Not a Match

My True Tales of Online Dating Disasters

By: Brian Donovan

Narrated by: Ax Norman

Length: 2 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

Forty million people in the US have tried Internet dating, which means 40 million people have probably gone on some pretty crappy dates. Not a Match: My True Tales of Online Dating Disasters is about one guy who experienced more than his fair share. Brian Donovan, a writer and comedian whose work has appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, NPR, and Chapelle's Show, has been on over 100 Internet dates in a genuine search for love and happiness.

©2013 Brian Donovan (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

This is the worst dating guide imaginable!

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

This guy is very deluded, he constantly lies to women telling them he is interested in the same things they are then complains when they figure out that 1. he's been lying and 2. he is not into dancing/craziness/music.
One example is that he tells this girl, he is hugely into music and then when she invites him to a music festival (as friends and in her mind have music in common) he is very angry thinking that its a date and that she has trapped him at this horrible music festival (she thinks he loves music! he told her so! What a Jerk!)

Would you listen to another book narrated by Ax Norman?

Yes, he has a lovely voice and good comedic timing

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

Not really it's just a disingenuous jerk complaining about dating ladies who are usually honest about their situation and then complaining because he trapped himself in said situation.

Any additional comments?

I really hope the author reads this and reflects on his actions and can see that he is doing himself no favours

Confirmation To Never Join Online Dating Services

What did you like best about Not a Match? What did you like least?

I liked how realistic it was and how it paints the sorry but true story of our technologically-driven yet love-famished culture. The thing that bothered me the most about the story was how the author hands out advice on form letters when they have obviously not worked for him in the past. Sure, he got a lot of dates, but he doesn't have a wife.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Brian discovering the true meaning of love and falling in love with and committing to someone the old-fashioned way (like, in person). He could totally fall in love and be the man of some lady's dreams by being more assertive in person and quitting online dating.

What about Ax Norman’s performance did you like?

Ax Norman's voice is very beastly sounding... in a good way.

Was Not a Match worth the listening time?

YES! TOTALLY! It saved me hundreds of hours and dollars that I might have wasted on online dating sites.

Any additional comments?

I knew online dating wasn't for me. And, after vicariously living through Brian's disastrous quests for "love" through online dating sites, I only received more confirmation to never join online dating services. I know that compatibility can be easily found online, however, the success of a real and genuine love does not depend on compatibility, but rather the ability to sacrificially love.

Not what I expected

It's not what I expected, but it was fun to listen to.
Blah blah blah

Online Dating Humor

I thought this was a good audiobook. It was funny and if you have online dated you will be able to relate with a few of the awkward situations. The narrator was good too!

Good, but not great

What made the experience of listening to Not a Match the most enjoyable?

The authors misadventures with internet dating were entertaining.

Any additional comments?

The story was entertaining, but the funny parts weren't quite delivered properly by the narrator, which reduced the impact of the humour.

Fun and Funny!

This was another freebie from Audible. Thank you for the laughs, Audible! I found myself laughing out loud on several occasions; I loved the author's self-deprecating humor. Although he met most of his dates on-line (the one near at the end was in person), it was more about dating in general than specific to on-line. I enjoyed the anecdotes as well as his "how-to" segments. Very funny and enjoyable short read!

Fun and funny!

A light, funny book that I’m very, very glad I didn’t listen to until I was already married (to a woman I met online).

My bleeding ears

What was most disappointing about Brian Donovan’s story?

I think Brian Donovan has writers Tourette Syndrome. The pointless cussing is too much. Brian needs a larger vocabulary.

What about Ax Norman’s performance did you like?

I felt like he really captured what the author was thinking and feeling when he wrote the book. Props to Ax.

Did Not a Match inspire you to do anything?

Write this review.

Any additional comments?

The cussing in this book was more than I could stand. If this was a movie, it would be rated "R" for language and some sexual reference. I had to stop before the end of the second chapter because I really dislike hearing the "F" bomb. It seemed like it was going to be very entertaining, and it was for a little while. If there were ever an edited version that just took out the pointless cussing, I'd love to hear it.

Just goes to prove even crazy can write.

This is kinda funny, but a he is delusional. He thinks he is a nice guy, but at the same time proves he is a douche. This seems to be the losers guide to internet dating. Some of his tips are very useful others make you want to run screaming. I did manage to finish this book, thankfully it was short and i have listened to worse.

F Word

The story was humorous but did not need to hear the F word so often. It did not add anything to the story.
Instead of only one interview where he came out looking good I would have liked a second one where he didn't look good. It would have made for a more well-rounded story.