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The App Trap
When Danny’s mother is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, he finds himself in a race against time to fulfil her wish for him… to find a soul mate.
Danny’s quest for love soon steers him into unfamiliar territory, and before long he’s introduced to a powerful new
Online dating.
But has he taken a wrong turn? Because neither serial dater Harry, nor fetish scene enthusiast Ben, seem like the type one brings home to mother, and time is quickly running out.
Will Danny find the love of his life, or is his chance of meeting the perfect man slipping away one date at a time?
The App Trap is a bittersweet journey into the world of the London dating circuit. You will laugh, you will cry, and you may never swipe again.
Danny’s quest for love soon steers him into unfamiliar territory, and before long he’s introduced to a powerful new
Online dating.
But has he taken a wrong turn? Because neither serial dater Harry, nor fetish scene enthusiast Ben, seem like the type one brings home to mother, and time is quickly running out.
Will Danny find the love of his life, or is his chance of meeting the perfect man slipping away one date at a time?
The App Trap is a bittersweet journey into the world of the London dating circuit. You will laugh, you will cry, and you may never swipe again.
204 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 29, 2025
15 people are currently reading
89 people want to read
About the author
Dan Calley
2 books13 followersDan Calley has been enjoying a tremendously enjoyable career as an audiobook narrator and voiceover artist for many years. Under different guises he has also been an actor, stand-up comedian and an award-winning podcaster.
After years of narrating hundreds of wonderful audiobooks, Dan carved out a niche in the romance genre, particularly in M/M romance. After working closely with many of the greatest authors in the genre, he decided to write his debut novel and create the universe of The Player’s Lounge.
After years of narrating hundreds of wonderful audiobooks, Dan carved out a niche in the romance genre, particularly in M/M romance. After working closely with many of the greatest authors in the genre, he decided to write his debut novel and create the universe of The Player’s Lounge.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
October 4, 2025
Love that Dan Calley, an acclaimed narrator of m/m, has branched out into writing. Unfortunately I don’t think his particular style of writing is for me. Which is a shame because I love dry British humour. Gonna stick to his narrations instead.
I don’t want this to sound like a hate list but these are feelings I jotted down into my notes during this book:
- trying too hard to be funny
- No connection to any character
- Zero romance
- No sex
- Exhausting to read
- Over saturated with funny quips
- Insta-love at the end
- Not a strong HEA
- very sad final scene
I tried really hard to get into this style of writing, just embracing it and going with the flow. It worked for about 60% then I was considering dnf and I regret pushing through.
The premise - Danny (is the MC really named after the author??) goes on serial dates via multiple dating apps. Many dates. None of them did much for me. Sadly I just didn’t care after the 3rd or 4th one.
We meet the love interest early on, they have a rather meh date and then both keep on dating serially via the apps. They end up getting back together in the final quarter but I felt no passion, no romance, no connection between them at all. Did they even talk?? Next minute ILY comes out of nowhere.
And THE ENDING Please turn away now if you dont want a major spoiler. But I WISH I HAD THIS WARNING.
The final scene is Danny’s mother dying. On page, after a short battle with breast cancer. Complete with repeated mention of death rattles. TRAUMATIC. Yes, in the beginning his mum is diagnosed with cancer but she features a lot in the book and was lovely, she is even going out on dates herself up until the very end when her cancer becomes suddenly aggressive. I really did not expect this to end so tragically. Especially for something with COMEDY IN THE TITLE.
The final scenes are the love interest being brought in to meet the mum, who is so near death she is unresponsive, stiff and doing the death rattle . The love interest is horrified. I am horrified. They leave the hospital. Danny gets a phone call - his mum has died. 3 sentences later the book ends.
No epilogue.
The final message is beautiful and has good meaning, that the mum is happy her son has found love and all. BUT THIS IS NOT WHAT I WAS EXPECTING IN A COMEDY.
Excuse me while I go and cry about a book I didn’t even like 😭
I don’t want this to sound like a hate list but these are feelings I jotted down into my notes during this book:
- trying too hard to be funny
- No connection to any character
- Zero romance
- No sex
- Exhausting to read
- Over saturated with funny quips
- Insta-love at the end
- Not a strong HEA
- very sad final scene
I tried really hard to get into this style of writing, just embracing it and going with the flow. It worked for about 60% then I was considering dnf and I regret pushing through.
The premise - Danny (is the MC really named after the author??) goes on serial dates via multiple dating apps. Many dates. None of them did much for me. Sadly I just didn’t care after the 3rd or 4th one.
We meet the love interest early on, they have a rather meh date and then both keep on dating serially via the apps. They end up getting back together in the final quarter but I felt no passion, no romance, no connection between them at all. Did they even talk?? Next minute ILY comes out of nowhere.
And THE ENDING Please turn away now if you dont want a major spoiler. But I WISH I HAD THIS WARNING.
The final scene is Danny’s mother dying. On page, after a short battle with breast cancer. Complete with repeated mention of death rattles. TRAUMATIC. Yes, in the beginning his mum is diagnosed with cancer but she features a lot in the book and was lovely, she is even going out on dates herself up until the very end when her cancer becomes suddenly aggressive. I really did not expect this to end so tragically. Especially for something with COMEDY IN THE TITLE.
The final scenes are the love interest being brought in to meet the mum, who is so near death she is unresponsive, stiff and doing the death rattle . The love interest is horrified. I am horrified. They leave the hospital. Danny gets a phone call - his mum has died. 3 sentences later the book ends.
No epilogue.
The final message is beautiful and has good meaning, that the mum is happy her son has found love and all. BUT THIS IS NOT WHAT I WAS EXPECTING IN A COMEDY.
Excuse me while I go and cry about a book I didn’t even like 😭
October 17, 2025
Ill-timed farts, literal boot licking, getting mugged, being teased within a million sperms' lives, potentially unsafe stranger danger sex, finding people you know (personally AND professionally at a swingers sex club, stalkers, lying ass married men and their deeply irate husbands, catfishing)
You name it, it's here. In Danny's dating life.
Honestly this is like 1000 ways to die: Dating edition.
The best thing that came out of this(besides the final MC) was Danny hopefully (?) learning that you don't have to sleep with people just because they've made time to meet you for a date.
But it was fun listening to his attempts to escape from sexual situations.
*only because nobody was trying to rape him, he just really never considered saying no to these men at any point before it could be considered damaging to their egos.
Also, this guy unironically calls the grovel 'a boss fight' lol. I didn't like that it was glossed over ie summarized because the reader already knows what happened -hello??? We'd like to hear it.
Pet peeve that made me like the MC a little bit less was him and his brother moving out of home right after their mom's cancer diagnosis.
How are you worried about how little time you and your mom have left together but also you moved out AFTER she let you know she had cancer and that chemo/radiation wasn't working?
I know people aren't obligated to be caretakers for their family but this really came off as callous.
I know we get to know about the mom's cancer from the blurb but I'd hoped it would be a good ending. I hated getting very graphic descriptions of her rapid deterioration and surprisingly brief hurried love declarations from the MCs.
I'm here for the romance. I CAME for the romance.
Anyway. Aside from the dying mom.
I enjoyed this, as 'lad lit', not necessarily as romance. It says so in the blurb, so you're not shocked to find it's not a stereotypical romance but I feel like so much time was spent on the various attempts to find love with multiple men that so little time was left over to fully develop the actual romance.
I enjoyed the funny dating stories but it only really hit me in the penultimate chapter who the other MC was meant to be, and given that, it felt underdeveloped when the two were professing love shortly after.
At best, I would have believed a pledge for exclusivity? Because let's face it, they're both kinda addicted to the dopamine rush of a new match.
Maybe fight that battle before confessing your true love?
Baby steps, people!
Still. I always love narration by Dan Calley so that bit was top tier. It just also happened to have been written by him.
You name it, it's here. In Danny's dating life.
Honestly this is like 1000 ways to die: Dating edition.
The best thing that came out of this(besides the final MC) was Danny hopefully (?) learning that you don't have to sleep with people just because they've made time to meet you for a date.
But it was fun listening to his attempts to escape from sexual situations.
*only because nobody was trying to rape him, he just really never considered saying no to these men at any point before it could be considered damaging to their egos.
Also, this guy unironically calls the grovel 'a boss fight' lol. I didn't like that it was glossed over ie summarized because the reader already knows what happened -hello??? We'd like to hear it.
Pet peeve that made me like the MC a little bit less was him and his brother moving out of home right after their mom's cancer diagnosis.
How are you worried about how little time you and your mom have left together but also you moved out AFTER she let you know she had cancer and that chemo/radiation wasn't working?
I know people aren't obligated to be caretakers for their family but this really came off as callous.
I know we get to know about the mom's cancer from the blurb but I'd hoped it would be a good ending. I hated getting very graphic descriptions of her rapid deterioration and surprisingly brief hurried love declarations from the MCs.
I'm here for the romance. I CAME for the romance.
Anyway. Aside from the dying mom.
I enjoyed this, as 'lad lit', not necessarily as romance. It says so in the blurb, so you're not shocked to find it's not a stereotypical romance but I feel like so much time was spent on the various attempts to find love with multiple men that so little time was left over to fully develop the actual romance.
I enjoyed the funny dating stories but it only really hit me in the penultimate chapter who the other MC was meant to be, and given that, it felt underdeveloped when the two were professing love shortly after.
At best, I would have believed a pledge for exclusivity? Because let's face it, they're both kinda addicted to the dopamine rush of a new match.
Maybe fight that battle before confessing your true love?
Baby steps, people!
Still. I always love narration by Dan Calley so that bit was top tier. It just also happened to have been written by him.
September 22, 2025
Different to my normal reads but I loved the humour!
The dating app addiction culture that was prominent throughout the story actually made me laugh a lot. It reminded me of when I tried online dating when it was first getting popular, WAY before apps were a thing, and I'd forgotten some epically bad dates 😂😂 I definitely met a Freddy who was planning out our wedding and kids names after one drink!! At least Danny wasn't living in 2008 and luckily had the invention of an Uber to aid his escapes 😂
Danny was like a chaotic ball of energy and cluelessness and his awful dates were honestly so entertaining. I loved how I had no clue what mishap would happen next and the way they got more and more bizarre and awkward.
We don't really get to know much about Harry, but I was really pleased with the ending - it even made me cry unexpectedly!
*****
I received an ARC of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review
The dating app addiction culture that was prominent throughout the story actually made me laugh a lot. It reminded me of when I tried online dating when it was first getting popular, WAY before apps were a thing, and I'd forgotten some epically bad dates 😂😂 I definitely met a Freddy who was planning out our wedding and kids names after one drink!! At least Danny wasn't living in 2008 and luckily had the invention of an Uber to aid his escapes 😂
Danny was like a chaotic ball of energy and cluelessness and his awful dates were honestly so entertaining. I loved how I had no clue what mishap would happen next and the way they got more and more bizarre and awkward.
We don't really get to know much about Harry, but I was really pleased with the ending - it even made me cry unexpectedly!
*****
I received an ARC of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review
October 29, 2025
Audiobook: This story is the first novel by the wonderful audiobook narrator Dan Calley. I love that he narrated his own book. His narration really made the humor stand out. I laughed out loud SO many times throughout this! It's short, quick read and I had a hard time putting it down because I kept wanting to hear about the next adventure. I will say that sometimes I wish there had been more differences in the voices for characters. Nonetheless, it was easy to follow along.
In this book, Danny decides to seek out a soulmate via dating apps. His poor mum is dying of cancer and he wants to be settled in order to fulfill her wish for him. Despite the very sad situation, this story is super funny as Danny encounters some very bizarre dates and has to navigate through some..interesting...situations. Throughout all the mishaps, Danny keeps trying and trying. In the end, though, Danny very much earns his HEA, though the sweet ending is tempered with bitter. I love that Danny has to kiss a heck of a lot of frogs before finding a prince, but I love that he has fun meanwhile. I enjoyed this very much!
In this book, Danny decides to seek out a soulmate via dating apps. His poor mum is dying of cancer and he wants to be settled in order to fulfill her wish for him. Despite the very sad situation, this story is super funny as Danny encounters some very bizarre dates and has to navigate through some..interesting...situations. Throughout all the mishaps, Danny keeps trying and trying. In the end, though, Danny very much earns his HEA, though the sweet ending is tempered with bitter. I love that Danny has to kiss a heck of a lot of frogs before finding a prince, but I love that he has fun meanwhile. I enjoyed this very much!
October 31, 2025
Thank you to GRR for the ALC.
I think this book can find its audience, but it wasn't for me.
While the book did have humor in it, at times it felt like it was trying too hard. I'll be really honest: I did not like the MC. I continued because I knew I could get through the audio quickly and I enjoyed the overall narration.
I wouldn't consider this a romance, though it has a romance element. Something to keep in mind while going in to reading. The relationship was set to the side and felt much like insta-love and barely explored.
The conversation about dating apps is very strong, and while I think they can definitely be criticized for many reasons, I did not connect with the conversations and hatred behind it. Might be a personal bias, but it felt like there was never going to be a chance to make it a good option.
Seeing different experiences dating was real, which I did enjoy.
I also really disliked the ending and it made me enjoy the book even less. Check TWs and review spoilers to ensure you're prepared. Overall, just felt like it was all rushed at the end as well.
A bit chaotic, definitely had a lot of things going on at once, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. This just wasn't the book for me and I likely would've DNF if I didn't have an ALC.
I think this book can find its audience, but it wasn't for me.
While the book did have humor in it, at times it felt like it was trying too hard. I'll be really honest: I did not like the MC. I continued because I knew I could get through the audio quickly and I enjoyed the overall narration.
I wouldn't consider this a romance, though it has a romance element. Something to keep in mind while going in to reading. The relationship was set to the side and felt much like insta-love and barely explored.
The conversation about dating apps is very strong, and while I think they can definitely be criticized for many reasons, I did not connect with the conversations and hatred behind it. Might be a personal bias, but it felt like there was never going to be a chance to make it a good option.
Seeing different experiences dating was real, which I did enjoy.
I also really disliked the ending and it made me enjoy the book even less. Check TWs and review spoilers to ensure you're prepared. Overall, just felt like it was all rushed at the end as well.
A bit chaotic, definitely had a lot of things going on at once, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. This just wasn't the book for me and I likely would've DNF if I didn't have an ALC.
October 4, 2025
3.75/5 ⭐
The App Trap is a standalone book by Dan Calley. Here’s what you can expect from Danny’s unique story:
📱 MM romantic comedy
📱 First person single point of view
📱 Bittersweet happily ever after
📱 Low spice
📱 Online dating
📱 Not your typical one-couple, one-love romance
📱 Slow burn
📱 Dating disasters
📱 Friends to lovers
📱 UK comedy
Ensure you review the content and trigger warnings to decide if this book is right for you. Note this list of warnings may be incomplete. Please take care of yourself while reading.
I was excited when I saw this rom-com from Dan Calley pop up as an ARC opportunity! Dan is one of my favourite audiobook narrators, and I’m thrilled to support his writing pursuits too! This was such a unique book. We’re along for the ride when Danny, the main character, discovers the thrill of online dating and all the ups and downs that come alongside it as he pursues his happily ever after.
If you’ve ever ventured into the world of online dating apps, I think you’ll relate to this book in one way or another! I was certainly cringing and having flashbacks to my time on the apps. This book was filled with lots of laughs, and the quirky UK humour had me laughing out loud. This book is an excellent example of how easy it is to get lost in the thrills of online dating and the attention you can get, and how you might lose yourself in the process. Danny meets a unique barrage of characters on the applications, and gets himself into some truly wild situations (safety first, folks). My only complaint about the book was that the ending felt like it was a bit rushed and I would’ve liked to see a little more. This book ends on quite the bittersweet note, so prepare yourself for that even as Danny gets his happily ever after.
Dan Calley truly can do it all, and I’d love to read whatever he writes for us next!
I received an advanced review copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The App Trap is a standalone book by Dan Calley. Here’s what you can expect from Danny’s unique story:
📱 MM romantic comedy
📱 First person single point of view
📱 Bittersweet happily ever after
📱 Low spice
📱 Online dating
📱 Not your typical one-couple, one-love romance
📱 Slow burn
📱 Dating disasters
📱 Friends to lovers
📱 UK comedy
Ensure you review the content and trigger warnings to decide if this book is right for you. Note this list of warnings may be incomplete. Please take care of yourself while reading.
I was excited when I saw this rom-com from Dan Calley pop up as an ARC opportunity! Dan is one of my favourite audiobook narrators, and I’m thrilled to support his writing pursuits too! This was such a unique book. We’re along for the ride when Danny, the main character, discovers the thrill of online dating and all the ups and downs that come alongside it as he pursues his happily ever after.
If you’ve ever ventured into the world of online dating apps, I think you’ll relate to this book in one way or another! I was certainly cringing and having flashbacks to my time on the apps. This book was filled with lots of laughs, and the quirky UK humour had me laughing out loud. This book is an excellent example of how easy it is to get lost in the thrills of online dating and the attention you can get, and how you might lose yourself in the process. Danny meets a unique barrage of characters on the applications, and gets himself into some truly wild situations (safety first, folks). My only complaint about the book was that the ending felt like it was a bit rushed and I would’ve liked to see a little more. This book ends on quite the bittersweet note, so prepare yourself for that even as Danny gets his happily ever after.
Dan Calley truly can do it all, and I’d love to read whatever he writes for us next!
I received an advanced review copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 5, 2025
** Thank you so much to Gay romance reviews for the ARC **
“The App Trap” is an insightful journey towards the madness that is dating apps. We follow Dan, the MMC, on his quest to find true love in those apps and failing a lot of times. The pacing a lot of times feels feverish with the amount of people Dan is either chatting, meeting or having something with. He goes from a guy who has no idea what a dating app is, to being constantly online. A lot of the experiences he goes through range from funny to bizarre! At one point I truly believed Dan was suffering from some kind of disorder because he kept talking to so many people at the same time, it was impossible to understand who was who. At the very beginning of the book, we are warned that the romance is a little different and it’s ok. Not every book needs to have just one love interest, and it’s ok to explore, and I loved the author’s humour. Some of his dates were totally insane, and I never felt happier to be married than witnessing those dating disasters that I’m pretty sure could be from someone's personal experience.
I quite enjoyed his experiences, I’m sure a lot of them could be true in today’s modern app reality. However, this is a book, and I felt wanting more from his and Harry’s relationship. Since this is a romance, we don’t really see a lot of them engaging, and we don’t really know a lot about Harry. While this could be accurate in the dating app scene, this is still a book, and it would be nice to have more Harry and less random dates with guys who barely take more than five pages.
I believe the ending needed a change, since it was very abrupt. I wasn’t mad at how sad it is (don’t worry, it IS a romance, Danny finds the right guy and they’re together by the end), but the end felt too quick and too emotional to be inserted in just a few pages. It’s not the content that is wrong, it just needed a lot more pages and a lot more depth to feel less wrong. A lot of things in writing can be opinions, but pacing and other elements are more specific, and in this case, I do believe the ending needed to be dealt differently.
“The App Trap” may have some issues that arise with being a new author, but if you love witnessing disastrous dating app situations and enjoy British humour, you can still have a lot of fun with this book.
“The App Trap” is an insightful journey towards the madness that is dating apps. We follow Dan, the MMC, on his quest to find true love in those apps and failing a lot of times. The pacing a lot of times feels feverish with the amount of people Dan is either chatting, meeting or having something with. He goes from a guy who has no idea what a dating app is, to being constantly online. A lot of the experiences he goes through range from funny to bizarre! At one point I truly believed Dan was suffering from some kind of disorder because he kept talking to so many people at the same time, it was impossible to understand who was who. At the very beginning of the book, we are warned that the romance is a little different and it’s ok. Not every book needs to have just one love interest, and it’s ok to explore, and I loved the author’s humour. Some of his dates were totally insane, and I never felt happier to be married than witnessing those dating disasters that I’m pretty sure could be from someone's personal experience.
I quite enjoyed his experiences, I’m sure a lot of them could be true in today’s modern app reality. However, this is a book, and I felt wanting more from his and Harry’s relationship. Since this is a romance, we don’t really see a lot of them engaging, and we don’t really know a lot about Harry. While this could be accurate in the dating app scene, this is still a book, and it would be nice to have more Harry and less random dates with guys who barely take more than five pages.
I believe the ending needed a change, since it was very abrupt. I wasn’t mad at how sad it is (don’t worry, it IS a romance, Danny finds the right guy and they’re together by the end), but the end felt too quick and too emotional to be inserted in just a few pages. It’s not the content that is wrong, it just needed a lot more pages and a lot more depth to feel less wrong. A lot of things in writing can be opinions, but pacing and other elements are more specific, and in this case, I do believe the ending needed to be dealt differently.
“The App Trap” may have some issues that arise with being a new author, but if you love witnessing disastrous dating app situations and enjoy British humour, you can still have a lot of fun with this book.
October 11, 2025
i probably shouldn't be writing this right now, but i am so pissed. like omg!!! okay first off, what the fuck was that ending?! what the actual fuck! i am seething rn! like i knew the mom was gonna die, but like, what the fuck! yes, she was sick and there were clues, like the fact that she wasn't responding to treatments, but she was out and about and having fun, living her life. so to have her suddenly in the hospital and then going to hospice and then DYING!!! in like a few pages was like, what???
and then hello, for a romance, where was the damn romance??? for some reason, i thought danny would end up with ben. like i know he and ben talked about the whole friend-zoned thing, but i seriously thought by the end, they'd figure out they were into each other. not that i disliked harry or anything, but i liked danny and ben's friendship and the way it progressed throughout the book would have fit more with the slow burn, friends to lovers thing. because the whole thing with harry just kind of came out of nowhere at the end. like harry decided to give him another chance and yeah there was a little mishap but then they make up and boom they're in love and harry's meeting danny's dying mom - who died literally two seconds later!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND THE BOOK ENDED!!!
honestly, this was decent enough to have been a 2.5, low 3 stars. like, i liked it enough to see the shitshow of danny's serial dating play out. but that ending!
overall, the book was too rushed, i didn't feel there was any chemistry between the MCs, and i just felt no real connection to danny. i'm probably being more harsh and should give this at least 2 stars but it's almost 3am and this is the first book i've finished in days, and it's just left me more aggravated than anything
and then hello, for a romance, where was the damn romance??? for some reason, i thought danny would end up with ben. like i know he and ben talked about the whole friend-zoned thing, but i seriously thought by the end, they'd figure out they were into each other. not that i disliked harry or anything, but i liked danny and ben's friendship and the way it progressed throughout the book would have fit more with the slow burn, friends to lovers thing. because the whole thing with harry just kind of came out of nowhere at the end. like harry decided to give him another chance and yeah there was a little mishap but then they make up and boom they're in love and harry's meeting danny's dying mom - who died literally two seconds later!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND THE BOOK ENDED!!!
honestly, this was decent enough to have been a 2.5, low 3 stars. like, i liked it enough to see the shitshow of danny's serial dating play out. but that ending!
overall, the book was too rushed, i didn't feel there was any chemistry between the MCs, and i just felt no real connection to danny. i'm probably being more harsh and should give this at least 2 stars but it's almost 3am and this is the first book i've finished in days, and it's just left me more aggravated than anything
September 25, 2025
A very funny and entertaining look into the world of online dating. This story had me sniggering the whole way through. Danny’s mam has been given a very bleak prognosis, and she wants to see him happy before she goes. So Danny takes on the world of dating apps and finds himself swimming in some very murky waters.
It’s fresh and new; most stories are (from the start) about one couple, but Danny definitely does his fair share of wading through the fish in the sea until he finds Harry. We didn’t really get to learn much about Harry, so I’m definitely holding out for a sequel.
The ending was as expected, and I did feel a bit teary there, but it also felt like a happy ending in a way because he got to fulfil his mam’s wish for him.
A full emotional journey here mostly on the happy end and a very enjoyable story.
………………………………………………………….
I received an ARC from GRR, and this is my honest review.
It’s fresh and new; most stories are (from the start) about one couple, but Danny definitely does his fair share of wading through the fish in the sea until he finds Harry. We didn’t really get to learn much about Harry, so I’m definitely holding out for a sequel.
The ending was as expected, and I did feel a bit teary there, but it also felt like a happy ending in a way because he got to fulfil his mam’s wish for him.
A full emotional journey here mostly on the happy end and a very enjoyable story.
………………………………………………………….
I received an ARC from GRR, and this is my honest review.
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October 11, 2025A pass from me, from the first page it didnt gel for me the way its been written in third person narrative. While I love this author audios. This was the second book written by Mr Calley.
October 7, 2025
DNF: this book was just all over the character was unreliable in his accounts he was telling.. one minute he’s doing something then a day passed and it’s something new but no conclusion to what just happened or why we are where we are in the story.. it just was a no for me to all over no true story line to follow
October 4, 2025
I wanted to like this, it had great premise but it lacked significantly for me.
no connection to the characters, it felt forced at times and it was meh
no connection to the characters, it felt forced at times and it was meh
September 27, 2025
*ARC Review* Thank you to Dan Calley for sending me a copy!
Intro:
This book stars Danny as he is introduced to the online dating scene and quickly becomes a serial dater.
Tropes:
-Single POV
-MM
-Dating Disasters
-Quirky MC
-Mentions of Fetishes/BDSM
-Little to No Spice
Likes:
-The story is a unique concept and I like that Danny doesn't immediately find his love interest, like typical romances
-I really liked Ben as a character and how unapologetic he was about himself and his interests
-The MC has a really quirky and awkward personality, which made the scenes more enjoyable
-Lots of dating drama/disasters as advertised
-The cover is so cute!
My Dislikes:
-Some of the language/dialogue was confusing in some of the scenes, but this could have been because it is a British story and I am not British
-It is marketed as a comedy, but I didn't find most of the book funny and there wasn't a lot of funny banter that I was expecting for a comedy, there were some lines that made me laugh though
-The book was marketed as a friends to lovers, slow burn and a messy heartfelt romance, which I feel is incorrect. The MC eventually ends up choosing one of his many dates as a partner, but they're basically strangers to lovers so there was no time for them to be friends or to have a slow burn because they were not even together for most of the book so hardly anything built between them. As for the messy heartfelt romance, the chosen partner isn't in the picture until the last third of the book where they quickly get together. There wasn't any real romance between them and they felt more like acquaintances at the end. I think the characters needed more time together so the reader could develop a deeper connection to each character and their story.
-Felt very insta-love at the very end
-The relationships between Danny and his family seemed odd to me. Danny's mother had a poor medical prognosis and he didn't seem that worked up about it and actually moved after her diagnosis.
-There were some things that happened that seemed to happen for no real reason other than to add drama to the story, but in my opinion took away from the story. I felt like I hit a wall every chapter because nothing in this story made me root for Danny as the MC, he just seemed to have terrible luck the whole time and made horrible decisions and lied like his life depended on it, even when he knew he was going to get caught.
-Danny's family seemed to do the exact same things as him and were almost like a copy paste. This felt kind of lazy and I would have liked to see those characters stand on their own. For example once Danny started serial dating, so did his whole family.
-Even though Danny went on a lot of dates, I felt really bored because it became repetitive with how each date acted. Some scenes were unique, but I never learned anything about Danny himself, which made it hard to connect with him as a character
-Lots of cheating elements from side characters turned me off of this book and I felt like I couldn't trust any of the characters to be loyal.
-Danny hurt the guy he was partnered with (almost immediately after they got together) and when he tried to get him back, the partner accepted his apology immediately and they got back together. This was a boring and speedy resolution to something that was supposed to be a climatic point in the story.
-The ending was awful to me. I don't think I would count that as a Happily Ever After even though he got the guy he wanted. It felt very rushed to me and seemed illogical as an ending, again probably to add unnecessary drama.
This story was definitely not for me because I couldn't connect with any of the characters or understand some of the plot decisions. Some aspects were enjoyable, but not enough to outweigh all of the things I didn't like. I would not recommend this book, but if you feel you may like it or want to give it a try, don't let my review stop you.
Intro:
This book stars Danny as he is introduced to the online dating scene and quickly becomes a serial dater.
Tropes:
-Single POV
-MM
-Dating Disasters
-Quirky MC
-Mentions of Fetishes/BDSM
-Little to No Spice
Likes:
-The story is a unique concept and I like that Danny doesn't immediately find his love interest, like typical romances
-I really liked Ben as a character and how unapologetic he was about himself and his interests
-The MC has a really quirky and awkward personality, which made the scenes more enjoyable
-Lots of dating drama/disasters as advertised
-The cover is so cute!
My Dislikes:
-Some of the language/dialogue was confusing in some of the scenes, but this could have been because it is a British story and I am not British
-It is marketed as a comedy, but I didn't find most of the book funny and there wasn't a lot of funny banter that I was expecting for a comedy, there were some lines that made me laugh though
-The book was marketed as a friends to lovers, slow burn and a messy heartfelt romance, which I feel is incorrect. The MC eventually ends up choosing one of his many dates as a partner, but they're basically strangers to lovers so there was no time for them to be friends or to have a slow burn because they were not even together for most of the book so hardly anything built between them. As for the messy heartfelt romance, the chosen partner isn't in the picture until the last third of the book where they quickly get together. There wasn't any real romance between them and they felt more like acquaintances at the end. I think the characters needed more time together so the reader could develop a deeper connection to each character and their story.
-Felt very insta-love at the very end
-The relationships between Danny and his family seemed odd to me. Danny's mother had a poor medical prognosis and he didn't seem that worked up about it and actually moved after her diagnosis.
-There were some things that happened that seemed to happen for no real reason other than to add drama to the story, but in my opinion took away from the story. I felt like I hit a wall every chapter because nothing in this story made me root for Danny as the MC, he just seemed to have terrible luck the whole time and made horrible decisions and lied like his life depended on it, even when he knew he was going to get caught.
-Danny's family seemed to do the exact same things as him and were almost like a copy paste. This felt kind of lazy and I would have liked to see those characters stand on their own. For example once Danny started serial dating, so did his whole family.
-Even though Danny went on a lot of dates, I felt really bored because it became repetitive with how each date acted. Some scenes were unique, but I never learned anything about Danny himself, which made it hard to connect with him as a character
-Lots of cheating elements from side characters turned me off of this book and I felt like I couldn't trust any of the characters to be loyal.
-Danny hurt the guy he was partnered with (almost immediately after they got together) and when he tried to get him back, the partner accepted his apology immediately and they got back together. This was a boring and speedy resolution to something that was supposed to be a climatic point in the story.
-The ending was awful to me. I don't think I would count that as a Happily Ever After even though he got the guy he wanted. It felt very rushed to me and seemed illogical as an ending, again probably to add unnecessary drama.
This story was definitely not for me because I couldn't connect with any of the characters or understand some of the plot decisions. Some aspects were enjoyable, but not enough to outweigh all of the things I didn't like. I would not recommend this book, but if you feel you may like it or want to give it a try, don't let my review stop you.
September 24, 2025
A comedian applies his talent to the world of dating apps
This adventure into the native spoken language of the sex-positive generation is based on Danny's mother having cancer with a short prognosis. He knows she wants him to find someone special in his life and encourages him to seek a partner who can make him happy.
His older brother Finn has returned home after exploring dating apps, which he introduces to his younger brother. The story picks up as Danny's experiences lead him to others who help him navigate the world of dating apps and their protocols, including having several fish on the line at once.
Author Dan Calley promises humor, and there are some amusing parts. However, the sadness of his mother's impending death and her desire for him to be with someone provide moments of relief from the intense world Danny immerses himself in with dating apps, having multiple dates and multiple partners being sought after.
Danny finally reconnects with someone he met early on after wandering through sex clubs, multiple apps, and numerous dates. The humor is present, but the slang used isn’t universally understood and feels a bit like reading a book filled with scientific terms you don't recognize.
There are some very uncomfortable moments, possibly inspired by the author's experience as a former stand-up comedian and the chaos of having multiple dates and past partners at the same place and time.
Someone familiar with the nuances of English slang is likely to find more humor in this book, but it’s worth reading for the full immersion Danny experiences in his search for a partner. He strays from that goal and begins to follow the mantra of a man he met early in his app dive, who insists that it’s all about the physical relationship and nothing more.
However, our protagonist becomes numb to that and feels a spark with an earlier partner with whom he can reflect on having a genuine relationship. Their connection culminates before his mother's condition worsens. This book hints that a brief sequel exploring their lives after expressing their love might be welcomed.
This adventure into the native spoken language of the sex-positive generation is based on Danny's mother having cancer with a short prognosis. He knows she wants him to find someone special in his life and encourages him to seek a partner who can make him happy.
His older brother Finn has returned home after exploring dating apps, which he introduces to his younger brother. The story picks up as Danny's experiences lead him to others who help him navigate the world of dating apps and their protocols, including having several fish on the line at once.
Author Dan Calley promises humor, and there are some amusing parts. However, the sadness of his mother's impending death and her desire for him to be with someone provide moments of relief from the intense world Danny immerses himself in with dating apps, having multiple dates and multiple partners being sought after.
Danny finally reconnects with someone he met early on after wandering through sex clubs, multiple apps, and numerous dates. The humor is present, but the slang used isn’t universally understood and feels a bit like reading a book filled with scientific terms you don't recognize.
There are some very uncomfortable moments, possibly inspired by the author's experience as a former stand-up comedian and the chaos of having multiple dates and past partners at the same place and time.
Someone familiar with the nuances of English slang is likely to find more humor in this book, but it’s worth reading for the full immersion Danny experiences in his search for a partner. He strays from that goal and begins to follow the mantra of a man he met early in his app dive, who insists that it’s all about the physical relationship and nothing more.
However, our protagonist becomes numb to that and feels a spark with an earlier partner with whom he can reflect on having a genuine relationship. Their connection culminates before his mother's condition worsens. This book hints that a brief sequel exploring their lives after expressing their love might be welcomed.
September 30, 2025
Where to start! A brilliantly written comedic novel, with classic British humour wonderfully interwoven into the pages as Dan, our hapless singleton, enters the world of online dating in the search to find “the one”, although he has to go through multiple dates, some very… well, let’s just say, interesting ones, meaning he ends up kissing (and sometimes more) an awful lot of frogs before he finally finds his prince.
The humour flows so naturally, and it’s clear the author has a skill in this area as it’s not easy to achieve without it feeling forced, and while some of it might not translate fully to those who aren’t Brits, trust me when I say everything hits its mark, and then some!
I snorted, chuckled and laughed my way through the dates with Dan AKA our Dating Romeo, wanting him to find that special someone, (if only to save the people of the dating apps from his take on a dick pic, which I must admit was total and utter genius!
Will Dan ever find “the one” in the myriad of dating apps he’s juggling? Wellllllllllll I could tell you, but in the interest of no spoilers, sorry, I’m not going to, you will simply have to read it for yourself to find out, experiencing the ups, downs and many modern pitfalls of dating in a modern, technical world. All I can say is, I was left wondering how many of these experiences were written from first-hand experience (although not in a MM environment), as these can only be something you had to go through to be able to put down onto paper/electronic page. But I’m guessing a gentleman will never kiss and tell or reveal his source of inspiration.
Be warned, there is a scene where you will need tissues, as tears will flow. It’s mentioned in the blurb, and Dan’s relationship with his mother is so heartfelt and genuine and his desire to find someone special is driven by this love.
This is the 2nd book I’ve read by Dan, and I’m certainly looking forward to more in the future.
The humour flows so naturally, and it’s clear the author has a skill in this area as it’s not easy to achieve without it feeling forced, and while some of it might not translate fully to those who aren’t Brits, trust me when I say everything hits its mark, and then some!
I snorted, chuckled and laughed my way through the dates with Dan AKA our Dating Romeo, wanting him to find that special someone, (if only to save the people of the dating apps from his take on a dick pic, which I must admit was total and utter genius!
Will Dan ever find “the one” in the myriad of dating apps he’s juggling? Wellllllllllll I could tell you, but in the interest of no spoilers, sorry, I’m not going to, you will simply have to read it for yourself to find out, experiencing the ups, downs and many modern pitfalls of dating in a modern, technical world. All I can say is, I was left wondering how many of these experiences were written from first-hand experience (although not in a MM environment), as these can only be something you had to go through to be able to put down onto paper/electronic page. But I’m guessing a gentleman will never kiss and tell or reveal his source of inspiration.
Be warned, there is a scene where you will need tissues, as tears will flow. It’s mentioned in the blurb, and Dan’s relationship with his mother is so heartfelt and genuine and his desire to find someone special is driven by this love.
This is the 2nd book I’ve read by Dan, and I’m certainly looking forward to more in the future.
October 23, 2025
I've listened audiobooks narrated by Dan Calley, but I had no idea he was also an author, and was excited to read and listen to his own book. This story was a slice of life journey for Daniel delving into the dating pool via dating apps on his new smart phone (upgraded from a flip!) trying to find a partner to introduce to his mom after she discovers she has cancer. This story definitely had colorful characters and dates that were a mix of disastrous, awkward, and some funny. (Makes me glad to be ace and not have to worry about navigating all that! Ben's serial dating sounded exhausting to me! lol) Some characters I liked better than others. But I very quickly lost interest in the dating aspect and didn't feel particularly connected to any of them- not even his soulmate at the end. No heat or chemistry or passion.
At the core, I loved the relationship between Daniel, his brother Finn, and his mum- loved the close bonds, the bantering, and the teasing. And this book outright made me cry at the end- so expect tears! I didn't and it threw me off and depressed me for a little bit if I'm honest. I wish this ended differently because it was very tough to read and listen to. I expected this book to be a comedy and a happy ending, or at least to feel at peace with things in consideration with his mom, but I was just left crying with.... ***spoilers***
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*
*
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... the mom's death rattle breaths in her coma in her final moments- the boyfriend horrified. That's not how I expected his boyfriend to "meet" his mom! Gone on the next (and final) page and the story is just over. No epilogue of them together or anything to lighten that heartbreaking moment mourning a character you easily grow to love in the story. I would have even loved something with the couple and his brother a few months later supporting each other or something.
Overall: 3.5 stars rounded to 4
Performance: 4 stars
Story: 3 stars
At the core, I loved the relationship between Daniel, his brother Finn, and his mum- loved the close bonds, the bantering, and the teasing. And this book outright made me cry at the end- so expect tears! I didn't and it threw me off and depressed me for a little bit if I'm honest. I wish this ended differently because it was very tough to read and listen to. I expected this book to be a comedy and a happy ending, or at least to feel at peace with things in consideration with his mom, but I was just left crying with.... ***spoilers***
*
*
*
*
... the mom's death rattle breaths in her coma in her final moments- the boyfriend horrified. That's not how I expected his boyfriend to "meet" his mom! Gone on the next (and final) page and the story is just over. No epilogue of them together or anything to lighten that heartbreaking moment mourning a character you easily grow to love in the story. I would have even loved something with the couple and his brother a few months later supporting each other or something.
Overall: 3.5 stars rounded to 4
Performance: 4 stars
Story: 3 stars
October 26, 2025
Didn’t see this lovely treat coming (an audio review)
I love Dan Calley as a narrator, and was thrilled to hear him making the leap to writing. I haven’t listened to The Player’s Lounge yet, but it’s on my wish list. This audio came up first and I dove in with very few expectations. I did note his warning that this isn’t a traditional romance. I was totally down for that.
What I didn’t expect was a quirky, irreverent, and joyous journey through the London dating life.
First, I’m not a big city girl. London would completely overwhelm me.
Second, I’m not a child of the Internet. Although single, I’ve never used a dating app. I tried speed dating once – what a disaster that was.
Third, I’m not adventurous. See above for the one time I stepped out of my comfort zone.
Danny, on the other hand, is hugely adventurous. And happy to sign up for every dating app available for single gay guys in London. All this while he’s worried about his mom who’s sick. He thinks if he can find ‘the one’ then maybe that will reassure her that he’ll be okay.
Well, to say he gets into some interesting scenarios is an understatement. Firstly – how does everyone in London know everyone else? Seems Danny’s always running into someone he’s previously been on a date with or swiped right on or whatever the kids say these days.
How is one guy expected to keep track of all the Toms, Harrys, and Dicks out there? Seriously – how many gay guys named Harry are on these apps?
I laughed, I literally cried (didn’t see that coming, even though I should have), and I truly enjoyed my time in the London dating scene.
Glad Danny got his happy ending.
Narrator Dan was fantastic. I’ve loved everything he’s ever done and will always grab anything he’s narrated. Loved this one.
I love Dan Calley as a narrator, and was thrilled to hear him making the leap to writing. I haven’t listened to The Player’s Lounge yet, but it’s on my wish list. This audio came up first and I dove in with very few expectations. I did note his warning that this isn’t a traditional romance. I was totally down for that.
What I didn’t expect was a quirky, irreverent, and joyous journey through the London dating life.
First, I’m not a big city girl. London would completely overwhelm me.
Second, I’m not a child of the Internet. Although single, I’ve never used a dating app. I tried speed dating once – what a disaster that was.
Third, I’m not adventurous. See above for the one time I stepped out of my comfort zone.
Danny, on the other hand, is hugely adventurous. And happy to sign up for every dating app available for single gay guys in London. All this while he’s worried about his mom who’s sick. He thinks if he can find ‘the one’ then maybe that will reassure her that he’ll be okay.
Well, to say he gets into some interesting scenarios is an understatement. Firstly – how does everyone in London know everyone else? Seems Danny’s always running into someone he’s previously been on a date with or swiped right on or whatever the kids say these days.
How is one guy expected to keep track of all the Toms, Harrys, and Dicks out there? Seriously – how many gay guys named Harry are on these apps?
I laughed, I literally cried (didn’t see that coming, even though I should have), and I truly enjoyed my time in the London dating scene.
Glad Danny got his happy ending.
Narrator Dan was fantastic. I’ve loved everything he’s ever done and will always grab anything he’s narrated. Loved this one.
October 15, 2025
Dan lives with his mom at 29 as well as his older brother that left his wife. He is technology avoiding and doesn't even own a cell phone. His brother comes out to him and introduces him to online dating. When his mom tells him she has cancer, she tells him she wishes for him to find love
I hate one staring a book but this book bugged me in so many ways. I only finished it due to it's very short length. I don't even know where to start.
This got off to a rocky start for me as the characters sounded like teen boys rather than 30 year old men. This continued pretty much the entire book.
The author seems to have a very narrow minded opinion on how all gay men especially ones on dating apps behave. It really irked me alot.
I didn't much care for the MCs. There are so many possible MC2s that it got a bit confusing and who it ends up being caught me so off guard. I didn't feel any chemistry between them. I for sure thought it was going to be another prevalent character which would have made much more sense with how much time the author put into that character. The actual MC2 came out of the blue and was so random and out of place. The plot pacing and relationship development was non existent.
The one star goes entirely to the mom. I stayed just for her and although the majority of this book just left me confused, I bawled my eyes out at the end.
The author is also the narrator of this book and that is where his talent shines. 5 stars. His English accent is pleasant to listen to. He was the perfect sounding age for the roles. He kept a good pace/flow. He expressed all the emotions wonderfully and brought the story to life. He gave all the characters their own distinct voice that suited them all perfectly. He does female voices really well.
I hate one staring a book but this book bugged me in so many ways. I only finished it due to it's very short length. I don't even know where to start.
This got off to a rocky start for me as the characters sounded like teen boys rather than 30 year old men. This continued pretty much the entire book.
The author seems to have a very narrow minded opinion on how all gay men especially ones on dating apps behave. It really irked me alot.
I didn't much care for the MCs. There are so many possible MC2s that it got a bit confusing and who it ends up being caught me so off guard. I didn't feel any chemistry between them. I for sure thought it was going to be another prevalent character which would have made much more sense with how much time the author put into that character. The actual MC2 came out of the blue and was so random and out of place. The plot pacing and relationship development was non existent.
The one star goes entirely to the mom. I stayed just for her and although the majority of this book just left me confused, I bawled my eyes out at the end.
The author is also the narrator of this book and that is where his talent shines. 5 stars. His English accent is pleasant to listen to. He was the perfect sounding age for the roles. He kept a good pace/flow. He expressed all the emotions wonderfully and brought the story to life. He gave all the characters their own distinct voice that suited them all perfectly. He does female voices really well.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 5, 2025
Dan Calley’s The App Trap is a story that instantly grabbed my attention. I am always curious about stories that step outside the norm, and The App Trap promised to be such a read. Unfortunately, I struggled with The App Trap from the start.
I will be honest and say that after the first chapter I had to go and read the author’s bio. I honestly believed it was someone who had never set foot on British soil writing the story. When I saw the author is British, I concluded it was someone trying to write an age group they do not belong to. It very much read like someone who had overheard people my age talking in a joking way and decided we always speak that way. It very much reminded me of the Twitter (I still am not calling it X) account that received a lot of attention earlier this year. A British woman visited America and the way she wrote her tweets had everyone believing she was pretending to be British or was using AI. This entire book read that way. I would have been able to overlook this if I had found the book amusing, but the comedy element of this story was missing. Moreover, the pacing took away from what could have been a great insight look into the topic. As it was, I never felt a connection to the characters and felt the wrong emotions about how things played out.
All in all, while this had the potential to be a powerful read, it did not hit for me. I appreciate what the author was trying to do, yet the tone and the pacing made for a difficult reading experience.
I will be honest and say that after the first chapter I had to go and read the author’s bio. I honestly believed it was someone who had never set foot on British soil writing the story. When I saw the author is British, I concluded it was someone trying to write an age group they do not belong to. It very much read like someone who had overheard people my age talking in a joking way and decided we always speak that way. It very much reminded me of the Twitter (I still am not calling it X) account that received a lot of attention earlier this year. A British woman visited America and the way she wrote her tweets had everyone believing she was pretending to be British or was using AI. This entire book read that way. I would have been able to overlook this if I had found the book amusing, but the comedy element of this story was missing. Moreover, the pacing took away from what could have been a great insight look into the topic. As it was, I never felt a connection to the characters and felt the wrong emotions about how things played out.
All in all, while this had the potential to be a powerful read, it did not hit for me. I appreciate what the author was trying to do, yet the tone and the pacing made for a difficult reading experience.
October 1, 2025
Danny is a 29-year-old man who lives with his mother, mainly because renting by yourself in London is nearly impossible, and he doesn’t “…want to move in with five strangers from the opposite hemisphere…” just to be able to say he doesn’t live with his mom. Plus, he really likes his mom. Also, he isn’t the only son living with mom at 31 Mimosa Street. His older brother, Finn, is getting divorced so is also moving back. Luckily, for them and for us, Finn and Danny have a great relationship with their mom, and with each other.
Danny is a technophobe and doesn’t even have a smartphone. Finn, on the other hand, is a techie and immediately upgrades the internet and then is caught by Danny with his pants down and chat sites open. It’s a funny scene! So is the realtor scene (I won’t spoil it, but it made me laugh).
Amidst this, however, is the reason for the story – their mom has cancer. “I’ve only gone and got myself a touch of the old cancer, haven’t I?” And having a husband who went through cancer and treatment (successfully, I’m grateful to say), I totally got Danny’s attitude. “This was my mother’s life being threatened by an absolute arse-crack of a disease that had no business poking around in my mother’s breast…”. That is such an on-point description of cancer. So be aware, even as it’s mentioned in the blurb, that this is a really funny comedy with a serious, difficult understory. Mom wants Danny to find someone, a real someone he can spend a life with. This is where the dating apps, and the ridiculousness, come in. He wants to make his mama happy, so he’s going to make a serious effort to find a man.
I don’t want to spoil the dates because there are some supremely funny moments (Ben describing his dating strategy: “look, I triple up my with my dates sometimes.” His record? Eight. And his description of how it’s done made me laugh.
There is a warning in the beginning, there isn’t just the Danny and the love of his life for much of the book. There are scenes with others, so if that’s a deal breaker, know in advance. Also, you can’t forget that cancer is a character here, and among the sweet and the funny, there is bittersweet and heartbreaking. Harry meeting Danny’s mom nearly undid me.
Reviewed for Love Bytes Reviews
Danny is a technophobe and doesn’t even have a smartphone. Finn, on the other hand, is a techie and immediately upgrades the internet and then is caught by Danny with his pants down and chat sites open. It’s a funny scene! So is the realtor scene (I won’t spoil it, but it made me laugh).
Amidst this, however, is the reason for the story – their mom has cancer. “I’ve only gone and got myself a touch of the old cancer, haven’t I?” And having a husband who went through cancer and treatment (successfully, I’m grateful to say), I totally got Danny’s attitude. “This was my mother’s life being threatened by an absolute arse-crack of a disease that had no business poking around in my mother’s breast…”. That is such an on-point description of cancer. So be aware, even as it’s mentioned in the blurb, that this is a really funny comedy with a serious, difficult understory. Mom wants Danny to find someone, a real someone he can spend a life with. This is where the dating apps, and the ridiculousness, come in. He wants to make his mama happy, so he’s going to make a serious effort to find a man.
I don’t want to spoil the dates because there are some supremely funny moments (Ben describing his dating strategy: “look, I triple up my with my dates sometimes.” His record? Eight. And his description of how it’s done made me laugh.
There is a warning in the beginning, there isn’t just the Danny and the love of his life for much of the book. There are scenes with others, so if that’s a deal breaker, know in advance. Also, you can’t forget that cancer is a character here, and among the sweet and the funny, there is bittersweet and heartbreaking. Harry meeting Danny’s mom nearly undid me.
Reviewed for Love Bytes Reviews
October 7, 2025
While I've experienced Dan Calley's stellar narration work in the past, I had no clue that he had ventured into writing, having published his debut novel a couple of years ago. His second outing, The App Trap, is the story of twenty-nine-year-old Daniel Pecorelli and his quest to find love. Like countless other people out there looking for their own happily-ever-afters--or happy endings, wink, wink--Danny decides to take the online dating route, resulting in a number of interesting and humorous outcomes. Will he be able to find the right guy to take home to meet his beloved mom before it's too late, but how much hope is there with all the misfits he keeps meeting online?
I loved the humor and there were certainly some noteworthy moments romance-wise. I felt for poor Danny, especially since he seemed to have a bad habit of swiping right on people who were more nightmare than dream date. I've never used a dating app, so I can't actually swear upon the good and bad; I have, however, heard many a horror story from people I know. That being said, there have also been a few that ended up with them meeting "the one", so I guess each experience is different for each person. When it comes to Danny, he did have to go through his share of frogs before coming across his prince, and while the ending was rather bittersweet, I did laugh a lot and the author's writing came off as wholly entertaining and endearing. The App Trap gets 3.5 stars.
I loved the humor and there were certainly some noteworthy moments romance-wise. I felt for poor Danny, especially since he seemed to have a bad habit of swiping right on people who were more nightmare than dream date. I've never used a dating app, so I can't actually swear upon the good and bad; I have, however, heard many a horror story from people I know. That being said, there have also been a few that ended up with them meeting "the one", so I guess each experience is different for each person. When it comes to Danny, he did have to go through his share of frogs before coming across his prince, and while the ending was rather bittersweet, I did laugh a lot and the author's writing came off as wholly entertaining and endearing. The App Trap gets 3.5 stars.
October 24, 2025
Thanks so much Dan Calley and Gay Romance Reviews for the book. I was given this book as an advance review copy (ARC) for free, and I am leaving this review completely voluntarily.
This was a fun concept - a romcom that dives head-first into the world of dating apps. In today’s world, online dating really is the new normal, and I think most of us (anyone out of high school, at least!) have dabbled in it one way or another.
I’m not from the UK, and there were definitely a few jokes and references that went over my head, but I could still appreciate the British humor and how authentic it felt. The book leans heavily on that dry, quirky style.
I really enjoyed the “failed” dates. Those disasters were the highlight for me. They made me laugh and cringe in equal measure. And because I knew this was a romance, I was constantly trying to guess who would end up being the one. (I was right!)
It’s my understanding that this is Dan Calley’s first solo project after some co-writing, and that’s impressive. The writing is confident and the pacing generally works. I didn’t love it, but I liked it enough that I’d happily read another book by them to see how their style evolves.
Happy reading friends,
~ Maebae 💚
I’m a fellow book lover reviewing the good, the bad, and everything bookish in-between. All thoughts, opinions, and reactions are completely my own. I wasn’t paid, sponsored, or influenced in any way.
This was a fun concept - a romcom that dives head-first into the world of dating apps. In today’s world, online dating really is the new normal, and I think most of us (anyone out of high school, at least!) have dabbled in it one way or another.
I’m not from the UK, and there were definitely a few jokes and references that went over my head, but I could still appreciate the British humor and how authentic it felt. The book leans heavily on that dry, quirky style.
I really enjoyed the “failed” dates. Those disasters were the highlight for me. They made me laugh and cringe in equal measure. And because I knew this was a romance, I was constantly trying to guess who would end up being the one. (I was right!)
It’s my understanding that this is Dan Calley’s first solo project after some co-writing, and that’s impressive. The writing is confident and the pacing generally works. I didn’t love it, but I liked it enough that I’d happily read another book by them to see how their style evolves.
Happy reading friends,
~ Maebae 💚
I’m a fellow book lover reviewing the good, the bad, and everything bookish in-between. All thoughts, opinions, and reactions are completely my own. I wasn’t paid, sponsored, or influenced in any way.
October 24, 2025
For whatever reason I absolutely thought this was going to be a light hearted comedy of twists and turns. Turns out I definitely got the twists and turns right, not so much the light hearted comedy. Don’t get me wrong there were definitely some laugh out loud moments (I’m not going to say Danny saw his mom at his first bdsm party, but I’m not going to say that he didn’t either). It’s an interesting take on the current dating culture and I honestly wasn’t sure how Danny was going to end up with his HEA until it all made sense and he did. Was it a little stalkerish and creepy? Yes. Yes it was. But also, very creative. The bdsm is basically pretty light - think first date light. I will say, Danny’s mom’s cancer journey hit me in all my feels and because a larger part of the book than I thought. While it might seem like Danny was initially kind of dismissive of his mom’s diagnosis, for me it really paralleled the experience a lot of kids have where the parent downplays the illness until it can’t be downplayed anymore. This book was deeper than I thought and I’m not ashamed to say I really did laugh and cry. I’m familiar with Dan Calley as an audio narrator so my (met) expectations were high there, but it’s my first book of his as an author and I was not disappointed.
October 26, 2025
While this was a fun read, I don't think it was for me. Reading the blurb I felt like it was exactly something that I would enjoy, but... unfortunately... it wasn't.
Don't get me wrong, it is not a bad book and I did have fun listening to it, but it just wasn't what I expected.
I do get the whole dating app thing, but somehow I don't? Our MC starts the book with him not even having a smartphone, and then he finds himself addicted to the dating apps all in the span of 5m.
The dates were fun, I mean, they weren't, but they were for us as readers. The funny element was there, that's for sure, but I kept waiting for something to happen and it didn't and I felt exhausted from all of his first dates.
He mets his love interest pretty soon in the book, but then... they finally get together almost at the end, and I felt like not enough time was spent with the two of them building a relationship.
Both of them were addicted to that rush of swiping and bla bla that somehow I ended up not really believing in their love, if it makes sense.
Don't even get me started on the mom... why? Just why? Yeah, no.
As I said, I had my laugh and I enjoyed it, but I didn't like it as much as I expected to like it. Confusing, I know... I'm confused too.
Don't get me wrong, it is not a bad book and I did have fun listening to it, but it just wasn't what I expected.
I do get the whole dating app thing, but somehow I don't? Our MC starts the book with him not even having a smartphone, and then he finds himself addicted to the dating apps all in the span of 5m.
The dates were fun, I mean, they weren't, but they were for us as readers. The funny element was there, that's for sure, but I kept waiting for something to happen and it didn't and I felt exhausted from all of his first dates.
He mets his love interest pretty soon in the book, but then... they finally get together almost at the end, and I felt like not enough time was spent with the two of them building a relationship.
Both of them were addicted to that rush of swiping and bla bla that somehow I ended up not really believing in their love, if it makes sense.
Don't even get me started on the mom... why? Just why? Yeah, no.
As I said, I had my laugh and I enjoyed it, but I didn't like it as much as I expected to like it. Confusing, I know... I'm confused too.
October 2, 2025
I was gifted my copy of this book.
Mr Calley came under my radar as a narrator. He nows writes as well so I had to read this. And I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed this. Here's why.
Danny reminded me so much of myself! For I too, have done the online dating thing and some of these very same scenarios ended up in this book! I could see myself, there in the moment, decidng how to get out of a particular situation, or remembering who I'm speaking to on any given day. I found it quite amusing.
Danny's mum is poorly, and I've been through that too, so that made me sad, to read it again. Not upset, just sad, remembering my mum, and her fight. She went through the online dating with me, and her favourite thing, every day, was a quick call to "see who I was talking to today"! Every. Single. Day!
It is, for a MM book, relatively clean, there is MUCH talk about smex and Danny's brother is amusing in that respect. But there is none really on page.
Mr Calley was at shiMMer this year, and he read a scene (maybe edited, slightly different) from this book, and it was hilarious listening to him. When I got to that scene in this book, I could hear him, you know?? It was fab. I would like to get my hands on the audio version of this too!
BUT
This book is written in British English, with a HUGE amount of British humour and jokes. I can see that some non-British folks might not get it, and will hate it. And that's THEIR loss, cos this is really a wonderfully funny read!
4 very VERY good stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Mr Calley came under my radar as a narrator. He nows writes as well so I had to read this. And I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed this. Here's why.
Danny reminded me so much of myself! For I too, have done the online dating thing and some of these very same scenarios ended up in this book! I could see myself, there in the moment, decidng how to get out of a particular situation, or remembering who I'm speaking to on any given day. I found it quite amusing.
Danny's mum is poorly, and I've been through that too, so that made me sad, to read it again. Not upset, just sad, remembering my mum, and her fight. She went through the online dating with me, and her favourite thing, every day, was a quick call to "see who I was talking to today"! Every. Single. Day!
It is, for a MM book, relatively clean, there is MUCH talk about smex and Danny's brother is amusing in that respect. But there is none really on page.
Mr Calley was at shiMMer this year, and he read a scene (maybe edited, slightly different) from this book, and it was hilarious listening to him. When I got to that scene in this book, I could hear him, you know?? It was fab. I would like to get my hands on the audio version of this too!
BUT
This book is written in British English, with a HUGE amount of British humour and jokes. I can see that some non-British folks might not get it, and will hate it. And that's THEIR loss, cos this is really a wonderfully funny read!
4 very VERY good stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
October 12, 2025
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Dan Calley’s latest is a fun romp through the life of a guy trying to find the one, but getting detoured through the wild and often unhinged world of online dating, until yes, finally does find the one.
It’s not your typical romance story, but it’s a lot of fun. You get to dive head long into the mind and life of Danny, his family, and his quest for love. It’s a rich story with lots of humour and warmth.
And though the blurb obviously mentions it, the mother is dying, so keep that in mind if needed, but it’s not a sad book, the opposite really, it’s a comedic romp with the tender reality of life mixed in.
And if you listen to the audiobook, you get to listen to Dan narrate, which is always a pleasure. I’ve been known to pick up an audiobook solely because Dan is narrating, and obviously in this case you know he’s going to totally get the material he’s producing!
Dan Calley’s latest is a fun romp through the life of a guy trying to find the one, but getting detoured through the wild and often unhinged world of online dating, until yes, finally does find the one.
It’s not your typical romance story, but it’s a lot of fun. You get to dive head long into the mind and life of Danny, his family, and his quest for love. It’s a rich story with lots of humour and warmth.
And though the blurb obviously mentions it, the mother is dying, so keep that in mind if needed, but it’s not a sad book, the opposite really, it’s a comedic romp with the tender reality of life mixed in.
And if you listen to the audiobook, you get to listen to Dan narrate, which is always a pleasure. I’ve been known to pick up an audiobook solely because Dan is narrating, and obviously in this case you know he’s going to totally get the material he’s producing!
October 27, 2025
🎧 Audiobook Review
Story ♥️♥️❣️
Narration ♥️♥️♥️
Overall ♥️♥️❣️
Dan Kelly the narrator, is the author of this story and it turned out to be an OK listen for me. the story is about Dan (fictional), whose single, lives with his mum whom he's very fond of and after his big brother moved in their flat after a bad divorce, the three of them are together living in the same house. While the banter among the brothers is nothing new, Dan comes to know about his brother being bi and his mum dealing with Cancer in nearly a very short span of time. He is also a sort of hermit, just getting introduced to smartphone tech, and dating apps. And so the story goes of him trying out all these apps and getting into the dating scene. Sadly, the romance bit is very minimal and I'm just not sure how the British humor quips can be entertaining, as they sort of dragged in the story.
The enjoyable part for me was the narration, the story is okayish. I expected a better dramedy.
***I received a copy of this audiobook from Gay Romance Reviews, for an honest review.***
Story ♥️♥️❣️
Narration ♥️♥️♥️
Overall ♥️♥️❣️
Dan Kelly the narrator, is the author of this story and it turned out to be an OK listen for me. the story is about Dan (fictional), whose single, lives with his mum whom he's very fond of and after his big brother moved in their flat after a bad divorce, the three of them are together living in the same house. While the banter among the brothers is nothing new, Dan comes to know about his brother being bi and his mum dealing with Cancer in nearly a very short span of time. He is also a sort of hermit, just getting introduced to smartphone tech, and dating apps. And so the story goes of him trying out all these apps and getting into the dating scene. Sadly, the romance bit is very minimal and I'm just not sure how the British humor quips can be entertaining, as they sort of dragged in the story.
The enjoyable part for me was the narration, the story is okayish. I expected a better dramedy.
***I received a copy of this audiobook from Gay Romance Reviews, for an honest review.***
October 31, 2025
This book had me laughing out loud more than once. Danny is an absolute whirlwind of awkward energy, and watching him stumble his way through one disastrous date after another was hilarious. Every time I thought, okay, surely this can’t get worse, it absolutely did and I loved it. The humour was sharp, British, and unapologetically real.
But underneath all the ridiculousness, there’s real heart. The whole premise, Danny diving into the world of dating apps because his mum, who’s seriously ill, just wants to see him happy, adds this bittersweet layer to the story. It gives all the humour a deeper emotional core, and it really works.
We don’t get to know Harry as well as I’d have liked, but the ending still felt satisfying and hopeful. It’s like watching someone finally get out of their own way long enough to find something real.
It’s funny, awkward, occasionally a little heartbreaking, and very, very human. If you’ve ever suffered through online dating (or just love a good British rom-com vibe), you’ll probably laugh your way through this one too.
But underneath all the ridiculousness, there’s real heart. The whole premise, Danny diving into the world of dating apps because his mum, who’s seriously ill, just wants to see him happy, adds this bittersweet layer to the story. It gives all the humour a deeper emotional core, and it really works.
We don’t get to know Harry as well as I’d have liked, but the ending still felt satisfying and hopeful. It’s like watching someone finally get out of their own way long enough to find something real.
It’s funny, awkward, occasionally a little heartbreaking, and very, very human. If you’ve ever suffered through online dating (or just love a good British rom-com vibe), you’ll probably laugh your way through this one too.
September 28, 2025
- romantic comedy
- serial dating
This was a ton of fun. I was lucky enough to hear Dan read an excerpt of this and was so keen to read the whole thing, and I wasn't disappointed. Danny ventures into the world of online dating when his mum is diagnosed with a serious illness, and he knows she wants to see him happy. Cue him downloading his first dating app and disastrous date, and then falling headfirst into a series of apps, dates, and comedic situations.
This is Danny's journey through the pitfalls of dating in the app age, we meet a few of his dates who are sometimes horrifying (those winkle pickers 😂) , sometimes sweet and sometimes oddly ending up as a friend when he needs it. There are lots of little comedy situations here that keep the story going forward but I was always hoping Danny would find his ever after. While this is funny, there's an undercurrent of tragedy looming here too that I couldn't ignore, and a sense of a clock ticking down.
I really enjoyed this, overall and even though Danny nearly mucked up his HEA, I'm glad he found it in the end. This is THE most bittersweet ending to a book I can remember though. I enjoyed it very much and there's more depth to this than just the dating disasters.
I received an ARC and this is my honest review.
- serial dating
This was a ton of fun. I was lucky enough to hear Dan read an excerpt of this and was so keen to read the whole thing, and I wasn't disappointed. Danny ventures into the world of online dating when his mum is diagnosed with a serious illness, and he knows she wants to see him happy. Cue him downloading his first dating app and disastrous date, and then falling headfirst into a series of apps, dates, and comedic situations.
This is Danny's journey through the pitfalls of dating in the app age, we meet a few of his dates who are sometimes horrifying (those winkle pickers 😂) , sometimes sweet and sometimes oddly ending up as a friend when he needs it. There are lots of little comedy situations here that keep the story going forward but I was always hoping Danny would find his ever after. While this is funny, there's an undercurrent of tragedy looming here too that I couldn't ignore, and a sense of a clock ticking down.
I really enjoyed this, overall and even though Danny nearly mucked up his HEA, I'm glad he found it in the end. This is THE most bittersweet ending to a book I can remember though. I enjoyed it very much and there's more depth to this than just the dating disasters.
I received an ARC and this is my honest review.
October 10, 2025
3.5 stars
I knew Dan Calley as an incredible narrator and this is my first time reading one of his novel.
I loved the humor that surrounds all the dating app experience and all the disasters that this kind of dating implies (even if I suffered of second hand embarrassment a couple of time).
Danny is a bit awkward, he's a magnet for mishaps and totally averse to technology, so when his brother introduces him to the world of the dating apps, he finds himself in all sort of weird and funny situations, eager to find the perfect match for himself.
But while I actually liked that he didn't have a straight and fast journey through his happy ending, like it happens in real life, I felt that the romantic part with his love interest didn't have enough space in the story. Their HEA was a bit rushed.
Moreover, the ending was too bittersweet for me, I needed a little more of lightness.
I received an ARC of this book from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review.
I knew Dan Calley as an incredible narrator and this is my first time reading one of his novel.
I loved the humor that surrounds all the dating app experience and all the disasters that this kind of dating implies (even if I suffered of second hand embarrassment a couple of time).
Danny is a bit awkward, he's a magnet for mishaps and totally averse to technology, so when his brother introduces him to the world of the dating apps, he finds himself in all sort of weird and funny situations, eager to find the perfect match for himself.
But while I actually liked that he didn't have a straight and fast journey through his happy ending, like it happens in real life, I felt that the romantic part with his love interest didn't have enough space in the story. Their HEA was a bit rushed.
Moreover, the ending was too bittersweet for me, I needed a little more of lightness.
I received an ARC of this book from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review.
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