50 Worst Dates

by Jane Laboucane

There are bad dates—and then there are disastrous ones. Canadian author Jane Laboucane has had her fair share of both. Meet the celebrity chef with kleptomania, the financial submissive with a desire to be dominated, the tech-worker with the ability to see dead people, and many more. In this hilarious collection of vignettes, Laboucane navigates the perils of modern dating with laugh-out-loud tales of her quest to find “The One.” A refreshingly cheeky, fun-loving journey, 50 Worst Dates will make you think twice about swiping right on that good-looking guy and remind you that laughter is sometimes the best approach to love.

"Hysterically funny, well-written, and engaging. . .[Laboucane] shines through as a witty, kind-hearted, and fun-loving observer." - Brooke Goode, Author

227 pages, Paperback

Published August 21, 2023

Reviews

[Kayleigh Wiebe · Rating 5 out of 5]

All aboard the hot mess express

They say that truth is stranger than fiction, and that’s certainly the case in Jane Laboucane’s essay collection reflecting on the worst dates she’s ever had. Her dating life sounded like an absolute shitshow (sometimes literally) and I was living for the trainwreck of the Babycakes chapters.

I laughed my ass off throughout this book and it’s best enjoyed with a glass of wine (or Coors Light) in hand, or after a night out recovering the next day, thinking about how much worse it could’ve been 😅

The kind of guys Jane went out with, my goodness! The drinking, the finance bros throwing around money, the celebrity connections—all so far out of my daily understanding of the world and I loved it!

I’d definitely recommend this book to you if you enjoy:
- Humour non-fiction and the comedy genre
- Reality TV-style hilarious antics & situations
- Short chapters!

Thanks so much to the author for providing us with an ARC of your book, I had so much fun reading it!

[Claire Perko · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was not for me. There was too much about a couple guys who were clearly not great. It was great that the author was so truthful. I just wasn't as entertained or intrigued as I was hoping to be.

[Nicole Shearer]

I loved these stories! Many times I would have the same reactions as the author to some of the things that were said and done by these men. I loved how the author would explain her blatant disregard for many of the red flags and just carry on and these aren't just bad dates where a date runs up a tab and doesn't pay, these are some ridiculously absurd situations! I know the author doesn't wish for a 50 Worst Dates part 2, but I was so entertained, I wouldn't mind another round!

[Amy Armitage · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re looking for a funny, relatable, quick read about a girl’s online dating experiences, her on-again-off-again boyfriend who suffers from commitment phobia, and a few WTF close calls with dodgy meet-ups, pick up a copy of ’50 Worst Dates’.

I found myself relating to a few of Jane’s incidents, even though online dating wasn’t a thing way back when I was still single – some of the guys I had met in a bar or club exhibited the same characteristics, mannerisms, or had similar outcomes – particularly her experiences with ‘Brent’, or ‘Mr Situationship’ as he is also called. I’m sure there’s a story or incident in this book that you (the reader) could relate to.

It’s written in short-story format, with each chapter being a stand-alone dating incident. It’s the perfect book to read at lunchtime, between appointments, or if you need something that’s easy to put down after a few pages – the chapters aren’t very long and don’t flow into each other.

Be warned though, you may find yourself laughing out loud, pulling strange faces involuntarily, or cringing in sympathy.

[Stephanie H · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jane has been on a number of interesting dates, and it’s time she shares them with the world.

I appreciated the writing style of this book immensely. In spite of the fact that it is not something I often read, and that Jane and I could not be more different, I read the entire book, which means the style hooked me in.

I would argue that the blunt honesty of some of the stories in this book did make it hard for me to like Jane at times, and I always want to root for the “main character” as it were. I was left a little bit disappointed by the fact that it was just a collection of stories without a real epiphany or any sense of growth.

While I enjoyed the stories and found them massively entertaining, it was for me, at most a pleasant evening read, which is why I would rate it 3.5 stars.

I received an advance copy of this book for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I finished the book, I did not find this as entertaining as I thought it would be, and was not overly invested in the stories.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout in exchange for an honest review.

[Margaret Linkear · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hysterical. Very entertaining read about beyond absurd dates.