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The Dating Game
The must-read romantic comedy for fans of Laura Jane Williams, Sophie Ranald and Sophie Kinsella.
‘Hilarious and highly original’
Julie Houston, bestselling author of A Village Affair
Once upon a time, twelve women joined the hottest reality TV show looking for love. Except one had a secret identity . . .
Abby Jones is a serious writer. Or at least she will be, one day. Right now, she spends her time writing recaps of reality television under a secret identity.
When a recap for The Stag – the must-watch dating show – goes viral, her editor thinks she should be on set, writing the drama as it happens. The good news: the next season will be filmed in Sydney. Sun, sea and a glamorous trip abroad, this could be Abby’s big break.
The bad news: the producers don’t just want Abby to write the recaps, they want her to be on the show. Abby can’t think of anything worse than being undercover and followed around by cameras. But her career depends on it, and when she meets gorgeous producer Jack, Abby begins to wonder if this job might not be so bad after all . . .
‘Hilarious and highly original’
Julie Houston, bestselling author of A Village Affair
Once upon a time, twelve women joined the hottest reality TV show looking for love. Except one had a secret identity . . .
Abby Jones is a serious writer. Or at least she will be, one day. Right now, she spends her time writing recaps of reality television under a secret identity.
When a recap for The Stag – the must-watch dating show – goes viral, her editor thinks she should be on set, writing the drama as it happens. The good news: the next season will be filmed in Sydney. Sun, sea and a glamorous trip abroad, this could be Abby’s big break.
The bad news: the producers don’t just want Abby to write the recaps, they want her to be on the show. Abby can’t think of anything worse than being undercover and followed around by cameras. But her career depends on it, and when she meets gorgeous producer Jack, Abby begins to wonder if this job might not be so bad after all . . .
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 10, 2021
73 people are currently reading
3506 people want to read
About the author
Sandy Barker
20 books373 followersI’m a writer, traveller and hopeful romantic with a lengthy bucket list, and many of my travel adventures have found homes in my novels. I’m also an avid reader, a film buff, a wine lover and a coffee snob.
I am currently on a one-year sabbatical, living and writing across the world, with my partner, Ben, who I met while travelling in Greece. Our real-life love story inspired my debut novel One Summer in Santorini, the first in the five-book Holiday Romance series with One More Chapter, an imprint of HarperCollins.
Also with One More Chapter, is the Christmas Romance series, celebrating my favourite time of the year, and a stand-alone romcom, The Dating Game, set in the world of reality TV.
I am now writing for Boldwood Books, including the 5-book Ever After Agency romcom series. Next up are 5 more standalone romcoms for Boldwood.
I am represented by Lina Langlee of The North Literary Agency.
I am currently on a one-year sabbatical, living and writing across the world, with my partner, Ben, who I met while travelling in Greece. Our real-life love story inspired my debut novel One Summer in Santorini, the first in the five-book Holiday Romance series with One More Chapter, an imprint of HarperCollins.
Also with One More Chapter, is the Christmas Romance series, celebrating my favourite time of the year, and a stand-alone romcom, The Dating Game, set in the world of reality TV.
I am now writing for Boldwood Books, including the 5-book Ever After Agency romcom series. Next up are 5 more standalone romcoms for Boldwood.
I am represented by Lina Langlee of The North Literary Agency.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 370 reviews
September 6, 2021
Well! Abby Jones might be my mind mate! After watching each Bachelorette episodes along with my friends, the most part I fully enjoy is teasing with competitors! I put them into groups and give them nicknames. When I start to read this book opening with deliciously sarcastic and absolutely smart article of the character, I laughed a lot! And I thought I finally found a character reflects my inner snarky b*tch self!
Abby Jones is aspiring writer: well, at least she dreams to be a serious journalist to write for NY Times or Guardian but right now she writes articles by using her pseudonym name Anastasia Flabbergasted teasing must-watch show Stag! Concept is copy cat of Bachelorette: doe-s are the candidates to lure the gorgeous guy at Stag Manor, isolated from the outer world for two months, having cat fights, enduring lots of scripted or dramatized quarrels: the doe standing riding into sunset with the love of her life!
Teasing about show hiding behind her pseudonym name is easier task but her editor Prue van der Puttin who is incarnated version Putin with dictatorial skills force her to attend to the contest with writing an insider article for Feed Your Mind Magazine which will establish partnership between magazine and network , boost their reach and readership potentially ten-fold!
Even though she wants to decline the offer, she is scared of being a victim of her explosive violence tendencies of her boss. She doesn’t want to lose her job!
Let’s look from the bright side: the entire episodes will be shot in Australia where she always dreamed the visit and handsome producer charming Aussie Jack is already too helpful to her to practice her role play!
She has already classification system : between the contenders. There are: potential brides, dark horses, villains, fillers and miscellaneous.
They will compete to steal Daniel the British banker’s ( or the wanker’s) heart!
Plan is simple! She’ll learn to survive in the dorm life at the gorgeous villa with the spectacular view( they advised to mention it throughout their recording), befriending 11 competent to get more juicy gossips and details to embellish her up-close- personal backstage comments. She has also need to get immune to condescending comments of two villanelles: Tara and Kylie.
It seems like she already befriended Becca, Katz, Elizabeth. And as she spends more time with Jack, she stars falling harder but what if the pretentious, narcissistic Stag also gets interested in her! She’s so blunt and direct from the beginning. She doesn’t pretend like the other girls but what if her sarcastic and honest comments attract the guy she cannot stand! What will happen to her undeniable attraction at her lovely producer!
I liked the opening the book a lot. I loved the witty comments and living in a mansion- competing at a reality show- jealous girl cat fight- friendship- forbidden love theme but on the middle of the book, pacing gets repetitive and I lose my interest! But at the end the author wrapped up the story satisfyingly!
I’m rounding up my 3.5 stars to 4 just for the author’s enjoyable, smart, entertaining writing style and reality show theme!
Special thanks to NetGalley and One More Chapter / Harper Collins UK for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
Abby Jones is aspiring writer: well, at least she dreams to be a serious journalist to write for NY Times or Guardian but right now she writes articles by using her pseudonym name Anastasia Flabbergasted teasing must-watch show Stag! Concept is copy cat of Bachelorette: doe-s are the candidates to lure the gorgeous guy at Stag Manor, isolated from the outer world for two months, having cat fights, enduring lots of scripted or dramatized quarrels: the doe standing riding into sunset with the love of her life!
Teasing about show hiding behind her pseudonym name is easier task but her editor Prue van der Puttin who is incarnated version Putin with dictatorial skills force her to attend to the contest with writing an insider article for Feed Your Mind Magazine which will establish partnership between magazine and network , boost their reach and readership potentially ten-fold!
Even though she wants to decline the offer, she is scared of being a victim of her explosive violence tendencies of her boss. She doesn’t want to lose her job!
Let’s look from the bright side: the entire episodes will be shot in Australia where she always dreamed the visit and handsome producer charming Aussie Jack is already too helpful to her to practice her role play!
She has already classification system : between the contenders. There are: potential brides, dark horses, villains, fillers and miscellaneous.
They will compete to steal Daniel the British banker’s ( or the wanker’s) heart!
Plan is simple! She’ll learn to survive in the dorm life at the gorgeous villa with the spectacular view( they advised to mention it throughout their recording), befriending 11 competent to get more juicy gossips and details to embellish her up-close- personal backstage comments. She has also need to get immune to condescending comments of two villanelles: Tara and Kylie.
It seems like she already befriended Becca, Katz, Elizabeth. And as she spends more time with Jack, she stars falling harder but what if the pretentious, narcissistic Stag also gets interested in her! She’s so blunt and direct from the beginning. She doesn’t pretend like the other girls but what if her sarcastic and honest comments attract the guy she cannot stand! What will happen to her undeniable attraction at her lovely producer!
I liked the opening the book a lot. I loved the witty comments and living in a mansion- competing at a reality show- jealous girl cat fight- friendship- forbidden love theme but on the middle of the book, pacing gets repetitive and I lose my interest! But at the end the author wrapped up the story satisfyingly!
I’m rounding up my 3.5 stars to 4 just for the author’s enjoyable, smart, entertaining writing style and reality show theme!
Special thanks to NetGalley and One More Chapter / Harper Collins UK for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
May 25, 2023
This was such a fun story! I enjoyed Abby's dilemma within the dating show, as well as the drama from the other contestants.
Full review at LucyKnowsThings.com.
Full review at LucyKnowsThings.com.
Read
December 18, 2021**Book received from NG because ... I have no idea why**
This book contains all the elements to be my catnip. And, for the most part, I enjoyed it—mainly due to the snappy dialogue and effortless verve of the writing style. Your mileage may vary on this but I’m one of those readers for whom a witty turn of phrase can cover a world of sin.
And while I wouldn’t say there’s a *world* sin to cover here, there’s some sin. And by “sin” what I actually mean is “unresolved plot elements and lack of emotional payoff.”
Plus the premise alone required a sufficiency of suspended disbelief that while I wouldn’t say it was unwilling exactly it was definitely slipping into dubcon. The Stag is this book’s equivalent to The Bachelor (serial numbers not so much filed off as scribbled out with a felt-tip), only the current series is some sort of weird British/Australian mash up, set in a beach mansion in Sydney. Probably because it’s borderline impossible to imagine Bachelor-style dates in the UK: and now Liam has invited Tiffany on a romantic one-on-one date at Beamish Museum.
ANYWAY. That’s the background. Back to the actual premise. The heroine, Abby, has aspirations to be a serious journalist but earns her living writing content—specifically reality TV show recaps—for an online site that I think is supposed to be Buzzfeed. She writes these under a pseudonym and her snarky style has made them very popular, so much so that when her recaps generate additional interest in the latest season of The Stag, the producer taps her editor have Abby become a contestant on the next season of the show. Apparently because this will make her recaps better? Because that will be better for the show? Because the one thing we all know reality TV producers love is having actual fucking journalists literally on-set witnessing all the shady shit that reality TV producers do to make the shows that they make.
Listen, I do not buy this at all. But here is my disbelief. And here I am suspending it.
What unfolds is a potentially intriguing clusterfuck of public versus private selves. Between her recap-writing-persona, her persona on the show and who she is, or believes herself to be, Abby has about sixty-five different identities to juggle. And while this is on the one hand unnecessarily complicated, it is thematically resonant with both the “nothing is as it seems” of reality TV and the various roles society expects women to play, in general and in the sphere of romance in particular. The way the book is structured further feeds into this: the narration transitions almost seamlessly from Abby’s direct POV to her written-up recaps to the constructed footage of the show itself. This is, at once, really fascinating (because it’s sometimes genuinely hard to get a handle on exactly what happened) and frustrating (because it’s sometimes genuinely hard to get a handle on exactly what happened).
The other thing I really liked about the book was its focus on the developing relationships between the women on the show. There is also a romance, between Abby and one of the producers, a Generic Australian Man, and for better or worse it honestly feels a lot less well-articulated than the various friendships. This personally didn’t trouble me, although it did mean I was chomping at the bit to get back to the show whenever the hero and heroine where alone together (which is probably counter-productive to a romance arc) but I did kind of love the way that, by the end of the book (and without spoilers) some very traditional romance tropes had been reconfigured to centre and celebrate a friendship between two women. There’s even a dark moment, a betrayal, a big gesture, and a reconciliation for heaven’s sake. Unfortunately, that only served to further side-line the romance but, again, I appreciated the direction the book chose to go in, especially in the context of a problematically heteronormative dating show that is explicitly designed to put women in competition with each other.
Apart from the romance, which was arguably one of the weaker elements of the book, there were a few other things that didn’t quite work for me. In particular, there are two women among the contestants who appear to have been scouted explicitly to be “villains” – and it quickly becomes clear they’re awful off-camera as well as on. The heroine calls them “the Cruella sisters” because they’re so appalling but that’s kind of the whole problem. They are, indeed, so appalling they might as well be the ugly stepsisters in a cartoon fairy-tale. Literally everyone else in the book, including the guy whose attentions they’re all competing for and is obviously a total wanker, and the heroine’s “nasty” editor, are allowed *some* nuance to their characters. Not always nuance enough to redeem them, but nuance enough to be human. Not so Tara and Kylie. And while I do understand that horrible people who are just horrible exist in the world, in this case it felt … out-of-step with the rest of the book. And is especially problematic because Tara is explicitly presented as from a working-class London background, whereas Daphne, the super posh one, who is also initially portrayed as being kind of dreadful, is later shown to be human, with all the attendant virtues, flaws and vulnerabilities. This made the portrayal of Tara come across as a bit … lowest common denominator, dunk on the chavvy one, and have it be justified because the chavvy one was presented as irredeemably terrible in every way.
Which was an odd blindspot because the heroine is herself from a working-class background. Although that was an element the book mostly left dangling, along with Abby’s panic attacks, her issues around financial stability, and her aspirations to be a “serious” journalist. While the reality TV show aspect of the text gave it an undeniable momentum (and really did keep me turning the pages enthusiastically), something I struggled with throughout was how much the book seemed to be setting up that it seemed to later forget, drop or simply stop caring about. I don’t know if there was simply too much going on, but it did mean that while the conclusion of the book was satisfying in terms of the show, it wasn’t very satisfying in terms of the characters. Abby and Generic Australian Man do have a conversation about their future, but I didn’t feel Abby was any closer to either progressing her career as the “serious” journalist she wants to (or feels she should?) be or reconciling herself with the value of what she does currently. What happened to other competitors? Were they okay? What did Daphne do? What about Abby’s reputation, given that her attempt to conceal her identity as a contestant was going as Abby Jones instead of … Abigail Jones? I have questions. I have so many questions. And some of them, at least, were testament to how involved I felt with the contestants of the show. But some of them just left me feeling like the book hadn’t so much finished as hit its run time and rolled credits abruptly.
The other thing that didn’t quite work for me was the production side of the reality TV business. Going back to Tara and Kylie as villains, I was slightly troubled by the way they were just terrible people who had been recruited to be terrible and, therefore, were terrible. Because, from what I understand, most reality TV villains are made not, err, born. And this was partially addressed by the book itself in that the producers do need to “turn” one of the remaining contestants into a villain to inject drama and tension into the finale episodes. But this was really the only time that the producers were shown as actively creating the storylines of the show. Abby does acknowledge the “guiding” hand of the producers, and notes how manipulative it is (as well as the overall fucked-upness of putting women in a bubble and half Stockholm-syndroming them into thinking they want some random guy enough to compete with each other over him) but this never felt real to me at any point. I mean, even the big dramatic storm off that occurs in every season of The Bachelor happens here spontaneously and voluntarily by Tara getting called on her bullshit, fired from the show and then choosing to storm off.
From everything I’ve seen, heard and read about this kind of reality TV, those kind of storm offs happen because of quite a lot of hardcore manipulative stuff directed at someone who is a little bit vulnerable and currently trapped in an emotional pressure cooker. Not because someone is evil in a way that just happens to make really good TV. And I know this is a romcom, not a dark satire of Dystopian television, but because the hero is one of the producers (and I think it would be really hard to get romantically invested in someone who emotionally manipulates vulnerable women for drama) it means the book has to consistently draw back from the, well, the reality of reality TV. Which, in turn, means it kind of lacks an edge occasionally.
And now this is all sounding very negative.
The truth is, I really did have fun with this book. Despite the ways it didn’t always work for me, I was super invested in the show as it unfolded and I sincerely loved the heroine’s voice. Plus she’s British and even though I understand the author is Australian, sounded authentically British to me. Given how many American-authored books I read, this was such a pleasure. Oh, and the book is also an abashed love letter to Sydney: which, well, fair play too. It sounds like an amazing city and I enjoyed being able to play virtual tourist.
PS - for them as care, this is one of those m/f books that takes place in some kind of AU where queerness does not exist and is never acknowledged as existing anyway. Obviously it's not my job to police books for the presence or absence of queer characters but it always feels faintly confusing to me when contemporary-set books seem to take place in this weird hinterland of unremitting straightness. I should also emphasise this is an observation, not a criticism. If you want to live in a hinterland of unremitting straightness, that's on you.
This book contains all the elements to be my catnip. And, for the most part, I enjoyed it—mainly due to the snappy dialogue and effortless verve of the writing style. Your mileage may vary on this but I’m one of those readers for whom a witty turn of phrase can cover a world of sin.
And while I wouldn’t say there’s a *world* sin to cover here, there’s some sin. And by “sin” what I actually mean is “unresolved plot elements and lack of emotional payoff.”
Plus the premise alone required a sufficiency of suspended disbelief that while I wouldn’t say it was unwilling exactly it was definitely slipping into dubcon. The Stag is this book’s equivalent to The Bachelor (serial numbers not so much filed off as scribbled out with a felt-tip), only the current series is some sort of weird British/Australian mash up, set in a beach mansion in Sydney. Probably because it’s borderline impossible to imagine Bachelor-style dates in the UK: and now Liam has invited Tiffany on a romantic one-on-one date at Beamish Museum.
ANYWAY. That’s the background. Back to the actual premise. The heroine, Abby, has aspirations to be a serious journalist but earns her living writing content—specifically reality TV show recaps—for an online site that I think is supposed to be Buzzfeed. She writes these under a pseudonym and her snarky style has made them very popular, so much so that when her recaps generate additional interest in the latest season of The Stag, the producer taps her editor have Abby become a contestant on the next season of the show. Apparently because this will make her recaps better? Because that will be better for the show? Because the one thing we all know reality TV producers love is having actual fucking journalists literally on-set witnessing all the shady shit that reality TV producers do to make the shows that they make.
Listen, I do not buy this at all. But here is my disbelief. And here I am suspending it.
What unfolds is a potentially intriguing clusterfuck of public versus private selves. Between her recap-writing-persona, her persona on the show and who she is, or believes herself to be, Abby has about sixty-five different identities to juggle. And while this is on the one hand unnecessarily complicated, it is thematically resonant with both the “nothing is as it seems” of reality TV and the various roles society expects women to play, in general and in the sphere of romance in particular. The way the book is structured further feeds into this: the narration transitions almost seamlessly from Abby’s direct POV to her written-up recaps to the constructed footage of the show itself. This is, at once, really fascinating (because it’s sometimes genuinely hard to get a handle on exactly what happened) and frustrating (because it’s sometimes genuinely hard to get a handle on exactly what happened).
The other thing I really liked about the book was its focus on the developing relationships between the women on the show. There is also a romance, between Abby and one of the producers, a Generic Australian Man, and for better or worse it honestly feels a lot less well-articulated than the various friendships. This personally didn’t trouble me, although it did mean I was chomping at the bit to get back to the show whenever the hero and heroine where alone together (which is probably counter-productive to a romance arc) but I did kind of love the way that, by the end of the book (and without spoilers) some very traditional romance tropes had been reconfigured to centre and celebrate a friendship between two women. There’s even a dark moment, a betrayal, a big gesture, and a reconciliation for heaven’s sake. Unfortunately, that only served to further side-line the romance but, again, I appreciated the direction the book chose to go in, especially in the context of a problematically heteronormative dating show that is explicitly designed to put women in competition with each other.
Apart from the romance, which was arguably one of the weaker elements of the book, there were a few other things that didn’t quite work for me. In particular, there are two women among the contestants who appear to have been scouted explicitly to be “villains” – and it quickly becomes clear they’re awful off-camera as well as on. The heroine calls them “the Cruella sisters” because they’re so appalling but that’s kind of the whole problem. They are, indeed, so appalling they might as well be the ugly stepsisters in a cartoon fairy-tale. Literally everyone else in the book, including the guy whose attentions they’re all competing for and is obviously a total wanker, and the heroine’s “nasty” editor, are allowed *some* nuance to their characters. Not always nuance enough to redeem them, but nuance enough to be human. Not so Tara and Kylie. And while I do understand that horrible people who are just horrible exist in the world, in this case it felt … out-of-step with the rest of the book. And is especially problematic because Tara is explicitly presented as from a working-class London background, whereas Daphne, the super posh one, who is also initially portrayed as being kind of dreadful, is later shown to be human, with all the attendant virtues, flaws and vulnerabilities. This made the portrayal of Tara come across as a bit … lowest common denominator, dunk on the chavvy one, and have it be justified because the chavvy one was presented as irredeemably terrible in every way.
Which was an odd blindspot because the heroine is herself from a working-class background. Although that was an element the book mostly left dangling, along with Abby’s panic attacks, her issues around financial stability, and her aspirations to be a “serious” journalist. While the reality TV show aspect of the text gave it an undeniable momentum (and really did keep me turning the pages enthusiastically), something I struggled with throughout was how much the book seemed to be setting up that it seemed to later forget, drop or simply stop caring about. I don’t know if there was simply too much going on, but it did mean that while the conclusion of the book was satisfying in terms of the show, it wasn’t very satisfying in terms of the characters. Abby and Generic Australian Man do have a conversation about their future, but I didn’t feel Abby was any closer to either progressing her career as the “serious” journalist she wants to (or feels she should?) be or reconciling herself with the value of what she does currently. What happened to other competitors? Were they okay? What did Daphne do? What about Abby’s reputation, given that her attempt to conceal her identity as a contestant was going as Abby Jones instead of … Abigail Jones? I have questions. I have so many questions. And some of them, at least, were testament to how involved I felt with the contestants of the show. But some of them just left me feeling like the book hadn’t so much finished as hit its run time and rolled credits abruptly.
The other thing that didn’t quite work for me was the production side of the reality TV business. Going back to Tara and Kylie as villains, I was slightly troubled by the way they were just terrible people who had been recruited to be terrible and, therefore, were terrible. Because, from what I understand, most reality TV villains are made not, err, born. And this was partially addressed by the book itself in that the producers do need to “turn” one of the remaining contestants into a villain to inject drama and tension into the finale episodes. But this was really the only time that the producers were shown as actively creating the storylines of the show. Abby does acknowledge the “guiding” hand of the producers, and notes how manipulative it is (as well as the overall fucked-upness of putting women in a bubble and half Stockholm-syndroming them into thinking they want some random guy enough to compete with each other over him) but this never felt real to me at any point. I mean, even the big dramatic storm off that occurs in every season of The Bachelor happens here spontaneously and voluntarily by Tara getting called on her bullshit, fired from the show and then choosing to storm off.
From everything I’ve seen, heard and read about this kind of reality TV, those kind of storm offs happen because of quite a lot of hardcore manipulative stuff directed at someone who is a little bit vulnerable and currently trapped in an emotional pressure cooker. Not because someone is evil in a way that just happens to make really good TV. And I know this is a romcom, not a dark satire of Dystopian television, but because the hero is one of the producers (and I think it would be really hard to get romantically invested in someone who emotionally manipulates vulnerable women for drama) it means the book has to consistently draw back from the, well, the reality of reality TV. Which, in turn, means it kind of lacks an edge occasionally.
And now this is all sounding very negative.
The truth is, I really did have fun with this book. Despite the ways it didn’t always work for me, I was super invested in the show as it unfolded and I sincerely loved the heroine’s voice. Plus she’s British and even though I understand the author is Australian, sounded authentically British to me. Given how many American-authored books I read, this was such a pleasure. Oh, and the book is also an abashed love letter to Sydney: which, well, fair play too. It sounds like an amazing city and I enjoyed being able to play virtual tourist.
PS - for them as care, this is one of those m/f books that takes place in some kind of AU where queerness does not exist and is never acknowledged as existing anyway. Obviously it's not my job to police books for the presence or absence of queer characters but it always feels faintly confusing to me when contemporary-set books seem to take place in this weird hinterland of unremitting straightness. I should also emphasise this is an observation, not a criticism. If you want to live in a hinterland of unremitting straightness, that's on you.
September 19, 2021
Big fan of Bachelor Nation over here. The Dating Game is just like watching an episode. So entertaining and fun! I'm a huge fan of reality television and was immediately hooked with this story and the characters. Especially the main character, Abigail Jones!
Thanks to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and Netgalley for my copy!
Thanks to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and Netgalley for my copy!
June 17, 2022
thanks to how romantic, funny, and original this was, i have a new rom-com to add to my favourites collection.
the writing was creative for the genre it belongs to - funny, full of cultural references, and relatable to a modern audience. it also somehow avoided cliches and cringe dialogue that both plague so many books of the same genre.
for me, the true delight of this book was the focus on love in all forms - romantic, familial, and through friendships, highlighting the importance of balance in our lives. the chemistry between abby and jack was instant, thus delightful. i rooted for them the second they met, and the payoff was more than worth it. the female friendships that developed throughout the story, despite the trials and tribulations of reality television, were lovely to witness. it was as if we, the reader, were invited into the group, entwining ourselves within their lives. and finally, the familial relationships. the bond between abby and her mother never failed to put a smile on my face. the love and devotion between the pair was as enviable as it was heartwarming. to see abby, a character that begins wondering if she is capable and worthy of love, be surrounded by love in all of its glorious forms partly eased the cynical parts of my heart, and that is no easy feat to do.
if you love love island then this is for you. if you love reality television then this is for you. if you love rom-coms, then this is for you.
overall, this ticked every box i have for rom-coms, modern literature and chick lit. i am in need of more books that take a genre so beloved and create an original story to fit within it. i loved this and cannot wait to read more of barker’s works because just from this i know they are well worth the read.
the writing was creative for the genre it belongs to - funny, full of cultural references, and relatable to a modern audience. it also somehow avoided cliches and cringe dialogue that both plague so many books of the same genre.
for me, the true delight of this book was the focus on love in all forms - romantic, familial, and through friendships, highlighting the importance of balance in our lives. the chemistry between abby and jack was instant, thus delightful. i rooted for them the second they met, and the payoff was more than worth it. the female friendships that developed throughout the story, despite the trials and tribulations of reality television, were lovely to witness. it was as if we, the reader, were invited into the group, entwining ourselves within their lives. and finally, the familial relationships. the bond between abby and her mother never failed to put a smile on my face. the love and devotion between the pair was as enviable as it was heartwarming. to see abby, a character that begins wondering if she is capable and worthy of love, be surrounded by love in all of its glorious forms partly eased the cynical parts of my heart, and that is no easy feat to do.
if you love love island then this is for you. if you love reality television then this is for you. if you love rom-coms, then this is for you.
overall, this ticked every box i have for rom-coms, modern literature and chick lit. i am in need of more books that take a genre so beloved and create an original story to fit within it. i loved this and cannot wait to read more of barker’s works because just from this i know they are well worth the read.
September 9, 2021
Favorite Quotes:
…your laugh sounds like a donkey going through menopause…
I’m not one of those women who gets a natural blush of pink on the apples of her cheeks. When I blush ―or flush, as in the case of a near-panic attack― my cheeks could be used to guide the aeroplanes landing at Heathrow.
My mind wants to grasp onto words like ‘adventure’, ‘escapade’, or ‘jaunt’, but settles on ‘utter debacle waiting to happen’.
All things considered, I would make a terrible spy. I’d be given a state secret and be busting with it before I left MI6, blurting it out to the security guards in the lobby.
Aunty Lo took one look at him and said in an incredibly loud stage whisper, ‘Ooh, he’s a bit of all right.’
My Review:
This was an endlessly entertaining, enjoyable, and relatable tale with well-fleshed characters, keenly honed and cleverly amusing storylines, and well-detailed scenes that evoked sharp imagery and smoothly flowing visuals through my gray matter. This was only my second time indulging in this skilled wordsmith’s craft and I snickered and smirked my way through her cunningly insightful and perceptive observations hidden in snarky levity.
Ms. Barker has a rapier wit that I connect with on all levels. The fiendishly clever shenanigans she came up with for the contestants on and off camera, which her character equated to “The Hunger Games,” was a constant delight woven into a rich and vibrant narrative of snarkalicious inner musings. I am now one of Ms. Barker’s most avid fangirls and quite eager to see what she conjures next.
…your laugh sounds like a donkey going through menopause…
I’m not one of those women who gets a natural blush of pink on the apples of her cheeks. When I blush ―or flush, as in the case of a near-panic attack― my cheeks could be used to guide the aeroplanes landing at Heathrow.
My mind wants to grasp onto words like ‘adventure’, ‘escapade’, or ‘jaunt’, but settles on ‘utter debacle waiting to happen’.
All things considered, I would make a terrible spy. I’d be given a state secret and be busting with it before I left MI6, blurting it out to the security guards in the lobby.
Aunty Lo took one look at him and said in an incredibly loud stage whisper, ‘Ooh, he’s a bit of all right.’
My Review:
This was an endlessly entertaining, enjoyable, and relatable tale with well-fleshed characters, keenly honed and cleverly amusing storylines, and well-detailed scenes that evoked sharp imagery and smoothly flowing visuals through my gray matter. This was only my second time indulging in this skilled wordsmith’s craft and I snickered and smirked my way through her cunningly insightful and perceptive observations hidden in snarky levity.
Ms. Barker has a rapier wit that I connect with on all levels. The fiendishly clever shenanigans she came up with for the contestants on and off camera, which her character equated to “The Hunger Games,” was a constant delight woven into a rich and vibrant narrative of snarkalicious inner musings. I am now one of Ms. Barker’s most avid fangirls and quite eager to see what she conjures next.
August 30, 2023
Being partial to a dating reality show, I was delighted to discover this book on my pile. Barker recreates this with an entertaining story about the deceptions production can create, especially when one of the contestants is planted in the series.
Abby is roped into becoming a contestant on The Stag, a dating show where one male (the Stag), dates a group of females (the Does), eliminating one potential love interest each week until his “forever after” is decided. Barker merges several reality shows with this premise and I think readers will be able to recognise this, adding to the overall enjoyment of the story.
Set in Australia, Abby is up against some fellow British Does, as well as some glamourous Australians too. However, Abby is a journalist who, undercover, is continuing to write her entertainment column, satirising and mocking the entire show. Intending to add exposure and raise ratings, Abby has to put on a character to ensure no one is suspicious of her true intentions, especially when she starts to fall for one of the production team.
I loved this story because it was such an accurate portrayal of a reality program. I was also fascinated by the idea of how storylines are manipulated in order to keep viewer interest – I had never really considered the extent to which this happens. Furthermore, I found Abby’s workspace to be entertaining and couldn’t believe how she is never suspected by the rest of the contestants – who believe that Abby disappears for regular meditating when she is actually writing her column.
There is a colourful range of characters in this book and I enjoyed watching some of these stereotypes within the reality show setting. Although it was a bit tricky to keep track of the different personalities, I appreciated the character list that appears at the end of the novel. As the program develops, Abby finds it harder to keep her identity a secret, especially as she begins to make genuine friendships with some of the “Does”. This made the story even more enjoyable, although I found I was deliberately trying to read it slowly to prolong the story!
For those who enjoy watching dating shows, this book is a perfect match. It is a great holiday read too, but the Australian setting definitely helped take me on holiday from the comfort of my sofa! A light-hearted read with plenty of romance, this was entertaining and enjoyable from the very beginning.
With thanks to One More Chapter, Harper Collins and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Abby is roped into becoming a contestant on The Stag, a dating show where one male (the Stag), dates a group of females (the Does), eliminating one potential love interest each week until his “forever after” is decided. Barker merges several reality shows with this premise and I think readers will be able to recognise this, adding to the overall enjoyment of the story.
Set in Australia, Abby is up against some fellow British Does, as well as some glamourous Australians too. However, Abby is a journalist who, undercover, is continuing to write her entertainment column, satirising and mocking the entire show. Intending to add exposure and raise ratings, Abby has to put on a character to ensure no one is suspicious of her true intentions, especially when she starts to fall for one of the production team.
I loved this story because it was such an accurate portrayal of a reality program. I was also fascinated by the idea of how storylines are manipulated in order to keep viewer interest – I had never really considered the extent to which this happens. Furthermore, I found Abby’s workspace to be entertaining and couldn’t believe how she is never suspected by the rest of the contestants – who believe that Abby disappears for regular meditating when she is actually writing her column.
There is a colourful range of characters in this book and I enjoyed watching some of these stereotypes within the reality show setting. Although it was a bit tricky to keep track of the different personalities, I appreciated the character list that appears at the end of the novel. As the program develops, Abby finds it harder to keep her identity a secret, especially as she begins to make genuine friendships with some of the “Does”. This made the story even more enjoyable, although I found I was deliberately trying to read it slowly to prolong the story!
For those who enjoy watching dating shows, this book is a perfect match. It is a great holiday read too, but the Australian setting definitely helped take me on holiday from the comfort of my sofa! A light-hearted read with plenty of romance, this was entertaining and enjoyable from the very beginning.
With thanks to One More Chapter, Harper Collins and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 27, 2021
Thank you so much to NetGalley and One More Chapter for this ARC.
Sandy Barker is a new author to me, and like any new author, I'm always more excited to read their work. There are a ton of reality/dating competition shows nowadays, and The Dating Game reminded me of a mix of a few shows. This book felt very comparable to reality TV for me: mindless entertainment. This book wasn't bad, but if you're looking for 'the next great romance' book, this isn't it. If you go into this book knowing that, you may find it more enjoyable.
The story was easy to follow but the characters didn't stick out at all. While this book didn't really bring anything new to the genre, I don't think it was trying to accomplish that either. I do wish some more risks were taken with the plot/dating show aspects. Nothing major happened, and I wish there was more drama and excitement to get you hooked.
Overall I think this book will be much more suited to reality TV show lovers who find those short of shows appealing.
Sandy Barker is a new author to me, and like any new author, I'm always more excited to read their work. There are a ton of reality/dating competition shows nowadays, and The Dating Game reminded me of a mix of a few shows. This book felt very comparable to reality TV for me: mindless entertainment. This book wasn't bad, but if you're looking for 'the next great romance' book, this isn't it. If you go into this book knowing that, you may find it more enjoyable.
The story was easy to follow but the characters didn't stick out at all. While this book didn't really bring anything new to the genre, I don't think it was trying to accomplish that either. I do wish some more risks were taken with the plot/dating show aspects. Nothing major happened, and I wish there was more drama and excitement to get you hooked.
Overall I think this book will be much more suited to reality TV show lovers who find those short of shows appealing.
September 4, 2021
Easily my favourite book from Sandy Barker so far.
This is a fantastic look featuring a dating game show The Stag.
Abby who has written scathing recaps for previous seasons, has now been asked to be a contestant on this new series to be able to provide even better insight in her recaps.
Abby is a rather reluctant contestant, and watching her deal with everything with multiple hats on is rather impressive.
I loved seeing how Abby deals with all the situations, her thoughts on the Stag, and her fellow does, as well on the stunning Sydney backdrop.
In addition the recaps of each episode are pure Gold, and greatly entertaining.
This was pure escapism from start to finish and I greatly enjoyed every last word of this book. i felt as though I was right there on the set of The Stag too.
Just wonderful!
Thank you to One More Chapter and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
This is a fantastic look featuring a dating game show The Stag.
Abby who has written scathing recaps for previous seasons, has now been asked to be a contestant on this new series to be able to provide even better insight in her recaps.
Abby is a rather reluctant contestant, and watching her deal with everything with multiple hats on is rather impressive.
I loved seeing how Abby deals with all the situations, her thoughts on the Stag, and her fellow does, as well on the stunning Sydney backdrop.
In addition the recaps of each episode are pure Gold, and greatly entertaining.
This was pure escapism from start to finish and I greatly enjoyed every last word of this book. i felt as though I was right there on the set of The Stag too.
Just wonderful!
Thank you to One More Chapter and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
September 9, 2021
3.5
The Dating Game is a quick and enjoyable read. If you've ever seen The Bachelor, this book is for you!
For every episode of The Stag, Abby has been watching it and writing about it under the false identity "Anastasia." One day, a producer from the show called her and persuaded her to do something she couldn't refuse.
Abby will not only be writing under the name Anastasia for the new Stag season in Sydney, but she will also be a fake love interest. It was the ideal strategy for her to acquire the inside scoop on what goes on behind the scenes during filming. It will also assist her with her writing.
Will Abby fall in love with the Stag or will she be attracted to someone else?
The Dating Game is a quick and enjoyable read. If you've ever seen The Bachelor, this book is for you!
For every episode of The Stag, Abby has been watching it and writing about it under the false identity "Anastasia." One day, a producer from the show called her and persuaded her to do something she couldn't refuse.
Abby will not only be writing under the name Anastasia for the new Stag season in Sydney, but she will also be a fake love interest. It was the ideal strategy for her to acquire the inside scoop on what goes on behind the scenes during filming. It will also assist her with her writing.
Will Abby fall in love with the Stag or will she be attracted to someone else?
August 21, 2021
A really fun story that desperately needed more editing.
Sandy Barker had such an interesting voice. The Dating Game is essentially about Abby Jones, a journalist who writes witty recaps for The Stag (AKA, this book's version of The Bachelor). She gets tons of clicks daily, and now that a new season of the show is about to start, the producers actually want Abby to participate as a contestant! She will go undercover to get all the juicy gossip directly from the source.
The thing is, Abby couldn't be less interested in this season's Stag (The Bachelor) and is actually falling head over heels for the gorgeous Aussie producer Jack. They both have a ton to prove in order to keep their jobs and actually move on to what they actually want to be doing - him to open a production company with his brother Harry, and her to become a serious investigating journalist.
The thing is... SO many things are promised here and there's so little payoff! Entire plot points are abandoned mid-book, and the romance couldn't be more unfulfilling. It's quite a wordy book, and if it wasn't for the quirky laid back writing style this would be a two-star book for me.
One other positive point is that The Dating Game has some interesting bits about female friendship, and a fun twist ending to the reality show. Unfortunately, the conclusion was just very messy. It's clear that although Sandy Barker is an accomplished writer, this book clearly needed a better editor.
Thank you so much HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, and Netgalley for approving me for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Sandy Barker had such an interesting voice. The Dating Game is essentially about Abby Jones, a journalist who writes witty recaps for The Stag (AKA, this book's version of The Bachelor). She gets tons of clicks daily, and now that a new season of the show is about to start, the producers actually want Abby to participate as a contestant! She will go undercover to get all the juicy gossip directly from the source.
The thing is, Abby couldn't be less interested in this season's Stag (The Bachelor) and is actually falling head over heels for the gorgeous Aussie producer Jack. They both have a ton to prove in order to keep their jobs and actually move on to what they actually want to be doing - him to open a production company with his brother Harry, and her to become a serious investigating journalist.
The thing is... SO many things are promised here and there's so little payoff! Entire plot points are abandoned mid-book, and the romance couldn't be more unfulfilling. It's quite a wordy book, and if it wasn't for the quirky laid back writing style this would be a two-star book for me.
One other positive point is that The Dating Game has some interesting bits about female friendship, and a fun twist ending to the reality show. Unfortunately, the conclusion was just very messy. It's clear that although Sandy Barker is an accomplished writer, this book clearly needed a better editor.
Thank you so much HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, and Netgalley for approving me for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 8, 2021
This is the third book I have read that is based on the Bachelor series, two of them I have read within a month of each other. You would think I would be sick of it by now but no 😂 In fact The Dating Game took an entirely new spin on it which was so fun.
I loved the cast of characters, even the ‘Villains’ and I laughed more than once at Some of the recaps Abby wrote for the show. I did think that this book could have been a little shorter, it slowed down a bit for me at once point. However, the ending was everything I wanted to be and more.
This was my first Sandy Barker book and it won’t be my last.
Thank you Rachels Random Resources for including me on the tour and the complimentary eARC.
I loved the cast of characters, even the ‘Villains’ and I laughed more than once at Some of the recaps Abby wrote for the show. I did think that this book could have been a little shorter, it slowed down a bit for me at once point. However, the ending was everything I wanted to be and more.
This was my first Sandy Barker book and it won’t be my last.
Thank you Rachels Random Resources for including me on the tour and the complimentary eARC.
August 27, 2021
While I know that reality TV isn’t quite real, I was not prepared for the revelations I found in Sandy Barker’s latest romcom, “The Dating Game”. The deception begins right from the start, with the contestants for the show, known as the Does, arriving one by one in chauffer driven limousines, fresh from their fabulous lives in the outside world. Or so the makers of the show would have us believe. In reality, the Does are already billeted within the walls of The Manor, and the chauffer is merely taking them on laps of the driveway.
But the scam is about to be blown right open by our girl, Abbey. Roped into the muck-raking assignment by the lifestyle mag she writes a weekly column for, this intrepid reporter goes deep undercover. She infiltrates the ranks of the Does to get the inside dirt on what really goes on when the cameras stop rolling. Abbey sends intelligence to the outside world from a secret location, hidden within the bowels of The Manor. Her missives take the form of weekly recaps, written under the pseudonym of her acid-penned alter ego, Anastasia Blabbergasted. However, this double agent has a secret mission of her own; to write an in-depth exposé on the exploitative nature of contests like The Stag, and so launch her career as a serious investigative journalist. But when things start to get real, with friendship and true love at stake, Abbey considers aborting the mission she was forced to accept.
Sandy Barker’s romance novels are always light-hearted and fun, and this one is no exception. The passages where Anastasia recounts the goings on at The Manor are hilarious and insightful, but the biggest surprise of all was the genuine camaraderie and friendships between the competitors. A fun and entertaining good time read, from a writer who always offers an escapist delight.
But the scam is about to be blown right open by our girl, Abbey. Roped into the muck-raking assignment by the lifestyle mag she writes a weekly column for, this intrepid reporter goes deep undercover. She infiltrates the ranks of the Does to get the inside dirt on what really goes on when the cameras stop rolling. Abbey sends intelligence to the outside world from a secret location, hidden within the bowels of The Manor. Her missives take the form of weekly recaps, written under the pseudonym of her acid-penned alter ego, Anastasia Blabbergasted. However, this double agent has a secret mission of her own; to write an in-depth exposé on the exploitative nature of contests like The Stag, and so launch her career as a serious investigative journalist. But when things start to get real, with friendship and true love at stake, Abbey considers aborting the mission she was forced to accept.
Sandy Barker’s romance novels are always light-hearted and fun, and this one is no exception. The passages where Anastasia recounts the goings on at The Manor are hilarious and insightful, but the biggest surprise of all was the genuine camaraderie and friendships between the competitors. A fun and entertaining good time read, from a writer who always offers an escapist delight.
September 26, 2021
Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for providing me with an early copy in exchange for my honest review!
I really wanted to write this as a post from Anastasia, but I realized I can't write as witty as her, so I opted out of that ;)
🎥 The story 🎥
Abby is used to writing witty posts about the Stag, a datingshow, in her alter ego's name, but when she has to join the show herself, things get complicated. Especially when she doesn't fall for the Stag, but falls for one of the producers instead.
I absolutely adored this book. Abby's narration is so funny, I loved her posts as Anastasia, but her inner monologue was great as well. Since not only her interactions are funny, this book was really easy to read. I actually forgot to leave my train at the right station because I was so enthralled with reading this book, so that speaks volumes. I must say that because her own voice was so much like Anastasia at times, it was sometimes hard to understand when there was a switch between her posting and her actual thoughts, which made some scenes a bit confusing to read.
What I liked about this book is that nearly none of the Does actually liked the Stag. I expected him to be this great guy, but I'm so glad of how things actually turned out to be. I’m also glad that the ‘low point’ of the book wasn’t that long; it could’ve been dragged out with I loved the ending, although I wished they kept the that would’ve been a lovely happy ending :’) What I really loved as well is the girl love in this; the great friendships that formed and the way that was portrayed. Even though there was a character list included because there supposedly were so many characters, I had no trouble keeping them straight whatsoever! Mostly because of Anastasia’s posts ;)
I’m not going to lie though, I want to read even more! I still have some unanswered questions, like I really wanted an epilogue or just more information on those matters.
🎥 The characters 🎥
✍🏻Abby/Anastasia/Abigail/Abs✍🏻
Abby was seriously one of the nicest people ever. I loved how she treated the other Does, and the way she behaved in general. Her witty posts were really funny, and I honestly felt like I was watching the show myself. Like I said, I loved the relationships she formed with the other Does, and this book really showed the power of friendship. The way she stepped up as for Becca was so cute as well, I don't think I could've done that! She's an admirable character, and I love how strong she is. I have to give an honorary mention to her mentioning the Hemsworth brothers so often, I loved that. I must say that I don't really love that she Hm, that seemed kinda out of character.
👕Jack👕
I enjoyed Jack, he was such a cutie. At first, I was so sure that he'd be the Stag, it was surprising that he was actually the producer! I liked that though, it wasn't as expected. I loved the nerdy aspect of his shirts, they were such a nice touch. The interactions with Abby were really funny, their banter is great! His scenes with Abby were lovely, and I absolutely love the two of them together!
🥐🍸Side characters🦌📋
There are definitely a lot of side characters, but I'll just talk about some of the people that stood out to me. First of all, I need to know what Lisa really does for a living. Is she a spy??? I loved the other Does, mostly Kaz, she was so freaking funny. I really felt like Becca's character development was written quite well, she slowly turned into a jealous girl, and I liked how everything turned out in the end! What I liked most though, is the character developement of Daphne. She was such a snobby girl at the beginning, and I loved that we slowly saw her become a warmer person and got an explanation of her behavior! She really became a likeable person, and I loved that. I even started to feel bad for Daniel, with the way he felt like he can never get a girl; showing that he’s human. All the character developments were written so well! I also loved Harry, especially the way he kept disturbing the Jack and Abby kissing moments so many times.
🎥 The writing 🎥
Like I said, it wasn't always clear when Abby switched between her own thoughts or writing a post as Anastasia, but besides that, I loved the writing style. There were some mistakes in writing that stood out to me, so please contact me if you want to know which ones there were.
🎥 Overall conclusion 🎥
I honestly just loved this so much. It was an easy read, with a very likeable main character and great side characters, with so many different kinds of character developments! I loved that the other characters had depth too, and not just the main characters, what happens a lot of times in most romance novels. I loved this, and I absolutely recommend it!
I really wanted to write this as a post from Anastasia, but I realized I can't write as witty as her, so I opted out of that ;)
🎥 The story 🎥
Abby is used to writing witty posts about the Stag, a datingshow, in her alter ego's name, but when she has to join the show herself, things get complicated. Especially when she doesn't fall for the Stag, but falls for one of the producers instead.
I absolutely adored this book. Abby's narration is so funny, I loved her posts as Anastasia, but her inner monologue was great as well. Since not only her interactions are funny, this book was really easy to read. I actually forgot to leave my train at the right station because I was so enthralled with reading this book, so that speaks volumes. I must say that because her own voice was so much like Anastasia at times, it was sometimes hard to understand when there was a switch between her posting and her actual thoughts, which made some scenes a bit confusing to read.
What I liked about this book is that nearly none of the Does actually liked the Stag. I expected him to be this great guy, but I'm so glad of how things actually turned out to be. I’m also glad that the ‘low point’ of the book wasn’t that long; it could’ve been dragged out with I loved the ending, although I wished they kept the that would’ve been a lovely happy ending :’) What I really loved as well is the girl love in this; the great friendships that formed and the way that was portrayed. Even though there was a character list included because there supposedly were so many characters, I had no trouble keeping them straight whatsoever! Mostly because of Anastasia’s posts ;)
I’m not going to lie though, I want to read even more! I still have some unanswered questions, like I really wanted an epilogue or just more information on those matters.
🎥 The characters 🎥
✍🏻Abby/Anastasia/Abigail/Abs✍🏻
Abby was seriously one of the nicest people ever. I loved how she treated the other Does, and the way she behaved in general. Her witty posts were really funny, and I honestly felt like I was watching the show myself. Like I said, I loved the relationships she formed with the other Does, and this book really showed the power of friendship. The way she stepped up as for Becca was so cute as well, I don't think I could've done that! She's an admirable character, and I love how strong she is. I have to give an honorary mention to her mentioning the Hemsworth brothers so often, I loved that. I must say that I don't really love that she Hm, that seemed kinda out of character.
👕Jack👕
I enjoyed Jack, he was such a cutie. At first, I was so sure that he'd be the Stag, it was surprising that he was actually the producer! I liked that though, it wasn't as expected. I loved the nerdy aspect of his shirts, they were such a nice touch. The interactions with Abby were really funny, their banter is great! His scenes with Abby were lovely, and I absolutely love the two of them together!
🥐🍸Side characters🦌📋
There are definitely a lot of side characters, but I'll just talk about some of the people that stood out to me. First of all, I need to know what Lisa really does for a living. Is she a spy??? I loved the other Does, mostly Kaz, she was so freaking funny. I really felt like Becca's character development was written quite well, she slowly turned into a jealous girl, and I liked how everything turned out in the end! What I liked most though, is the character developement of Daphne. She was such a snobby girl at the beginning, and I loved that we slowly saw her become a warmer person and got an explanation of her behavior! She really became a likeable person, and I loved that. I even started to feel bad for Daniel, with the way he felt like he can never get a girl; showing that he’s human. All the character developments were written so well! I also loved Harry, especially the way he kept disturbing the Jack and Abby kissing moments so many times.
🎥 The writing 🎥
Like I said, it wasn't always clear when Abby switched between her own thoughts or writing a post as Anastasia, but besides that, I loved the writing style. There were some mistakes in writing that stood out to me, so please contact me if you want to know which ones there were.
🎥 Overall conclusion 🎥
I honestly just loved this so much. It was an easy read, with a very likeable main character and great side characters, with so many different kinds of character developments! I loved that the other characters had depth too, and not just the main characters, what happens a lot of times in most romance novels. I loved this, and I absolutely recommend it!
July 21, 2021
The Dating Game by Sandy Barker
If you love dating reality shows and wondering what happens behind the scenes, this book is for you!
The main heroine, Abby, joins a reality dating show (like The Bachelor) with secret agenda - she is a journalist sent inside to write snarky and entertaining recaps to attract a bigger audience. What starts as a job assignment ends up as a life-changing experience.
The best part of this book was attention on relationship build between contestants. It made me think a lot about our actual reality TV - about competition and how people involved are tricked to firstly get to know each other and later compete against each other. There is a lot to untangle in a situation where 12 girls living in the same house are competing for one man's heart. I think the author did a great job doing it! On top of it, some very likable side characters. And no better place to visit while reading than sunny koala-infested Australia.😍
Unfortunately, nothing much apart from that happens there. It is indeed not really a Romance book as barely any romance is there. Yes, we have a love interest (more than one). But through chapters, I am not introduced to them enough to sympathize or root for them. Nor believed in a connection between characters.
I was also a little annoyed with the build of the story. The pressure was building through the book, layer on top of another layer, several complications, challenges, moral dilemmas, secrecy. All of it was supposed to lead to ultimate culmination. But it never did. When I noticed, I am 95% done with a book, but some complications only arise by then, I was worried instantly. So in the end, I did not get any relief, nor epilogue. So while I was invested in the story and worried about how everything will affect the heroines' life after the show, the author decided it was not important enough to be part of this story. So it is like going to a restaurant and ordering small to make sure you have space for a desert to find out at the end of the evening that they do not offer any deserts.😕
If you are looking for an entertaining reality TV drama read, this will work for you just fine, but if you are interested in reading romance, this might not be for you after all.
Thanks to NetGalley, Sandy Barker, and the publisher for providing advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.🤗
If you love dating reality shows and wondering what happens behind the scenes, this book is for you!
The main heroine, Abby, joins a reality dating show (like The Bachelor) with secret agenda - she is a journalist sent inside to write snarky and entertaining recaps to attract a bigger audience. What starts as a job assignment ends up as a life-changing experience.
The best part of this book was attention on relationship build between contestants. It made me think a lot about our actual reality TV - about competition and how people involved are tricked to firstly get to know each other and later compete against each other. There is a lot to untangle in a situation where 12 girls living in the same house are competing for one man's heart. I think the author did a great job doing it! On top of it, some very likable side characters. And no better place to visit while reading than sunny koala-infested Australia.😍
Unfortunately, nothing much apart from that happens there. It is indeed not really a Romance book as barely any romance is there. Yes, we have a love interest (more than one). But through chapters, I am not introduced to them enough to sympathize or root for them. Nor believed in a connection between characters.
I was also a little annoyed with the build of the story. The pressure was building through the book, layer on top of another layer, several complications, challenges, moral dilemmas, secrecy. All of it was supposed to lead to ultimate culmination. But it never did. When I noticed, I am 95% done with a book, but some complications only arise by then, I was worried instantly. So in the end, I did not get any relief, nor epilogue. So while I was invested in the story and worried about how everything will affect the heroines' life after the show, the author decided it was not important enough to be part of this story. So it is like going to a restaurant and ordering small to make sure you have space for a desert to find out at the end of the evening that they do not offer any deserts.😕
If you are looking for an entertaining reality TV drama read, this will work for you just fine, but if you are interested in reading romance, this might not be for you after all.
Thanks to NetGalley, Sandy Barker, and the publisher for providing advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.🤗
September 1, 2021
I liked this story! I'm surprised it has not the best reviews. This is a cute, quick and easy summer romance read.
Abigail is a "serious writer", or, she's trying to be. In the meantime, she writes scandalous reviews about the reality show, The Stag, basically The Bachelor under a pen name. That is until, plot twist, the producers think it would be brilliant if Abigail went on the show as a contestant to get the inside scoop for her write ups! Along the way, Abby meets the crew, including the very cute Jack, the other contestants who she befriends, and the awful man they chose to star the show, Daniel.
I enjoyed this story. It was a bit slow to start, and Abby was a bit too prudish and insecure. But as the story goes on and Abby comes to know and act as her true self, I really enjoyed reading about her! She did have to be put in her place by those closest to her, but it worked. The writing did feel new. I felt like the story was long and there was a lot to it, but I didn't really know Abby on a deeper level. I just think that the story is that type of book, more on the surface. I didn't find the amount of characters confusing but I either really loved them or really hated them. I think some would find the ending odd and anticlimactic but I liked it! It is a slow burn on the romance, but worth it. I loved the side characters, I thought they were well developed and funny! This is a good read.
Abigail is a "serious writer", or, she's trying to be. In the meantime, she writes scandalous reviews about the reality show, The Stag, basically The Bachelor under a pen name. That is until, plot twist, the producers think it would be brilliant if Abigail went on the show as a contestant to get the inside scoop for her write ups! Along the way, Abby meets the crew, including the very cute Jack, the other contestants who she befriends, and the awful man they chose to star the show, Daniel.
I enjoyed this story. It was a bit slow to start, and Abby was a bit too prudish and insecure. But as the story goes on and Abby comes to know and act as her true self, I really enjoyed reading about her! She did have to be put in her place by those closest to her, but it worked. The writing did feel new. I felt like the story was long and there was a lot to it, but I didn't really know Abby on a deeper level. I just think that the story is that type of book, more on the surface. I didn't find the amount of characters confusing but I either really loved them or really hated them. I think some would find the ending odd and anticlimactic but I liked it! It is a slow burn on the romance, but worth it. I loved the side characters, I thought they were well developed and funny! This is a good read.
May 22, 2022
My love of reality TV made me pick up this book from The Works last week. As soon as I started reading, I knew this was going to be a five star book. It was hilarious and witty, and I really liked Abby. I absolutely loved the storyline and it gave me real Love Island vibes, which I absolutely loved as I am a huge Love Island fan 🤣 as much as I love reality TV, I’m not naive and I very much appreciate that a lot of what we see is manipulated and misconstrued, and ultimately ‘storylined’ by a team of producers. This book definitely highlights that and shows how damaging these kind of shows can be, especially to young women. I am a big fan of shows like Love Island and Big Brother etc, and I would never want to see them not on telly but the duty of care from producers to contestants is so important and this book really shows that! I loved Abby and Jack’s relationship and how it blossomed over the book. Overall I just really, really loved this book. It’s up there with one of my favourites of the year so far. It was an utter joy to read!
September 15, 2021
this was so fun and cute and wholesome, i’m obsessed.
i LOVE reality tv. it’s so fun to get into, especially love island, and i 100% sit and ponder watching each episode what is going on behind the scenes. the dating game gives the absolute best of both worlds.
with abby going undercover on the show that she writes anonymous recaps for, she’s determined to prove that nobody falls in love on these shows. to an extent, she’s right - in walks producer jack.
the slow burn, the tension, the ‘forbidden’, everything was SO good. 100% would and will read more sally barker releases!
i LOVE reality tv. it’s so fun to get into, especially love island, and i 100% sit and ponder watching each episode what is going on behind the scenes. the dating game gives the absolute best of both worlds.
with abby going undercover on the show that she writes anonymous recaps for, she’s determined to prove that nobody falls in love on these shows. to an extent, she’s right - in walks producer jack.
the slow burn, the tension, the ‘forbidden’, everything was SO good. 100% would and will read more sally barker releases!
August 26, 2021
I was a tad unsure about this book, as I am not a fan of reality TV at all. That said, I am a fan of this book. I cringed and chuckled in all the right places and found myself staying up past midnight to get to the end.
Abby is a terrific character, the kind of girl that I would want as a friend. Fun, loyal, self-deprecating with a desire to make sure everyone is happy. That said, she’s not a pushover, and will happily stand up to bullies.
I’ve never been to Australia, but I think most people are familiar with the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge, this made it easy to imagine that I was actually there. The other locations were left to my imagination, but most people can envisage a vineyard, I’m sure.
There’s an eclectic mix of characters, who are easily entered into Abby’s stereotypical types of Villains, Dark Horses, Miscellaneous, Fillers and Brides. Her initial judgements are spot on, but that doesn’t mean that she could have imagined the end result. For me, the romance of this story takes second place to the friendships that are formed. I particularly enjoyed Kaz, she was a breath of fresh air.
Whilst this book didn’t leave me wishing I could watch Love Island – never going to happen – or similar shows, I will certainly read more books from this author. Sandy Barker has written a fun-filled tale which takes a look at the tactical editing and background manipulations that are needed to create audience pleasing reality shows. If you fancy escaping to The Antipodes, this is a great way to travel.
Abby is a terrific character, the kind of girl that I would want as a friend. Fun, loyal, self-deprecating with a desire to make sure everyone is happy. That said, she’s not a pushover, and will happily stand up to bullies.
I’ve never been to Australia, but I think most people are familiar with the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge, this made it easy to imagine that I was actually there. The other locations were left to my imagination, but most people can envisage a vineyard, I’m sure.
There’s an eclectic mix of characters, who are easily entered into Abby’s stereotypical types of Villains, Dark Horses, Miscellaneous, Fillers and Brides. Her initial judgements are spot on, but that doesn’t mean that she could have imagined the end result. For me, the romance of this story takes second place to the friendships that are formed. I particularly enjoyed Kaz, she was a breath of fresh air.
Whilst this book didn’t leave me wishing I could watch Love Island – never going to happen – or similar shows, I will certainly read more books from this author. Sandy Barker has written a fun-filled tale which takes a look at the tactical editing and background manipulations that are needed to create audience pleasing reality shows. If you fancy escaping to The Antipodes, this is a great way to travel.
August 30, 2021
When reality series recap writer Abby Jones is offered the chance to go on The Stag (a fictional version of The Bachelor) as a contestant, she jumps at the chance to write her recaps from behind the scenes. But pretending to be a "doe," isn't as fun as she thinks it'll be, after having to backstab girls she considers friends and putting up with The Stag, who is nothing like the person he portrays on TV. Abby is also drawn to the producer, Jack, and her feelings for him might just blow her cover. Including snarky show recaps, and situations you just know happen on reality TV, Sandy Barker has written a funny book that is sure to put you in a good mood from the first page to the last.
October 20, 2021
Thank you NetGalley, author Sandy Barker, and One More Chapter publishing for giving me a free arc of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
4 stars
If you are a fan of dating reality shows with a splash of comedy this book is for you.
I loved the characters from the on set. Each was well developed and entertaining. The dating scenarios made for some serious laugh-out-loud moments as well as heartfelt. The writing and the pacing kept the story moving and interesting. The ending was very satisfying! I can't wait to read more books by this author in the future.
4 stars
If you are a fan of dating reality shows with a splash of comedy this book is for you.
I loved the characters from the on set. Each was well developed and entertaining. The dating scenarios made for some serious laugh-out-loud moments as well as heartfelt. The writing and the pacing kept the story moving and interesting. The ending was very satisfying! I can't wait to read more books by this author in the future.
October 19, 2021
The dating game is a fictionalised version of the bachelor referred to as the stag. Abby is a columnist who writes a funny recap of every episode under the pseudonym of Anastasia, her column is so funny that the producers of the show asked her to be an undercover doe on the show the next season. Mortified at first Abby can think of anything worse however she doesn't really have a choice and appears on the upcoming season of the stag and is to write her column undercover during her time there. A fun witty story with love laughter and friendship.
I find this rom com to be surprising as the journey of self discovery seems to take precedence to most of the obvious romance that will blossom. Abby is so used to referring to her column South as Anastasia she has managed to separate her personalities as different people entirely. She further does this when appearing on the show by referring to herself as doe Abby rather than it just being herself. Abby is fun, loving, caring, compassionate and a really great friendsl it makes the book an easy read in my eyes. To not spoil the entire plot I will say expect the unexpected although technically from earlier on it is expected but yeah you might end up reading something different than suspected from the get go.
The author is quick witted and clearly has a very keen sense of female empowerment this becomes more evident the more you read the book it’s more about the doe’s rather van the stag and that is what makes the book such a fun an easy read. I find myself routing for Abby rather than routing for love as she is very insecure like many of us women are and is very easy to compare herself to others when she is perfect just the way she is.
The key theme throughout this book his friendship that is shown in all of the different friendships that Abby has either previously had or new friends that she makes on the show. It’s also really illustrates the insecurities that each and every girl has even though to others they may appear to have everything and be perfect.
It’s not all life lessons and moral dilemma’s i must admit it was a really fun read finding myself laughing out loud at several points during the book and those points tended to be when Daniel the stag, was around he is quite possibly the most pompous character the author could write and I loved every second of it. Also there’s a chapter involving meet the parents let me say be prepared to laugh non stop I could not stop laughing it was so funny and so cringe worthy you can imagine it playing out in an episode of the bachelor.
Would I recommend the dating game? Yes I would recommend the dating game. It’s a really easy fun book to read. it almost shines a light on the fakeness of reality TV and that is something I always find quite interesting. There was another book I read last year which had a very similar baseline to it and I really enjoyed that book as well I cannot remember the name but if you know the book I’m on about then you will enjoy this book also. I rate this book 3 ½ stars out of five it was easy going, funny to read, had a great storyline and I look forward to reading further works by the author.
I would like to thank netgalley, the author, and the publishers for the digital advanced copy of the dating game in exchange for my fair and honest opinions.
I find this rom com to be surprising as the journey of self discovery seems to take precedence to most of the obvious romance that will blossom. Abby is so used to referring to her column South as Anastasia she has managed to separate her personalities as different people entirely. She further does this when appearing on the show by referring to herself as doe Abby rather than it just being herself. Abby is fun, loving, caring, compassionate and a really great friendsl it makes the book an easy read in my eyes. To not spoil the entire plot I will say expect the unexpected although technically from earlier on it is expected but yeah you might end up reading something different than suspected from the get go.
The author is quick witted and clearly has a very keen sense of female empowerment this becomes more evident the more you read the book it’s more about the doe’s rather van the stag and that is what makes the book such a fun an easy read. I find myself routing for Abby rather than routing for love as she is very insecure like many of us women are and is very easy to compare herself to others when she is perfect just the way she is.
The key theme throughout this book his friendship that is shown in all of the different friendships that Abby has either previously had or new friends that she makes on the show. It’s also really illustrates the insecurities that each and every girl has even though to others they may appear to have everything and be perfect.
It’s not all life lessons and moral dilemma’s i must admit it was a really fun read finding myself laughing out loud at several points during the book and those points tended to be when Daniel the stag, was around he is quite possibly the most pompous character the author could write and I loved every second of it. Also there’s a chapter involving meet the parents let me say be prepared to laugh non stop I could not stop laughing it was so funny and so cringe worthy you can imagine it playing out in an episode of the bachelor.
Would I recommend the dating game? Yes I would recommend the dating game. It’s a really easy fun book to read. it almost shines a light on the fakeness of reality TV and that is something I always find quite interesting. There was another book I read last year which had a very similar baseline to it and I really enjoyed that book as well I cannot remember the name but if you know the book I’m on about then you will enjoy this book also. I rate this book 3 ½ stars out of five it was easy going, funny to read, had a great storyline and I look forward to reading further works by the author.
I would like to thank netgalley, the author, and the publishers for the digital advanced copy of the dating game in exchange for my fair and honest opinions.
December 6, 2021
Abigail Jones is a columnist/blogger that comments on the Stag which is a Bachelor type show in Britain. Her intimidating boss tells her that she is going to be a contestant in the next season while she also does behind the scenes commentary.
She's not too happy but agrees as long as she doesn't go by her real name and story etc. While getting situated and sent off to Australia where this season will be shot she meets producer Jack who is very attractive with an Australian accent.
We get to see the behind the scenes of the dating show and the real story of the contestants how nice or nasty they are. The Stag is rich and a catch on paper but a bit socially awkward. There was a bit of a slow burn romance but not with the people that were expected lol.
Abigail/Doe Abby struggled with her voice throughout since her columns voice was sarcastic and quick witted. She usually watched the shows from afar and didn't have any emotional attachment to the characters but as a contestant she was forming friendships that made it difficult to speak about them in that voice.
This was a cute love story and coming of age (late 20s lol).
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐💫
Thank you harpercollinsuk and netgalley for the e-ARC for the honest and voluntary review.
She's not too happy but agrees as long as she doesn't go by her real name and story etc. While getting situated and sent off to Australia where this season will be shot she meets producer Jack who is very attractive with an Australian accent.
We get to see the behind the scenes of the dating show and the real story of the contestants how nice or nasty they are. The Stag is rich and a catch on paper but a bit socially awkward. There was a bit of a slow burn romance but not with the people that were expected lol.
Abigail/Doe Abby struggled with her voice throughout since her columns voice was sarcastic and quick witted. She usually watched the shows from afar and didn't have any emotional attachment to the characters but as a contestant she was forming friendships that made it difficult to speak about them in that voice.
This was a cute love story and coming of age (late 20s lol).
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐💫
Thank you harpercollinsuk and netgalley for the e-ARC for the honest and voluntary review.
July 12, 2021
What a fun book! Abby is an undercover journalist who writes snarky recaps of the reality tv dating show The Stag (The Bachelor to US fans). She thinks the show is totally fake and literally has the best snarky recaps which she publishes under a pen name. Only problem is one of those recaps goes viral, and now production and her boss want her to go on the show undercover as a contestant. She is a firm believer that nobody can actually fall in love on one of these shows… or can they? What I loved most about this book, besides the belly laughs and incredible scenes, was experiencing Abby’s date in first person and then reading her hilarious recap of that episode, which shows the duality. This book reminded me of Miss Congeniality in a way with all those women and Abby, our heroine as the undercover doe. If you are looking for a laugh out loud romcom this is for you.
October 4, 2021
My kind of romcom! Fun, entertaining, romantic, feel-good. I loved following Abby's story, the behind the scenes of the dating show industry (if you like The Bachelor or Bachelor Nation, definitely don't miss this one), and I was rooting for her and Jack all the way. Such a fast read! I had to stop (because...life), and couldn't wait to get back to reading to find out how it all turns out. If you're looking for a funny, heartwarming story, you should read The Dating Game!
September 6, 2021
The Dating Game is such a fun read. Abby Jones is a great main character- witty and funny she handles the undercover role brilliantly. I loved how her reluctance at the start turned into a masterclass of juggling different persona as we moved through the show. With nice touches of romance too, Sandy Barker had written a wonderful piece of escapism.
July 24, 2021
arc provided by netgalley.
this book is really fun if you’re into tv reality shows like the bachelor or even love island, i think this is a great book and i actually learned about what happens behind the scenes. abby, the main character is funny and really interesting because she refers to her "alter egos" all the time: doe abby and anastasia. anastasia (which is also abby) writes snarky recaps of this tv show called the stag and the recap does so well they decide to get her undercover in the villa as one of the contestant looking for love. but there, she meets one of the producer (jack) which is a heartwarming character. anyways the tropes of this book had tons of good things and they were so promising but the book ended up being a bit flat and i couldn’t really get into the story. i think it has to do with personal preferences tho and a lot of people would love this book!
this book is really fun if you’re into tv reality shows like the bachelor or even love island, i think this is a great book and i actually learned about what happens behind the scenes. abby, the main character is funny and really interesting because she refers to her "alter egos" all the time: doe abby and anastasia. anastasia (which is also abby) writes snarky recaps of this tv show called the stag and the recap does so well they decide to get her undercover in the villa as one of the contestant looking for love. but there, she meets one of the producer (jack) which is a heartwarming character. anyways the tropes of this book had tons of good things and they were so promising but the book ended up being a bit flat and i couldn’t really get into the story. i think it has to do with personal preferences tho and a lot of people would love this book!
August 31, 2021
Read this if…you are a fan of reality TV’s ‘The Bachelor’ or if you have a thing for hunky Australians (calling the Hemsworth brothers!).
Abby Jones dreams of being a real writer, but for now she is stuck writing under a pseudonym. She primarily recaps a popular reality TV dating show which seems to be headed nowhere until one of her recaps goes viral. At the insistence of her boss, Abby is given the task of going undercover on the next season of ‘The Stag’ where she will play one of the hopeful women (referred to as “does”) who compete for the love of a too-good-to-be-true bachelor. This season takes place in Australia so Abby thinks it will be easy enough to pretend to fawn all over a handsome bloke in paradise while she gets the inside scoop she needs for her recaps. The only thing she doesn’t count on is falling for one of the show’s producers. Will Abby risk her chance at love for her dream career, or will she follow her heart?
This one was a cute story with a lot of likable characters. While I did enjoy it, it was a tad PG for a romance IMO and I felt like it moved way too slow. At one point, I felt like I had read 300 pages but was only 40% through.
My rating: 3.5/5 but I’ll round up to 4 because I did catch myself smiling several times while reading and I think that should count for something!
Abby Jones dreams of being a real writer, but for now she is stuck writing under a pseudonym. She primarily recaps a popular reality TV dating show which seems to be headed nowhere until one of her recaps goes viral. At the insistence of her boss, Abby is given the task of going undercover on the next season of ‘The Stag’ where she will play one of the hopeful women (referred to as “does”) who compete for the love of a too-good-to-be-true bachelor. This season takes place in Australia so Abby thinks it will be easy enough to pretend to fawn all over a handsome bloke in paradise while she gets the inside scoop she needs for her recaps. The only thing she doesn’t count on is falling for one of the show’s producers. Will Abby risk her chance at love for her dream career, or will she follow her heart?
This one was a cute story with a lot of likable characters. While I did enjoy it, it was a tad PG for a romance IMO and I felt like it moved way too slow. At one point, I felt like I had read 300 pages but was only 40% through.
My rating: 3.5/5 but I’ll round up to 4 because I did catch myself smiling several times while reading and I think that should count for something!
September 7, 2021
Absolutely loved this one!! It was such a fun concept, and considering I enjoy watching shows like the bachelor, I definitely got into this book very easily! I love that we have Abby, the MC, who goes undercover as one of the contestants, what they call a "Doe," to get an insider scoop on the life behind reality TV especially on the show called "The Stag". What she doesn't expect is to have immediate chemistry with one of the producers on the show! AHHH! The relationships formed, the characters, and the plot were all wonderful, and I really enjoyed reading this book!! I would definitely recommend this book to readers who enjoy watching dating TV shows, Rom coms and forbidden romances!
September 28, 2021
A fun romcom UK/AUS read.
Abby, the MC, is writing snarky recaps of the reality TV show "The Stag" (similar to The Bachelor). She'd never ever dream of going on the show herself, until... Of course she has to go on the show and it is all that she had expected and so much more. Especially as there are less and less contestants and she has not exactly fallen for the Stag.
I liked the writing, the dialogues felt natural (not often a given), the romance was sweet.
Abby, the MC, is writing snarky recaps of the reality TV show "The Stag" (similar to The Bachelor). She'd never ever dream of going on the show herself, until... Of course she has to go on the show and it is all that she had expected and so much more. Especially as there are less and less contestants and she has not exactly fallen for the Stag.
I liked the writing, the dialogues felt natural (not often a given), the romance was sweet.
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