I love a book that allows the reader to journey with the characters. And I love an author who takes the time to build the romance between the characters, instead of just jumping from one point to another in the characters’ relationship. Save the Date by Monica Murphy has both of these aspects, and that’s one reason I recommend this book.
I liked the “meet-cute-with-a-twist” set up worked very well. It did not come across as heavy-handed or manipulative. Caroline is genuine, and it shows in all of her interactions throughout the book. From hanging out with her friends to her dealings with Tiffany, I could see myself having the same thoughts as her. I do like when I can relate to a character that strongly.
As usual, I don’t want to reveal plot points here, so I can’t talk about a few events in detail. Suffice to say that I felt like one of the gals hanging out at brunch, and I loved the “Pretty Woman” vibe of the shopping spree scene. I also enjoyed the descriptions of another location, because my family and I recently visited there, and my son had some of the same reactions Caroline did to seeing places for the first time.
But it is the slow-building romance that kept me turning the pages of this book. As a reader of many romances, it is easy to get jaded and think “Oh, just get together already, would you?” Or know that the couple is destined to be together anyway (wouldn’t be romance otherwise, now, would it?)
That makes the journey to the HEA important. When an author can build it so that I get that same swoop in my stomach that the heroine gets when there is a first kiss or first touch? That’s romance magic, right there. And this book delivers on that, big time. Hearts and romance galore….
This is listed as the first in a series, and with the number of friends Caroline has, I will be happy to visit with them as they take their journeys. I do hope that we get to see more of Caroline and Alex’s story play out, if even in the background of the others.
Go get this one, guys, it’s a great summer read!
Save The Date by Monica MurphyMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Right off the top, the author had me at “Carmel-by-the-Sea,” which is one of my favorite places on Earth. I loved the descriptions of the real locations she included in the story because I was able to picture them as they looked when I visited there. But beyond that, the whole book was enjoyable. I liked Caroline’s periodic awkwardness – it was enough to make her realistic without being cartoonish or over the top. I also liked how the plot built; nothing was given away too early, which allowed the reader to journey with the characters. For more thoughts, visit my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks Fiction Reviews. This review was written based on a complimentary pre-release digital ARC of the book.
View all my reviews
