Mid-Life Ex-Wife: A Diary of Divorce, Online Dating, and Second Chances

by Stella Grey Narrated by Penelope Rawlins

Overview

Nora Ephron meets Bridget Jones's Diary in Guardian columnist Stella Grey's heartrendingly honest, witty memoir about her online odyssey to find real love in a virtual world.

“The literary equivalent of the When Harry Met Sally line, `tell me I'll never be out there again'.”-JoJo Moyes, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Me Before You

Singers may croon about love being lovelier the second time around, but it can also be far more complicated. When Stella Grey's husband leaves her for another woman, she fears she'll be unhappy and alone for the rest of her life. But daytime vodka-drinking and ice-cream are only short-term consolations. Realizing that she needs to take her future into her own hands, Stella dives into the world of online dating. What follow are 693 days of hilarious, depressing, and baffling encounters that unfold both in person and online. Stella quickly discovers that the more perfect a man appears on her screen, the warier she should be. It's a game of chance, with some players perfectly willing to lie to get what they want, whether that's a lifetime of love or a very brief encounter.

Amid flirty emails, Skype chats, and awkward small talk over glasses of bad wine (which may or may not lead to awkward sex), Stella struggles to remain optimistic. To succeed, does she have to redefine the kind of man she's looking for-or change the kind of woman she is? Funny, raw, and heartwarming, this book is a brutally honest account of the world of online dating-a world which so many of us are a part of, no matter our age-drawn from Stella's hugely popular Guardian column, “Mid-life Ex-Wife” (and expanded with new material) about her search for a second chance at love.

This memoir is a perfect gift for any woman in your life who has experienced heartbreak and is looking for love again.

Stella Grey's story is a reminder that it's never too late to find happiness, and her witty writing will have you laughing and crying in equal measure.

HarperCollins 2024

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

03/13/2017
Finding herself suddenly single at 50 after her husband left her for another woman, Grey, a columnist for the Guardian (whose columns are the basis for the book), started online dating and quickly went from novice to expert, getting an emotionally turbulent education that she renders with unabashed honesty. Deciding to eschew the advice of friends, she created a lengthy, detailed profile, didn’t lie about her age or her looks, and tried to hold firm to her “take me as I am” attitude. Many of the men Grey encountered were sexist and ageist, carelessly tossing off hurtful, rude, and immature responses before passing her over in hopes of dating women 20 years their junior. She did go on dates with some decent prospects and also fielded offers for no-strings hook-ups with much younger guys. Grey was interested in long-term companionship but discovered that it’s elusive in the online dating arena, where people often seem to be wrong about what makes for lasting relationships; for example, many believe that a spark of attraction . Grey offers much-needed perspective on the struggles of starting over again and dating later in life. Rather than wallow in self-pity or anger, she infuses the highs and lows with welcome warmth and optimism. (May)

From the Publisher

Stella Grey is a Bridget Jones for the internet dating age! This book is like a bathroom gossip with your best friend—stories of terrible men and terrible sex.” — Plum Sykes, New York Times bestselling author of Bergdorf Blondes

“The literary equivalent of the When Harry Met Sally line, ‘tell me I’ll never be out there again’.” — JoJo Moyes, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Me Before You

“Any single person contemplating the use of online dating sites would do well to read Grey’s account…. Direct, sincere, humiliating, and oftentimes funny.” — Kirkus Reviews

Plum Sykes

Stella Grey is a Bridget Jones for the internet dating age! This book is like a bathroom gossip with your best friend—stories of terrible men and terrible sex.

JoJo Moyes

The literary equivalent of the When Harry Met Sally line, ‘tell me I’ll never be out there again’.

Kirkus Reviews

2017-02-20
One woman's adventures in the online dating scene.When her husband of many years abruptly left her for another woman, Grey (a pseudonym), in her early 50s, went through the stages of grief and denial before finally admitting she needed to find another man to fill the emptiness in her heart. Not knowing where else to look, she turned to the numerous online dating sites to find a possible mate, filling out questionnaires, attaching photographs, and launching into the project with gusto, enthusiasm, and a sense of humor. What she discovered over the course of two-plus years of reading profiles, connecting via email, Skype, texting, and in-person dates unfolds in a genuinely human story of needs, wants, dreams, hopes, humor, and shock. Grey was unprepared for the men interested only in sex in all its forms: in real life, in sexting, in Skyping. She was also not ready for the instant rejections she received based on her profile, lengthy emails, and visuals of her ample body, and she was ill-equipped for the heart-pounding reality of meeting yet another stranger, falling briefly for him, only to discover he was another dud. As the author persisted in her pursuit of finding love again, she discovered a lot about herself, which helped her dismiss the bottom feeders and otherwise creepy men, but it left her no closer to finding a life companion. Direct, sincere, humiliating, and oftentimes funny, Grey's dalliances with countless men will have readers shaking their heads, shouting, 'no, don't do it,' while cheering her on with shared optimism as she ventures out yet again into the midlife dating fray. Any single person contemplating the use of online dating sites would do well to read Grey's account for what to do and not to do and what to expect from these matchmaking endeavors. A frank, guileless, and useful account of a 50-something's search for love through online dating services.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940173549723
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	05/02/2017
Edition description:	Unabridged

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