"He spills out a pile of pennies all over the table, telling me he fished through the couch for change to pay for his big night out." From the guy who chews on rocks to the one who has his mom tag along, Awful First Dates is filled with hilarious, cringe-worthy, holy-crap-did-that-really-happen?! stories from celebrities like Lauren Conrad and Michael Kors, you'll laugh, you'll cringe-and most importantly-you'll feel better about some of the date's you've been on! •He ate an entire bowl of dip with his fingers. •He said, "I think we should hang out in the woods and just groove on each other." •About thirty minutes in, he paused, took a sip of win, and then said, "So, can we go have sex now?" Sarah Z. Wexler, a freelance writer, lives and goes on first dates in New York City.

"He spills out a pile of pennies all over the table, telling me he fished through the couch for change to pay for his big night out." From the guy who chews on rocks to the one who has his mom tag along, Awful First Dates is filled with hilarious, cringe-worthy, holy-crap-did-that-really-happen?! stories from celebrities like Lauren Conrad and Michael Kors, you'll laugh, you'll cringe—and most importantly—you'll feel better about some of the date's you've been on! He ate an entire bowl of dip with his fingers. He said, "I think we should hang out in the woods and just groove on each other." About thirty minutes in, he paused, took a sip of win, and then said, "So, can we go have sex now?" Sarah Z. Wexler, a freelance writer, lives and goes on first dates in New York City.

Ellen meets Jim at a posh restaurant, hoping for an evening of fine wine and better conversation. Maria sets out on a walk with a man she's been looking forward to meeting. In First Date Stories, these women, and others, enter into initial liaisons with well-honed expectations—and come out on the other side with extraordinary tales to tell. Chances are, every woman in her mid-thirties and over who is seeking a loving companion has a first date tale of triumph or disaster. Each of the candid and memorable stories Jodi Klein shares here imparts a bit of wisdom—with the help of takeaway tips and inspirational quotes—to guide readers through what can be a baffling, intimidating, and sometimes lonely journey. Before a promising first date, or after an awful one, First Date Stories offers readers the reminder that being single should be celebrated, that not all first dates are created equal, and that every initial encounter has the possibility to become something long-lasting and wonderful.

“Go on a date,” she said. “You’ll love it,” she said. She was wrong! It had been one year, two months and seventeen days since my last date. So my best friend Abby decided to sign me up for a dating app. She guaranteed that she could get me the best date of my life within one week. I didn’t really want to do it, but I figured what did I have to lose? Turns out that I had: 1. $500 2. My dignity 3. My patience and 4. My innocence to lose OK, so I didn’t really have my innocence to lose, but believe you me, Jack Morrison was my worst date ever. And I’ve been on a lot of bad dates. Trust me when I say that that was the longest ten hours and 33 minutes of my life. I never wanted to see or speak to him again. But it turns out you don’t always get what you want in life, because Jack showed up the very next day at a family gathering I was attending as a fake plus one. As you can imagine that was a real pickle, Jack wanted to know why I went on a date with him when I’m dating someone else. But he can’t know the whole complicated truth of the matter. I’m in a fake relationship and now I’m being blackmailed by the worst date ever. That’s not even the worst part. I decided to log onto this new app called “confession board” to seek some advice, but it turns out Jack Morrison is absolutely everywhere and he’s not going to leave me alone until I submit to his demands.

Follow Alexandra and her adorable French bulldog pup Lottie as Alex goes on 30 dates in 30 days in this charming parody/comedic dating horror story all about dating apps, being stood up, and the other joys of millennial dating culture. Set in the thick of our swipe right society, newly thirty-year-old Alexandra decides she’s got nothing to lose and sets off on a 30-dates-in-30-days adventure. With her trusty French bulldog pup Lottie, Alex experiences the worst of millennial dating culture. From know-it-alls and bores to Mama’s boys and no-shows and everything else in between, you’ll be laughing along with Alex as she searches for love but ultimately discovers something a lot more meaningful. Alexandra and the Awful, Awkward, No Fun, Truly Bad Dates is the perfect gift for anyone who has swiped right, blind dated, or simply been a little bit lost in love at one point in their life.

Based on years of research and 121 real-life first dates, relationship expert Wendy Newman dishes up practical wisdom for navigating the online dating trenches with grace, efficiency, and a strong dose of humor. Wendy Newman has made every imaginable dating mistake so you don’t have to. Part guidebook, part personal tell-all, 121 First Dates chronicles Wendy’s funny, real-life misadventures and the practical wisdom she gained from them. Her dating tales will find you laughing, commiserating, and nodding your head as you learn how to stay in the dating game until you find the right man, just like Wendy did. This book busts myths, answers age-old questions, and examines pitfalls that make you want to give up on dating altogether. Just when you’re about to submit to a lifetime at home with a pint of Haagen-Dazs and sitcom reruns, 121 First Dates will inspire you to keep stepping out. Wendy discusses how to date successfully and efficiently, avoid the most common dating pitfalls, have an amazing first date with anyone, end uncomfortable situations with grace, and much, much more. She offers up realistic Dos and Don’ts as well as tips for making the most of any situation you find yourself in—whether you want to run or you think he’s the one. Brimming with humor, hope, and authenticity, 121 First Dates will give every woman the tools, confidence, and determination to be and stay real when dating. How else will you find the best match for you?

Cassie is fed up with online dating, but just when she’s finally decided to give up, firefighter Jett Bentley takes her on an amazing first date. But when they both go home and find three children dropped in their laps—each—they independently decide to do the right and mature thing: hide the kids from each other while sorting it all out. What could go wrong? Cassie Everson is an expert at escaping bad first dates. And, after years of meeting, greeting, and running from the men who try to woo her, Cassie is almost ready to retire her hopes for a husband—and children—altogether. But fate has other plans, and Cassie’s online dating profile catches the eye of firefighter Jett Bentley. In Jett’s memory, Cassie Everson is the unreachable girl-of-legend from their high school days. Nervously, he messages her, setting off a chain of events that forces a reluctant Cassie back into the dating game. No one is more surprised than Cassie when her first date with Jett is a knockout—but when Cassie finds herself caring for three sisters in an emergency foster placement, she decides to hide them from Jett to avoid scaring him off. When Jett’s sister’s addiction issues land her three children at his home, he decides the last thing Cassie needs to know about is his family drama. Neither dares to tell the other about their unexpected and possibly permanent family members for fear of scaring away their potential soulmate, especially since they both listed "no kids” on their profiles! With six children between them and secrets mounting, can Cassie and Jett find a way forward? Melissa Ferguson’s warmhearted debut reminds us that love can come in very small packages—and that sometimes our best-laid plans aren’t nearly as rewarding and fun as the surprises that come our way. Praise for The Dating Charade: “Melissa Ferguson is a sparkling new voice in contemporary rom-com. Though her novel tackles meaningful struggles—social work, child abandonment, adoption—it’s also fresh, flirty, and laugh-out-loud funny. Ferguson is going to win fans with this one!”—Lauren Denton, bestselling author of The Hideaway and Glory Road “The Dating Charade will keep you smiling the entire read. Ferguson not only delights us with new love, with all its attendant mishaps and misunderstandings, but she takes us deeper in the hearts and minds of vulnerable children as Cassie and Jett work out their families—then their dating lives. An absolute treat!”—Katherine Reay, bestselling author of The Printed Letter Bookshop Stand-alone contemporary romance Full-length novel (76,000 words) Includes discussion questions for book clubs