Review of “The Dating Charade” by Melissa Ferguson

Overview

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.

Purchase a copy here:

My Review:

I loved this author’s writing style.  It’s an excellent example of how well-written and entertaining Christian contemporary fiction can be.  The storyline is terrific, and I absolutely fell in love with the two main characters, Jett and Cassie.  Their characters are likable and I had a great deal of empathy for each of them.  As they each get quickly immersed into unexpected parenthood, there’s quite a bit of humor in both their stories. However, besides the humor, there’s also a very clear look at the challenges of being a foster parent and the struggles to help these children that are hurting, scared, and unsure of their future.  The author shows the almost overwhelming challenges from both the foster parent and child’s point of view.  Oh, there’s romance in this story, too.  There were times I wanted to sit both Jett and Cassie down together and tell them to communicate with each other.  I don’t know if there’s a follow-up book to this story, but I’d love to read one.  I came to care of these characters, and that’s always a sign of a great story.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.  All opinions are my own.

About Melissa Ferguson

Melissa Ferguson lives in Bristol, Tennessee, where she is an assistant 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 debut novel.

She’d love you to find her and join in on her journey at melissaferguson.com.