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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Feels very intense, am I being love bombed?

80 replies

decennium · 22/06/2026 19:29

I met a guy a few months ago who came to do some building work next door. We hit it off when we met and would find ourselves chatting a lot. it was flirty but it didn’t cross any boundaries and he was never inappropriate, as he was at work.

I found him very attractive but wasn’t clear on what signals I was getting so I didn’t pursue anything or put myself out there. when the job came to an end, we had a very awkward goodbye. He found a reason to return to remedy tiny little bits of work and pop by, and at that point, I felt more confident he might be interested so I put myself out there and said I was going to miss his company.

From there we nervously got chatting by text and he confessed after a few days of nice brief chats he thought I was beautiful, and lovely to be around, and he liked me.

We decided to meet up again on neutral ground, I was so nervous, and turns out so was he. The nervous chemistry between us was intense. We had a very awkward first kiss because he is so tall, all the proportions were off and I was on tip toes but we both laughed about it and it did break the ice.

Since then we met more and each time we have spent hours, and I mean hours and hours, just opening up to each other about our most deep secrets, mistakes, parts of our pasts, hopes, dreams, desires, flaws etc while hugging and kissing affectionately, laughing and enjoying each others company.

I have told this man things I’ve never told my close friends! He asks me things about myself, remembers what I like or what I say, seems interested in getting to know me and is kind to me so far. He doesn’t over text though

We got carried away kissing last time and this led to the bedroom and it was very passionate. However he said he was so nervous and it had been quite a while since he last had sex after his last relationship that he had some performance issues so we ended up just lying together laughing and talking.

Red flags

🚩the over sharing

🚩He is 50 and said he doesn’t know if he’s ever been in love before. He says he is looking for someone to share his life with.

🚩His last relationship was a disaster and ended very badly they do not get along

🚩he says he’s very fussy about who he dates

🚩He says he’s been in therapy about his last relationship

🚩He’s had a pretty promiscuous past

🚩He says he wants to have sex but he’s overthinking it and is experiencing ED. He’s very physically fit

🚩He is solvent and financially stable and seems lonely but I do think he might drink a little too much too often but that’s not clear yet - he does seem to go to the pub a lot. So I don’t know if that’s a red flag

🚩He really is going very fast with his feelings (faster than me) he keeps mentioning how it’s taken him by surprise and there has genuinely been an occasion where I felt like he was going to say he thinks he’s falling in love with me.

🚩He talks about the future a lot and things we could do together

🚩He showed me his house (which was really nice) and told me all his finances and it felt like he wanted to impress me

🚩He says he wants to impress me a lot

🚩The compliments I get are pretty big and grand, but not too often to make me feel uncomfortable

Only time will tell but is this a sea of 🚩? Or am I just cynical and been on MN too long?

what should I look out for as right now I am thinking is this too good to be true?

OP posts:
Uricon2 · 22/06/2026 19:34

Honestly not sure @decennium , could be either way I think. I'd suggest taking it very, very slowly, sex off the agenda for a bit and see how it goes.

Stella1366 · 22/06/2026 19:35

It sounds very intense and fast moving. Can you slow things down a bit and enjoy it for what it is.

As it is it might fizzle out naturally.

PinkLady1979 · 22/06/2026 19:37

I don’t really get any glaring red flag vibes from this to be honest. He seems to be being upfront with you both about his past and his feelings for you which I think is a good thing. He seems to be being respectful. You can always tell him that you like him but you want to take it slow. He sounds really nice.

LasVegass · 22/06/2026 19:42

You say a few months. Is that 2-3 or half a year?

JanFebAndOnwards · 22/06/2026 19:46

What’s he said about this previous disastrous relationship?

decennium · 22/06/2026 19:49

JanFebAndOnwards · 22/06/2026 19:46

What’s he said about this previous disastrous relationship?

This is the biggest red flag he said his therapist said she was a narc.

But he admitted he met his first partner (before this one) very young and didn’t always treat her nicely as he was young and stupid, they are apparently friends now and get on, he feels bad. The last partner they sounded toxic and he said he got very hurt

3-4 months I’ve known him

OP posts:
decennium · 22/06/2026 19:50

PinkLady1979 · 22/06/2026 19:37

I don’t really get any glaring red flag vibes from this to be honest. He seems to be being upfront with you both about his past and his feelings for you which I think is a good thing. He seems to be being respectful. You can always tell him that you like him but you want to take it slow. He sounds really nice.

He has asked me this a few times ans said he would back off or go slow at my pace if I wanted to

OP posts:
daffydreams · 22/06/2026 19:59

The man is a virtual stranger. You should not be telling a stranger your deepest thoughts & sectets.

PetulaGordeno · 22/06/2026 19:59

It is very rare for a therapist to call someone they have never met a narc.
It seems to be a thing now that men go to therapy and ‘report’ things they think a woman wants to hear - like it’s correct because it’s been prescribed by a therapist.
That’s a load of old shit, I’m afraid.
One thing I have learned is that sharing all this angst early on never serves you well. In my life it’s just given someone ammo later on.
If he’s over 50 and in the pub a fair bit don’t expect that to change.
However, after all they I’ve said there, he does seem to have some plus points and has shared information about where he lives, his financial situation etc
Most importantly when he was originally doing the work next door he treated you with courtesy and respect.
Lay off the over sharing, slow things down and enjoy his company.

OutOfApricots · 22/06/2026 20:08

More bunting than a Midsomer Murders village fete and yes, some of those little flags are red ones.

That bit about him being very fussy about who he dates. Hmm. That appears to be designed to not only make you think you must be incredibly special for him to have chosen, but to be fantastically grateful that he has.

Go slow.

JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn · 22/06/2026 20:09

It sounds like you’re both rushing in. Why are you telling him all your deepest secrets and mistakes so soon? Telling someone about your past, hopes, dreams and desires before you really know them is very odd behaviour. Your gut is clearly screaming at you to stop, otherwise you wouldn’t be on MN asking.

Slow down! He’s getting a lot of information about you that he can easily use against you. Why make yourself so vulnerable so early on?

He may be genuine but the point is, you just don’t know him well enough to be 100% sure. I’d move forward but only with caution. The ED issue… are you sure it’s not a porn addiction?

Shelleyblueeyes · 22/06/2026 20:13

PinkLady1979 · 22/06/2026 19:37

I don’t really get any glaring red flag vibes from this to be honest. He seems to be being upfront with you both about his past and his feelings for you which I think is a good thing. He seems to be being respectful. You can always tell him that you like him but you want to take it slow. He sounds really nice.

Agreed.
He actually sounds a bit of a catch.

He seems to be looking for a relationship and is a bit rusty having been on his own for a while.

The bit about going g to the pub made me laugh - if he's worked hard all day and is going home to an empty house why not go to the pub for a couple of pints.

Good luck. X

Silverbirchleaf · 22/06/2026 20:18

Has he asked you for any money? Is he trying to soften you up?

decennium · 22/06/2026 20:35

He has an amazing house he doesn’t seem to need money from me and he doesn’t let me pay

I don’t mind the pub but he has a lot of stories of boozy antics

He is gorgeous so I would like him to be a catch but I am on guard

OP posts:
abigailll · 22/06/2026 20:36

He seems a bit performative - laying out his finances etc ….. do you have more assets than he has?

DidntLikeTheEnding · 22/06/2026 20:39

People actually think this guy sounds like a catch?! Jesus Christ, the bar is so low it's in hell.

Summergarden · 22/06/2026 20:41

Well, I don’t think any of that sounds especially worrying. Sounds like it’s been a heady and intense few months for you both but sometimes that happens and things move quickly.

But it’s good that you’re trying to stay level headed and alert for any issues. It would be a problem if you weren’t and were closed minded to the possibility, IMHO.

LondonKara · 22/06/2026 20:46

I don't see any of those as red flags for abuse, except maybe the comments about his ex partner.

I do see a relationship that is very intense and moving too fast on both sides. It reads like a description of the sort of relationship I'd get into in my early twenties that would later crash and burn. But you are both at fault by the sounds of it, you both need to slow down.

livelovelough24 · 22/06/2026 21:59

Never believe a man who says his ex was crazy. Amongst all the others, that one is a most definitely a red flag. In my opinion he simply sounds too good to be true, but I may be wrong. Time will tell.

Mclaren10 · 22/06/2026 23:14

Yeah sounds a bit intense to me. Too much, too fast.

Pity we can't get references for potential partners!

If it's genuine and you slow it down a bit...it should still work.

decennium · 23/06/2026 08:54

OutOfApricots · 22/06/2026 20:08

More bunting than a Midsomer Murders village fete and yes, some of those little flags are red ones.

That bit about him being very fussy about who he dates. Hmm. That appears to be designed to not only make you think you must be incredibly special for him to have chosen, but to be fantastically grateful that he has.

Go slow.

This is what I thought as well, I did raise an eyebrow at this because then in another breath he was apparently shagging like mad most of his 20’s but I know that was 30 years ago (and so was I 😂)

The over sharing is weird as I have no intention to do it and then we are just blurting things out. I assume we are putting all our worst parts of ourselves out on the table in full view.

My concern is using it against each other down the line but his is probably more vulnerable than mine.

I gathered he was hurt by his ex when I met him as he did mention that he’s single and joked he wouldn’t ever consider online dating he would rather stay single.

They have kids together so it’s not a full clean break and he said it was settling down into a routine after a couple years post separation but he explained it got toxic from both sides and he ended up going to therapy as he felt like he was so depressed and had thoughts of giving up on life. He says I’m the first person he’s dated since that break up.

I’m on red flag watch and will slow things down.

OP posts:
abigailll · 23/06/2026 13:49

What sort of father is he?

exaltedwombat · 23/06/2026 17:52

So you go for this one, and it doesn’t work out. Nobody dies. Why all the agonising? Suck it and see.

SaferHaven · 23/06/2026 17:55

Warning!!
Take it from an experienced dater - I didn’t even finish your post and have rushed to reply to say he is definitely love bombing you.
so many men and older men are like this.

Think they get addicted to the intensity of the newness then they generally get bored and move on to their next victim.

SaferHaven · 23/06/2026 17:56

Google future faking -‘also a popular method with these guys