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Unlucky in Love #1
30 First Dates
30 date, 30 wild ideas, total media frenzy… but only one Mr. Right.
Erin Crawford is a relationship blogger with a bucket list and a vendetta. After having horrible luck in her own relationships, she decides to start a blog called "30 First Dates." Her go out with 30 men before her 30th birthday. It's her quest to find a non-jerk in 30 dates or less. As she blogs about her sometimes humorous and sometimes just sad dates, she also begins to cross off her bucket list of 30 things she wants to do before she turns 30—killing two birds with one stone by complaining the items on her dates! In fourteen months she skydives, skinnydips, crashes a wedding, travels to multiple cities and lives way outside her usual comfort zone. The only question is, as her birthday approaches and her list rows smaller, will Erin be able to find love? Or is she destined to be a first-date-only kind of girl?
Erin Crawford is a relationship blogger with a bucket list and a vendetta. After having horrible luck in her own relationships, she decides to start a blog called "30 First Dates." Her go out with 30 men before her 30th birthday. It's her quest to find a non-jerk in 30 dates or less. As she blogs about her sometimes humorous and sometimes just sad dates, she also begins to cross off her bucket list of 30 things she wants to do before she turns 30—killing two birds with one stone by complaining the items on her dates! In fourteen months she skydives, skinnydips, crashes a wedding, travels to multiple cities and lives way outside her usual comfort zone. The only question is, as her birthday approaches and her list rows smaller, will Erin be able to find love? Or is she destined to be a first-date-only kind of girl?
323 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 7, 2015
108 people are currently reading
572 people want to read
About the author
Stacey Wiedower
8 books68 followersStacey Wiedower started her career as a newspaper reporter before following her passion to interior design school. After spending three years at a firm with bizarre similarities to "Designing Women," she began funneling all her experience into her work as a full-time writer. Now she pens novels, short stories, magazine articles, website copy and more, and the wacky characters she's met poke their heads into her stories from time to time. Stacey lives in Tennessee with her husband, also a writer, and a son who's inherited their overactive imaginations.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
October 14, 2015
Who knew blogging could take over someone's life? ;) Stacey Wiedower takes readers on a fun and wild ride with her debut novel.
I enjoyed the premise of this story, as it was a fun twist on the bucket list idea. It's funny to read as someone who is closer to 40, since Erin is closer to 30 and in a different phase of life than I am. Still, she seemed like a lot of fun and I could see myself easily getting along with her and commiserating over how overwhelming blogging can get sometimes.
The only thing keeping the story from getting five stars was that it felt cliché and predictable at times. There were still some surprises along the way, but I felt like I had read the story a few times before in my experiences as a chick lit reviewer. Also, I would have rather read about ALL the dates instead of some moments from Erin's daily life.
Fans of Sophie Kinsella and Lindsey Kelk will enjoy this book. It's entertaining and enjoyable overall.
I could see Emmy Rossum as Erin and Blake Lively as her best friend, Sherri.
I enjoyed the premise of this story, as it was a fun twist on the bucket list idea. It's funny to read as someone who is closer to 40, since Erin is closer to 30 and in a different phase of life than I am. Still, she seemed like a lot of fun and I could see myself easily getting along with her and commiserating over how overwhelming blogging can get sometimes.
The only thing keeping the story from getting five stars was that it felt cliché and predictable at times. There were still some surprises along the way, but I felt like I had read the story a few times before in my experiences as a chick lit reviewer. Also, I would have rather read about ALL the dates instead of some moments from Erin's daily life.
Fans of Sophie Kinsella and Lindsey Kelk will enjoy this book. It's entertaining and enjoyable overall.
I could see Emmy Rossum as Erin and Blake Lively as her best friend, Sherri.
August 13, 2016
I had more fun with this book than I was expecting. Wiedower was smart in that she had Erin not simply go on 30 First Dates before her 30th birthday, but combine than with a list of 30 bucket-list type things to cross off, too. Some of the bucket list items she did on dates, others she did with her girlfriends, like go to Paris with her friend and roommate, Sherri. In Paris, they did meet some men.
Erin starts a blog about her experience, and it quickly gains tons of followers, in part because she used to date a guy named Noah, who is dating a bestselling author, who had been dating a famous actor named Colin Marks. When the author, Amelia, breaks things off with Colin to go back to Noah, it’s a tabloid sensation, and what Erin’s role may have been in helping Noah and Amelia get together, and therefore America’s sweethearts end things, makes Erin’s blog big news. The blog becomes bigger news after getting coverage in other media, including TV.
You can figure out the gist of how things are going to end in chapter one. Another flaw with the book is that I could never figure out why Erin stayed friends with her very self-centered friend Hilary, who slept with a man Erin was dating. Hilary is no longer a close friend, but Erin is still the maid of honor in her wedding, despite the fact that Hilary had cheated on her fiancé more than once. Also, I thought there were a lot of opportunities for humor that just weren’t here. Obviously, humor is not Wiedower’s style, but I feel like it’s been a long time since I’ve found a book of fiction that makes me laugh out loud. I keep having to turn to nonfiction to laugh so hard I fall off the couch. What’s going on, publishing industry? We readers like to laugh *and* cry.
Please read all of my reviews at http://theresaalan.net/blog
Erin starts a blog about her experience, and it quickly gains tons of followers, in part because she used to date a guy named Noah, who is dating a bestselling author, who had been dating a famous actor named Colin Marks. When the author, Amelia, breaks things off with Colin to go back to Noah, it’s a tabloid sensation, and what Erin’s role may have been in helping Noah and Amelia get together, and therefore America’s sweethearts end things, makes Erin’s blog big news. The blog becomes bigger news after getting coverage in other media, including TV.
You can figure out the gist of how things are going to end in chapter one. Another flaw with the book is that I could never figure out why Erin stayed friends with her very self-centered friend Hilary, who slept with a man Erin was dating. Hilary is no longer a close friend, but Erin is still the maid of honor in her wedding, despite the fact that Hilary had cheated on her fiancé more than once. Also, I thought there were a lot of opportunities for humor that just weren’t here. Obviously, humor is not Wiedower’s style, but I feel like it’s been a long time since I’ve found a book of fiction that makes me laugh out loud. I keep having to turn to nonfiction to laugh so hard I fall off the couch. What’s going on, publishing industry? We readers like to laugh *and* cry.
Please read all of my reviews at http://theresaalan.net/blog
April 12, 2015
Chick Lit's my favorite genre, so I'm always excited to see a new voice emerge in the genre and Stacey Wiedower really impressed me with this debut novel.
The premise of 30 First Dates (Not happy with the status quo in her life, Erin Crawford decides to shake things up and go on 30 dates with 30 guys before her 30th birthday while simultaneously crossing off all the crazy things she drunkenly put on her bucket list.) is clever and engaging. And big kudos to Wiedower for having the creativity to come up with those bucket list items (I've tried to make one of these myself, and it's not easy!)
The author's prose flows effortlessly, her characterizations are strong and multi-faceted, and I felt very invested in Erin's journey. To my surprise since I don't normally cry while reading Chick Lit, I burst into tears over a scene that occurred in the middle of the story because Erin had an emotionally revealing conversation with a friend that really struck a chord in me. Although it takes her a while to get there (Almost a year!), Erin does learn a lot through the experiences she has and the mistakes she makes in the story and ends up in a place that I felt really good about.
I look forward to reading more of Wiedower's work and was excited to hear that she has a new release coming out this summer. This author is definitely one to watch!
The premise of 30 First Dates (Not happy with the status quo in her life, Erin Crawford decides to shake things up and go on 30 dates with 30 guys before her 30th birthday while simultaneously crossing off all the crazy things she drunkenly put on her bucket list.) is clever and engaging. And big kudos to Wiedower for having the creativity to come up with those bucket list items (I've tried to make one of these myself, and it's not easy!)
The author's prose flows effortlessly, her characterizations are strong and multi-faceted, and I felt very invested in Erin's journey. To my surprise since I don't normally cry while reading Chick Lit, I burst into tears over a scene that occurred in the middle of the story because Erin had an emotionally revealing conversation with a friend that really struck a chord in me. Although it takes her a while to get there (Almost a year!), Erin does learn a lot through the experiences she has and the mistakes she makes in the story and ends up in a place that I felt really good about.
I look forward to reading more of Wiedower's work and was excited to hear that she has a new release coming out this summer. This author is definitely one to watch!
February 1, 2015
Once again, I wish Goodreads had a half star rating. This is 4.5 stars but I wanted the author to get the benefit of a 5 star rating because this is probably the best chick lit novel I've read to date. I started this book and saw it was about a "bucket list", a 30 by 30 list of things to accomplish. I just read a very similar book (Twenty Five by Rachel Hamm), so I was disappointed it would be about the same thing. Only it wasn't. It was so poignant and funny and true to life. Sure, there were unrealistic things that happened and sure, I figured out the ending, but the journey was much better than I expected. In the first book I read the list was mostly about the character feeling inadequate for her age. Maybe I couldn't relate because at 25 I was married with a career, a house and a baby on the way. I think I related more to the idea that thirty really is a turning point in your life. It's the point where you say, "well now what?" Even though I wasn't looking for love at 30, most of what Erin went through in this book resonated with me. To me it was about finding what made you happy and being true to that. I really admire Erin for realizing even though she had a great job, it wasn't what she was meant to do. Taking that huge step to change careers, even at a young age of 30, is a huge risk.
I liked this book so much that I decided to make my own bucket list. I'm way too close to my 40th birthday, so I decided 50 things by 50. Some are risky, some are just about getting out of my comfort zone. But I know even if I don't accomplish all of them, I'll be proud of myself.
I liked this book so much that I decided to make my own bucket list. I'm way too close to my 40th birthday, so I decided 50 things by 50. Some are risky, some are just about getting out of my comfort zone. But I know even if I don't accomplish all of them, I'll be proud of myself.
April 29, 2015
Bored.
The writing was decent, I will give it that much. Otherwise everything about this book was overwhelmingly average. A little too much unbelievable success for the full protagonist without any satisfactory denouement. She really learns nothing. I wanted to like this a great deal more than I did. Sorry to those readers that adored this book-- I just didn't find much in it to love.
The writing was decent, I will give it that much. Otherwise everything about this book was overwhelmingly average. A little too much unbelievable success for the full protagonist without any satisfactory denouement. She really learns nothing. I wanted to like this a great deal more than I did. Sorry to those readers that adored this book-- I just didn't find much in it to love.
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May 30, 2017
It was an entertaining enough read but full on cheating was too frequent a theme throughout the book and EVERY SINGLE TIME forgiven. Her bf cheated on her w her engaged BFF. She still was maid of honor in her wedding. Didn't tell the groom. Heroine and Hero cheated while he was living w GF. That ended well for them. The heros father cheated on wife of 33 years and she took him back. It was just a lot of sweeping unfideltiy under the rug and making it seem okay.
November 22, 2016
This book had so much potential. So so much. It was cute. Sure it was predictable (who couldn't tell who she was going to end up with?) but it was a fun story. It was a fun idea with the dates and the bucket list and all of that.
It just didn't work for me.
Mainly how it was written. Because of the writing style, that felt like it was just her thinking about things that had happened for most of the book, instead of things actually happening. There was pages and pages with no dialogue, just her thinking about talking to people. I expected some dates to be written in blog form to give the idea of the blog but...all of them were and some were just quickly summarized. It made what could have been a fun story just feel long and boring. I did feel like it got better toward the end but it made for a long read.
Also, I kept waiting for some sort of character growth. But I never got it. Yes, she changed parts of her life and she experienced all these things but I felt like she didn't actually change. Maybe that was just because she didn't seem to have much of a personality.
Another issue I had was how WELL it went for her. I mean, she wrote a blog (that was honestly boring) and she ended up being famous? The chances of that happening are so slim and it just felt over the top successful that it made me roll my eyes a lot. I don't think the fact her ex-boyfriend was now with a famous author who had been dating a really famous guy would have done it.
Also I REALLY needed her to confront Hillary. I mean, I know confronting a toxic friend is hard but holy hell, she put up with all that and nothing? Ever?
It just...could have been a good book. Aside from the strangeness of how the story was told, it was good writing. But it just dragged. Really dragged.
OH! And the random digs at feminism??? Yeah sorry, I didn't pick up a book written by a woman and aimed at women to have feminism thrown under the bus. I'm a feminist, I follow feminists blogs and I don't think any of them would spend a whole lot of time rallying against a women's dating blog. Sure, they might not be fans but I think we have better things to focus on. It just...wasn't needed. I honestly nearly stopped reading the second that came up.
It just didn't work for me.
Mainly how it was written. Because of the writing style, that felt like it was just her thinking about things that had happened for most of the book, instead of things actually happening. There was pages and pages with no dialogue, just her thinking about talking to people. I expected some dates to be written in blog form to give the idea of the blog but...all of them were and some were just quickly summarized. It made what could have been a fun story just feel long and boring. I did feel like it got better toward the end but it made for a long read.
Also, I kept waiting for some sort of character growth. But I never got it. Yes, she changed parts of her life and she experienced all these things but I felt like she didn't actually change. Maybe that was just because she didn't seem to have much of a personality.
Another issue I had was how WELL it went for her. I mean, she wrote a blog (that was honestly boring) and she ended up being famous? The chances of that happening are so slim and it just felt over the top successful that it made me roll my eyes a lot. I don't think the fact her ex-boyfriend was now with a famous author who had been dating a really famous guy would have done it.
Also I REALLY needed her to confront Hillary. I mean, I know confronting a toxic friend is hard but holy hell, she put up with all that and nothing? Ever?
It just...could have been a good book. Aside from the strangeness of how the story was told, it was good writing. But it just dragged. Really dragged.
OH! And the random digs at feminism??? Yeah sorry, I didn't pick up a book written by a woman and aimed at women to have feminism thrown under the bus. I'm a feminist, I follow feminists blogs and I don't think any of them would spend a whole lot of time rallying against a women's dating blog. Sure, they might not be fans but I think we have better things to focus on. It just...wasn't needed. I honestly nearly stopped reading the second that came up.
January 25, 2015
This was definitely not something I usually would pick up, but y'all know I'm very much a mood reader, and so I started reading this because I was in the mood for a cute romcom. 30 First Dates did not disappoint and it made for a delightful and effortless Sunday afternoon read.
The basic premise is that the main character, Erin, is about to turn thirty and one night makes a list of 30 things to do before she turns thirty. She's been unlucky in love lately, and decides to combine her list with an idea for a dating blog. The blog is called 30 first dates, and she aims to go on dates with 30 different guys while simultaneously crossing off some of the things on her list.
Erin was an adorable main character and I admired her for going out and actively searching for what she wants instead of just whining because she hasn't found love yet. The blog causes her to experience life at it's fullest and she embraces it, doing tons of things I would LOVE to do.
This book was hilarious, in part because of the way the author writes but also because of the inherent humor found in dating and being adventurous with a bunch of different guys. I kept picturing this as a movie and it would totally lend itself to being a fun and cute romantic comedy. I'm picturing Emma Stone as the lead.
I figured out the ending pretty early on, but that didn't at all detract from my enjoyment of it and the way things worked out was perfect.
Guys, pick this one up if you want an amusing and adorable romantic read!
The basic premise is that the main character, Erin, is about to turn thirty and one night makes a list of 30 things to do before she turns thirty. She's been unlucky in love lately, and decides to combine her list with an idea for a dating blog. The blog is called 30 first dates, and she aims to go on dates with 30 different guys while simultaneously crossing off some of the things on her list.
Erin was an adorable main character and I admired her for going out and actively searching for what she wants instead of just whining because she hasn't found love yet. The blog causes her to experience life at it's fullest and she embraces it, doing tons of things I would LOVE to do.
This book was hilarious, in part because of the way the author writes but also because of the inherent humor found in dating and being adventurous with a bunch of different guys. I kept picturing this as a movie and it would totally lend itself to being a fun and cute romantic comedy. I'm picturing Emma Stone as the lead.
I figured out the ending pretty early on, but that didn't at all detract from my enjoyment of it and the way things worked out was perfect.
Guys, pick this one up if you want an amusing and adorable romantic read!
April 5, 2017
I actually met this author as a friend of a friend, and when she told me she wrote books I was so stoked! I have never known a real, published author before. Way cool. So, Chick Lit isn't my fave genre, but Stacey is an excellent writer, her stories are easy to read and hard to put down. They are a great flight of fantasy for any woman who has ever dreamed of making it big by just being herself. I read "Now A Major Motion Picture" first, then this one (even tho they were published in reverse order), as that is the order they were written in, and I highly recommend reading them the way I did, otherwise you get a mini-spoiler. This book was my favorite of Wiedower's, and I can't wait to see what she comes out with next :)
February 13, 2020
I am a mood reader and since I have been in a funk all week, I really needed something fun. This book was perfect for my mood. It lifted my spirits just like I needed. I love that the MC wasn't perfect. Her life was out of control and she wasn't happy. So instead of moping about it, she took action. She changed her life by just getting out and experiencing it through a bucket list. This book was totally fun and I enjoyed the characters. The whole idea was fresh and the book well written. It almost made me want to make my own bucket list. Almost... it caused her way too much drama and chaos. LOL!
January 10, 2016
4.5 stars - I liked this a lot. There was a nice balance between the dates and the rest of the story. Just enough of the dates and blog entries, and the bucket list mixed in added a nice bit of structure to everything. I liked the heroine and her two friends and I liked how her life changes over the course of the book.
June 2, 2015
Teacher, Erin, is unlucky in love. She sets up a blog detailing 30 dates with 30 men, crossing off items on her bucket list in the process. This leads to no end of trouble for Erin. This book is funny and well-written, and I'm looking forward to reading more by this talented author.
December 26, 2017
3.5 stars (really, when will half-stars be finally introduced?!)
Before blogging was a thing :)
I overall enjoyed this book - it was fun, easy and engaging.
Probably even funnier to read for somebody who is on her/his way to 30 - reading about all the worries, stress and pressure, while being on the other side of three-oh, made me laugh.
The bucket list and first dates (especially when the former was written while being intoxicated and the latter you are not lucky with!) is a promising combination. Erin managed to both cross every item on her list and have 30 dates before she turned 30. She has turned her life upside down, but I am not sure she has "grown up" - the character development was marginal.
If you have read a couple of books of this genre, you will easily see where the story is going, but it's entertaining and a good book to read when you need to put your own worries aside.
Before blogging was a thing :)
I overall enjoyed this book - it was fun, easy and engaging.
Probably even funnier to read for somebody who is on her/his way to 30 - reading about all the worries, stress and pressure, while being on the other side of three-oh, made me laugh.
The bucket list and first dates (especially when the former was written while being intoxicated and the latter you are not lucky with!) is a promising combination. Erin managed to both cross every item on her list and have 30 dates before she turned 30. She has turned her life upside down, but I am not sure she has "grown up" - the character development was marginal.
If you have read a couple of books of this genre, you will easily see where the story is going, but it's entertaining and a good book to read when you need to put your own worries aside.
August 26, 2018
I bought this book years ago and it has sat untouched in my iPad since then.
Well I decided to go through my list of books and go from old to new. This one was was at the bottom so decided it would be my next read.
It was throughly enjoyable and a book I should have read yeas ago.
It was obvious from the get go who she would pick but reading the journey was light hearted and fun and something we could all relate to.
Well I decided to go through my list of books and go from old to new. This one was was at the bottom so decided it would be my next read.
It was throughly enjoyable and a book I should have read yeas ago.
It was obvious from the get go who she would pick but reading the journey was light hearted and fun and something we could all relate to.
December 12, 2016
OMG, what a fun book! I loved this story. It was really cute and entertaining. I really liked Erin and I quickly found myself along for the roller coaster ride that was her 30 first dates experience. This is a great pick-me-up read that's super sweet and funny as well. I highly recommend this one!
March 31, 2022
I loved this book! The subject matter hit me close to home and I found Erin so relatable. Some of Erin’s dates and blog posts were hilarious. If I had to say one negative thing about the book it would be that I easily predicted the end at the beginning but the middle was definitely worth it.
June 9, 2020
Cute story. I could see from the beginning how it would have to go, but the story was a fun one.
August 7, 2021
This was a fun chick-lit book. I enjoyed the writing and the storyline.
July 24, 2022
I enjoyed reading this book. It is a fun look at life.
May 5, 2015
Sigh. Erin is a very superficial almost-30 teacher who decides (after finding her boyfriend in bed with her friend) to tackle her by-30 bucket-list via blog on a series of 30 first dates. The book is predictable to say the least. I knew Ben was "the one" within 30 seconds of starting the book. It had all the standard cliches, the betrayal of her boyfriend with her bestie, the pregnancy scare, the soppy pity-proposal, etc.
And some of it was simply unbelievable. What reasonably intelligent woman would ditch her cheating boyfriend but maintain a friendship with her cheating friend? The friend provided the worse betrayal and Erin still stands up as her maid of honor?
And what reasonably intelligent teacher wouldn't contemplate the what-ifs of what would happen if her students discovered her dating blog? And, placed on suspension, continue the activity? Reason would dictate that - as long as she was contemplating going back to work at the school - she would back off the blog which was not making ANY money at that point. Say what you will about freedom of speech...it's simple smarts...make your career decisions before you kill the option by continuing an activity that already got you suspended.
Then she goes on an insane spending spree to complete her bucket-list tasks, riles up several men who seem to care for her, etc.
Erin simply comes off as a woman who doesn't think anything through...she's supposed to be intelligent but she doesn't seem like it. I did not like her.
The fact that all these men fall for her...does not speak well for them.
In the end...bleh. It was okay. It was too predictable and the main character too shallow and selfish to truly root for.
I was disappointed.
And some of it was simply unbelievable. What reasonably intelligent woman would ditch her cheating boyfriend but maintain a friendship with her cheating friend? The friend provided the worse betrayal and Erin still stands up as her maid of honor?
And what reasonably intelligent teacher wouldn't contemplate the what-ifs of what would happen if her students discovered her dating blog? And, placed on suspension, continue the activity? Reason would dictate that - as long as she was contemplating going back to work at the school - she would back off the blog which was not making ANY money at that point. Say what you will about freedom of speech...it's simple smarts...make your career decisions before you kill the option by continuing an activity that already got you suspended.
Then she goes on an insane spending spree to complete her bucket-list tasks, riles up several men who seem to care for her, etc.
Erin simply comes off as a woman who doesn't think anything through...she's supposed to be intelligent but she doesn't seem like it. I did not like her.
The fact that all these men fall for her...does not speak well for them.
In the end...bleh. It was okay. It was too predictable and the main character too shallow and selfish to truly root for.
I was disappointed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 20, 2015
This book is captivating. At first I was sure I was going to like it; there was nothing wrong, it just wasn’t “my kind of book”. But a funny thing happened; I couldn’t find a place to stop. I don’t know if it was the flow of the book or just the overall excellent writing, but this book that I didn’t think I would enjoy was awesome! I received the book from Gemma Halliday Publishing in exchange for a review. I have loved all of the cozy mysteries GHP has published so I decided to try this one even though it was not a mystery, and I am so glad I did. It reads a bit like a New Adult novel but the people are around 30 years old and for the main character, for Erin Crawford, the year and a half before she turns 30 are her real growing years.
When she and some friends make a list of things they would like to accomplish, she decides to take it seriously, even though she was seriously drunk when she came up with some of the ideas. She both journals and blogs about her experiences and that blog for which she expected to have about five followers explodes, changing her world. Both the 30 first dates, yes 30 guys, and the challenges she has given herself lead to fun and frustration, but in the end what matters most is that she discovers who she is and, well, what matters most.
When she and some friends make a list of things they would like to accomplish, she decides to take it seriously, even though she was seriously drunk when she came up with some of the ideas. She both journals and blogs about her experiences and that blog for which she expected to have about five followers explodes, changing her world. Both the 30 first dates, yes 30 guys, and the challenges she has given herself lead to fun and frustration, but in the end what matters most is that she discovers who she is and, well, what matters most.
January 16, 2015
Very well written and extremely funny book. I liked a lot about this story (hence the high rating), the only part of this that didn't totally work for me was the hero (and to a lesser extent the heroine)
Spoiler
Ben was her best friend, but he just wasn't decisive enough for me. He stayed in a sexual relationship with another woman who he lived with whilst he loved Erin. That's just messed up! Yes I understood Erin created some of the problems, and once Ben had got into this situation he couldn't see a way out of it, but that just made him seem weak to me. To be fair though, even if Ben had played his part perfectly I probably would have still had a problem with the story as I personally don't like reading about my main characters having sex with people other that the hero/heroine. I don't mind it being past tense, but present tense just doesn't work for me at all. It left me confused about who the hero was meant to be, which distracted me from the plot.
I was glad they got their HEA, but in spite of the great writing and entertaining premise I just couldn't give it the higher rating it would otherwise deserve.
Spoiler
Ben was her best friend, but he just wasn't decisive enough for me. He stayed in a sexual relationship with another woman who he lived with whilst he loved Erin. That's just messed up! Yes I understood Erin created some of the problems, and once Ben had got into this situation he couldn't see a way out of it, but that just made him seem weak to me. To be fair though, even if Ben had played his part perfectly I probably would have still had a problem with the story as I personally don't like reading about my main characters having sex with people other that the hero/heroine. I don't mind it being past tense, but present tense just doesn't work for me at all. It left me confused about who the hero was meant to be, which distracted me from the plot.
I was glad they got their HEA, but in spite of the great writing and entertaining premise I just couldn't give it the higher rating it would otherwise deserve.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 13, 2015
I must say I was very pleasantly surprised by this wonderful book. Erin, approaching 30 years old, decides at a drunken party with friends that they would write out their Bucket list of 30 things to do before the age of 30. Erin is content, but not thrilled, in her job or the below average guys she has been dating. She decided to complete the 30 items and date 30 men in the 14 months before her 30th birthday. Date number 1 was her with her best friend Ben and they did item 7 on the list which is watch every academy award best picture winner. This one was easy because of Ben. As she carried on to number 30, she travelled to Paris, went skydiving. skinny-dipped among many other interesting things. She also met some very weird, intelligent, over zealous men. She landed in a very different place and learned to understand who she is and what she really wants. The journey along the way is fascinating and her blogs go viral. She has so many new opportunities in her life and a real chance for love. I definitely will look for more books by Stacey.
July 25, 2016
You've heard of a 'train wreck' before, right? Someone or something that's awful, but you just can't seem to look away - don't even want to look away? Well, that was this book. I'm stunned that I finished it liking it.
The heroine is an idiot - she reminds me of my sister-in-law (still single and doing the bar scene, only pushing 40, now). She's not admirable. She's... well, an idiot. I wouldn't go within ten paces of this chick. But she evolves thru the story.
And yes, you know from page one who she's going to end up with. It was predictable and cliched, and the dates could've been written up better and the guys were mostly blips on the radar (which is amazing, considering how LONG this book FELT!!!), but... just the same, I liked the premise. I liked the goals and the antics and the relationships. I even liked the writing.
So if you'd like a pleasant surprise, see how this one works for you. It might not go as you think.
The heroine is an idiot - she reminds me of my sister-in-law (still single and doing the bar scene, only pushing 40, now). She's not admirable. She's... well, an idiot. I wouldn't go within ten paces of this chick. But she evolves thru the story.
And yes, you know from page one who she's going to end up with. It was predictable and cliched, and the dates could've been written up better and the guys were mostly blips on the radar (which is amazing, considering how LONG this book FELT!!!), but... just the same, I liked the premise. I liked the goals and the antics and the relationships. I even liked the writing.
So if you'd like a pleasant surprise, see how this one works for you. It might not go as you think.
May 18, 2015
Best book I've read all year.
For those who have read my other reviews I can be a little too honest but this book literally blew me away. I was expecting a quick read, silly romance, and a predictable ending. What I got was literary greatness. I love Stacey Wiedower's writing style. Reading the basis of the story, I couldn't imagine how a writer could fit 30 first dates into a book and not make it monotonous, but this author nails it. I looked forward to the blog post even though I have found them tedious when other writers have done it. The plot keeps you guessing, and even though you hope things turn out the way you want, the book keeps you guessing right till the end. I wish I would have read this sooner and not have kept putting it off. Definitely looking forward to reading more of this author.
For those who have read my other reviews I can be a little too honest but this book literally blew me away. I was expecting a quick read, silly romance, and a predictable ending. What I got was literary greatness. I love Stacey Wiedower's writing style. Reading the basis of the story, I couldn't imagine how a writer could fit 30 first dates into a book and not make it monotonous, but this author nails it. I looked forward to the blog post even though I have found them tedious when other writers have done it. The plot keeps you guessing, and even though you hope things turn out the way you want, the book keeps you guessing right till the end. I wish I would have read this sooner and not have kept putting it off. Definitely looking forward to reading more of this author.
June 4, 2015
Soo
I liked this book however, I felt like it was way too long. The character's were pretty good, in their dialogue and interact ions and the date ideas were original and funny. But, I felt that plot twist coming from page 10, the whole I've been in love with him since childhood and just realized it, and while I was not sad about the cliche (they work, that is why they are called cliches) I did however, feel like the author could have done something different to continue to engage the reader, such as getting the story done from Ben's point of view (and expand more later on what happened to the other characters, have an epilogue perhaps), because at some points it got kind of boring. So overall, if you like a somewhat witty female protagonist, a romantic storyline and predictable ending, this is the book for you.
I liked this book however, I felt like it was way too long. The character's were pretty good, in their dialogue and interact ions and the date ideas were original and funny. But, I felt that plot twist coming from page 10, the whole I've been in love with him since childhood and just realized it, and while I was not sad about the cliche (they work, that is why they are called cliches) I did however, feel like the author could have done something different to continue to engage the reader, such as getting the story done from Ben's point of view (and expand more later on what happened to the other characters, have an epilogue perhaps), because at some points it got kind of boring. So overall, if you like a somewhat witty female protagonist, a romantic storyline and predictable ending, this is the book for you.
January 21, 2016
Another great book from Stacey Wiedower. Even though this book was released first, Now a Major Motion Picture is chronologically the first book in the series and I'm glad I read it first because I had a bit more history into Erin and a couple of supporting characters going into it. I really enjoyed watching how Erin's "casual" blog turned into a national phenomenon and eventually even bigger, but I think my favorite part of this book was the slow romantic burn. You sort of knew where things were headed - at least I hoped they would - but there was a lot of angst along the way. I was especially frustrated during the marathon scene and my heart really went out to the main character when someone she counted on to be there at the finish line wasn't there - Grr! Looking forward to the new release, How To Look Happy :)
January 13, 2015
Enjoyable Read!
This is an enjoyable read. This is the first book that I have read by this author, but I am looking forward to reading more by her. Erin has realized that she is almost 30 years old, and comes up with a bucket list to complete before she turns 30. She starts a relationship blog and decides on a mission to go out with 30 men before she turns 30. Once I started reading this book, it grabbed my attention and I didn’t want to put it down until I finished. This book has it all romance, humor and adventure. I am looking forward to reading more books by this author in the future.
A Review copy was provided to me in exchange for a fair and honest review. The free book held no determination on my personal review.
This is an enjoyable read. This is the first book that I have read by this author, but I am looking forward to reading more by her. Erin has realized that she is almost 30 years old, and comes up with a bucket list to complete before she turns 30. She starts a relationship blog and decides on a mission to go out with 30 men before she turns 30. Once I started reading this book, it grabbed my attention and I didn’t want to put it down until I finished. This book has it all romance, humor and adventure. I am looking forward to reading more books by this author in the future.
A Review copy was provided to me in exchange for a fair and honest review. The free book held no determination on my personal review.
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