This is such a quirky, humorous, memoir that are actually really enjoyed usually I’m not really a fan of memoirs, but I thought this seemed really unique and quirky and I thought it drew my attention and I think the way I spoke about each 28 of the disaster dates was so fun to hear, and it was fun to get to know the characters how people reacted when she was a great little palate cleanser because I don’t think it’s anything specific, but it does draw you in is a great mid book between going from like a romance, too dark genre. It’s such a nice book that I would definitely recommend.

This is an absolutely hilarious and relatable book, that genuinely feels like you're sitting and chatting with your best friend. Poppy's writing is full of humour charm and indomitable wit. '28 disastrous Dates' covers Poppy's dating disasters over 3 continents.... and newsflash... men are shit everywhere you go.

Some of the dates had me in stitches, literally gasping for air and just straight up gasping at the audacity of men, which never ceases to absolutely floor me. Get ready to feel utterly revolted by some of these people's behaviours and even just their downright disgusting personalities tbh, but also have a good old laugh, and feel thoroughly vindicated and understood. I honestly wished I could jump through the pages and rescue Poppy from some of these vile, overbearing and pretentious assholes.

I really loved reading Poppy's takes on the dates after each one. Some of them were really insightful and important, particularly in a world where women are made to feel like they have to shrink down or be silent in the face of uncomfortable or sometimes scary situations in fear of how men will react. It's also a great reminder to always trust your instincts, and keeping in mind the location and/or activity of your date, ensuring you feel safe or have a clear and easy escape route should you feel in danger or just downright repulsed (which shouldn't even have to be a thing tbh but there you go, we live in a patriarchal society where men basically get away with anything and women have to find places with escape routes for dates in case they feel unsafe)


This is an absolutely hilarious and relatable book, that genuinely feels like you're sitting and chatting with your best friend. Poppy's writing is full of humour charm and indomitable wit. '28 disastrous Dates' covers Poppy's dating disasters over 3 continents.... and newsflash... men are shit everywhere you go.

Some of the dates had me in stitches, literally gasping for air and just straight up gasping at the audacity of men, which never ceases to absolutely floor me. Get ready to feel utterly revolted by some of these people's behaviours and even just their downright disgusting personalities tbh, but also have a good old laugh, and feel thoroughly vindicated and understood. I honestly wished I could jump through the pages and rescue Poppy from some of these vile, overbearing and pretentious assholes.

I really loved reading Poppy's takes on the dates after each one. Some of them were really insightful and important, particularly in a world where women are made to feel like they have to shrink down or be silent in the face of uncomfortable or sometimes scary situations in fear of how men will react. It's also a great reminder to always trust your instincts, and keeping in mind the location and/or activity of your date, ensuring you feel safe or have a clear and easy escape route should you feel in danger or just downright repulsed (which shouldn't even have to be a thing tbh but there you go, we live in a patriarchal society where men basically get away with anything and women have to find places with escape routes for dates in case they feel unsafe)

FUCK MEN

It was so interesting to be on this journey alongside Poppy, as she goes through these ridiculous and sometimes downright horrific dates, figuring out more about herself and allowing herself to finally take up the space she deserves, and set her boundaries and standards was just so empowering and inspiring. It was an experience, and one that will have you feeling a rollercoaster of emotions, and will definitely cement in your mind just how ignorant and arrogant men are, no matter where in the world they come from.

It was so interesting to be on this journey alongside Poppy, as she goes through these ridiculous and sometimes downright horrific dates, figuring out more about herself and allowing herself to finally take up the space she deserves, and set her boundaries and standards was just so empowering and inspiring. It was an experience, and one that will have you feeling a rollercoaster of emotions, and will definitely cement in your mind just how ignorant and arrogant men are, no matter where in the world they come from

This book attempts to document the misadventures of Poppy Mortimer as she embarks on 28 different dates in search of love. While the premise suggests a humorous and entertaining read, I found it lacking in the comedic moments that were promised. The situations described may have intended to be funny, but I struggled to find them genuinely laugh-out-loud worthy.

One of the major drawbacks of the book is the sheer number of dates presented. Twenty-eight proved to be an overwhelming quantity to read about, especially considering that some of them were not even proper dates but rather unfortunate situations revolving around men. The format of each chapter, with its setup of age, date location, how they met, and how they were on the date, felt forced and repetitive at times. Additionally, the mandatory "lessons learned" section at the end of each chapter seemed unnecessary and formulaic.

While the book may serve as a light palate cleanser between other reads, I would struggle to recommend it in other situations. The entertainment value is limited, and the lack of humor, which could have elevated the narrative, is disappointing. Compared to the witty and engaging style of authors like Chelsea Handler, this dating tell-all falls short. The storytelling feels formulaic, unflattering, and lacking in compelling content.

Furthermore, the book's structure and organization could have been improved. The chapters often focused on situations that were not actual dates, which felt forced and unnecessary. These deviations from the main theme detracted from the overall flow of the narrative.

While the author's honesty is commendable, I couldn't help but feel that the book failed to deliver on its promise. The humor was underwhelming, the storytelling lacked depth, and the overall reading experience fell flat. While it may have some entertainment value for readers in need of a light diversion, I would caution against having high expectations.

In conclusion, this dating chronicle did not live up to its potential. The humor was not as engaging as anticipated, the structure felt forced, and the overall execution was lacking. I would recommend seeking other alternatives for a more satisfying and entertaining reading experience.

Clearly, the blurb had me hooked - Bridget Jones and Sex And The City? Count me in!

The author writes well - friendly and funny and the book had me laughing out loud in parts, as well as in disgust at others! It was like listening to a friend recounting their past dates and would be perfect for those currently dating or looking to reflect on that time in your life - because we have to laugh right?

My only complaint was that I could have kept reading longer - but then I really don't think the author deserved any more than she had had already too! Perfectly pitched for Bridget and Carrie fans - a fun, easy and laugh-out-loud read!

This book was not my cup of tea. I was really excited for the book, then realized I have been married too long and I am. It the right audience for this book. I did not leave a review on other platforms because it would not have been fair to the author or book (I had a friend who enjoyed this book, too)

Poppy Mortimer is looking for love. She leaves England and moves to Australia to start a new life and hopefully find her true love. She goes on a series of 28 dates, which range from hysterical to traumatic.
This book has laughter, tears, and some really strange characters. It was very entertaining and and definitely a great reflection of what dating is like in our modern world. I loved this book so much and highly recommend it. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

Fun book with some crazy dating stories. Makes you realize that others have just as much trouble finding long.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC for an exchange for an honest review.

This is entertaining and a fun read.

The horror of online dating, or dating in general in the modern age.
The writing is sharp, witty, and at times truly terrifying! The episodic nature of 28 Dates was great and made it the perfect book to read in short intervals.
And while I bet anyone who has dated in the last few years can identify with some of the elements mentioned in the book, I sincerely hope that everyone's real-life experience ended in a better way, or at least with a equally bizarre anecdote to tell.

Author Poppy Mortimer has been looking for love, and to date, it has been in all the wrong places. She has had dreadful dates in Britain, Australia, L.A., and back to Australia where she lives and works in her beloved Melbourne. She has tried conventional means, like meeting in person, and unconventional means, like speed dating, throwing dating apps into the mix for good measure. So far over the chronicled twenty-year span, she has been unsuccessful. Instead of being sad or depressed over her experiences, she has turned them into a compilation of tales that are humorous and educational, and that illustrate red-flags and warnings. The always hopeful romantic in Poppy won’t stop looking until she finds her perfect match—but in the meantime, she has created a successful, fulfilled, replete life for herself.

Poppy Mortimer can easily take this “mostly true memoir” out on the road and perform it to sell-out crowds on any comedy stage. I would absolutely pay to see her stand-up routine! Her writing is fun, engaging, emotional, and hilarious. It’s easy to look back on less-than-ideal experiences and feel angry, bitter, or remorseful, but Mortimer does none of those things. Her experiences are astutely summarized and can definitely be taught as life lessons. She takes the reader on a romp of a ride, and proves that in every situation that is less than ideal, there is a positive to take away. Through the years she has found her voice and learned what she will and won’t tolerate, and what qualities are essential in a partner. She develops an absolute intolerance for verbal abuse, for example, and rules out those men who lack good hygiene, intelligence, self-control, and the like. She shines in her own light, values her worth, learns from negative experiences, and serves as a role model for every single woman who is searching for a partner to do the same.

I’d like to thank NetGalley, and Poppy Mortimer for the ability to read and review this ARC.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

This book made me simultaneously laugh and cringe. The antidotes from each date were the perfect length; I could easily read one of two, put it down and do something else, and pick it back up again without losing a beat. I enjoyed the changes in geographic location, which confirmed there are idiots all over the world.

I would love to read another book with 28 more disastrous dates, but I wouldn't want to subject the author to go out with 28 more bad dates !!

This is an underrated Gem
.
Poppy takes us on a journey of 28 first dates. Some are people she met online and some from day to day interactions. Unlike me who’s a big fan of the "suss" date, Poppy goes in the deep end on adventurous dates that take up a lot of time and her bad dates make up our entertainment. The book spans a number of years and the true joys and challenges of the modern dating scene.

Some of the dates are really funny some absolutely horrific and it’s shocking to me that there are people who can behave that way in real life. But through it all each bad date is one more lesson in what our author wants and doesn’t want in a life partner and we get the benefit of those lessons learned.

If you want to feel better or even hopeful about your dating life (or find gratitude that you’re no longer dating) then this is the book for you. There’s even a Facebook Group to join and continue the journey.

Pub Date: 12 May 2022
Thank you NetGalley and Poppy Mortimer for this e-book. I really enjoyed it.

O.M.G. WOW!! This is an eye opening book for anyone in or entering the dating pool! Poppy Mortimer needs to be commended for opening up and sharing 28 of her hellish date disasters confirming that dating sucks!! For someone who has been out of the dating pool for a while this was a reminder to stay single! Oh this was a totally fun read. One minute had me shaking my head in disbelief and the next minute rolling on the floor and laughing.

The cover of the book is too cute and so funny! The date dressed as a dog, omg I was laughing so hard!! Great job to the graphic designers on this one.

Poppy keeps a record of her 28 incredibly disastrous dates spanning two decades and three different continents. Each entry starts with her age, where they met, who asked who out, the dating experience, and then the lesson she learned from her experience.

As the motto says, whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger! This is definitely the case for Poppy. She learned so much about herself in the process about what she wants and doesn’t want in her future.

What I liked is at the end of the book she gives a summary of all the qualities in a man to stay away from and what characteristics to look for.

This book deserves more than 5 stars and should be put on your must read list.

Poppy is very funny and gets herself into crazy situations, although, as the title states, I'm not sure how much of it is true. Either way, this was entertaining and it felt like a casual conversation with a friend where you get to hear all the details without having to put yourself through it.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A laugh out loud book… Poppy Mortimer is hungry for love. Will she find The One, or lose her appetite for men.

I liked how at the start of each chapter, the author gives each guy a nickname, their age, where he was from, how they met, and how he asked her out.
Then at the end of each chapter she tells the reader the lesson she learnt from dating that guy.
Poppy was brave enough to show that not everything in the dating world is all sunshine and rainbows. She showed us the dark side to it, and what she learned along the way which might help others some day!
It’s just so honest and really makes you question what people think and why they think somethings are okay to say and do. It’s also crazy to see what people will put up with in order to find the one.

A great light hearted, easy read, it will 100% get you out a slump.

*Only downside is the author refuses to swear and puts bleep instead.*

I read this book in small chunks, allowing myself a story or two as I felt like it. It is a book you don't have to sit down for hours with. I appreciate the short, easy section reading. This book also made me think about what dating life must be like for some people. I haven't dated more than ten years, and this book made me feel so grateful for that. This is not a romance. This is an anti romance about every horrible scenario with a man you can think of. I like the light hearted core of the novel. None of it got too heavy. So, it was a good buffer novel between the last fantasy that I read and the newest YA novel I read. That being said, something that really annoyed me was the author's insistence that she shouldn't use curse words. Many of the stories had moments that would have has more impact if she would have fully sent it and cursed. I also could not suspend my disbelief enough during some parts, and my brain was screaming, "this is too outrageous to be true," on some sections. Overall, it was a fun, light read.
*This novel was given to me by Net Galley for review purposes. All opinions are my own.*

This book hit my funny bone! Poppy Mortimer shares experiences from some truly disastrous dates with humor and persistence. You have to wonder if she is stretching the truth, but unfortunately maybe not.

Thanks to the publishers for sharing this one. I really liked it, and actually cried with laughter at one point. My full review appears on Weekend Notes.

Absolutely hilarious, a series of anecdotes about the most awful dating experiences. Some of them are so awful that I find it hard to believe that one person could possibly have so much extreme bad luck.
It also makes me feel so much better about my few and distant past dating disasters and I feel positively lucky in comparison.
There is a real rapport, honesty and open way the stories are relayed. Mostly our hero is likeable and relatable, although she does have a few, less than modest boasts about her intelligence, looks and success in life which make her slightly less so. I’ll let her off, the poor woman needs to be lucky in some respects. The title put me off slightly, as most of the rapport for me is in the honesty so I did wonder a bit about the ‘mostly true’ part of the title as the stories would lose quite a lot of the impact if they weren’t 100% truth.
Otherwise a fantastic, light hearted read with plenty of laugh out loud moments and a reminder for me to thank my lucky stars I’m not single.

After reading this book I wonder if I will ever date again. 28 of the worse dates ever, funny, terrifying and full tips at the end of each chapter. If you want to start dating (again) maybe you should not read this book but beter safe than sorry before so read it!!

Thanks Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis: Poppy Mortimer is hungry for love. Will she find The One, or lose her appetite for men,

@netgalley #28disastrousdates #prepare #books #goodreadschallenge