OR

Print List Price:	$16.99
Kindle Price:	$3.99 Save $13.00 (77%)
Sold by:	Amazon.com Services LLC

Promotions apply when you purchase

Read with our free app

You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.

Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions

There was an error. We were unable to process your subscription due to an error. Please refresh and try again.

Follow the author

Susan Buchanan

+ Follow

More books from this author

The Dating Game: The outrageously funny dating agency romantic comedy set in Scotland and Barcelona Kindle Edition

by Susan Buchanan (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.0 139 ratings

See all formats and editions

'Romance, culture and plenty of dining - a recipe for a great read.'
'A light-hearted read full of wit and entertainment.
'Modern, believable, a great read.'

When Gill’s friends fix her up with one terrible blind date too many, she takes a stand and decides enough is enough. Too busy to run her own personal life, or even have a personal life, Gill thinks it’s fate when an ad for Happy Ever After dating agency falls into her lap.
Once she signs up, her life is not her own as one date after another drops into her inbox. Soon, she’s not only overwhelmed by her work calendar but by her social one too. But just when things are looking up for Gill on the love stakes, an unexpected reunion forces her to make an impossible choice.
Will she make the right decision and live her happy ever after, or is she destined to be married to her job forever?

'A must read for anyone hoping to meet their soulmate, no matter what age you are.'
'Wonderfully refreshing.'

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B009Z2QPT4
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Susan Buchanan (January 10, 2014)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 10, 2014
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 1299 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 387 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #1,227,574 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #13,548 in Clean & Wholesome Romance (Kindle Store)
- #15,913 in Clean & Wholesome Romance (Books)
- #24,343 in Romantic Comedy (Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews:
4.0 139 ratings

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Videos

Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video!

Upload your video

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

Susan Buchanan

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Susan Buchanan lives in South Lanarkshire, Scotland with her husband and their two children. She writes contemporary women's fiction and romantic comedies, Her books are: Sign of the Times, The Dating Game, The Christmas Spirit, Return of the Christmas Spirit, Just One Day - Winter, Just One Day - Spring, Just One Day - Summer and Just One Day - Autumn.

You can connect with Susan on her website www.susanbuchananauthor.com, on Twitter @susan_buchanan Facebook www.facebook.com/susan.buchanan.author and Instagram AuthorSusanBuchanan.

Customer reviews

4 out of 5

139 global ratings

How customer reviews and ratings work

Sort reviews by

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Julie Valerie

Gill McFadden was fed up!

Reviewed in the United States on February 19, 2014

Verified Purchase

Gill McFadden was fed up. How come her friends ended up with guys they really loved and she didn't? (Chap 2).

Good question! Gill is an intelligent career women in her late thirties with a wonderful, dry sense of humor that readers will love - a perfect match for a novel about a dating service for successful people. She owns her own company (quite an accomplishment) and has just about everything else settled except companionship from a meaningful relationship. Enter the Happy Ever After dating agency for professional people.

'Short on time? High in qualifications? Half price joining fee - offer ends 30th September. Visit our website below.'

How many readers out there are in this exact same situation? There's got to be statistics for this because I, for one, know a lot of successful professionals who don't have the time nor the inclination go it alone in the dating world - a dating service is the perfect solution and this chick lit novel about a dating service for upwardly mobile, more mature singles (Gill is 37) hits the mark and fills a gap in the reading market.

Gill tries hard, she makes mistakes, she meets with good guys and bad. And Gill's got great friends, too; three of them (Lisa, Angela and Debbie) and they're hysterical together which creates many great scenes in the novel including a girls' trip to Barcelona rich in details (especially about food, food, and more food!) that will make you feel like you're right there with them. I swear I gained three pounds reading the book!

Gill browses dating profiles and what emerges in the story is a selection of very different guys (four of them - Liam, Sean, Charlie and Anton - each with very different qualities) and one really difficult choice for Gill to make. All the ingredients for a great read. Unpredictable, tense at times (especially when there's an aggravated knock at the door) and ultimately, richly rewarding. The kind of book that leaves a smile on your face and a desire to read more from this great writer, Susan Buchanan. Loved it. So glad she's releasing her fourth novel.

I hope she writes till her fingers fall off.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. For more about this book and to read an article written by the author about dating in the UK vs the US visit my book blog at [...] Thanks!

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Meredith Schorr

A fun and very unpredictable adventure into dating

Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2013

Verified Purchase

37-year-old Gill is very successful professionally, having started her own recruitment agency, but her work ethic has left her very little time for a love life. Married very young and divorced shortly thereafter, Gill has a string of unsuccessful relationships under her belt. Despite having three great girlfriends, Debbie, Angela and Lisa, Gill wants to fall in love with the right man and so when she sees an advertisement for Happily Ever After, a dating service for professionals, she dives into the world of dating cautiously but optimistically. What follows is an adventure in dating during which Gill learns,sometimes the hard way, how to trust her own instincts to find her own happily ever after.

I really enjoyed The Dating Game. Author Susan Buchanan created a very realistic world and having experienced my own dating adventures, I would know. I really liked Gill. She was very believable and easy to relate to. Her reactions to some of the men she met were realistic, hilarious and sometimes heartbreaking. I appreciated that sometimes the man liked her but she wasn't into him and that sometimes she was interested in the man and he didn't want to pursue her because that is real life. I especially enjoyed her response to being the "rejectee" because it was honest. The secondary characters and their relationships with Gill, from her BFFs, to her brother and sister-in-law also added to my enjoyment of this book. My favorite aspect about The Dating Game, however, was not knowing who Gill would end up with. I kept thinking I had it figured out and would quickly realize I was wrong. The reader is kept guessing to the very end and the unpredictable nature of the book kept me turning the pages needing to know who would be "the one." Like real life, things weren't always black and white. Sure, there was the blatant douchebag, but for the most part, there was no obvious good or bad guy and the author could have gone in many different directions, adding to the unpredictability. I must confess that my heart had me hoping for a different ending but at the end of the day, I thoroughly enjoyed The Dating Game and look forward to reading more from Susan Buchanan.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Prairie Wife

Good light read

Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2014

Verified Purchase

I picked up this book looking for a nice light read, something I could relax with. I found that the premise of a busy woman using a dating service was very believable and offered a lot of fun plot twists. I particularly liked the cozy meetings that Gill and her friends had, and really related to them. Buchanan wrote a lot of details about food and clothing...so many details that I honestly started to skim over them towards the end.Without ruining anything, I appreciated the twist in the book after Gill found what seemed to be her love, but I wish that Buchanan had written a little bit more about him here and there rather than leaving such a big gap. Overall an good book with great characters and an interesting plot.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Dolly

After a few chapters you get totally captured of the

Reviewed in the United States on December 21, 2012

Verified Purchase

After a few chapters you get totally captured of the story. You want to know what happens next. And the best thing is that the book makes you think after you've finished it!

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Rani S

Will Gill find love via a Dating Agency?

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 20, 2014

Verified Purchase

Phew, well I have just finished this book and I have to say I am so glad I never had to go through what Gill had to or have to resort to a dating agency to find someone. Although you think it may be fun , it really seems like hard work after reading this!

The first chapter starts with Gill relating her last dating disaster to a man that her girl-friends had set her up with in the past and literally had me in tears of laughter, when she was describing him. It was a great way to start the book!

Basically 'the Dating Game' is about Gill, who runs her own recruitment agency business and works very hard at it , finding little time for love or any personal life. This all changes when she joins a dating agency and she finds herself having to juggle her personal life and her business. She takes on additional staff to help with her workload and this frees her up more for a personal life. The dating agency is called 'Happy Ever After Dating Agency' and via the profiles they send her she is quickly paired off with four potential suitors - Anton, Sean, Charlie and Gary. She initially meets up with all of them but its clear one stands out a cut above the rest - Anton, the georgeous Russian! She continues to meet up with all four of them, unfortunately an almost tragedy means one of them disappears off the scene which leaves her devastated, so she continues to date the other three who are less then perfect. While her brain is trying to sort out which one she likes the best , she goes on a girls break to barcelona, there she meets a scotsman who fights off a bag snatcher. On her return to Glasgow from her break she accidentally meets him again. So does she end up with someone via the Dating Agency or does she end up with this man who is her knight in shining armour?

As to my thoughts on the book , initially I was a bit disappointed that once Gill had done the deed with Anton that she still thought it was acceptable to carry on meeting with the other men and hence keeping her options open. I kind of felt she was being unfaithful which was a bit unacceptable to me based on what my expectations of her were. If that had been Lisa I would have expected it. Whats wrong with dealing with one date at a time and seeing how it goes and if it doesn't work out then then moving onto the next one? I know this multiple simultaneous dating goes on quite alot these days but I guess I am just an old fashioned gal! with an old fashioned approach to love and romance! It didn't come as any surprise to me that her friends were egging her on particulary Lisa (who reminded me alot of Lucy in 'Sign of the Times') but i didn't expect her brother Christopher to approve being a bloke! Also it was clear her heart was taken with Anton from that point on and the others wouldn't have matched up. I also kept expecting all her potential dates to accidentally bump into each other as they were all living and meeting up roughly in same area :)

If I am honest the ending blew me away , it was so unexpected which is very unusual for me because I can usually forsee whats coming, i had no idea what was about to happen and I was so pleased that for that reason alone this book gets a 5-star rating. I practically had tears in my eyes I think with that ending and I even forgave and understood all of Gill's men dilemmas. Its never easy this dating lark !!!!

Brilliant Brilliant Book!

2 people found this helpful

Jackie

The Dating Game - Susan Buchanan

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 22, 2012

Verified Purchase

I really enjoyed reading Susan's 2nd novel, 'The Dating Game.'
Gill McFadden, the main character, is a workaholic. Gill runs her own recruitment agency and is burning the candle at both ends to keep on top of her work load. Although Gill enjoys her work, she does feel the need to employ extra staff and sets about putting this right by advertising for a recruitment officer. Gill is longing to find love and would like a long term relationship....and more of a social life. Now, Gill is at that age where she's old enough to have had a few relationships, but sadly, they've never worked out for her. Unable to find love in the traditional way; you know, at a bar or a party etc, she decides to join a dating agency, namely, the, 'Happy Ever After Dating Agency.' Soon, the profiles of potential dates start winging their way into Gill's email inbox and she starts arranging 'meet ups.' The guys are a mixed bunch and it's a, will she?, or won't she? guessing game of who you think Gill may or may not end up with. And let me say at this juncture, that you always get one, don't you girls?! Gill does get to have some girly time too with her closest friends and spends a long weekend away with them in Barcelona. There are such a lot of places of interest/restaurants/bars named in this section of the book, it's clear that the author's love of this city is close to her heart. There are quite a few funny one liners too, which made me chuckle! Definitely a girlie book and one you'll enjoy. The joys of dating eh?!

6 people found this helpful

Maria Savva

Looking for love

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 1, 2012

Verified Purchase

Having read Susan Buchanan's excellent debut novel, Sign of the Times, I was keen to read this book. I was not disappointed. Just like her debut novel, this is a book full of believable characters and is very entertaining. Chick lit lovers will adore this book.
The Dating Game is the story of a 37 year-old businesswoman looking for love. She signs up to a more traditional type of dating agency rather than an Internet site. Soon Gill has a list of potential suitors and is going on plenty of dates to try to find the right man. A tangled web is soon woven, and there are plenty of ups and downs. The author has created a very realistic story, which reflects true life. Things are not always what they seem. The interaction between Gill and her three best friends was fun. Gill's dates are often in restaurants, so there is an awful lot of reference to different types of foods. The descriptive quality of the writing is again seen when Gill and her friends take a trip to Barcelona, and the author describes the festival events and the different places the girls visit. Attention to detail is a signature trait of this author's writing. I was reminded of her skill at keeping the reader in suspense (something that is very common in Sign of the Times) when one of the twists in the story occurs towards the middle of the book. The Dating Game is a cleverly written story, that tells the tale of one woman's search to find love, but simultaneously reveals many truths about modern relationships along the way. I thoroughly enjoyed it, even though, for me the ending came too abruptly. Perhaps that's just a sign of how much I enjoyed getting to know the characters. Could there be a sequel in the future? There is definitely scope for this. Congratulations to Susan Buchanan on writing another winning novel.

2 people found this helpful

nanjar

Real love is worth the wait!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 11, 2022

Verified Purchase

The dating game is problematic for Gill but she manages to juggle her exacting work schedules and her meetings with prospective partners with an agility that makes for an engrossing read. I admire the spirit of someone who could meet up with so many dates in quick succession but Gill is quite a determined woman. The dating stories are neatly interwoven with Gill's daily life and meetings with her best female friends. The expected ending was not guaranteed, making for a tense conclusion to the story. It was an enjoyable read.

One person found this helpful

Emsie1979

Romance, culture and plenty of dining - a recipe for a great read!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 11, 2013

Verified Purchase

I really enjoyed this book, although I did feel constantly hungry reading it!

A career girl with a run of bad luck with boyfriends, Gill is on the look-out for a new man when she joins a dating agency. Unsure whether it is the right thing to do, Gill consults her best friends throughout the book – a great supporting cast – as she looks for love. Buchanan has a fabulous knack for description and scene-setting, and I particularly loved her cultural depiction of Barcelona and her capacity to bring to life sumptuous food – and men! Buchanan draws you into the believable main character, giving her depth and flaws, tugging at your heart strings while making you laugh along the way.

Might I have wished for a slightly different ending? Perhaps, but that may only be because I had grown so fond of the characters! I would thoroughly recommend this ‘thinking woman’s chick lit’ and, if you find yourself heading to Barcelona for a relaxing break, or simply want to forget your own troubles and get lost in a good book, make sure you have a copy of ‘The Dating Game’ to hand!

OR

Buy for others

Buying and sending eBooks to others

Follow the author

Image Unavailable

The Dating Game: The outrageously funny dating agency romantic comedy set in Scotland and Barcelona Kindle Edition

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Product details

Videos

About the author

Susan Buchanan

Customer reviews

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Top reviews from other countries