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The Great Date Experiment
When seventeen-year-old Callie Christianson answers the doorbell, she never expects to find her ex-best friend, Egan Pasko, there with flowers. Their childhood friendship ended their freshman year when he shut her in a locker and walked away. But now he’s sorry and he’d like to take her on twenty-one dates to prove it. It’s an experiment, he says, to see if two people who used to be “just friends” can fall in love. And, of course, they’ll record the whole thing and put it online to see how many views they can wrangle out of it.
Callie’s ready to tell him to get lost. Until she realizes Egan’s crazy, stupid idea could help her gain the followers she needs to earn the mentorship opportunity that will launch her baking career. So the dates begin. And, even though nothing goes according to Callie’s plan, all the time spent with Egan is reminding her of everything she used to love about him.
The only problem is their viewers aren’t falling in love with her. The haters come out in droves to tell her exactly how terrible they think she is. The only thing keeping Callie in the experiment is Egan’s hints that he might be starting to fall for her. Except she can’t be sure he’s not playing it up for the sake of the camera.
Then Egan shares the most vulnerable parts of Callie’s life story online without her permission, stunning her into a shame spiral and leaving her to fend for herself in the comments. With their friendship once again at stake, will Callie walk away for good? Or is her heart too involved to let Egan go?
Callie’s ready to tell him to get lost. Until she realizes Egan’s crazy, stupid idea could help her gain the followers she needs to earn the mentorship opportunity that will launch her baking career. So the dates begin. And, even though nothing goes according to Callie’s plan, all the time spent with Egan is reminding her of everything she used to love about him.
The only problem is their viewers aren’t falling in love with her. The haters come out in droves to tell her exactly how terrible they think she is. The only thing keeping Callie in the experiment is Egan’s hints that he might be starting to fall for her. Except she can’t be sure he’s not playing it up for the sake of the camera.
Then Egan shares the most vulnerable parts of Callie’s life story online without her permission, stunning her into a shame spiral and leaving her to fend for herself in the comments. With their friendship once again at stake, will Callie walk away for good? Or is her heart too involved to let Egan go?
292 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 15, 2022
2 people are currently reading
129 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
October 8, 2025
3.5 stars, personally ⭐️ (Light) Christian Contemporary YA
About this book:
“When seventeen-year-old Callie Christianson answers the doorbell, she never expects to find her ex-best friend, Egan Pasko, there with flowers. Their childhood friendship ended their freshman year when he shut her in a locker and walked away. But now he’s sorry and he’d like to take her on twenty-one dates to prove it. It’s an experiment, he says, to see if two people who used to be “just friends” can fall in love. And, of course, they’ll record the whole thing and put it online to see how many views they can wrangle out of it.
Callie’s ready to tell him to get lost. Until she realizes Egan’s crazy, stupid idea could help her gain the followers she needs to earn the mentorship opportunity that will launch her baking career. So the dates begin. And, even though nothing goes according to Callie’s plan, all the time spent with Egan is reminding her of everything she used to love about him.
The only problem is their viewers aren’t falling in love with her. The haters come out in droves to tell her exactly how terrible they think she is. The only thing keeping Callie in the experiment is Egan’s hints that he might be starting to fall for her. Except she can’t be sure he’s not playing it up for the sake of the camera.
Then Egan shares the most vulnerable parts of Callie’s life story online without her permission, stunning her into a shame spiral and leaving her to fend for herself in the comments. With their friendship once again at stake, will Callie walk away for good? Or is her heart too involved to let Egan go?”
Series: A stand-alone novel.
Spiritual Content- A Scripture is referenced (but not called a Scripture); Thanking God (once); 'H’s are capital when referring to God; Callie says once that God never rejected her (unlike her biological parents); Callie receives one comment that says she’s too “Jesus-y” (adding that the commentor has decided Callie uses her faith as an excuse to hate other people) & anther comment saying she’s not a real Christian (because if she was, she would recite more Bible verses on camera); Mentions of God; Mentions of churches & church going; A few mentions of praying & blessings over food; A few mentions of Vacation Bible School; A couple mentions of Bible studies; A couple mentions of Easter; A mention of the Garden of Eden;
*Note: Callie thinks that a food truck festival is the closest she’ll get to heaven “this side of eternity”; A group of teen girls say they “definitely” don’t go to church; A couple mentions of Santa Claus; A mention of a troll comment to Callie about wishing God would smite her because she’s “taking oxygen from people who need it more”; A mention of Egan crossing his fingers to ward Callie off “like [she was] an evil spirit” whenever anyone mentioned about them being a couple; A mention of Medusa; A mention of the Grim Reaper; A mention of aliens.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘freaking’, a ‘heck’, a ‘suck it up’, a ‘what the heck’, two ‘oh my gosh’s, two forms of ‘screwed up’, two ‘shut up’s, two ‘sucked’s, three ‘gosh’s, four forms of ‘crap’, seven forms of ‘ticked’, ten ‘idiot’s, seventeen forms of ‘dumb’, and thirty-one ‘stupid’s; A few mentions of curses (by Callie, said, not written); Sarcasm & Eye rolling; Callie lies a few times (to either keep from explaining a long story to her grandparents or to not share her feelings); Injuries, Pain, Blood/Bleeding, Passing out, & Throwing up (up to semi-detailed); Finding a pet who has passed away (due to old age) & grief (*Spoilers* ); When Callie is under scrutiny from a crowd, she wishes she was dead; Egan runs from security at an event (after getting on stage when he isn’t supposed to); Egan and his brother have a physical fight; After disappointing news, Callie feels like she isn’t wanted and has been abandoned; Mentions of deaths, illnesses, & grief (including for a grandfather); Mentions of deaths of pets (both a dog and a cat); Mentions of a prank of someone being locked in their locker; Mentions of injuries, pain, blood/bleeding, & someone passing out after seeing blood; Mentions of a mom diagnosis with Multiple Sclerosis & her symptoms (border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); Mentions of poison; Mentions of throwing up; Mentions of lies, lying, & liars; Mentions of hatred; Mentions of bullies, trolls, & harassing comments; A few mentions of lottery tickets; A couple mentions of a dare to deface a police car; A couple mentions of a divorce; A couple mentions of rumors; A couple mentions of alcohol & drinking; A couple mentions of a tattoo; A couple mentions of a cat being abandoned; A mention of true crime documentaries; A mention of a young boy almost strangling a baby chick; A mention of poop;
*Note: A few implications that Callie has OCD; Callie receives mean and hateful comments online from trolls calling her “so freaking dumb”, picking apart her physical appearance and clothing choices, assumptions about her parents not wanting her and saying they would have dumped her off a bridge, saying her mom should have had an abortion, thinking she has an eating disorder, that her cat would rather eat rat poison than with be her, & making assumptions about her life (some of these bother her and others do not); Callie was adopted by her grandparents and has lived with them most of her life (*Spoilers* ); Egan refers to Callie’s biological father as her “real” one; Callie wonders at one point if something is wrong with her and that’s why her parents gave her up; References to pop culture & movies (Harry Potter, Hunger Games, Ratatouille, Star Wars, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, & Mary Poppins); Mentions of brand names, items, stores, & restaurants (Moon Pies, Twinkies, Snickers, Oreos, Pop-Tarts, Fruit Loop, Laffy Taffy, Sour Patch Kids, Junior Mints, Reese’s cups, Cheetos, Easy Mac, Gatorade, Sprite, Dr. Pepper, Coke, Splenda, Post-it notes, Sharpie, Band-Aid, KitchenAid mixer, Tupperware, Day-Glo, Nike, Williams-Sonoma, Museum of Modern Art, Outback Steakhouse, Domino’s, & Dairy Queen); Mentions of fictional characters (Nancy Drew, Babe, Harry Potter characters, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Mickey Mouse, Muppets, The Baby-sitters Club characters, & Dumbo); Mentions of Julia Child; A few mentions of social media platforms & websites (Google & YouTube); A couple mentions of EPSN & Food Network; A couple mentions of TV shows & movies (The Bachelor, Braveheart); A couple mentions of Netflix; A couple mentions of therapists & their advice (Callie’s grandma is a counselor); A mention of abortion (regarding a hateful comment Callie receives that says her mother should have had an abortion instead of giving birth to her); A mention of an eating disorder (from a hateful comment); A mention of zombies; A mention of WWE; A mention of AARP; A mention of a sports team (Denver Broncos); A mention of body odor.
Sexual Content- Four forehead/hair kisses, an ear kiss, two cheek kisses, two almost kisses (semi-detailed), a barely-above-not-detailed kiss, and two semi-detailed kisses; Wanting to kiss, Staring at lips, & Remembering an almost kiss (barely-above-not-detailed); Touches, Embraces, Snuggling, Dancing, Hand holding, Flutters, Shivers, Warmth, Nearness, & Smelling (up to semi-detailed); Winks & Blushes; Noticing & Staring (including noticing his muscles, barely-above-not-detailed); A college-age guy hits on Callie, but backs off when she says she’s seventeen; Callie’s grandmother is concerned she’s involved in something “illicit” (but is not); When Callie and Egan are dancing, an instruction has them step back from each other because it’s not prom and they aren’t “going to a hotel afterwards”; Two ‘hot’s; All about & many mentions of dates, dating, crushes, boyfriends/girlfriend, exes, & breakups; Mentions of kisses & kissing; Mentions of jealousy & girls getting in Egan’s personal space and touching his arms; Mentions of cute guys; Mentions of falling in love; A couple mentions of making out; A couple mentions of butterflies; A mention of voyeurs that put nanny cams in other people’s rooms; A mention of a guy trying to look down a girl’s shirt; A mention of a couple kissing; A mention of a guy kissing his biceps; Some love, falling in love, & the emotions;
*Note: Mentions of cup sizes & plastic surgery (*Spoiler* ); When going to a ballroom dance lesson, Callie comments to Egan that she wasn’t told to wear a “rhinestone bikini” and he says it’s a bummer that she doesn’t have one (which she calls him out on what that’s supposed to mean, but he apologizes for it being inappropriate and that he said it before he realized how it sounded); A few mentions of butting into conversations & wiggling a butt; A mention of Callie receiving help from Egan’s mom about what bra size she needed years prior; A mention of abs; A mention of testosterone.
-Callie Christianson, age 17
1st person P.O.V. of Callie
292 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars (and a half)
Well, this was a fun summer YA story!
When we (rather quickly) find out what Egan did to Callie, I was fully on her side and grabbing my pitchfork to chase after him in her honor. At first, Callie was a little…standoffish in a way (which made sense because of what he did), but I will note that Callie is denser than the pink lemonade pound cake she makes at times. But yet, I still enjoyed the book. I think some won’t like her or Egan and while I understand and had a few moments of going “he’s an idiot” (okay, more than a few because he was more pushy than I liked), I did like their growth and how apologetic Egan was about the past (and current) mistakes.
I do wish there would have been more Christian content in this book (especially wishing there a scene of Callie’s grandmother encouraging her about praying about her troubles because there was a moment that would have fit in perfectly), but if you view it as a Clean Fiction or standard YA book, it was very clean and had no questionable content—something that is hard to find in the general market for teens nowadays.
As a YouTuber who is has major safety awareness habits, I did cringe at Egan filming outside of Callie’s house and live streaming one of their dates (which he said he wouldn’t prior because of privacy reasons). Along with last names possibly being used and them being recognized in their town, I was concerned for their privacy and safety. There’s crazy people out there on there! But it’s a fictional book so I was trying not to think about it—but just don’t do what they do, okay? 😅
Overall this was pretty cute and I would read more by this author. This book could be a fun, summery read for girls 14/15+ that want a clean romance with some humor.
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
About this book:
“When seventeen-year-old Callie Christianson answers the doorbell, she never expects to find her ex-best friend, Egan Pasko, there with flowers. Their childhood friendship ended their freshman year when he shut her in a locker and walked away. But now he’s sorry and he’d like to take her on twenty-one dates to prove it. It’s an experiment, he says, to see if two people who used to be “just friends” can fall in love. And, of course, they’ll record the whole thing and put it online to see how many views they can wrangle out of it.
Callie’s ready to tell him to get lost. Until she realizes Egan’s crazy, stupid idea could help her gain the followers she needs to earn the mentorship opportunity that will launch her baking career. So the dates begin. And, even though nothing goes according to Callie’s plan, all the time spent with Egan is reminding her of everything she used to love about him.
The only problem is their viewers aren’t falling in love with her. The haters come out in droves to tell her exactly how terrible they think she is. The only thing keeping Callie in the experiment is Egan’s hints that he might be starting to fall for her. Except she can’t be sure he’s not playing it up for the sake of the camera.
Then Egan shares the most vulnerable parts of Callie’s life story online without her permission, stunning her into a shame spiral and leaving her to fend for herself in the comments. With their friendship once again at stake, will Callie walk away for good? Or is her heart too involved to let Egan go?”
Series: A stand-alone novel.
Spiritual Content- A Scripture is referenced (but not called a Scripture); Thanking God (once); 'H’s are capital when referring to God; Callie says once that God never rejected her (unlike her biological parents); Callie receives one comment that says she’s too “Jesus-y” (adding that the commentor has decided Callie uses her faith as an excuse to hate other people) & anther comment saying she’s not a real Christian (because if she was, she would recite more Bible verses on camera); Mentions of God; Mentions of churches & church going; A few mentions of praying & blessings over food; A few mentions of Vacation Bible School; A couple mentions of Bible studies; A couple mentions of Easter; A mention of the Garden of Eden;
*Note: Callie thinks that a food truck festival is the closest she’ll get to heaven “this side of eternity”; A group of teen girls say they “definitely” don’t go to church; A couple mentions of Santa Claus; A mention of a troll comment to Callie about wishing God would smite her because she’s “taking oxygen from people who need it more”; A mention of Egan crossing his fingers to ward Callie off “like [she was] an evil spirit” whenever anyone mentioned about them being a couple; A mention of Medusa; A mention of the Grim Reaper; A mention of aliens.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘freaking’, a ‘heck’, a ‘suck it up’, a ‘what the heck’, two ‘oh my gosh’s, two forms of ‘screwed up’, two ‘shut up’s, two ‘sucked’s, three ‘gosh’s, four forms of ‘crap’, seven forms of ‘ticked’, ten ‘idiot’s, seventeen forms of ‘dumb’, and thirty-one ‘stupid’s; A few mentions of curses (by Callie, said, not written); Sarcasm & Eye rolling; Callie lies a few times (to either keep from explaining a long story to her grandparents or to not share her feelings); Injuries, Pain, Blood/Bleeding, Passing out, & Throwing up (up to semi-detailed); Finding a pet who has passed away (due to old age) & grief (*Spoilers* ); When Callie is under scrutiny from a crowd, she wishes she was dead; Egan runs from security at an event (after getting on stage when he isn’t supposed to); Egan and his brother have a physical fight; After disappointing news, Callie feels like she isn’t wanted and has been abandoned; Mentions of deaths, illnesses, & grief (including for a grandfather); Mentions of deaths of pets (both a dog and a cat); Mentions of a prank of someone being locked in their locker; Mentions of injuries, pain, blood/bleeding, & someone passing out after seeing blood; Mentions of a mom diagnosis with Multiple Sclerosis & her symptoms (border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); Mentions of poison; Mentions of throwing up; Mentions of lies, lying, & liars; Mentions of hatred; Mentions of bullies, trolls, & harassing comments; A few mentions of lottery tickets; A couple mentions of a dare to deface a police car; A couple mentions of a divorce; A couple mentions of rumors; A couple mentions of alcohol & drinking; A couple mentions of a tattoo; A couple mentions of a cat being abandoned; A mention of true crime documentaries; A mention of a young boy almost strangling a baby chick; A mention of poop;
*Note: A few implications that Callie has OCD; Callie receives mean and hateful comments online from trolls calling her “so freaking dumb”, picking apart her physical appearance and clothing choices, assumptions about her parents not wanting her and saying they would have dumped her off a bridge, saying her mom should have had an abortion, thinking she has an eating disorder, that her cat would rather eat rat poison than with be her, & making assumptions about her life (some of these bother her and others do not); Callie was adopted by her grandparents and has lived with them most of her life (*Spoilers* ); Egan refers to Callie’s biological father as her “real” one; Callie wonders at one point if something is wrong with her and that’s why her parents gave her up; References to pop culture & movies (Harry Potter, Hunger Games, Ratatouille, Star Wars, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, & Mary Poppins); Mentions of brand names, items, stores, & restaurants (Moon Pies, Twinkies, Snickers, Oreos, Pop-Tarts, Fruit Loop, Laffy Taffy, Sour Patch Kids, Junior Mints, Reese’s cups, Cheetos, Easy Mac, Gatorade, Sprite, Dr. Pepper, Coke, Splenda, Post-it notes, Sharpie, Band-Aid, KitchenAid mixer, Tupperware, Day-Glo, Nike, Williams-Sonoma, Museum of Modern Art, Outback Steakhouse, Domino’s, & Dairy Queen); Mentions of fictional characters (Nancy Drew, Babe, Harry Potter characters, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Mickey Mouse, Muppets, The Baby-sitters Club characters, & Dumbo); Mentions of Julia Child; A few mentions of social media platforms & websites (Google & YouTube); A couple mentions of EPSN & Food Network; A couple mentions of TV shows & movies (The Bachelor, Braveheart); A couple mentions of Netflix; A couple mentions of therapists & their advice (Callie’s grandma is a counselor); A mention of abortion (regarding a hateful comment Callie receives that says her mother should have had an abortion instead of giving birth to her); A mention of an eating disorder (from a hateful comment); A mention of zombies; A mention of WWE; A mention of AARP; A mention of a sports team (Denver Broncos); A mention of body odor.
Sexual Content- Four forehead/hair kisses, an ear kiss, two cheek kisses, two almost kisses (semi-detailed), a barely-above-not-detailed kiss, and two semi-detailed kisses; Wanting to kiss, Staring at lips, & Remembering an almost kiss (barely-above-not-detailed); Touches, Embraces, Snuggling, Dancing, Hand holding, Flutters, Shivers, Warmth, Nearness, & Smelling (up to semi-detailed); Winks & Blushes; Noticing & Staring (including noticing his muscles, barely-above-not-detailed); A college-age guy hits on Callie, but backs off when she says she’s seventeen; Callie’s grandmother is concerned she’s involved in something “illicit” (but is not); When Callie and Egan are dancing, an instruction has them step back from each other because it’s not prom and they aren’t “going to a hotel afterwards”; Two ‘hot’s; All about & many mentions of dates, dating, crushes, boyfriends/girlfriend, exes, & breakups; Mentions of kisses & kissing; Mentions of jealousy & girls getting in Egan’s personal space and touching his arms; Mentions of cute guys; Mentions of falling in love; A couple mentions of making out; A couple mentions of butterflies; A mention of voyeurs that put nanny cams in other people’s rooms; A mention of a guy trying to look down a girl’s shirt; A mention of a couple kissing; A mention of a guy kissing his biceps; Some love, falling in love, & the emotions;
*Note: Mentions of cup sizes & plastic surgery (*Spoiler* ); When going to a ballroom dance lesson, Callie comments to Egan that she wasn’t told to wear a “rhinestone bikini” and he says it’s a bummer that she doesn’t have one (which she calls him out on what that’s supposed to mean, but he apologizes for it being inappropriate and that he said it before he realized how it sounded); A few mentions of butting into conversations & wiggling a butt; A mention of Callie receiving help from Egan’s mom about what bra size she needed years prior; A mention of abs; A mention of testosterone.
-Callie Christianson, age 17
1st person P.O.V. of Callie
292 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars (and a half)
Well, this was a fun summer YA story!
When we (rather quickly) find out what Egan did to Callie, I was fully on her side and grabbing my pitchfork to chase after him in her honor. At first, Callie was a little…standoffish in a way (which made sense because of what he did), but I will note that Callie is denser than the pink lemonade pound cake she makes at times. But yet, I still enjoyed the book. I think some won’t like her or Egan and while I understand and had a few moments of going “he’s an idiot” (okay, more than a few because he was more pushy than I liked), I did like their growth and how apologetic Egan was about the past (and current) mistakes.
I do wish there would have been more Christian content in this book (especially wishing there a scene of Callie’s grandmother encouraging her about praying about her troubles because there was a moment that would have fit in perfectly), but if you view it as a Clean Fiction or standard YA book, it was very clean and had no questionable content—something that is hard to find in the general market for teens nowadays.
As a YouTuber who is has major safety awareness habits, I did cringe at Egan filming outside of Callie’s house and live streaming one of their dates (which he said he wouldn’t prior because of privacy reasons). Along with last names possibly being used and them being recognized in their town, I was concerned for their privacy and safety. There’s crazy people out there on there! But it’s a fictional book so I was trying not to think about it—but just don’t do what they do, okay? 😅
Overall this was pretty cute and I would read more by this author. This book could be a fun, summery read for girls 14/15+ that want a clean romance with some humor.
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
September 17, 2024
This book was 100% a cover buy for me. (I mean, LOOK at that cover — it’s so cute!)
I also thought the premise was really sweet — Egan, who was best friends with Callie growing up, ended their friendship several years prior to the events of the book. Now determined to get back in her life, he has come up with 21 dates that they will do together and document online in an attempt to get 1000 views.
However, this ended up being a fairly average read for me. The reason for my rating can be summed up in 3 words - the male lead.
I did NOT care for Egan. He came across as super pushy to Callie and a lot of times forced her into situations where she wasn’t comfortable. I get that she was somewhat struggling to get out of her comfort zone and I would have been totally cool with him helping her or giving a slight push, but he was over the top with her. A lot of the things he did, I personally wouldn’t have tolerated. Many of the dates involved Callie being embarrassed or humiliated, and since Egan was the one planning the majority of the dates, I ended up not liking him very much. This happened to some degree with Callie’s best friend as well, though not as bad.
Callie did have some cute moments with Egan and I liked her relationship with her grandparents. If Egan had been less pushy I would have liked him (and therefore the book) more overall.
I also thought the premise was really sweet — Egan, who was best friends with Callie growing up, ended their friendship several years prior to the events of the book. Now determined to get back in her life, he has come up with 21 dates that they will do together and document online in an attempt to get 1000 views.
However, this ended up being a fairly average read for me. The reason for my rating can be summed up in 3 words - the male lead.
I did NOT care for Egan. He came across as super pushy to Callie and a lot of times forced her into situations where she wasn’t comfortable. I get that she was somewhat struggling to get out of her comfort zone and I would have been totally cool with him helping her or giving a slight push, but he was over the top with her. A lot of the things he did, I personally wouldn’t have tolerated. Many of the dates involved Callie being embarrassed or humiliated, and since Egan was the one planning the majority of the dates, I ended up not liking him very much. This happened to some degree with Callie’s best friend as well, though not as bad.
Callie did have some cute moments with Egan and I liked her relationship with her grandparents. If Egan had been less pushy I would have liked him (and therefore the book) more overall.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 20, 2022
The Great Date Experiment is the most un-put-downable book I've read in a long time! Smart, hilarious, real, and positive - I can't wait for my teenage daughter to read this one.
Minor characters are interesting and Callie and Egan are adorable. Callie is strong but vulnerable, and I felt every ache of her tender heart while marveling at her capacity to devour large quantities of junk food.
Egan is wonderfully flawed yet attractive in his obvious affection for and devotion to Callie. But what really makes him special is his heartfelt desire to be better.
All those things are great, but the icing on the cake (or maybe the top layer of the cookie bar) is the truth so many of us - teens or not - need to hear. And that's that we need to be discerning in our use of technology, using it to lift others up and create real relationships, not fall prey to the superficial, sometimes damaging interactions that are so commonplace.
Kudos to Ashley Mays! I can't wait to read whatever she writes next.
Minor characters are interesting and Callie and Egan are adorable. Callie is strong but vulnerable, and I felt every ache of her tender heart while marveling at her capacity to devour large quantities of junk food.
Egan is wonderfully flawed yet attractive in his obvious affection for and devotion to Callie. But what really makes him special is his heartfelt desire to be better.
All those things are great, but the icing on the cake (or maybe the top layer of the cookie bar) is the truth so many of us - teens or not - need to hear. And that's that we need to be discerning in our use of technology, using it to lift others up and create real relationships, not fall prey to the superficial, sometimes damaging interactions that are so commonplace.
Kudos to Ashley Mays! I can't wait to read whatever she writes next.
July 28, 2025
One of my favorite books this year! I couldn’t put it down. The writing is descriptive and beautiful, the characters are so relatable, and the story keeps you turning the page! I adore this book and can’t wait for another release.
March 27, 2023
I read this book in a single afternoon, so it clearly did something right! Allow me to highlight a few of those things:
1) The ex-best friends-to-friends-to-lovers dynamic.
Without delving into spoiler territory, let's just say that Ashley Mays did an excellent job of really capturing all the pain, doubt, confusion, and nostalgia associated with a broken friendship. The gradual progression of Callie and Egan's relationship unfolded perfectly, and there were so many swoon-worthy moments that put a smile on my face.
2) The online bullying.
This is such a pervasive problem that people of all ages faces, but teenagers may be especially susceptible. The author handled this in a realistic way that never came off as anything but genuine. Unfortunately, when hidden behind the veil of anonymity, people have the tendency to be cruel and say things they'd never actually say to someone's face. It was hard to watch Callie suffer through online harassment, but I appreciate that Ashley didn't sugarcoat this uncomfortable reality.
3) The characters.
Ashley wrote very well-rounded, likable characters that were easy to root for and highly relatable. Even though Egan did some hurtful things, I never once disliked his character. These are teenagers, and teenagers do stupid things, so it all rang true and genuine. Callie was a wonderful protagonist, the exact kind I would've related to and LOVED to read about when I, myself, was a teen. She had a good head on her shoulders and was committed to her goals. I absolutely love when protagonists in YA books have something they're passionate about, a long-term goal they're devoted to chasing. I think most teens could relate to Callie's struggles.
4) The swoon factor.
From start to finish, this book was adorable. I won't equate it to cotton candy, because that implies it's light and fluffy with no substance. That couldn't be further from the truth. Yes, this book was frothy and whimsical, but it also had a lot of heart and depth. It basically had the same tone as Gilmore Girls, and if you know how much I love Gilmore Girls, you'll realize that is basically the highest compliment I could ever pay someone. So, Ashley, if you ever read this review, know that I just likened your book to my all-time favorite show, and that is not a comparison I make lightly.
In conclusion...
This is the first book I've finished in a single day in a very long time. Adorable on so many levels. I look forward to reading more of Ashley's work in the future!
1) The ex-best friends-to-friends-to-lovers dynamic.
Without delving into spoiler territory, let's just say that Ashley Mays did an excellent job of really capturing all the pain, doubt, confusion, and nostalgia associated with a broken friendship. The gradual progression of Callie and Egan's relationship unfolded perfectly, and there were so many swoon-worthy moments that put a smile on my face.
2) The online bullying.
This is such a pervasive problem that people of all ages faces, but teenagers may be especially susceptible. The author handled this in a realistic way that never came off as anything but genuine. Unfortunately, when hidden behind the veil of anonymity, people have the tendency to be cruel and say things they'd never actually say to someone's face. It was hard to watch Callie suffer through online harassment, but I appreciate that Ashley didn't sugarcoat this uncomfortable reality.
3) The characters.
Ashley wrote very well-rounded, likable characters that were easy to root for and highly relatable. Even though Egan did some hurtful things, I never once disliked his character. These are teenagers, and teenagers do stupid things, so it all rang true and genuine. Callie was a wonderful protagonist, the exact kind I would've related to and LOVED to read about when I, myself, was a teen. She had a good head on her shoulders and was committed to her goals. I absolutely love when protagonists in YA books have something they're passionate about, a long-term goal they're devoted to chasing. I think most teens could relate to Callie's struggles.
4) The swoon factor.
From start to finish, this book was adorable. I won't equate it to cotton candy, because that implies it's light and fluffy with no substance. That couldn't be further from the truth. Yes, this book was frothy and whimsical, but it also had a lot of heart and depth. It basically had the same tone as Gilmore Girls, and if you know how much I love Gilmore Girls, you'll realize that is basically the highest compliment I could ever pay someone. So, Ashley, if you ever read this review, know that I just likened your book to my all-time favorite show, and that is not a comparison I make lightly.
In conclusion...
This is the first book I've finished in a single day in a very long time. Adorable on so many levels. I look forward to reading more of Ashley's work in the future!
June 26, 2024
This was such a short and sweet romantic read! The storyline jumped out as a fun-and also horrifying-concept: 21 dates in 21 days, all posted online to try to get 1,000 views. As someone who recently left traditional social media, I could appreciate all the conflicting feelings Egan and Callie experienced over whether they were doing it for the right reasons, or if they even should. The author includes some thought-provoking quotes such as when Callie says,
"All the online stuff is fine, but I really wanted a place to connect with people in person too. Because some things in life are better shared with people you trust-not over the internet."
"All the online stuff is fine, but I really wanted a place to connect with people in person too. Because some things in life are better shared with people you trust-not over the internet."
Or when she says,
"I used to think that when I put stuff out there into the world, I could still control it. People would see my heart and think logically and maybe empathize a little and everything would be okay. But if there's one thing I've learned in this experiment, it's that information can be a weapon. And people brandish that weapon without doing any fact-checking or heart-checking along the way."
Even so, I felt the author portrayed the story from a fairly neutral point of view, showing the good and the bad of being online and allowing the reader to make the decision for themselves.
Egan and Callie's interactions were believable, they had the sweetest first kiss, and some wonderful date ideas that I would have never thought of. By the end, I was not only rooting for them to stay together, but also wanting a second book for their sidekick characters. *Hint, hint, Ashley Mays :)
My only semi-complaint is that the characters were supposed to be in high school, but the way they interacted seemed to indicate college age. After a few chapters, I decided to read the rest from that perspective and it made everything flow perfectly.
December 12, 2023
I’ll admit, when I started this book I really was expecting something superficial without much depth - it’s about teen dating after all, right? But it is so much more and I was soon pulled into a really good storyline. Ashley Mays really seems to understand teens and what they are feeling deep down.
Egan and Callie were best friends. Then Egan did something dumb, unforgivable, a 15-year-old boy prank. Callie couldn’t forgive him. It’s been two years and Egan shows up at her house wanting to be friends again. He and his brother have this competition to see who can reach 1000 social views first. Egan comes up with the Great Date Experiment and wants Callie to help him with it. Don’t want to give away any spoilers but he has an ulterior motive. Turns out Callie does too when she agrees.
Both Callie and Egan are works in progress - but who isn’t, especially in the teen years. Callie is still working through being adopted by her grandparents 15 years ago when her parents didn’t want her. Egan has his own issues which come out as the story progresses.
Just when it seems the Great Date Experiment is going to flop, things turn around for the good - just like difficulties in our life when God uses them for good.
Readers will laugh and cry with Callie and Egan over the things they experience. There is a lot of really good relationship advice hidden in the events of the story.
The Great Date Experiment would make a great addition to tha K-12 Christian school library. It is appropriate for older middle schoolers and up.
I received a complimentary copy of The Great Date Experiment. This is my honest review.
Egan and Callie were best friends. Then Egan did something dumb, unforgivable, a 15-year-old boy prank. Callie couldn’t forgive him. It’s been two years and Egan shows up at her house wanting to be friends again. He and his brother have this competition to see who can reach 1000 social views first. Egan comes up with the Great Date Experiment and wants Callie to help him with it. Don’t want to give away any spoilers but he has an ulterior motive. Turns out Callie does too when she agrees.
Both Callie and Egan are works in progress - but who isn’t, especially in the teen years. Callie is still working through being adopted by her grandparents 15 years ago when her parents didn’t want her. Egan has his own issues which come out as the story progresses.
Just when it seems the Great Date Experiment is going to flop, things turn around for the good - just like difficulties in our life when God uses them for good.
Readers will laugh and cry with Callie and Egan over the things they experience. There is a lot of really good relationship advice hidden in the events of the story.
The Great Date Experiment would make a great addition to tha K-12 Christian school library. It is appropriate for older middle schoolers and up.
I received a complimentary copy of The Great Date Experiment. This is my honest review.
February 25, 2023
The Great Date Experiment is packed full of everything you want in a sweet, YA Rom-Com! Are you looking for funny, loveable well-rounded characters? Check. Clever dialogue that actually makes you laugh out loud? Check. A fast plot full of hilarity and sweet moments? Check. This story really has everything required to make me fall in love with it. The fantastic writing sucked me in and hooked me on the characters, in all their cheeky, silly, loveable glory. There were no two dimensional characters here. Even with silly moments, each character slowly revealed their flaws and issues, and I was happy to find out how they worked through their problems. The novel also dealt with very timely issues for today's teens, such as cyber bullying and the very real pain of online rejection and hatred. Overall, I would highly, highly recommend The Great Date Experiment.
August 6, 2022
I loved this book so much! I couldn't put it down. It has everything that I love in YA fiction: strong, relatable characters, witty banter, silly and meaningful situations, and a wonderful ending. The dates made me laugh and at times, I teared up. Full of quirk and heart. Highly recommend. Oh, and that cover: PERFECTION!
November 4, 2022
Such a fun, lighthearted story that I couldn't put down. I finished it in a matter of days, which is a feat for me since life is currently crazy. I loved the backstory of the characters and how everything ended up. Perfect for a beach read or if you need an escape.
April 29, 2023
What a great read, such a sweet RomCom with exceptional character development. Each of the main characters have just enough story to love them all. Highly recommend for your pre team or team that’s looking for a positive and clean romance.
April 22, 2024
This contemporary YA was so cute. I love the friends-to-lovers trope and this one was done so well! I loved watching Egan and Callie reconnect. I read this book in 3.5 days which is super fast for me. I can’t wait to see what Ashley writes next!
June 21, 2022
4.5 stars. The cutest contemporary I have read in a while! A must read for fans of clean YA that is fun and full of heart.
July 22, 2022
A heartfelt story about how sometimes we hide from those things we most fear, and sometimes the things we fear the most are the very ones we need!
February 14, 2023
This was such a great book! I could hardly put it down to do other things.
July 18, 2022
The Great Date Experiment is such a fun and meaningful read. Ashley Mays has created characters who are like people we've known in our own lives, and she's placed them in experiences that are so familiar for many of us. While entertaining and keeping us on our toes about what will happen next on main character Callie's dating adventure, the story connects to a bigger picture to offer much to remind and teach us about the power of family and lasting friendship. I believe you'll enjoy this book from beginning to end like I did.
December 22, 2024
Do you enjoy YA literature, rom-coms, a good love story, baking, a realistic heroine, or all of the above? Then “The Great Date Experiment” is perfect for you. It is an enjoyable and incredibly fun, fast-moving read. Unlike many YA heroines, Callie is likable and believable, as are the other characters including her best friend, her long-lost friend, and her grandparents, whom she lives with and has been raised by. I also felt that her story had more substance than just romance - there is real commentary on self-confidence, sharing one’s story to help others, the issues that come with social media use, etc. An excellent first title by Ashley Mays, and I hope she continues writing more books like this! (Indeed, I would happily read another “chapter” set in Callie’s world.)
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