About The Book
When couples therapist Emma Moskowitz is unceremoniously dumped by her fiancé six months before their wedding, her world comes crashing down: her thriving private practice, her status as a popular online creator, even her book deal all hinge on the fact that Emma is an expert when it comes to romantic relationships. Not to mention her heart is ripped in half. It isn’t fair. She worked so hard to be ready for marriage. If only Emma could find a different groom by her planned wedding day, nothing would have to change…. So commences Operation: Save My Date.
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/46877yN
My Rating
*I’m very grateful to the publisher for providing me with an ALC of this book through Netgalley. As always, my review is completely honest and unbiased.*
I went into this book not knowing much about the story. After hearing the author’s note, and learning that the plot is loosely based on her real-life experience, I was excited to give it a read. The characters felt relatable from the start. The book was actually pretty funny too. I loved how the plot flipped the idea of romance on its head. This isn’t a straightforward love story. It comes with a twist and makes you wonder if love is just about mutual respect, physical attraction, and the daily commitment to making things work. Or does it require a deeper, more genuine connection that’s built over time and can’t be forced or rushed?
While the story was humorous, and I liked the concept, around the halfway point I began to really dislike the main character, Emma. She comes up with an unconventional plan to find a groom before her already planned wedding day. Whenever someone calls out how ridiculous it is, she defends it. But her internal monologue tells a different story. She clearly doesn’t believe in her own plan.
She’s also too scared to show her true self to her possible soon-to-be husband. Yet she expects this man, whom she’s known for less than a few months, to just “get her,” to know exactly who she is, and to see her in the way she finds acceptable. Yet, she has no problem judging others. I felt like screaming, “You don’t get to control how others see you!” Honestly, how are we supposed to believe she’s a relationship counselor, let alone a good one?
That said, the anxiety representation was well done, and helped explain some of Emma’s behavior, which I appreciated. However, by the last few chapters, she didn’t seem fully invested in her own plan, which made the ending fall flat for me. Although I liked that this was a closed-door romance and that it highlighted waiting until marriage for intimacy, the message about saving yourself for marriage didn’t always come across in the most positive way. There was also a bit of a love triangle, though it wasn’t a true one since it was clear who Emma wanted.
“To me, the best kind of love is more like a friendship where you also hold hands sometimes.”
Another issue I had was the infidelity theme. The story included cheating, almost-cheating, and even sympathy for a cheater. None of that sat right with me. I’m not usually turned off when a story mentions infidelity, but here it felt like it dominated the second half of the plot. And let me just say, by the end, I wasn’t even rooting for Emma. She acted emotionally immature and self-centered. Despite that, the author still tried to portray her as a quirky, likable girl who simply wanted to be loved.
That said, the book was engaging and definitely something you could finish in a day. In truth, I wouldn’t recommend it. If it hadn’t been such a quick read, I probably would have DNFed it. I did like the premise and the writing style, but it just didn’t come together the way I hoped. I wanted more from the story. Maybe even a twist that truly set it apart, especially since the setup was so different from your typical “girl meets boy” love story.
Overall, I was pretty disappointed in the story, especially the ending. That said, if you’re a fan of the movie He’s Just Not That Into You (such an underrated film), and especially Ginnifer Goodwin’s character, give this book a chance. If you enjoy authors like Katherine Center or Lynn Painter—if she wrote books without the spice—you’ll probably vibe with this author’s storytelling style. One last thing, if you’re not a fan of politics in your fiction, this book might not be for you. It didn’t bother me personally, but I know some readers prefer books as a total escape from reality. I just wanted to give a heads-up.
Thank you again to the publisher and NetGalley for the ALC of this book. If you decide to read it, I recommend the audiobook. The author narrates it herself, which makes it extra engaging. If you found this review helpful, please give it a like and share it with others. And if you don’t want to miss a new post, sign up for my mailing list!
Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny
All book synopses are sourced from Amazon or Goodreads.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission—at no extra cost to you—if you purchase through my links. Thank you for supporting my cozy little corner of the internet!