3.5 Stars

More women’s fiction than romance, but still a fun read.

Couples therapist, Emma Moskowitz, has her perfect, close-to-happily-ever-after life upended when her fiancé dumps her without any real reason except ‘things aren’t working out’. Emma has a big problem, aside from the fact that the wedding is less than a year away, but she has an upcoming book about successful couples’ relationships and an ode to her jerk fiancé. What’s a gal to do? Well, find a new groom, of course.

This story was fun. From Emma’s voice to her journey to not give up the dream she had for herself, and hunt for a new groom. Even if her intention sounded a bit insane, Emma was pursuing her dream, one that she’d had since childhood, and marriage is what she’s looking for. However, it’s not an easy route to finding the new ‘one’ or proving her theory that you don’t have to find some all-encompassing love to make a marriage work. The journey sends Emma on a series of interesting developments. From old flings to new dates and even a surprise possibility with a brother-in-law’s co-worker.

As I mentioned, I loved Emma’s voice. I enjoyed the cast of characters that showed up from Emma’s parents, her sister, and even her best friend. The book’s story was easy to sink into, and I eagerly wanted to know how things played out. Although I had problems, and for romance purists, I would say you should be aware that after Emma meets the hero, she still goes on dates and even kisses another guy. That may be a bit of a spoiler, but it’s important to call this out. This would be one of the turnoffs for me.

Overall, I think this is a fantastic read if you’re looking for something different, a fresh take on the idea of how you can find a happily ever after along with what a woman is willing to do to get it. Not to mention, this story explores how messy that journey to the altar can be. For readers who enjoy Maisy Yates.

~ Landra

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5
Spice: 0/5
Theme: Love triangle | Political | Slow Burn | Banter
Genre: Romance | Humor | RomCom
Author: Allison Raskin
Book Publication date: April 8, 2025
Page Count: 304 (Paperback)
Book Cover first thoughts: Fun and Cute

Story Review / Summary: First some of the negative reviews are unfair / out of malice. I went in thinking the whole book would be political and it isn’t. The name “Trump” isn’t even used but “Trumper” is and it is used ONE time throughout the entire book. It fits with the dialogue in that chapter. It is based off a modern day relationship / dating scene so the context is very accurate to modern day dating regardless of your political views.

ANYWAYS. Now for the actual story. I enjoyed this story, banter and humor between Emma and Will! A story of finding someone after losing a relationship. With this loss, the podcast “Operation Save My Date” came to life. I enjoyed the modern day plot and that Emma is a therapist. I always have a running joke of all therapists need 5 therapists for themselves. 

Ending felt rushed, wish it was a little different. Would have loved another POV.

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Thank you to #NetGalley , Harlequin Audio and Canary Street Press for the Advance Reader Copy of #SavetheDate by #AllisonRaskin @allisonraskin
All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date was April 8, 2025.
This review is being shared on NetGalley, Goodreads and Amazon (still processing)

Wow—what a book! Save the Date completely pulled me in from the very beginning. I loved that the author included a disclaimer at the start, letting readers know that she personally experienced something very similar to what her character faces. That touch of authenticity really shines through, even with the creative liberties taken.

The story follows Emma, a relatable and heartfelt protagonist, who is left right before the wedding by her fiance. Instead of cancelling the wedding, she decides she is going to try to find a new husband in six months. I loved how honest and raw Emma’s POV was; she perfectly captured the complexities of wanting connection while trying to maintain self-worth.

The chemistry between the characters felt natural and engaging, and the way the story unfolded kept me invested the entire time. The emotional highs and lows were beautifully done without ever feeling forced. I honestly hope there’s a sequel—I’d love to spend more time with these characters and see where Emma’s journey goes next!

If you love stories that are equal parts heartfelt, witty, and relatable, Save the Date is a must-read.

I’ll start by saying I’ve been a fan of Allison Raskin for a very long time, and have enjoyed much of her content both on YouTube and Instagram. I chose to read the book based on this alone, even though I had my reservations. You can definitely see a lot of Allison in the book, and if you’ve followed her for any period of time you can see the striking similarities between some of the plot and characters and her real life. However as the book went on, there’s a lot of suspension of disbelief that needs to happen in order to enjoy the story. The plot is odd and the characters felt a bit caricature-y to me. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to provide my honest review.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I've been aware of Allison Raskin since her Buzzfeed days and was always a huge fan of her, and especially of her humor. But I didn't know what to expect from this book and I was blown away! It was adorable! I would have liked a bit more spice, but that's a personal preference.

Format: E-Book
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Tropes: Strangers to lovers, love triangle
Spice level: 🌶️ (One fade to black scene but nothing really spicy.)
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


I really enjoyed this book! Relationship therapist Emma gets broken up with a few months before her wedding and decides that instead of cancelling her wedding, she'll just find another groom. The plot is a little out there, but I thought the execution was good. The characters had great development, and it was nice to see their growth throughout the book. I loved seeing Emma deal with her own mental health and relationship struggles and come out stronger in the end. This book is a closed door romance and really focused on the relationship aspect of romance instead of the intimacy aspect, which I liked considering the premise. I did wish we got to see a little more of the happy ending. I feel like the ending was a tad bit rushed. Overall, I liked this book a lot and thought it was a good romance read!

Save the Date is a funny, heartfelt story about friendship, anxiety, and all the chaos that comes with big life events. Allison Raskin writes with so much honesty and humor that it’s easy to root for the characters. It's a quick, relatable read that still manages to dig deep in all the right ways. Perfect if you like stories that feel both real and uplifting.

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.