This was a good concept, I just felt it was drawn out and there seemed to be pages and pages of the main character "thinking", there were a lot of people to remember, this is explained at the start of the book if you have e-book, not sure how you will remember with a "proper" book, I didn't really engage with any of the characters, i think it could have been done better.

This is a unique twist on the reality culture that so many of us find ourselves gripped by in these times!

Central character Abby writes undercover to provide acerbic recaps on reality tv show ‘The Stag’; a dating game where ‘unsuspecting’ Does are put through their paces in order to win the love interest of the stag himself.

When Abby is asked to participate undercover on the Australian version of the show in order to gain a deeper insight into what goes on behind the scenes, even she is unprepared for the task that lies ahead.

The story hooks the reader from the off as Abby writes a scathing synopsis of the characters in the UK version of the show, grouping them into such categories as Villains, Dark Horses and Fillers purely based on first impressions. As the story unfolds, it’s interesting to see how her perspective on the does in the Australian version changes as she comes to recognise them all as individuals and not just stereotypes.

There is an abundance of humour throughout, as well as a smattering of real-life, actual romance, as Abby finds herself falling for Jack, one of the production crew.

If you’re a fan of reality television, this book will be right up your street!

With thanks to the author, One More Chapter and @rararesources for the opportunity to participate in the tour.

3 Stars
Oh, how dreams can be dangled in front of someone who wants more and works for a scheming boss. Sure, She will promise all sorts of things if you make yourself available, do a crazy dating show, and report back on all the inside stuff.

Sounds like it shouldn't be too hard, but oh how the situation gets complicated with hearts start to get involved.

I do love a good reality tv storyline and that is what drew me to this book right away. To be honest, I’ve never watched a full season of the US show, The Bachelor, which is basically the same as what the reality show in this book called The Stag is. But I have watched some, and my family members have watched whole seasons of it. So I know basically how it goes. The author did a great job on making this a perfect recreation of that type of show. I loved the added aspect of Abby’s being undercover, and even the way that the author had all the things go wrong! Some were unpredictable. And I loved that. It was also a great look at how it is so obvious the manipulations that are made just from the way the film is edited for the final finished show that makes it to air for the public to see. So really, if you are a fan of this type of show, or I guess even just a fan of British rom-coms, you will really enjoy this one!

My only issues have to do with how it seems British rom-coms or maybe all their books only use ‘this’ for when someone is speaking instead of what I’m used to for dialogue “this”. It makes it hard for me to follow along with what is being spoken aloud and what is just in the character’s head, especially if it is in first person. But I love first person, so I’m not complaining about that at all. It could also just have had to do with the formatting since this was an e-galley so maybe if it was formatted more like a finished book I wouldn’t have had that problem.

Review 4.5/5🌟
The Dating Game was one of my favourite reads of August and a book I will happily read again!

The MC Abby writes recaps of the popular dating TV show The Stag and ends up roped into joining the newest season of the show so she can write more in depth recaps. To the outside world she’s one of 12 women competing for the affection of the Stag while only the producers of the show and her boss know the truth.

There was so much drama! The Dating Game had all the chaos of reality TV without the annoying bits. Abby’s articles were full of sass and sharp, witty humour. This carried through to her dialogue with the other characters and it was a lot of fun.

I was so happy that the author didn’t give us a love triangle which would have been a valid but predictable choice. Instead the book was more about Abby figuring out who she is but don’t worry she finds love too!

Read for:
• female friendships
• budding romance 💕
• a snarky but lovable female lead
• DRAMA ❗️

The Dating Game is out now! If you’re clinging onto summer or just looking for a fun, feel good book I’d recommend this one!
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. #NetGalley #TheDatingGame

From a new author a good beginning. Because reality tv isn't my jam I liked the honest reveal of it. Abby was someone you root for and there was plenty of funny moments I think there was just a bit extra missing. As this author continues I'm sure she will truly find her voice, don't count her out. Interested in her next move.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley for my honest review.

Here is the fun, light read we’ve all been waiting for! I honestly felt like I was reading about an episode of The Bachelor with all the drama, “villains,” and behind the scenes drama in this book! A fun ride that gives you the sense of a guilty pleasure for the day.

Abby writes recaps for TV’s must-see dating show, The Stag. But this season is going to be different - producers want Abby to be an actual contestant on the show so she can gather all the details while undercover on set!

“The stag” is not exactly the man of Abby’s dreams so she has no concern of actually falling for him. One of the producers, however, is a different story…

Funny, charming and easy reading! Fans of reality dating shows will no doubt fall in love with this book!

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Dating Game was a fun, light read, which had me laughing quite a bit. If you’re a fan of Love Island and The Bachelor then you’ll enjoy this book.
Abby is our main character who writes witty recaps of the programme ‘The Stag’. She is invited onto the next season of the show to go undercover to get all the gossip first hand. Abby doesn’t like ‘the stag’ but does start falling for the Australian producer.
The book focuses mainly on the show, rather than the characters and any romantic storyline.
I did like the insight into female friendships but overall I did want more from the book.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the arc.

What happens when a writer with a secret identity known for witty articles about reality dating shows is suddenly in the newest season as a contestant? Abby Jones' boss is thrilled when her latest recap of The Stag has gone viral, and thinks Abby should go undercover as a contestant to get the inside scoop. Hilarity ensues when unprepared Abby is thrown into an unfamiliar world of catty women fighting to be picked by the billionaire heartthrob. Throw in her attraction to the show's producer Jack and Abby has to figure out what's more important - her job or exploring a possible love connection.

I don't watch these type of shows but found this book to be a good one. Though Abby has to be deceitful she does have a heart and thinks of the consequences beforehand, never wanting to intentionally hurt anyone. She tries to problem solve situations to protect and help her new friends all the while remaining undercover. Looking forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins UK/One More Chapter for the opportunity to read this book.

If you love dating reality shows like The Bachelor or Bachelorette, you'll love this book .

Abby Jones is a serious writer. Or at least she will be one day. But for now, she writes recaps for a dating reality show called the Stag. It's not a her dream gig, but it pays the bills until she can get a serious journalist job. But when her recaps go viral, her editor wants Abby to be on set capturing all the behind the camera gossip and drama. So when the producers approach Abby to not only write the recaps, but also be on the show, Abby can't think of anything worse. She has to go undercover as a contestant and write recaps. Abby wants to focus on her job and hopefully make out unscathed. But then she meets gorgeous producer Jack and wonders if this isn't so bad at after all.

This book was really funny and charming. I watch the Bachelor and Bachelorette, so it was nice to pull back the curtain in a way with this story. I also loved that Abby doesn't fall for The Stag but for the producer on the show. It's like a lighter and more charming version of the TV show Unreal. Besides the budding romance between Abby and Jack, and Abby gaining more confidence, I really love the female friendships portrayed in the book. While there were some tension filled moments with the other contestants, I love how Sandy took turned the reality show formula on its head (especially at the end).

It was a fun and quick read. If you're looking for something light and fun, I highly recommend it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins Uk for an arc of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

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.

this book is so fantastic! please pick it up as soon as possible! this is so good and so cute and so wonderful and all the great and beautiful things. for realz.

Thank you to NetGalley, the Publishers and the Author for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Dating Game is book about dating reality show. I don’t watch this type of show that much as I used to, but after this book I probably gonna start again.
This story has likeable characters, funny dialogues and this feel good vibe. I enjoyed this book since beggining to end and I found myself laughting loud many times. If you like easy rom coms this book is right for you.

I LOVE a good cheesy, cringeworthy dating show, so The Dating Game hooked me immediately. It starts off as a lot of frivolous fun, just like the shows. I did find some chapters poorly edited, but as I was reading an uncorrected manuscript proof, I am willing to overlook that, as hopefully that will have been cleaned up in the final edit.

With this in mind, i'm hoping some of Abby's phrasing will also have been tidied up, because occasionally her language came across as a little juvenile, which felt odd because she insists on telling us (repeatedly) how clever she is.

Thst said, I particularly loved her critique of these types of shows:

'...how damaging this show is, how fragile friendships form in a matter of days, even hours, then shatter in a moment. How the very premise of the show is designed to manipulate women’s self-esteem.'

Besides Abby and Jack's burgeoning romance, that's really the main focus of the story. We follow Abby's undercover adventures as she both participates, and witnesses how differently things can appear in the edit, and how entire 'storylines' are manufactured - c'mon, we know these shows do that all the time! - and ultimately, how that manipulation affects budding friendships between participants, and their self-esteem and even self-worth.

And honestly? Ultimately it made me reconsider how I personally consume these types of shows. They've always simply been a guilty pleasure. But the book makes you wonder how many so-called 'villains' are actually that, or are picked then manipulated into looking like one. My guess is that it's probably somewhere in between.

It did occasionally veer into the ridiculous, and there were some seriously dubious work ethics at play, particularly related to Abby being made to take part. I also thought the romance could have been deepened a little more, as although they were cute together, it felt quite superficial. But overall, I was willing to overlook these negatives because it was so enjoyable.

*Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to leave an honest review*


Overall Rating: ❤❤❤❤

Heat Rating: 🔥

Emotional Rating: 😂😂😂💓💓

First Sandy Barker book I have read. A lovely, easy read and as the title suggests is about a reality TV show that the main character Abby takes part in. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read ahead of publication.

If you are a fan of reality shows and your favourite reading genre is RomCom, this is a must-read book for you!

The Dating Game follows the adventures of Abby Jones, an aspiring serious journalist a.k.a Anastasia Blabbergasted, an online columnist with a wicked sense of humour. Well, 'adventures' is probably a wrong word, because Abby's social life is practically non-existent. She isn't exactly over the moon when her editor informs her she is about to go on the Stag! reality TV show as a contestant. Her reluctance somewhat diminishes when she meets Jack, the show's drop dead gorgeous producer, and finds out the latest season is to be filmed in Sydney.

Abby has her own classification of the contestants and her recaps of the show episodes become even more 'sarky and snarky' with the insider knowledge. The only problem is that Daniel - the Stag- is becoming more and more interested, although it is absolutely clear that Abby would never fall for someone so self-obsessed. Strategising and catfights aside, the show turns out a great place to make friendships. If only Jack was a bit clearer about what he wants….

The book was pure fun! It isn't always easy to write romcoms-sometimes the author tries too hard, but the jokes fall flat, and sometimes you have a blast of time, because you have a similar sense of humour. Abby's re-caps were hilarious! I loved her attutude: caring about other people's feelings, honest and loyal. There is a whole cast of supporting characters, starting from Abby's BFF Lisa, who may or may not work for MI5, Abby's family, the inimitable Does on the show, and ending with Harry, Jack's brother, who has an unfortunate propensity for walking on and spoiling the most romantic moments.

Cute and entertaining, this book is a perfect summer read - there's always time for an emotional and heartwarming Christmas romance and there's always time for a quick, fun romcom!

Big fan of this book! I thought the romance was amazing. The book was sweet in all the right places.

Now I'm not a fan of reality TV shows, however I certainly am of this book. Abby writes snarky reviews of these shows under the pen name of Anastasia Blabbergasted when she is pushed into being an entrant in a dating show called The Stag being filmed in Sydney, Australia. She will be undercover and write her reviews on real time. Cue 12 "Does", 6 each of British and Australian, after the hand of "The Stag, an Investment Banker.
What I loved about the book is the characters, the various Does, the crew and even The Stag. Each have strengths and weaknesses, with even the worst (mostly, anyway) having redeeming features. There is a constant sense of humour to balance against the drama involved in making such a show. It won't make me actually want to watch one of these shows, but I can certainly recommend that you read this book.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley, however this did not influence my review of the book and I also purchased it on release as the author is one of my "must buys".

The Dating Game introduces us to Abby Jones, a talented and aspirational journalist, currently stuck in a rut writing celebrity stories and holding the crown for Queen of Recaps, for everybody's favourite reality show - The Stag, under the pseudonym, Anastasia Blabbergasted. Abby has always recapped the addictive series from the comfort of her own home and now, she is being thrown head first in to the game as a contestant, giving her a front row experience of what truly goes on, on and off screen.

Like all of Sandy's leading ladies, Abby was an absolute delight. To say she wasn't all thrilled to be a contestant on the show, worried it would ruin her chances of becoming a serious journalist, she really put her all in to making it a worthwhile experience for herself and all of the other ladies competing alongside her. I really enjoyed reading the weekly recaps Abby had written privately within the mansion - she handled it amazingly, despite her growing connections to others making her hold back from completely writing the recaps she was brought to the mansion to create. I really loved how loyal Abby has also already become to a small handful of the contestants - some friendships were created from the second of meeting one another, some took a little more time to come around and some didn't want friendship at all.

The contestants were all very different from one another and their motives for being on the show were also far from being similar to another's. There was a variety of loud and quiet personalities within the household, that really brought that pizzazz on and off screen that the viewers and crew were absolutely living for. My favourite contestants besides Abby (of course) definitely had to be Kaz, Elizabeth, Becca and Stevie. Daphne was a grower though and by the end, she had me won over alongside the other ladies. The Cruella Sisters were an unfortunate addition to the house and I was always desperately waiting to see the back of them. Daniel, our charming Stag of the new season was a little out of sorts and I couldn't ever really tell if I liked him or not, but that also could be because my mind was on a whole other romance happening amongst the pages. By the end of it, I knew what I felt towards Daniel and was over the moon with the finale outcome.

Despite the whole experience for the ladies not being all that they had expected - it was really fun getting to experience them taking part in different activities, getting to know the scenery within Sydney, Australia and walk the Sydney Harbour Bridge. They may not have all gotten a happy ending with the Stag, but they sure did get one ladies holiday out of it all!

Last but, most certainly not least - we absolutely need to briefly talk about the gorgeous Jack and the connection he had with Abby. The two had obvious chemistry from the get-go and although both were quite timid about sharing their feelings to one another, there was not a single chance that the two were going to be able to keep it together for such a long period of time being round one another. I really loved the scenes between Abby, Jack and his brother, Harry, when they were watching the episodes together, ready for Abby to start typing up her weekly recaps. They were such a great trio and Harry was a great sport in keeping Abby and Jack's strong lust under wraps from everybody else. There was a really romantic scene at the very end that had me actually welling up, Sandy you were a genius for that one particular beach scene! If you know, you know.

The Dating Game is a fabulous and entertaining read, especially if you are a fan of reality tv shows. There is so much to unravel within all of the characters, there's tension, there's drama, there's secret romances, everything you could possibly want from a dating show is right here in the pages of this book. Sandy, thank you for deciding to recap reality shows during lockdown and thank you to your friend for deciding this had to be made in to a book because it was a brilliant read and one that shouldn't be missed!

I loved the whole premise of this book – I’ve never seen The Bachelor, the show that the author’s The Stag is based on, but over the years I’ve watched far more reality tv than is probably good for me. I’m one of those people who used to watch the live feed of Big Brother into the early hours, entirely hooked by the relationships between the characters, desperate not to miss a second – the edited highlights were never quite enough, knowing that they were manipulated by the production team to allow you to see what they wanted you to see rather than every twist and turn. Coupled with Sandy Barker’s sparkling writing, this was a book I was particularly looking forward to – and it didn’t disappoint for one second, gulped down in one glorious sitting, compulsive reading at its very best and one of the most enjoyable afternoons I’ve had in a very long time.

Abby has aspirations to be a serious writer – but, for now, she’s making a good living writing snarky recaps of reality tv episodes (think Buzzfeed…) under a secret identity. That’s until the magazine she writes for and the makers of The Stag – the show where a single man chooses the love of his life from an array of women (the Does) who compete for his attention – come up with the idea that she should be a contestant on the next series, writing her pieces from behind the scenes, and make it amply clear that she really doesn’t have the option to refuse. She can’t take part as herself, or as her alter ego Anastasia Blabbergasted – so, armed with a new identity based on her best friend Lisa, she sets off for Sydney and the double life she needs to lead for as long as she remains on the show.

From the very beginning, she’s less than interested in the romantic possibilities of the stag himself – she’s already met producer Jack, also in on the secret, and felt a particular spark of attraction. But as the cast of women assembles at the glitzy Stag Manor, it becomes clear that many of them are ready to fight for success on the show. Abby categorises them all as potential brides, villains, dark horses, the miscellaneous ones and the fillers – some really looking for love, others just wanting to enjoy the whole experience, others seeing it as a platform to build their showbiz careers. And it turns out that the show categorises them in a similar way – I think we all know that the outcomes of shows like this are manipulated, but this behind-the-scenes view of what really goes on is a real eye-opener.

The characters in this book are simply wonderful – it really can’t have been easy to present a cast of a dozen women and make every single one of them recognisable and distinctive, but the author accomplishes it with absolute ease. There’s never a moment when you think “who was she again?”, every single one of them perfectly drawn, as they form friendships, show their true colours, and claw their way to the prize – there are some you take to your heart, others that you watch with a mounting sense of horror. The Stag himself is an absolute triumph of characterisation – an English banker (although you might like to substitute that initial “b”), vain and shallow, playing his part to perfection as he distributes his “pins”, dashing the hopes of some and building the anticipation as the cast dwindles with the approach of the prize. And, through it all, Abby needs to sustain her double life, playing her part on the show to perfection while disappearing backstage from time to time to write her no holds barred articles – all while struggling with her growing attraction to the lovely Jack.

I loved every moment of this book – even if you’re not a fan of reality tv, you can’t help but be fascinated by the exceptionally well-drawn cast, the friendships that develop between them, and the hoops they’re all willing to jump through with their eye on the prize. Abby herself is adorable – we see it all through her eyes, and she has a strong clear voice and a sense of humour (and the ridiculous) that’s particularly endearing, throwing herself into the action but always staying slightly apart from the circus that develops. The writing is just wonderful – the original idea might have been particularly inspired, but the way the story unfolds was everything I wanted it to be. Towards the end, you really can’t help feeling the excitement around the final and its uncertain outcome – with an accompanying sense of dread. And I have to say that I particularly loved the epilogue, catching up on what happened after the show was over – it really was the perfect postscript.

This was another perfect read from Sandy Barker – exceptionally entertaining (this book really is fun from beginning to end), a real page-turner filled with the most fantastic characters, a fascinating look behind the scenes of the making of a reality show, a convincing romance, a nice bit of armchair travel, and a real testament to the power of supportive friendship. Highly recommended to all.