69@69

Jay, a naive widow in her mid-60s, was encouraged by her friends to write her memoirs about her experiences in search of "the one." Over the course of six years, she ventured into online dating for the first time, meeting 69 men along the way. This journey introduced her to various personalities and new experiences; however, it also led her to encounter some unscrupulous suitors. While many of the men were kind and considerate, there were moments when her naivety placed her in dangerous and compromising situations. "Red flags and scammers" were foreign concepts to her; she had always given people the benefit of the doubt, taking them at face value and trying to be someone who could connect with everyone. Clichés were comfortable for her. Over time, she learned to trust her gut instinct and intuition. What she discovered about herself was her love for sex and intimacy.

This may sound obvious, but like many women in their late 60s, she had given up on the idea of having a sexual relationship. She was content with the notion that a partner for holidays and social events was all she could expect. However, her lovers over the past six years-men of similar age-showed her that many men are quite capable, and so was she, of enjoying a fulfilling physical relationship.

Jay's adventures included encounters with a scammer, a friends-with-benefits situation, a sexual deviant, submissive role play, and catfishing. Her experiences are filled with insight, grit, and humour. While there were tears and moments of anger when things didn't turn out as she had hoped, she remained optimistic about finding "the one." Jay bounced back and often confided in her Girl Tribe over a glass of wine. These close, witty, and inspiring women continuously supported and encouraged her to move on to the next chapter in her life!

Some of her experiences inspired her to write poetry, featured at the end of some chapters. 

Jay does not come from an academic background; she has no formal qualifications and is largely self-taught. As the eldest of seven children, she began working at 16 to support her single-parent mother. Her first job was in administration, which she found challenging. It wasn't until her 40s that she discovered she is dyslexic, which explained her difficulties with reading, writing, and filing.

However, Jay found her niche in sales, particularly in telesales. After spending ten years as a stay-at-home mother, she returned to the workforce and secured a position in the Internet industry, where she became a successful executive, travelling around Europe for meetings and events. Her career background gave her confidence and made it easy for her to meet new people. Sometimes, her dates felt intimidated by her accomplishments, so she learned to downplay her past, allowing men the bragging rights and to take the lead in conversations during the first date.

The conclusions in this book are not what Jay or her readers expect. However, there is so much to reflect on-the positives, the fun, the exciting adventures, and the sad moments-all make for a colourful story.

Warning

Please be aware that this book contains adult content including descriptions of sex and erotic acts; and is not recommended to readers below the age of 18.