Save the Date by Morgan Matson - GBR - Starting October 1st 2021

[Anna 'Bookbuyer']

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, distractedly 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.

[Anna 'Bookbuyer']

Save the Date by Morgan Matson will be our 4th GBR for October 2021.

Please read at your own pace, and hide any spoilers ☺ You are welcome to join at any time during the month ☺

Happy Reading Everybody!

[Anna 'Bookbuyer']

Pre-Reading Questions -

Anybody got any thoughts on this one before we start?

Has anyone read anything similar to this before?

Anybody read anything else by this author previously?

[Brigia]

I'm about to start reading, even though it's a little early. I hadn't heard about this book before - I picked it up because I needed a cover with an ankle on it for a challenge :-D

I expect this to be a light-hearted romantic comedy which is perfect for me right now. I'm sure I've read books about wedding disasters before, but none come to mind right now. The last book I read about sibling relationships was Malibu Rising - but I expect this to be very different.

I've read The Unexpected Everything by this author, but it's been a couple of years. That was a four star rating for me, though!

[Brigia]

Chapter 1 & 2:
(view spoiler)[ I only had time for two chapters last night, but I immediately fell in love with the Grant family! I couldn’t stop smiling all through chapter 2. I love all characters so far and I really wonder what could have happened with Mike - his parents seem so nice! (hide spoiler)]

Chapters 3-8
(view spoiler)[Oh man, I really feel for Brooke! That’s an awful situation to be in. Charlie is a bit of a brat here! Also, I’m now wondering if the Mike situation could have something to do with the comics. I’m sure I wouldn’t like to read about my own mishaps in a newspaper. Seems like Charlie’s mom is not afraid to upset people that way. (hide spoiler)]

Chapters 9-15
(view spoiler)[Danny keeps behaving really shabbily towards Brooke - what's up with that? Charlie could be nicer to her, but actually, it's the boyfriend's job to make sure she's included, isn't it? I would leave him in her place. I also get why Mike is angry with his mother - she really shouldn't have done what she did! Also, it gets more and more chaotic. At this point, I predict a spectacular wedding! (hide spoiler)]

Chapters 16-End
(view spoiler)[So, I finished and I ended up loving the book! Some scenes seemed a little forced and artificial - for example, I'm not sure about the dance scene in the supermarket - and I would have enjoyed a bit more romance with Bill for our MC. But I found every chapter entertaining, I giggled out loud at some scenes (on the train!) and the general theme resonated with me. I think in our media-driven times, we tend to expect picture-perfect lives and I'm sure we all sometimes have movie-versions of ourselves and our loved ones in our heads. I loved how the author showed the MC outgrowing this and discovering something real instead. (hide spoiler)]