Save the Date

by C.J. Morrow

She’s thirty-five and starting afresh. What’s wrong with that?

Absolutely nothing. After ten, fun filled years in London, Zoe Tydeman has returned to the sleepy Wiltshire village of her childhood. She’s bought a house, got herself a lovely new job in a craft shop, and she’s finally growing up and moving on. She’s put behind her the mistakes of the past and life is now sunshine and smiles.

Until a pink envelope lands on her doormat. ‘Save the Date’ has never hurt so much. Her best friends are getting married. A love she hoped would fizzle out has become permanent, very permanent. Where exactly does that leave Zoe? A singleton at the kids’ table, that’s where.

Will Zoe get over her unrequited love? Can she forgive her friends? Is it time to stop wasting time and get over herself?

Join Zoe on her quest to get a life – of her own.

A romantic comedy for all those who feel let down by love.

Genres: Adult

251 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 10, 2021

About the author

CJ Morrow writes the kind of fiction she likes to read and since her taste is varied so are her books. She loves a romcom with a guaranteed happy ending, equally she loves a psychological thriller especially where the ending is a plausible shocker.

When she doesn't like what's going on in the world, she writes another one.

Word weaver, lover of things curious, unseen and unexplainable, general wordy person. Always watching and laughing, mostly at herself.

Blog http://cjmorrow13.wordpress.com
Twitter: @cjmorrowauthor
Facebook: cjmorrowauthor

Reviews

[constance · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Amour non réciproque.” This book was so easy to read and beautiful so I shall definitely be reading more from the author. I think it was one of the first books I've read with such an accurate portrayal of unrequited love.

This book follows Zoe, who has just received an invite to the wedding of her best friend and the man whom she has been in love with for years (and former flatmate). Zoe has also started a fresh in a new job after leaving London and her life in her home village. However, at the wedding Zoe meets the best man, JJ, and they seem to keep on bumping into each other...

This was a very lovely read as it revolved around unrequited love, which is something that Ive need really read about in this manner. It deals with it very honestly, in how she resents her best friend and even up at the alter imagines that it should be her. In a way I suppose it is the delusion of love.

My issue with this book however, is that I instantly guessed the twist of the book from the moment it was first hinted towards, which meant the book for me was rather a waiting game. It was such a quick read however that I didn't mind. I also felt that it ended rather quickly and didn't really like how everything resolved all of a sudden.

All in all, I really did think this was such an easy read and will for sure be reading more by the author in the future.

[Margo · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book showed promise, and I will consider something else from this author; however, unfortunately it was built on the idea that the h was intoxicated for huge stretches of time. The amount of drinking she would have had to do for this to be a believable plot line would make her a hardcore alcoholic in the middle of liver failure. It was simply too troubling for me to ignore and pass off as a contrivance of a romantic comedy novel. I felt like the H and all of the heroine's friends were total enablers who would eventually, in real life, have to bear the burden of knowing that that their friend's tragic death was at least part at their doors they're doors. I felt like the H and all of the heroine's friends were total enablers who would eventually, in real life, have to bear the burden of knowing that the fault for their friend's tragic death was at least part at their doors.

EDIT: A few hours post-completion, and I'm dropping the score precipitously as more troublesome things pop into my head.

[Marina Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny and heart warming
This is my favourite CJ Morrow book and that’s saying something as I love all of her books. Zoe is such a great character, she has a past – parts that she’d like to forget and some things that she can’t actually remember – but now she’s changed her life completely and is starting over again. It’s all going well until the dreaded Save the Date arrives and Zoe is forced to confront and deal with her feelings of unrequited love. Funny, heart warming and with lots of great characters (I loved Dermot), I whizzed through this book and was sorry when it ended. A fabulous read and I thoroughly recommend it.

[Belle Henderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous romcom with lots of heart and comedy. The character's are so likeable, especially the lovely JJ and Patrice. I was rooting for Zoe from the start (who is hilarious) and wish the craft shop was real so I could visit it and buy one of Zoes mum's masterpieces. A must read if you love a slow burn, funny romance.

[Phoebe MacLeod · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Zoe is easy to like, as are the other characters (with the exception of Belinda, who is deliciously awful). It's an easy read that manages to avoid clichés - fancy going to a wedding and not ruining your dress!

[Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zoe has secretly lusted after her flatmate Patrice, so when she finds him in bed with their other flatmate Charlotte, Zoe is shattered and flees home to her small village. She decides to stay and not return to London, and finds her dream job in a craft store. With a loan from the bank of Mum and dad, she even puts a deposit on a new house. Life is ticking along fine, until one morning she receives a Save the Date card for Charlotte and Patrice's wedding.

[Ava · Rating 3 out of 5]

Zoe Tydeman has spent the last ten years of her life trying to escape the country village she grew up in. But at thirty-five, she's decided it's time to move back to her hometown and start life afresh.

She's reduced her alcohol consumption. She's bought a house. She's found a job that she enjoys. She's almost forgotten about the unrequited love she ran away from.

Until a pink envelope arrives with a 'Save the Date' card and she discovers that her unrequited love is marrying her best friend.

Zoe does everything she can to prepare for the wedding, but nothing prepares her for the humiliation of being stuck at the kiddie table for the reception. Little does she know that she's not the only victim of unrequited love and that Patrice and Charlotte's wedding is the real moment where she can start life afresh . . .

I didn't expect to enjoy this romance as much as I did. Zoe is a sweet and likeable character as is the male lead. I appreciated Zoe's reinvention of herself and how she learns to love the village she once tried so desperately to escape.

However I am deeply troubled by the extent of Zoe's drinking in her previous life. Having a few drinks to be social is one thing; not being able to remember JJ despite meeting and kissing him multiple times is concerning. I have no issues with unrealistic romantic comedy stories, but being an alcoholic is no fairytale. I would recommend a trigger warning for readers who may have their own issues with alcoholism, whether it be themselves or friends or family members.

[Gwen|| Bookish Blondie · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, I actually quite enjoyed this one. I loved Zoe and JJ's storyline so much. It's probably what made me get over the unrequited love aspect of it.

Now for the unrequited love aspect of it. I actually felt kind of bad for Zoe in this, because it seems like Patrice had no idea, which is completely fine. Zoe never acted on anything and she showed up to the wedding and she did everything asked of her, despite her pain. So, I have no real feelings of anything toward Zoe, other than some commiseration but also joy that she found someone who loved her.

I did not like Charlotte. There's a few reasons why. Charlotte, seemingly had some clue that Zoe was into Patrice and slept with him anyway, for basically a year, before Zoe found out. And then she went out of her way to alienate and humiliate Zoe multiple times over the course of the wedding prep and the wedding itself. Charlotte seems like a fucking bitch to me and it's why I dropped the star rating a bit. I would've loved to see a much more kind and loving friend be there for Zoe, without manipulation or humiliation.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I agree with the other reviews that said the storyline was too unbelievable. If she was drinking that much to not remember ever meeting JJ, she probably would have withdrawal when not drinking. Even after cutting back the heroine still would have met diagnostic criteria for alcohol use disorder, and the novel just seemed to play off her drinking as a quirky "ha ha oops I drank too much again" sort of deal.

Also, she and JJ were kind of jerks to each other at times?

[Jag Sanghera · Rating 3 out of 5]

An ok read with some comedy.

Not the best story there were too many predictable elements.

Loved JJ’s character, Zoe not so much.

I didn’t like the being so drunk you don’t remember most things mad people. I felt this was mentioned a lot but not warning or consequences were highlighted.

[Chelsey Facer · Rating 1 out of 5]

Waste of a book

Completely disliked the main character. Selfish, one dimensional and utterly stupid. JJ should have saved his time and attention for someone who didn't have their head up somewhere the sun doesn't shine.
First and last book from this author for me.

[Emily Sanders · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable story in need of better proofreading. Multiple punctuation errors and a character called by the wrong name. These issues greatly distracted me from the plot.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy read with a nice story