Anyone who's dabbled with internet dating has a story to tell, but few can tell them with as much wit and honesty as Julie McDowall.
Her online dating blog became an instant sensation on HeraldScotland.com when she charted her bizarre and hilarious experiences in search of the perfect man. Or at least a man who wasn't a total freak. Or, failing that, a freak who was freaky in the right ways...
Now for the first time CASTING THE NET - VOLUME 1 presents the unexpurgated true story of her ongoing quest for love, including all the material deemed unfit for a family newspaper. Join the eloquent and intrepid McDowall as she tackles The Janny, The Accountant, The Comedian, Foxy Doctor, the inimitable Shug -- and her ultimate nemesis, The Clown.
Review: I loved the sound of this book. I love reading about Internet dating and knowing that someone has had just as much trouble with it as I did. It's always reassuring to know that other people come across the most random things on these sites and go on terrible dates too, and so a whole book about it, based on real life experiences-wonderful. I did, however, find this book the tiniest bit disappointing, but nevertheless I stormed through it!
I loved the setting! I've said before I'm a lazy reader and so to read about someone going on dates in my favourite city, and to places I've been on dates to as well! Amazing! The places she went were all mentioned, however I felt they could have been described a little further, I could picture them in my head and feel the description there but it wasn't actually written on the page. I thought that perhaps, readers who hadn't been to Glasgow and experienced the delights or Oran Mor and Byres Road, wouldn't have appreciated the setting as much as I did, but would have had more of an experience if they were better described.
I really liked the fact that Julie comes across as a strong women, I like a woman who knows what she wants and gets on with her life. There are points where she is hooked in by one of the many men she has been having dates with, and she weakens, however, we've all been there. That was a totally realistic situation, sitting by the phone, waiting for him to text, to arrange another date after a fabulous kiss, and so the fact that she weakens slightly at this point can be completely forgiven!
I found the descriptions of her bad dates and indeed the men she never even made it on a date with really funny! Part of the reason for this was that it was all so totally true. It was brilliantly realistic, and I wanted to hear more about the men and the dates, and again I think this was a slightly negative point about the book, there was a little bit of a lack of description here too. I would have liked to have known more about the other dates, the random emails she received, and the ones she sent out but with no reply, there was massive scope for description here and yet she doesn't go into major detail.
Overall I did enjoy reading this book and read it in a day, even though I did a full days work. It's got some really funny bits and does tell the real story of Internet dating, it has also left me wanting to read the sequel or volume 2 if there is one, which is always a good thing! If you've been on any dating sites online, you'll definitely be able to identify with some of the moments in this book, and if you haven't, you're in for an eye opener!
Click here to grab a copy and see for yourself
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