About the Book

Book: The Dating Charade
Author: Melissa Ferguson
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Fiction, Romantic Comedy
Release Date: December 3, 2019

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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My Thoughts:

This book was a delightfully hilarious and also poignant read. A firefighter sees the opportunity to reconnect with his high school crush, now a woman who provides a safe haven for impoverished girls.

Sparks fly- and then surprises drop from the sky. Our hero finds himself responsible for twin terrors and a nearly newborn infant, and our heroine finds her hands full with a teenager and two school age children. He calls upon the help of his roommate and neighbor, and she upon her best friend and mom- but neither dare tell the other about their unexpected, possibly permanent family additions for fear of scaring away their potential soul mate whose profile says they don't want kids.

Between frantic attempts to learn how to parent and simultaneously woo each other, while keeping the former a secret, this book had me in stiches. Until it had me freaking out. A wonderful, unique read.

I was provided a copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

Reviewed by Jes Drew

About the Author

Melissa Ferguson lives in Bristol, Tennessee, where she is an adjunct professor at King University and pens books that make her laugh and grow. She used to have hobbies like running and backpacking the Appalachian Trail outside her door. Now she and her husband are outnumbered, and her hobbies include diaper changes, chasing toddlers in parking lots, and admiring the Appalachian Trail out her minivan window while singing “Winnie the Pooh.” She survives by Jesus, rom coms, and roughly two espresso shots a day. The Dating Charade is her first novel.