Flirty and fun. That is how I describe this book. Cooper I loved watching him fall for the girl and fight with it because he doesn’t think he is what she wants based on their agreement. He goes from surly at times to sweet and adorable.
Kate is tres adorbs. she is the one you just find to cute. She is awkward in social situations but real and honest. The pop culture references are awesome. her love of Klaus and naming her dragon after him was awesome. So many references to some great tv shows like Arrow, Vampire diaries and The Originals and how cooper found her shipping of couples cute was just wonderful. Loved Cooper’s inner geek. These two were great together. She helped him lighten up but also gave him courage to talk to his dad and reach for his own dreams. He helped her see she was a great person and fun to be around. He helped her become less introverted and get her to trust and open up more. 
The operation prom date was a hoot. Cooper helped Kate get the date of her dreams for prom while he got a row partner until his recovered. In return they both got a wonderful friendship and Cooper found the girl for him. Unfortunately due to the deal he was frustrated because he was trying to help her get the guy she thought she wanted. But to have him she had to be something she wasn’t and she was liking Cooper and was getting confused. No matter what though Cooper was there for her. I hated when he needed her and she wasn’ t though. That was the one time I wanted to smack her upside the head and tell her she was missing out on a good thing with Cooper.
The book characters are so adorable they have you smiling throughout. you can’ t not like them. They are sweet and just honest. the story is flirty and fun. Entertaining and sweet. I love Cooper and how he changes. He gains courage to stand up for what he wants. I also love his gesture at the end and how he gets the girl. The girl that is truly meant for him. These two together just push the cuteometer beyond the highest point. A fun flirty story that keeps you smiling and laughing to the end. A story on high school and finding the one you can trust and feel safe with. Gaining a friend and more while on a mission for prom. Truly a fun book.

Loved this!

What made me love this was the author's writing style. When the story of a book has been overused but an author writes their book in such an amazing way that the story doesn't get boring, you know that the book deserves a good rating. For me that happened with this book.

You get the over used story of a girl who wants to date the popular jock but she is not popular or model pretty. But she is determined to win the guy in time to go to prom together. Then another cutie comes into the story.

Copper was adorable I loved him since chapter one. His easy going attitude was the first thing I liked about Copper. Then as I read more I liked him more. Is hard not fall for him.

I also like Kate but got a bit annoyed about her obsession with Mick. But I like how Kate couldn't control checking Cooper muscles or dimples since the beginning. I really dislike those female leads that can't see how cute or good looking other guys are because they are so obsessed with the MC.

Overall a great story!

This was a fairly predictable book in all honesty. Nothing too elaborate or crazy. A typical teenage love story pattern. Was written fairly well so therefore not horrible to read. And was a pretty quick read too.

Cindi Madsen has yet again leave me with a smile on my face after reading this book!! What a sweet and charming story!!

The premise for the book is fairly simple and yes something you may find on other books, but the writing is what makes it unique, they way the author tells the story. I loved that this story is told from two POV's, I really, really like reading from the guy's perspective because often when you don't have it you wonder what he's thinking or feeling, what else is on his mind and this time I didn't have to because we had it, and I quite like our hero, Cooper, he's great, and very dreamy I should add.
As for our heroine, it really is hard not to love her because she's a total fangirl so I can totally connect with that! she's funny and quirky, I loved reading about her trying to explain some things to Cooper, it was adorable, and seeing how their relationship starts to develop was a joy to read!

If you like romance you really can't miss this book!!

Kate has had a crush on her school's star football player, Mick, for years. Her big goal for her senior year is to go to prom with him. The problem? Kate has never so much as had a conversation with Mick because she turns into a pile of goo whenever he comes too close. After she decides that she's really going to make this happen, she enlists the help of her former friend, Cooper, thinking that a male perspective could never hurt. All Cooper asks for in return is her help as a temporary rowing partner while his normal partner recovers from a broken wrist. But the more time that Kate and Cooper spend together, the more confusing things get. What if Kate's been after the wrong guy this whole time?

I absolutely <i>loved</i> this book. It was so cute and fluffy and I loved both Kate and Cooper. Kate and her fandoms and ships reminded me a lot of myself in high school (only I was a lot less athletic). I loved that even though Cooper was so focused on his goals, he still had time to help Kate with whatever she needed. To be honest, I started shipping them at their first conversation. (Mick who?)

Mick was, like many boys that impressionable teenage girls crush on, a total jerk. Now, in my mid-twenties, I have no idea what Kate saw in him. I can't really blame Kate for her infatuation, though, because I certainly crushed on more than one of his type during my high school years. Of course, the right guy for Kate was blindingly obvious to me. It just takes Kate a little longer to catch on.

I can't remember the last time I read a young adult novel with quite this much chemistry. These two are friends, mind you, but their connection and the sexual tension between them was practically jumping off the page, smacking me in the face, and screaming "NOTICE ME!" while flashing a neon sign. It's rare that even a new adult or adult romance will have characters that are this well-suited to each other, so just give all the awards to Cindi Madsen right now, because she deserves them.

Honestly, the only issue I had with the book is that there were too many miscommunications and misinterpretations and unnecessary arguments between Kate and Cooper. I'm not really an angst-lover, so I have that complaint with a lot of books I read. The thing is, though, that it's super realistic for a book set in high school, so I still have to give this book 4.5 stars.

Excuse me while I go read everything that this author has ever written.

<b>Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!</b>

4.5 stars -- I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.

I am shipping Kaper so freaking hard, I can't even tell you. Like seriously, this book was just everything my little YA-loving heart was looking for. It was fairly light, with just enough depth to give it interest. And while I don't think you have to be a fandom lover to enjoy this book, if you are, I think you will definitely fall in love with Kate. I'm not even a major fandom lover, but I totally get shipping couples, and wanting them to be together, and being angry at the writers for drawing it out. And in some ways Ms. Madsen kind of fulfilled that longing and irritation and GAHness with Kate and Cooper. You could just tell that they were perfect for each other, but of course she had to put them through the wringer on the way to HEA. I'm not always a fan of misunderstandings and all that jazz, but it really fit in this storyline and worked for the story that was being told (if that makes any sense at all)...or at least it did for me.

And you know how my favourite part of any story is the characters? Well Kate and Cooper were amazeballs. Not without flaws for sure, and not without feeling like authentic teenagers, but I just really loved them both. My heart broke for Kate and how she came to be the person she was. Not just with her father, but also the circumstances with her friends. I've been that girl with no friends b/c I wasn't willing to change myself to fit in. It's all well and good to be solid with who you are and to put that above other things, but it can be very lonely. And she was just so freaking quirky and adorable!! She made me laugh so much. Seriously though, she really reminded me a lot of myself (right down to the lost father). And I enjoyed that what really drew her to Mick was her perception that he was more sweet than he seemed, based on his moments of kindness. It was a bit of a bummer that she didn't catch on as quickly to how changing herself wasn't the way to go, and that maybe he wasn't worth it, but sometimes we see what we want to see and we want things so badly that we don't make the connections until later.

And then there was Cooper. OMG, book boyfriend city man. He was just so sweet and thoughtful, and dealing with his own set of struggles, and just trying to survive in a way. I loved being in his head and reading about his thoughts. He was an interesting guy b/c he had this popularity in some ways, but didn't seem to realize it. And I adored his little bit of nerdiness, talk about swoon!! My only real complaint with his story was the resolution with his father. It didn't feel authentic, b/c his father really felt borderline mentally abusive to me...or just too toxic anyways.

Honestly though, the star of this book was Kate and Cooper together. Seeing them experience the tummy tingles for each other, and those breathless moments, and the friendship that developed...GAH! It was just perfect. My romance loving heart was so freaking satisfied, I had tingles just reading about them. And the climax was perfection. It just read exactly as I wanted it to. And then we even got some delicious epilogueness!! I love epilogueness. It was so satisfying.

So basically this story was just tailor made for me. Love. Adore. So much shipping.

Such a cute and quirky feel-good read with two easy to love main characters, blessedly little angst and just the right length to keep me interested right up until the end.

Just like the other books I've read from Cindi Madsen so far, Operation Prom Date has left me with a content smile on my face and a fluffy, happy feeling inside. Exactly what I needed.

Written in the first person narrative with alternating perspectives between the two characters, this is the story of pretty nerd Kate whose had a crush on popular football quarterback Mick for 2 years. She strikes up a deal with a friend, Cooper. In exchange for teaming up with him to improve his rowing time, Cooper will help Kate get Mick interested in her enough to get them together for prom: Operation Prom Date. Cooper knows Mick is a player but Kate's a big girl and she knows what she wants, right? Inevitably, once Kate and Cooper start spending a lot of time together, Mick's appeal begins to wane and Cooper is the one Kate can't stop thinking of... Should she tell Cooper how she really feels? Or is it too late?
This story is definitely written with teens in mind and a lot of the lingo went right over my head. Obviously I'm not in that age bracket anymore and it was detrimental to me in trying to understand a lot of the language. There is quite a bit of swearing too, which I found off-putting. I get that it is meant to reach that teenage audience but I think leaving it out wouldn't have taken anything away from the story. Lots of sexual innuendoes throughout the story although there is no sex puts it at the borderline clean category. Overall, I thought this was well-written and teens will probably really enjoy it. For me, though, it kind of missed the mark a little. I thought it was a bit slow moving. The romance was good, I liked the storyline, and the ending was great. I think I would have enjoyed it more if it was a little cleaner and if the plot moved a bit faster. This was a new author for me and I'm a voracious reader. I might read more by the author but it didn't wow me. I'd give it 3.5 stars overall.
I received a complimentary ecopy of this book from the publisher.

I'm not usually a YA reader, but I have recently read one of this authors books and loved it and decided to give this one a try. I've been on a roll of reading some pretty heavy, angsty books lately and this was just what I needed. A breath of fresh air.

This book has all the makings of a great teen story. Nerdy girl who befriends a popular guy who will help her land her dream guy. Kate and Cooper are seniors in high school. Cooper tells Kate he will help her land the jock that she has been pining for for years. Hence begins Operation Prom Date. What Cooper and Kate don't plan for is the feelings that they will start to feel for each other.

Kate has a lot of anxiety over her best friend that ditched her for the popular kids. She spends the weekends at home with her lizard watching movies. Cooper is pretty popular and is really into rowing. He loves the water. The time that he and Kate spend on the water together was really the turning point for their relationship and they became so much more than friends, even if it took them a while to catch up with their feelings.

This was a fun light read that reminds me of the good teen movies I watched growing up. It was definitely what I needed. Great read!

Kate Hamilton is my kind of girl. She gets 'ships and OTPs and lives for the love story. Or the relationship story. So it's amusing to watch her navigate relationship drama without realizing what she's doing. Of course, when you're the eye of the storm, you probably have no idea what's swirling around you. So Operation Prom Date, comes into being when Cooper Callihan catches Kate mooning over the unfortunately-named Mick Pecker one afternoon.

Kate wants Mick to ask her to prom, so she can have that special night that every teen movie ever has promised. Except, to be honest, I feel like the movies promise a magical night, but what they actually deliver is something unexpected, and had kate been paying better attention she'd have figured things out much earlier. But then we'd have no book and that would be a shame because both Cooper and Kate are delightful characters to spend an afternoon with.

Kate is quirky and funny and insecure in that way that quirky and funny girls are, she was ditched by her closest friend early on in her high school career because that "friend" wanted to be one of the popular girls. But Kate has too much a sense of self to be one of the mean girls. So she stuck with her books and her television shows and has a Rory-and-Lorelai-like relationship with her mother, and isn't one of the cool kids.

Cooper isn't a cool kid either, but his family has money and he's neighbors with the cool kids and no one hates his guts, so he's got an in with the crowd if he wants it. And he's willing to use his in to help Kate out, as long as she helps him out with his obsession. He loves rowing. He's obsessed with it. Being out on the river calms him down, lets him avoid all the pressures he faces at home. Rowing and stargazing are the two things that matter most to Cooper until he meets Kate and she ropes him into Operation Prom Date. Except that he also knows that Kate is too good for the ridiculously-named Mick Pecker. And even as he is giving her all the tools to succeed in getting the jerk to ask her to prom, he wants this whole plan to fail. Except he also knows that having a plan, working on something with a single objective like this, it means more to Kate than just getting her dream prom date. It also brings her closer to her father, who died while serving overseas. He was the first guy she'd complete secret missions with, and doing this with Cooper lets her remember him in a way that doesn't hurt.

The more time Kate and Cooper spend together, the more the show their real selves. And they couldn't fit together better if they tried. And of course their feelings get in the way. Because suddenly they lose the ability to communicate like rational people, because of course they are overwrought teenagers, but also this all works because Cooper and Kate feel like real people. They aren't being stubborn or behaving out of character, they are confused and trying to do right by each other and messing it all up. And then when Cooper figures out the perfect way to make things up to Kate, it's so romantic, and in the end Kate gets her perfect dream of a prom date, even though it's not the one she expected. But she's watched enough movies to know that maybe she should have.

Operation Prom Date was the sweet, funny, swoony book I needed in my life right now!

Kate is a math-geek and fan girl, obsessed with TV shows and her *ships* (favorite couple pairings) and has been in love with the hot quarterback, Mick, as long as she can remember. He’s been nice to her in the past, but has never shown a romantic interest and probably never will since Kate can’t manage to string more than one sentence together in his presence.

Cooper (a boy she had a passing friendship with years ago) notices and tells her that Mick sees her as too serious to date.

At this point, Kate just wants to go to her high school prom with Mick and enlists Cooper to help her be more flirty and less serious to get Mick’s attention. Cooper needs help with rowing practice while his partner recovers from an injury, so he agrees to help Kate with *Operation Prom Date* in exchange for her help with rowing.

Of course you know where this is all going. Kate will realize Mick is a tool, Cooper will fall for Kate against his better judgement but, even knowing all that in advance, you will fall hard for these two.

Their friendship is real, their chemistry is sizzling and it was so nice to see Kate discover what she wants, and DESERVES from a relationship.

Sure the story is about boys, kissing, and first loves but it was also about Kate doing what felt right and comfortable for her.

Both Kate and Cooper were really realistic YA characters. They didn’t always get it right the first time and weren’t always sure what they wanted but they were relatable and people you could really enjoy spending time with – even if it’s in a fictional world. I liked them so much.

Aaaaand Cooper! Lordy, I loved that boy! So sweet and adorable! And he’s a pro at the BIG GESTURE to win over the girl.

If, like me, you need a light, fun, easy breezy read that will leave you with a big smile on your face – Operation Prom Date is it.

Sweet, romantic, and funny- this book brings all the feels. I couldn't stop smiling while reading.

This book was oh so cute! I am glad to say March started off well. I didn't think I was going to enjoy this book this much but I absolutely did. There were predictable moments but the overall it was a really good read.

Kate loves her fictional world and as much as she ships her OTPs, she has tough time sailing her own boat. So, when Cooper offers her help in exchange to be his rowing partner, she agrees. But as much time they spend with each other, unpredictable feelings arise between them but Kate has always wanted to go to prom with her longtime crush Mick. Will Kate realize her true feelings for Cooper before it's too late?

The plot was predictable but it was definitely fun and as a result, I enjoyed it sooo much! Kate is a hopeless romantic but flirtationally challenged, she hasn't been able to even talk to her crush, Mick with whom she desperately wants to go to prom. So, when Cooper lends a hand, she agrees and this mission Operation Prom Date is born! First of all, I really loved the friendship between Cooper and Kate, I enjoyed the banter between them. Both of them were comfortable in their own skin while they were with each other which is a fact that I really loved.

As their friendship grew, both of them started having feelings for each another but Kate was torn between the two while Cooper didn't act on his feelings either. There really isn't a love triangle in this book, thank God for that but Kate was really afraid of being rejected by Cooper, so she just went on with her plan. I would have liked if she handled her situation a little maturely. Nonetheless, I could understand her insecurities. Shipping couples in shows in one thing while trying to do something yourself in a whole different turn but I loved the fact that she stayed true to her feelings and morals.

Kate was such a fun character, I could relate soo much with her. She loves a lot of shows that I love and honestly there were so many ship names in this book. My shipping heart absolutely loved it! So much! And even more, I loved Cooper because although half the things went over his head, he always listened to what was important to her, even if it was a tv show or her pet lizard named Klaus. (I know... XD)

Overall, Operation Prom Date was a fun read. I plot was executed neatly and I fell in love with the characters. Kate and Cooper were absolutely amazing and I definitely shipped them! The romance was little less but I loved every bit of it. The writing was smooth and easy to read and the pace was even throughout the book.

Recommend it?

Yes.

Operation Prom date is an adorable read that will make you want to fall in love all over again. A sweet escape with a couple that is meant to be together. The blurb isn’t lying, you will want to ship this couple.

Cooper runs into Kate after finding out that his rowing partner is out of commission for a couple of weeks. A broken wrist will do that to you. Kate is moaning over Mick, everyone’s favorite jock. They struck a deal~ Kate will replace Cooper’s rowing partner, Cooper will help Kate get Mick to notice her enough to ask her to prom. She names their deal Operation Prom Date thus the title of the book.

Kate is adorable, a closet math nerd. She uses her skills later on in the book to help pay for her prom dress. Can you blame her, those things are hello kitty expensive. She has been abandoned by a friend in the past and so she has some of those issues to deal with. She embraces this “Operation” with all that she has.

Cooper’s life is about to change dramatically- his dad has it all planned out for him. With his partner out of commission he is desperate. He doesn’t see what Kate sees in Mick but he is confident that he “gots” this because Kate is cute. He just has to make Mick think he is missing something.

Kate and Cooper together is just yeah they bring the sighs. They are extremely supportive of each other goals. They are just cuteness in a boat. This is one of those reads that you go in knowing that you will get the happy feels, the sighing feels and end up reading it in one sitting.

Teenagers all across America are shopping for the perfect prom dress, promposals are everywhere right now. Operation Prom Date is the perfect read if you want a light romance, with a side of comedy and a dash of teen angst. Only a dash though, you blink and you will miss it.

My Rating 5 out of 5 stars

Favorite Quote “Hey, I didn’t choose the math thug life, it chose me.”

Other People
Jaden- Cooper’s best friend
Paris- mean gal

*Just* in case y'all haven't figured out by now, this is a trope that I am so in love with. You know, the whole pretend to date but then maybe, just maybe realize they have feelings for each other. Based on the blurb, I wasn't sure whether or not that was the way this was going to end up, and I'm not going to tell you all whether or not I ended up with my wish(because spoilers = no fun). What will I tell you? That you need to read this book!

Our main character, Kate, is pretty much my book character twin, with her FunkoPop collection and OTP talk I totally ship her getting a happily ever after. Cooper is a driven guy that wants to soak up all the fun he gets to have before his dad forces him to follow a path he doesn't share the same passion for that he does with astronomy or marine biology. However, with him pushing himself so hard at rowing that he forgets to enjoy it along the way, he needs someone like Kate to help him remember to appreciate the little things. Their friendship grows and their plan begins to work better than Cooper expected, but who Kate's OTP is is up for debate at this point. Whether or not she ends up with Cooper or Mick, this book is chock cool of a fun cast of characters, lots of silly moments that blend perfectly with the more serious ones and leaves you longing for another book by Cindi Madsen ASAP.

Like its cover, it was a cute and fluffy book.
Full review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1894148305

Thanks so much for allowing me to read this book, sadly, I couldn't like it.

It was just too clichéd (is that even a word?). I knew from the start, when Cooper and Kate met up and we saw both of their POV that they would get together. :| Sorry, but I have seen the same scenario pop up so many times in YA that I can easily predict it. After I got through several chapters that definitely confirmed my suspicions I scrolled to the end, and lo and behold it did happen. It is just a shame that so many books have the same romance stuff happening. I would have much more preferred her to get another guy, or even Mick, even if I didn't like him that much.

The girl also felt fake, I am not sure how to explain this one, but it felt like she tried too hard. Like she just forced herself to be that way. Sorry, hard to explain.

Cooper was an interesting character, and if the romance wasn't so cliche I would have definitely gotten to the point where he becomes my favourite.

So yeah, the book sounded cute, but at the moment I am just not interested in the same cliche YA romance stuff.

4 ½ ★
I really enjoyed this book. REALLY,REALLY enjoyed this book.
It was the perfect combination of flirting, romance, humor and happiness. Mix in some awesome pop culture references we have a winner.
I really liked the character main and side ones. There were easy to relate to and very realistic. I have to say that I did enjoy Kate a bit more, just because I could relate when it came to her fandoms. The only down to Kate, I thought was that it took her longer than I thought to catch on, to who her she really should be with.
I also enjoyed Cooper, while the complete opposite he made the perfect match for Kate and I really think they are the OTP.
Overall, this sweet, funny story with some quirky characters is just the right length, will make you smile and make your heart melt.
I rate it 4 ½ ★

Fans of Jenny Han and Kody Keplinger will fall in love with OPERATION PROM DRESS by Cindi Madsen. A fun romance with a twist. What happens when the "fake" relationship suddenly becomes real? Readers will be drawn to the characters and will enjoy their relationship as they navigate the bumpy waters of teen dating and finding their course in life. Definitely recommend!

Accidentally pushing someone into the arms is bad when you fall for them, but it's all your fault. I loved the TV references of Arrow, because yes, like Kate I will always ship #Olicity

A Ship of her Own Making
Kate's goal is to talk to her crush, Mick and ask him to Prom. So she enlists Cooper who hasn't talked to in awhile to give her advice on how to snag Mick. As her and Cooper start hanging out and she helps him row for his competition, Mick really isn't who cracked up to be the one she thinks about. I could see myself in Kate because being fangirls make me smile because it was like finding a twin. Kate realized a bit later Mick was just a bit of a jerk. He made me wish a WHOLE LOT earlier for Kate to be with Cooper.


Cooper being the cute, dimpled rower that he is made me smile and rooted for him to get his girl. Cooper thought striking up a deal with Kate to be his fill in rowing partner and he'll help her get Mick' s attention. But he realizes he pushed get right into the arms of Mick after he realizes he has feelings for her and it's his fault. Rather you sulk about it, it made a really big gesture that made me squeal with happiness.

If you're a fan of fangirl moments, Prom, and a couple that you'll go with shipping them, you're in for a sweet ride.