Rating: 72% | C- | ★★★
Synopsis (from NetGalley): 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 . . . Spoiler-Free Review The Dating Game is the perfect pick-me-up for anyone who's having a bad day. It's funny, light, and packs a serious punch in its 290 pages. What I love most about this novel is that it doesn't take itself too seriously—unlike the real show it's based upon. Barker crafts a lovely protagonist in Abby, who is not only a heroine every reader will root for but also an incredibly genuine person. Despite the humor included throughout the novel, I found that I didn't truly enjoy it until well into the third act, once I was well and truly into the swing of things. The writing in this novel can also be a little too much—OTT, as Abby herself would say—but it adds to the story's irreverence. My biggest issue with The Dating Game is its secondary cast of characters, especially Abby's love interest. I found him to be quite static and sometimes even infantile compared to Abby. I was constantly frustrated and mystified by her insistence on being with him. Abby's close friend—one of the Does—at the end of the novel also had a character arc that I wasn't completely convinced by. Nevertheless, The Dating Game is a solid read, perfect for both fans of The Bachelor and those who are always looking for the good in reality TV show contestants behind all of the post-production editing. Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. The Dating Game is on sale September 10, 2021.
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