This is a great book for single women in their younger 20s! I think it's definitely geared toward a specific audience, so while it's not a book I would recommend to everyone - I certainly would to anyone 20-25 who is newly single and/or struggling to embrace their single years. It's funny and relatable and the interactive activities/games included were a unique and fun aspect of the book that I think will resonate well with Gen Z.

I was immediately drawn to the vibrant colors of this cover so I knew I had to check it out.

I feel like this book is the perfect coffee table book to give to your perpetually single friend.

I found myself skimming through this, and reading bits and pieces, I had a hard time following it because I believe there are supposed to be graphics and illustrations but because this was an eARC those were not included so it was a little hard to follow. I think at one point I was reading what was supposed to be a quiz but it took me several minutes to figure that out.

I got curious about what the inside of this book was supposed to look like and I took a look at a few of the inside pages on the Simon and Schuster website as well as on Amazon and this looks like a fun book with some cool graphics so I might have to pick up a copy of this so I can look at all the fun pictures.

It definitely reads like more of a coffee table book, not something I would sit down and read cover to cover in one sitting because it tends to ramble a bit.

It’s very humorous and as a single person who loves to be single I really related to what the author was saying. Even though it was hard to follow because of the format it is in I tried to not let that affect my opinion of this book too much. I will give it a solid 3 stars and that rating might even go up eventually if I buy a print copy and get to really take in the full experience of this book.

What a FUN read! Also very funny, and lots of advice hold true even if you ARE in a relationship! Quick light read, with fun/funny advice, cute activities, hard not to relate to horoscopes, quizzes, recipes.. and more!

It almost felt like I was reading a special edition of Cosmo. I found myself highlighting lots of cute/funny sayings, and laughing to myself imagining some awkward moments I could’ve avoided in the past with the help of some of these described situations.. 🤪

Grab yourself a glass of your favorite wine, gather by the fireplace for the evening and enjoy this one to the fullest!

Single and Forced to Mingle is a guide for single people who are...well, forced to get out and mingle. It gives advice for nearly any socially awkward situation. No matter how many times you've told family and friends that you're happy being single, there are always moments where they believe otherwise. Well, Melissa Croce gives tips and tricks to graciously get through scenarios and the ups/downs of being single.

The best part of this loosely labeled "self-help" book are the chapter titles. They were more valuable than the content itself which, at times, came across as too in-your-face and I-am-single-hear-me-roar. Yes, there are a couple funny essays (why have kids in this economy and places to travel since single and childless) but nothing that made me LOL as the summary states. However, there are fun parts of this book too with mad-libs, quizzes and drink recipes that I am excited to try. Single and Forced to Mingle is more a cute read for the new year that younger generations may enjoy.

Happy Early Pub Day, Melissa Croce! Single and Forced to Mingle will be available Tuesday, January 5.

~LiteraryMarie

I really, really wanted to enjoy this book. The title, cover art, and description were very catchy and drew me in. However, I couldn't get past the first 5 chapters. The tone of the writing was filled with humor, almost to the point of detracting from the message. For me, this book had the same feel as every other generic self help, singledom non-fiction book. Certain library patrons will love it, but not a large portion of my community.

Single and Forced to Mingle is a funny and empowering piece for young single people. It gives you tips and tricks on how to navigate those family gatherings where EVERYONE is asking when you’re going to settle down and *shiver* cuffing season and all those couple-y holidays and activities.

What I didn’t like?
The book, rambled at times. There were paragraphs that went too long and could have been cut down or could have been more concise, I felt my eyes glossing over some sections because it felt repetitive. Going on, I felt like it jumped around a lot too, a bit erratic . Now, my feelings on transition could be due to the ebook format? I would be interested to see if the transitions were smoother on a printed book.

What I did like?
I could have used some of the stuff in here when I was single and in college or single right out of college in my early 20s! It was funny and had a lot of thoughts that I’m sure Millennials, like myself, or Gen Z could relate to or use. Going on, the mini quiz/choose your own scenario sections were also awesome and reminded me of all the teen magazine and buzzfeed tests I have taken. I think the bigger ideas of social engagement and how tiring it feels to interact with others, were my favorite parts because they were so relatable.

Overall, I think this book fits a very specific audience, so it’s not a book I can recommend to everyone. It feels like it speaks more for white female, straight, young adults who came from the middle class or higher, who are in college or have a college degree, and are Millenials or Gen Z. However, it was funny and had a lot
of things that I could have related to in college and right out of college as a single woman.

Single and Forced to Mingle is light-hearted and full of sarcastic humor. I’m clearly not the target reader, but I do have children within the target age which I thought would make this an interesting read. However, the author's “advice” felt glib like it is coming from a romantic comedy about finding a fake date to bring to family functions.

The author’s attempt at inclusion made the point of the book confusing. Are readers supposed to want corroboration that being single is great, find reasons to justify being single, need instructions for being a happy single, or are they in need of instruction on how to meet potential partners/dates?

The author’s attempt at inclusion made the point of the book confusing. Are readers supposed to want corroboration that being single is great, find reasons to justify being single, need instructions for being a happy single, or are they in need of instruction on how to meet potential partners/dates? The advance copy didn’t have a table of contents which I was hoping would help me figure out how the book is organized and help make sense of the book for me..

With section titles like “Tell Me How Your Last Relationship Ended and I’ll Tell You which Chain Restaurant You Should Eat Your Feelings At”, I had to wonder if the book was really meant to be self-help or a farce. And yet, the use of characters from popular television shows/movies as role models seems like a quintessential millennial thing to do. As previously stated, I'm clearly not the intended target audience as the book just didn't work for me.

This one was pretty fun and made me laugh out loud multiple times. I'd say it's a good one for millennial/Gen Z readers, but older readers probably wouldn't care for it. There are short quizzes throughout that reminded me of the ones I would see in teen magazines when I was growing up, so that was fun, too.

I absolutely loved this book. I saw that it had received a few negative reviews, which made me feel a little hesitant starting out. However, I think it may have just been a bad fit for those reviewers. It reads like a love letter to single, childless, millennials. As one, I picked up on the brand of humor we use to cope. No we are not all tragic but one of the fun things about being a single millennial is adding a dramatic flair to nonsense "social requirements". I related to about 98% of this book. Everyone is always asking about marriage and babies and all other constructs that the world has placed on single people. This isn't a book that teaches you how to join society the way people expect you to. It's simply about loving who you are and where you're at. I don't think this book is for everyone. If you don't fit into the category of single millennial, this book probably isn't for you. That said, I think everyone needs a book out there that just captures who they are as a person. This book did that for me!

So sadly this one just didn't work out. It was very preaching and in your face about being single and I just had to put it down. I couldn't force myself to read it. DNF around 40%

Single and Forced to Mingle purports to be a guide for millennial singles to navigate social situations that usually involve couples. However, I feel that the tone of the guidebook itself is erratic, somehow simultaneously embracing the notion that singlehood is both empowering and a tragic circumstance.

The edgy tone expected from a “millennial” dating guide was also surprisingly absent with quotes such as this: “Some people think that the holiday season is the saddest time for single people but true single people know that each season has the potential to be soul-crushingly sad.” Some antiquated notions of singlehood were even put forward such as dressing as an “old maid” for Halloween?!?

The author might be unconsciously struggling with ambivalence about being single that unfortunately creates a feeling of chaos of intention with this text. Is it funny? Is it irreverent? Is it even sad? Sometimes it’s hard to tell.

The guidebook had a chuckle or two but ultimately a self-consciousness about being single was put forth that seems to be in direct antithesis to the author’s intentions.

I didn't crack up, or laugh out loud as much as I hoped, but there were some quippy moments and things that made light of the obsession with romance and coupledom. I wouldn't necessarily call this a must-read, but it's a mildly funny palate cleanser.

So this was in your face about being a single person and how to interact and or find common ground with people solidly cemented in relationships. Some of this was funny and good advice, but it just was not for me. I wonder which one the author is.. No for me.

Thanks to Netgalley, Melissa Croce and Atria Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Available: 12/15/20

-1 too much in your face advice
-1 preachy
-1 some relationship stories as other self help books
-1 single people are seen as awkward
+1 cover