Review: Save the Date by Morgan Matson

About the Book

Save the Date by Morgan Matson

Published by Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers on June 5, 2018

Find it on Amazon!

I received this book from Uppercase Box.  Neither the author nor the publisher requested this review.

GoodReads Description

Charlie Grant’s older sister is getting married this weekend at their family home, and Charlie can’t wait—for the first time in years, all four of her older siblings will be under one roof. Charlie is desperate for one last perfect weekend, before the house is sold and everything changes. The house will be filled with jokes and games and laughs again. Making decisions about things like what college to attend and reuniting with longstanding crush Jesse Foster—all that can wait. She wants to focus on making the weekend perfect.

The only problem? The weekend is shaping up to be an absolute disaster.

There’s the unexpected dog with a penchant for howling, house alarm that won’t stop going off, and a papergirl with a grudge.

There are the relatives who aren’t speaking, the (awful) girl her favorite brother brought home unannounced, and a missing tuxedo.

Not to mention the neighbor who seems to be bent on sabotage and a storm that is bent on drenching everything. The justice of the peace is missing. The band will only play covers. The guests are all crazy. And the wedding planner’s nephew is unexpectedly, distractingly…cute.

Over the course of three ridiculously chaotic days, Charlie will learn more than she ever expected about the family she thought she knew by heart. And she’ll realize that sometimes, trying to keep everything like it was in the past means missing out on the future.

My Thoughts

Unfortunately, this is one of those times when I have no choice but to be painfully honest.  I subscribed to Uppercase Box as a birthday present to myself and was really excited.  I got my first box, saw Save the Date, and thought, "Oh yay.  Another stupid girly romance book."  Now, don't get me wrong.  I'm a hopeless romantic and I love a good rom com, but I HATE when the lead in them is a super girly girl.  And, based on the cover, that was exactly what I thought I was getting myself into.  I simply knew that I could not handle a book filled with, "Like, omigod! Frfr he's so cuuuuuuuuteeeeeee!"  But, I bought the dang book, I'll be danged if I don't read it.

THANK GOD FOR MORGAN MATSON!

This was definitely not what I expected!  Instead of a cheesy romance, I found a book filled with character development, comedy, and a character who really steps into her own skin for once in her freaking life.  I loved it!

What I Loved

• The character development in this novel was amazing.  Matson started this novel with a main character who was blinded by her strange perceptions of her family and the boy she had a crush on.  These perfect images were completely shattered and Charlie was left to deal with the reality of what was beneath the illusion.  I loved watching Charlie grow like this. It felt like I was watching a baby turtle come out of it's little shell for the first time!
• This was definitely one of the funniest books I've read so far this year!  A few of the gags were a bit predictable but most of them weren't.  There were a few times that I absolutely needed to take a breather so that I could continue reading.  In the past, I've described my own family as a group of Lokis and the Grant family is much the same!
• The relationship between Jesse and Charlie was very predictable.  Therefore, I thought I knew what would happen between Bill and Charlie. Without spoiling it, I will say that I was pleasantly surprised.

What I Didn't Love

• There were a few places where I felt like the plot just dragged on and on and on and on and on *deep breath* and on and on and on.... It would definitely have been more effective if these parts had been shortened so that more emphasis could be placed on some of the more important world and character developing pieces.
• At times, I felt like more detail was needed.  I think Matson could have developed a better novel if it was more fleshed out.
• The entire family we really stand-offish to Danny's girlfriend.  I could not get over how rude that was!  I hated it, so did she, because most people wouldn't be so f'n rude!  The girlfriend repeatedly asked if she could help and tried to get into the family traditions but was brusquely pushed aside.  

This may have been my first time reading Matson's work, but it will not be the last.

My Rating