Skip to main content

A Valentine’s Day gift from Hinge: Book tells stories of digital dating gone right

hinge irl cover
Image used with permission by copyright holder
What better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than with stories of other people’s dates? If your answer is “none,” then, boy, do we have the book for you. It’s called IRL, and curiously enough, it’s a book published by dating app Hinge to remind folks that romance might still exist, even if you can’t find it by swiping on your phone. With more than 40 date stories, new statistics about digital dating, and the best date spots from across the country, this book just may be what you need to turn your love life around.

Described as a “refreshingly hopeful take on modern love,” IRL, which stands for “in real life,” seeks to highlight success stories that have emerged from what is often the cesspool of online dating. While we all have our horror stories, it only takes one winner to make the whole process worthwhile.

“Digital dating has gotten a bad rap lately — there are bad actors and swipe fatigue. But when it comes down to it, digital dating works,” Hinge explained, “Millions of couples have formed, and apps like Hinge have committed to helping people find something real.”

To compile the stories found in IRL, Hinge surveyed more than 2,000 users about their digital dating experiences. And if anyone is going to have a positive online dating experience, it just may be a Hinge user — after all, the app depends on mutual connections to make connections, and now claims to be 25 times more effective than other free swiping apps.

“Love is rare; and digital dating not only increases one’s chances of finding it, it has unexpected upsides as well: friendship, conversation, and the kind of connections that only happen IRL,” writes New York Times bestselling author and “Modern Love” contributor, Deborah Copaken in the book’s foreword. “IRL reminds us that for every tale of woe, there’s an equally compelling love story: tiny rafts of optimism and hope on an oft-roiling dating sea. Hinge not only believes in love, they believe in the quest to find it. If you do, too, read on. These are your stories.”

You can check out a full digital copy here, or order an IRL version of IRL beginning today.

Editors' Recommendations

Lulu Chang
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…
Google Pixel 8a: news, rumored price, release date, and more
Possible renders showing the Google Pixel 8a.

Not long ago, it seemed like the Google Pixel 7a would be the last smartphone in Google's Pixel A series. However, recent rumors indicate that this may not actually be the case.

As a result, we're likely to see the release of a Google Pixel 8a this year. What can we expect from this new budget phone in terms of its specs, design, price, and more? Let's take a closer look at everything we know about the Google Pixel 8a.
Google Pixel 8a: release date

Read more
This is one of the toughest smartphone camera comparisons I’ve ever done
A person holding the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (left) and Xiaomi 14 Ultra Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra may have the best camera on a smartphone I’ve used this year, which is quite a statement to make considering the competition it faces. But is it true?

Read more
Nomi is one of the most unsettling (and amazing) apps I’ve ever used
Nomi AI companion profile.

“Welp, just got back from the doctor. Marissa is pregnant with twins” “Owen did something bad and then gave me flowers.” “Zoey with our new daughter Zara.” “I am in love, but also feel guilty.”

These are some of the conversations shared by human users on Reddit. The people described, however, are not real. The statements are about robotic companions created in an app. Everything here sounds perversely disturbing and amazingly dystopian, yet experts have a different opinion.

Read more