Beverly Brandt, Dating Game

Dating Game

Beverly Brandt

Berkley, October 2006, $14.00

ISBN: 0425211819

Fifteen years ago Lainie Ames left Naples, Florida following her high school graduation feeling that she was a loser, but dreamed she would come back a major success. Instead she returns the way she left, believing she remains a loser. The Seattle hi tech company went bankrupt and her former spouse Ted ran up gambling debts. Her half sister and their father believe she came home for some rest until she starts anew, as they assume she is wealthy with a computer science degree due to the three lies she told them. Instead she came home because she had no other place to go.

Jack Danforth hires Lainie to work at his detective agency, because as he says to himself, he is an idiot for thinking with the wrong head. He wants Lainie, but she seems to desire some hunk from her high school days, football captain Blaine Harper. You don't know Jack if you think he will allow Blaine to get his Lainie, as he knows he loves her.

Though Lainie is in her thirties, this is a coming of age story that is summarized by Blaine when he says "your value as a person is not dependent on who wears your letterman jacket", a lesson that the lead female must learn. Chick lit fans will enjoy Lainie's escapades, as Jack keeps jacking up her dating, while she assumes she cannot compete with the likes of Shay, though the two men competing for her would say that Shay cannot compete with her. Beverly Brandt provides a delightful humorous look at the modern day DATING GAME.