“Hilarious.” –Cosmopolitan A laugh-out-loud, tongue-in-cheek guidebook filled with hilarious and helpful advice–from how to dodge family members’ unwanted questions about babies to successfully creating a fake partner during wedding season–for anyone trying to survive and thrive in the midst of singledom. Perfect for fans of Hey Ladies! and Single State of Mind. So, you’re single. Whether … of Mind.
So, you’re single. Whether existing sans partner is a new state of being or you’ve been on this solo journey for a while, the fact of the matter is this: being single is actually awesome.
You can do whatever you want, travel wherever you want, and be your truest, most free self. But there are a lot of people out there–your mom, your married best friend, the wedding industry, society–who see things differently. To them, singledom is something to avoid at all cost, no matter how many times you tell them you love your life the way it is. The limit does not exist when it comes to telling Aunt Carol you still don’t want to be set up with her neighbor’s ex-stepson.
Now, Melissa Croce gives you the tips, tricks, and sage advice you need to graciously endure all of the cringe-worthy scenarios your single self may dread, from awkward small talk with an ex to navigating well-meaning but insensitive relatives. And it helps you truly flourish in your singledom, offering activities like quizzes aimed at helping you find a new hobby and tarot spreads for that cozy Saturday night in. Part real-world guide, part commiseration, and part celebration, Single and Forced to Mingle will steer you through the ups and downs of being single, reminding you just how good it feels to be free.
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When I received this book I was so pleasantly surprised because not only could I use the funny but relevant tips and advice, but so could my daughter. We completely related to situations that sometimes leave one of us in situations where we have no words, don’t know how to react or respond. This was the perfect situation solver in many occasions that you find yourself in when you are single. I love the the drafted fill in the blank narrative that can be used when discussing one of many of your family or friends attempts to hook you up. Such a lighthearted take on being single and let’s you see the perks to enjoy until your next relationship. My daughter related to things I’ve never tried like dating apps and other young 20 year olds may go through and I on the other hand could relate just as well in my 40’s. Together this book was a hands down 5 and I recommend to anyone who wants to break the myth that being single is such a bad thing.
Single and Forced to Mingle is light-hearted and full of sarcastic humor. I’m clearly not the target reader, but I do have children within the target age which I thought would make this an intriguing read. The author’s “advice” felt glib like it is coming from a romantic comedy about finding a fake date to bring to family functions.
The author’s attempt at inclusion made the point of the book confusing. Are readers supposed to want corroboration that being single is great, find reasons to justify being single, need instructions for being a happy single, or are they in need of instruction on how to meet potential partners/dates?
I didn’t care for the layout and the advance copy didn’t have a table of contents (which I was hoping would help me figure out how the book is organized). The author’s attitude toward family is disheartening. While perpetual questions about one’s relationship status can be exhausting (been there, done that), family members asking about you is their way of showing interest in you.
With section titles like “Tell Me How Your Last Relationship Ended and I’ll Tell You which Chain Restaurant You Should Eat Your Feelings At”, I had to wonder if the book was really meant to be self-help or a farce. And yet, the use of characters from popular television shows/movies as role models seems like a quintessential millennial thing to do.
As previously stated, I’m clearly not the intended target audience as the book just didn’t work for me.
I absolutely loved this book. I saw that it had received a few negative reviews, which made me feel a little hesitant starting out. However, I think it may have just been a bad fit for those reviewers. It reads like a love letter to single, childless, millennials. As one, I picked up on the brand of humor we use to cope. No we are not all tragic but one of the fun things about being a single millennial is adding a dramatic flair to nonsense “social requirements”. I related to about 98% of this book. Everyone is always asking about marriage and babies and all other constructs that the world has placed on single people. This isn’t a book that teaches you how to join society the way people expect you to. It’s simply about loving who you are and where you’re at. I don’t think this book is for everyone. If you don’t fit into the category of single millennial, this book probably isn’t for you. That said, I think everyone needs a book out there that just captures who they are as a person. This book did that for me!