A straight-talking guide to landing Mr. Right in a year's time by a high-profile matchmaker urges women to become empowered in their quest to achieve a lasting, married relationship, in a reference that shares specific strategies for taking charge of one's destiny. 125,000 first printing.
Without giving away too much of the book, I do want to share some great quotes that I pulled from Stanger. She’s a very successful, beautiful and smart individual. Listen up, ladies!
“As soon as you say, ‘I’m not going to date for a while,’ the bus unloads. Don’t go out with them, but make sure you take reservations. Remember, the best restaurants are booked weeks in advance, why not you? You’re worth waiting for.”
“Think of yourself as a great wine – you’re only getting better and more valuable with age. When the right occasion comes along and that wine is uncorked, it will be the best, most delicious nectar the lucky partaker has ever experienced. But that will only happen if happiness is a major ingredient.”
“If you feel sexy, you’re more inclined to look sexy. Sexy is a confident, fun loving, happy, sensuous, approachable state of mind that no man can resist.”
“Don’t think of him as the prize for which you’re competing against hundreds of other women. YOU are the prize, and HE needs to please you just as much as you need to please him.”
Frankly, I don't even know why I decided to read this book. At one point I was somewhat enjoying Patti's show on Bravo and I was curious what she has to say in her book. Well... First of all, I think it's about time someone close to Patti tells her (gently, if that's possible) that we are in the year 2010 now, not 1950. Her mentality is right where her grandmother's was when she was dating. If you believe what Patti says, then all of your problems go away the moment you say "I do". Well, Patti sorry to break it you, but this is not they-live-happily-ever-after-fairy-tale, this is real life. Coupoles have to work just as hard (if not harder) after the wedding to make their happily-ever-after ending. Second of all, she almost flat out tells women that they should hide their true personalities until they "caught" the man. Of course, Patti doesn't say it out loud, she uses "be always upbeat", "be happy", "be engaging", "be supportive", etc bullsh*t. So, if you are moody, cranky, and don't support one of your man's hobbies, wait until you are married, because then he has nowhere to run. And you wonder why people divorce??!?!? Third of all, reading all of Patti's "words of wisdom" I felt like I was sitting in a dentist chair and my dentist didn't have any teeth. It is a little ironic to get dating advice from someone who can't seem to be able to keep her man long enough to walk down the aisle.
I've only seen Patti Stanger's show "The Millionaire Matchmaker" a few times. Having little patience for "reality TV", I was surprised to find how addicting her show can be, and how fascinating it was to see the dating match-ups hits and misses. I can't say I watched much of the show, but when she went on Oprah and they plugged her book, I went ahead and bought it.
The book contains a lot of dating advice, which is largely generalized to fit "any woman, any stage of your life" demographic as opposed to being limited to those seeking a millionaire. I fit into her target audience, as I'm a single female hoping to one day get married before my eggs shrivel up and die, so I read this book voraciously. The tips and advice she gave were eye-popping at times (in particular, the date code of "Coffee is cheap, drinks are an audition, lunch is an interview, and dinner means business - the business of romance."); practical in others (do a "dating detox" before you get out there to find your dream partner); debatable at times (always put on lipgloss/lipstick before stepping out in public, and you must lose the weight [though I admit, this one might be truer than I might want to admit:]), and informative at others (There are statistically more men in certain West Coast cities [LA, Seattle, Dallas, Phoenix, San Francisco:], than in East Coast cities [NYC and Jersey topping the list:]).
Overall, I liked the book because it gave me further insight into the dating world, the mind of a matchmaker, and the things to look for when searching for a marriage minded man. That sort of skill has been severely lacking in my past dating experiences, and I suspect, it has played a major factor in why I am still single today. I don't expect to incorporate everything Patti said, but I will say that a lot of it coincides with other dating-with-marriage-as-the-goal advice I've heard. I definitely plan on giving at least some of her tips a whirl with the next go-around.
I recommend this book to women who aren't sure how to really get their dating lives going, or, who like me, aren't sure what to look for in a guy or how to get the one you are looking for.
Yes, it's Patti Stanger and yes, she is crazy on TV. However, in written form she is much more palatable. Is the advice earth shattering, no. But some of it is practical and useful. I think the way she presents herself on TV overshadows some of the good advice she has to offer.
I'm not very good at dating and I acknowledge that I need help, little tips and tricks that obviously I haven't thought about. I'm the kind of person that's used to working hard in my career to achieve, but when it comes to dating you can't do that. You can't convince someone to date you or even fall in love with you. That's why I read the book (a library copy - love the library).
The best piece of advice I took away was just to look nice, smell good, relax and have fun. Dating isn't like trying to land that dream job. I can relax and still get good results as long as I'm mindful and keep my feet on the ground. I've done the hard work already of becoming a good, well rounded person. Now, I should be able to sit back and shine.
Confession, I love watching Stanger's show, The Millionaire Matchmaker. The ridiculousness of her matchmaking and the hilarious dates make for great entertainment. When I saw she wrote a book, I knew I would have to read this! There are a few common sense gems, but mostly it is about becoming thinner and prettier to land a rich man (ie the perfect match). I skimmed each chapters and did finish the book, but it was a chore.
Patti Stanger is a legend in the land of Hollywood and home entertainment alike. She is a third generation matchmaker, centrally located in L.A., who helps the upper crust find their "love of a lifetime." She is probably most famous for her filter (or lack there of) when it comes to critiquing not only potential matches, but her clients as well. Patti's honesty is brutal, but always spot on. With an insanely high success rate, she might sound like the answer to your prayers, however her insanely high price tage might cause you to slam on the brakes of your Love Bus. (After all, she is the "Millionaire Matchmaker", no?) Instead, this Cupid on earth has decided to dispense her most valuable matchmaking advice to us mere mortals in her new book, "Become Your Own Matchmaker."
This book was very interesting. It was the first dating book I have ever read, and it was actually pretty addictive. You are able to identify Patti's trademark sauciness immediately (She is the friend who will tell you your ass DOES look huge in that skirt, and then help you find a gloriously flattering dress), even through written word, which is very entertaining. The focus of this book is how to get the ring in 8 steps. Each step includes something different, and each step is fully detailed with what is expected and how you should behave. Also included is signs that you should ditch your guy if such red flags pop up. She included some very useful tips on where to meet single guys, as well as what date nights are "serious" date nights. None of the information was really applicable to me, but I found it interesting.
Some of her advice was a bit drastic. For example, she advises you to carry around postcard sized pictures of you, with a biography on the back, just incase you meet someone. I can tell you right now I am not about to do that. I think I didn't like this book as much as I should have because I am not concerned with dating or marriage right now. And as I said before, this is a step-by-step plan on how to get married. I just think that Patti makes it sound like being single is miserable, and maybe that is true for some women out there, but not for me, not by a long shot. This book seems to put pressure on you to get married as soon as you can, because "no one is getting any younger," and "your clock is ticking." Hmmmmm...ok. Listen, ladies, if you are desperate to find love, this book might actually help you. However, if you are just looking for "dating advice" (or how to marry a millionaire) then I don't know if this is exactly what you need. But, hey, it couldn't hurt, right?
I watch the show, and I like Patti. However, I took offense to her statement that men don't like curly or short hair, as I have both. Otherwise, the book was good.
I chose to get this one out of the library, not really believing advice from an abrasive reality TV Show hostess could be worthwhile. Turns out Patti Stanger is a Jersey girl (I should have guessed) so we had more in common than I initially thought.
I found most of the advice to be practical, interesting, and timely. The book does veer into some new age "law of attraction" ideas, but that is not the basis of the book, and it certainly can't help to think positive thoughts.
The steps are very utilitarian. They are general enough to apply to almost all women who are dating in America (a that covers a lot of cultures!). Her no nonsense approach to dating may seem a little cold at first. But Patti Stanger is a business woman and thus approached relationships in much the same way. (i.e. You wouldn't have a finance company merge with a balloon factory just because the balloon factory owns stock. So don't try to make a relationship work with a family man when you don't want children. You can't change him. Just move on.) That calculating business sense is actually what most men and women need when they are in the honeymoon stage; so it turns out to be a very practical approach.
All the way through to "Negotiating the Ring" Stanger keeps women on the right track. Every woman has her weaknesses when it comes to men and Stanger does a great job of addressing those areas non-judgmentally. The matter-of-fact way she addresses her readers builds trust. Because she believes whole-heartedly that any woman can find a man and get married, readers will walk away with an ego boost a little more swagger in their step.
**Warning: This book does discuss traditional gender roles and many of the practices she suggests are counter-intuitive for strong, independent women like myself. Stanger is not suggesting women are less than powerful than men. Give the book a chance. She's telling you how to get a ring according to the way most men are wired. **
Patti Stanger is one New York broad (now lives in LA but...) who says it like it is. I love her show because of her. She has no filter! The thing is she is observant, has the keen mind of a businesswoman who doesn't mess around, knows both men and women, both of the sexes' weaknesses, and what they want for the most part.
Her book has honest advice that says it like it for us ladies who let's face it get emotionally attached and do stupid things when we know we shouldn't. She explains why (the damn oxytocin), gives us a smart business-like game plan of no sex until being in a committed relationship knowing our weaknesses to get attached to men, goes over time periods we should be with a man before we should 86 him if he hasn't proposed determining he is never going to marry us, says smart things like do not live with a man until you at least have a ring with specific plans set for the wedding and so on and so on. This chick doesn't mess around which is why I love her show. She gives us good advice on what kinds of guys to avoid and what kinds to go for.
The negatives to this book are she goes way overboard at times telling us to do extreme things like for example carry a professional photo of ourselves with our name and digits on the back. Uh...weird! At times, she suggests we do things that appear like mind games to me which I think are unethical. I think she should have focused more on authenticity and being ourselves. I think she is confusing her Millionaires Club a bit with real men who want a real connection which does not have to be perfect. And when she went off on the metaphysical "Secret" crap, I was like you have to be kidding. And I am not wasting my magical wish on a man. It will be on the winning Megamillions ticket!
If you haven't watched Millionaire Matchmaker, you should. It took me a while to give it a try because it sounded like "The Golddiggers Union", but it's anything but. Patti, a 3rd generation matchmaker, basically thinks she's Cupid, sent here to help he lovelorn, and she goes about matching people in her database.
But she doesn't just match, she advises-- and most of all, critiques. A guy can be a millionaire but be a slob or a self-centered jerk, and she will call him out on it. Somehow she gets away with calling her clients bitches and whatnot. A lot of times she gives people the nudge they need to jump into the love they're meant to have. Or she gives them a kick in the ass, whatever the situation calls for.
Anyhow, she is funny and honest and highly entertaining. In an "I wish she was my friend!" way; my sister pointed out that there was a book, so of course I had to read.
The book was pretty entertaining, a one-day read. And maybe I learned something. Who knows?! :)
I am NOT giving this book 4 stars because it is well-written. I think it is a 4-star book because it was quite engaging and a lot of fun to read. I have never seen Patti Stanger's show "The Millionaire Matchmaker" - which may be why I liked the book so much.
Favorite parts:
- Advice about your first date - "Coffee is cheap, drinks are an audition, lunch is an interview, but dinner means business - the business of romance." - Insightful phrases like, "You don't want a player, you want a stayer" - Reading passages out loud to my brother on vacation, "You can't change him, but you can train him... Training a dog is not so very different from training a man..." blah, blah, blah.
I do NOT recommend this book to any woman with low self-esteem. Patti can be mean. This book has some legit relationship advice and good info about dating/break ups.
I would give this book a 3.5 if I could, because I love Patti and enjoyed reading this book. I'm a little younger than the age she mainly talks about so I skipped out on the marriage ending and will be saving it for years to come. Overall, Patti is indeed old fashioned, and you might find this difficult to deal with while reading, but remember old fashioned is actually a good thing. She is honest and funny when making every one of her points and covers everything very well including online dating. My favorite book of this genre is still Why Men Love Bitches and even though Patti is funny, she still cannot compete with my fave.
Not surprisingly, this book was full of a bunch of stuff that made me roll my eyes BUT there were some valuable pieces of information that I was able to pull out for future use. Probably the most valuable thing was her section on where to meet men - a LOT of them were places I would've never thought of. It's a quick read, worth it as long as you can take it with a giant grain of salt and filter out the garbage ;)
Though I'm already matched, I was tempted to read this book after watching Patti's Bravo show. In my opinion, Patti's 'rules' are more logical and easily applied than other major bestsellers in this category. This is a fun easy read that made me appreciate all the more what a perfect husband my spouse is.
I almost forgot I read this, but this led me down a rabbit hole where I watched 8 seasons of Millionaire Matchmaker as well as 2 seasons of Patti's follow-up series, Million Dollar Matchmaker.
This is a pick-up book, but for women. How can I review this? The star rating doesn't count. If you believe in this stuff, 1. I have some questions for you, 2. see #1, 3. it doesn't matter what I think of this book, all that matters is what YOU think of this book. Did you find it helpful? Was it easy to read? Did it make you think about how you approach relationships in a different light? Great.
I found this book to be frustratingly regressive + reductive, but with its charms. Whether those charms were ironic or not were besides the point. It led me to watch 10 seasons of trash reality TV. I can't commit that much of my life to ironic enjoyment- some of it had to have been genuine, right?
I decided not to finish this book soon after I started it (I got about 100 pages in). Not because I completely disagreed with Patti’s advice. Not because I am bitter, cynical, or upset that I don’t fit the description of outer beauty, which she explains is equally important in finding a partner as inner beauty. In fact, I have great hair, a perfect smile, I exercise daily, I have a pretty face and wear minimal makeup, and I’m happy. So basically, according to Patti, I’m rocking it.
I give her credit for stressing that one must first be truly happy with herself and know herself, and be happy being alone before she would be ready to be in a relationship. I completely agree with that. And I agree with many of her suggestions for how to reach this point – spend time doing old hobbies, take a warm bath, find a workout that suits you, etc. I have been working to strengthen myself and my character for the last three years. It takes a lot of work. Daily work. And I’ve come a long way.
The thing is, the more I read “Become Your Own Matchmaker,” the more I was struggling to keep my positive mind and be happy. Patti started reinforcing the importance of things that I have realized (through getting to know myself, my desires, and be happy and accepting) are not important to me. And again, I stress that I am not viewing her suggestions through bitter eyes. She makes a living giving the advice she does, and it works. And her points are valid. But ironically, her points and her suggestions were actually making me take a step BACKWARDS with how I’ve felt, instead of moving forward.
In the first chapter, she stresses the importance of getting to know yourself and being happy. I have already achieved that. I work DAILY to improve my outlook on life and be positive. I read “healthy” books, I exercise, I spend time doing something mindless like watching TV, I listen to upbeat music, I practice controlling how I view things. I even got rid of the junk in my life that I didn’t need, which is something Patti suggests doing. I vastly improved being comfortable in my own skin. In truly loving myself. The thing is, in order to accomplish this and maintain it, I had to ignore those certain ideals that society pushes on me – ideals that Patti pushes in her book. So although I agree with a lot of what she says, her points were actually MAKING me bitter and cynical, rather than helping to assure I’m not that way.
For example, I know men are visual. I do. I understand it is important to look one’s best. I know that no one expects anyone to be perfect all the time (or, at least, no one should). And I appreciate Patti’s no bullshit attitude. Love it, in fact. It simplifies everything. But being told that men love women in stilettos (which I can’t wear due to being super tall and also having had multiple ankle injuries and surgery throughout my life) or that the best investment we can make it to buy Shapewear? Truth be told, that makes me a little sad. And as we know, sad girls won’t attract anyone.
I also decided to read this book because I thought it would be fun. I am not necessarily even looking for a man right now. But the fact that Patti assumes anyone reading the book is desperate or that whatever we are doing isn’t working? Again, that just makes me feel a bit let down. It’s a tricky line to walk: like I said before, I agree with many of her points. I just think that right now in my life I need to keep focusing on myself and being happy. And in order to be happy, I need to cut out ideals that suggest anything materialistic will in any way contribute to the value of my life.
I’m a really pretty, happy girl. Even by Patti’s harsher standards involving outer appearance. And although I think a lot of the world works the way she suggests, I just don’t think all of it does. So for the time being, I’d rather keep focusing on myself, working out, smiling, and reading books that inspire me and remind me about the true value of life. I’d rather be happy and alone than change my values to appease someone else and be miserable. If I change my mind and decide that I’d like to consult Patti in the future, I know where to find her.
I've never read a self-help book in my entire life. Ever. For anything. But even I can see my dating life is starting to resemble the sinking of the Titanic so who can give better advice on how to stop taking on water than Patti Stanger, the Millionaire Matchmaker?
I have to say, this book was a lot better than I expected. Like a whole lot better. I got some tips into what men are really saying when they do certain things that frankly I wish I had known these things 10 years ago. I probably wouldn't have made nearly as many mistakes. For the woman that might need a flashlight into navigating the dating world but wants to do it in a way where you aren't giving up the booty too quick and getting a ring is your finish line, she gives real practical tips on what's going on, what to say and not say and how to be engaged in courtship but for a modern era and a modern woman. She even has some pointers for us ladies over 40 and why there are plenty of men that want us than our evil, firmer twin, 20 years younger.
I was so into this book (confession time) that I took copious notes on its contents. You'd have thought this book was going to help me pass my SATs or get me into college or something. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking to refine their game and figure out what they're doing wrong and how to correct it. In a previous review, someone said that Patti recommends women lose weight in order to get a man and that's not true. She makes a point of saying there's no one body type that all men like so instead women should exercise and eat right because who doesn't feel like they radiate their best selves when they work out regularly and are eating good, nutritional food. Her no-nonsense approach worked for me and her writing style is friendly but direct, like the girlfriend that is trying to make certain you get what you really want and has your best interests at heart.
The later chapters drag a bit but mostly because they are geared toward people that are in an exclusive relationship and might be moving toward marriage. My focus was on the early half of the book, the section for those of us that, ahem, struggle to take flight. She has only one piece of advice that I knew I wasn't going to take: to get professional photos taken and put them on something like a business card with pertinent information about yourself on it to give to men you meet. Um, no. But her advice about letting the man "lead" in the courtship and to not bombard him with all your deep dark secrets when you're just getting to know someone and stop calling him all the time because you are losing power when you do that? Priceless.
Her other advice that was rock solid was: "Coffee is cheap, drinks are an audition, lunch is an interview, but dinner means business - the business of romance." I asked a male friend what he thought about that he said it was spot-on. Dinner means "I'm not jacking around, I'm serious about a relationship" so that advice alone makes this book a must-read. I also personally liked that she made it OK to say a relationship-leading-to-marriage is what you want and to sort your dating life around that. So often we women can take a more passive approach and be all "I'm open to anything, let's see where things go." Patti gives permission to say you have an objective and the man can either be on the same program or not, his call.
She recommends readers take a "dating detox" and the length of time you spent in your relationship will determine how long your detox is for. I'm currently "detoxing" but I look forward to putting her recommendations to work in a few weeks. Wish me luck!
People underestimate these relationship get-your-guy advice books: I started reading them after a break-up, not to get a new man but because most of them advise various exercises to rid yourself of past relationship baggage and clarify your intentions before proceeding with the pursuit-of-him steps. Since you can portions of the book instead of the whole book (in e-books), I was tempted to just buy the first two chapters for the Dating Detox and finding my type, but then elected to buy the whole thing.
I do think some people underestimate this book; most of it is sound advice, if some a little biased and we wished we were past these old ideas. However, they are still alive not because Patti Stanger says to abide by them (for your own sake in not fighting the larger battle, she implies). Like therapy, you don't have to take all the advice. Take what you like and leave the rest.
I actually got a fair portion of what I needed from the book. I did try the Dating Detox and really thought about the issues at hand (of what and who I want). I think it was good advice to consider not only what my type was, but what type I am. While I will not be following all of her advice, I thought it was all interesting to consider (I myself would never do the non-threatening ultimatum for an engagement, but I could see how she constructed it and how this strategy might work elsewhere. As well, I am never opposed to have tools in my toolbox even if I do not intend to use them). Maybe this is because I read other reviews first (thus I was prepared), but I did not find her suggestion on some women needing to lose weight as insulting as other people did: not only is it a sad reality that many men are opposed - if not insulting regarding - women's weight, but she advocated the golden ratio which is more akin to being appropriate to your own size. Yes, I disliked even thinking about it, especially in relation to myself, but I must admit the realism of that advice.
The piece of advice I know for certain I will take (aside from the detox and just internal considerations) is the "no sex without a relationship." It's not because I believe it is the only way to get the long-term relationship I want (and her advice with it has merit, even if it doesn't work for everyone), but because it was me. I often felt I had sex too early in a relationship (and did have trouble for it) but I couldn't put my finger on what it was or how to articulate it. After reading about that, I now know what I want and I no longer feel like it is an unreasonable request. I feel more confident about putting my foot down and asking for someone to wait until I am more comfortable.
While on the surface, it can appear shallow, this book is far more well-thought out than many reviewers give it credit. I am suspicious of anyone who refers to a particular book as life-changing, and I wouldn't say this book changes my mind. I would say that it will make you think about what you want and how to get it. Is that not why you would be searching for this book in the first place?
I picked up this book because my friend is a fan of Patti Stanger and the Millionaire Matchmaker show. It's very heteronormative, monogamy-based, and treats landing a husband as the ultimate goal. Here are some things I've learned:
*Patti Stranger is a devoted fan of astrology and colonics/cleansers. "These days it's not uncommon for a group of women to treat themselves to a good colonic...It really makes you feel fresh and new to shed all those nasty toxins that are clawing around inside you." Ugh. Who are these women? *"Exotic" women like Halle Berry and Angelina Jolie are "not considered classically beautiful, but their features are presented in a unique way." Ouch. *I tried measuring to see if I have the "perfect figure" that Stranger waxes rhapsodic about, which is a waist/hip ratio of 0.7 percent. Mine is 1.1 percent. I guess it's a miracle I have a boyfriend at all, huh? She suggests buying push-up jeans or swimsuits with butt padding if you don't meet the ratio. *By month 9 of a relationship, you should be gunning for a proposal. *Men don't like women who aren't feminine enough, have short hair, or have red hair. *Never move in with a guy before you have a diamond ring on your finger and a wedding date.
So...yeah. There is dating advice in here that will work for many women, and some of it was quite interesting, but the little blurbs I posted above kept pinging away at my soul. At least she says men love women who can cook (yay, I have a chance after all!)
Love her or love to hate her, Patti Stanger is interesting. That's what makes her show on Bravo so successful. I enjoy her show so much that I decided to check out her book just for kicks.
Not all of her advice going to work for you, but a lot of it is pretty sound. She is dead right about oxytocin, the lack of eligible bachelors on the East Coast, and she provides interesting suggestions about where to meet men. She also gives some practical (and easy!) exercises that you can do to identify what type of guy you're seeking.
However, some of her advice is... questionable. I don't think it's a good idea to carry "bio cards" (a postcard with your photo and stats) to hand out to interested men. That reeks of desperation. I also don't think it's necessary for every woman to get hair extensions and wear heels all of the time in order to look attractive.
But if you can look past some of her wackier advice, there is some valuable material here. And the book is definitely written in Patti's trademark no-nonsense, entertaining, distinctive voice. Take what you can use and ditch the rest.
If you're a fan of Patti's show on Bravo, I'd definitely recommend this book. Patti has some dating rules that should be common sense yet she holds them as deal breakers for any romantic relationship success; "No sex before monogamy" stands out at the moment?
While I find Patti entertaining, it's hard to fully take what she says to heart as she has not had the best success for herself romantically. She says she comes from a family line of matchmakers? Guess when your business is based on finding love for the super-rich you can justify any reason for your "gift."
It's been a while since I've checked but I believe that the Club packages begin at $45,000.00 for lowest and upwards of $100,000.00 for highest level service? Oh yeah ... that amount is only for ONE YEAR OF DATING!!!! If you'd like to do a package similar to the type featured on the show, it will only set you back $35,000.00 for ONE event! Wanting Patti to host this event for you will only cost you an additional $35,000.00 for ONE event!
So, as a continuing single divorcee, I advise you read this for entertainment vs. as a life guide? Good luck!
I found the first two chapters to be really good and think all women should read them. However, there are parts of the book that instructs the reader to play games with guys. One example I found absolutely ridiculous was the 'A Pair and a spare' in Chapter 5. This is where women should (preferrably at all times) have a best straight guy friend, The Big Maybe and The One You really Like. So you pretty much lead two guys along while hoping that the guy you really like will get jealous of the other two. I believe a truly lonely and insecure woman or man would do this. The book was also geared for money minded people, the upper middle class to upper class, so some of the suggestions weren't really realistic for a person in plain middle class or lower. But the book took the reader to insides of men's heads which was interesting and insightful. For a person that hates dating, it really had some alternative ways of looking at dates, even the worse dates, in a positive light.
I highly doubt I'd find my own perfect mate using Patti Stanger's advice—but then again, I'm not sure I'm up for a mate, period, perfect or not. That said, she offers some very straightforward and, I'd grant her, dead-on advice for a particular type of lady seeking a particular type of marriage. And not necessarily the gold-digging, strike-it-rich kind you might suspect from something that looks this mercenary from the outside. Much of what she says is the kind of commonsense stuff that still trips women up again and again, like "don't close your eyes to the truth" and "fools rush in" and "coffee is 'cheap'."
Okay, that last one is where I get off the bus. Frankly, I'm not up for investing much more time up front than a coffee affords. But again: for a particular type of lady (i.e., marriage-minded, looking for a serious fellow who will be a good provider) willing to vet the fellow beforehand, not at all bad advice.
I have always been against "dating" books because they tend to focus on the "rules". However, there is something unique and fascinating about Patti and her approach towards dating and relationships. I have enjoyed watching her show and thought why not read her book as well. She doesn't disappoint AT ALL! In fact, she gives a lot of tough love for all the single ladies out there. She refers back to a lot of examples from her personal and client's experiences. I am so glad I picked up this book because I can easily relate it to my life and surroundings. She doesn't lie or flake on theories. She actually makes sense and above all - she is a business lady so she puts things into perspective. For ie. time is money. If someone doesn't make you happy - move on as it costs you precious time that could be otherwise spent on someone else or some place else. This book goes out to anyone - be it single or taken. Just an overall fun and intriguing read.
She is a matchmaker, one of the best actually, she runs a successful matchmaking businessman exclusive service for millionaire and has her own reality TV show. she is doing both jobs a dating coach + matchmaking , in the book she starts from the beginning ,how to take care of yourself when it comes to appearance, dieting and working out, then the second part how to be realistic about what you expect from Mr right, then how to land the man of your dream. 3rd part: dating do and do not, how to know if he is Mr right (if so proposing stage + financial talk +wedding ring) if not how to break up in a civilized manner. Final part how to signal a loser and some relationships etiquette. Advices and tips from a third generation matchmaker based on her own experience and even her grandmother's, Lovely book!
Some good advice and strategies on how to life hack your way into a spouse. At some point, you just gotta say, okay. This works. This is good enough. It’s cool. Understand what’s really important to you. What really matters and, if that person has that in spades, you don’t have to think about anything else. Count yourself grateful and appreciate the company.
I’m going to try some of these tips and will report back. For now, here is a list the author recommended I make — my five non-negotiable traits cultivated from what worked and what didn’t from past exes.
Top 5 Must Haves for Mr. Thriftygal (Thriftydude?)
He must be able to make me laugh consistently and he must get my humor. We must make each other giggle regularly. He must like to cuddle. Because touch is paramount for me. He must be financially savvy. That one’s obvious. He must exude optimism. He must be thoughtful.
I recently watched the first season of the Millionaire matchmaker because I am starting a matchmaking company with Click2Asia.com and was hoping to get some great insight. Initially, I thought the show would be stupid and cheesy, but surprisingly, I found the show to be very entertaining and, admittedly, I agreed 100% with everything she recommended - except the no sex before being exclusive.
Her book is a solid read. I read this in less than three days and she even advocates the prenup for women.
Again, many points were made in the book that supported my thoughts about dating and marriage.
Its a MUST read for any woman trying to get married.
I went into reading this book thinking it would just be a fun read. What I got from it though was practical advice. I loved how Patti Stanger put all her knowledge right out there. No sugar coating.
Though I didn't necessarily agree with everything she said, I will admit she knows what she is talking about. She takes the messy confusion of dating and puts it into eight easy steps. Her advice allows for both parties in a relationship to be empowered in their decisions.
Mostly this book gives women practical advice so they don't feel like desparate idiots when a date or relationship doesn't go the way they had planned.
If you like Bravo's Millionaire Matchmaker series, you'll like this book.
Just like in her show, Stanger uses a no-nonsense, tough love approach to dating. She gives you concrete strategies for determining what it is you really want in a partner, explains in detail relationship stages as well as gives you clues to determine how serious it is, when to break it off and more. While there are some takeaways for men this is really for women. Quick read, funny and you come away feeling empowered and in control of your dating life. I'd consider this a must read for those trying to get a handle on dating.