Was not a fan of the writing style. Loved the important issues that were addressed. The plot was a bit disorganized but I loved that the main plot point was more the self love then the romance.

Such a cute romantic comedy. Lighthearted and heartwarming. I loved the storyline, the character development! Very well-written and looking forward to reading more from this author.

I liked that this book tackled various important issues such as eating disorders and body shaming which is very relevant in our community now. It's not often that you get an older FMC's pov and I think it made the experience of reading it a little more personal. The romance isn't a big subplot because the book focused more on her journey of self-love. Lauren had good character development through the book as I read the chapters.
However the writing style just made it difficult for me to be absorbed into the book. It took me a couple of tries to pick up the book again. I also felt that the plot was a little disorganised where the focus of the book changed a few times and I didn't know what was the intention of the book.
It’s clear how Marilyn Simon Rothstein in this novel tries to shine light on diet culture and how destructive this can be. This is an incredibly important life lesson and is of course something that needs to be talked about more, though this novel wasn’t my favourite attempt at getting this message across. And with a novel about finding yourself and regaining confidence in yourself and your abilities, I expected for a better connection to the main character, which i unfortunately didn’t find here.

I love how the story were able to bring out the relationship between the sisters. I liked the flow of the story and how it revolve on the life of Lauren. How she was able to find love despite being left on the alter and how complicated her relationship with her family.

Lauren has dieted herself into a size 12 bridal gown but her 41-year-old groom has decided not to turn up, because he claims he isn’t emotionally mature enough to get married yet. With her chances of starting a family down the drain, Lauren throws herself back into her advertising job.
After she is injured returning from a client meeting, she gets a driver, Rudy, who is a lovely guy caring for his nephew since his sister is in a coma.
Meanwhile Lauren’s actress sister, Margo, has turned up on her couch – having been killed off from her daytime soap yet again. She has stacked on the pounds which is affecting her chances of scoring another role.
This is a sharp, empowering story which raises a variety of issues from body shaming to sibling rivalry. Lauren is a relatable character who embraces her need to move on and find self-acceptance and a new life.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this eARC in return for my honest opinion. From the first chapter, my heart was entirely sold on this book simply for the witty Jewish humor. Amazing!

I have Rothstein's Husbands and Other Sharp Objects on my TBR about which I have read great reviews. One of the main reasons why I picked this book. Aaaaaannd I am not disappointed! (yay!)

<b>The Story:</b>
Lauren Leo, 41, is ready to get married. Everything is in place. Except for the groom. He sends a message to Lauren's sister, telling her he cannot go ahead with the wedding. Lauren is devastated, naturally. But then her mother gives her the golden advice of "freezing her eggs and continue dieting."

Lauren has thrown her all into this marriage. She wants children and she has worked hard to lose weight. She is now a size 12. And now this.

So, Lauren does what she knows best. She gives her best to her work. Through her work, she tries to forget the heartache and disappointment. But wait, there is her mother and her two sisters to contend with. And a very attractive driver.

A perfect coming-of-age story: maybe not all that glitters is gold.

<b>The Positives:</b>

1. Lauren - Again, it is so refreshing to see an FMC in her 40s. With all her jaded cynicism, Lauren is what I hope to become in the next five years.

2. The plot - The twists keep coming (even though this is a romcom/coming-of-age) and each of them is resolved by the end of the book. Exactly how I like a book <*chef's kiss*>

3. Topics - When we pick a romcom, we don't expect it to tackle real issues. This one does - and does it well. First, there is Lauren's troublesome relationship with food. She eats when she is depressed and when she is happy. But she is also always aware of her weight. Second, her mother takes absolutely every chance to gaslight her. Her father is no support. Third, there is this side-story of sexism at work and how Lauren tries to overcome it unsuccessfully. Fourth, the growing obesity and diabetes and what we do to ignore the whole thing.
All of these are topics we face daily and yet are silent. What would happen if we took action?

4. The writing - Even though the book is written from Lauren's POV completely, we do not get bored through the story.

5. Margo - I want a sister like Margo. I don't mind if she sleeps on my couch.

<b>The Negatives:</b>

1. The romance - True, Rudy was the perfect gentleman but I did not feel the VIBES!

2. The mother - What is it with her? Fat-shaming everyone seemed to be her hobby.

3. Lauren - Yes, I had to mention this here. Lauren is a 41-year-old high-flying advertising executive yet sometimes I felt I was reading the account of a teenager.


Overall, great book. The humour is incisive and elicits laughs (though more of the cynical "Ha!" variety). I WILL read Rothstein's other books because I think she is good.

4 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC.

If you haven't read anything by Marilyn Simon Rothstein, what are you waiting for? I loved her other two novels so much that I purposefully saved this one for the start of my summer vacation (high school English teacher here). Not only did this novel make me laugh, it also struck a chord for many reasons; Rothstein delves into the complicated dynamics of sisters and also explores the complexities of dealing with parents as an adult. I also loved how the main character, Lauren Leo, struggled with romantic relationships, her career, and her weight---things I can definitely relate to. If you are looking for a read that will make you laugh and still make you think, look no further. Rothstein creates characters who feel like friends. Loved this book!

Lauren Leo is about to get married to the love of her life and finally start the family she’s been so desperate to have. Her fiancé, however, has different plans. Left at the alter she feels hopeless and defeated, and it only gets worse from there. She gets into a car accident and breaks her wrist rendering her unable to drive for a few weeks and her favorite client is about to pass away. Determined to not let this ruin her life, she dives into her work putting everything she’s got left into it. Suddenly the universe shifts and she starts to see that not everything is always what it seems. Will she be able to pull out of this funk and get what she truly wants and deserves?
Thank you Netgalley, Marilyn Simon Rothstein, and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book. This book had me cracking up right from the start. It was funny, entertaining, and an easy read. I loved Lauren’s character and watching her through her new journey, growing stronger. I was a little sad that the story ended a little abruptly. I would have liked either having one more chapter to really tie the ends up or even an epilogue. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed the book and am looking forward to reading more by this author. Trigger warning: there is some mention of sexism, body shaming, and addiction (gambling and food). I definitely recommend this book to my fellow readers and am rating it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Forty-one-year-old Lauren Leo is moments from walking down the aisle when her entire life begins to fall apart - her about-to-be-husband breaks up with her VIA TEXT TO HER SISTER'S PHONE - and leaves her at the altar.

What follows is Lauren trying to pick up the pieces while navigating work, family and body issues, and maybe kinda sorta possibly falling in love again.

While Marilyn Simon Rothstein's 'Crazy To Leave You' starts with promise, it quickly devolves into a story about a woman obsessed with her body, desperately trying to lose weight - or at least not gain back what she already lost - and fed up of her mom shaming her, but somehow also constantly does the same to her sister, Margo.

We're told time and time again how massively fat Margo is - she doesn't even want to get up off the couch to pick something up off the floor. BUT somehow also has a fledging acting career that sees her often dressed up and going out. Which definitely involves, you know, moving and stuff 🙄

Margo's character also happens to binge her way into diabetes. A convenient little side plot to make our girl Lauren feel better about herself because she's "not THAT fat" and her life isn't "that bad". (A comparison, by the way, Lauren makes constantly throughout the novel. "I thought I had problems", look at these side characters making me look and feel so much better...)

Then there's the fact that despite spending practically the entire novel not-so-lovingly mentioning Margo's fatness, Lauren of course stands up for her sister to their mom, so she can conveniently be the hero. The moment isn't dwelled on in the novel but it made me roll my eyes so hard I got a headache.

There's a message somewhere in this novel about finding your feet after heartbreak and standing up for yourself, but it is completely snowed under endless references to weight, losing weight, being obsessed with losing weight, being obsessed with food and (rather flippant) mentions of food addiction (which is very valid but which she never gets treatment for so I guess we're supposed to just 'forget' about that part and applaud Lauren's 'sheer force of will' when she starts making better food choices?!)

Whew, a mess. The book was hard to get through. I found myself zoning out by the 40% mark, and while I'm not mad I actually finished it - the last 20% or so gets good - overall, it was a big fat meh to me.

A fun, quick read that actually deals with some complex topics. If you’re in the market for contemporary fiction and romance, it’s a good one.

Marilyn Simon Rothstein tackles a disfunctional family confronting some tough situations with humor and grace. A heart-warming book that is entertaining and funny.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read Crazy To Leave You By Marilyn Rothstein in exchange for my honest feedback.
Lauren finally had her proposal, wedding plans in place and next was a baby until she was left at the synagogue. From the moment Eric proposed he was not sure he wanted to get married. She is now left with her apartment, her ring, and a promotion.
Afterwards she was stuck fixing and consoling her family. I thought it would be more of a romance however, never found that spark I was looking for.

Cute story overall. Lauren Leo is dressed in white and ready to head to the altar, but then her sister gets a text from the groom... The story revolves around Lauren's journey to reclaim her life after such a humiliation. Eager to put the wedding behind her, she jumps back into the saddle at work. Unfortunately, the post-wedding fiasco exhaustion leads to her totaling a rental car on her way home from meeting with a client and messing up her wrist. Plus, her weight-obsessed mother is always at the ready with a barb. And, her prodigal sister is camping out in her apartment. That's not all. Her favorite client died. Her company is sexist. Oh, and, her brother-in-law just got arrested. The only bright spot is Rudy, the driver her company has put in charge of transporting her while her wrist heals. Rudy accepts Lauren as she is, no judgment about what she weighs or what she eats, or pity because of the called-off wedding. He's a great listener and is a little slice of happy in her otherwise crazy life.

Some of the dialogue is choppy. And, there's just too much going on in the periphery. Most of all, it really needed an epilogue - the ending was a bit abrupt for my taste.

Nonetheless, I did enjoy the story and I am thankful for the opportunity to read a digital ARC in return for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing.

This was a nice, light read. Enjoyed it overall but found it wasn't quite rom-com as the cover would lead and yet it lacked depth.

A classier (albeit not always), Jewish version of Bridget Jones' Diary.

This book was a real and raw visual into the life of the aging woman, and how that ticking biological clock can lead us down the wrong path.

The female characters in this novel were funny, real, and really felt like people i knew. Eric was THE WORST, but I think that was the point - also a little too similar to many men his age nowadays...

Definitely an easy read when you need some angsty comedy. I don't think I would reread but I did enjoy it!

Thank you @getredprbooks and @lakeunionauthors for this fun-loving book by @marilynsimonrothstein

At forty-one, Lauren Leo is finally getting married! She’s dieted and fits into that dream dress, and then with a single text (gotta love technology), she is left at the altar.

After running to the nearest diner to down some carbs, which her mother belittles her for, Lauren regroups and throws herself into her work at the advertising agency. But she has her sisters to contend with as well.

𝐂𝐫𝐚𝐳𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮 starts with a romance gone wrong but develops into a quirky, layered family story with a lot of self-reflection. I loved Lauren’s self-dialogue, and she is very open, even self-deprecating at times, about her relationship with food and her body. Her mother’s snide little digs were so annoying but relatable; we all have that person that gives us unwanted advice.

This was a fun, quick read, but it had me re-thinking that next cookie.

After struggling to get down to size 12 and finally fitting into her dress, Lauren is left at the alter on her wedding day. Worse, the groom didn't even have the decency to tell her himself... he sent a text to her sister. In the aftermath, Lauren eats her feelings and starts to gain the weight back. After returning to work, she gets into an accident, breaking her wrist. Her boss decides to get her a car and driver to get her back and forth to client meetings. Her conversations with her driver help her realize she needs to make some changes in her life, standing up to her boss, her mother, her ex, and her meddling sisters.
I thought this would be a light and sweet romance, but the story delves into deeper topics like sexism in the workplace, body shaming, binge eating, diabetes, and toxic family relationships. These real problems were sometimes difficult to read about, especially the constant sniping by her mother. I was glad that by the end Lauren found the confidence to tackle her issues and stand up for what she really wanted.
I received an advance reader copy of this book. The views and opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

This was an entertaining, well-written book. It was sweet, funny and held my interest. I wanted to find out what would happen. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others.

A Rothstein novel is going to make you laugh and it's going to make you cry. You are going to love some characters and hate others. The lighthearted writing style that Rothstein uses allows for difficult topics to be explored without weighing to heavily on the reader. As with her other novels, Rothstein's main character is a woman in her 40s. Lauren has a successful career but has not managed to gain that same level of success in her romantic life. As Lauren's family swoops in to "help" her cope with her latest relationship failure, other challenges rise to the surface. The dynamics of Lauren's family unveil much about the woman Lauren grew up to be. As the sisters learn how to love and lean on each other Lauren finds strength and comfort in an unexpected friend. Rothstein's books are delightfully heartwarming and laugh out loud funny. I will read everything she writes!

I received a copy of this title via NetGalley.