Thanks to NetGalley and Hera Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Please keep in mind the following content warning: Mentions of Death of Family Members and Homophobia, and Toxic Relationships.

I loved this book so damn much. Not only I laughed so fucking hard, but I also saw part of my mum in Sam's mum. Of course, Gloria is way more insane and I love her for that, but her passion and care for Sam reminded me much of my own mother. I will never get tired of stories with family dynamics as a central point of the story and this is one of them.

I couldn't stand Sam's ex not even to save my life, and that's the point. You want to hate this guy, you want Sam to finally see what's in front of him, to believe in himself and to find the love that he truly deserves. Every time I got frustrated it was because I cared about Sam and wanted to give in to his obvious attraction to Finn.

Another big part of the novel that I highly related to was Sam's struggle as an aspiring author and feeling uninspired with his writing. Almost for as long as I can remember, I have wanted to publish a novel. That process has been filled with many ups and downs, moments where I stopped writing or didn't see the point. Even right now, where I have been the most confident in my writing I have ever been, I worry about the process of getting an agent, about whether publishers would like what I have, and what readers would think. And honestly, this is the best a book can ever do. That moment when you can still relate and see yourself in a character that has different circumstances, ways of life, and even personality than you because, at your core, you both want the same things.

I recommend this book to artists who struggle to believe in their art and themselves. It's also great for people with strong relationships with their mums, to the point it might be slightly unhinged. I'm sure you will enjoy it. Seriously, please make sure to pick up this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hera for this ARC.

Sam Carmichael, 35, has made a written contract with his overbearing mother Gloria 20 years ago - if he hasn't got a boyfriend by 35, she can make the dating rules for him. The time has now come and his mother is overjoyed that she is allowed to interfere officially. She is still grieving for the loss of her sister Shug and this might give her a new impetus.

The way she goes about it is hilarious, plunging poor Sam into the dating pool by all means necessary and shoving him from one horrendous date to the next. Sam isn't really interested anyway - all he wants is his ex Paul back who is making positive noises about getting divorced from his hubby soon. At the same time Sam is growing closer to Finn Montgomery, an artist his company represents.

Sam is a regular at Plant Daddy, a quirky coffee & plant shop owned by grumpy Kai and populated by a diverse clientele, including his best friend Omar. I loved this found family of characters, with his mother eventually starting to work there too, although many of them stay very much in the background.

The LGBTQ+ and diversity representation is exemplary. One character is introduced as a wheelchair user and later as a trans man completely in passing, making it normal and no big deal.

I have read a lot of books incorporating monster mothers. Gloria is not one of them. She is interfering, yes, and she would be too much for me. But she is not any different from any in your face, meddling but loving and supportive Jewish mother. She loves Sam and Sam loves her and she's also a fierce if sometimes inappropriate ally to the queer community.

Sam loves classic films which others see as outdated regarding queer representation. He's a writer but he doesn't see himself as one as he's "only" written six books for someone else as a ghost writer, and only one short story of his has won him critical acclaim.

It's a bit perplexing that Sam thinks so little of himself and his talents. Everyone around him can see his worth except himself. It might have to do something with his ex Paul who never supported him the way he should have. Finn basically spends the entire book trying to boost his self-confidence.

However, the story spends more time on the mother/son relationship than on any romance so I felt a little short-changed. I would have liked Sam and Finn to have more scenes together although I loved the character of Glory, as she re-christened herself.

Altogether, this is a fun, warm-hearted if predictable story of finding your self-worth and love in the process, if you believe in yourself and your strong support system.

<i>digital ARC was provided by Netgalley and Hera Books</i>

Alright, let’s talk about My Mother's Ridiculous Rules for Dating! I was super excited to dive in, and honestly, the beginning hooked me right away. Sam Carmichael is relatable, and his struggles with love and his overbearing mom, Gloria, felt real and hilarious at the same time.

I loved Sam—his dynamic with his mother was a highlight for me. Their interactions brought a lot of warmth and humor to the story. But then there's Finn, the important love interest. Honestly, I found it hard to connect with him. He felt kind of like a prop in Sam's journey rather than a full-fledged character. I really wanted more depth there.

On the flip side, the side characters, especially Omar, were fantastic! I appreciated the diverse representation, which added a refreshing layer to the story.

Now, I have to vent a bit about Sam's blindness when it came to love. I get it; sometimes you’re just a mess because of a guy, but it was frustrating to see him reduced to that.

As for the title, My Mother's Ridiculous Rules for Dating, it didn’t quite capture the essence of the story for me. Yes, Gloria sets up some blind dates, but it felt more about the chaotic relationship between a mother and her son than dating rules.

One thing I’d definitely change? The length. The book could use a trim—it felt a bit too long in parts. And the ending? It was just... okay. I wanted a bit more punch!

Overall, I enjoyed the journey, even with its quirks. If you’re looking for a light read with some laughs and relatable moments, this one might just hit the spot!

— Why I was Attracted to this book :
The Tittle and it’s a MM Romance

— What did you like about this book:
community and the middling mother

— What you didn’t:
You ever just want to shake a MC and slap them silly that was me !! I wanted to slap Sam and give him a big old bear hug several times while reading.

— Would you recommend:
Yes

— Would you read this author again:
It was my first time and I would



Ok this is not the romance story I was expecting at all, but it was a refreshing surprise. 
Heartwarming? Yes. Funny? It had its moments and I was all here for it.
This was definitely a falling in love with yourself kinda book where the MMC is struggling with his identity and how to give himself grace and love himself again, and I like that part very much. I feel like there was more that could have been done for Sam! Like you know therapy and I wish he had done that!

It’s an acquired taste but I think if you give it a try you’ll find something to really like about it.

This is a slow paced hallmark movie type of a romantic comedy. The focus is more on Sam's relationship with his mother and his group of friends than on his budding romance with Finn. Sam is stubbornly adamant that he feels nothing for Finn even though they are perfect for each other (just ask his mother) and trying to rebuild his relationship with his lying, cheating ex because he believes that things have changed now. Or at least he wants to believe that. There are multiple dialogues that will make you burst into laughter, mainly the dialogues between Sam and his mother. That woman would not know subtlety and boundaries if they smacked her in the face wearing rainbow makeup and a unicorn tiara. And I love her for it.

Sam Carmichael had dreams of becoming an author, he even won a prestigious writing prize when he was younger. Unfortunately, things didn't pan out, he spent many years ghostwriting for a female romance author who just couldn't be bothered to write any more, but when she retired none of the publishers wanted him to continue writing in her style. Now he's working part-time in an advertising agency, toying with the idea of completely giving up on his dreams and becoming a full-time corporate 'normal'.

Since his aunt Shug died a year ago, Sam's mother Gloria has really struggled to find joy in life, so when she unearths a 'contract' Sam signed years ago in which he promised his mother that if he wasn’t coupled up by thirty-five, he would do whatever she wanted to find a boyfriend. Well guess what, he's thirty-five and single (after his much older boyfriend Paul went back to his husband) and Gloria is coming to make good on his promise.

I really liked the premise of this story but to me it didn't quite work. Sam's ex, Paul, was just too obviously a creep, Gloria set Sam up on some truly horrendous dates with some ghastly people - why? Even Sam's love interest seemed to delight in telling Sam what to do - he was too similar to Paul in that respect.

Overall, I suspect there is a bit too much autobiography in this and I didn't really find Sam a likeable character (although I did sympathise with him over the way everyone pushed him around 'for his own good').

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

If there's one sorta quibble I have, it's that Finn is too cool, almost too perfect.. That said, I kept picturing Jonathan Bailey but with a New Orleans accent. Make of that what you will.
I quite like Sam as a MC, tho I 'm sure there's plenty of people who will find Sam rubs them the wrong way. I get the feeling, however, that it will be many of those traits that I find most relatable in Sam. Gloria feels too often like a carbon-copy of Debbie from Queer As Folk and I wish we had gotten more of her depth/nuance earlier in the story.

Yes it's predictable, but it's also fun and for that it's definitely recommended.

This was such a funny and cute read omg, I had a lot of fun reading it. I did so in one sitting, I was waiting for my car at the dealer and started to read,.it a cute read, it quick and to the point. the banter is top tier and the friends, family dynamics are spot on. I def recommend this one.

2.5 stars - I struggled with this book because the pacing felt wonky and the romance lackluster. The emotion and touchy feeliness I want from my romance was missing. The humour was top notch and I really enjoyed the banter and the concept, but I did not believe the romance part of this romcom.

This is the first book from this author, and I have to say, he will now be on my to buy list. It’s a classic trope with a twist—if you’re still single by a certain age you’ll pair up with someone. In this case, we have Sam who promised his mother he’d let her pick. I loved the main character and seeing his relationship with his mother—and all the dates. It was witty and funny and very easy to read.

What I loved about this book wasn't necessarily the romance between Sam and his client at the marketing agency, social justice campaigner and photographer, Finn, but all the side characters, based around the plant shop and cafe, Plant Daddy, run by queer Kai who uses a wheelchair, and is grumpy to everyone but doesn't mean it; there's Sam's best friend, Omar, who has backed him up forever and lives upstairs from him, and of course Glory, Sam's mum, who puts into place their ancient agreement that once he hits 35 and is single, she will organise his dating life.

Cue disastrous dates but also the growing realisation that his ex, who is trying to tempt him back, might not be The One and that it's worth embracing community and activism and trusting himself more rather than relying on an older, quite boring, man to be the grown-up. Glory couldn't be prouder of Sam and is a relentless social justice campaigner herself, particularly around LGBTQIA+ issues, with a nice line in T-shirts, and she helps him to realise how important that is, too. Although there's some serious self-development and learning and lots of role modelling and helping younger people, it's a lighthearted and positive novel that I loved, and I will be seeking out the author's other books asap.

Blog review will be published 22 October https://librofulltime.wordpress.com/2024/10/22/book-review-philip-william-stover-my-mothers-ridiculous-rules-for-dating/

Once I got past the crazy mother the book was absolutely a delight. After a while Gloria the mom actually became a very likable character. If you can deal with the amazing intrusions into her son's life the book is basically a hoot. I found myself laughing out loud numerous times.

Sam is stuck in a mediocre life. He feels he has failed as an author, and is settling for a job that doesn't excite him, and a basically awful boyfriend that he feels fits the mold for a stable relationship.

Thankfully his mom knows there is so much her son has to offer, and pushes him to explore the possibilities. The book was a treat to read with a cast of quirky friends that I highly recommend. My only complaint is not his momma, but I would have liked to have seen more of Sam and Finn together. I felt we were teased with just a snippet and I wanted so much more.

Special thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book for my reading pleasure.

This was one of those books for me that was sitting at the 4-5 star mark right until the final third or so, where it went downhill.

I fully appreciate that this book might not be for everyone. If you want something believable, serious, or portraying stable, non-toxic familial relationships, maybe give this one a miss. I however, loved ALL of the aspects that might be off putting for others.

The set-up of the ‘dating rules’ and the relationship between Sam and his Mum was BATSHIT and I had fun updating my friends on my reading progress. Was it particularly realistic? No. Did it have to be? No, because it was hilarious. Comedy doesn’t have to be realistic. Heck, romance doesn’t have to be realistic. Look at all these wildly successful fake dating stories (my favourite trope btw). If there’s a part where they draw up the ‘contract’ or lay out their ground rules, I’m gonna eat that up; imagine my joy when Sam’s mum set up a meeting to discuss terms of their arrangement with her ‘legal counsel’!

Another massive plus for this book is the diversity. Of course, it is gay, but it goes beyond that. We touch on intersectionality between gender identity, disability, sexuality, race and refugeeism for queer people. One of the supporting characters is a wheelchair user and we don’t learn this until maybe the third or fourth time they’re mentioned by the MC. Sam actually describes this person to another character at one point to help him find them and doesn’t even mention the chair; the disability isn’t the defining feature and that sort of detail felt special.

Unfortunately, Sam’s own exploration of his identity as a gay man is one of the areas that I felt was lacking. We experienced plenty of internal monologuing and butting of heads with his Mum on the subject, but I didn’t feel a resolution. I wasn’t <i>entirely</i> happy with the situation that resulted in any of Sam’s conclusions about himself to be honest, because they all centred on the actions of someone else instead of him naturally finding more confidence in himself.

The last thing that lowered my rating was the constant classic film references. I don’t think I understood a single one of those references. Now normally that wouldn’t bother me, I can accept the fact I just don’t know stuff and that’s okay, except for two details. Firstly, the arguments between characters about what important cultural implications these specific films have made me feel like I was being inadvertently shamed for being unfamiliar with these cornerstones of queer cinema. Secondly, Sam himself talks very early on about how his own writing got rejected for having outdated movie references that audiences didn’t resonate with. From that point on, every outdated reference felt too meta and as they increased I began to read the whole book as a massive self insert. I can see it was probably emphasising this picture of Sam as a classic old soul who really does think about old films all the time but I was just thinking, “these publishers are right, these references are alienating me”.

All that to say, I didn’t have a bad time with this book. It was good, but I had some issues with it that I can’t overlook, so it came out at 3 stars by the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

*4.5

This book is a delight! It’s funny, witty, a real romcom. I’m not surprise, if I have to be honest, it’s not my first book by Philip William Stover. I really enjoy is writer.
Gloria is my favorite character, but I love all of them. They are all so well written! The banters are so funny, really I cannot stop laughing!
O think I will re-read soon!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! This was such a cute read. I loved his relationship with his mom, his friends, and his community. I want a Plant Daddy where I live. I laughed out loud and some of the shenanigans his mom put him through. If you are looking for a sweet, cute, fun read this is for you!

I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley. Thank you for the opportunity.

So romantic I loved every minute of it. I will be buying it

Initial heads up for readers: this book is written in first-person present tense. If that bothers you, this may not be the book for you. It bothered me at first, but by the end I ignored it.

When I started this book, I wasn't sure I would be able to finish it. Sam's mom, Gloria (Glory) has such an intense personality, particularly when it comes to being mom to a gay son. While she doesn't really calm down, I felt more comforted by her as the story goes along. She's just a mom who loves her son and wants him to love himself.

Another part of this book I really liked was the Found Family. That trope is so important to me, and I know it's important to a lot of other queer people. Sam is constantly surrounded by people who love him and want the best for him. Yes, that includes his mother. But it also includes a fun cast of characters from the coffee shop he lives above.

The whole time, I was rooting against Sam's ex-boyfriend/sort-of boyfriend Paul. What an a**hole who uses Sam because he's young and good looking. I rooted for Something to happen with Finn the whole time. He truly wanted to get to know Sam and push past the walls he put up.

"I want to be with a guy who is honest with himself. Honest about who he is and what he wants."

If you can handle the initial intensity of Glory, the rest of the book is a page turner.

**I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.**

First of all, thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review an ARC of this book.

Unfortunately, due to some unforeseen circumstances I was unable to download and review this book on time.

3.75
My Mother’s Ridiculous Rules for Dating is a fun, lighthearted read with plenty of humor and quirky, over-the-top characters. While entertaining, the story’s pacing felt uneven, and some jokes became repetitive. I appreciated the humor but wished for more depth in the characters and relationships. Overall, it’s an enjoyable casual read, though it left me wanting more substance.

This book brings a delightful blend of humor and heartfelt moments as Sam navigates the chaos of his mother’s matchmaking efforts while figuring out love and self-acceptance. The dynamic between Sam and his over-the-top mother adds a layer of warmth and hilarity that will resonate with anyone who’s ever faced a meddling parent. If you’re in the mood for a lighthearted romcom that also explores deeper themes of identity and community, this is a charming pick!