Drinking My Way Through 14 Dating Sites

by Tiffany Peón

Sick of feeling heartbroken over her most recent breakup and underwhelmed by the rest of her life, Tiffany Peon decided to embark on a social experiment. Over the course of one year, she used fourteen different online dating sites including Craigslist, speed dating and The Atlasphere, a site for fans of Ayn Rand. Through drunken interactions with strangers, she learned the ins and outs of the online dating world and eventually found her way back to the relationship that started it all.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Comedy, Humor

67 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 14, 2012

Reviews

[Jess · Rating 2 out of 5]

This Kindle single popped up on Amazon and I knew I had to read it as a contrast to Not a Match: My True Tales of Online Dating. However, I didn't find Peon likeable and thus didn't blame her dates for the not-so-disasterous encounters that ensued. Furthermore, Peon lost all credibility when she started dating her ex-boyfriend but continued through the dating sites to finish her project.

[Natasha Lane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting for a Quick Read, Not Remarkable

This book has been on my tbr list for some time. From the cover to the title to the blurb the book pulls you in. I knew I had to buy it and I have to say, I'm not disappointed.

The title was very clear. I read about a woman who literally drank her way through several online dating sites. Initially, the concept kept me afloat. You have to admit it's a unique one.

I enjoyed reading about Tiffany's different dating experiences, her up and down confidence, and the funny situations she found herself experiencing. As someone who has done online dating and is part of the millennial generation, I could relate to a lot if what she wrote. I got some of her references, I enjoyed her jokes and I respected the similar situations she and I had experienced.

Where the book fell short was in my expectation. As I continued reading, I realized the book was written in a very shallow manner. Tiffany totes about how she learned so much from her online dates and though I don't doubt it, these lessons didn't come through in the novel. She mentioned some epiphanies but not many and when she did, Tiffany didn't go into much detail. I wanted depth. I wanted more.

Additionally, there were moments the writing was a little hard to follow. Thoughts just weren't connecting and weren't flowing in these moments. Honestly, I think the story came off as more of a quick money maker than an actual novel--the baby of a writer who puts their all into it.

There was also some whining. Tiffany is going through a rough period in her life which she discusses but then so many things are going well for her. I mean unemployment sucks but if you can afford an apartment in NY, have the chance to live with your best friends, and can bounce between jobs so easily, how bad can it be?

Still, I enjoyed some of the insights and found the author quirky. Not something I'd read again but something I'm glad I did read.

[Michele · Rating 2 out of 5]

Under the Kindle Single section but not labeled as such. Interesting enough but not funny. I mean there were a few ha-ha’s but definitely not enough for my expectations. This was not what I was looking for, wanted,or needed.

[Eliabeth Hawthorne · Rating 2 out of 5]

How do you judge a person's memoir? That's so personal that I hate to give it two stars, but it's what I think it deserves. From the title, I was expecting something witty with colorful descriptions of dates that made Tiffany want to drink herself under the table. I was expecting to laugh so I hard I cried. I think I said "ha" once and snorted once... and that was it. Nothing colorful (not compared to what I was expecting at least). Nothing worthy of this title even though there was alcohol and there were 14 dating sites. It was more a book about self discovery than it was about dating and / or dating sites.

[Christa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very good for what it was. It is a very short, easy read and only cost $2.99! Tiffany is funny and I think many single women can relate to some of her stories. "I was asked what I did for fun...Every time I am asked this question, I become instantly insecure about my fun having abilities. Do I have no fun? How can I be having fun if I don't know what I do to have fun." I instantly thought "I know! All I can ever think to say is read, go drinking with my friends and watch a lot of TV (seriously a lot of TV)"

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Short, undetailed essays that pretty much do nothing but highlight her need for AA and/or counseling. I still don't understand why she embarked on the project, I don't think she does either. This was as unfulfilling as each and every single one of her dates.
Not funny or well written. A complete waste of time.

[Angela · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was disappointed in this book. I've been on a few ridiculous internet dates in my life so I thought this would be funny. She doesn't actually tell you any stories about the dates. It just devolves into "eh it was weird and I drank and high fived". She also talks about her ex-boyfriend a lot.

[Julia · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought this series of essays would be more relatable to 20 something’s who dabble in online dating. However the author wasn’t truly getting the full experience as she was in a quasi-relationship the whole time.

[C · Rating 1 out of 5]

Crazy lady needs AA not online dating

[Anita · Rating 1 out of 5]

She did not list all of the sites and her attitude is not appealing to me. I understand why no one contacted her again. Also she drink too much. I wish she would have taken the experiment more seriously, I think it would have been more interesting.

[Katie Tate · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy read but the dating stories aren't the funniest or more memorable.

[Bryan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had to give up. Maybe I'm too old. My Kindle says I got 43% through it.

I can see why the author would have a popular blog (all of the "chapters" felt like short blog posts in a frustrating way--interesting potential stories were mentioned as asides and then abandoned forever). This book felt like tangentially related blog posts put together with little editing, thought, or care.

One chapter, she discusses how she refuses to date men that are the least bit fat, and how she has ended up on a date with a slightly overweight guy by mistake. She says, "I spent a lot of the date feeling like a bad, judgmental person because I knew there was no way I'd ever be attracted to him due to my one superficial requirement" (location 291 of 815 in my Kindle). Look, we are all attracted to certain types. I get that. But the author doesn't get to say that she doesn't like overweight guys, and then try to garner sympathy from her readers because she was "feeling like a bad, judgmental person." If she's going to write about this, she needs to own it.

[M Grant · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was disappointing and not funny, the only reason I finished reading it was that it too about 43 minutes to skim, and I kept hoping for some glimmer of something redeeming. Negative ghost writer. Even her "wrap up" at the end was pointless...
I cannot imagine how boring this woman's blog must have been, and why she felt this book needed publishing, it was ridiculous.
Halfway through, she negates the whole purpose of the "experiment" but dating her ex boyfriend again.
None of the stories were memorable, or funny, or even presented in a humorous light.
Sigh.
I truly wish I had come to GoodReads before I bought this, $2 wasted... And I am a little angry about it actually.

[Theresa Sivelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, a friend posted a review on this one and I found the title and thought behind it interesting and as it was a short book thought I would give it a read. I thought it was funny, but not hysterical. I also thought that it gave some good advice and helped her (and maybe some readers) to learn more about herself and maybe helped her get to where she needed to be to make her relationship with the man she loved work.

[Katische Haberfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to this as an audio book. It was light hearted and made me laugh out loud. Sure she's not trying to change the world, or find true love, (aren't all New Yorker's doing a project of some kind with a blog attached?)but it is an interesting insight into the life of a twenty something. Having internet dated myself it was interesting to hear a different perspective.

Fun to listen to for a commute or a beach read.

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this. Tiffany always seems to write so eloquently in describing the feelings of young adults across the country. I laughed along with her realizing a lot of her stories are likely some of our own. She is absolutely hysterical, and I can't wait to see more from her! Such a great read. Seriously excited to review it on my blog in the next couple weeks.

[Maryellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This Single was lightly entertaining, which I'm pretty sure was the intent - some of the information was downright amusing. I liked the twist at the end, and the journey was well played if kind of pat.

[Cindy Vine · Rating 2 out of 5]

As an experiment, trying out different dating sites and writing about the dating experiences in a blog, it could have been a great deal funnier than it was. It became more of how to get back with an ex-boyfriend. It was okay, but it was a great idea that wasn't fully developed or explored.

[Janelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining! Each chapter was full of funny scenarios about what went right or wrong with all of the dates.
She did a good job describing which online dating sites to avoid and which ones that are worth your time.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Nice Break

Quick read, light hearted. Was just a nice break from all of the nonfiction and classical literature I've been reading lately. I could absolutely relate, and was entertained. If I was still single, I think I would have definitely started following her blog, etc

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Short and ill conceived. Entertaining at times, but when she re-unites with her boyfriend half way through her "Adventure" it was clear she was just doing it to get a book out of it.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I could relate to much of this having had my own adventures in online dating. Short, but entertaining.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really expected this to be funnier. Maybe I'm just too old to relate. It's only around 75 pages so it's a very quick read.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny, cute, and a quick read!

[Marge Fay]

Eh

[Lene · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay book but too little details about her dates - I thought I was walking into some good stories but no, not really..

[Paula Kirman · Rating 2 out of 5]

A few funny moments here in this comparison of dating services (mostly online), but the author comes across as a shallow alcoholic.

[Alejandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars.

[Yesenia Serrano · Rating 3 out of 5]

Is a light hearted book. I was glad to see I was not the only one!!!

[Roslyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Lacked important details and was very choppy. Some funny moments but not worth the time.