Book: Save the Date
Author: Allison Raskin
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank the publisher, Canary Street Press, for providing me with an ARC. I did enjoy this one a lot. It was fun and, for the most part, light hearted. I enjoyed getting to follow Emma’s journey to finding love again and finding herself.

In this one, we follow Emma, who has just hit what she thinks is rock bottom. When relationship expert Emma Moskowitz is dumped by her fiancé just six months before their wedding, her carefully curated life unravels. Her thriving therapy practice, social media presence, and book deal all depend on her image as a love guru. But Emma refuses to let heartbreak derail her plans. Determined to salvage her big day, she embarks on "Operation: Save My Date"—a public quest to find a new groom before her wedding date arrives. As her journey unfolds online, she finds herself torn between two potential suitors: Will, a charming podcast producer who wants nothing to do with a marriage of convenience, and Matt, a kindhearted recent divorcee eager to commit. With her career, family, and the internet watching, Emma must decide whether she's truly searching for love—or just trying to prove she has it all figured out.

Emma is a highly successful young woman. She has her career, a very popular Youtube channel, and a great support system. She has a book deal and everything is going right for her. That is until she is dumped. She now has to start over. She decides to keep her wedding date and just find a new groom and to make it public. From here, her life goes in directions that she never thought. She meets new guys and finds more things out about herself. It’s a fun journey. Now, I will say that there were times that Emma did get on my nerves. Despite how much she does have going for her, she does come across, at times, as very immature. She is supposed to be thirty-two and there were many times that I had to remind myself of that. She also seemed out of touch at times. While she is very successful in her own right and life, she does come from a wealthy family. Therefore, she really does not know what is it truly like to suffer in life. These are just little things, but there were times that this felt like it was another classic “rich girl” story who didn’t get her way. Now, I do have to give Emma credit. When things got bad, she didn’t fall apart and took matters into her own hands.

I did enjoy Emma’s family. They are not perfect, which is why I think I enjoyed them so much. They are close and will go anything for each other. They have their rough patches. Despite all of this, they are still there for each other. I liked getting to see the more rougher side of things, because it makes them human and makes them relatable. I love it whenever books have this family side in them.

The romance part was enjoyable. I enjoyed getting to follow Emma on her on her quest for love. It’s fun. We can see how she is also kind of forcing herself into this. She is anxious and a lot of it stems from trying to keep up with all of this. She wants to keep the wedding date. She wants to find love. She has put this timeline on herself and it is putting so much pressure on her. We can see it bearing on her. Once again, this is something I enjoyed. It allows us to see the human side of her. There are times that it did not always come across the best (the human side) and I think giving this to Emma does make her more relatable.

Now, one thing, I did get tired of was the political jabs that were woven in throughout the book. Normally, I don’t mind having politics in books, but it just wasn’t needed here. I know we are trying to show Emma as a modern woman, but I thought it didn’t add to the book. Instead, the jabs, which there were not backing for or reason for, added to her immaturity. Now, if the author had decided to educate people that would have been fine and would have added to Emma’s character. For the record, I am not a Trumper, but I cannot stand just jabbing people like this book did.

Overall, I did enjoy this one a lot. It just wasn’t quite a five-star read for me.

This book comes out on April 8, 2025.

Youtube: https://youtu.be/lSQ2EY9aOhg

Before the book starts, Raskin shares that something similar happened to her- her ex-fiancé left her 'because something was missing' and kinda left her without closure. She'd also been giving out relationship advice on the internet and a podcast, and had a book coming out.
Enter the MC with similar circumstances but with a plan for keeping her wedding date.

As soon as I started reading, I immediately fell in love with Raskin's voice and humor. I'm grateful that she got to share a piece of her story.

Save the Date follows Emma as she tries to find a replacement guy for her wedding through exes, dating apps, and friends. She meets Will who she instantly connects with but who isn't willing to get married that quickly. Then she's introduced to Matt, a soon-to-be divorcé, who is seemingly great on paper and easy on the eyes, but something is off.
Emma works with Will on his podcast about Operation: Save My Date, and I absolutely love their banter and connection. Love, love, love.

During the Operation, Emma works as a relationship therapist, attempts to finish her book deal, uploads videos to YouTube, and witnesses her parents' marriage start to go sideways. (btw- loved the mom and dad navigating retired life with each other, it was very relatable.) Emma is also an observer of her sister's marriage, which Emma finds odd. (Yay, multiple examples for Emma.)
Some traits I appreciated about Emma- she has sensory sensitivities, anxiety, and thinks she's unlovable/too much.

**Semi-Spoilers**
Something that kinda threw me off is that I thought she liked Matt's kisses? But later said the chemistry wasn't there? Which in comparison to Will I totally get, but it just didn't match up.
And I don't know how I feel about Will changing his mind at the end...I would've been okay if he hadn't or had taken longer because that was more in character for him...this choice seemed abrupt, but kudos to him I guess.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and recommend it. I look forward to reading more from Raskin.

Emma is a relationship therapist and I think this is secretly a self-help book written as a romance novel, and I mean that in the best way because while it was entertaining, I also learned a lot…

When you boil down the plot of the book, it’s really just putting relationships and weddings under a microscope. It questions how much of the process is dictated by society and its expectations — what’s the proper timeline? who’s the ideal partner? what makes a perfect relationship? And then ultimately, what does it take to keep it?

Yes, Emma’s journey to her second chance will have you cringing, cheering and laughing out loud. Her family (particularly her relationships with her sister and mom) will make you wish you could spend more time with your family (at least it did for me). And her friendship with Will will make you swooooooon.

But I think the best thing about this book are the tips and advice she gives couples for how to work through conflict and how to stay level-headed and maintain neutrality when things get sticky. Honestly, there are a host of learnings I’m taking away from this book, and I kind of wish we had transcripts from the podcast interspersed throughout the book to capture more of that wisdom (but also because I just needed more Will and Emma banter).

Emma’s journey (and her podcast with Will) introduces the reader to different types of romantic relationships and how / why they work… or don’t work — college sweethearts, soul-mates, instant love, slow love, an anti-marriage POV, life-long partnership, etc. But the bottom line is that all relationships require effort: “Romantic love was about compatibility on some level, but it was mostly about dedication and commitment.”
1. We learn that compromises come in all shapes and sizes.
2. We’re reminded not to judge relationship dynamics that we aren’t privy to — what might not work for us can work for someone else!
3. We’re encouraged to think of love and partnership from different perspectives, especially your partner’s to understand what they need and why.

All this is to say, that you’ll get so much out of this romance beyond Emma’s Operation Save My Date. But hopefully, you’ll also enjoy the banter between Emma and Will as well as the camaraderie and friendship she builds among her suitors (at least a couple of them). And if you need it, maybe you’ll be inspired to go find the love you deserve!

This was such a cute and light read!

Emma is a family and relationships therapist who seems to have it all, but when her fiancé unexpectedly calls off the wedding, everything else begins to unravel. Determined not to let her plans fall apart, Emma decides to keep the wedding date—and find a new groom to meet her at the altar.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this ARC

This was a great read, i love second chance romance, the characters were perfectly written. I didn’t think it was so slow it did have a kinda of fast pace which is good because I

Emma Moskowitz thought she had finally found the one, the guy who could accept all her anxieties and love her for who she is. Unfortunately, 6 months before the wedding, Ryan decided to call it quits with no explanation. Emma, being a successful family therapist and relationship expert, was at a loss and didn't want the ending of that relationship to derail her wedding date. Instead of waiting to move on, she decides to keep the wedding date and find a new Groom that is ready to join this new phase.

Emma decided to go through a dating app to find a guy willing to go along with this insane idea of getting married within 6 months. After a few dates and finally finding a man that wants to go through with the wedding, she gets engaged!

"'I actually don't believe in The One.' Part of why I wanted to do this was to prove that we are all compatible with a bunch of different people. We don't need to get hung up on our exes or unrequited loves when it's more productive and fulfilling to focus on finding a connection with someone else--some-
one new."

Is it worth moving on with someone if you don't quite feel the 'love'? Is it worth waiting to find that connection with someone that you can't wait to start that journey with? Personally, I'm glad I found my husband and had that instant connection. It's how I knew he was the one from the very beginning!

Allison Raskin had gone through a personal breakup and created this story as a way to move on from the heartbreak. The similarities of what happened and what could have been if she did keep her wedding date as her father suggested and found a replacement groom is completely out of the norm, but that's what makes for an exciting story. I'm happy that she found her happy ending!

If you're interested in following Emma's journey in finding a new Groom in less than 6 months before the wedding, then get the book!

Overall, this is a really unique love story. When Emma has left by her fiancé, she is faced with the grief and hurt of losing a life that she had envisioned for herself. She takes to an unconventional way of finding herself a new groom.

I enjoyed the banter in this book, but really struggled with Emma as a character not thinking she is good enough without being married. There are heavy themes of mental health and anxiety represented in this book which I can appreciate sometimes it felt more educational than naturally put in to a conversation, but all in all I really liked the theme.

This book both did and didn’t play out as I expected. In this novel, Emma is unexpectedly dumped by her fiancé, and instead of wallowing in grief, she decides to try to thwart Western relationship expectations by keeping her wedding date (and those deposits) and—instead of canceling—finding a new groom.

Because the character’s YouTube presence was mentioned prominently in the book blurb, I was falsely under the impression that the #SaveMyDate journey Emma takes would involve an online, reality show dating aspect, but that was not accurate. She just dates until she runs into a guy ok with the fast marriage idea. (There is much more to the story than that.) So, the process was less silly fun than I expected.

However, that aside, this story was indeed still fun. There were quite a few of literal laugh out loud moments. The banter between Emma and her (obvious) love interest is sweet and sassy, and there are minor characters that stand out and delight. Is this predictable by about half way through? Yes. Am I bothered by that from a romcom? Not at all. There is also an absolutely delicious ex confrontation that left me cheering and clapping.

Because the main character is a therapist, there is a heavy influence of mental health discussion that may be tedious to some people but positive to others.

All in all, this is an easy and positive read. The close door romance gives just enough butterflies without being off putting for those who don’t like spice. While this isn’t a favorite, I would have mainly positive things to say for anyone interested—especially someone who values mental health awareness and a witty FMC.

Thank you to Harlequin Publishing and NetGalley for this advance copy.

3 1/2 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The author’s note makes this one a bit difficult to talk about because this book is an attempt by the author to use her pain to make art and that’s something so personal that it makes me feel mean to criticize anything about it. Which I don’t intend to be; that being said, I do write honest reviews. And this is my honest opinion of the book and my own experience with it.

This premise of the book sounded strange to me and instantly drew me in to see how the author would use it. Unfortunately, I was pretty disappointed in the ending. I felt like the majority of this book was cringey and I got a lot of second-hand embarrassment. It might have been partially due to my inability to relate to or understand our MC at all. She’s just so sure she can’t enjoy her life until she’s married or in a relationship and it bothered me so much that she had that mindset and was a therapist.

What I did like, was how the author drew me into the story where I just had to know how everything turned out and if the MC matured, if the side characters worked out their relationships, etc. I needed all the tea.

I think while this one might not have been a hit for me, personally, rom-com fans might want to try it out. I recommend it particularly to readers who can easily suspend their disbelief and those who enjoy messy characters and drama. Save the Date releases April 8th!

I couldn’t be happier for reading this book! Looking for true love in the midst of heartbreak is nothing small to deal with. Allison gave us this light, fun, family loving, chaotic love search read and it didn’t disappoint. A quick read that we can all relate to somehow.

Unfortunately I DNF this one around the 25% mark. I couldn’t get into the story, the characters, or the writing

This story follows Emma, a family therapist who get dumps by her fiance 6 months before her wedding. Instead of scrapping everything, Emma decides to find a new groom and stick to her original plan. A little over the top - yeah? Would you do go on Operation Save The Date? During her search, she ends up with two very different men: Matt who is sweet and checks all the boxes, and Will, the one she feels completely herself with but who doesn’t fit her carefully planned timeline. Overall a solid 4 star experience.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Long story short, our FMC, Emma, fiancé calls off their engagement, which causes her to make an unconventional choice: instead of canceling the wedding venue and date, she sets out to find a new groom. As a couple's therapist with her own anxieties, it's a daring mission, but she is determined to find her happily ever after.
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It was a bit slow to begin with and I'm not going to lie, it took some time for me to get into it, but it ended up being a story about courage and determination that I thoroughly enjoyed!

It was very thought provoking as it has readers thinking about their own relationships and prompts them to think about what they do and don't want in partners.

All in all, it was a great story and one I will recommend when it comes out!

This was such a fun read! It was hard to root for Emma to end up with both guys at the same time but secretly hope for one over the other 😅

I loved the banter in the book and I loved the growth of Emma from start to finish. Solid read!

Emma, a successful couples therapist & YouTube personality, has just been left by her fiancé six months before the wedding. Devastated and confused, she decides to turn the situation into a social experiment called Operation: Save My Date, to hopefully prove that you don’t need years together to form a bond and get married. She decides to keep the date & everything she has already booked and find her groom. Will she prove that anything is possible or will she crash & burn with everyone watching her? A lot can happen in six months…

The concept for this book really drew me in but unfortunately, it didn’t hit it out of the park like I had hoped. In the beginning of the book, Emma started off strong but as it progressed I felt like she became annoying and whiny. Between Matt & Will, the only relationship I felt invested in was Will. I enjoyed their banter & the way he wasn’t afraid to call her out when necessary. Her relationship with Matt felt forced and like even she wasn’t enjoying it.

My main gripe with the book is that the storyline jumps without warning & there were many instances where I had to go back and reread because I was confused and thought I missed something. An example is that in one sentence Emma is out to dinner on a date & then the very next sentence she’s on Imani’s couch discussing said date. It’s the kind of transition that really should’ve been a no chapter because it just confused the reader.

Overall 2.5 ⭐️

***Thank you NetGalley & Harlequin for providing me with an ARC for my honest review***

Save the Date follows Emma, a marriage /family therapist, who thought she had her life all planned out. When her fiancé suddenly leaves her without explanation, she is determined to still live in the perfect timeline she had created. As she looks for a replacement groom, she learns that happiness doesn’t always need to follow a schedule.

This book is a typical cute rom-com with quirky likable characters and a predictable ending. It’s a quick breezy fun read!

Thank you Net Galley for the advanced copy !

Wowowow! The premise of this one -- a couples' therapist who has a broken engagement and decides to keep her wedding date and see if she can insert a new husband -- what a whirlwind! I enjoyed going on the journey with Emma and I could totally see this turning into an actual romantic comedy movie. The element of the social media influencer therapist culture was really cool as well!

This book follows Emma, a family therapist, whose engagement is called off. This commences Operation Save My Date, where she searches for a new groom for her original wedding. The premise of this book was super cute, and I really enjoyed the story line. I love the way her relationship with her family and her best friend were portrayed, however, Emma's character was a bit annoying to me, and I'm not easily annoyed by characters.

This is a light easy read with a great ending. It definitely wasn't a favorite, but I am still glad that I read it.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC for my honest review.

What an interesting premise of a book from start to finish! When we meet our main character, Emma, she is a bit of a mess. Her fiance dumped her 6 months before their wedding day. And if that can not get worse, she has created a book and a YouTube series based on this relationship. Bound to no go down without a fight, Emma comes up with a plan to meet and marry someone and get married on that same date. Why cancel when she can substitute.? The reader goes on a journey with Emma to find out if a finance can be replaced, or if there is more to it than that. I love a story with funny comedic family members and this family did not disappoint. The few male leads were funny, kind, and just what Emma needs to find love again. This was my first Allison Raskin book, and will definitely not be the last!

As a relationship and marriage counselor, Emma Moskowitz thought she had it all figured out—she even had a book deal and was nearing her dream wedding date with her fiance Ryan. That is, until he abruptly pulled the rug out from under her without so much as a discussion about why. In a bold move, Emma decides to keep the same wedding date…and just find a new groom. Save the Date gave a heartwarming and, at times, humorous look into Emma’s adventure to find out whether or not this was even possible.

I enjoyed this story, I felt myself rooting for Emma to find what she was looking for (whatever that might be) and appreciated her eye opening dialogue both with herself and the other main characters about what it truly means to be in a committed relationship in a time when there are so many ideals on social media.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | Canary Street Press for this advanced reader copy! You can find Save the Date on shelves near you on April 8th, 2025.