Though I disagree with some of her personal beliefs, I do have to commend author J.J. Smith for putting together a thorough and well-written analysis of dating as she sees it.

In the first of four parts to the book, Why I Love Men: The Joys of Dating, Smith reveals some intimate details about her dating life in an effort to share the lessons from those experiences with her readers. The second and third part of the book (which I personally found to be the most useful) guides readers through the process of developing an effective, dating action plan. In this section, Smith offers a variety of insightful pointers that I think can be genuinely helpful for single women who are hoping to boost their opportunities for dating success. Knowing how to deal with emotional baggage, developing a strong relationship with the self, creating an active and fulfilling life, maximizing physical beauty, and embracing sexuality are just a few of the topics covered in the dating action plan section. The final part of the book focuses on some of the more controversial lessons that Smith has learned from her dating experiences; such as her belief that monogamy is unnatural for men, that women shouldn’t always take infidelity personally, or that it is unrealistic to believe that one person is capable of satisfying each and every one of his/her partner’s needs. Though some of these ideas can be hard for many people to swallow, Smith does bring up a few valid points in support of them and leaves the reader with something to think about.

What I enjoyed most about Smith’s book is that it is interactive. It encourages readers to actively work on their dating action plan by completing and reflecting on the action item or homework assignment that concludes many of the chapters. It also includes various self-assessment tools designed to aid personal discovery. One of the things that I liked least is that Smith incorporated some elements of her religious faith into the book. As a non-religious person, I feel that the book would have been better off without the added references to God and his plan or the analysis of pre-marital sex in the scriptures.

Despite the religious overtones, however, I found Smith’s book to be both an informative and entertaining read that I think would make a worthwhile addition to any single, heterosexual woman’s library.