Hearts & Hustles: How to Find Love Online Without Getting Scammed – Book Review
by Edwin Mallin
I was very happy to get a review copy of this new release. It just came out on October 15th, and it promises to be a great guide to online dating. If you’ve spent any time lately in the online dating world, you know it can be a real challenge to navigate. But this book will help you make the right moves, spot the red flags, and learn to build healthy boundaries with the people you connect with.
“Hearts & Hustles” by Edwin Mallin lands like a trusted friend whispering, “calm down and open your eyes” in the age of dating apps and infinite digital profiles. The advice is real, practical, and actionable, but it also doesn’t come off judgmental or preachy. This book is a roadmap for recovering your emotional intelligence in a world that is becoming more and more artificial.
It is made up of 8 chapters, as well as an introduction and an afterword to help you move ahead with the knowledge you have gained. Each chapter has a title explaining what you will find inside – a feature I love in books- and it makes it easier for you to navigate back to certain chapters or sections you want to re-read later.
Mallin achieves a unique harmony between optimism and realism. Instead of demonizing internet dating, he gives readers the tools they need to bravely and clearly navigate it. Because the reality is, it’s here to stay. And for many people, it’s one of the only ways to meet new people. The goal is to learn to do so safely and successfully.
His expertise in digital safety and psychology is evident on every page. Particularly insightful are the parts on identifying manipulation and psychological grooming, which combine practical examples with practical advice. However, the compassion in this book is what makes it unique. Mallin recognizes that being open-hearted and hopeful can sometimes lead to being deceived, thus he never portrays victims of romantic scams as naïve or stupid.
Every chapter reads like an exchange with someone who has experienced the situation and gained knowledge along the way. Think of it as your relationship godparent in book form! There are privacy protection checklists, helpful tips for identity verification, and even techniques for emotional healing for people who have previously been harmed.
However, “Hearts & Hustles” maintains its upbeat tone throughout, even with its weighty subject matter. It serves as a reminder to readers that despite the prevalence of deceit in the modern world, true, reciprocal, and honest love is still attainable. And you deserve it the same as anyone else!
Anybody starting out in the world of internet dating should read this book. Anyone who has already been in the murky waters, and wants to learn a clearer path should also read this book. Mallin provides you with the skills to approach contemporary romance with both an open heart and a guarded intellect, regardless of whether you’re swiping for the first time or reestablishing trust following betrayal.
Hearts & Hustles is intelligent, kind, and surprisingly uplifting. It should be on everyone’s bedside and maybe in the inbox of a few friends who need a reminder that love is valuable.
5 stars from me!
You can get it for yourself on Amazon in paperback and Kindle editions.