I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book. There were a lot of twists and turns that kept me investing. If you like reality TV, you will love this book!

This was a fun rom-com. I don’t actually enjoy watching reality shows like the one featured in this book, so I appreciated that it talked about all the machinations that go on behind the scenes, and that reality shows are not reality. The main character is very likeable as are most of the other characters. I wondered how accurate it was that there only ever seemed to be four crew members filming the show. Maybe this was simplified for clarity’s sake? Also, I found some of the transitions between the Anastasia blog posts and the rest of the story a bit confusing at times, although that could partly be because I read the unfinished version. Hopefully that will be fixed later. Overall, although I wasn’t completely invested in the romance of the story, I still had fun reading this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for providing me access to this eARC for my honest opinion!

Abby Jones dreams of being a real writer, but for now she is stuck writing under a pseudonym Anastasia flabbergasted. She primarily recaps a popular reality TV dating show The Stag. At the insistence of her boss, Abby is given the task of going undercover on the next season of ‘The Stag’ where she will play one of the hopeful women (referred to as “does”) who compete for the love of a too-good-to-be-true bachelor. This season takes place in Australia so Abby reluctantly agrees and assumes it will be easy enough to pretend to fawn all over a handsome bloke (in a location that happens to be on her bucket list) while she gets the inside scoop she needs for her recaps. The only thing she doesn’t count on is falling for one of the show’s producers. Will Abby be able to keep up with the web of lies she is spinning? Will she follower her heart and find love even if it means risking her career?

This one was a cute story with a lot of likable characters. While I did enjoy it, I felt like it moved way too slow. If you are fans of the Bachelor you will enjoy this book.

Abby spends her time writing recaps of a reality tv show under a pseudonym. When one of her recaps goes viral, her editor sends her to the set of the show as a contestant to catch all of the drama. It's Abby's chance at a big break, but she's having trouble blending in with all of the other contestants and lying to them. And even though she's supposed to focus on the show, she can't help but be distracted by the gorgeous tv producer, Jack. She just has to keep the jig up long enough to stay for the final four.

This one was not it for me sadly. I think it's because the pacing of the novel was weird and I really felt so bad for all of the people that Abby was deceiving! I found her to be a little unlikeable at times, too. She was writing off so many people just bc they wanted to be on the reality TV show and find love, but she was the one spending her time writing about it! The romance also fell flat. I wasn't expecting the love interest to be who he was and there wasn't a lot of build-up, tension, or chemistry.

However, just because this wasn't for me doesn't mean it isn't for you! If you like forced proximity, this one is for you! thank you to NetGalley for a free arc in exchange for an honest review.

I liked this story! I'm surprised it has not the best reviews. This is a cute, quick and easy summer romance read.
Abigail is a "serious writer", or, she's trying to be. In the meantime, she writes scandalous reviews about the reality show, The Stag, basically The Bachelor under a pen name. That is until, plot twist, the producers think it would be brilliant if Abigail went on the show as a contestant to get the inside scoop for her write ups! Along the way, Abby meets the crew, including the very cute Jack, the other contestants who she befriends, and the awful man they chose to star the show, Daniel.

I enjoyed this story. It was a bit slow to start, and Abby was a bit too prudish and insecure. But as the story goes on and Abby comes to know and act as her true self, I really enjoyed reading about her! She did have to be put in her place by those closest to her, but it worked. The writing did feel new. I felt like the story was long and there was a lot to it, but I didn't really know Abby on a deeper level. I just think that the story is that type of book, more on the surface. I didn't find the amount of characters confusing but I either really loved them or really hated them. I think some would find the ending odd and anticlimactic but I liked it! It is a slow burn on the romance, but worth it. I loved the side characters, I thought they were well developed and funny! This is a good read.

This. Was. Everything.

I loved this. It was totally laugh out loud funny, hysterical and the PERFECT end of summer read. For anyone who loves or loves to hate reality TV and dating shows (Looking at you Bachelor in Paradise) this will be right up your alley!

Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins Uk! I thought this was such a cute fun read. It reminded me of the Bachelor in Paradise and I loved it! I enjoyed the two leads and truly found myself laughing out loud while reading! Would absolutely recommend. to anyone who likes rom-coms or the bachelor series!

"THE DATING GAME" is a fun, escapist deep-dive into the behind-the-scenes world of reality TV dating shows. Ideal for fans of Love Island, The Bachelor and Unreal!

Read this if…you are a fan of reality TV’s ‘The Bachelor’ or if you have a thing for hunky Australians (calling the Hemsworth brothers!).

Abby Jones dreams of being a real writer, but for now she is stuck writing under a pseudonym. She primarily recaps a popular reality TV dating show which seems to be headed nowhere until one of her recaps goes viral. At the insistence of her boss, Abby is given the task of going undercover on the next season of ‘The Stag’ where she will play one of the hopeful women (referred to as “does”) who compete for the love of a too-good-to-be-true bachelor. This season takes place in Australia so Abby thinks it will be easy enough to pretend to fawn all over a handsome bloke in paradise while she gets the inside scoop she needs for her recaps. The only thing she doesn’t count on is falling for one of the show’s producers. Will Abby risk her chance at love for her dream career, or will she follow her heart?

This one was a cute story with a lot of likable characters. While I did enjoy it, it was a tad PG for a romance IMO and I felt like it moved way too slow. At one point, I felt like I had read 300 pages but was only 40% through.

My rating: 3.5/5 but I’ll round up to 4 because I did catch myself smiling several times while reading and I think that should count for something!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

“A funny, laugh out loud read”

If you love watching reality shows like Love Island, you’ll love reading this book.

Abby, who is the main character I found really interesting. She wants to be a journalist, and at the moment, writes recaps for reality TV shows for an online website under a different name. The way she writes these has made her popular. So much so, that the producer of The Stag, asks her editor if Abby can be a contestant on the next season. Thinking her recaps will be so much better and for the show too.

She starts doing this as it’s her job, but in the end it becomes a life-changing experience.

Abby is firm in her belief that no one actually falls in love on these shows…. or do they?

The things I loved this book, apart from the laughing moments and some incredible scenes, was witnessing Abby’s date as if I was there and also, reading her write up of it, which showed how she changes personality.

So, if you’re looking for a book that will make you laugh out loud, then this is for you.

Highly Recommend It

The Dating Game reminded me a lot of One to Watch, which I wasn’t a big fan of despite the hype. I thought the unique twist of Abby being a writer who once wrote recaps of the show and is now forced to go on the show would be funny and interesting, but meh.

There were some funny moments, but I didn’t really vibe with the characters.

Abby Jones is an aspiring serious writer who is waiting for her big break with The Guardian or The Times but in the meantime she is stuck writing reality TV recaps under the pseudonym Anastasia Flabbergasted. It pays the bills and allows her to help out her mum, so she doesn't mind it...

After writing some popular reality TV recaps about The Stag that go viral, the producers want her to go on the show as a secret contestant to help improve the quality of the recaps and for Abby to really get a feel of the drama. Her editor thinks it will make for better writing and she will get even more gossip. Abby isn't thrilled by the prospect of being a contestant as The Stag is where twelve women join a reality TV show in the hope of winning the heart of The Stag. The only slight bonus is that the next season of The Stag will be filmed in Sydney and the trip abroad could be Abby's big break. Plus who doesn't want to go to Australia?!

So Abby, jets off to Sydney to be one of the twelve singletons and goes to live in the manor with the eleven other contestants. When the camera starts rolling and the claws come out, Abby must put on the show of her life. Except keeping people at arms lengths can make the friendships she is forming challenging and it doesn't help that she has a slight crush on one of the producers, Jack. The Stag is Daniel who is a good looking Brit with shed loads of money. So when the cameras go away, who will have captured Abby's heart, will it be Daniel, The Stag, or Jack, the producer?

I have never read a book by Sandy Barker before and boy have I been missing out! I adored The Dating Game and was hooked from the first page. Abby was an amazing main character who had no idea how great she was and lacked serious confidence. She was a really good friend who even put herself in the firing line to help others and risk her own reputation. She was funny and had me laughing out loud at times.

The contestants were comical and I loved how the contestants were categorised by Abby - brides, villains, miscellaneous, dark horses and filler. The two villains Kylie and Tara were absolutely awful, definitely evil and could star as Disney villains. My favourite of the contestants were Kaz, Stevie and Daphne, they had so much more to them and I loved getting to discover their layers. I thought that Becca was an annoying character who was so obsessed with love that it made her a bit of a bad friend and person.

What can I say about the infamous Stag, Daniel, well he certainly doesn't have a way with women and constantly puts his foot in his mouth. He acts before he thinks and definitely isn't a prince charming... It was so funny to see how all of the female contestants reacted to Daniel and how some of them are just there for a fun time.

I would definitely recommend The Dating Game and loved every second of reading it. If you like Love Island or The Bachelor or any dating reality TV show, then you will love The Dating Game. The book was very easy to read and had me in stitches for some sections. Sandy Barker's style of writing was very easy to read and I connected with the book straight away. The book is full of comedy, romance and drama! A must read if you love watching reality TV shows.

I read The Dating Game while Love Island UK was on, and I admit that Love Island is my shameful, guilty pleasure. While watching and also reading through the chapters of The Dating Game, I wondered about the insides of these types of reality shows. If you’re like me in that you don’t really take these shows at face value and often wonder at the inner workings of the shows, then this is the book for you!

The Dating Game is a book where our lovable main character Abigail is a writer for a magazine. She has a pseudo name, which is quite clever – Anatasia Flabbergaster. Abby wants to be a serious writer, but for now she has to just write recaps of reality tv shows. That is until she has the “opportunity” to be on one of these shows as an undercover writer.

As the pages turn we see Abby as one of the twelve “Does” on a show where Daniel the “Stag” has to date each one and find his “true love”. So many ” ” ” ” “, but all necessary. I think the idea of the show is similar to The Batchelor, but I haven’t watched this show, so I cant be sure.

Anyway, The Dating Game was light hearted, amusing, showed us a wide array of characters and was just an all round good read. One of my favourite parts of the book was the relationships between the twelve girls who were staying in Stag Manor. It did really remind me of the reality shows I see on tv, where the girls become good friends but all the while supposed to be competing against each other. We meet some nice girls and some not so nice. So the fun and games kept up throughout between all the varying personalities.

I started this review by saying Love Island is a shameful, guilty pleasure of mine. I can say openly that The Dating Game was neither shameful, nor guilty. It was pure pleasurable reading.

I must admit that I wasn't immediately taken with this book, it didn't hook me from the first page but I kept reading and was so glad that I did as it turned into an amazing book. I loved the concept of behind the scenes reality tv and it does make you question just how much of the 'fiction story' would potentially really happen on those reality tv shows this is clearly based on.
I loved the dynamics of Abby and Jack and enjoyed that even though this is ultimately a love story it is also about strong women looking out for each other and I really enjoyed the interaction between the does, especially Kaz, I would love to have another story all about Kaz!!!

I love Love Island, so I was all over the concept of this book. I also loved the kind of subterfuge of the contestants not really knowing who Abby was in relation to the show.

It's set in Australia, which is the perfect escapist destination for me. It did cure my wanderlust just a little.

Sometimes I found the writing a little clunky and the dialogue didn't always flow perfectly. A lot of plot points were seemingly abandoned midway through the book with no conclusion ever coming, Perhaps it just needed another run over with a red pen.

Fans of reality tv likely will recognize some of the people and situations that Abby, our intrepid heroine, encounters when she becomes a member of the cast of the Stag. Abby really wants to be a serious journalist but it's not working out that way. She's tapped to join the dating game and decides she can make something more out of the experience. It's set in Australia (sigh). My quibble with this is that there are 12 contestants, which, although that's the usual number for these shows, is just too many here. I liked the repartee between Abby and Jack the producer (you know what's going to happen there!). Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A fun read.

This is pretty much One to Watch minus the plus size leading lady. Honestly, it felt like a knock off of last season's hit. Meh, from me.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘦

Thank you to HarperCollins UK, One more chapter for providing me with an eARC of “The dating game” By Sandy Barker via NetGalley.

✨My review: Sandy Barker was a relatively new author to me. I hadn’t heard of any of her books and when I got accepted for the dating game I was quite excited because who doesn’t love a good romcom with a modern day reality t.v twist? But unfortunately this book just wasn’t for me. I didn’t click with any of the characters and the romance seemed dry and I honestly didn’t see the compatibility between the 2 love interests. I will say I did enjoy the whole reality television vibe it gave off. Along with the mansion and expensive excursions. I also really enjoyed the relationship between all the girls but still feel like it was sort of rushed and didn’t allow me to fully get to know the girls. This was an incredibly fast paced book and maybe that just isn’t what I particularly like. I felt that relationships were rushed and even arguments to a point where I didn’t even know why two characters were fighting and when I would find out the fight was ready over. All in all this book was a short quick read and I don’t fully regret it. If your looking for a fun light read then this should be your next read but if your looking for a book with deep characters and plot I would recommend skipping this one.

Really enjoyed this book - was pure summer escapism. The premise of a reality tv dating show is great and the characters are well written. I sped through this book and would recommend to any romance fans :)

A light, fun read with relatable, well developed characters. A perfect beach read, I devoured this in a day and would highly recommend