Dating Blogger Spotlight: Eve Greenow, Never Settle

‘Shows like Take Me Out and Dinner Date, to me, are just for people who fancy five minutes of fame – sorry!’ Hoping to build more genuine connections with people looking for advice and support in love is Never Settle blogger Eve Greenow. Originally launched in November 2014 as ‘Eve’s Blog’, its first posts helped Eve come out of a toxic relationship, and has since evolved into an ‘honest, confidence-building go-to of what to do when dating, in a relationship, breaking up, having sex, dealing with mental health issues… you name it, I want to help people with it’.

Even if you’re choosing to ignore Valentine’s Day completely, make a commitment to checking out Eve’s thoughts on dating shows, her worst date ever and whether blogging about dating is a good or bad thing for her own relationships…

How did you originally get started with writing about relationships?
Truth be told, I never started my blog with the intention of writing solely about dating, sex, relationships and millennial lifestyle. Actually, Never Settle was founded in November 2014, as it’s original conception of ‘Eve’s Blog’ (revolutionary name, right?) six months after I came out of a four-year toxic relationship.

Nowadays, Never Settle pushes the latest trends to the forefront of discussion, tackling controversial and taboo subjects head on, and looks to provide a range of outcomes and a way of achieving them, based on a mixture of personal experience and extensive psychological and sociological research. I’ve even got my own Ask Eve section where I accept anonymous questions, and podcast…

What’s your favourite thing to post about and why?
My favourite thing to write about is real, honest posts for people who find themselves in difficult dating situations. Often my Ask Eve inbox is full of lovely, brilliant people who are stuck in a difficult scenario and are so confused. Helping people just feel heard or listened to is my favourite thing. It’s not even giving advice, because often those who write in already know in their heart of hearts what they need to do; it’s just allowing them to have the cathartic experience of writing down their issues and knowing it’ll be read, and that they’re not alone.

I know many bloggers who blog for brand collaborations and the perks, but that was never why I created Never Settle – it’s to help people feel less alone and realise their true potential. Knowing I’ve helped someone is the best thing I ever get out of the blog.

How do you stay enthusiastic about Valentine’s Day?
Valentine’s Day is an interesting one. I used to be super into it, but as I’ve got older, I’ve not become cynical as such, but I’ve just realised that while Valentine’s Day is nice to celebrate your partner, it’s super-important to not just exclusively do so on this one day. I do think it’s become commercialised, and ultimately real relationships shouldn’t need the grand gestures and the expensive presents (depending on their love languages of course). Also, it can make singletons feel super-rubbish, and frankly, even more alone. So I think if someone would like to celebrate Valentine’s Day – absolutely, enjoy it! But if you’re single, honestly, it’s not the end of the world – 15 February is just a day away.

What’s the most romantic place in the world?
Oooh, that’s a toughy. Probably not the answer you’re looking for, but the most romantic place in the world is somewhere that means the most to you. It doesn’t need to be Paris or Rome, it can just be somewhere that makes you feel happy and romantic. It may be a place you share with your partner and means something, or somewhere you love to visit. Memories make the romance, and it builds to a whole new level when you love that place.

What is the worst date you’ve ever been on?
I guess the worst one-off dating experience for me started off as a really nice evening. We had some drinks in a Soho bar, and got on well initially. I was surprisingly calm, and just spoke naturally about what we do, our jobs, hobbies, etc. – had a laugh, even. After a few drinks and no dinner, he spoke about my blog and the fact that I review ‘lots of dildos’… and, as expected, things took a turn for the worse. Not only am I very protective of my blog, but I also find it says a lot about a person in the way they talk about intimacy. Before I knew it, he was complaining about his ex-girlfriend (who he’d been with for a long time), telling me intimate details about her and generally being really derogatory… safe to say, I took his ex-girlfriend’s side. Which went down like a lead balloon. He wanted a second date, remarkably. I did not.

Has blogging about relationships ever impacted your own relationships in real life?
Ha! Oh gosh yeah, unfortunately. People think I write about my life, my dating experiences and private information – which is simply not true. I’ve found people presume when I write a post, it’s about me or my boyfriend. Unfortunately, I have lost a few friends because of the blog. They’ve seen me as a hypocrite for doing something which goes against my own blog advice, or just ‘don’t get it’. It’s amazing how many people will give you backhanded compliments about your achievements, or always find the negative in something you hold pride in.

When I was single, men thought they would become a new feature on my blog. It was regularly said ‘oh, I guess this will end up on the blog then,’ which, again, if they’d read any of it, they’d know they would definitely not. My boyfriend’s friends took the mickey out of him about it too for a long time, which was tough. But to be honest, where I am with the blog, and what I’ve achieved, shows me that it was all worth it.

What are your favourite dating shows?
Ahh, I really hate many of the dating shows. Only because they don’t really do well to pair people up in the best way and basically it nearly always ends in a flop relationship – which is just a bit pointless.

I really like First Dates because they actually try and match people appropriately based on a variety of factors, and often that means you won’t waste your time. Celebs Go Dating is another one I really like. The matchmaking and coaching allow people to actually handle their baggage and deal with their problems, rather than jump from relationship to relationship and make the same mistakes.

Shows like Take Me Out and Dinner Date, to me, are just for people who fancy five minutes of fame – sorry!

How do you collaborate with brands and which kind of brands do you really like working with?
I really do love collaborating with brands. I’ve worked with sooo many and have a handful I love to work with. Ann Summers, LELO, Lovehoney are among my favourite pleasure brands, and I love that they continuously push towards smashing taboos around female pleasure. Brands which are relevant to women’s health, relationships or dating are what I look for, and anything promoting equality and feminism is a big plus!

For PRs looking to work with you and your blog/website, how would you prefer they approach you and with what kind of content?
If you actually research my blog, it will get you so far! I get all sorts of emails, but recently received one from a PR agency who had actually clearly done their research and I felt so warm towards them. It really helps! Brands who care about a mutual relationship really tick my box – someone who just wants to use my blog, or make out like they’re doing me a favour for free promotion will most likely never hear back from me.

What other blogs do you check out regularly (whether relationship-related or not)?
I have so many! I still love to read Naomi Narrative, Lucy Goes Dating and Alice in Wonder. Also love Natasha Atlas and my blogging besties, Hannah of The Giraffe’s Life and Jess from Fierce & Fabulous Revolution. These are some of the hardest working ladies in the blogging world!