She added: “My take is that you get out of life what you really want, even if you think you don’t want it. So if you’re still single, maybe on a very deep level that’s exactly where you want to be.”

Indeed, hundreds of readers, some with long experience in the dating trenches, questioned if the men profiled had realistic expectations.

“I lived in NYC from when I was 18 to 32,” HeatherR. from New York City wrote. “I am 46 years old now and am shaking my head in dismay at the older guys that were interviewed here because I know very well that they are of the same age group that would drop someone like a hot rock for any excuse back in the day (one guy who had spoken of marriage changed his mind because he didn’t like the eyeliner that I wore one night), just because there were so many options out there.”

She added: “I finally had to move to another country (France) and my sister to another state (Michigan) to find a good man. So sorry guys, none of you are getting the tiniest amount of pity from me.”

SaraJean from Greenville lamented, “I am on the other side … as a middle age woman with teenagers still living at home, I see many men sabotage relationships before they even begin. On dating sites, I am mainly contacted by men at least 10 years older than me … but they don’t want women with kids at home, even if they are not home most of the time. A woman must be able to ‘travel’ on a whim and follow the man’s work schedule … but will not consider the woman’s schedule.”