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 The Big Day

Coming to a bookstore near you on 9.22.2026

For fans of Sloane Crosley, a sharp, funny memoir from the acclaimed author of Sit, Cinderella, Sit about love, commitment, and whether she’s ready for marriage right before turning fifty.

For years, Lisa Cheek believed long-term commitment wasn’t her style. Her romantic history followed a familiar pattern: date a lot, date widely, and back away before anything could last. So even she is surprised when, at forty-nine, she finally says “yes” to a proposal and to the possibility of marriage with her boyfriend, Big Johnson. But on her wedding day, after the vows have been said, she discovers something shocking: they aren’t actually married.

Is it a slight oversight in the chaos of planning a wedding? Or is this a sign to run while she still can?

In The Big Day, Lisa Cheek invites us inside one unforgettable wedding day, with hilarity, chaos, and unexpected turns. As everything begins to unravel, she looks back on a lifetime of relationships—her own, and those of her family and friends in attendance—searching for patterns, meaning, and the truth about what makes love last.

Funny, unflinching, and deeply relatable, The Big Day is a memoir about late-in-life love, marriage, and the complicated question so many people face: when it really matters, do you stay—or do you go?

Reviews

“A hilarious, thoughtful and modern look at marriage, partnership, family, and most importantly -- self. I love Lisa Cheek, and after reading The Big Day, you'll say I do (too).” –Steven Rowley, author of New York Times Bestseller The Guncle and The Celebrants

“Sweet, quirky, and funny, “The Big Day” chronicles Lisa Cheeks’ life as a single woman as she manages to beat the odds of the dating jungle and her own fears to find big love and happiness.” –John Kenney, New York Times bestselling author of I See You’ve Called in Dead

"When a clerical mishap threatens to invalidate Lisa Cheek's wedding in the year before she turns 50, she finds herself frantically reviewing her relationship history for clues. It makes for a funny and heart-warming ride through her past, with scenes that so many women-of-a-certain age will relate to."
–Sari Botton, author of And You May Find Yourself...Confessions of a Late-Blooming Gen-X Weirdo, and the editor of Oldster Magazine

"Romantic, witty, and full of heart, THE BIG DAY, is a love story that looks bravely into the past while making room for the future. Lisa Cheek writes with irresistible humor and honesty about the messy, marvelous question at the center of every great romance: when do we finally know we’ve found a love worth staying for? Calling all romantics — you don’t want to miss the beautiful ride of Cheek’s great love.”
–Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times bestselling author of Heart of The Wild