The Dating Game

Sandy Barker

Sep 2021 · Sold by HarperCollins UK

About this ebook

‘THE romcom of the summer... charming, funny and the romance is such a compelling slow burn. I cannot recommend it enough’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review

‘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...

The must-read romantic comedy for fans of Laura Jane Williams, Sophie Ranald and Sophie Kinsella.

**Readers LOVE this upbeat, hilarious romcom**

‘Highly recommended if you love romance, dating shows and swoon-worthy characters’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘[More] than a typical romance’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Hidden romance and plenty of laughs’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Loved this book, an easy read’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Fantastic’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Full of Sandy’s trademark warmth, wit and emotional angst... with heaps of friendship and female solidarity, as well as a hot love interest’ Nikki Moore

‘A gorgeous slow-burn romance with whip-smart humour... feel-good romcom escapism’ Kitty Wilson

‘Trust me, you won’t want to miss this’ Katie Ginger

‘Original, witty and so much fun!’ Rachael Stewart

‘Fun, feisty and fabulous’ Jessica Redland

Ratings and reviews

An hysterically funny take on reality tv! Abigail Jones is a writer who dreams of being an investigative journalist. For the time being, she has to earn a crust and does it by writing recaps of a reality tv show under a pseudonym. Then the producers decide to take it a bit further; she will secretly be taking part in the next series of ‘The Stag’ as a contestant, known only to a very small section of the crew. The lure is that it’s to be filmed in Sydney, Australia – a place where Abigail has always wanted to travel. How can she say no? This one is a gigglefest from beginning to end! I don’t watch reality television myself; in fact we can often be found poking fun at them in our house but I was thoroughly entertained by this novel. I can imagine that followers of these programmes will enjoy it even more – if that’s possible. The author has a fantastically quirky take on the whole process and, along with the humour, there are some very tender moments of self-doubt. Expertly written and delightfully amusing with a fabulous cast of characters, this is a book which will lift the spirits of every reader. Thoroughly entertaining, easily earning 4.5*

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.

About the author

Sandy Barker is an Australian writer, traveller and hopeful romantic with a lengthy bucket list and a cheeky sense of humour.

Many of Sandy’s travel adventures have found homes in her writing, including her debut novel, a contemporary romance set in Greece, which was inspired by her true-life love story.

Follow her on Twitter @sandybarker