First Line Fridays: The Dating Charade by Melissa Ferguson

Happy Friday!

First Line Fridays is hosted by Hoarding Books and participants share the first line from a nearby book.

Today I'm sharing the first lines from The Dating Charade by Melissa Ferguson:

"If one was going to dip one's toes into the murky, pestilential waters of online dating, an escape plan was critical."

Have you read this book? I thought it absolutely adorable. You can learn more about the book below and read my review here.

What are you reading this weekend? I'd love to read your first lines.

Have a great weekend! Happy reading!


About the Book:

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.

December Recap & January Reading

My December 2019 Reads: 

With December being a naturally busy month, I'm surprised and pleased that I read as many books as I did.

In December, I finished:

1. Love You, Truly by Susan L. Tuttle. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


2. Praying With Jane by Rachel Dodge - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


3. Christmas at Carnton by Tamera Alexander. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


4. The Dating Charade by Melissa Ferguson. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


5. Above the Fold by Rachel Scott McDaniel - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Review coming soon.


6. The Way of the Brave by Susan May Warren - ⭐⭐⭐ - Review coming soon.

My favorite book this month was.... Love You, Truly by Susan L. Tuttle. Honestly, I wasn't sure I even wanted to read this book, but I gave it a chance and I'm so glad I did! 

Expected January 2020 Reads:

In January, I expect to read:

1. On Wings of Devotion by Roseanna M. White - I'm already hearing good buzz about this book so I'm looking forward to it!


2. The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis - Still in progress! It's not a review book and has slid to the bottom of my stack.


3. The Spice King by Elizabeth Camden - My local book club's January selection!


4. Isaiah's Legacy by Mesu Andrews - Both my husband and I will read this one. He loves Mesu Andrews' books!


5. Booked by Karen Swallow Prior - I'm currently reading this memoir and it's amazing.


6. Anne's House of Dreams by L. M. Montgomery - I may or may not read this one. I haven' t read the prior books in the series, but the online book group I joined is reading it.

 What will you read this month?

Book Review: The Dating Charade by Melissa Ferguson

About the Book:

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.


My Thoughts:

If I had to describe The Dating Charade by Melissa Ferguson in one word, it would be adorable. I liked this book from the first page and went through all the emotions with it. I laughed, I cried, and I smiled again. While there’s laugh-out-loud humor, there’s also intense emotional drama that brought me to tears. Embedded in it all are themes about family, love, and self-sacrifice.

Adoption and fostering children play a large part in The Dating Charade. It was a pleasure to watch Cassie and Jett adapt to their new normal as foster parents. While I didn’t like some of their decisions/actions, the sweet romance and the promise of a happily-ever-after kept me interested. The ending felt a bit rushed, without Cassie and Jett really working to resolve/compromise on some of their differences of opinion. Still, I finished the novel with a smile on my face.

The Dating Charade by Melissa Ferguson will appeal to readers who enjoy inspirational contemporary romance. Attendance at church functions is depicted, but the book is not overly preachy. It’s a strong debut novel that I’ll keep to reread and I look forward to more of Melissa Ferguson’s work.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided an arc copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.

November Recap & Expected December Reads

My November 2019 Reads:

November was a crazy reading month for me. It took me two weeks to finish one book! Then, I started The Memory House later than expected and ended up going to book club not having finished it. Thankfully, I remembered the general plot from my first reading of it back in March.

In November, I finished:

1. Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


2. The Memory House by Rachel Hauck - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Read my original review. I'm happy to say I enjoyed it just as much the second time around!


3. God's Hostage by Andrew Brunson. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Review coming soon.


4. Once Upon a Dickens Christmas by Michelle Griep. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


5. Stories Behind the Songs and Hymns About Heaven by Ace Collins. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


6. 100 Extraordinary Stories of Prayer for Courageous Girls by Jean Fischer ⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


7. The Rebel Bride by Shannon McNear. - ⭐⭐⭐ - Review coming soon.


8. The Piper's Pursuit by Melanie Dickerson - ⭐⭐⭐ - Review available 12/02/19.

Expected December 2019 Reads:

In December, I expect to read:

1. Above the Fold by Rachel McDaniel - I've been looking forward to this book for months!


2. The Dating Charade by Melissa Ferguson - I love the cover of this book and I'm looking forward to reading it.


3. The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis - Still in progress! It's not a review book and has slid to the bottom of my stack.


4. Christmas at Carnton by Tamera Alexander - My local book club's December selection!


5. Isaiah's Legacy by Mesu Andrews - Both my husband and I will read this one. He loves Mesu Andrews' books!


6. Praying With Jane by Rachel Dodge - Currently reading. I read Pride & Prejudice back in October, so it's been fun to see the author tie together the novels and the devotional thoughts.

 What will you read this month?