Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers’ Favorite

After divorce, Dr. Paula Caligiuri returned to dating in her fifties; the behavioral scientist discovered that experience offered no protection from poor romantic decisions. Modern dating gave her access to more potential partners, yet attraction could still make unsuitable connections look promising. In Dating (Again), Caligiuri combines research with experiences from more than sixty-five first dates to explain how people reentering relationships later in life can judge what is happening between them. Her central argument is that successful dating depends on knowing the kind of relationship you want before deciding whether another person can offer it. Caligiuri shows how behavior provides that answer over time, helping readers recognize when to leave a mismatch and when to stop searching long enough for commitment to develop.

Dr. Paula Caligiuri makes Dating (Again) really accessible, including loads of interactive elements to push the process forward in a healthy way. Her attachment worksheet asks readers to score how a relationship changed their response to closeness, helping them notice patterns they may carry into dating. Caligiuri adds an interesting exercise asking readers to choose one small step for the coming month. Her conversational style makes behavioral science approachable for newcomers, and her discussions on sex after fifty are candidly funny. I nearly fell over laughing when she described using her frozen shoulder and a partner's cracked ribs to make adaptation part of the experience. Caligiuri keeps the format lively with a chapter-closing mixed tape playlist that has songs familiar to those of us “of a certain age.” Overall, this is perfect for adults returning to dating after a long stretch in a whole new world. Very highly recommended.