REVIEW: Dating by Numbers by Jennifer Lohmann

In Dating by Numbers by Jennifer Lohmann, Marsie Penny is searching for love online. Jason Ellis, the building manager where she works, is using the same online dating app. Jason’s looking for spark, while Marsie’s looking for a man who will pass her algorithm. Using the profiles of the men she’s paired up with, she rates them based on a bunch of requirements and then plugs those totals into her algorithm to come up a score. If they rate high enough she agrees to go out with them. Jason doesn’t believe her algorithm will work, and Marsie doesn’t believe that sparks between people exist.

I had a hard time getting into this book. Part of it was because both Marsie and Jason were so stubborn. Marsie refused to accept that there was more to finding someone than judging them based on their education and employment. Even her best friend was frustrated with her lack of willingness to consider other factors. Jason was so insistent that a spark was needed to have a relationship, believing that was what his parents had. Even when he learns the truth about how their relationship started, he still refuses to move on from his spark theory.

The pair agree to become online dating buddies, talking about their dates, figuring out what was going wrong, and yet, despite how much they liked spending time together, they didn’t consider each other as possible partners. Jason doesn’t feel his spark, and with his job and lack of college degree, Marsie knows he doesn’t rate high in her algorithm for her to consider him dating potential.

The pair don’t decide to give a relationship a try until almost seventy percent into the book. At that point I was frustrated that neither one of them had been willing to bend and see what was right in front of them simply because they were too stubborn to move past their beliefs on dating.

The concept of the book was interesting, but it fell flat in its execution and I was left feeling disappointed.

Book Info:

Publication: December 1, 2017 | Harlequin SuperRomance |

Life is pretty perfect for Marsie Penny—she has great friends, a career she is passionate about, plus financial security. The one thing missing is a partner to share it all with. Frustrated by the online dating scene, Marsie’s created an algorithm to help find her perfect match. Could she have gotten her formula wrong, though? Her feelings for colleague Jason Ellis just don’t add up. Jason believes in love at first sight—which is ridiculous. And he doesn’t tick off any of her boxes…except for his charm, his warm smile and his cute butt. But all it takes is one heated kiss to make her wonder if she should rethink her numbers.