The Dating Debacle

by Erin Lisbeth

Sofia works at Plants, Pottery & Books, a sweet little shop where she spends her time freelancing, daydreaming about writing a novel, and hanging out with Ben, her charming co-worker. After rejecting a sudden proposal from her boyfriend, she finds herself stuck in a rut, soon slipping into a mundane routine of takeout, TV, and hanging out with her cat, Bob.

When approached by Lace & Dots magazine to cover an online dating segment, Sofia seizes the chance to spice up her life. She thinks, what’s the worst that could happen if she just swipes right? Sofia quickly finds herself swept up in a whirlwind of disastrous dates, adventures, and conflicting feelings.

While Sofia embarks on this new chapter with the enthusiastic support of her best friends, Lucy and Briar, Ben’s reaction is quite the opposite. Butterflies flutter, emotions collide, and Sofia finds herself confused and uncertain about which path to take.

Sofia must decide what sacrifices she's willing to make. Can she really pull off having a career, writing a novel, and landing her dream guy?

296 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 6, 2024

About the author

Erin Lisbeth is a Canadian romance author with a diploma in creative writing and a love for Happily Ever Afters. When she’s not curled up with a good book, watching Hallmark movies, or reality TV, she’s writing quirky, relatable characters. Outside of writing, Erin enjoys meditating, practicing yoga, and hitting the road for her next adventure.

Benefits Included is now available for preorders:
CAN: https://a.co/d/gvJrazj


The Dating Debacle is available on Amazon, Kindle, Kobo, Indigo, Barnes and Noble, and Apple.

CAN: https://a.co/d/0fQCECBv
USA: https://a.co/d/0iljTbqX

Follow me on Instagram @erinlisbeth_

Reviews

[Mélanie Gagné · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute little romance novel, a good vacation read! Light, easy to read. I was instantly curious to see what would happen to Sofia, the main character who is out to seek love.

[Theresa Munroe · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was quick to get through mainly because I skimmed it. I couldn’t connect with the main character and I thought she was quite annoying. I also didn’t enjoy the writing style, which was unfortunate.

[Mel Leroux · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a super well written book and you wouldn’t think it was her first book! Definitely flowed super easy and held my attention. If you like reading friends to romance books I suggest you give this one a try!

[Lexie Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun and easy read. My only critique is the writing style which I found to be a little choppy with many short sentences but otherwise I enjoyed the book. I smiled throughout and laughed out loud on a few occasions. I enjoyed the characters and appreciated the accuracy of the sad truth of the online dating scene.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

a very fast paced book, so i didn’t really enjoy the timing of anything, but i loveddddd the idea of the book. plus, FREAKING BEN OH MY GOSH i wanted him so bad the whole time he’s such a fine ass MAN BOY UGHHHHHHH
i also found the end to be not exactly what i wanted, and a little too predictable. but it’s fine i still enjoyed reading it.

[Shane Blondin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The storyline kept me engaged and kept me wanting to read more. It was hard to put the book down! Like the storyline, I found the characters very relatable, funny, and well created. This is definitely a must-read.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Dating Debacle is a fun book about a girl leaving a relationship she’s outgrown and trying new ventures into online dating. As someone who has dabbled in online dating, the events were quite realistic. We are shown that looks and a catchy one-liner aren’t necessarily what we should be looking for when browsing and app and that personality is what matters. In the end, be true to who you are, be open to new experiences and trust your intuition because we all have one!
“Fall in love with yourself first, and maybe don’t try so hard. He, She, or They could be right in front of you.”

The writing style is first person but in my opinion it reads more like a manuscript for a tv show or movie than it does a novel. Everything is told in a direct way which leaves little room for the reader to visualize creatively while reading. Some of the descriptive words and sentences are repetitive which leads to a circular narrative.

Overall I enjoyed this light read.

[James B · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read from start to end. I've never read any book that would be considered a romance novel, but this was a phenomenal introduction into that world - if even just for a toe dip.

Right off the bat, the characters start off being quite relatable. Even as they grow and change, bits remain that I couldn't help but feel attached to. Every character had traits I can relate to, or have encountered situations I've also encountered. Maybe that's what made it so enjoyable.

While I can't say I will load up my library with romance novels, this book has helped me broaden my horizons just a bit more - and that itself is such a treat that I will definitely keep an eye out for more delightful reads like this.

[Alyssa Palme · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Dating Debacle is a fun, feel-good rom-com that blends the flirty chaos of Sex and the City with the charm of How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. Sophia is a lovable, messy lead (Kate Hudson would be perfect in the movie version!), and her chemistry with Ben is undeniable. I especially enjoyed the cozy, unique setting of the Plants, Pottery, and Books shop where they worked. The friendships in the story were warm and genuine, adding heart to all the laughs and romantic tension. Congratulations on a wonderful debut, Erin!

[Kayla · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not enjoy this book. The sentences where short and felt like someone trying to hit a word minimum for an essay. The use of moutard (pronounced moo-tard) toward people the main character thought was not smart, was very off putting. Seemed like the author wanted to use another word that rhymes with that, and isn't accepted anymore for good reason. the characters still not being together and trying to introduce more problems with only 20 pages left was also not my thing.

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️

I had a hard time getting through this book! I feel like the story line had so much potential, but the writing style was not good. 😬 🤷‍♀️

[Leah Hortin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Plot had potential but the writing didn't do it justice. Too many mundane details, not enough relationship development. Closed door.

[Leah Lindeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️The Dating Debacle by Erin Lisbeth is a sweet friends to lovers romcom that warms the heart with declarations of love using doughnuts and a grumpy orange cat.

After rejecting a proposal from her longtime boyfriend, Sofia gets stuck in the everyday cycle of wake up, work, and hangout with Bob the cat and Ben, her sweet, charming co-worker.

When she gets the chance of a lifetime to write an article for an high profile magazine she’s dreamed of working for, she says yes to swiping right, salsa dancing and inadvertently getting catfished, all leading to discoveries about herself and Ben that leave her reeling and more uncertain than ever before.

Will she live a contrived life based on false expectations or choose to live one that’s true to love and making dreams come true.

The pacing of the novel and Sofia’s date adventures make this book a page turner. I would have loved to have seen more of Sofia and Ben’s friendship before she has the opportunity to go on the series of dates for the magazine. Overall, this is a great read for lovers of cute romcoms and book enthusiasts.