Thank you net galley for the advance reader copy of this novel. This novel was a tender read about the ups and downsof children in the foster care system than it was about a romance. Jett and Cassie the twoain characters are dating and trying to avoid the other finding out about the kids they have custody of. It is a sweet read and I enjoyed it;just was expecting more romance.

I downloaded this book because the synopsis sounded intriguing, and I'd seen it around on bookstagram.

I gave this book a fair chance, but it just wasn't entertaining to me. It's just not my cup of tea. I especially didn't appreciate the traditional gender norms and casual sexism I encountered in the first 20% of the book, but at that point, the story had also not quite picked up yet and I wasn't interested in continuing. That's why I decided to DNF it.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

This is a Netgalley ARC review. All opinions are solely my own.

If you need a book to give you warm & fuzzy feelings, then this is it!! Melissa Ferguson captured so many emotions in The Dating Charade. This book covers so many current topics. I could really relate to many of the issues discussed and it really pulled at my heartstrings.

I think the beginning of the book fit the title but then it became less relevant as the entire plot was revealed.

I loved this book from the first. I thought they main characters were introduced well and it was an interesting read. It kind of began to feel slow and lagging in the middle. The romance took a bit of a backseat and I didn't like some of the lack of communication. It felt kind of teenage in that part. Nevertheless, it was a cute and fun romance and I would recommend it to someone one wants a light read with some heart. It isn't a heavy hitter and I won't feel the need to read it again but was a good clean romance with many chuckles. Just what I need sometimes.

I really enjoyed the first bit of this book. I liked Cassie and Jett.. at least at first. I did not like when the children were added to the story. I understand that it was suppose to be funny.. and don't get me wrong, there were alot of funny part with the kids but the children overpowered the romance. There was too much kids and not enough of Cassie and Jett together.

It was a light, fluffy read and it was absolutely enjoyable. So if you get the chance to read it and have a few hours to spare I say pick it up. But if you are looking for something with more meaning then skip this one.

I was pleasantly surprised with this book. I didn't realize it was Christian fiction until after I'd requested it (I really was just sucked in by the cover), so when I DID realize this... I wasn't as enthusiastic about reading it as I had originally been. HOWEVER, it is LOOSELY Christian fiction. I didn't have a problem with it. Cassie and Jett both have their lives unexpectedly turned upside down after meeting one another. A successful date seems promising for both of them, but their personal lives are about to take a major turn as both become responsible for three children... each. It's difficult and both are scared of scaring the other off but are more scared of screwing things up with these kids.

I thought it was great. A little slow at times and I feel like it kind of glazed over both topics of these cases when it could've given more insight on it, but it was a light read with something to talk about woven into the pages.

Great story!
This book had my emotions everywhere and that's why I LOVED IT! The characters were amazing and so was the story. I would definitely recommend it.

I really enjoyed this. However, my biggest issue with this novel is how it was marketed. I thought it was just going to be a cute, bumbling romantic comedy between this kind firefighter and a cynical woman sick of online dating. So imagine my surprise when it instead heavily focused on the guy and the girl trying to handle these children that have suddenly come into each one's care. I really liked the dynamic of trying to maintain their relationship while also keeping the children secret from the other because each is convinced that the other doesn't like/want children. But I was not prepared for that to be a part of the story.

So I started this book while I was in Gatliburg around Christmas, and this book took place in Gatliburg at Christmas! So I was extra excited about that! This is one of those love stories where if they were just honest with each other and communicated properly in the beginning, there probably wouldn’t be much of a story. But that is how life is, isn’t it??

This one started out really good for me, and then quickly sizzled. I will say that the books focuses a lot on the children and it has a lot of serious issues it brings up with addiction, neglect, emotional issues, fostering, adoption, infertility, etc. So this isn’t really a romcom in my eyes. It also isn’t really a romance novel either. There was hardly any page time between Jett and Cassie and zero romantic scenes.

Bottom Line: This one was just ok for me. I wanted more steam. I wanted more laughs. The author made a lot of attempts to make funny scenes, but it was laugh out loud funny. If you want a love story minus all the steam and romance, this would definitely be more your speed.

**I received a copy of The Dating Charade from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.**

What a wonderful story we got from this book was it made me laugh, cry and almost crumble at times as I read through this journey by the wonderful new author to me Melissa Ferguson. This book had a little bit of everything you want in a great read that will keep you glued to every word and then still wanting more. If this was the author's debut book I am so excited for what is to come in the future as the writing and the ease of this read was so much to my liking.

I was anticipating this novel with equal parts eagerness and trepidation. Eagerness, because I’m always on the lookout for a great romcom; trepidation, because there were aspects of this story that had very real potential to annoy me rather than entertain. My verdict? I’m so glad I took the risk. Not only was it an entertaining and engaging read, but there is a serious, heart-tugging story at its core.

There were two things in particular that caused my trepidation. The first was that I wondered how believable it would be for Cassie and Jett to find themselves suddenly responsible for three children each. Second was the fact that they would hide it from each other—even more so if that became the basis for the humour. You know, near misses, ridiculous explanations to cover up the truth. That kind of thing. Definitely NOT the kind of humour I’m looking for.

As it turned out, my fears were unfounded. Not only was it entirely believable (though still quite a coincidence) that Cassie and Jett suddenly found themselves the sole guardian of three children each, but the children’s situation was never made light of, despite the humorous tone to the rest of the story. In fact, the story gave me a deeper appreciation of the complicated emotions children in foster care (and the adults who become their carers) deal with.

And as for the whole hiding it from each other thing—I completely understood why they didn’t mention their respective situations to start with, and I loved that it played out from there in such an unpredictable way, including the way it changed both Cassie and Jett. I don’t want to give anything away, so I won’t say any more than that. The romance did take a back-seat at times, but I think the author stayed true to the story rather than writing to preconceived genre expectations.

My one slight criticism was that I felt the resolution was a little out of left field—almost as though there was a scene or two missing. But in all other ways, this was an excellent debut, and I’m looking forward to whatever’s next from Melissa Ferguson.

As cute as the premise was, I just couldn’t get into it... the characters didn’t interest or engage me and I felt myself cringing at the budding romance. Who gives a potential romantic interest a completed police check for vetting? Not a fan.

As the blurb suggests, The Dating Charade is warmhearted and a fun rom-com story. However, that only lasted for maybe the first 15-20% of the book and then it got more serious.

Serious is totally fine, don’t get me wrong. However, there wasn’t enough balance for me between the funny things, the cute romance things, and the serious things. The vibe of the book was more serious than hilarious, though still warmhearted.

I thought Cassie and Jett were realistic and well developed characters. I liked that they both were written with strong values and stuck to them. Cassie is this vibrant and witty young woman while Jett is this gentleman yet fun guy. Both are over the dating scene until they come across each other’s profiles. This is where it’s really fun and warmhearted.

However, they both find themselves in a situation where they’re taking care of three kids. Jett is suddenly taking care of his niece and nephews while Cassie takes in three girls from the nonprofit she runs. This is where I thought the fun and funny parts would come in, but again it was more serious than anything else. Which makes total sense, since the books deals with some aspects of adoption and foster care. But I still wanted more fun I guess.

For a debut book, Ferguson’s writing was really good. She was able to easily give me a sense of Cassie and Jett’s personality, though not really any of the other characters. Everything made sense and flowed fairly well together.

While not what I wanted or expected, it wasn’t a bad read and I don’t regret reading it.

Honestly I found this boring and unbelievable. Not unbelievable in a suspend disbelief and enjoy kind of way but unbelievable in an eye rolling sheesh kind of way. I kept putting this book down and forgetting to pick it back. It was struggle to finish. This was not the book for me.
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Dating Charade is one of those books you pick up because of the cover ... and you keep reading because of the compelling story! When I began this book, I expected to find a light-hearted romantic comedy, and that's what I got ... sort of. There are certainly romcom aspects to The Dating Charade, especially concerning Cassie's dates at the beginning and Jett's misunderstanding with his neighbor Sarah. But this book also delves deeper, telling heartbreaking tales of the foster care system, while still having a version of that "happily ever after" ending we look for in a romance.

While the beginning was a little slow for me, the end left me with a couple questions, and I would've liked Cassie and Jett to share more page time, I very much enjoyed this book! It has humor and heartbreak, precocious children and meddling grandmotherly types, and a whole lot of heart. And, since a large chunk of the story takes place during the Christmas season, it's the perfect book to read in the days leading up to Christmas.

There are many books on the market that deal with the foster care system, but this is the first time that I have read a romantic, and yes, even humorous tale that deals with this issue in such a sensitive, delightful way.

The two main characters, Cassie and Jett both appealed to me in such a way that I could identify with both. They were loving, kind individuals that drew me into their lives and had me travelling their rocky road of life right along with them. Their date at the beginning of the book was certainly different from the later attempt! These lovable characters both had a surprise awaiting them ... three children each! How do you find love when you are coping with youngsters who have been uprooted from their own families and have to adjust , somewhat unwillingly. Sad and realistic!! These youngsters melted my heart as I felt their confusion and pain of losing parents whether through death or circumstances.

The plot, with its many twists and somewhat humorous turns kept me engrossed from beginning to end. This author is a talented storyteller that had me feeling every emotion that came along. When a book keeps me reading late into the night, it has to be a GREAT one! The one thing that the somewhat quirky characters did, was to hide the fact that they were dealing with three children apiece. This results in somewhat hilarious consequences!

This romantic read, with laughs and tears, is one that will definitely appeal to a large audience. Easy to read with deep meaning !!

Without hesitation, I would class this as a five star book!!



This book was received from CelebrateLit. The thoughts and opinions expressed are honest and my own. I was not required to write a positive review.

This book was fine. Nothing special. The plot was cute and a little quirky, but I didn't feel invested either way.

Great book about how you become a family and love those who need you. Funny and enjoyable - Cassie and Jetts story is not a fairytale but a story of love and commitment and how life gets in the way and makes you better for it

This was a really cute premise. I loved how Jett put himself out there with Cassie and didn’t give up on what he wanted. He was cute yet dorky and completely lovable. My only gripe is that I wish they had outed their secrets sooner. That being said, it was still a super cute book and I couldn’t wait to see what their ending would hold.