I received a copy of They Call Me Naughty Lola from good pal who knows about my online dating moxie. While it's not strictly online, I consider print personal ads to be of the same vein.

David Rose has hand-picked a hilarious selection of brief, quirky, witty, and often masochistic ads from a diverse London Book Review readership. Having mostly been a North American online dater, I'd never seen the vibe that these British ads put out.

The overwhelmingly obvious difference is that Brits seeking love via personal ads are often far more honest about their dysfunctions. Take a look at these excerpts:

Shy, ugly man, fond of extended periods of self-pity, middle aged, flatulent and overweight, seeks the impossible.

Eager-to-please woman, 36, seeks domineering man to take advantage of her flagging confidence. Tell me I'm pretty, then watch me cling.

I read the whole little book cover-to-cover, laughing out loud, and came out with a renewed appreciation of aptly applied self-deprecation. In an era where so many ads contain men and women singing their own praises (whether falsified or not), I found this starkly honest and funny approach to be OH so refreshing!

I've always believed that a sense of humor wins more votes than any other strategy when it comes to writing an ad. (The joke of an ad I wrote a couple years ago landed me the love of my life, after all!) So if anyone out there is struggling with putting words to their request, pick up a copy of this adorable little book and see if you can't get inspired.