On Tour with Prism Book Tours
The Dating Charade
By Melissa Ferguson
Contemporary Romance, Christian
Paperback, Audiobook & ebook, 336 Pages
December 3rd 2019 by Thomas Nelson
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. 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.
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Talk about a debut. Don’t be fooled about its label. Sure, it’s Christian based with romantic elements but this book is so much more than that. The set up is hilarious. I can’t even imagine trying to date now. I’ve been married for over 15 years and I was set up. Thank goodness it worked out. LOL! What makes it fun is Cassie and her posse of friends. Cassie might have given up on dating but her friends aren’t ready for her to give up. Enter Jett. Talk about high school crush coming through. Sure it was a little insta for me but that’s what made their romance fun. It wasn’t easy for them to be together or for Cassie to even think about having a relationship with Jett.
Cassie has a big secret that she isn’t willing to share with most people but I totally get why she did hide that. It was heartbreaking in the beginning but when she gets 3 kids dropped off at her house, that maternal side of her comes out. Jett gets the same thing on his doorstep and the hijinks ensue. The humor throughout the book is fantastic. Ms. Ferguson knows when to lighten up her characters but also see the real drama unfolding before them, too. It’s a great balance that most debut authors don’t get right. She did and beautifully, too.
The reason why I kinda label this romantic elements is that at times, the romance really takes a backseat to the actual plot in the book. Is this a bad thing? No. Cassie and Jett have a lot to figure out within themselves first before a true romance can be felt between them. I did, however, love them as a couple. Ms. Ferguson has her hands full when it comes to the children that are in the book. She doesn’t sugarcoat their situations but also doesn’t dwell on it either. Plus, the children are not a plot ploy to put Cassie and Jett together. They have their own personalities and thoughts.
This is a fun read but it does go deeper than you expect. Ms. Ferguson does an excellent job of balancing out the light with the dark. I just wish, in a way, that there was more romance. But hey, I love romance books. Do yourself a favor and pick up this gem of a book. You will thank me later.
About the Author
Melissa Ferguson is an adjunct professor for Bible and religion at King University. She lives in the charming town of Bristol, Tennessee, with her husband, twin toddlers, and baby girl. She used to have hobbies like running and backpacking the Appalachian Trail outside her door. Now her hobbies include admiring the Appalachian Trail out her minivan window while singing “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” en route to the library.
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