I received an advanced reader copy of Save the Date by Allison Rankin from NetGalley. While there were things I liked about this book, it ended up being just an average read for me.

The story follows a familiar but fun setup: a woman dealing with the aftermath of a breakup (or complicated romantic history) finds herself entangled in wedding-related chaos, which brings unexpected twists, drama, and possibly a second chance at love. The premise had potential, and there were definitely some charming moments and characters that kept me reading.

That said, the pacing felt uneven, and some of the plot points were either predictable or a little too conveniently resolved. I also found it hard to fully connect with the main character at times—her decisions didn’t always feel believable, and the emotional payoff wasn’t as strong as I hoped.

Still, Save the Date has a light, easy-to-read style that fans of contemporary romance or wedding-themed stories might enjoy. It’s not a standout, but it’s a decent pick if you’re looking for something breezy and entertaining.

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

Save the Date by Allison Raskin is a charming and endearing romance centered around Emma, a romance therapist whose world is turned upside down when her fiancé suddenly leaves her. The breakup not only upends her personal life, but also threatens her professional image and upcoming book deal—or so she fears. Instead of taking time to heal, Emma makes a bold decision: she’s going to get married anyway. What follows is a whirlwind of dating that places her between two very different men—Will, warm, funny, and emotionally grounded but unwilling to marry on a deadline; and Matt, recently divorced, emotionally unsteady, but eager to commit.

There’s a lot to enjoy here. The pacing is smooth, and Emma’s anxiety and compulsive tendencies are portrayed with refreshing honesty and relatability. She’s a flawed but evolving character, and her moments of kindness—particularly toward Matt and his ex, Kelly—add depth and nuance. I especially appreciated the friendship and encouragement rather than competition or drama in those interactions.

Will was a standout for me. His humor and warmth brought out the best in Emma and gave the story some much-needed levity. The romance itself is sweet and largely closed-door, and the storyline offers a unique twist on the typical love triangle—it’s more of an emotional journey where everyone finds closure, rather than a battle for affection.

That said, there were a few elements that didn’t sit well with me. A central issue was the emotional cheating—it’s subtle, but present—and Emma’s reluctance to address it head-on until late in the book left me a bit frustrated. I also felt that, while the story is heartfelt and unique, it lacked a certain spark or emotional payoff that would have elevated it to a five-star read.

Overall, Save the Date is a solid romance with a realistic and thoughtful look at healing, relationships, and self-growth. It’s perfect for readers who enjoy introspective characters and love stories with emotional nuance, even if it doesn’t quite hit every romantic high note.

Rating: 3.5–4 stars

This book was definitely written by a therapist! I do think Raskin's background does make this book a bit kinder and a bit gentler of a rom-com, which I really appreciated in a world which is feeling anything but gentle. After Emma's fiance dumps her, Emma not only is forced to reexamine her relationship. but since she is a couples therapist, it completely shapes the core of her work and frankly, whether or not Emma knows what's she's doing as a therapist.

I appreciated the book's insight that a breakup shakes more than our belief in the relationship - it also changes the narrative we have about ourselves, about who we are and about how loveable we feel. I also loved that the book advocated for therapy (really, everyone needs therapy. Go) and how the book was rooted in a specific Jewish subculture of LA. This book was really a gentle read at a time when we need more books that encourage you to be kind to yourself. Would recommend for fans of Sarah Adams.

I feel bad saying this because I know the book was inspired by the author's real-life broken engagement, but I did not enjoy this book unfortunately. The main character seemed very annoying and all of the characters felt very one-dimensional. I could see people enjoying it if they were in the mood for a light fluffy romance but based on the topic and character as a couples therapist, I was just left wanting more substance. Thank you for this arc!

This was a really sweet book with an interesting premise. I loved the main character’s beliefs about marriage, how any relationship can work with some chemistry and a willingness to stay together and work through issues. The relationships in the book were cute too. The only thing I didn’t like was the sudden change of Will’s mind in the last chapter, I felt like it negated the lessons that Emma learned.

Straight out from the romantic comedy gods, how the author wrote a book loosely based on her own fiancé left months before the wedding is amazing. It was entertaining and had lots of humor with some mental health awareness as Emma is a therapist and has anxiety.

This was a fun read with lots of humor and was pretty well written! The plot isn’t super believable or relatable in my opinion which made it lose some points but at the end of the day it’s fiction for a reason!! I saw some people giving bad reviews for the author including her political beliefs but I personally admire that she didn’t shy away from what she believes in for the sake of sales!

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.