This was just adorable. Was the premise a little bit silly? Yeah, sure. Obviously the main character's self-imposed six-month marriage deadline, when she's just gotten dumped, would be a terrible idea in the real world.

... Fortunately, this is not the real; this is a novel. And it's a novel with a smart, relatable protagonist and well-drawn, entertaining side characters. I loved watching them bumble along to the altar together; in fact, I put down everything else I was reading and finished this book in about three days.

4.5 stars. I didn't particularly care about the main character's relationship with the male lead, which is a problem in a romance novel, but I enjoyed the book so much that I didn't mind.

Save the date by Allison Raskin is a rom-com loosely based on her real life experiences. Emma is 6 months away from her wedding to Ryan when he breaks their engagement. This comes as a complete surprise to Emma and her work as a couples therapist seems threatened as she no longer feels like a credible expert in the area of relationships. With her wedding date set and the vendors paid, Emma must come up with a plan. From this stressful situation, Operation: Save the Date is born.

Emma decides that she will not cancel her wedding to Ryan, but will instead find a groom that will be happy to marry her on her already existing wedding date. Before long, Emma has not one, but two relationships and the possibility of going through with the wedding is close to reality. Her relationship with Will varies from that of Matt and the book follows her time interacting them both.

While this concept is clever, I found the book (first 20% or so) difficult to get into. I was glad I continued to read on since once we met both Will and Matt the storyline really took off. I love how the ending tied up the lose ends for various characters.

With the help of her sister, parents, and best friend, Emma is able to move on from her broken engagement to Ryan. Does Emma successfully complete Operation: Save the Date? This book is a worthwhile read to find out!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

This was such a fun, cute read! And what a concept - instead of moving your date after being left, just find a new groom!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Canary Street Press for allowing me to rate and read this eARC!

Being a true romantic, I had so much fun reading this. I can absolutely say that while I am happily married now, going through a breakup like that probably would have made me think some absolutely "bananas" things too.

And I think we can all relate to thinking we are doing something for the "right" reason, or even starting something with one intention and ending up a little lost on what we were aiming for or why we are still so set on it. This book did a great job of really digging into why people are the way they are and how sometimes being set in your ways comes from a place you didn't even realize existed.

While I loved all the women in this book, I think the men really made it as good as it was. They were all so different you could really see how Emma could fall for each of them so differently. And of course I wouldn't be me without the nod to podcasting and youtube being a fun aspect for someone like me in the media field. I also loved that her support system was really honest with her but tried to be as supportive as they could. They took the time to understand what she was thinking and trying to do while also being cautious with they friend/daughter/sister who was still hurting and going through a breakup.

Overall this was just a fun book to read! And I adored that it was loosely based on something that had happened to her in real life (although I hate that for her!)

Emma is dumped by her fiancé and wants to find a new man to marry on the same date as her original wedding. I couldn't really root for Emma because I just didn't understand how she kept making so many bad choices throughout. Will and Matt were the best two characters in my opinion and the second half of the book was much better than the first.

As a couples therapist, Emma is thrown for a loop when her fiancé breaks up with her out of the blue. She doesn't know how to reconcile being blindsided by this when she is literally writing a book about how to have a good relationship. She also is upset because she is ready to be married and now is facing starting over. In a moment of genius (or desperation), she decides to not cancel her wedding plans and just find another groom. After all, she's always said success in relationships is more based on determination and work than a magical "The One". And so she starts Operation: Save the Date, which she will share with her Youtube channel her journey to finding a new partner by her original wedding date.

The premise of this is a bit unusual, but it is tackled in a nuanced fun way. I feel Emma's feelings about the break up to be very raw and real. I did also identify with Emma's anxiety and how it presented in her life. I enjoyed being along for the journey with Emma as she dealt with heartbreak, and putting herself back out there, while also juggling feelings of imposter syndrome.

Tropes
* Youtube blogger
* Couple's Therapist
* Anxiety Rep
* Podcast Host
* Zany dating stories

4 stars

When I started this book, I thought I was going to have a hard time getting into it because I didn’t know how I felt about the premise.

Emma is a woman in her thirties who has been unceremoniously dumped by her fiance with no real explanation. But, since she still has a wedding date set and vendors paid, she decides to partake in a social experiment in which she chooses to fast-track a relationship with a man who she intends to marry on that very wedding date with the same planned wedding. Why waste a perfectly good wedding? The only problem is she has to find the man willing to marry her so soon that she also wants to spend her life with. What could go wrong? And to boot, she is a couples therapist.

Anyway, despite the rather unbelievable plan she has, I found myself really liking Emma. She suffers from anxiety and I found a lot of parallels between myself and her in that aspect. I also like the other characters (mainly her family and “male subjects” that contribute to her plan).

I ended up enjoying the book, and appreciated the clever banter with the various characters in Emma’s life. The only reason I took away a star is because there was an aspect to the end that was slightly rushed for my liking. Also, to be quite frank, I like to read books to escape some of what is going on in the world so I would prefer a plot that doesn’t incorporate politics unless it pertains specifically to a character. In this case, I don’t think a reference to Trump is well-received despite which way the reader sways “in real life.” Just my two cents. Also, I don’t think it would age well either.

Lastly, please try to avoid the incredibly cliched line “let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding.” It’s so overdone! It has become a running joke among many of my reading groups to the point where I cringe when I see it. I didn’t let it affect my review but I certainly rolled my eyes.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of this book and a chance to review it. I enjoyed it and will look forward to more books by the author.

Definitely got a few good laughs out of this one. 100% predictable, but still had fun reading it. It was a unique concept, for sure, but the end felt rushed to me. Decent enough banter.

Save the Date was a fun read that introduced a unique viewpoint on love and marriage. I’m currently planning a wedding and could not imagine being put in the main character’s position. The book had a slow start but I found things picked up when Will is introduced. I loved his personality and the banter he had with Emma.

Emma is someone who suffers from anxiety and other health issues and I found myself relating to her in those regards. It was nice to see that represented on the page. I found myself laughing out loud at one line in particular “Emma didn’t know what to do with her arms” because same, Emma, same.

Overall, I’d give this book a 3.5 but rounding up to 4 stars. It has an interesting premise that made me think about things in a new way.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a honest review.

DNF'd at 30% because I ABHOR books that bash political stances like this. I'm not on board with all the Trump/Republican hate in this book because it does absolutely NOTHING to further the plot. This is just the author venting about her own biases while trying to meet a book deadline. No thanks, PASS.

At first I will admit the book was hard to get into, but I’m glad I stuck with it. As it is loosely based on the authors real life, it’s really admirable to write something so honesty and witty.

Emma has just been dumped by her fiancé 6 months before the wedding. Love lost be damned, she sets out to not let this ruin things and starts the journey to find someone to marry on the same date. Because she is ready to be married. She already had an online presence and decided to document this journey for her viewers. She goes on a date with Matt through an app, they have a spark but alas he doesn’t want to get married so quickly. He does however have a podcast, and turns this operation save the date into a podcast between the two.

At first the fixation of getting married on the same date was unsettling, but as one dives into the book further and you begin to unpack everything, it’s a honest look at rejection definition of love and what it means to be loved and relationships.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc! It was a fun read.

I stopped reading this at 33%. Too much Trump/republican hating. Write the dang book without bringing politics in it.

An interesting closed door romance with a twist!

Emma, a successful marriage and relationship therapist, social media influencer and soon to be published author, is unceremoniously and with no warning dumped by her fiancé 6 months before their wedding. Instead of cancelling the wedding, Emma decides to find a new man to marry. Enter Matt and Will and two very different paths her love life can embark upon!

What I liked:
The family dynamic and the main character's anxiety were relatable and felt authentic.
There was some great chemistry between Emma and the man she eventually chooses.

What didn't work for me:
I struggled to get into this book for about the first 30%. It felt like a lot of set up for the main characters' plan to find someone to marry.
The story was told in third person, yet still from the perspective of the main character which felt odd.

This is a nice romcom for fans of the closed door romance and those looking for something that maybe strays slightly from the traditional romance formula.

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing via NetGalley for the advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.

DNF this book at 27%. I’m not into reading books that bash political stances one way or another. Also the fmc was not likable at all, I just couldn’t get into it.

If you love rom-coms with heart, humor, and a touch of chaos, Save the Date by Allison Raskin is one to check out!

Emma Moskowitz, a couples therapist and online relationship expert, has her life together—until her fiancé dumps her six months before their wedding. But instead of scrapping her big day, she hatches a plan: find a new groom by the original wedding date. (What could go wrong, right?)

Between documenting her journey online, navigating her growing feelings for two very different men, and dealing with the pressure from her family and followers, Emma has a lot on her plate. But as the big day looms, she starts to wonder—does she really need a groom to get her happily ever after?

With plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, mental health representation, and a fresh take on love and second chances, this one’s perfect for fans of Katherine Center and Rachel Lynn Solomon!

This novel follows Emma Moskowitz after her fiance leaves her 6 months before her wedding. She decides to challenge all western relationship norms and find a new life partner and husband in time to use her original wedding date.

Everything takes a turn when she ends up with two solid candidates for Operation Save the Date. Will and Matt, with one being more ready to settle down than the other.

The premise of the book was very cute. I thought the role of social media and podcasts was very thoughtful and added to the story. I liked how close she was with her sister and parents as well, they seemed to have a great but also realistic family dynamic.

There were a few things that I felt detracted from the overall structure and story of the novel. I did not understand how all of Emma's sensory sensitivities played into the end result of the book. I think the anxiety she was experiencing made sense and was very relatable. Who among us has not been able to let go of an ex despite the fact that we know they aren't right for us. I also related to quite a few of the comments Imani referenced about her previous dating habits. I had a hard time relating to her as a main character overall with so much background going on in her life. I also didn't love the storytelling technique. I didn't feel like the dialogue flowed well from the thoughts of the narrator.

I think the bones were good but I don't think this book was for me!

Who knew that turning your real life trauma of being left by your fiancé would turn into such a banger? I guess Raskin did because this book was pretty good.

Back in 2020, the author’s real life fiancé called it quits without warning or explanation. Her mother made a joke about keeping the wedding date and just finding a new man to fill the spot - and then a book idea was born.

The story had good pacing and a ton of humor. I was audibly laughing at a scene where the mother gives the father a look in chapter one. So I knew pretty quickly that this was going to be fun. Unfortunately, the character that Raskin based on herself was a bit insufferable at times, but her choices were clearly to move the plot along. The dialogue between all the characters was whip smart and everyone was enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I knew Allison from YouTube and have been following her on instagram forever. When I found out she wrote a book, I was immediately intrigued. Her witty humor really showed through in this book and it was extremely fun to read!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review

I loved this adult romance debut by Allison Raskin! I've been a fan of her on YouTube and the podcast for a long time, and this book did not disappoint. Allison's voice shone through and I really enjoyed this quirky plot and fun characters!

Save the Date by Allison Raskin is a delightful, heartwarming read that perfectly balances heartbreak, humor, romance, and family. I loved the chemistry between the characters. It was an easy, enjoyable read. If you’re looking for a charming rom-com with a lot of heart, this one is definitely worth picking up.

I’m so sorry but I really didn’t like this. The MFC is the most annoying character I’ve read in a while and is the personification of adult baby. Grow up. It’s obvious how the book is going to end about 12% of the way through, so why did we drag it out? The sister is the worst type of human, literally GROW UP AND LEAVE YOUR HUSBAND. Idk maybe I shouldn’t have finished this but I’m not the type to DNF.

Review also posted on Goodreads.