The premise sounded cute. The actuality was a bit different. I felt like the wiser family member wanting to say “Don’t do this.” I think that loss of ability to release how bad of an idea the MC had affected my enjoyment of the book. It’s me, not you, dear author?

The good: we’ve all had unexpected disappointment and betrayal (all? Most? Maybe I should speak only for myself). I could relate to our MC and her loss, her mortification that things didn’t happen the way they should have happened. And wow, I deeply understood parental involvement in this story. Breakups hurt.

If I could change one thing… no - two things, I would have 1) make more emphasis on the relationship choice (shouldn’t a therapist know this?) that work. Discover the wrong one faster so there is time to work through things and reach the HEA. And 2) less “talking heads” on the pages. There were so much dialogue dialogue dialogue that I repeatedly had to backtrack and count down to see who was talking.

Overall, I think this book is readworthy. I rate this 4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Canary Street Press for providing this book, with my honest review below.

Save the Date was so good! I felt like maybe I’d read something similar to this before and really enjoyed it, but upon actually reading this I can’t think of what that book may have been, and frankly this one was so much fun that it may have just knocked that whisper of memory out of my head. We get a lot of laughs in this story, which was certainly appreciated as following a woman trying to salvage her wedding (and book, and career) by finding a stand in for ex fiancé would be no fun if it took itself too seriously.

Emma is a relationship therapist and the jilted fiancée in Save the Date. She brought a lot of humor to the story, though perhaps it’s me personally but her stage 5 clinger references (in the past) combined with her sensory and anxiety issues had me a little taken aback that she seemed so grounded. Emma embarks on several dates to try to find ‘the one’ so that she can save face all around, and I do wish that had continued because the dates had me laughing. When she finds a guy she clicks with, Will, and reveals her plan he is understandably turned off and doesn’t want to continue dating with an end goal of marriage in just a few months. Emma manages to stumble into the next perfect guy but stays close to Will, and from there we get a funny and sweet second half of the book that (thank goodness) taught Emma some lessons I was hoping she’d learn.

If you’d like a gem of a rom-com, this one is a sure thing!

This story is a delightful mix of humor, heart, and self-discovery. The writing captures Emma’s inner conflict beautifully, balancing her professional expertise with the very personal, messy reality of her love life. It’s witty, charming, and packed with moments of vulnerability that make Emma’s journey all the more enjoyable. As the wedding day approaches, you can’t help but root for her to choose what feels right, rather than just sticking to the plan. Absolutely captivating from start to finish!