Right place. Right time. Wrong guy … ‘The novel equivalent of binge watching a tv series…”just one more chapter, who cares if it’s 2am!” It’s exactly the sort of novel you need with so much chaos in the world’ Sarah, Reader review After breaking up with her childhood sweetheart, clueless dater Rosie has found herself in a boyfriend-drought. So when she finally swipes right on a guy who seems … boyfriend-drought. So when she finally swipes right on a guy who seems interested, she can’t wait to meet up in person.
Until she’s left standing alone. In a bar. Stood up.
Enter Noah. Confident, funny … and a serial first dater. Offering to give Rosie a crash course in seduction, this could be just what she needs. Until her matchmaker turns out to be the best date she’s ever had – and Rosie wonders if she wants the fake dates to be the real ones after all …
A hilarious, heartwarming romantic comedy about what happens when the wrong guy turns up at the right time, perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella and Mhairi McFarlane.
From the USA Today bestselling author of The Wedding Date!
Readers are loving The First Date:
‘Exactly the kind of great contemporary romance I’ve come to expect …A really fun read!’ Sinead
‘If you’re looking for a cute romantic comedy, look no further!’ MIchelle
‘A lovely and romantic novel that drew me in and never let go…couldn’t stop reading!’ Julia
‘Loved this book!’ Rachel
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First, I want to thank Zara Stoneley, One More Chapter and NetGalley for providing this book so I may bring you this review.
The First Date by Zara Stoneley is an incredibly cute and funny read that many can relate to. This book will make you smile and laugh out loud at times. Not to mention you may be able to relate to it at times.
I absolutely loved the front cover of The First Date. The cup of coffee with the heart foam was perfect! Loved the font layout and the colors as well. Kudos to the Graphic Designer on this cover.
There were so many aspects of this book I totally related to the main character. So much so I found myself cracking up laughing at the character! You have to love all the references to Tinder, online dating, not looking like your online profile pic, and shaving habits.
My fave part of the storyline where this guy wanted to give her pointers on how to go on first dates. Who does or says that in real life?!
If you are looking for a fun and comical read pick this one up.
Very cute.
This is a super cute and sweet novel.
This is the first book I’ve read by this author, but it definitely won’t be the last, I absolutely loved it! It was effervescent with sparkling humour .Rosie and Noah are the main protagonists They meet in a bar after Rosie is stood up on her first tinder date. .The fact they are polar opposites only adds to the entertainment with their witty verbal sparring.
Noah undertakes the task of teaching Rosie the art of flirtation to boost her confidence. He is a serial first dater and runs away from commitment. She has Daddy issues and needs stability in her relationships.
I was quickly drawn into the storyline and didn’t want to put the book down once I’d started it.
This was such an enjoyable, feel good fix , with an uplifting happily ever after .
I thoroughly recommend it.
I received a copy of the book from #Netgalley in exchange for an honest review and all thoughts are my own and unbiased
I’ve read one other book by this author, The Wedding Date, and I enjoyed it, so when this book came up I was excited to read it as well. Like the that book, this one was a sweet romance. Noah was really sweet, and funny, but I totally got where at times Rosie was confused by him. Because he told her he was a serial dater, and did nothing to change her mind about it. Said he wasn’t good enough for her, and that she deserved a man that was able to love. While in a way his issues were similar to players in other romances, the reason behind his fear of commitment was a lot different, or at least done differently and made me sad and want him to realize he deserved a girl like Rosie and love for himself. Rosie was funny, and in some ways I loved a lot of the things she felt and did, and her dating app experiences were so similar to my own in some ways that I connected with her on that. I wasn’t a huge fan of how she kept comparing Noah to her dad, as if he was a bad guy like her dad obviously was. It wasn’t fair, because even though Noah said he wasn’t going to ever be a one woman kind of guy, he was never doing anything to hurt anyone like her dad was.
I have to say while I was unsure about her mother for a lot of the book, once her mom called and asked her to find out how to contact a certain person from her father’s life, I got the inkling that her mom wasn’t as much of a pushover as she seemed, and I loved how that all worked out in the end.
Once again the sex scenes were pretty close to fade to black, which always leaves me a little unsatisfied. But that’s my own preference. And there were also a lot of British types of slang that slowed me down as an American, but not enough that I still didn’t enjoy the book. I could definitely see reading more by this author in the future.
Favorite Quotes:
I go out looking for men, but I just find wankers and bell-ends.
He has missed birthdays, holidays and even Christmas on one memorable occasion – memorable because I have never heard my mum scream so loud or threaten to cut off his goolies and hang them from the highest branches of the tree. Quite honestly, at eight years old this held a morbid fascination and I did wonder what colour string she’d use and if she’d drape tinsel round them.
He chuckles, and it’s a rich, chocolatey sound that makes me squeeze my hands together, hunch my shoulders and want to rush round in circles laughing like an excited cartoon princess.
This could be like agreeing to enter a shark cage just because you want to look at the pretty penguins that they’re about to eat.
I really could have grabbed Noah and kissed him. As in totally snogged his face off. Tonsils, tongues and tits as my mate at school used to say when we were young and hormonally challenged.
…come on get a move on we’ve only got two hours and three minutes to get you defuzzed and looking completely au-naturel. And we all know that takes bloody ages! Can’t you just go for tarty and high-maintenance? I can achieve that in half an hour flat.
My Review:
I always enjoy losing myself to Zara Stoneley’s giggle-snort and smirk-worthy levity, wry wit, and endearingly awkward and quirky characters who tend to be more than a bit chipped, frayed, or fully cracked. This cleverly penned, maddeningly paced, slowly evolving, and highly amusing tale appeared to be a hybrid of women’s fiction, romantic/comedy, family drama, and slow-burn romance. I adore Ms. Stoneley’s comedically descriptive, multi-faceted, and well-nuanced writing style; she entertains while requiring me to expend a bit of effort to get there, which flavors that HEA all the sweeter.
And I picked up a naughty little entry for my Brit Word List with bell-end – which appears to be vulgar British slang for the end of the penis as well as a contemptible or foolish person. Like Rosie’s friend Bea, I’ve swum in that dating pool as well 😉
This story grabbed me right from the start, giving me more than I had anticipated. I was sucked right in, happy to power through the story. With moments that will put a smile on your face, this one is certainly worth the read. Can’t wait to see what this author brings out next. Totally looking forward to reading the next book. Happy reading everyone!
Rosie had broken up in the past year with her long time boyfriend. Then she found out he had moved on. A new relationship, a new location, and it all made her feel as if she could not move on. So she gets herself out there.
Noah meets Rosie when she is stood up by her date. The no show provides the opportunity he needs to talk to such a beautiful woman. He is instantly attracted to her. She lets him know how not interested she is right away. Then they can be friends and he can help her. Unless he is the best date she has ever had?
This was a new author for me. I was happily surprised when the story turned out to be so sweet with a some serious sexy thrown in. The characters were obviously meant to be. Together they are both happier about life. I found myself not wanting to put the book down. I could not wait to get to the end. Then I was sad I was at the end. Maybe we will get lucky and we see these cuties in later books? I enjoyed this one and hope to read more by this author.
***This early copy was given to me by Netgalley and its publishers, in exchange for my honest opinion and review.
The First Date is a sweet and entertaining story with a great plot and witty banter. Rosie decides to sign up for a dating app after being dumped by her first and long term boyfriend when she’s stood up on her very first date, she’s not interested in the stranger sitting next to her in the bar, she just wants to wallow alone for a minute. Enter Noah, he’s everything she thinks she doesn’t want, charming, too handsome, and too flirty, but she just can’t seem to resist him.
I really liked this story. I will confess that I was a little confused during the first chapter, it felt like it jumped around some, or was maybe missing a paragraph or two, but after that, it flowed well. I love this trope (there really aren’t many that I don’t like), Zara Stoneley did a great job with the slow development of the character’s feelings for each other. Rosie did have a lot of issues surrounding her dad, but I don’t think it was overplayed. Anyone who’s ever had similar situations can tell you it really can affect you on a soul-deep level. I loved Noah and his charm, we only get to see him through Rosies’ pov which I feel really adds to the feelings of the book. My favorite part of the whole story was Rosies’ mom confronting her dad, it was so amazing to see her stand up for herself after all those years. Overall this is a great light read. Thank you to the publisher for an ARC.