A fun read that gave quite an intriguing (and believably accurate) depiction of a reality dating show! I enjoyed seeing the relationships develop, but mostly the friendships - wish there was more Kaz, such a token Aussie!

Reality TV seems to be the new backdrop for a good portion of romance books these days. I like it because I love reality TV and I read to achieve the same lighthearted mindlessness (I mean that in the best possible way!), but I dislike it because the market is already becoming flooded. This is the third book I've read in as many weeks that was set on a Bachelor-esque show. And unfortunately, this version was the least engaging. I liked that the perspective was different - a wannabe journalist going undercover as a contestant to get the scoop on all the behind-the-scenes drama; love was in no way a motivation.

The focus was more on Abby's internal dilemma and her relationships with the other contestants participating in the show. Which was fine, but didn't hold my interest very well. None of the contestants felt fleshed out enough, so I couldn't bring myself to care too much about them. That's basically my takeaway from this entire book - I don't care all that much about any aspect - Abby, Jack, their relationship, the other girls. Everything was a little too meh.

I was provided with a copy of this book via Netgally in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved the description of the story. I'm a sucker for a love story AND reality TV, so I was expecting this to be right up my street. As soon as I started reading, I loved how fun and quirky it was; the narration was sassy but light, and I was so ready to get invested in the characters. I did find that as the story went on, it lost me a little, as the story became a little predictable. However, it was a fun idea and a very easy read that I enjoyed a lot.

As soon as the story started, I thought it was set up really well. The idea of a journalist going undercover on a reality dating show was such a fun idea, and I could see immediately that the plot had a lot of potential for drama and a lot of humour. There were also a lot of scenes that were fun to read about, with the commentary of Anastasia giving some sharp relief to some of the more bittersweet moments. What I really wanted was just a bit more. All the ingredients were there, but it all felt a little anti-climatic and the book felt like it ended to abruptly for me. As the story went on I felt it getting a little more rushed to fit everything in, but I really would have loved to have seen longer scenes, more focus on the implications for Abby being part of the contest, The Stag, and maybe even more of a reckoning at the very end.

The characters were, again, fun. Abby was an easy protagonist to follow, and the other characters were nice enough too. I just wish we had got to see more of them. Lisa, Abby's friend back home, as well as her mum, don't really get any character development beyond the surface level, and the competitors, the Does, were also a little flat. It felt a little like everyone was there because they had to be for the story rather than because they really added value. Daniel in particular, the Stag himself, was a little one dimensional. I understood the way his character was painted, but I think it would have been so interesting if there had been a bit more to him.

This book isn't bad by any stretch of the imagination. The idea was fun, I found it humorous, and it was a lovely easy read. It just felt like it wasn't quite there. The ending didn't really have the impact it needed, loose ends weren't quite tied up well enough, and the characters could have benefitted from more depth. An enjoyable read, but one that needed a bit *more*.

An interesting read!

This story centre's around a reality tv show and a secret that our main character is keeping under wraps. I was interested in this unique concept, however, this book fell a little flat. I enjoyed the writing and the setting, but unfortunately this wasn't for me. It lacked the drama and high stakes I was looking for in my next romance read!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an arc! Much appreciated :)

I am a huge reality show junkie so when I saw "The Dating Game" by Sandy Barker was a competition dating show themed book I knew I would be hooked.

Abigail Jones longs to be a serious journalist but until that time comes she's stuck writing reality show recaps under a pseudonym. When reality tv show producers from "The Stag" see her snarky recaps they invite her to come undercover on the tv show to get an insider view at the contestants. Abby joins the show under duress when she meets the shows cute Australian director, Jack. The Bachelorette style ridiculous scenarios ensue and you can probably guess who she ends up falling for. Not only is this romcom about finding love but it's about finding yourself and creating meaningful friendships along the way. This was the first time reading a book by Sandy Barker and it won't be the last. Barker's style of writing reminds me of Sophie Kinsella in the best way. Like Kinsella, Barker wrote a plucky heroine who doesn't notice her own potential. She's afraid to be as assertive in her real life as she is under her pseudonym. Through the course of the book, she comes to realize Abby and Anastasia (her pseudonym) are in fact one in the same.

All in all, "The Dating Game" is a cute romcom for lovers of reality dating shows. It would be the perfect beach read. I can't wait to pick up some of Barkers other books!

Let me preface this review by saying I do not watch the types of shows this book emulates, so I was a bit hesitant when I started. Nevertheless, this was a great quick and fun read. I laughed quite a bit and while all the drama was a bit much at times, it kept me really entertained through the whole book. Abby was a great character. Her feelings and thoughts felt very real, and I really liked how nice she was to those around her. I also liked getting to know all the other girls. They had very distinct personalities. Overall, this is a fun and relaxing book, though not very romantic. I did think Abby and Jack’s romance wasn’t very explored at all. I would have liked to have seen more of them together.

I'm a sucker for trash reality shows, so the premise of this book had me hooked. Unfortunately, I had a hard time connecting to the main character Abby. Being in her head could be a bit frustrating for me. Also, this is probably just an eARC formatting issue that will be solved when the book is actually out, but Abby's recaps often blended into her narration, making it difficult to distinguish which was which right away. Still, there was definitely a lot of humor in this book, which I always appreciate, and I'm happy to see that so many other people loved it!

Overall, a fun read. Writing style was light and engaging. I enjoyed but I left no lasting impression. I would recommend if you are looking for something light and breezy.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins for giving me a chance to review this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed this book! Lovers of Unreal and the Bachelor will love this book! It was definitely light on the romance, though, and a little repetitive. Abby is very much all of us. Doesn't see herself accurately, doubts herself in really realistic ways, etc. and it made her feel more real. Her wit was amazing and I laughed so hard at some points. Jack was also a wonderfully realistic love interest.

I wish I would have seen more romance between them though. I am someone who really appreciates some smut (even if its fade to black) and this had nothing but mostly chaste kisses. So that part was definitely a little disappointing. for a romance book, it definitely felt more like a book centered around female friendships than anything.

After reading the premise of The Dating Game, I was really excited read this book. Unfortunately, though, it just didn't meet my expectations. I really wanted to like it, so I did look for some good things. The premise was really unique, and some of the characters were quite funny. Other than that, I unfortunately, found the book hard to like. The main thing for me was the protagonist's voice just didn't come across as genuine. I think the style of it just wasn't to my taste.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Abby is a writer that is undercover on a dating show, and is in Australia playing her part. She doesn't want the bachelor, as she is already falling for Jack from the production team.
Things get complicated as there are games being played off and on screen.

I would have liked to have seen more of an epilogue to see if there was any fall out from the show for Abby.

I LOVED THIS! It was so much fun - the romance was just right, the characters well done. It was funny and adorable and I just gobbled it up. I can't wait to get a paper copy! I will definitely be reading more of this author!

Summary: Abby writes recaps of the Stag aka The Bachelor and when one of her reviews goes viral the show’s producers invite her onto the next season. But the bachelor, Daniel isn’t the dreamboat that the crew is painting him as and as Abby spies on and befriends her fellow competitors her eyes keep getting drawn to the stunning producer that pulled her into this mess of a show.

Thoughts: Super cute! Abby was super cute and I adored her and Jack. Jack does get little territorial, which isn’t cute but he does redeem himself. I love that neither Jack or Abby are firmly settled or successful in their careers, and that Jack worked with his brother Harry, that was really cute. I do want Harry to get his own happily ever after too. I have to say I agree with Abby, I could never get into the Bachelor, how can you think a guy who goes on TV to date 24 other women is a catch. I don’t care how much he makes, any guy on the bachelor ,is probably a douche so I liked that Daniel was less than perfect . I do like that they had a fun exotic setting and seeing the show through Abby’s alter ego’s recaps was super fun. As much as I loved the story and relationship between Jack and Abby I do adore the relationship between Abby and the other Does aka competitors. The women were fun takes on the cliched tropes in the real romance reality shows. I also liked that we got the behind the scenes look at the show as well as watch Abby be apart of the show. It made me want to like and watch The Bachelor.

The premise of The Dating Game is so fun and immediately caught my attention. I love rom-coms with a sense of humor and a slightly unbelievable setup, as it all adds to the lightheartedness of the story. However, the writing itself fell a little flat for me. The dialogue was choppy in places, and the book overall lacked the polish I've come to expect from contemporary romance novels.

I loved this. It had some great laugh out loud moments. I was a fun enjoyable read. Definitely need more of this author in my life

One minor complaint is how seamlessly the author transitions from Abby’s thoughts/actions to her articles. At times, it’s so seamless that I’m not sure what the words are actually referring to. Now this could be easily fixed with formatting and the finished copy will hopefully do that. It definitely needs more of a separation.

Despite having a large cast of characters, I never found myself confused and trying to remember who each was. The author did a good job of making each character unique, and likable or unlikable in her own way. The female friendships that came from the dating show were awesome and I really appreciated how they took time to build each other up while competing for the same prize (the stag).

The ending was a bit anticlimactic, especially for how complicated the author made the plot. The main character had to tell and maintain many lies to go undercover. Yet, in the end, (spoiler alert!) nothing wrong. It still wasn’t completely resolved and, I’m sorry, but her new relationship is doomed to fail (at least with the information the author gives us). Overall, not very satisfying.

This was cute, fun and easy read based around reality/ dating shows and all the stuff that happens behind the scenes! The characters were lovable and I love a good slow burn romance. It gave me major summer vibes and I couldn’t put it down!

A big thanks to NetGalley, Harper Collins Uk and One More Chapter for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub date: September 10, 2021

What a fun journey this is! A behind the scenes romcom about the ins and outs of being on a reality tv dating show like The Bachelor. The friendships made, the bridges burned, and how “real” any of it is.

Unfortunately I didn’t find the Abby/Jack attraction believable. She was swooning excessively after a meeting and one international flight. It improves as we move along and I also found myself captivated by all the Doe friends and foes—this truly takes you through an entire season of the show to an unconventional HEA!

Sidebar: I’m confused by the cover and how it relates to this story.

This was an enjoyable book. The concept was interesting and it was executed quite well. Jack and Abby were cute and I loved the development of their friendship alongside the romance.

I really loved the dynamics between all the girls in the house and seeing their off-screen interactions. I love secondary characters and Kaz, Harry, Becca, and Daphne really added another layer to the story.

Overall, a good choice for a quick and easy read.

I loved this one! Fast and easy to read and really just grabbed me from the start. I was compelled by the characters and maybe a little bit charmed as well.