Emma really needed to just go to therapy. AKA, the author needs therapy since this was semi-based off of her own experiences. I struggled to get through this audiobook mainly due to the narrators voice. I loved the premise of the book but it fell flat for me. I truly can't stand when my books get political - I read to escape real life - and the republican/trump hate was too much. I could've just watched cnn like a normal person.

I ended up DNFing this one, mainly because the writing style and the characters just didn’t work for me. The main character is a couples therapist, but she kept making choices that felt wildly emotionally immature. It was hard enough to connect with her as a character, but even harder to buy into her role as a mental health professional. She just didn’t feel believable.

The writing also relied way too much on telling instead of showing. We’re constantly told the characters are witty and have great banter, but their actual dialogue didn’t reflect that at all. If you have to explain that your characters are clever instead of just letting them be clever, something’s off.

And honestly, there was zero chemistry between the two leads. I didn’t feel any real connection or tension, which made it tough to stay invested.

Just not the book for me.

This was frustrating, the lead character and whole foundation of the book's story was not realistic nor thoughtful and as a thearpist, the lead should know better. I didn't enjoy this

Knowing the story was loosely based on the author’s real life actually made me want to read it more. I went in blind, not knowing what to expect, and while the premise had the potential to be a Freddie Freeman walk-off grand slam in the World Series… it ended up feeling more like a walk-off bunt.

I figured out how the book would end pretty much right after Emma met Will. From that point on, the plot felt a bit repetitive and forced. I appreciated the anxiety representation—it’s so important to see—but it did feel like it was brought up in nearly every other paragraph. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing.

And then there was Mark. Throughout the book, I was waiting for the other shoe to drop—that he’d turn out to be a villain or had been using Emma in some way. But that twist never came, which left his character feeling oddly ominous for no payoff.

For the most part, the characters were well-developed and consistent—except for Mark, who still read to me like a bad guy in disguise. Maybe my current life situation (going through a divorce at 40) colored my perspective, but the repeated theme that "starting over later in life" is some kind of tragedy didn't sit well with me. I understand that some people genuinely dream of being a spouse or a parent, but the way that idea was handled felt a bit alienating.

That said, the dialogue was witty and genuinely funny. I saw a lot of reviews mentioning political commentary or bashing of the right, but I honestly can’t recall a single overtly political moment. Either those reviewers are being dramatic, or my left-leaning, also-Jewish-like-the-FMC brain didn’t register it because whatever was said made total sense to me.

The story itself wasn’t bad—I just don’t think I was the target audience, or maybe I wasn’t in the right headspace for it. Still, I can see others absolutely loving it. It’s a heartfelt story, and Allison did a wonderful job with the narration. Emma’s anxiety and chaos were portrayed with raw, relatable emotion.

Thank you to NetGalley and Allison for the ALC.

Save the Date by Allison Raskin is a quirky and fun woman's journey to find healing after a broken engagement where she attempts to mend her broken heart. Emma decides, with the help of her very involved family, that instead of cancelling the wedding, she will just find a new man to marry instead. The story that ensues is funny, charming, nostalgic, and heartbreaking. The author did a great job of integrating mental health struggles and therapy into this novel (I loved that Emma's profession played such a huge role in the storyline) while challenging society norms and long held beliefs. I found myself really looking at the interactions between the couples and dissecting when they were being authentic and when they needed to be more open. I thought this was not only a fun book, but incredibly insightful!

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Audio, and the author for this audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Emma Moskowitz has a book deal on the line. She is a couple’s therapist. She carefully planned her wedding then six months before the date her fiancé dumped her. She was devastated. How does it look for a couple’s therapist to be dumped. She knows what she needs! She needs a new groom! Why change the wedding and reception when all she needed was a new man. She opens up publicly and discusses her wedding plans. She doesn’t find a new man, she finds two! Will is a podcast producer; he is charming. But Will isn’t interested in being her second-choice groom. Matt is a sweet, recently divorced male that wants to settle down.
Emma must decide what she wants. She must decide her goals, her dreams, and how she wants to live.
This is a Rom Com. Author Allison Raskin offers readers a exceptional and compelling tale. The title of this book is perfect. What begins as a struggle to find a new groom quickly changes to which man does she want for the groom.
There is a focus on mental health, self-doubt, distress, and apprehension, etc. This tale was based on an actual event in the author’s life.
This is a cute book, but I am taking off 2 stars for the Trump and Republican bashing. Politics should not have been part of this book. I resent MY political stand being bashed.
NetGalley provided me with a copy for review. Thank you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for this copy of Save the Date.

While it was a fun idea, I found this book kind of frustrating. I didn’t like how it took the traditional meaning out of marriage. It was a good point that there are arranged marriages and people marry quickly before going to war, but it just felt really icky to me. I also found Emma and her sister, Jackie, to be really annoying.

Spoiler incoming
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I didn’t like how Will ended up proposing and then them getting married the same week when he was SO ADAMANT on taking their time in a relationship before taking that step.

Overall, pretty good and enjoyable read. I just wanted a little more from it.

I listened to the audiobook for Save the Date. The narrator for this book was pretty good, but I do wish her male voice sounded a little deeper.

🖤 2 Love Interests
🖤 Mental Health Rep
🖤 Closed Door
🖤 Based on Authors Real Experience

What else is a girl supposed to do when her fiance breaks off their engagement 6 months before the wedding… you try to find a new groom, start a new podcast, start operation save the date and oh ya try to get closure for your mental health.
This rom com was all that plus more. Allison wrote this book based on her personal experiences and it was amazing how she turned a traumatic event into her HEA. Great read and high recommend.

DNF at 2%.

I know, I know. I'm going to get plenty of side eye from reviewing an audiobook I received for free from netgalley after such a short try.

Here's the thing, I don't like the author's voice. Now, it's nothing against her as an audiobook narrator (though she's not my favorite voice to listen to), but her view of the world as captured in her author's note, followed by a chaotic beginning of the book where I immediately felt like I didn't care.

In her author's note, she tells us that this is based on a real-life situation where she was left by her fiancé and "thrown back into an earlier life stage".. As a 48-year old single, that statement rubbed me the wrong way. Being single is not an "earlier life stage". That kind of thinking is pretty toxic and perpetually infantilizes single people and takes them out of the "adult" world by constantly saying a single person doesn't have the maturity of a married person because singleness is something you're supposed to get over. or mature past.

Ya, a lot of folks are single and then get married. And in romance, we celebrate the finding of "the one" and building a family. But, guess what folks! People are single at ANY AGE. And there are many reasons that have nothing to do with "life stage" or maturity.

So... while this could be a perfectly fine book, I just cannot make myself read it.

Thank you NetGalley, Allison Raskin, and Harlequin audio for giving me an advance copy of Save the Date audiobook.

The book follows Emma, who got dumped by her fiancé 6 months before the wedding. So instead of calling off the wedding, she sets out to find a new groom. Emma shares her untraditional journey to the altar online and gets caught in between two men: Will and Matt.

The premise of this story was really fun, and I enjoyed joining Emma on her journey to find a new groom. Several times I found myself LOL. Also, I thought the representation of anxiety was very well done. Overall, it was a very fun read!

I wanted to love this book - but the main character was too neurotic. She was difficult for me to get behind.

I’m not really a fan of politics in books as I want my book to be able to help me escape reality. There were parts that were really cute from this book but I couldn’t actually get 100% into it.

It's a very good concept and well done. A few political statements could have been left out because they did not really make or break the plot or character development. Overall, I did find myself enjoying this story and rooting for the characters.

*Save the Date* by Allison Raskin is a rom-com with a twist—equal parts love story, personal growth, and mental health check-in. Listening to the audiobook, narrated by Raskin herself, feels like catching up with a sharp, self-aware friend who's navigating heartbreak with both humor and a therapist’s insight.

Emma, a couples therapist dumped just six months before her wedding, decides to stick to her original wedding date—only now she needs a groom. What follows is “Operation: Save My Date,” a whirlwind of dates, awkward moments, and a fair bit of soul-searching. Raskin delivers Emma’s inner monologue with vulnerability and wit, making the audio version feel particularly intimate and authentic.

One quote that stuck with me:
“Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is admit what you *don’t* want, even when it terrifies you.”

The story shines in its portrayal of mental health, self-awareness, and the importance of emotional honesty—not just in romantic relationships, but with ourselves. That said, the romantic arc isn’t as tightly paced as I’d hoped, and some plot points felt a bit stretched, making the journey feel more introspective than swoon-worthy.

Final Thought:
If you're looking for a rom-com that’s emotionally intelligent and doesn’t follow the usual formula, *Save the Date* offers something refreshingly real—especially in audiobook form. It may not be a heart-racing love story, but it’s a thoughtful, funny reminder that growth and romance don’t always happen on schedule.

This was such a cute read! It was a bit cringy but the author addresses that in the beginning of the book (make sure you read her exert! )which made it all less cringy to me. The entire concept was really entertaining. I loved Emma and Wills banter. They were so cute together. The ending was a little out of character for Will but I still thought it was cute.

Thank you to NetGalley & Harlequin Audio for this ALC!

This was a cute story about a woman whose fiancée leaves unexpectedly 6 months before their wedding. Instead of canceling, she decides to find a replacement groom. One of my favorite quotes from the book was "One person falling out of love with you doesn't make you unloveable. It makes you human." I think many people can relate to their heartache after the breakup of a long relationship.

I loved watching Emma learn more about herself as she went through this journey of realizing what she really wanted in life. She was funny and easy to root for.

I thought the audio was well done for a single narrator, but I think it could be slightly improved had there been a male narrator as well.

A few other reviewers mentioned that they felt personally attacked by the negative feelings toward Trump in the book. It was one small comment and did not bother me.

There was plenty of chemistry between Emma and her dates (some more than others). I laughed out loud several times!

The only thing I didn't enjoy was the mention of grown adults smoking weed for no apparent reason. It felt nonessential to the plot.

Thanks to Net Galley for the early audio copy!

The author narrated her own story and I loved this because this story mirrors the her life in some aspects.

This was a cute rom-com. I enjoyed the main character's family and how close they were. Even if they thought her idea was crazy they fully supported her.

As for the potential grooms, the author gives us different situations and types of men. I do wish she had gone on a few more dates, because It seemed too easy for our main character to find love. I did like the way the story progressed with each man she considered and each were viable candidates.

This book did have a small part discussing politics and a certain president, which pulled me out of the story. It was somewhat relevant to that part of the story, but didn't feel necessary.

Overall this is a fun audiobook. You won't be disappointed with the ending.

Thank you Harlequin audio and Netgalley for the ALC.

Cute concept, but didn’t love the execution. Emma is blindsided when she is unceremoniously left by her fiancé six months before their wedding. She is a relationship therapist with a large social media following and is in fear that her world as she knows it will fall apart.
Her plan is to find a new man and slide him into the spot, hence operation Save the Date. I kept thinking “physician heal thyself” to prove to her followers that you can get what you want with the right intention. She meets two different men and so begins her journey. Will she lead with her heart our her head? I listened and for a good deal of the book I kept thinking how is she a licensed professional?
Glad I stuck with it for it it got so much better and had a sweet wrap up. Nice narration added to the experience.

This book had an interesting concept and I was interested to see how the author would bring it to life. I did find it tough to relate to the FMC. Despite being a therapist she didn’t always make mature, well thought out decisions. If you like dating reality shows, you will enjoy this book.

3.5⭐️ 0🌶️ 4🎧I was really excited for the concept of this book, but then I found out it was in 3rd person POV and a Love Triangle-ish book which is one of my least favorite tropes. Thankfully it wasn't a true love triangle and I felt it landed heavy on the ish side.

Overall this was a good book. It was hard to get into at first because I didn't feel the connection between her and Matt, and really felt the connection with her and Will was stronger. Trust the process with this one, it all turns out the way it should. I was also not a fan of the FMC's sister and didn't relate to her or the dynamic of her marriage and when she yells "YES!" at a certain point I found it cringy. I would recommend this book as I did enjoy it, I just likely wouldn't read again.

The audio was narrated by the Author, Allison Raskin and she did a great job! She has a great narrator voice and I enjoyed this listen.