This is my honest opinion. Even though I received this copy free, this is my own opinion.
This book is a delightful surprise, full of heartfelt moments and laugh-out-loud antics. I adored the whole cast of characters AND the setting! The Dating Charade feels like an excellent introduction to Ferguson’s voice and what she has to offer as an author. I’m excited to see what unique stories she’ll bring to the table.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel via NetGalley and courtesy of the publisher. All expressed opinions belong to me.
All the hearts on the cover of The Dating Charade are entirely fitting because this story has heart in a big way! I laughed, I cried, I hugged my kids, I told one of my kids to read this book! There is entirely too much I love about this story to put it all into words! The author has nestled Cassie and Jett’s story in a diverse and dynamic community of friends, family, and coworkers like a big ‘ol hug that’s always there when you need it.
The romantic element is innocent and sweet with more almost-kisses than I could keep track of amidst two simultaneous (and semi-secretive) parenting crash courses… and I can’t find a single thing to complain about besides the fact that the story had to end. Melissa Fergeson’s debut is a “nothing but net” three-point shot for the win! I highly recommend this story!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review. The opinions expressed are my own.
I absolutely loved this book! It was basically contemporary romance perfection in my book. This heartwarming story was sprinkled with humor and had a plot that kept me invested while being completely entertaining. The characters were great and were easy to love! Excellent first read for me by this author!!! I’m so excited to have another romance author to add to my list! This one is going to be one of my favorites of the year!
In this modern day world where dating takes place on line or by an app. Cassie Everson is ready to throw in the towel. Fortunately she has her best friend and the kids at The Haven. Jett Bentley, firefighter and nice guy, has been taking heat from his friends to get back into the dating pool. He finds his high school crush, Cassie is on line. While she is rejecting everyone, her best friend Bree takes things in hand. Although she doesn’t remember him, he definitely remembers her. Seeds are planted. An official date is planned. Life has other plans. Neither is telling each other the whole truth. Fears are mounting. Then a generic conversation derails them. With the help of two elderly ladies, Valentine’s Day turns out to be more than anyone could expect. I love the ending!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Don’t let the cute cover and title of Melissa Ferguson’s debut novel lull you into shoving this book into one genre. The Dating Charade has depth and heart (and yeah, there are some laughs along the way).
Ferguson draws readers in with Cassie’s online dating mishaps followed by Jett’s interest and determination in pursuing something with Cassie. Then she yanks on your heartstring with the children who come into Cassie and Jett’s lives and turn all their well-laid plans on their heads.
Reading this book ran me through the emotional spectrum. I’d be chuckling at the antics of the children or the chaos the adults found themselves in only to be tearing up over the heartache and loss in these young lives. Star and her sisters especially got me.
I also admired the friendship between Bree and Cassie. It’s the best kind of friendship. The one where you have each other’s backs but also feel comfortable speaking truth or getting your hands dirty for the betterment of the other.
Ferguson’s heart for foster care and adoption shine throughout The Dating Charade, but I can also tell this is an author who cherishes the humorous situations in life. This book was so much more than I was expecting it to be in the best kind of way.
Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
What a fantastic debut novel from Melissa Ferguson! She has landed herself firmly into the Christian Fiction family with this story and will be going nowhere for the foreseeable future! The characters are engaging, heart-warming, and funny. I especially enjoyed those of the elderly crowd! The plot is filled with realistic, funny circumstances and some that are heart-breaking and moving. This book will give you all the feels…in a good way! I’m really looking forward to what Ms. Ferguson brings us next!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. A positive review was not required. All opinions expressed are my own.
Cassie works with at-risk teens, and she’s hopeless when it comes to dating. She’s got an exit strategy planned out for dates, and she’s fairly picky in what she wants for a guy. She also can’t have children and she knows too well that can pose a problem for potential suitors. Jett remembers Cassie from high school, so when he sees her on a dating site, he sends her a message. He sees she doesn’t want children and that’s the future he envisions for himself. But all his plans for trying to get her to give him a chance are brushed off. The best-laid plans can always go awry.
This was a cute read, watching the plans Cassie had laid out as an escape plan on dates had me laughing. I liked Jett’s persistence and creativity when it came to figuring out what makes Cassie tick. My copy was an ARC so I understand the numerous spelling mistakes, but Ferguson is a huge fan of using “and” in place of commas, “x and y and z” multiple times just didn’t do it for me, the writing often came off a bit juvenile with things like that happening. Some proper editing could easily fix that. Also, what started off strong as a fun romantic comedy quickly turned clean romance with the focus on the adoptions and the romance took a back burner. Overall not a bad read and that’s why I give it 4-stars, but not the right fit for me.
The storyline was well written and the characters were so very likable and believable that Jett and Cassie kept me totally engaged throughout the entire book! I look forward to reading more of this talented author’s work!
I believe this is the debut novel by this talented author. This started out with a funny bang. I loved the whole escape plan with the heroine’s best friend. I felt the characters were all very likable and that is important to me as a reader. However, I felt the romance that started off nicely kind of trailed off a little bit. The emphasis was mostly on the children. Which was fine, but I do wish there was more interaction with the Hero and Heroine because I love romance. I wish there was a bit more in it. The ending was fun and it was HEA! So Yay! All in all a good debut and I will be reading more from this promising author.
*I was given a copy by the publisher and this is my honest opinion.
I confess that the first thing that attracted me to this book was this super cute cover and I was very curious to read it because I love funny stories involving bad dates.Other than being a Christian romance, I love best-behaved romance so much….LOL… They are so so sweet.
Cassie is tired of being so disappointed in her unsuccessful dates and always coming across the wrong guy, she already has strategies to get away at the right time. She works at a place that takes cares of girls at risk and has made good friends there.
Jett had a crush on Cassie during high school and when she has a chance to get closer to her now, he will do everything in his power to make her realize that he might be the right guy for her.
Although in the blurb it says it is a romantic comedy, in fact the book is more of a dramatic comedy because the main focus eventually falls on how Cassie and Jett will have to face both the custody of children who have fallen over them.
I liked the way the writer worked on this issue with kids from complicated homes who end up at foster homes, but I missed more chemistry among the main characters, their romance ends up very much in the background and this discouraged me a little because I expected at least more dates and more chemistry between them.
But I had a great time with the ladies Donna Gene and Edie.
3,5/5 stars
The very thing that should have drawn them together was keeping them apart
Such a funny and heartwarming story!
I don’t always enjoy stories that combine humor and serious elements. A balance is needed to make this work. To not make the humor seem out of place in the midst of the tragedy or to make the more serious elements seem like a shock because they are so extreme. Melissa Ferguson crafted a story that had me laughing and pulling out the Kleenex!
The failed dates Cassie had been on had her careful to always have an exit plan. And what an exit plan she had! The poor dates didn’t really know what happened! She was so done with the jerks she was meeting through the online app, that when Jett contacted her, she blew him off completely. Which would have been THE END if not for her friend Bree.
I loved the connection between Cassie and Jett. And that his being a few years younger wasn’t an issue for her. They worked so well together and the one-on-one basketball games they played were so intense! Competitiveness and attraction made for some great moments.
Circumstances surrounding their unexpected blessings, the kids, were heartbreaking. Yet each one jumped in with both feet, not hesitating – much – and accepting responsibility. They both made some big mistakes there! And Jett trying to take care of toddlers and a baby? Yikes!
As a RomCom, there were certainly predictable elements and yet there were so many surprises. Every time I thought I had things figured out, I learned I was wrong. Again.
Secondary characters, Cassie’s best friend Bree, Jett’s roommate Sunny, the neighbor who helped babysit, Sarah, and of course, the kids, were marvelous and added great dimension to the story. In fact, Sarah’s obvious attraction to Jett added an obvious complication!
If you enjoy laughing and romance, I highly recommend The Dating Charade!
Read my review of The Dating Charade by Melissa Ferguson at AmongTheReads.net
I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.
There were so many bits I enjoyed in this book. The main characters are genuinely good people so it was easy to like them and root for them. The brief moments they were actually together and interacting were great but those were few and far between. It was mostly about Cassie and Jett in their separate lives, dealing with unexpected events and struggles. The story sometimes got a little long winded with the secondary characters (there were SO many of them!) and I will admit to some skimming. I guess I thought this was more of a romance than it turned out to be but it was a love story. A love for children however they come to you and how that love makes a family. Family isn’t always about who you were born to- sometimes it’s more about who you choose to love. It was a feel good aspect of this book.
I thought the ending was cute and again, I loved the overall message of this book. I just wish there were more moments of connection between the two main characters and less of the secondary characters.
Content: abuse mentioned in several different forms, mention of drug abuse. Kissing.
– I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.