*4.5

This book is a delight! It’s funny, witty, a real romcom. I’m not surprise, if I have to be honest, it’s not my first book by Philip William Stover. I really enjoy is writer.
Gloria is my favorite character, but I love all of them. They are all so well written! The banters are so funny, really I cannot stop laughing!
O think I will re-read soon!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! This was such a cute read. I loved his relationship with his mom, his friends, and his community. I want a Plant Daddy where I live. I laughed out loud and some of the shenanigans his mom put him through. If you are looking for a sweet, cute, fun read this is for you!

I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley. Thank you for the opportunity.

So romantic I loved every minute of it. I will be buying it

Initial heads up for readers: this book is written in first-person present tense. If that bothers you, this may not be the book for you. It bothered me at first, but by the end I ignored it.

When I started this book, I wasn't sure I would be able to finish it. Sam's mom, Gloria (Glory) has such an intense personality, particularly when it comes to being mom to a gay son. While she doesn't really calm down, I felt more comforted by her as the story goes along. She's just a mom who loves her son and wants him to love himself.

Another part of this book I really liked was the Found Family. That trope is so important to me, and I know it's important to a lot of other queer people. Sam is constantly surrounded by people who love him and want the best for him. Yes, that includes his mother. But it also includes a fun cast of characters from the coffee shop he lives above.

The whole time, I was rooting against Sam's ex-boyfriend/sort-of boyfriend Paul. What an a**hole who uses Sam because he's young and good looking. I rooted for Something to happen with Finn the whole time. He truly wanted to get to know Sam and push past the walls he put up.

"I want to be with a guy who is honest with himself. Honest about who he is and what he wants."

If you can handle the initial intensity of Glory, the rest of the book is a page turner.

**I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.**

First of all, thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review an ARC of this book.

Unfortunately, due to some unforeseen circumstances I was unable to download and review this book on time.

3.75
My Mother’s Ridiculous Rules for Dating is a fun, lighthearted read with plenty of humor and quirky, over-the-top characters. While entertaining, the story’s pacing felt uneven, and some jokes became repetitive. I appreciated the humor but wished for more depth in the characters and relationships. Overall, it’s an enjoyable casual read, though it left me wanting more substance.

This book brings a delightful blend of humor and heartfelt moments as Sam navigates the chaos of his mother’s matchmaking efforts while figuring out love and self-acceptance. The dynamic between Sam and his over-the-top mother adds a layer of warmth and hilarity that will resonate with anyone who’s ever faced a meddling parent. If you’re in the mood for a lighthearted romcom that also explores deeper themes of identity and community, this is a charming pick!

I’ve gotta be honest, my first thought when introduced to Gloria, Sam’s mother, was that if she was my mother, I’d probably be moving far away, lol.

Despite it all, Gloria really loves her son, even if he’s frustrated with her meddling.

This really was a fun story, as Sam tried to fight off his mother’s arranged dates every step of the way. Only time will tell if mother does know best.

If you’re looking for something fun, I think you’d enjoy this one!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher/author for this copy of the book.

This covers promises a joyous queer romcom, and boy does this book deliver! I had such a fun time with funny and book that is what I affectionately call “a hug of a book” -if you’re looking for something that will make you laugh and feel good, this book is it!

A promise made as a kid to his mother, comes back to haunt Sam at thirty-five years of age. Sam, an ex-ghostwriter is not having the time of his life. Cheated on by his ex-boyfriend and working a job he does well but doesn’t like, Sam is struggling to find himself. Until he meets Finn Montgomery, his client who is not only perfect boyfriend material but also gets under Sam’s skin with a reality Sam doesn’t like. And let’s not forget his mother trying to set him up with a slew of people that is going not so good!

This was a fun and enjoyable story. Sam’s mother, Gloria or Glory is over-the-top at times but perfectly captures a meddling mother. I felt like she was a friend to Sam because although her questions were explicit and no-filter there was genuine care behind them. And there isn’t a shortage of fun characters like Glory in this story. Sam has surrounded himself with a lot of understanding, friendly, warm and diverse personalities.

I liked the concept of the dating rules, Glory imposed. I found it to be overbearing yet adorable how Glory was trying to help Sam in her own way. Sam’s lucky to have an understanding parent and I enjoyed his relationship with his mom and friends. I think they all helped contribute to the story by supporting Sam and making him feel comfortable. It was fun to read about Sam’s potential dates and his reactions after each one. Although they were an important part of the story, they weren’t overly exaggerated or shortened. They were just the right amount and the writing made them more entertaining.

I would have loved to see more with Finn and Sam. I felt like the world was against them because their relationship was constantly overshadowed. Sam and Finn had their ups and downs but ultimately they were able to resolve things by communicating and I loved how this book depicted it. Every time there was a chance they could be together and their relationship would grow, I was smiling like an idiot anticipating progress.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this story but it lacked romance for me. I fell in love with Sam and Finn’s characters and I really did want to read more about them together. This story felt like an ode to Sam and Glory’s relationship while finding yourself in a world that can be sometimes confusing. Nevertheless the support, love, diversity and warmth depicted in this story are wonderful and I do hope you give it a read.

DNF at 40%

I always thought that I wanted more queer books with supportive parents but I was definetly wrong. That mom was just way too much for me.

But I have to say that I actually like the authors general writing style and also the others characters. I would be open to trying more of Stovers books but this was just not for me.

This is a lovely romcom featuring Sam whose mum taken control of his dating choices on his 35th birthday due to a pact they made when he was teen. The chaos that ensues is a humourous back drop to the relationships Sam is trying to navigate both with his on/off boyfriend and the artist he is working with where the chemistry is growing. This book won't change your life but it is an enjoyable and well paced read. (Copy received from Netgalley in return for an honest review)

I think this book is so cute. I loved the characters and the chemistry between them and all that happens with the relationship that forms between them. It such a cute book

Sam is in a rut, despairing of finding true love after his long term boyfriend conveniently gets back together with his ex-husband and moves away. His 35th birthday is coming soon and he is shocked to find that his mother, Gloria, is keeping him to a promise extracted from him after a disastrous prom experience. She will be in charge of his dating for the next few months from profiles, dates and appearance. He finds that she is invading every part of his life from his friends to his favourite hangout. I just loved this colourful story, Sam's mother is amazingly larger than life but has her heart in the right place and just wants to get even closer to her son, if that's possible. I was swept up in the story and was really interested in what was going to happen next with Gloria’s crazy plans.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!

This book was great! I loved the writing style and I loved the characters and their chemistry. I laughed a lot on this book. It was a very good romcom!

I just finished My Mother's Ridiculous Rules for Dating, and I have a huge smile on my face. I'm not going to lie. It took me a hot minute to get into a rhythm with this book. Well, in reality, I never found my flow. Maybe I was in a reading slump, but I had to push myself to read it every day, something that doesn't usually happen. However, I am so glad that I read it all the way through.

It's categorized as a romance, but it's a romance with your own identity. Yes, there is a couple that you root for throughout the whole story, and they do end up finding their HEA in the end, but the book is so much more than that.

This book is about self-acceptance and self-confidence. It's about putting yourself out there and believing in what you can do and who you can be. Sam, our MC, is surrounded by a group of people who all see his worth, how wonderful he is, and the potential he has to achieve his dreams. Sam, unfortunately, is the only one who doesn't see it, and he doesn't believe he deserves it. Until you can learn to love yourself, you can't expect anyone else to love you.

Gloria, or Glory, is a wonderful mother. I had so many laugh-out-louds (literally snorting while I was laughing) because of her. First off, she is so authentic. She is that mother that we all know, hopefully all have. There are so many relatable things that she says and does. She is also a FIERCE advocate for equality and acceptance. At the end of the day, Sam is her son and she loves him unconditionally. She does everything she can to demonstrate and advocate for who he is, the right to love whoever you want, without judgement. Not only is she an advocate for the LGBTQA+, but she is also an ally.

I recommend this book to anyone who needs a reminder to love themselves and accept others or just wants a good laugh.
Thank you to NetGalley, Hera, and Canelo Publishing, and Philip William Stover for the opportunity to read this ARC copy.

A new author to me, Philip William Stover offers a m34m romcom where an overbearing mother decided whom her son should date, in his latest release, My Mother's Ridiculous Rules for Dating. I enjoyed parts of the book and I liked the main character. But his mother was just too over-the-top with her intimate questions and knowledge about her son's sex life and the LGBTQ realm. It made for squirmy and hilarious moments, but as a result, it also made me feel too removed from Sam as a man searching for love. I think the humor in this occasion made me unable to see any heat and feel the same desire to see him happily coupled up. But the story was interesting, and the dialog had some great moments. Slow in some areas, a bit of excess in the middle. I ended up with an average rating but I'd definitely read another book to see if it's just the one novel and overall difference in author/reader style. Give it a chance tho - lots of strong moments.

"My Mother's Ridiculous Rules for Dating" by Philip William Stover is an absolute joy—a rom-com that blends family drama, quirky humor, and heartfelt romance into a captivating read.

Sam’s journey of personal growth, supported by his friends and his well-meaning mother, is both touching and hilarious. His navigation of a difficult past relationship, aided by a swoon-worthy love interest, adds a delightful blend of warmth and humor.

Although the mother’s antics might occasionally be over-the-top and make you roll your eyes, she perfectly captures the essence of a meddling mom who genuinely wants the best for her son. Her relentless online research to support her queer son and his community adds a hilarious and endearing touch to her character.

What really stood out to me was the diverse group of characters around Sam, which many gay men will find both familiar and relatable.

Overall, this book is a wonderful mix of comedy and heart, showcasing how much growth is possible with a solid support system—if you’re willing to embrace it and believe in yourself.

I found myself laughing quite a bit through this book! It is one of those fun, lighthearted romances that will uplift your soul. Sam is one of those characters that readers connect with easily. The book also follows a theme of self love and acceptance.

I've been having some misses with ARCs lately, and I'm glad to say this wasn't one of them. Yes, the rom-com OTT-ness got to be a bit much for me at times, and I wanted to pitch Sam's mom out the window. But when this book was good, it was really, really good.

I highlighted several paragraphs in one scene, because they were so powerful. I'm not going to type them all in here. ;) But: "'Bragging is showing off to people or over-inflating yourself. This is not bragging. This is believing in yourself. There's a difference.'" That scene was gold.

Spoiler: I did wish the author had had Sam make his final choice without Paul turning up and showing himself (again) to be a horrible person. I wanted Sam to have the strength to make that choice by believing in himself (see above) rather than having it thrust on him.

The use of (some) British punctuation styles in a book set in New York was a bit odd, and there were plenty of typos that I hope will be fixed before publication. But what else is new?

If you can handle rom-com antics, I don't think you'll go wrong with this story.

My thanks to the publisher/NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.