This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Lisa Cheek is an author and former film and television editor known for her humorous, candid writing about relationships and identity. Her debut memoir, Sit, Cinderella, Sit, was a People
Magazine pick, an Amazon bestseller, a Next Generation Indie Book Award finalist, and was named one of Zibby Media’s Most Anticipated Books of 2025. You can find her musings at One Minute Thoughts From A Pink Head on substack. She lives in Los Angeles with two dogs, two cats, and her husband, Big Johnson, where she has several scripts in various stages of development while working on her next memoir.
Reviewed by Jennifer Senick for Readers' Favorite
Love may be simple in theory, but relationships rarely are. In The Big Day: Saying “I Do” Only to Discover I Didn’t by Lisa Cheek, the author is walking down the aisle for the first time at forty-nine. She never grew up dreaming about her wedding day, and her family history hasn’t exactly given her the best example of wedded bliss. Her father, stepfather, and maternal grandfather were each married three times, while Cheek’s own romantic past includes several proposals and relationships that didn’t last. Now she’s preparing to marry Big Johnson, a lawyer with two previous wives. The memoir moves between the events surrounding their nuptials and earlier memories that shaped how she thinks about love and commitment. Family marriages, divorces, former boyfriends, and her own experiences all become part of her attempt to understand what makes two people stay together. Then, on the day she finally says “I do,” she discovers a problem with the marriage license, and things haven’t gone quite as planned. Will looking back at the connections in her life help Cheek decide what she truly wants for her future?
The Big Day by Lisa Cheek made me chuckle more than I expected a memoir about marriage and relationships would. The author has a great sense of humor, especially when she’s poking fun at herself or describing some of the more unusual people and situations in her life. I liked that she named her dog Ron Howard because he resembles the actor. That was clever, and the little moments involving him made me smile. He even serves as the ring bearer in a tuxedo tie. There’s plenty of wit throughout, but there are serious parts, too. Cheek’s honesty about how her childhood, bonds with loved ones, and past experiences shaped her views on commitment was another strength. She doesn’t pretend to have everything figured out, which made her reflections feel genuine. The writing is casual and easy to read. The short chapters worked well as she moved back and forth between her wedding and memories. I never had trouble keeping track of where she was in the story. Cheek’s willingness to laugh at herself was the real star of this book. It reminded me of Ethel Barrymore’s words, “You grow up the day you have your first real laugh—at yourself.” This would be a good choice for readers who enjoy memoirs about family, relationships, and finding love later in life.
