My Mother's Ridiculous Rules for Dating

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.

I just finished reading "My Mother’s Ridiculous Rules for Dating" by Philip William Stover and it was such a delightful read! The book was described as an uplifting fake dating, opposites attract rom-com, and it definitely lived up to that description.

The story follows Sam, a heartbroken writer who feels rejected and lost professionally. When his mother, Gloria, reminds him of a childhood bet that she made to oversee his love life if he's still single at 35, Sam reluctantly agrees to let her set him up with dates. Despite feeling uncertain about his mother's zany choices, Sam goes along with it.

Additionally, during this dating spree, Sam meets Finn, an artist with whom he collaborates for work. They hit it off instantly but also challenge each other, leading Sam to question his choices, self-identity, and beliefs.

The novel features an inclusive cast of characters and focuses on themes of growth, self-love, and finding one's family and voice. The humorous yet sincere approach made me eager to explore the author's other works. Overall, this book was a breath of fresh air in what can feel like a grim world.

I want to express my gratitude to NetGalley and Hera for providing me with the heartwarming ARC.

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.

This is what I want from romantic novels!

I really connected to Sam, his struggles and his personality and his love for all things classical Hollywood. His relationship with Paul was very recognizable and his romance with Finn was beautifully built up.

Reading this book felt like a warm hug - like a breath of fresh air. It was so nice to read a queer love story that was not YA, and that grappled with real questions of what community means and what it means to be oneself.

Omar, Glory, Kai and co were a delightful bunch of side characters and despite it being the soft, comforting world of a rom-com, it fely very real. Glory reminded me of a mix of the Golden Girls and the mum from Queer as Folk. I also really enjoyed the elements of craft and arts that queer communities can really thrive in.

Some might say this book does hit you over the head with social justice and queer activism but quite frankly, I think it's something we can and should revel in, especially now.

Thank you Hera and Netgalley for the digital ARC.