Author: Dannielle Miller & Nina Funnell
ISBN: 978-0-7322-9646-9
RRP: $16.99
Loveability is a fabulous reference for teenaged girls on all aspects of navigating the world of romance. It is a book that I will keep on hand to pass on to my daughter when she gets a little older. It’s a little funny that I have just read this now as she’s not quite at this stage yet but I have just purchased her a book for younger girls on the changes she can expect in her body with the onset of puberty.
The world of dating and romance can be harsh and hard to navigate for all of us and as a teen there are so many changes going on within us. It is also a time where we can suffer many insecurities, and want to be like those around us. All of this can make it difficult to be sure we are making the right choices, and the choices we make in the beginning of our dating lives often set the tone for choices we make throughout our lives; making it important to start in the right place.
Loveability is aimed at a teen audience, written in friendly and understandable language that appreciates the intelligence of its readers. It is not condescending or patronising and it speaks to them, not at them.
There are so many wonderful elements to Loveability from the quotes from teens about the different topics, input from celebrities, journalists and psychologists, quizzes and checklists to one of the most important things – affirmations at the end of each chapter.
Dating and relationship advice is something we all need at some point and even as a reader more established in the dating world (I didn’t want to say older) I found there was a lot of relevant information in here for me too. At all stages of life there are times that we need to look at the relationships we are in and assess their health, is where we are a good place for us, are we getting what we need out of the relationships we are in and how can we change things if we aren’t.
We begin the book by getting to know a little about the authors and how they came to write the book, they also discuss the totally different messages being sent about dating to men and women. This creates very defined stereotypes and has us thinking that the genders are after completely different things, but we eventually discover this isn’t the case. Not all men are just out to ‘score’, just as not every woman wants a lifelong commitment. Danni and Nina help to bring these two different worlds closer together.
Danni and Nina have written separate chapters, each taking the chapters they felt suited their own experiences and knowledge the best. They have very distinct voices and this definitely shines through, the way they write is like sitting with someone over coffee and cake to chat about all things relationships. Loveability covers dating, crushes, sexuality and relationships. It looks at many of the different scenarios that could present and some effective strategies to deal with them while also looking out for the other people involved.
Loveability is a fun and friendly read that looks at serious issues in a realistic and nurturing way that I think is important reading for girls in their early teen years. It’s not just about dating, it’s about relationships. It’s about looking after yourself in your dealings with other people and also about looking out for those you’re dealing with.
Thank you to Danni and Nina for recognising the gap and writing a book that tells us it’s okay to be ourselves. We don’t need to compromise who we are to ‘catch a good husband’ or ‘score a good lay’. We need to be ourselves, know what we want and then go about finding it without trampling anyone else’s heart on our travels.
I devour books, vampires and supernatural creatures are my genre of choice but over the past couple of years, I have broadened my horizons considerably. In a nutshell – I love to write! I love interacting with a diverse range of artists to bring you interviews. Perhaps we were perfect before – I LOVE WORDS!