Dating-ish by Penny Reid Review
5 Smooches
Synopsis
There are three things you need to know about Marie Harris: 1) She’s fed up with online dating, 2) She’s so fed up, she’s willing to forego the annoyance and consider more creative alternatives, and 3) She knows how to knit.
After the most bizarre and irritating first date in the history of humankind, Marie is looking for an alternative to men. With the help of her friends, she quickly identifies a few possibilities:
Need a cuddle? Use a professional cuddler. Need affirmation? Get yourself a life coach. Need an orgasm? Try orgasm meditation! Why does she need the hassle of a romantic partner when she can meet all her needs with paid services?
But then her irritating date resurfaces. And he’s not at all the person she thought he was. And he suggests a different—and crazier—solution to her dilemma . . .
As everyone knows (or will soon come to realize), traditional relations between humans are a thing of the past. Robots are our future. And if robots are our future, then why do we need other people at all?
Review
‘Forget men and romance. The answer to my aching loneliness would be all the cats.’
As readers we were warned by Penny Reid that this book was different, odd, pushing the boundaries of a romance. What she failed to mention was how much of a beautiful slow burn love this would be. Not only was the story unlike anything I have read but the characters were fascinating and the sexual tension off the charts.
‘I was not his girlfriend. I would never be his girlfriend. His battles were not my battles unless they were suitable for a friend. Just friends. Forever just friends.’
Journalist and frustrated dater, Marie Harris, poses the question . . . can we replace real relationships with paid services? Her journey leads her to a professional cuddler, an orgasm meditation specialist and back to a failed online date with robotics engineer Matt. Matt is working on an artificial intelligence capable on emulating compassion making it perfect for those people choosing not to get tangled into the messy world of relationships. Matt, oh Matt I loved him so much. He was awkward and at times frustratingly self conscious but be was sweet and so obviously in love with he that it would have been impossible not to fall hard for him while reading.
“I want to deserve you.”
To live inside Penny Reid’s brain for a day would be like a trip to Disney, magical and completely unique. The ideas she comes up with just leave me in complete awe of her ability to not only craft a story but her executing is so thorough and brilliant that I am left unable to move on to another book for days after.
~miranda
