Lauren Leo is 41, has just been left abandoned by the groom at her own wedding, her elder sister didn't even turn up, her mother has effectively been fat-shaming her her whole life, and everything but her work (at which she is excellent) seems to be falling apart.

Crazy to Leave You is a funny, sarcastic, pun-heavy, quietly emotional and thought-provoking book. I wish I'd read it sooner and I will definitely be checking out the author's other works.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read and review this book.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for an e-ARC of this novel in exchange for my review.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. A cute women's fiction novel. Recommend

I enjoyed this quick summer read! Left at the altar Lauren realizes she needs to learn to stand up for herself! I thought there were some very funny parts of the story!!

Thanks for the opportunity to read this fun book!!

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book for an honest review.

Lauren is 41 and about to walk down the aisle with Eric...but he bails! Her whole outlook is about marriage, babies, dieting and her work. Her family is dysfunctional, her mother is toxic and people's lives are changing radically around her. During this, Lauren finds her voice and decides to make some changes. The only genuinely likeable character around her is Rudy and she struggles with her doubts about trusting herself and her judgement.

A fun and heartfelt read! I loved and related to Lauren in Crazy to Leave You. I loved her struggled and journey towards growth. Recommend this read!

Forty-one years old, the last of her friends to marry, and down to a size 12, Lauren Leo is in her gown and about to tie the knot. There’s just one thing missing: the groom. With one blindsiding text, Lauren is unceremoniously dumped at the altar.

In the aftermath, her mother is an endless well of unsolicited advice (Stay on your diet and freeze your eggs). Her sisters only add to the Great Humiliation: one is planted on Lauren’s couch while the other is too perfect.

Picking her heart up off the floor, Lauren turns to her work in advertising as she gathers courage to move on and plan her next step. She should know by now that nothing in life goes according to plan. What lies ahead is the road to self-acceptance and at long last feeling worthy. With a new way to measure love and success, Lauren chucks her scale—and finds a second chance in the most unexpected place.

The main character Lauren is in her forties and just got left at the altar by her fiancé. The plot is told solely from Lauren's point of view. It focuses on the relationships she has with her mom and sisters. These all affect her life and affects how she sees herself. There is also a little romance in the book in the form of a handsome driver, but that is not the main focus of the story. It was a great read, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy.

This one blew me away, definitely underhyped for the representation of love and loss, would recommend for a follow up to Abby Jimenez

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for a copy of this book to read and review!

This book was a light and quick read that overall was pretty good. I'll admit that most of the characters in the book were unlikable for me - most of the people in Lauren's circle (with the exception of a couple of friends) just aren't that great to her at all. I also had a hard time remembering that she was actually 41, except for it being mentioned quite a bit. There was a little bit of a juvenile feel to some of the actions and dialogue that skewed it a little younger to me.

I didn't mind that this book is less rom com and more women's fiction. I appreciated Lauren's journey of self-discovery, even though it took her a long time to get there. Rudy was cute, but much more of a minor character that I was expecting when I first started the book.

You need to try to read Marilyn Simon Rothstein books in the privacy of your own home where no one will look at you funny when you burst into laughter. Not only does she write a humorous book but she also provides a great story line and wonderfully written characters who are facing obstacles in their lives. She provides her readers with some laughs, an important life lesson and characters that you feel like you know in real life.

Forty-one year old Lauren Leo is finally getting married. She's starved herself to fit into a size 12 dress and can't wait to show her new figure off in her bridal gown. Until...her boyfriend calls off the wedding with a text to her sister. She's totally humiliated and her dysfunctional family isn't a lot of help. Her two sisters are supportive but she has a mom who has no filter on what comes out of her mouth. She decides that her only choice is to return to her successful advertising job as soon as possible. After she's in an accident, her boss hires a driver to take her to meetings. Rudy becomes the voice of reason in Lauren's chaotic life. She begins to wonder if she was really in love with her fiancé or in love with the idea of getting married because all of her friends were married. It was fantastic to see the changes in Lauren throughout the book as she learned to accept herself, her weight issues and gains the courage to look for the next step in her life that will make her happy. Lauren is a great character and I was cheering for her to get a second chance at happiness and a fulfilled life.

This book has a great mixture of humor, romance, and serious topics. I loved the writing style of the author after reading Husbands and Other Sharp Objects. I enjoyed a single, 40-year old POV; this is not a common character type and I think this book does a great job encompassing the struggles, fears, and triumphs of a woman of this age.


I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

I enjoyed this! It was a quick read with many life lessons in the mix, so sweet but also touching.

Main themes that I absolutely adored revolved around overcoming heartbreak, second chances with love, learning to love yourself, embracing women empowerment .

There are a few triggers to be mentioned: being left at the altar, car accidents, cheating, body shaming and binge eating.
I do however feel these topics were perfectly and respectfully handled so hats off to the author.

This book was highly entertaining, but the plot was a bit scattered. The whirlwind of Lauren picking herself up after the wedding and rebuilding her relationships was a bit all over the place in the beginning, but I started to fall in love with the book because of her sarcastic banter with Rudy. I admire the elements of development that was added, I think I would have enjoyed the book more though if the main focus was just the romance.

I think a lot of readers will relate to Lauren, and the tenacity she showed is so empowering!
Can’t wait to read more of this author in the future.

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book for an honest review.

Lauren is 41 and about to walk down the aisle with Eric...but he bails! Her whole outlook is about marriage, babies, dieting and her work. Her family is dysfunctional, her mother is toxic and people's lives are changing radically around her. During this, Lauren finds her voice and decides to make some changes. The only genuinely likeable character around her is Rudy and she struggles with her doubts about trusting herself and her judgement.

DNF. I couldn't connect with any of the characters. What i did read was boring, plus there was backhanded fat shaming.

CRAZY TO LEAVE YOU by Marilyn Simon Rothstein was one of my favorite reads of the summer. When Lauren is left at the altar, she is forced to reprioritize her life with her crazy family in tow. I loved the message of body acceptance mixed in with all the humor and appreciated the way the dysfunctional family was captured. I think that Rothstein always has a lot of wit in her writing and that lets her keep the content feeling light while breaking the relationships and themes throughout the book into digestible pieces which can be heavy. The writing is great and I really appreciated the addition of Rudy to the story for his insight and support of Lauren through the novel. I received an Advance Review Copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

What can I say? #MarilynSimonRothsteinAuthor is perfect at writing the funny, witty rom-com fiction everyone will love. Readers will fall in love with Lauren & Marilyn, just as I did.
Thank you, Marilyn Simon Rothstein, Lake Union & NetGalley for my early copy of this outstanding new book! All opinions are my own.

A humorous tale of a heartbreaking stroy. A woman is left at the alter, she struggles with her weight, and this is a tale of her recovery and turning her life around better than it was before! It is a fun, light summer romance read, and isn't too steamy, so a lot of audiences can find Crazy to Leave You entertaining!

An entertaining rom-com and totally got me out of my reading slump! It was heartwarming quick read that hit on some deeper topics. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a well-written and enjoyable book!

What a fun romp with great characters in this entertaining romcom. When Lauren is left stranded at the altar, all that is wrong with her life is amplified. Her mother’s constant criticism of her weight, her being passed over for promotion at the advertising agency she has worked at for eighteen years, her relationship with her sisters, are all reevaluated. Swearing off men is part of her reaction, but then she meets Rudy. There is so much humor in the story, and you will laugh out load while cheering for Lauren to get it together and succeed. Highly recommended for a great vacation read. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I needed a light read after reading a few heavy books consecutively and this hits the spot.

Forty-one year old Lauren is in her wedding dress and ready to walk down the aisle. There is only one little problem. The groom is nowhere to be seen. With one cold text, Lauren was jilted at her wedding and was left to deal with the aftermath alone. Reeling from humiliation, Lauren dived headfirst into work but her family wouldn’t leave her to move on alone. Instead, they forced her to face her life and plan out her next move. Along the way, she learnt that nothing in life goes according to plan and opportunities come when you least expect it.

This is such a cute and fun read. I was feeling sad for Lauren when she thinks she will never find another partner again because of her age and that her time is running out to have kids. She is also dealing with her own body image and how her mother would constantly make snide remarks about her weight. I am sure we can all relate to Lauren in one way or another. I love that all hope is not lost as she focuses on her career and how proud she is of her job. She is confident and knows what she is worth despite dealing with her personal issues.

Despite this being a romance, I love how romance is not the center of the story. Instead, it focuses on Lauren’s relationship with herself, her family and her friends. It is important to note how Lauren deals with her body image and how she overcomes binge eating. I was really rooting for her all the way. It is not often we see a main character who is in her forties and still trying to figure herself out. I thought that was very refreshing and an important lesson for me as well. That it’s ok to not have everything figured out. It’s ok that things do not go according to plan. It’s truly never too late to start again and believe there are opportunities waiting for me out there.

Thank you Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the arc.