⭐️ This was an okay read for me. The storyline had a strong premise, but since it was a short story, parts of it felt a bit rushed. The ending definitely left me hanging though I’m still wondering what happens next!

This was a good short story. The plot could’ve definitely been developed into a full novel.

Fay, a world famous actress and single mom, faces challenges in her career and in her love life. Her opportunities for roles are practically non existent. While every guy she dates, who looks promising, always ends up vanishing out of thin air. Determined to find someone who will stick around, she joins an exclusive dating app where she meets a man named Oliver.

I like the story overall, and the writing was compelling. However, with it being a short story you don’t really get attached to the characters. But, the plot twist made up for it.

This short story explores motherhood and the dark side of fame with an intriguing premise. While the characters felt underdeveloped, the narrative took an unexpected and thought-provoking twist that made it memorable. A fast paced read but leaves a lot of questions.

Actress Fay Roper and her personal assistant/friend Poppy have a podcast together called “Ride or Die” and on it they discuss all kinds of things, like Fay’s experiments with the dating site Raya. Fay meets someone on Raya using a fake name, a man named Oliver, but it turns out he’s hiding something, just like Fay and Poppy. There’s quite a few twists and turns in this short story by Ellery Lloyd, and they are delightfully hard to predict. It’s a very quick read, and that might be part of the problem. There’s quite a bit of buildup in the beginning of the story, and then the ending is really abrupt. I think if the ending was as built up as the beginning, this would be rated higher.

This was a typical Amazon original. Nice and short. Pretty much straight to the point. 😂 I was confused where it was going on the beginning and then the twist hit me. I enjoyed it.

3.25
Bad Date immediately drew me in with its original podcast transcript opening, which was a clever and engaging way to start a mystery thriller. The story moves at a fast pace, making it easy to read in about an hour. I especially enjoyed the multiple POVs, which added depth, and the friendship between Fay and Poppy felt genuine and heartwarming. The plot delivers solid twists and turns that I didn’t see coming, keeping the tension high throughout. That said, the ending felt a bit abrupt but still satisfying. On a personal note, the frequent present-day references—social media websites, celebrities, etc.—weren’t really my thing. Still, overall, it’s a quick and enjoyable read with clever twists.

This was ok for a short story. Probably could have been longer, or even a sequel. Good buildup but ending kind of flopped.

I really enjoyed this short story! I found that the length was appropriate for the story and actually would have been ok with a little more!
The author kept me guessing and wanting to read more to find out what was going to happen. I thought I had things figured out and there were just so many little twists along the way.

If you are looking for a twisty short story for an in-between reads - this is a good one to pick up!

I loved the premise of this one – a twisty love con with all the makings of a bingeable read. The setup was clever, the characters intriguing, and I was fully strapped in for the ride. Honestly though, just as things were really starting to heat up… it ended. I wanted more! It felt like the story was only just getting into its stride when it wrapped up, and I was left wishing there were a few more chapters (or even a sequel!) to satisfy my curiosity.

Still, the concept is brilliant and if you enjoy a sharp, modern take on deception and relationships, this one will definitely grab your attention.