This book had me hooked from page one and has a fun premise where Emma finds herself unexpectedly single six months before her wedding and embarks on a quest to find a new groom before the big day.

I really enjoyed the chemistry between Emma and Will, a podcaster who initially rejects her plan. A great read about love, growth, and figuring yourself out.

Such a cute little rom-com. If you don't believe in second chances at love, this book will change your mind.
The premise was fun, but it did take me a little bit to get through it, as there were a lot of slower parts. Happy ending though .

Thank you to NetGalley for this arc in return for my honest opinion.

Pub Date: 08 April 2025

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin, and Canary Street Press for a copy of Save the Date!

Got dumped 6 months before your wedding? No problem! Just find a new groom. That’s what Emma thinks when her fiancé decides he’s not in love with her anymore. And let me tell you…it’s a wild ride.

I am torn because on one hand, I did genuinely enjoy the story and concept, but on the other, there were some things that could have been done better. I loved the premise and I thought it was generally funny. I liked the tug Emma felt with Will even though she had a connection with Matt and watching her untangle her feelings. In fact, I loved the love interests and Emma. It was her sister and Imani that got on my nerves.

Imani was just too mean for me. I understand a friend not agreeing with your choices, but she was unnecessarily mean for the first half of the book. I even understand that Emma is a very illogical character, even though she’s a therapist. But if my friends talked to me the way Imani did, we wouldn’t be friends. As for her sister….she was MARRIED and fully thirsting over Matt. Like…what was that?????

Ultimately, I don’t regret reading Save the Date, but I think the side characters took away from the story.

I enjoyed this book, even when the anxiety was radiating off of it. It’s nice to know there’s people out there who are also anxious and overthink things when they sometimes shouldn’t. I enjoyed the character development and how it ended. I wasn’t sure of some supporting characters (the sister) but it was an enjoyable read.

I had high expectations for this book. I thought it would be a fun idea since I had never read a book like this before. It had potential. I really enjoyed the MMC, Will. For the majority of the book he was the most reasonable out of all the characters. He thought this idea of, basically, finding a replacement fiancé' was a bit ridiculous. She also had her best friend who felt like it wasn't a good idea and yet the FMC, Emma, didn't really care and kept at it. All the other characters were just awful. The sister was over the top involved in Emma's life and wanted her to go viral and was way too much. Her MARRIED sister was basically in love with Matt, one of the options for Emma to marry. It was so cringey. She called her parents by their first name and it took me far longer than it should have to figure out who she was talking about. It's just weird to not call them mom or dad in the book. Also, the constant political jabs is not okay. There's a place for politics, but it is not in a romance novel. Emma was such an unlikeable character. She was very self-centered and for being a therapist, you'd think she'd be able to understand how unhealthy her plan was, but she didn't. I get that she was trying to create her own narrative, but it didn't work. I would have DNF'd but just needed to see what was going to happen, which is why I gave it just 1 star.

This book is centered around second chances and finding love again. Part of me found this book hard to pick up (I had this situation happen to me, and I have not found my second chance yet). I was not able to finish the book, but was able to schedule additional time with a therapist. Thanks Allison for bringing these feelings back to the surface.

I think for anyone who has been in a long-term or serious romantic relationship the idea of that one day your partner will just suddenly realise they’re not in love with you anymore is terrifying. The author went through this herself and I think this book was clearly a way to heal and find some humour and hope in that situation which is amazing. That base concept was really interesting and even though the idea of marrying just anyone was absurd, it still made for a book that was a really nice balance of emotional and vulnerable and funny and light.

Save The Date was such a cute read!! Definitely put me in the mind of 90 Day Fiancé or Married At First Sight… I loved how realistic and relatable all characters were throughout the book, and while not stated our MC gave neurodivergent, definitely a quirky queen😂🫶🏾 the only thing I would have love to see was a more in depth insight of the relationships between our MC and her love interests, so while the there was a happy ending and I enjoyed it I felt it laced for me simply because I was actually able to see the them together but besides that such an enjoyable read and also a few laughs

I really enjoyed this book and liked all of the characters! I felt like I knew how it was going to end but then there was a bit of a plot twist in the end. I loved Emma and Will together but I also loved how sweet and caring Matt was. I’m not much into smut and was surprised to find a book without it. I felt like I enjoyed it more because of it! I would definitely read this authors book in the future.

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review

I actually really liked this book. It was a super unique idea. It took a few chapters to really get into it, but it was super light and funny. However, I was not a fan of the random politics thrown into a book. That might turn some people off. I was able to get past it and keep reading because I was hooked to see what happens in the end

"Save the Date" by Allison Raskin is a funny and emotional story about love, family, and mental health. It follows Ellie, a young woman who has OCD and anxiety, as she tries to get through her sister’s wedding weekend. While she’s dealing with family drama and relationship problems, she’s also trying to keep her mental health under control. The book takes place over just a few days, but a lot happens, and it keeps you interested the whole time.

One of the best parts of the book is how real Ellie feels. She’s not perfect—she overthinks things and makes mistakes—but that’s what makes her relatable. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed or anxious, you’ll probably see yourself in her. Raskin does a great job showing what it’s like to deal with mental health issues without making that the only thing about Ellie’s personality.

The story can feel a little over-the-top sometimes, almost like a movie with one dramatic moment after another. But it still works because the writing feels honest, and the characters are easy to care about. The family relationships are especially strong and realistic—they fight, they mess up, but they still love each other.

Overall, Save the Date is a fast and meaningful read. It’s perfect for people who enjoy books about complicated families, real emotions, and characters who are just trying their best. I’d give it a solid 4 out of 5 stars.

Hehehe this was so much fun. I had a fantastic time with this and will definitely be forcing my friends to read it when I get my hands on a physical copy!

Raskin has a talent for filling the container of the rom-com plot with a dialect specific to the therapy world. Those who have been in therapy, or know therapists, will have an extra-special experience with this book. She describes her heroine's emotional state with a "therapy-speak" that isn't grating or unwelcome by any means -- it's descriptive of the world of the character. I found the hero dashing and funny, and even though the plot was near-impossible, it still gripped me. I understood why the heroine made the choices she made. I'll be recommending it to library patrons.

I first heard about this plot on TikTok and I instantly put it on my radar! What a fun plot for a rom-com! I love a good second chance romance, and weddings always make for a good storyline in this genre. I love who she ended up choosing as her groom and found the slow burn to be realistic and compelling. I like how it tackled anxiety realistically as well. Anyone who enjoys a fun rom-com, a la 27 dresses I feel would enjoy this one! Perfect for a summer beach read.

Thanks so much to Netgalley for the ARC! This book started off super cute and it was a fun story. Then the author made a comment bashing Republicans. I can let one comment slide, but then she started bashing Trump and Fox News too. Seriously?! Is that reqlly necessary? People read books to have a fun escape from world stressors. It's very annoying and offensive when authors alienate people like that. Quick way to lose readers, and book sales!.

3.5 rounded up. At first I found myself appalled that I was reading such an absurd plotline. But I hate to DNF books, no matter how bad. Some books can really surprise you and people spend hours, days, yearrrs on these things. But then I couldn't put it down. I found myself sharing silly little moments with my bf that had me laughing or annoyed etc.. I needed to know what happened. We all know who she would end up with, like come on. And yet I got emotional. No, this is not one of the best books I've ever read, no, this book will not stay at the forefront of my mind and yet no, I do not feel like I wasted my time reading this book.
I will say I did like that almost no character was unlikeable. After everything these characters experienced, they tredged on and didn't drag themselves down. It was definitely admirable. I could have liked them more but despite the strange plot, I did not hate them.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC.

When she is dumped six months before her wedding date our protagonist decides that she is going to marry someone else so that she can keep her blog going and her followers hooked. Will she be able to find the right person and have this go off without a hitch or will she be stuck with no one at the altar?

This was such an enjoyable read! It was definitely different, and I think that is why I enjoyed it. There were a few things that would keep me from giving it 5 stars but I would still recommend it to people!

Save the Date is a light, slightly chaotic rom-com about a therapist-turned-online influencer whose fiancé dumps her right before their wedding. Determined to "save the date," she searches for a new groom—and ends up with two unexpected contenders.

The premise is fun, and there are flashes of humor and heartfelt moments, especially around mental health and friendship. But the love triangle feels forced, and Emma’s journey leans more into impulsive drama than real growth.

Enjoyable in parts, but not particularly memorable.

Rating: 3/5

3⭐️ This book was absolutely fine. It had some cute moments and I really enjoyed the concept of the stand in groom. The story follows Emma, a couples therapist, as she is dumped by her fiancé. With her career on the line, she decides to fine a stand in. She has found two options. Will who is charming and the chemistry is very present with Emma. Matt is a recently divorced, very sweet man that just wants to settle down.

This is described as a slow burn, and I would argue it’s kind of insta lusty. Considering there was previous history, it played out better to me. Did love the second chance elements also.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and the author for the advanced reader copy.