Please or to access all these features

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

Would you date a man who is in the middle of a divorce?

136 replies

messyhairdontcare25 · 20/10/2026 21:37

I’ve been seeing a man who is currently divorcing his wife of 30 years.

He’s currently selling the home they share and it’s 3 months until the divorce is complete. The worry I have is that I’m weary of getting hurt the more I fall for him. He wants me to meet his mum, his family and likes to stay at my place a few times a week. I’ve put a stop to the overnight stays at the moment.

It feels lovely in a lot of ways and he treats me extremely well, but there’s this feeling he doesn’t know what he’s doing and is maybe love bombing me. I sometimes forget he’s not single and free. He’s very intense and buying me gifts and declaring his love constantly.

He has been unhappy in his marriage for ten years. I’ve seen all the divorce paperwork so know it’s happening and the house for sale. He’s getting very intense with his feelings but alarm bells are ringing saying not to date him again until after he’s divorced. I feel vulnerable even when he tries to reassure me I have nothing to worry about.

I’m struggling with him communicating with his ex about house affairs (in front of me the other day sending messages - he later apologised) and that he’ll be looking after their dog for a few weeks when she goes on holiday next month in their home. He lives between their house and his mums but fear he’s mostly at theirs.

He could turn around and get back with her at any point…Even when he’s officially divorced, will he be ready? I just feel I’m going to get hurt here…It all feels too risky right now

OP posts:
PashaMinaMio · 20/10/2026 21:58

“There’s never a man more in love than he that needs a home.”

Take it easy. It has all the hallmarks marks of love bombing. Protect your peace.

messyhairdontcare25 · 20/10/2026 21:59

Mykobo · 20/10/2026 21:56

This is getting murkier . So you were friends before he separated? And he fell in love after one month?

What kind of man can’t stand on his own two feet and stay single for a while?

I’d say the same to a woman running from a marriage right into a new relationship.

Nothing went on prior to his separation but I don’t expect anyone to believe that but it’s true. I suppose I’m listening to the I’ve been unhappy for years and getting sucked in…

OP posts:
Skibididoo · 20/10/2026 21:59

This has disaster written all over it, sorry op. They’re still living in the same house and they were together for 30 years. Regardless of how unhappy he was he has a lot to process. He’s looking for a distraction from doing that.

ExcitableCat · 20/10/2026 22:03

Currently selling the house he STILL SHARES with his wife of 30 years!!!!!! Hes not even given himself time to catch his breath between relationships. Needs at least a year or so. Why do men jump from bed to bed?

protect your heart. Hes really not ready

cestlavielife · 20/10/2026 22:08

You are new and shiny and not his wife.
His escape route.
What is he for you?
Don't move him into your place. Not yet.

SodOffbacktoaibu · 20/10/2026 22:08

Would I date a married man who still lives with his wife? No.

dottydaily · 20/10/2026 22:10

yeah i would,trust your instincts..i would just be really conscious that his studies not become part of all your conversations.this should be an exciting time to get to know one another.so you can be supportive but allow pleanty of ye time with no mention of divorce..it can work..

Mumofoneandone · 20/10/2026 22:11

I've dated 2 - 1 was a big mistake and turned out to be abusive - known them for years.
I married the other one!

TiredMummma · 20/10/2026 22:11

No

Mykobo · 20/10/2026 22:12

messyhairdontcare25 · 20/10/2026 21:59

Nothing went on prior to his separation but I don’t expect anyone to believe that but it’s true. I suppose I’m listening to the I’ve been unhappy for years and getting sucked in…

No I do believe that nothing happened before separation. By murky I guess I mean if I was married to someone and the second we separated they couldn’t even wait for divorce and instead rushed to start dating someone they already knew, I’d wonder how long they’d been harbouring those feelings for.

It feels like mentally he moved onto the next woman before the divorce process even started. Running from one woman to another isn’t a good look.

I dated a guy who told me both him and his ex wife dated others in whirlwind romances during their divorce as a distraction.

I think that’s what happening here. That would explain why a grown man is saying he’s in love after one month..

OffTheMap · 20/10/2026 22:14

No.

If he is serious, a keeper, he’ll still be there when he is free and sorted.

Autumnalhibernationisthedream · 20/10/2026 22:14

If you ever think love bobbing then there’s spider senses tingling and he’s not for you. Broken up 6 months is a VERY short amount of time, I hate to say this but he might be lost and looking to quickly get back to marriage mode

dottydaily · 20/10/2026 22:16

dottydaily · 20/10/2026 22:10

yeah i would,trust your instincts..i would just be really conscious that his studies not become part of all your conversations.this should be an exciting time to get to know one another.so you can be supportive but allow pleanty of ye time with no mention of divorce..it can work..

yeah i would trust your instincts,i would be conscious his situation would not become part of all your conversations,this should be an exciting time to get to know one another.you can be supportive as a partner should,but allow pleanty of ye time with no mention of divorce..it can work....

Hopefulsalmon · 20/10/2026 22:18

Where will he live when the house is sold, can he afford and is he actively looking for something?
I'd be v v wary of anyone who love bombs, it's not the behaviour of an emotionally mature and stable person.

messyhairdontcare25 · 20/10/2026 22:21

Hopefulsalmon · 20/10/2026 22:18

Where will he live when the house is sold, can he afford and is he actively looking for something?
I'd be v v wary of anyone who love bombs, it's not the behaviour of an emotionally mature and stable person.

He will have enough money to get his own place to rent (good job and decent savings). I don’t believe it’s because he wants to move in with me straight away and been no talks of that at all

OP posts:
messyhairdontcare25 · 20/10/2026 22:23

Autumnalhibernationisthedream · 20/10/2026 22:14

If you ever think love bobbing then there’s spider senses tingling and he’s not for you. Broken up 6 months is a VERY short amount of time, I hate to say this but he might be lost and looking to quickly get back to marriage mode

Love bobbing? Sorry, that make me giggle 🤭 Very apt for Halloween and apple bobbing coming up… 🍎 Yes, it’s all too intense - it’s 30 years of shared history with his ex - there’s going to be a grieving process of some sort and I don’t want to be a distraction even though he insists I’m not.

OP posts:
Autumnalhibernationisthedream · 20/10/2026 22:25

messyhairdontcare25

😂 very apt!!!

Ophy83 · 20/10/2026 22:26

I did, and we are now married. But their marriage was shorter, they had spent most of their marriage apart and were separated when we got together so the situation was quite different.

messyhairdontcare25 · 20/10/2026 22:27

Ophy83 · 20/10/2026 22:26

I did, and we are now married. But their marriage was shorter, they had spent most of their marriage apart and were separated when we got together so the situation was quite different.

Well he tells me they have lived very separate lives for years travelling alone etc etc but just seems odd

OP posts:
NewGoldFox · 20/10/2026 22:27

Is she still doing his washing and ironing?

Shirke · 20/10/2026 22:27

Why didn’t you ask yourself this question before you started dating him?

it is possible to get intense feelings for someone after a dead marriage. That bit might be real. However, it might not last as often is the case in first relationships after splitting.

If you had said he was coming to the end of a divorce and they split 3 years ago then I’d say fair enough but 6m is quick.

Casualuser · 20/10/2026 22:30

DO NOT LET HIM MOVE INTO YOUR HOME.

Bumcake · 20/10/2026 22:55

messyhairdontcare25 · 20/10/2026 21:54

We were friends for a year before he told me he was divorcing. He said he loved me after a month of dating.

Yikes.

Timeforachange26 · 20/10/2026 23:00

Mykobo · 20/10/2026 22:12

No I do believe that nothing happened before separation. By murky I guess I mean if I was married to someone and the second we separated they couldn’t even wait for divorce and instead rushed to start dating someone they already knew, I’d wonder how long they’d been harbouring those feelings for.

It feels like mentally he moved onto the next woman before the divorce process even started. Running from one woman to another isn’t a good look.

I dated a guy who told me both him and his ex wife dated others in whirlwind romances during their divorce as a distraction.

I think that’s what happening here. That would explain why a grown man is saying he’s in love after one month..

See I was married a year before separating and still married 2.5 years after separation so I don't get the " couldn't wait for divorce" bit

throwaway3749574 · 20/10/2026 23:03

It sort of depends as it can take a long time to get to the actual divorce/sorting finances stage and the relationship might have been over for a long time. But tbh it’s the other things in your post that are redder flags to me like the intensity

Swipe left for the next trending thread