Blog Tour: Save the Date by Monica Murphy

Save the Date

By:
Monica Murphy

Published:
June 25, 2019

Add to: Goodreads

Book Synopsis:

Caroline Abbott loves her job—helping engaged couples pick out the perfect save the date cards and invitations for their dream wedding. Working at Noteworthy means she has to deal with the occasional bridezilla, but Caroline’s always up for the challenge.

Until one particular bridezilla walks into the stationery store who’s fiancé happens to be the boy Caroline shared her first kiss with. Alexander Wilder is all grown up now, helping run his family’s successful luxury hotel chain, and is somehow even better looking than she remembers.

When Caroline just happens to catch Alex’s fiancée half naked with another man well, of course she has to tell Alex. Of course, he breaks off his engagement.

And of course, the ex-bridezilla has gone completely bonkers.

At least Caroline has her friends to save her from crazy ex-fiancées. But she also has the sudden interest of …Alex? Caroline knows they share a connection, but is he on the rebound? Or after seeing her all these years later, does he really want something more?

My Thoughts:

I love Monica Murphy's stories, and I have read most of what she has written, so when I saw Save the Date, I added it to my TBR.  I love the book cover's whimsical, charming, sweet, and old-fashioned visual aesthetic.  I am pleased to say that the story inside of the book matches its lovely cover.

Caroline Abbott is a down to earth, friendly, hard-working lead.  She was real, relatable, and I instantly adored it.  She has a small group of very close girl friends that she spends a lot of time with, and a passion for her job.  She works at Noteworthy, where bridal couples come to choose their save the date cards and wedding invitations.  She's use to dealing with all types of brides, from sweet and easy going to demanding bridezillas.  

One morning before work, she runs in to her first crush Alexander Wilder.  He has grown in to a sexy, and gorgeous man.  She remembers the first kiss they shared, and we learn that he was the one that got away.  He's fun, a little flirty, and there is a mutual attraction there.  

However, Caroline is disappointed when she sees him at her first appointment of the day, and learns that he is engaged to an arrogant, and rude Bridezilla.  Fast forward to a week later, and Caroline see's the bridezilla cheating on Alex.  She doesn't know what do do, but her friends convince her that the right thing is to tell Alex the truth about what she saw.  Fate has plans for Caroline and Alex.  Should she take a chance on love with a man that has everything she's ever wanted in a man? Or will she end up just being a rebound that ends up heartbroken?

I loved Caroline's interactions with her best friend/room mate Stella and her close-knit group of girl friends.  They were all so much fun, and I could easily see myself being friends with all of these girls.

Alex was sweet, sexy, thoughtful, and responsible.  He could be a workaholic at times, but Caroline made him want to enjoy his life more.  These two had such a sweet, and romantic romance.  It was very slow burn, and I appreciated their taking their time as they were figuring everything out.  Alex was wealthy and use to gold-digger arrogant types.  Caroline was down to earth, didn't want to take Alex for all he could buy her, but instead enjoyed him as a person.  She appreciated the small gestures, and I could see why he fell in love with her, and why she fell for him.

One of my favorite parts of the book was when Caroline and Alex go to Paris.  I loved this part of the story, and felt like I was staying at the Ritz Carlton, shopping at Chanel, eating fresh French macaroons, and seeing all of the beautiful sites right alongside Caroline and Alex as they fell in love!  If you enjoy sweet romance, with main characters you will love, fun secondary characters, and a male lead that will have you swooning; check out Save the Date!

Book Teaser:

Excerpt:

I head straight for the pickup counter, where I see my skinny vanilla latte waiting for me, my name written on the side of the cup in Stella’s familiar scrawl. Without hesitation I grab it, inhaling deeply before I take a sip. Just a tiny sip so I can savor it. I close my eyes for a second, maybe two, and when I open them, I find a guy standing there.

Watching me.

And he’s not just any guy. He’s cute. Wait, no. Not cute. He’s…hot. Dark hair. Blue eyes. Wearing a suit that fits him perfectly. I know just from looking at the fabric that it’s custom. Expensive.

He’s smiling at me. And I’m scowling at him in return because the caffeine hasn’t quite hit my bloodstream yet, so I’m not on top of my game.

“You looked like you were having a moment.” His voice is deep. Rich. His face…vaguely familiar?

I stand a little straighter. Take another sip of my coffee as I contemplate the man in front of me, because for some reason I still can’t come up with anything to say.

Listen, I always have something to say. But this guy. This gorgeous, well-dressed maybe-stranger, is leaving me a little…

Dumbstruck?

Huh.

“That moment you were just having. With your coffee,” he continues, gesturing at the cup I’m clutching in both of my hands, like it’s my baby. Which this morning—every morning—it is.

“She loves coffee,” Stella says from behind me.

Glancing over my shoulder, I give her a look, one that says shush.

“I can see that.” The amusement in his voice is obvious. He thinks it’s funny. The sacred moment I was having with my latte made him smile.

I wouldn’t mind coming up with other ways to make him smile.

Whoa. Where did that thought come from?

“What I want to know is, how did you get such special treatment?”

I blink at him like I’m an uncomprehending idiot. “Excuse me?”

“Well, I’ve been here for the last fifteen minutes. First, standing in line.” He gestures at the line of customers that trails out the door. “And now, waiting for my order.”

Guilt fills me. Just a tiny bit. Sweet Dreams Café is the most popular bakery and coffee shop in Carmel-by-the-Sea. All the tourists love it. All the locals love it too. It’s been in Stella’s family for generations.

“Yet you skip past the line, walk straight in here and grab your ready-made drink within a few seconds of your arrival. Do you have a Fast Pass?” A brow lifts, and I’m hit with a quiver. Like Cupid just drew back his bow and shot that arrow right in my heart.

Or perhaps that arrow struck me in, ahem, other places.

Who knew a brow lift could be so sexy?

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About the Author:

Monica Murphy is the New York Times, USA Today and #1 international bestselling author of the One Week Girlfriend series, the Billionaire Bachelors and The Rules series. Her books have been translated in almost a dozen languages and has sold over one million copies worldwide. She is both self-published and published by Random House/Bantam and Harper Collins/Avon. She writes new adult, young adult and contemporary romance. 

She is a wife and a mother of three who lives in central California on fourteen acres in the middle of nowhere along with their one dog and too many cats. A self-confessed workaholic, when she's not writing, she's reading or hanging out with her husband and kids. She's a firm believer in happy endings, though she will admit to putting her characters through angst-filled moments before they finally get that hard won HEA.

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