Customer Reviews
Passing it on! 
2007-12-12
I purchased this book for my 16 year old daughter. She absolutely loved it and has passed it along to her friends to read. The subject has also become a conversation piece at their lunchroom table. Her comments to me where, "Mom, it makes so much sense...but it is deffinitely advice that girls our age would object to if it came from our parents. Reading about it from two young-adults who have been there and have written it in language we understand has made it easier to listen to." She has been coaching her girlfriends who are in relationships much to serious for their age groups, encouraging them to not put so much of themselves into a teenage relationship. Great advice for boys and girls! Other mothers have even asked me where I purchased it.
Dateable 2007-11-19
Wonderful book for teens of all ages. Good to have at any stage of dating. Sometimes hearing it from another source beside a parent - makes it more credible. We used it in a bible study and it was great!! Other girls heard about it and wanted a copy of the book. Older girls in the group were able to share with younger girls their experiences. Very helpful!
Mediocrity Is Its Own Reward 
2007-11-14
Buy this book more as a look into the mind of a simple-minded faith rather than as a guide on dating. This book and anything like it is indicative of a Christianity that lacks teeth, common-sense, and a respect for a magisterium that helps to illuminate the mysteries of the faith. Ms. DiMarco would rather assume the role of someone who knows more than you and that is her biggest weakness as a writer and as a supposed believer. Do yourself a favor and use that money for a grande latte or for the latest Adam Sandler flick. To pay heed to this woman's advice is akin to learning table-manners form Jeffrey Dahmer. In her case a little knowledge is truly a dangerous thing.
The dating game 2007-09-11
We bought this book for my daughter who has just started a relationship. This book teaches almost the opposite of what we have been teaching at home. The author instructs that dating should be just for fun. He also states quite vehemently that their dating relationships will not last, but also says that dating is practice for marriage. How is having multiple dating partners in High school a good practice for having a lifelong committment down the road? We need to teach our daughters to date responsibly. A better book to read is "The Truth About Guys" by Chad Eastman. It reveals things about guys while building a girl's self-esteem.
Some good points, but mostly a bad influence 
2007-08-12
I like reading books giving advice on the opposite sex and tips in how us girls can take that in mind with the way we approach guys, talk to them, etc.--according to what sort of personality we have. That's why when I found Dateable in the bookstore, I was interested to buy and read it.
Throughout the book, there were some VERY helpful and insightful points and then there was the rest of the book. Lookadoo explains repeatedly that breakups are a lot less painful when you don't put as much of yourself into the relationship rather than baring all of yourself at once. Now, I think to keep a relationship up and running, it requires the guy and the girl to put themselves out on that line that will either bring a lot of happiness or heartbreak. While I think it is good to limit the amount of information you give to other people you are wanting to get to know romantically (at first), I also know that it's a necessity of growing up to experience heartache and deep, happy relationships. If people are going to learn what they want for marriage, they need to date and experience life. If everybody just waited until they were adults and old enough to get married, they'd have the same amount of intelligence on love and relationships as an adolescent and we'd never find the right person.
Lookadoo also makes it a big point to just give up on relationships when you're a teenager because adolescents can't fall in love and it's not going to work out anyway. Plus, according to Lookadoo, if you try to make a relationship work when you're a teenager--you're just practicing for divorce. I think a big reason people even get divorced today is because they're to lazy to try and focus on the trivial parts of the marriage. Isn't just giving up before anything ever happens between the two people practicing divorce?
Lookadoo also proved to be very sexist towards both boys and girls. He tells girls in his chapter: "Girls, Shut Up" that we need to play hard to get and be mysterious so the guys will feel victorious when they finally win you--basically, to just be a trophy for the guys to win. Then he tells shy guys to stop being wimps and be a man. And girls aren't supposed to ask guys out because it makes them feel even more wimpish. I think the author spends too much time throughout the book stereotyping both guys and girls and doesn't realize that everyone is an individual and may/may not agree with his his opinions. That's the biggest problem with this book: he fails to be diverse and tend to different types of scenarios and people.
I felt offended by one particular drawing in the book. Another reviewer mentioned on here that she was offended by the quote: "if girl's dress like a piece of meat, they're gonna be thrown on the b-b-q." Thing is, it's very true. Not all guys, but there are some guys who will take advantage of girls and their emotions if they think the girls easy. I'm not stupid in this subject--I've seen it happen enough to know. So in that respect, I really agree with Lookadoo. But at the same time, he needs to encourage girls to be themselves and not wear clothes that don't flatter their figures because it will draw bad attention. And Lookadoo didn't need to take it to the extent of drawing a picture of a shop that sells women's body parts. I pretty much got the point with his words--he didn't need to draw a human delicatessen.
My point: I didn't really like this book as a whole. But, at the same time,I was able to keep my mind open and found some really profound statements that have helped with past and present relationships. I don't prohibit or recommend this book. As you can see, people really liked or hated this book. All I ask is to keep an open mind.
Highly Recommended! 2008-06-27
Great book with valuable information that can save your teen's life! It has made an impact on my teens and their friends as well.
Wow 2008-05-30
A a seventeen year old girl struggling to balance relationships and Christianity I found this book EXTREMELY helpful. Justin and Hayley are direct so if that isn't your style or you aren't ready for the truth then this book isn't for you. I have already bought a copy for my bestfriend and lent my copy to one of my other close friends and both of them loved it. I really liked that it is written for boys AND girls and found that they gave a lot of insight into a boys mind. No book is perfect and although I cant say I completely agreed with all their ideas I did find it to be a balanced take on how to be in a relationship as a Christian teenager. I would recomend it to anyone who is seeking the truth about relationships no matter their age!
Must Read 2008-03-29
This is absolutely the best book on dating for teens ever written. Justin and Hayley have wonderful advice, great style, and a knack for telling the truth. The book comes from a Christian perspective, yes, but if you (or a teen you love) don't want to just jump into dating and sort out the mess you got into years later, this book is a must read.
In three decades of reading and book buying, I've never been more pleased that I stopped grocery shopping and started reading one day. Thanks to the authors so much for caring about teens today enough to tell the truth. I've pushed this on over two dozen girls and guys, and they've all loved it. Only wish you'd written it twenty years ago!
I LOVE this book 2008-01-31
i kinda see alot of reveiws from parents so heres mine i read this book when i was 17 i snagged it from my friends backpack while she was taking a nap in study hall waiting or the bell to ring. At the time i had just started my relationship with my current boyfriend and we were in that totally smitten stage where he was perfect in my eyes and he could do kno wrong i swear it was almost sickening. i started reading the book and at first i thought this is terrible! its like theyre basically telling me that its not even gonna be worth spending my time with him cause itll be over soon anyway...i was disgusted YET...i wouldnt turn away. i continued reading and everytime i came to a part where i felt i disagreed with the book, i stopped and actually thought about it in my head to try and see what they were saying and see their point of veiw. an thats when i swear i saw the light! i understood what they were saying. its ok at first to be totally smitten but what we have to realize is that being in a relationship as teenagers we always tend to think 'oh my gosh he/she is perfect' 'he/she will never hurt me or make me cry' yada yada yada and all that good disney channel idea of cutesy love. All this book is doing is trying to show teens that you know what its not always gonna be perfect. there are times when you are gonna get jealous even tho you 'believe' he/she will never put you in that situation. your gonna hurt each other at some point or another or your gonna get irritated with each other and may even get mean (i kno my boyfriend and i really kno just what to say to set the other off). if we as teens are always in the smitten stage of the relationship where we always expect to be lovey dovey all the time we're never gonna grow that thick skin we need in this day and age where lets face it...guys and girls arent exactly what they used to be back in my parents day. the book isnt trying to squash all hopes of being happy its merely stating the truth that things will get hard one day. if the book seems stereotypical about teens today...its cause its all true and this is comming from a teen. but dont take my word for it buy the book if you dont want your kid to grow up to be walked all over by their future partners or become total softees who insist on smothering its not fun trust me. i'm 19 now and i am so glad i came across this book when i did without it i probably would have dumped my boyfriend the first time i realized he had things like a job and school that didnt include lil ol' me :(....
Exaggeration: Is it? Yes. 2007-12-30
Now I'd like to start off by saying that I have not read this whole book. I found it in my 15 year old sister's bedroom, chuckled, picked it up, and read a few pages from various sections. So if you'd like to dismiss my opinion based on that, I don't have to tell you that you have every right to do so.
I'm not going to say that you should not buy this book, as much as I believe that these authors need to reeducate themselves before attempting to develop a sequel or any book based on relationships or having to do with "facts" or "reality." However, I must point out that this book is based solely on generalizations and stereotypes among teens today. In some instances, I agree that, sure, something they say may be true more than 50% of the time. But when they stand behind their opinion so strongly to say things like "Don't forget, in the end, no matter how sweet he is, he is male first. And that means he has one goal, and that is the physical pay-off," I can't really stand idly by, being a male myself, and not call that too bold of a statement. Other instances such as "Well, yeah, when the guy says he loves you, he really means it. Seriously. He does. He loves you. And he loves his mom. He loves his car, his dog, and pizza. He loves winning the game," are very common, in which the authors use sarcasm aimed at teens to induce a sense of foolishness.
Though this book was written by both a male and female author, it's sole purpose seems to be to strengthen the opinion that all males engage in relationships just for sex. Everything they do is done for themselves.
Voicing an opinion is fine, it provides entertainment and useful information for you to use if you ever meet someone who opposes that opinion. In this case, however, the authors go about changing the readers' opinion in a destructive way. It makes girls afraid to date. It attempts to makes teens believe that the relationship they're in doesn't stand a chance by outright saying "Whatever relationship you are in right now, know this: It will not last. Period. The end. I know, you are sooo into this guy or girl - but understand that this relationship will not last. You will break up. It will end."
Oh, and that leads me to one of the most interesting parts of the book: "Guys are thoughtful. They put time and effort into finding out what works for them and what doesn't. If what a guy says o you is believable, it's because he has practiced it. He has polished the words to perfection. Question: Where do you think he polished it? On his buds? Uh, that would be no. He fine-tuned his finesse on other girls. He played the game many times before using the exact same lines he's using on you. Yeah, I know, all that's over for him now that he found you. He was clownin' when he was with them, but he finally found you and now he means it. Right. And the tooth fairy left me a dollar last night too."
What this book does is attempt to destroy any faith in real feelings. It doesn't even have the decency to use the words "maybe" or "mostly" or "could," just "is" "is" "is."
If you're going to buy this book, buy it for entertainment purposes only. There isn't a sentence within its pages that contain an ounce of faith, and without that, they all lead to an untrue, hopeless abyss.
