Book Review: Love at First Type – A Chronicle of Addiction to Online Dating

> Nº19 on My 2015 Reading Challenge –  A book based on a true story <

“We’ve all searched for love at one time or another and a popular way is to use online dating. I’m not going to bore you with statistics, but studies have shown a great many people find their partners online. It can be a great way to get to know a potential partner, and to connect with people you otherwise would never have encountered. But is it all it’s cracked up to be?

This book collects the bizarre, notable, and downright tragic experiences spanning three years on a popular dating site as I try to analyse my attitudes towards online dating and reflect on what I’ve learnt, and how I’ve changed because of it.” – Amazon synopsis for Love at First Type: A Chronicle of Addiction to Online Dating by Robert D. Spake.

I can’t thank Robert D. Spake enough for allowing me to read this and for the fact that I brought this book along on my most recent trip, it kind of saved me from being bored to death… I loved it!

Although I never tried online dating – don’t really know why, given that I can’t meet new people if my life depended on it, – it’s impossible not to relate with some situations, feelings or awkward moments that the author describes.

I found myself being sucked into this story and I couldn’t wait to read what would happen next. And wow, I could perhaps think that things could get a little weird with online dating, but I never quite imagined this… I’m not sure if after reading this I would ever consider trying the dating sites… but hey, I admire the fact that he can still think positive about dating in general and that he actually stuck with it for so long… Well done!

I do understand the appeal! Being socially awkward as I am, I understand the pool of being “faceless” on the internet. That is one of the biggest advantages that the internet has brought us – it’s easier to get out of our shells when there’s no judging stares or awkward pauses.

I highly recommend this book – whether or not you have ever tried online dating. My guess is that if you have, you will review yourself in one situation or another. If you have never tried it (like myself), you might just get surprised when you relate to a specific fear, awkwardness or strange situation. Give it a read!