Nora makes her living writing romance movies for The Romance Channel but when her jerk husband leaves her she switches things up and trades her happily ever after's with the story of how her marriage ended and much to her surprise it's picked up by a major movie executive. Nora's hit the big time and she could sure use the extra money!

The director wants to film on location and at HER house! Not only that but Luke Vance, voted The Sexiest Man Alive, has been given the role of her ne'er-do-well husband. Nora's life is about to be flipped upside down over the next couple weeks of filming.

When filming wraps and the works crews have packed up Nora can't help but to sigh with relief. She finally has her house and life back. All things normal from here on out. Imagine her surprise when she ventures on the morning porch, cup of coffee in hand, to watch the sunrise and see's Leo Vance wrapped up in a blanket and sleeping soundly. What is he still doing here? Leo offers Nora a thousand dollars a day for the next 7 days if he can stay with her and from here the sparks fly between the pair and my heart was all a pitter patter hoping for the very best for them. Of course no relationship is that easy and an unexpected roadblock comes between them leaving the reader to wonder: will they or won't they?

That's all I'm willing to say about this sweet but completely far-fetched story. This book served as a wonderful escape from the real world so the fact that it's really unbelievable did not hinder my enjoyment and most of my enjoyment stemmed from these wonderful characters. I loved Nora and her two children Arthur and Bernadette and Leo Vance isn't too shabby either with his smoldering good looks! The banter was super cute between Nora and Leo and I appreciated that the bedroom scenes were PG rated. I also imagine that this is EXACLTY what would happen if Leonardo DiCaprio came and stayed with me and don't you dare tell me otherwise! 😉

"Woman pass me in heels I could never stand in. I look down at my peasant top, jeans, and sandals and think, When did I turn into Carole King?"

She just described my exact outfit so she isn't the only one channeling her inner Carole King!

If you want an escape from reality with a side of swoon then this is one I highly recommend! 4 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group - Putnam for my complimentary copy.

This is a perfect, light beach read. I enjoyed the author's writing style and the story itself. I would love to read more by this author.

This was a super fun, light closed-door romance! I really enjoyed it, but did guess the ending. I do not love a miscommunication trope, however this is the perfect summer read if you just need something light to read beachside or poolside!

Nora's life is finally in order after her divorce. She has her routine with her kids and her writing career is taking off. She has written for the small screen, but now her first major movie script is in production. Enter Leo Vance. The lead male actor in her movie. He is about to turn her life upside down.

I was drawn to this story thinking it would be a romcom. It wasn't a romcom (not to be at least), but I disappointed. It has Hallmark vibes without the cheesiness.

I enjoyed reading this story. The characters are relatable, I like the writing, and the author sets a beautiful scene. I expected it to have a predictable ending and I was curious how the author would tend it. It was predictable, but also surprising in a way. The emotions of the character come through the story.

Add this to your list of summer reads!

Thank you Putnam Penguin Grou and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

4.5⭐️

So i sat down to start reading and never stopped! This book was so cute and just gave me those “my heart is so happy” type of feelings. It is a small town romance where a single mother gets a second chance at love. And i LOVED that!! Nora, the single mother and fmc, is such a well developed character. She really was put through the ringer with her ex-husband Ben. It was kind of a relief to read that she came to terms with it and felt alright. I really loved that her children were not minor side characters in this book, they were very much involved in the plot and storyline.

Now here comes our new love interest, Leo. I was very confused with him at first, like.. dude whats your deal? And then you come to understand him and really like this guy! I think Nora gives in and goes “off script” because their love does seem to natural. And you really get that feeling as the reader. The way Leo interacts and builds a relationship with her children too, just made me smile throughout the book. i really loves the twist that the author throws in there. I had a total OMG! moment when reading and it was perfectly done. This was an overall great romance book, that I am thankful i was approved for an earc via netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

This book was so frustrating. I really loved the writing style and the setting. Like so much. Laurel Ridge is amazing and I loved it.

Spoilers ahead.

Everything about the break up was frustrating and enraging. These are grown adults. It was VERY obvious that something weird was going on and if they had just TALKED. Completely ruined what was a five star book at that point. So dissatisfying.

The voice of this novel grabbed me from the beginning. It's a single PoV story, as much women's fiction as romance. The start of the romance arc is a bit odd, with A-list movie star Leo hanging out on Nora's porch after the filming on her property has ended. Like, why is he at her house? At first, he doesn't seem like romance hero material. But the story quickly picks up from there.

This is a gorgeous, deeply emotional story about love and loss and finding your place in the world. It's a funny, quirky, heartbreaking, and ultimately uplifting novel.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Can I just say how much I appreciate a quick, short read? Sometimes they’re just what you need. And this was the perfect story for that.

So, we have Nora. Nora’s ex-husband a-hole. The product of wealthy parents, with no real drive or ambition of his own, he leaves Nora and their children for a better life. And good riddance, because Nora has basically been the sole breadwinner for the family. A writer, Nora’s works have been adapted for television for a network akin to the Hallmark channel. However, her latest book, based upon her divorce, has been adapted for the big screen, with Sexiest Man Alive, Leo Vance, cast to play her ex-husband. Oh, and the movie is being filmed at Nora’s home. After filming for the movie wraps, Leo decides to squat at Nora’s home a little longer, and the two soon begin hooking up. But what will become of their relationship when Leo is called back to LA to film his latest blockbuster?

As I mentioned, this was a short read. A perfect beach read, if you will. One that could easily be finished in a couple hours on a lazy day. The story was cute, if not a little far-fetched. Nora is a relatable character; a strong, independent woman who’s trying to make a life for her and her children and provide them with the stability they couldn’t have when her ex was in the picture. Nora isn’t looking for love when Leo enters the scene, but the swoony star soon captivates her heart as well as the hearts of her two children. So, when he leaves, his absence is even more devastating to them than that of her ex.

This is a book that would have been better served with less filler in the middle and more meat at the ending. There was a lot of buildup that lead to a very rushed ending and a, quite frankly, improbable explanation for why some things went down the way they did. I can’t get into any more detail than that without spoiling the story. Let’s just say a little communication between Leo and Nora could have gone a long way.

Are you in a book slump? Not sure what to pick up next? Need a good book to bring to the beach? If so, then Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan is the perfect book for you. If you’re looking for a fun, refreshing, and entertaining read, this upcoming release checks all of those boxes. At just under 300 pages, I whizzed right through this one in just a couple of evenings. The storyline was very enjoyable and extremely well done, so it was quite easy to do. You can’t help but fall in love with these characters, especially Nora. She’s very down-to-earth, witty, independent, and extremely relatable. Nora is recently divorced, and supporting her two children by writing screenplays for a popular romance channel. (Take note, Hallmark fans!) What I loved most about Nora is that she’s a mom, and is around my age! That seems to be a rarity in most of the romance novels that I’ve read. In a genre full of twenty-somethings, it was nice to finally read about a forty-something getting her groove on. So, will Nora get a second chance at love with the leading man cast in one of her movies? You’ll have to read it to find out! Be sure to grab a copy of this little gem on release day - Tuesday, June 7th!

Could Nora have a life with Leo?

Nora Hamilton writes the usual formulaic movies for The Romance Channel that change the details and settings to support her family without any help from her husband. She didn’t know that her life was going to change when she wrote The Tea House about the end of her marriage was bought by a large movie studio with big name movie stars including Leo Vance with part of it at the tea house behind her house. But Leo Vance doesn’t leave with the rest of the crew and wanted to stay in the tea house for a week.

Nora Goes Off Script starts with a movie star meeting a single mom wanting to have a normal life. But what happens when a big movie franchise wants Leo to star in the next movie?

I really liked Nora Goes Off Script because Nora takes care of herself and her family first.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was amazing! The characters’ imperfections made them amazing and relatable, even when I couldn’t actually relate. I could feel the frustrations, the complications and even the “slow” growing love. I read through the book incredibly fast and enjoyed every second.

Nora is a screenwriter, who writes the best script of her life, about the collapse of her marriage. She finds that part of the film is being filmed at her home - and when it is finished, Leo, a former sexiest man alive, is still there. When he offers to pay her $1000 per day to let him stay for a week, she says yes. Over the next seven days you watch their relationship unfold… and all the chaos of life (jobs, children, past relationships) along with it. Can they build a relationship despite the noise?

An adorable book that leaves you smiling.

PUB DAY: June 7

Thank you Netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

I'm going to keep this short and sweet - this clever, witty, and heartwarming book about second chances is a must-read.

The story is simple - Nora, a screenwriter who pens movies, falls in love with Leo, a huge movie star, when he plays her ex-husband in the movie she's written about the collapse of their marriage. But can two people from such different worlds find their own happily ever after? With precocious kids, an adorable small town setting and some fantastic banter over morning sunrises, it's the perfect summer read.

Thanks to Putnam Books and NetGalley for the copy to review.

“Nora Goes Off Script” by Annabel Monaghan
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Release Date: 6/7
Netgalley Ebook ARC

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC! I loved it!! Every moment of this book was awesome! I loved the main character and the rollercoaster of emotions. It was more than a romcom.

Nora writes romance movie scripts mainly for holiday films. After her husband Ben leaves her and their two kids to find himself and go explore Asia she pours her heart into a script regarding their story. The script was so popular a major movie producer bought it and wasted to film parts of it at her home because of the famous Tea House. When the famous Leo walks into her home she feels like he’s an arrogant actor. After filming is over he decides he wants to stay at her countryside home to see the views and live a “normal” life. One week turns to three and the relationship slowing builds. He implants himself in her heart and her kids. When he has to go away for a film her heart is broken. Will he come back? Can they make this work?

Divorced romance screenwriter Nora's new script is about to change her life. When the studio asks to film the movie at her 100 year old house in the suburbs, she reluctantly says, Yes. The star of the movie is the super sexy famous actor Leo Vance and when filming is done, he can't seem to leave her house. Nora and Leo slowly start a romance. Things seem too good to be true for Nora and when Leo leaves for his next movie, things change. Can these two make it work? Perfect for those who want a not so perfect romance. Thank you, NetGalley!

NORA GOES OFF SCRIPT is funny and light and yet it has such heart and depth of feeling. The characters seem real and multi-dimensional. I could not put the book down - I laughed out loud at least twice and also found myself tearing up a few times as well. I think it's pretty much a perfect book. NORA is definitely going to be one of my top picks of the summer and one I will recommend widely. (I already have!)

Are you looking for a book that is just perfect for fun summer reading ? Light and lovely but not silly, great for a day at the beach, the pool or just in the yard ? Look no further, this is definitely it, at least for me.
I just started this morning and I have just kept reading, while waiting for my kids at the pool, in the yard and while making bean salad for our barbecue and this book is so fun and just plain enjoyable.
Nora is a freshly divorced screen writer and she usually writes Hallmark style seasonal romance movies but since her own marriage failed she has been going darker … and it’s sold and since her 100yo house and especially the old English tea house in her garden featured in her script a couple of days filming take place at her house - the male lead stays behind, at first there is no love lost - she is a harried single mom of two just trying to keep all her balls (kids, job household and house in need of repairs) in the air… and he is a rude (or at least quite grumpy) drunk who wants or needs a fresh perspective on his job and life …
Did i mention this is a very fun read ?

Whoah, a very fast paced emotional rollercoaster. Overall, I was into it! Nora was a strong character, and the writing was good, funny at times. I love a fast-paced book, but it might have even benefitted from being a little slower? Had to suspend disbelief at some of the plot points, but the book had me feeling all of Nora's emotions right along with her.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, GP Putnams' Sons, for the Advanced Review Copy.

Thank you Putnam for the #gifted copy.

OH.MY.GOODNESS! I loved it! Once I started, I couldn't stop! I read this in 2 days (really only 1) and its been so long since I did that. Annabel Monaghan has a great voice that created such an idyllic life in upstate New York. No wonder Leo didn't want to leave.

Nora is a screenwriter for made for tv movies like Hallmark. They're cute, cheesy and you love them! But what do you do when your husband abandons you and your 2 kids? You write about it! And that's what Nora did to work through her feelings. Only its a big production going into movie theaters and it brings with it the big Hollywood actors and actresses.

I loved Nora. How grumpy she was towards Leo. Her kids! I loved them. I feel like kids are such hard characters to nail down without making them annoying or too babied. Everyone character was perfect.

And the tension and emotion. At one point I was just as depressed as Nora that I didn't want to keep reading because I couldn't see how there'd be a HEA.

Some language and closed door romance. These are my own thoughts and opinions.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for an early release of Nora Goes Off Script in exchange of an honest review.

I really enjoyed this one! I absolutely loved Nora and adored how self assured she was in her life. Additionally I thought her kids were absolute firecrackers and I thought they were great side characters, and this is coming from someone that does not love kids in novels. Finally… Leo! I had so many complicated thoughts about him throughout the book but I absolutely fell for him at the end. I additionally enjoyed how meta this novel felt, and how it almost felt like Nora was breaking the fourth wall with her discussions on how romance is written. My one issue is that the main conflict goes on for so so long and then is wrapped up so so quickly, so I would have loved to see a more equal balance between these two. Overall though I absolutely loved this book and can’t wait for it to hit the shelves! 4.5 Stars

Thanks to Putnam for the free book.
This is such a sweet book. I instantly fell for Nora and her children, Arthur and Bernadette. I am not always a fan of children in a romance, but the way the author showed the realities of single-motherhood was refreshing to read. The setting of the book was vivid - I could easily picture the sunrises each morning. The relationship between Nora and Leo was fun. I laughed with them at times. The conflict pacing started off well for me, but I expected the resolution a bit earlier. The ending felt too rushed for me. This will be a great one for summer reading.