Worst Date Ever

by Melodie Campbell

Jennie has been a widow for two years. Her twelve-year-old son thinks it's about time she started dating, and so does her best friend, Angela. So with Angela's help, Jennie signs up to an online dating site. Within hours, she has several dates lined up for the week. Surely there will be one Prince Charming in the bunch. And if not, it's only one date, right? How bad could it be?

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Audiobook, Adult, Contemporary, Womens, Novella

128 pages, Paperback

Published September 5, 2017

About the author

"the Canadian literary heir to Donald Westlake"
Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine

NEWS: THE GODDAUGHTER DOES VEGAS is on the Ontario Library Association 2020 Forest of Reading GREAT STORIES list!

THE B-TEAM has been shortlisted for the 2019 Arthur Ellis Award for Excellence in Crime Writing! Melodie Campbell is a double finalist this year, with A SHIP CALLED PANDORA (Mystery Weekly Magazine) being a finalist in the short story category.

THE GODDAUGHTER'S REVENGE has won the DERRINGER AWARD and the ARTHUR ELLIS AWARD for Crime Writing!

The Toronto Sun called her Canada's "Queen of Comedy." Library Journal compared her to Janet Evanovich.

Melodie got her start writing comedy so it's no surprise that reviewers and editors have called her fiction "hilarious" and "laugh-out-loud funny". She has over 200 publications, including 40 short stories, 15 novels, and has won 10 awards for fiction.

"The Goddaughter" a comic mob caper, has been called "Just right for Janet Evanovich fans...impossible not to laugh" by Library Journal.

"The Goddaughter's Revenge" from Orca books, was dubbed 'Real Gold' by the Hamilton Spectator. It won the Derringer Award in the States, and the Arthur Ellis Award in Canada.

Book 5 in the series, "The Bootlegger's Goddaughter" was a finalist for the Ontario Library Association Golden Oak Award. Book 6 in the series, "The Goddaughter Does Vegas" is now available.

Top 100 Bestseller "Rowena Through the Wall," was the first novel in the Land's End comic time travel fantasy series. The entire Land's End trilogy is a Top 50 Amazon Bestseller (all books).

Reviews

[Lisa (Remarkablylisa) · Rating 1 out of 5]

what a joke. this book was dumb

[Kierra · Rating 2 out of 5]

I honestly don't know why I picked up this book, as it's not the kind of thing I would usually read. But I was browsing the new fiction section of the library, and it promised to be "hilarious," seemed like a short, escapist read, and I was in need of some escapism. Unfortunately, it was too trite to be funny. The book could have been good, had the characters been more than shells, the story less predictable (the "surprise" outcome is obvious by page 6), and the events more than, essentially, a list of very tired dating cliches with little plot, lacking in the kind of detail that would have made it interesting. It was short; I will give it that, and only took me about an hour or so to read, which ultimately is why I didn't give up. I can see how this would appeal to some readers, but if you are looking for something more than a quick distraction, you are better off looking elsewhere.

[Joyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

An audio version of Orca Publishing's books for new readers, known in the library world as Adult New Readers. Jenny is a young widow about to enter the world of dating; her pre-teen son thinks it's high time, as does her best friend. She joins an online service, takes time off work, and sets up dates in a local coffee shop where she feels safe. Her encounters are amusing--this is not an advertisement for online dating; the pace of the story quick; Jenny's character is sympathetic and we're privy to her frustrations as well as her humorous outlook; easy reading style; upbeat tone. Orca calls these Rapid Reads and they are that, even on audio. Pleasant listening.

[Caro Soles · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a rollicking good time, hook up with Melodie Campbell


What fun! This zippy book is a great palette-cleanser after slogging through the latest Nobel Prize winner or enduring another rough day at the office! Guaranteed to entertain and simply written for those for whom English is not their first language, too. I am sure many of you will recognize some of your own worst dates in this frolic! Enjoy! I know you will.

[Sascha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Internet dating is the current big thing to have an unmarried character delve into whether on tv, in movies or novels. Due to the prevalence of internet dating, any book (novella in this case) using it as a major plot point really needs to strive to be unique.

Worst Date Ever unfortunately hasn’t done much to be unique except for perhaps the last date. Now, if the last date had actually been the second date and Jennie had several dates with him, perhaps this novella could have risen above average, but it didn’t.

read more: https://saschadarlington.me/2017/05/2...

[Alyssa Drake · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun, fast read. The story idea was amusing and I laughed aloud on several occasions. I would have loved to see more detail given to the disastrous dates. The conclusion was predictable, but I wanted Jenny and Dave to end up together, so the end did not bother me in the slightest. (rounded up from 3.5 stars)

[Dorothy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute story! :)

[Crystal Holland · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn’t realize this was a novella when I started it and was truly flummoxed when it was over.

[BookLoverScar · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s cute I liked it.

[Jenn ~ Smalltown Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rapid Read.

I picked up a stack of little books from the library, knowing nothing about Rapid Reads. Turns out they’re a collection of easily digestible quick read books. Simple language and concepts. Wrapped up in about 150 pages or less. This one was about a woman trying out the online dating scene. Not a whole lot of depth. Okay book for a really fast read. Great book for ESL students or adult emerging readers.

[Alison E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

As romances go, this one is a bit more of a comedy of errors but that's one of the things that make is so appealing. It has that classic combination of wit and sentiment that makes a great romantic comedy.

[Dax · Rating 2 out of 5]

The writing style wasn't particularly good. The story had some potential just from the sheer preposterousness of each date the heroine goes on. It just always seemed to fall flat of being truly entertaining.

[Nate Hawthorne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think some people should stick where their expertise lies. This author has many awards, but I found this book shallow and predictable. It was good it was short, or I would gave abandoned it.

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Blergh, so trite.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a cute story, a very quick read, but still very cute. Our gal, Jennie, lost her husband two years prior, to a heart attack at age 34. She has a 12 yr old son, Ryan. Jennie's best friend, Angela, urges her to get back out there and start dating. This is the story of all of those first(and only) dates with a diverse group of men. There was the drug-addled guy, the man who lied about his age(by 20 yrs.), the one who pulled out a pad of paper with a list of questions that his mother put together, the one who was arrested before their date was over. We've all had some really bad first dates, but not to this extent. In a way, (probably because it wasn't us), it is kind of funny, probably not for our Jennie. She did say that she was going to write a book about her experiences. Thank heavens she did. I really enjoyed this book...I hope you do, too.

[Jara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bite-size romantic comedy that reminds us that a series of bad dates can be blessings in disguise. There's a bonus for those who finish the book and do a bit of research: we find out which of these bad dates actually happened to the author!

Side-note: The funniest part to me is that the term that Jennie and her bestie use for a good-on-paper guy who turns out to be a bum is the same name as my worst date ever. 🙃

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them. - Romans 8:28 New Living Translation

[Mickey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Melodie Campbell is hilarious and her characters are like your favorite girlfriends. In WORST DATE EVER, Jennie is ready to start dating again--or maybe not. She's brave and feisty and honest and funny. She doesn't deserve the kinds of loser guys she meets online and arranges to have coffee with at the local cafe. Sound like your single friends? I'm giving my copy of WORST DATE EVER to a friend who is considering the online route to love. A fast read, this book is as sweet and uplifting as a mocha latte.

[Lynda Simmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Melodie Campbell does it again! A funny yet thoughtful look at the world of online dating through the eyes of Jennie, a single mom dipping her toes into that murky pool for the first time. While there may be a prince lurking in those muddy depths, she has to wade through a lot of frogs along the way with often hilarious results. A fast-paced and satisfying read you won't be able to put down until the last page is turned.

[Don Graves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worst Date Ever is one of the best of this genre. Like all Campbell's novels, the dialogue is the driving force. This tale is funny, but Campbell finds the sad notes, the desperate moves, and the gentle poignancy when 2 people realize that what they wanted was right in front of them.
Finding a complete story like this in novella form is rare. When I read it a second time, I found myself replacing characters in the book with people I knew. This rapid read is more than a good read.

[Zibbernaut · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was only just over a hundred pages, so it was easy to crush in a couple hours. The story is about a lady going on a bunch of dates; devoting two whole weeks to dating almost every day, finding her studs on the internet. This had hilarious mishaps and I was entertained by her commentary on it all.

The book was predictable in the end, but I don't think that took away from the rest of the journey. Just a fun, light read.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy, fun read that pulls on some heart strings and also makes you laugh! This book follows Jennie, a 30-something widow, as she tests the waters of online dating. Anyone who has tried online dating should be able to relate. The book is not a typical romance with x-rated scenes. Instead it is sweet and fun with a feel good ending.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute little book, but I'm not sure if it will attract the attention of my young adult readers as the main character is a middle aged widow with a 12 year old son. The premise of the story, with her trying to get back into the dating scene through a dating website was good and current. The dates were amusing too. The ending was predictable but cute. Overall, a fast cute read.

[Jenny G · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was fun, but I was disappointed when there started to be some crude language added about half way through. The ending was predictable, but I still enjoyed the read. The Rapid Reads format made it easy to read the entire book in one sitting even as a slow reader. I did notice a continuity error or two as I ran through, but I liked the concept of the story overall.

[Jessica Gadd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such a fast and fun read! This book was very entertaining and only took me a couple days to finish. Worst Date Ever is about a widowed mom who signs up for E-Galaxy dating and goes on many terrible coffee dates over a two week period. Would highly recommend this if your looking for a fun pick me up :)

[kimberly_rose · Rating 1 out of 5]

Written in such a simplistic style I was vaguely insulted; it's marketed as an adult book not a children's book. But I assure you, it's like Reading For Beginners, Level 1. We're not even talking about reading *romance* for beginners... just *reading a story*, period.

[Rebekah Crain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saw this on display at the library and couldn’t resist grabbing it. I’m glad I did too, because this comical short novel was a fun little palette cleanser. If you’re looking for something light and quick it will fit the bill.

[Jody Kyburz · Rating 3 out of 5]

We don't live in Idaho, but I read this today, start to finish, in the Marshall Public Library in Pocatello while my husband got caught up on business tasks on his iPad. Easy read and some fiction, some nonfiction.

[Theda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Learned about this author at recent Maple Leaf Mystery Festival.
This was a short, fun read and she had some dates that even I never experienced.
Recommended for a good laugh, and a heartwarming ending.

[PoligirlReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was the equivalent of a Hallmark movie: predictable, warm, and no deep thinking required. And you know what? Sometimes that's a good thing. Sometimes you just want to kick back with a quick, comfortable read. This fits the bill and I have no regrets.

[Hannah Schmidt · Rating 5 out of 5]

It had me laughing and enjoying Jennie as she went on this dating journey. Easy reading and I finished it in a day.