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loochoo's review against another edition
3.0
A fun set-up for some weekend long romantic comedy antics, but I feel like a lot of times things went unreasonably wrong (i.e. during the blackout when the caterers, band, camera people were all extremely unsympathetic and complained constantly). The writing was enticing and fantastic, however, so I couldn't put the book down. I was very glad that Charlie realized Danny and Jesse weren't great people, because it really hurt to witness her worship them despite their poor behavior.
My biggest disappointment was the Mike storyline, which had a lot of promise, because it could delve into the issue of a child finding their life on public display due to a mommy-blogger-esque success. But Charlie never once came to the realization that GSC had negatively affected their lives and continued to blame Mike. The resolution of their giggling on GMA felt rushed and left me wanting more.
My biggest disappointment was the Mike storyline, which had a lot of promise, because it could delve into the issue of a child finding their life on public display due to a mommy-blogger-esque success. But Charlie never once came to the realization that GSC had negatively affected their lives and continued to blame Mike. The resolution of their giggling on GMA felt rushed and left me wanting more.
steph01924's review against another edition
4.0
This was cute and sweet and played out like a light-hearted rom-com movie. Charlie needed to take off the rose-colored glasses of her childhood and see people for who they really were, for good or for ill. It was definitely more about family than any romantic tingles, and I wanted to shake Charlie sometimes, but she came across as fairly realistic. There were things in her I recognized in my teenage self, and there's some behaviors we all need to grow out of. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to go watch Father of the Bride for the zillionth time.
rhidee's review against another edition
5.0
Heartwarming, funny, and so touching I couldn't read some parts well because, er, some dust got in my eye. Definitely for that reason. It was so easy to identify with the main character as someone right on the verge of adulthood, afraid of the big changes in the future, and starting to understand some things for the first time. Plus, all the wedding hijinks were a lot of fun to read.
sallashelves's review against another edition
4.0
Let's just cross the title Save the Date and replace it with Uh, I think we have a problem. That would describe the book even better.
Full review:
https://bookstoldmeso.blogspot.com/2018/08/review-save-date.html
Full review:
https://bookstoldmeso.blogspot.com/2018/08/review-save-date.html
samrushingbooks's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars
The first third was a little slow, but then the story picked up and I was hooked. I love Matson's ability to have a fun summer contemporary that also has this underlying serious and/or emotional vein in it. There was one point (at the end of my lunch break, actually) that pretty much punched me in the gut. I teared up a bit. I can't wait to see what Matson comes up with next.
The first third was a little slow, but then the story picked up and I was hooked. I love Matson's ability to have a fun summer contemporary that also has this underlying serious and/or emotional vein in it. There was one point (at the end of my lunch break, actually) that pretty much punched me in the gut. I teared up a bit. I can't wait to see what Matson comes up with next.
shirleymak's review against another edition
3.0
SIGH the main character was just really annoying but by the end of the book she developed a lot, so that was good!! my high school self would have probably enjoyed this book more LOL
jordanimals's review against another edition
2.0
This book was fine but looooong. Asking me to read over 400 pages for a very typical book is bold
books4susie's review against another edition
4.0
This book is completely different from any other Morgan Matson book I read before. Don't go in expecting a cute Romance. The story of the grant family takes place over three very hectic and chaotic days. Charlie, the youngest of the five Grant children, is excited for her family to be together for one last weekend at her older sister's wedding and her mother's retirement before their house is sold. Mrs. Grant is a famous cartoon has to strip is based on her family.
What makes this book great is the fact that everything that could go wrong does, and how the Grant family weathers the impending storms.
What makes this book great is the fact that everything that could go wrong does, and how the Grant family weathers the impending storms.
rachcannoli's review against another edition
3.0
Holy number of plot threads, Batman! So after reading the Unexpected Everything - which side note, one of my fav parts were the bits that had the Governor, Clark, and Andie, it made having read that book first super rewarding even though I had no idea these were in the same universe - I was eager to jump into another Morgan Matson book, but this one is just not 100% there.
First off there were FAR too many things happening in this book. It should have cleaned things up and stayed with the main story arc which was their family. This whole book is about family relations and being someone who comes from an extremely tight-knit family those aspects hit very close to home. I loved that whole aspect, especially the drama between them and the unique flair of their Mom's comic strip. But due to all the crap happening - the bullshit that is Jessie Foster, literally everything going wrong with this damn wedding, romantic subplots, and one of the siblings' rando girlfriend - the main point got super muddled and dulled the impact it could have had.
The Mike subplot should have been enough drama. It was the strongest antagonistic force this story had along with Charlie's fantasy vision of her family and fear of change. That alone is so powerful, understandable, and if they took the time to really flesh out these characters, maybe with more in depth flash backs instead of just telling us about that one time or actually showing us the parents problems, it could have been such a fascinating familial study. The divorce twist was great, but could have been so much more if they actually fleshed it out. I genuinely could not imagine what I would do if that happened to me and I feel like it would completely destroy Charlie's world. Instead of focusing on that and showing her grow from it, it flashes forward a couple months to where she's upset, but dealing with it. What?! Show us that! But there was so much more...
This damn wedding. Honestly, having in the backyard of a house, a ginormous house but still a house nonetheless, is enough of a problem in and of itself. This wedding did not need every damn problem ever thought up and every issue that could go wrong happen. My friend had warned me to 'suspend my disbelief' to be able to get through this book, and whoa was she not kidding. From the wedding planner who was not only embezzling, but was clearly the worst planner of all time since they had nothing correct to the cops coming for noise complaints despite being warned this was happening to their wedding band being sent to freaking Maine for a bar mitzvah?! It was just utterly ridiculous and at a point, complete insanity. When the guy who got the wrong suit not only decides to keep it but wear it?! And these responsible adults not realizing that an online ordained person isn't legal in Connecticut, I mean, c'mon. Having been the maid of honor for now two weddings this year alone, I can tell you how much insane planning goes into this shit and there is no way in hell this shit isn't thoroughly planned out to the last detail. It was just dumb.
I was honestly surprised how much I ended up liking Brooke by the end of the story because she was almost as useless as Jessie Foster originally (almost). Like why do we care that Danny has a girlfriend? Why does it matter and what does it really change? At first I thought it'd add conflict between the siblings or he'd always be choosing her over Charlie which could piss her off, but instead they turned it into a bizarre situation of the entire family not knowing she was coming or existed. It's just too absurd, he's your family...you know if he's bringing a plus one let alone if he's dating someone. So the Brooke subplot annoyed me at first, but by the end I liked how sweet she was with Charlie when she became her real self and was naturally pissed off with Danny. It was unrealistic, 100%, but I still ended up enjoying her.
Now for my biggest issue in this entire book: Jessie mother fucking Foster. I have absolutely zero idea why this book would not only have him in it, but begin with this asshole. Why is he even here?! Once Bill is introduced, who is a breath of fresh air by the way, it's obvious he's the main love interest and Jessie becomes not only inconsequential but his presence becomes irritating. He adds literally nothing to this plot. I thought he may add more conflict to the Mike drama, but no, Mike doesn't care and Jessie is actually a relatively good friend to him. I thought he might get in the way of Charlie and Bill, but no, Bill legitimately doesn't even know he exists the entire story, even when they go to his house to get Mike, and it doesn't get in the way of him getting to know Charlie at all other than a cursory thought. I thought he might become a huge scum bag or get all rape-y at the wedding, no, he has like one dance with her and then is irrelevant until Charlie is upset and then he flirts, kisses her, and hopes for it to go further, but makes it extremely clear this is nothing serious and immediately stops when she says no despite being mildly disappointed. Truly, what is the point? Every time the plot is on him it's irritating, her crush on him makes Charlie extremely annoying and just drags down the main focus completely. I wish he was completely deleted from the story and I truly don't think it would make any difference. I wish she ran to Bill instead!! It would have made their connection even deeper, even though it's clear he's the one she should be with, and would have been subversive if they still kept it a platonic thing with a potential relationship looming. Especially with Bill's background of his parents divorce, I mean, c'mon Morgan...did no one help you with this? Did no one try to pare you down? You are better than this.
The frustrating thing is I know how good she can be and that these plot problems are so easy to fix so it streamlines the whole plot. It would make it far more believable while focusing it into a much stronger story that could really resonate with her readers. I did enjoy most of this, like I said the family parts are wonderful and it ended well, I felt, but I felt so frustrated for so much of it that I just can't give a it a higher rating. I'd still recommend, but like my friend says, definitely suspend your disbelief.
First off there were FAR too many things happening in this book. It should have cleaned things up and stayed with the main story arc which was their family. This whole book is about family relations and being someone who comes from an extremely tight-knit family those aspects hit very close to home. I loved that whole aspect, especially the drama between them and the unique flair of their Mom's comic strip. But due to all the crap happening - the bullshit that is Jessie Foster, literally everything going wrong with this damn wedding, romantic subplots, and one of the siblings' rando girlfriend - the main point got super muddled and dulled the impact it could have had.
The Mike subplot should have been enough drama. It was the strongest antagonistic force this story had along with Charlie's fantasy vision of her family and fear of change. That alone is so powerful, understandable, and if they took the time to really flesh out these characters, maybe with more in depth flash backs instead of just telling us about that one time or actually showing us the parents problems, it could have been such a fascinating familial study. The divorce twist was great, but could have been so much more if they actually fleshed it out. I genuinely could not imagine what I would do if that happened to me and I feel like it would completely destroy Charlie's world. Instead of focusing on that and showing her grow from it, it flashes forward a couple months to where she's upset, but dealing with it. What?! Show us that! But there was so much more...
This damn wedding. Honestly, having in the backyard of a house, a ginormous house but still a house nonetheless, is enough of a problem in and of itself. This wedding did not need every damn problem ever thought up and every issue that could go wrong happen. My friend had warned me to 'suspend my disbelief' to be able to get through this book, and whoa was she not kidding. From the wedding planner who was not only embezzling, but was clearly the worst planner of all time since they had nothing correct to the cops coming for noise complaints despite being warned this was happening to their wedding band being sent to freaking Maine for a bar mitzvah?! It was just utterly ridiculous and at a point, complete insanity. When the guy who got the wrong suit not only decides to keep it but wear it?! And these responsible adults not realizing that an online ordained person isn't legal in Connecticut, I mean, c'mon. Having been the maid of honor for now two weddings this year alone, I can tell you how much insane planning goes into this shit and there is no way in hell this shit isn't thoroughly planned out to the last detail. It was just dumb.
I was honestly surprised how much I ended up liking Brooke by the end of the story because she was almost as useless as Jessie Foster originally (almost). Like why do we care that Danny has a girlfriend? Why does it matter and what does it really change? At first I thought it'd add conflict between the siblings or he'd always be choosing her over Charlie which could piss her off, but instead they turned it into a bizarre situation of the entire family not knowing she was coming or existed. It's just too absurd, he's your family...you know if he's bringing a plus one let alone if he's dating someone. So the Brooke subplot annoyed me at first, but by the end I liked how sweet she was with Charlie when she became her real self and was naturally pissed off with Danny. It was unrealistic, 100%, but I still ended up enjoying her.
Now for my biggest issue in this entire book: Jessie mother fucking Foster. I have absolutely zero idea why this book would not only have him in it, but begin with this asshole. Why is he even here?! Once Bill is introduced, who is a breath of fresh air by the way, it's obvious he's the main love interest and Jessie becomes not only inconsequential but his presence becomes irritating. He adds literally nothing to this plot. I thought he may add more conflict to the Mike drama, but no, Mike doesn't care and Jessie is actually a relatively good friend to him. I thought he might get in the way of Charlie and Bill, but no, Bill legitimately doesn't even know he exists the entire story, even when they go to his house to get Mike, and it doesn't get in the way of him getting to know Charlie at all other than a cursory thought. I thought he might become a huge scum bag or get all rape-y at the wedding, no, he has like one dance with her and then is irrelevant until Charlie is upset and then he flirts, kisses her, and hopes for it to go further, but makes it extremely clear this is nothing serious and immediately stops when she says no despite being mildly disappointed. Truly, what is the point? Every time the plot is on him it's irritating, her crush on him makes Charlie extremely annoying and just drags down the main focus completely. I wish he was completely deleted from the story and I truly don't think it would make any difference. I wish she ran to Bill instead!! It would have made their connection even deeper, even though it's clear he's the one she should be with, and would have been subversive if they still kept it a platonic thing with a potential relationship looming. Especially with Bill's background of his parents divorce, I mean, c'mon Morgan...did no one help you with this? Did no one try to pare you down? You are better than this.
The frustrating thing is I know how good she can be and that these plot problems are so easy to fix so it streamlines the whole plot. It would make it far more believable while focusing it into a much stronger story that could really resonate with her readers. I did enjoy most of this, like I said the family parts are wonderful and it ended well, I felt, but I felt so frustrated for so much of it that I just can't give a it a higher rating. I'd still recommend, but like my friend says, definitely suspend your disbelief.