Book Review: Finding Mr. Righteous by Lisa De Pasquale
It’s an all-too familiar scene on Friday nights in DC. The work week has concluded and both men and women are on the prowl. Bars packed with singles, hopeful looks exchanged and good-natured ribbing runs amuck. Young Hill staffers and junior policy aide’s crowd townhouses on the weekend, keg front and center, casual flirting can be found on tap. Being an alumnus myself of the DC dating world, I was all-too-familiar with the rituals and the hopes, fears, and letdowns as described by author Lisa De Pasquale while seeking my Mr. Righteous. The dashed hopes, the sideward glances and smiles hoping to lead to a kiss and maybe somewhere down the line – a picket fence.
In the new book, Finding Mr. Righteous (Post Hill Press, 2014), De Pasquale, describes her dating experiences with guys of different faiths (and one non-believing) backgrounds while exploring her religious faith. A well-respected veteran of the conservative movement, De Pasquale offers a warm wit and entertaining memoir. Finding Mr. Righteous is a riveting combination of chick lit and tales of navigating the often-unpredictable world where the intersection of love, politics, and religion collide, often head-on.
Having come of age in the era of The Rules book and He’s Just Not That into You, De Pasquale’s refreshingly honest and at times heart-wrenching tales are ones that single women can relate to. From the awkward conversations and moments to her reflections of dates, De Pasquale often injects both humor and raw feelings as she looks back on her experiences. De Pasquale also explores her own faith in relation to dating and relationships, questioning her own beliefs and challenging often-held convictions in today’s conventional, often-secular society. Living in the nation’s capital, where convictions and principles are often challenged or given a backseat to social-climbing, De Pasquale clearly writes in an engaging and relatable manner. Her heartbreaks, hopes, and heartaches are genuine, and the reader can’t help but cheer her on as she navigates finding love.
Rating: 10 stars on a scale of 10!
