This book is such a fun read! It follows Nora, a screenwriter whose life gets turned upside down when her script becomes a movie. Suddenly, she’s thrown into the wild world of Hollywood, juggling her career and her personal life.

Monaghan’s writing is super relatable and filled with humor, making it easy to connect with Nora as she navigates the ups and downs of chasing her dreams. She’s a wonderfully imperfect character, and you can’t help but cheer her on as she figures things out—especially when it comes to love and family.

Nora Goes off Script is a delightful mix of romance and self-discovery that’s perfect for a beach day or a cozy night in. If you’re in the mood for a light-hearted story that’ll make you smile, definitely give this one a read!

Fun read, but definitely places where things felt dry, or random. There were things that felt unrealistic and lots of eye rolls, but it was overall a good read.

3.5 ⭐️
Was it my favorite book ever? No, but it was adorable and relatable. I wasn’t sure if I’d end up even giving it 3 stars halfway through, but she wrapped up Nora & Leo’s story nicely. I did find myself wishing for more dialogue, it felt a little choppy at times. I’m also such a sucker for a dual POV, but seeing how the storyline played out I understand how it was best to not see Leo’s POV. I’ll definitely be reading more from this author in the future.

LOVED this. Such a sweet, sweet story. I loved the juxtaposition of regular life and Hollywood come crashing together through romance - I loved how everything you wanted to have happen happened early on in the book - and then it all comes crashing down to be built back up. And now I’m in the mood to binge Hallmark Christmas movies 😍😂

Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan is a perfect fit for readers who crave a heartwarming and humorous exploration of love, second chances, and the complexities of relationships, with a dash of romance and wit, making it a delightful read for anyone seeking a feel-good story about the power of human connection.

Thank you @putnambooks @netgalley for the free review copy!

📖 Nora is a romance channel screenwriter. When her husband leaves her, she writes the most successful screenplay of her career. When it gets picked up for the big screen, and shooting begins on her property, she meets leading man Leo Vance. When he offers her a large sum of money to stay on her property after filming ends, she finds it almost impossible to tell him no.

💭I devoured this book in a day. That never happens anymore because mom life, but my husband took over and I basically ignored everyone so I could spend the day reading. It was perfection! I loved that it was such a sweet romance, but that it also had very real emotions behind it. I really liked Nora and I was rooting for her and her kids to get their happy ending. My only complaint would be that I wish it was a dual POV instead of just Nora’s perspective. I really wanted to be inside Leo’s head.

📚Read this if you like…
Small town romance
Strangers to lovers
Celebrity Romance
Closed door
Sweet and emotional romance

4- What an beautifully written romance book! It has to be something special and this was it. I fell in love with Nora’s character. I loved how she spoke and thought. Her voice to diey for. So many wonderful characters. I could not put it down,This was not a spicy romance.

What a breath of fresh air! This was such a delightful romance with a realistic storyline. Nora and Leo are great characters and Annabel Monaghan has created a scenario where they grow together as they grow closer.
I can’t wait to read more from Monaghan.

Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam and to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.


I read the description of this book and it sounds like a fun one. It didn't disappoint me in the least. This is the first book that I have read by this author, and it certainly won't be the last.


This book was a pure delight.

"Nora Goes Off Script" is a charming contemporary YA novel that explores the themes of friendship, family, and finding your voice. The story follows Nora, a high school senior with dreams of becoming a screenwriter, as she navigates the ups and downs of adolescence while grappling with her father's unexpected illness. Filled with humor, heart, and plenty of cinematic references, this book was a delightful read that should have broad appeal to a range of differently-aged readers. Monaghan captures the trials and triumphs of teenage life, creating a story that is as entertaining as it is thought-provoking, with a protagonist who is both endearing and authentic. As Nora embarks on a mission to make her mark in the film industry, she learns valuable lessons about the importance of staying true to herself and following her passions, even in the face of adversity.

Leo and Nora Forever!

This book is absolutely perfect. Cannot wait to read more from Annabel Monaghan.

I loved every minute of this book. Nora is a highly relatable character, and I was rooting for her from start to finish. Great story about a single mom finding her footing and finding love again.

Brilliant and perfect! How much I enjoyed this story, my first with this author. Nora is a script writer of cheesy romantic stories. This is how she kept her family afloat while her deadbeat husband went after one brainless investment after another. After her husband left her, she wrote a script that’s darker, because she just needed to write their story out of her angry soul. This won her a Hollywood contract for a movie starring Hollywood’s most famous couple.

They came to film the breakup scene in her tea room, the primary reason for her marriage failure and the place where her marriage actually ended. And in so doing, she met the man who would make her deliriously happy and give her what her loser husband never did, complete focus on what she says and feels. Until another movie contract called him away.

There were so many things I loved about this story that the list seems endless. I loved their mornings, sipping coffee in Nora’s back porch watching every day’s sunrise. I loved how Leo took to Nora’s kids and helped with Arthur’s school play. He fit so seamlessly into their lives that I was as aghast as Nora when he ghosted her. I suffered right along with her and the kids during his absence.

This book truly took me through all the feels and I loved the author’s writing style, not fussy, with some brilliant, poetic descriptions that fit right into a description of what her life was like at the moment. One such example, my favorite: “There are two ferns at all times, one dying and one getting started, on a regular rotation of grief and replacement.”

I got a huge satisfaction from completing this story and can’t wait to read more from this author!

NORA GOES OFF SCRIPT is such a fun read. The characters were delightful and the wit oozed off the page. Monaghan really created a smartly crafted novel with all the humor and heart needed in a story like this.

The amount of romance is "just right" in this book. The characters and story are well developed. The story flows such that I found myself reading for hours without taking a break. Flew through it and recommend!

This book draws you in easily. We all want Nora's fantasy, right? Definitely a shining gem of a book in the middle of a reading rut. I believed all of it and I rooted for Nora the whole time, even when it all seemed impossible.

This story was incredibly adorable. I loved the movie star meets writer trope. I wish I would have fallen in love a little more with Nora, but it was absolutely adorable!

4.5 This was a cute woman lit romance my only issue was for a large part of the book I was so annoyed with the main characters. This story follows Nora a single mom who writes romance movies for the equivalent of the hallmark channel. When she meets Leo the star of one of her movies who ended up staying at her house during filming her life was changed.
I loved the characters in this book I really cared what happened to them and hope to see more about them in future books. The writing was also very fast paced and easy to read. My only complaint was for a large part of this book the miscommunication made no sense and I was so frustrated with the character’s decision’s but once I finished I really ended up quite enjoying it and it made more sense. I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for a chance to read this book for an honest review.

I absolutely adored this book 🥹 it just made me smile.

Nora is a screenwriter who mainly writes Hallmark romance movies. However, when she writes a screenplay about her recent divorce, the movie attracts a lot of attention and big stars. While filming scenes at her house, she falls in love with the main movie star. The story reminded me of THE HAPPILY EVER AFTER PLAYLIST a bit.

NORA GOES OFF SCRIPT is short, sweet, and a total feel good romance book. It is about family, self love, and soulmates. If you need a little pick me up, I suggest picking up this book.

This was a fun yet thought-provoking, and at the same time, entertaining book. I really do enjoy books where the female main character discovers herself while dealing with life’s unexpected misfortunes. I loved her journey, and the romance aspect of the book were appealing as well. It’s a fun book that I would take to the beach.