I'll admit -- I'm a sucker for reality TV. I think the first reality show I really remember watching was The Real World: New Orleans -- with Julie, the Mormon, and Matt, the Catholic. There were lots of discussions on religion that season, and I was disappointed that Julie never really won over Matt by the end of the season. After that I remember watching Joe Millionaire, with the curly-haired guy who first "was" a millionaire, then wasn't, then "was" again. You never get the picture that any of this is real, but it's still fun in the end. 
 So, when I saw the description for FIRST DATE by Krista McGee, I knew I had to at least give it a try. Starting, as always, with plot -- this one is about your regular, run-of-the-mill, girl-next-door type character named Addy who learns one day, at her private Christian school, that she's about to become a reality TV star. You see, the President's ratings are failing and the best way to appeal to a younger generation is to involve some reality TV -- so his son will be featured on a new show (called The Book of Love where he will narrow down a pool of teenage girls from all around the country in search for one to take to his senior prom. Sure, Johnathan Jackson is gorgeous -- and who wouldn't want to be his date? -- but Addy has zero desire for the lights-camera-action, and she sets out from the start to make sure that she is the first girl eliminated from the game. 
 However, once BOOK OF LOVE gets going, full force, Addy starts to suspect that maybe she's for a reason -- and maybe that reason isn't necessarily a date with the President's son. Maybe, instead, God has a bigger plan that requires her to put her stubbornness aside and listen, with an open heart -- even in the most unreal of circumstances. 
 I think if I could describe FIRST DATE in one word, it would be "charming". Everything about this novel is sweet and smile-worthy, from the honest dialogue to the innocent friendships and the genuine intentions that drive the characters. Sure, it may not all be entirely realistic, but it all comes together in a way that feels nice and cozy to the reader. And, in the end, the story does a good job of conveying a gentle message about God's love without being too overtly preachy, potentially giving an appeal not only to Christian readers but to fans of romance and reality television as well. 
 I'm glad I picked up FIRST DATE from NetGalley and I wouldn't hesitate to consider another from the author in the future, I think :)