Bad Dates Club by Mary Newnham - A Review

Bad Dates Club by Mary Newnham was a messy, very real look at modern dating, but it did not totally win me over. I really liked the friendship between Maddie and Violet more than romance, and honestly, that was the heart of the book for me. Their dynamic felt natural, funny, and relatable, especially with all the awkward dates, bad decisions, and “why are we like this?” moments along the way.

The book has charm, and some parts made me smile because they felt so true to the chaos of dating in your 30s. I also appreciated that it focused a lot on female friendship, personal growth, and figuring out what you want instead of just chasing romance.

That said, it took me quite a while to get into (over halfway), and the pacing felt a little uneven at times. Some scenes were really entertaining, while others just didn’t land as well for me.

★★★

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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