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Paperback | audio books | hard cover | kindle
Liam: Everyone has a weakness.
Daisy: What’s yours?
Liam: You.The Dating Plan
Quick Overview
Overall: 4/5
Characters: 5/5 LOVED them
Setting: 4/5 set in San Francisco
Writing: 4/5 really enjoyed Sara’s writing style
Plot/Theme: 4/5 fake engagement goals
Spice: 3/5 a few SPICY scenes
About the Book
TRIGGER WARNINGS: Mentions of child abuse, mentions of abusive relationship, mature (spicy) content
Release Date: March 16, 2021
Published by: berkley
Page Count: 351
Gender: Contemporary Romance
Series: Marriage Game 2 of 3
The Dating Plan by Sara Desai was the first book I received when I started Book of the Month Club. It was also the first romance book I read, so I wasn’t sure what to expect.
I absolutely devoured this book, finishing it in like two days. It was super quick paced, an easy read, and really entertaining.
The book is actually second in a series, The Marriage Game trilogy, but it isn’t necessary to read the first book to understand the second or third, as they aren’t really related.
The story follows Daisy, a software engineer living in San Francisco trying to escape her family’s matchmaking services, and Liam, who has an inheritance waiting that relies on him getting married.
Daisy and Liam knew each other as kids; he was her brother’s best friend growing up. One day, he vanished, and they didn’t see each other again until almost 10 years later.
Upon this meeting, the two decide they have a plan to fix both of their problems. They agree to marriage, but just of convenience since Daisy is still hurt from 10 years before. However, as they start spending more time together, they start to actually fall for each other.
Let’s get into the full book review.
Full Book Review
Plot
The Dating Plan is a fantastic fake engagement story wrapped up with a little forced proximity and some built up angst from past situations. There are some dramatic moments, some really romantic moments, and some pretty spicy moments.
There are some pretty cheesy moments too, which add a hint of humor to the book that was enjoyable. All of these things together make the book fun and easy to read.
Writing
I really enjoy Sara’s writing style. There is great dialogue with great banter, and her descriptions really make it possible to picture what you’re reading. Her writing isn’t choppy and she doesn’t include any unnecessary filler content.
characters
Sara’s main characters Daisy and Liam were so well-written and likable. From the very beginning you are rooting for them both together and individually.
Daisy is what you would call “quirky”, but incredibly relatable. It was great being able to see her develop as a character on her own and with Liam by her side. She was able to be her own person without him, which is always great to see.
Liam is a venture capitalist, trying to be the best, as all men do. However, it was refreshing to see how down to Earth he could be when he was with Daisy.
The characters meshed so well together and really brought out the best in each other. I love reading their story.
spice
There weren’t many spicy moments, but the ones that were included were very spicy. Descriptive and intriguing, I couldn’t put the book down during one of these scenes. It is easy to see why Daisy and Liam get along so well!
Book Review Wrap Up
Pros: Relatable, interesting characters, great writing, hard to put down
Cons: Very few spicy scenes (if you are looking for a spicy romance)
Overall Rating: 4/5
Overall, I really loved The Dating Plan and I would recommend it to those who want to read a light-hearted, fun, entertaining romance novel with a little spice.
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