What do you think?
Rate this book
The Last Blind Date
A fun, charming memoir about a woman who falls in love, packs her bags, and starts over in the city that eats its young.
316 pages, Paperback
First published October 4, 2011
17 people are currently reading
704 people want to read
About the author
Linda Yellin
3 books71 followersLinda Yellin's new novel, WHAT NORA KNEW, an homage to Nora Ephron and romantic movies, about a cynical journalist who’s assigned to write about romance Nora-style and flunks out big time, will be published by Simon & Schuster in January, 2014.
Her memoir, THE LAST BLIND DATE, about moving to New York for love but finding condo boards, contractors, step-children, private schools, Ivy League name-droppers, and the challenge of making new girlfriends all waiting for her, too, was published in 2011 by Simon & Schuster. Her first novel, SUCH A LOVELY COUPLE, was reissued by Simon & Schuster the same year.
Previously, she spent an inordinate number of years in the advertising industry, where she worked at Needham, Harper & Stears (now DDB), J. Walter Thomson (now JWT), Foote, Cone and Belding (now DraftFCB) and Ogilvy and Mather (now Ogilvy). Tired of all her employers changing their names, she changed careers.
Linda was an ongoing guest on SiriusXM Radio's women's talk show, Broadminded, and has published many national magazine pieces, including several short stories featuring an ongoing character, Daphne Bogin, for Redbook magazine, as well as humor pieces and essays for More magazine.
Her memoir, THE LAST BLIND DATE, about moving to New York for love but finding condo boards, contractors, step-children, private schools, Ivy League name-droppers, and the challenge of making new girlfriends all waiting for her, too, was published in 2011 by Simon & Schuster. Her first novel, SUCH A LOVELY COUPLE, was reissued by Simon & Schuster the same year.
Previously, she spent an inordinate number of years in the advertising industry, where she worked at Needham, Harper & Stears (now DDB), J. Walter Thomson (now JWT), Foote, Cone and Belding (now DraftFCB) and Ogilvy and Mather (now Ogilvy). Tired of all her employers changing their names, she changed careers.
Linda was an ongoing guest on SiriusXM Radio's women's talk show, Broadminded, and has published many national magazine pieces, including several short stories featuring an ongoing character, Daphne Bogin, for Redbook magazine, as well as humor pieces and essays for More magazine.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 167 reviews
September 8, 2011
I've been mourning Wendy Wasserstein for years - and here's an author with the same warm, funny wit and insightful charm. Welcome, Linda Yellin! So many memoirs are just plain out depressing and this one kept me smiling throughout. There are real issues - taking a risk for love - should you give up your life to move to a new city when you can never really be sure if the guy's worth it (this one definitely is); taking on stepchildren (the family scenes are reminiscent of the best of Erma Bombeck); being ostracized at a job in television (clearly Lifetime for Women although disguised in the book); and the sheer loneliness of not having girlfriends in a new city. (The chapter "Dating for Girlfriends" is both poignant and hilarious.) This is a terrific read that you'll want to share with your own girlfriends.
September 11, 2011
The echelon of smart, knowing, hilarious women writers is a rarified group. Tina Fey. Nora Ephron. At one point Fran Leibowitz. Maybe it’s more difficult for us to laugh at ourselves, maybe we were taught at a young age to laugh at the boys’ jokes but not tell our own. Whatever it is, when I discover a woman humorist who puts herself out there and makes me laugh with genuine glee – I want to share the news. The Last Blind Date is reason to wonder where Linda Yellin has been hiding. Her voice is refreshing and her sense of humor is pure perfection. And best of all, she’ll have you believing that despite everything you may believe, love is still possible at any age. This one’s a keeper.
November 5, 2011
I heard comparisons to the author with Nora Ephron and Wendy Wasserstein and was eager to read the book. The comparisons are not only apt but Linda Yellin's voice as a writer is relatable in a fresh way from any other funny women writers. This woman lays it out there with her heart and a sublime sense of humor. As soon as I finished the book I wished I could call her up and say: how about coffee? That's how approachable and captivating an author she is. Whether you've been through a later in life romance, been a part of a stepfamily, fired from what should have been a dream job, or moved to a new city and reinvented yourself in the interest of love - there will be something in this book that makes you say: I know just how that is, and yes - it's time to laugh about it. A fun fun happy read.
September 16, 2011
I have always been a huge fan of Erma Bombeck and felt there has never been another writer to take her place until I read this book. Much of the story is about the author's charming romance and laugh out loud observations as she starts life over in New York City, but for me her interactions with her new step-children as she struggles to be part of a ready-made family are pure Erma Bombeck fun. Yellin writes with tremendous wit and honesty -you ache for her and laugh with her. From page one her story is a joy ride.
October 28, 2011
I adored this memoir! Yellin has a razor-sharp wit that ranks right up there with Dorothy Parker. You'll laugh from cover to cover. This is for anyone who has loved, lost and found the courage to love again. You will fall in love with Linda Yellin and THE LAST BLIND DATE. It's hilarious, honest and heartfelt. I seriously milked the last 40 pages because I didn't want it to end! Cannot wait to read more form this author!
December 23, 2015
As a general rule, memoirs irritate me. It's the lack of objectivity and the natural inclination to paint oneself as a heroine or use self-deprecating humor that still paints oneself as a heroine. I also tire of histrionics and airing other people's dirty laundry. I have found only a very few authors who have been able to write with enough objectivity while maintaining their own humanity that I have become a believer in some memoirs. This is one of them. (The other is Glass Castles by Jeannette Walls).
Linda Yellin is hilarious without sacrificing herself or others close to her in the name of writing a book. This is her story that brushes over her first marriage and what she gained from it then begins the real story a few years before she met Randy Arthur, her New York vice.
Linda starts as a single,thirty-something year old Chicagoan who had her niche carved out when she and Randy met up. He was going through a divorce and was trying to give his children as much normalcy as possible while he and their mother split. It's the story of their long courtship, wedding, and how a midwesterner learns how to survive and adapt in New York City.
What so few memoirists have accomplished is completed in this work of glory. How could Linda have the self-confidence to write about her insecurities of Randy comparing her Linda legs with his ex-wife's long, beautiful legs? She wrote about her first job in New York where she was underqualified and underloved. Never does she get into the finer points of who is right or wrong. She simply tells the story with enough humor that, even though it was a painful experience, it is incredibly funny.
My favorite part was about the gym. She joins a gym and describes the experience which sounds vaguely familiar in the back of my mind. I have a gym membership but I don't go. Once she finished the description, I realized why I don't go to the gym. The reason is clearly explained in the book but I can only sum it up in two words: High School. Wow. A shiver of terror just ran through my body.
I absolutely LOVED the chapters that included her parents then Randy's parents. They are the epitome of Jewish parents. As if I'd know. The only Jew I personally knew in the state of Utah moved to Alaska fifteen years ago. I think they closed the synagogue soon after. Still, the conversations are better than the best Seinfeld, and I loved Jerry's and George's parents.
Speaking of Linda's Jewishness, she writes with absolute beauty and amazing humor how she came to love her heritage and religious upbringing. In Chicago you keep your non-Christian roots a secret. In New York, Yom Kippur was sung by Broadway performers. Her response cracked me up. Also reminded me of my brother-in-law's response when he moved to Utah. He kept pointing out the churches he saw. They were on every corner, he surmised. We had to explain the demographics of the state to him. It took all of 30 seconds. So he married himself a nice woman from the Republic of Georgia and they found an Orthodox Christian church downtown. There's only one in the state.
But in New York, Linda found herself surrounded by Kosher foods, synagogues, Hasidic Jews and otherwise. She celebrated all of her holidays without feeling self-conscious. She also learned the subway system, how to pronounce "roof" and how to walk without getting mugged. Figured out how to be married and find friends. Loved it.
Linda Yellin is hilarious without sacrificing herself or others close to her in the name of writing a book. This is her story that brushes over her first marriage and what she gained from it then begins the real story a few years before she met Randy Arthur, her New York vice.
Linda starts as a single,thirty-something year old Chicagoan who had her niche carved out when she and Randy met up. He was going through a divorce and was trying to give his children as much normalcy as possible while he and their mother split. It's the story of their long courtship, wedding, and how a midwesterner learns how to survive and adapt in New York City.
What so few memoirists have accomplished is completed in this work of glory. How could Linda have the self-confidence to write about her insecurities of Randy comparing her Linda legs with his ex-wife's long, beautiful legs? She wrote about her first job in New York where she was underqualified and underloved. Never does she get into the finer points of who is right or wrong. She simply tells the story with enough humor that, even though it was a painful experience, it is incredibly funny.
My favorite part was about the gym. She joins a gym and describes the experience which sounds vaguely familiar in the back of my mind. I have a gym membership but I don't go. Once she finished the description, I realized why I don't go to the gym. The reason is clearly explained in the book but I can only sum it up in two words: High School. Wow. A shiver of terror just ran through my body.
I absolutely LOVED the chapters that included her parents then Randy's parents. They are the epitome of Jewish parents. As if I'd know. The only Jew I personally knew in the state of Utah moved to Alaska fifteen years ago. I think they closed the synagogue soon after. Still, the conversations are better than the best Seinfeld, and I loved Jerry's and George's parents.
Speaking of Linda's Jewishness, she writes with absolute beauty and amazing humor how she came to love her heritage and religious upbringing. In Chicago you keep your non-Christian roots a secret. In New York, Yom Kippur was sung by Broadway performers. Her response cracked me up. Also reminded me of my brother-in-law's response when he moved to Utah. He kept pointing out the churches he saw. They were on every corner, he surmised. We had to explain the demographics of the state to him. It took all of 30 seconds. So he married himself a nice woman from the Republic of Georgia and they found an Orthodox Christian church downtown. There's only one in the state.
But in New York, Linda found herself surrounded by Kosher foods, synagogues, Hasidic Jews and otherwise. She celebrated all of her holidays without feeling self-conscious. She also learned the subway system, how to pronounce "roof" and how to walk without getting mugged. Figured out how to be married and find friends. Loved it.
November 11, 2011
I absolutely love this book! Linda is such a talent; her humor is so full, fresh, and never ending - I laughed out loud throughout the entire thing. Her ability to look at herself, her loved ones, and her not-so-loved-ones with such an honest eye is admirable and inspiring, and because she opens herself up so completely, by the time you're done reading you feel more like you've just finished a fabulous gossip sesh instead of a full-length memoir. Linda's insight and humble social critique is illuminating and comforting; I think any woman will see at least some of herself in this story - and feel better to know she's not alone in that monster search for love.
October 7, 2011
A genre that continues to surprise me as one that engages me from cover to cover is the memoir. I never thought nonfiction would read like fiction and be so interesting. I mean my life is pretty boring. And Linda Yellin is an ordinary woman, but I think that is what makes her book so interesting. She's not a movie star, a talk show host or a broadway star. She's just a married woman like me trying to find her place in the world.
From the first page, Ms. Yellin's humor shines through, but there is more than humor in this book. There is pure emotion and feeling in each page. I feel her pain when she is looking for a friend when moving to New York, or when trying to navigate the waters of being a step parent (something I wouldn't want to do). I feel her joy when she finds love, or a good take out place. I feel the emotions with her in each chapter, she can make you feel like you are with her and because she is a normal everyday woman, you can sympathize with her on each page even if you have never been to New York like me, or never been a step parent or even married.
The Last Blind Date is a love story of Linda and Randy, how they meet, fall in love, have a long distance relationship, decide to marry and then how Linda moves to New York to be with Randy and his kids. This is where Linda's life changes and she changes. And this is where the book is so much more than a love story. It's the story of a woman who comes into her own over time. It's beautiful, inspiring and a book I truly believe all women at any age should read. There are lessons to be learned, inspiration to take away and laughs to be laughed on hard days that any woman has. That is what a reader can take from this book. That is what I took. Ms. Yellin has charmed me with her wit and her emotion. Her writing has inspired me to look around me and find what makes me happy in my current life and hold on to that. And most of all she's inspired me to not take things too seriously - to laugh at things from time to time because laughing is needed.
I can't end my review without mentioning one of my favorite chapters - "Private School Benjamin" - I have never laughed as hard as her take on the private schools and the lengths parents went to for their kids and the references to her public school education. Hysterical. You will have to read this book just to read this chapter - it's well worth it.
So check this out, it's worth the time, it's not a long book. It reads quickly and it's very enjoyable. Full of humor laughs and great moments. Have a tissue ready for the end if you cry at commercials some times. It's classic and great. I just cannot say enough great things about this book.
From the first page, Ms. Yellin's humor shines through, but there is more than humor in this book. There is pure emotion and feeling in each page. I feel her pain when she is looking for a friend when moving to New York, or when trying to navigate the waters of being a step parent (something I wouldn't want to do). I feel her joy when she finds love, or a good take out place. I feel the emotions with her in each chapter, she can make you feel like you are with her and because she is a normal everyday woman, you can sympathize with her on each page even if you have never been to New York like me, or never been a step parent or even married.
The Last Blind Date is a love story of Linda and Randy, how they meet, fall in love, have a long distance relationship, decide to marry and then how Linda moves to New York to be with Randy and his kids. This is where Linda's life changes and she changes. And this is where the book is so much more than a love story. It's the story of a woman who comes into her own over time. It's beautiful, inspiring and a book I truly believe all women at any age should read. There are lessons to be learned, inspiration to take away and laughs to be laughed on hard days that any woman has. That is what a reader can take from this book. That is what I took. Ms. Yellin has charmed me with her wit and her emotion. Her writing has inspired me to look around me and find what makes me happy in my current life and hold on to that. And most of all she's inspired me to not take things too seriously - to laugh at things from time to time because laughing is needed.
I can't end my review without mentioning one of my favorite chapters - "Private School Benjamin" - I have never laughed as hard as her take on the private schools and the lengths parents went to for their kids and the references to her public school education. Hysterical. You will have to read this book just to read this chapter - it's well worth it.
So check this out, it's worth the time, it's not a long book. It reads quickly and it's very enjoyable. Full of humor laughs and great moments. Have a tissue ready for the end if you cry at commercials some times. It's classic and great. I just cannot say enough great things about this book.
November 24, 2011
An absolute joy. I was given this book as a gift and started to read the first page as I usually do when examining a new book and next thing I knew I was engrossed. The writing is crisp and fresh, the humor the proverbial laugh-out-loud kind. I ended up reading lines and passages to my roommate which is indicative of how many topics are relatable. The author puts her heart and vulnerability on every page all while serving up a point of view that is optimistic and humorous. I called the friend who gave me The Last Blind Date and thanked her all over again. Now it's my favorite gift.
August 13, 2016
This is one big warm happy book. The author lives in Chicago and is working her way past a broken heart after the death of her first husband, but despite her grief she is willing to step out of her comfort zone, so when Randy calls her from New York and the conversation kicks off like the best dialogue in those old Katherine Hephurn-Spencer Tracy movies, a long distance romance begins. When they finally get together and Linda gives up her well-established life to move to New York she takes us along on her journey as she adjusts to being a stepmom, working in the television industry (not successfully) and finally builds a nest of her own. Her sparkling wit makes her a fabulous companion as you share the ups and downs of her joyride. And best of all about this love story, it is true.
October 16, 2011
Loved this book! After reading Such A Lovely Couple I knew I had found a new favorite author. Reading The Laast Blind Date felt like visiting with a long time best friend and I was sad when I came to the last page, yet, she leaves you uplifted. You will love her sense of humor even when she is dealing with heavy issues and you will find yourself laughing out loud. Linda proves that with love, humor, and friendship you can get through the dark times.
Thank you Linda for a great book, keep on writing, the world needs you!
Thank you Linda for a great book, keep on writing, the world needs you!
October 11, 2011
I'm not usually one to read Non-Fiction, especially memoirs. I just really don't find them interesting. I am so glad that I decided to step outside of my reading comfort zone and give The Last Blind Date a chance. I loved this book. It was full of humor, honesty, and insight. From the first page, I couldn't put it down and devoured it.
I won't give too much away, but the author writes about her long distance courtship with her husband and her decision to move to New York to marry him. The book is more than a love story, it is a peek into one woman's chance to start over and re-invent herself. The author gives us a peek into her anxieties and insecurities as she adjusts to a new city as well as adjusting to the new role of step-mother. I think the thing that appealed to me most about this book was that I could really identify with the author in so many ways. Who hasn't had to start over in a new job, new neighborhood and tried to make new friends? The Last Blind Date will be moving to my keeper pile. I definitely recommend this one ad think that it will end up in your keeper pile as well!
I won't give too much away, but the author writes about her long distance courtship with her husband and her decision to move to New York to marry him. The book is more than a love story, it is a peek into one woman's chance to start over and re-invent herself. The author gives us a peek into her anxieties and insecurities as she adjusts to a new city as well as adjusting to the new role of step-mother. I think the thing that appealed to me most about this book was that I could really identify with the author in so many ways. Who hasn't had to start over in a new job, new neighborhood and tried to make new friends? The Last Blind Date will be moving to my keeper pile. I definitely recommend this one ad think that it will end up in your keeper pile as well!
October 29, 2011
Having been a fan of Yellin's since her first memoir, "Such a Lovely Couple," I was definitely looking forward to this book. It did not disappoint. From the first page, I was hooked. Yellin has such sharp wit and keen intellect, yet she remains personable and down-to-earth. It's like reading a story told by your best friend. The reason memoirs are so wonderful, when written correctly, is that we realize the abundance of shared experiences we have with others, even if the experiences differ slightly. Yellin's writing only makes one hungry to read more of it.
July 20, 2011
Hysterical! What a great read! I LOVED THIS BOOK!! This is a witty funny story that will make you hopeful that there is life after a broken heart. It was a breath of fresh air to read a happy story instead of all the sad memiors out there. It touches on so many of everyday experiences and helps put them in a fresh and funny light. Enjoy!
July 26, 2011
This is a very fun, lighthearted yet poignant book. It is a journey that starts with going on a blind date and then finding yourself in a new city as a step-mom. It is a great romantic, and funny story, kinda reminded me of Erma Bombeck's stories.
September 14, 2011
The reader will learn about Linda's life to an almost embarrassingly honest degree. Linda provides some background information for the reader: who she married, why she divorced, what she did with her free time, and her regrets. She manages to recount her experiences to the reader without making everything sound depressing. Readers don't always like depressing, especially for long chapters-no need to worry with this book.
Linda attempts to date some other men that she is set up with, the vast majority are misses...then she meets Randy. Randy is the other side of Linda, he's funny and caring with his own quirks. She decides Randy might do. The rest of the memoir continues with Linda recounting how their relationship slowly developed with all the (un)usual bumps along the way. From expensive dinner parties to arguments over small expenses, Linda will have the reader laughing all the way. This memoir is terrific for young adults/adults.
Linda attempts to date some other men that she is set up with, the vast majority are misses...then she meets Randy. Randy is the other side of Linda, he's funny and caring with his own quirks. She decides Randy might do. The rest of the memoir continues with Linda recounting how their relationship slowly developed with all the (un)usual bumps along the way. From expensive dinner parties to arguments over small expenses, Linda will have the reader laughing all the way. This memoir is terrific for young adults/adults.
October 2, 2011
This up-tempo memoir is a gift. With nuanced humor and playful insights, Yellin's transition from Chicago to New York as an older bride, her relationship with her new husband and his children, and her quest to make New York feel like home kept me smiling throughout her journey. With all the news in the world today, this is the perfect time for a feel-good read and this book delivers magnificently.
October 30, 2011
A charming, smile-inducing journey that's inspiring and hope-filled for anyone who no longer believes in fairytales. I heard the author speak on radio and just loved her humor and point of view. As funny as she sounded in her interview, her memoir is one of those books you want to share with your girlfriends - especially the ones still looking for love. It's a gift worth passing along - an optimistic upbeat love story. As special as it gets.
September 9, 2011
I really enjoyed this book. It’s a fun, quick read and literally a page-turner since I kept waiting to see what crazy thing would happen next. This modern day memoir is not only a love story between a woman & a man, but a love letter to New York City. Yellin writes with a sense of humor that is both smart and strong. And the heartfelt ending gave me goose bumps – and that’s a good thing! I can’t wait to read her first book, “Such A Lovely Couple.”
September 18, 2011
It’s not often that I finish reading a book by an author and immediately hurry to find anything else she’s written. This memoir is great fun and a great love story. Plus it is filled with hope for finding the right person. I was surprised – and pleased – to discover an earlier novel by Yellin. Surprised that I’d never heard of her before, and pleased that I could read more of her writing. The first book, Such A Lovely Couple, is only available as an e-book. Glad I own a Nook.
October 5, 2011
I DEVOURED this book! I haven't done that in such a long time! Left a huge smile on my face. I fell in love with falling in love again! (Made me want to look up my favorite love quotes...hopeless romantic here.) There is so much fodder for book club discussions. It's not only heartfelt, but hilarious. Enjoy!!
December 13, 2011
This story is funny, warm, and told with a devilish sense of humor. To create drama out of the nuances and everyday observations of life is a special talent. (Hello, Jane Austen.) The story of Linda's move from Chicago to New York in the name of love is delightful. Maybe that's an old-fashioned word but it sums up how I feel about this memoir: Delightful.
December 5, 2011
A special special book. I started over in a new city as an adult (New York to LA) and Linda Yellin's wry observations about the challenges of making new friends (both painful and hysterical) and learning her way around a new city felt like my own emotions. It's not easy to begin anew later in life and she presents her story with tremendous humor and warmth. The scene where her girlfriends "stepmom experts" advise her about how to meet Randy's two kids should be read by anyone on the verge of stepmotherhood. This is a leaves-a-big-smile-on-your-face story and the best part is that it's a true story, offering inspiration for anyone on the brink of change.
August 20, 2016
As a stepparent I found this story to be completely honest. The author is conversational and forthright in a way that feels like she's in the same room telling you her life. The comparisons to Nora Ephron and other writers don't do justice to Yellin's unique skew on life. She is a totally original very very funny writer.
January 7, 2012
With so much cynicism and mean-spirited humor that fills our lives nowadays, how refreshing to read a book that is good-hearted and phenomenally witty. Linda Yellin's perspectives on how to get through both the smaller and major events of life is a testament to the power of laughter. Reading this is like falling in love. Giddy and hopeful and you'll just keep smiling.
December 9, 2011
Linda Yellin knocks it out of the ballpark with this engaging hysterical memoir. Reads like a novel but the fact that it's true makes it so much better. Totally relatable...stayed up all night finishing it. Makes me want to go on a blind date. I adored it.
October 25, 2011
What a laughfest. My girlfriend gave a copy to me as a gift and I'll be giving copies to my girlfriends as gifts. There are so many touchpoints and places you can't help but relate to as the author covers topics like making friends in a new city, adjusting to a new family, getting fired from what should be a dream job. And the love story part is hopeful and inspiring and full of fun. Filled with many laughs. Filled with many heartfelt adventures. As much fun as a book can be. Truly adored this story.
November 24, 2011
Can a book be any more fun that this one? I doubt it. I laughed so much while reading it on a bus home from work that the people sitting around me must have thought I was crazy. Well I am crazy about this author. Linda Yellin finds joy and humor in real life even when she's in the most painful or embarrassing situations. I'd give quotes from the book but I would not know where to begin. Just open the pages anywhere and start reading and you'll start laughing. I want a friend like Linda Yellin. After reading this book it feels like she is my friend. A very very funny friend.
September 24, 2011
It’s impossible not to care about the author as she struggles through a foreign culture that just happens to be New York. I really felt for her trying to make women friends later in life and to keep charging forward after her first dismal job. But ultimately this is a love story - albeit a keeps-you-smiling very funny one - between Linda and the husband who finally shows up in her life and the new city that becomes her home.
August 19, 2016
I totally totally loved everything about this book. The dialogue. Pacing. Characters. (do memoirs have characters? or should I say the real people?) Linda Yellin pulls no punches with her observations about love, commitment, families, and starting her life over in the name of love. The laughs are as genuine as it gets as well as the sweet moments, of which there are plenty. This is humor that's neither caustic nor sarcastic but comes from the heart. A real knock-out.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 167 reviews