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As a fan of Hallmark-ish type movies, I found the book Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan delightful. Nora lives and works in a quaint and cozy cottage home in the country and writes romance stories that become movies. Nora is a hard-working divorced mother of two who has always supported her family financially and emotionally. One of her manuscripts becomes a movie about her break up with her smarmy ex-husband, and they ask to film the movie in her backyard cottage. Living month to month, this is a positive jolt to her bank account and a chance to see her story come to life. It doesn’t hurt that the male lead is one of the sexiest men alive and needs a break from the grind of shooting movies and missing out on life. The kids and Nora develop a bond of friendship with Leo, and after filming, he rents the cottage to get a much-needed respite. Leo enjoys living a “normal” life with Nora, and the kids becoming great friends and then more. But when he leaves to shoot another film, a lack of solid communication and misplaced “help” results in a break in the love bird's plans. The happily ever after might not be in Nora’s future. I was glued to the pages of this book, and I loved it. The writing is intelligent, funny, and heartbreaking. The supporting cast of characters is entertaining and sweet. A big winner for me, and I am sure this will be a hot summer read. #romance #moviestar #writer #countryVScity #miscommunication #heartbreak #love #family #NoraGoesOffScript #AnnabelMonaghan #GPPutnamsSons @NetGalley #Netgally @putnambooks @annabelmonaghan
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I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the opportunity to read this book. Pub Date: June 7, 2022.

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In this absolutely delightful romantic comedy, Nora Hamilton writes formulaic scripts for a Hallmark-like channel. But when her husband leaves her and her two children, she mines her experiences and creates a fabulous script that gets picked up for the big screen. The movie is filmed at her home, and Leo Vance, America’s heart throb, is cast as Nora’s worthless husband. But when filming wraps, Leo asks if he can stay on as a renter for a week to enjoy the peace and quiet and against her better judgment she agrees. No one is more surprised than Nora when Leo bonds with her kids and runs errands with her in town. Monaghan creates a heartwarming, hilarious, and charming story that kept me completely engaged in the story as I rooted for Leo and Nora. I was completely invested in their story and why it went awry and thought the way she wrapped it all up was perfect. It is an entertaining, funny, and clever book that I read in less than a day. Add it to your list for this summer!

A hallmark movie inside of a book. Norah is a screen writer and her movie is similar to hallmark movie, and her latest script is based on her own failed marriage. That’s when she meet actor Leo Vance and her life flips upside down. This book is the perfect rom com and was one I could not put down. The characters were great and added balance.

The book is expected to be released June 7th, 2022. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

Thank you NetGalley!

That. Was. Awesome. I just finished reading, with a huge grin on my face. (that last sunrise scene❤️)

I loved this book so much! Nora was so strong and likeable and Leo...well, I loved him! They were both flawed and yet they worked. Around 50% I got a little worried. It felt like things were going too smoothly, too Hallmark movie-ish. When there was a bit of a hitch in the plan I was so happy the story wasn't over. And dumbfounded because, like I said, it had seemed so smooth.

Excellent!

Content:
brief, strong language
one ajar-door scene (is that a thing? not quite closed-door, not quite open-door, just somewhere in the middle?)

I lovedddd this book and seriously hope it gets some hype!

4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Nora is a recently divorced mother of two who screen writes romance movies. Like Hallmark type romance movies. She’s constantly living paycheck to paycheck when she writes a movie about her divorce that is now being filmed on her property. After filming the main actor stays behind and the book follows their romance.

There is so many things I liked about this book! All the characters are amazing. Nora’s relationship with her kids is a prominent feature of the book and they are just great! I also loved that the main characters are in their 40’s. It felt like you did get to watch Nora live real life.

Parts of this book did feel a little rushed to me. It felt like all the sudden they were hooking up rather than any get to know you time. Which maybe if a Hollywood star moves in you just would hook up with him. LOL

Overall I highly suggest this book!

Nora Goes Off Script was the perfect summer romance read. The small town single mother of two kids meeting the handsome famous movie star seems like a cliche, but in this case it was very well done and made for a fun, quick and well written read. The characters were all very well developed and I really enjoyed how strong Nora was as a character. Although, her communication skills were severely lacking, which was frustrating to read!
This book made me want to move to a small town, buy a old farm house and become a romance writer. The vibes were great, I definitely recommend this summer romance book!

This book made me smile. It pulled me in from the first page and did not let me stop until I was done (ok… did sleep and work but was reading otherwise!). I loved the characters and the whole town. My only complaint is that it ends. I want to keep hearing about their lives.

It's been a while since I've been so pleasantly surprised by a romp. This leaned a little more women's fiction than rom-com, but reading from Nora's perspective was still a (sometimes) humorous and swoony journey. If you enjoyed either Elissa Sussman's <i>Funny You Should Ask<i> or Elle Cosimano's <i>Finlay Donovan Is Killing It, I think you'd really enjoy this one. It is the perfect mixture of the Hollywood actor from the former and the independent single mom from the latter. I grew to really adore Nora and her interactions with her kids, but the real heart tugs came when Leo, the love interest, shared moments with Arthur, Nora's young son, who hasn't ever had a solid father figure in his life. Nora's narration is written like a stream of consciousness, and its uniqueness really takes the story to the next level. Being the sucker for romance that I am, I wished we got a bit more of Nora and Leo's love story, but I really enjoyed this nonetheless.

Four Stars and a half Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭒

Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan was very interesting as well as entertaining. It made me laugh but had some very emotional parts as well. I don’t normally enjoy books with movie stars as the main character, but this was a bit different, and I enjoyed it very much.

Nora Hamilton is a busy, recently divorced, screenwriter for The Romance Channel. When her lazy husband leaves her and their two children, she writes a script that could never be shown on The Romance Channel, as it’s the opposite of romance. Nobody is more surprised than Nora when a movie production company buys the rights and decides to make a film right there in her home. Most of the movie is filmed in and around The Tea House she has in her backyard.

After filming is complete, Leo, the hot movie star who played her husband in the movie, decides he wants to stay for another week. He offers her $1000 dollars a day, for seven days so he can stay in her tea house. She refuses at first but needs the money. He sleeps in the tea house and just seems to want to do normal things with Nora and her two children, Arthur and Bernadette. Can all this time together allow Nora and Leo to fall in love?

I really enjoyed this book. I loved all the characters, I don’t usually like the big movie star characters, but Leo was a bit different. He was reflecting on his life and his choices and enjoys the simple life at Nora’s house. Nora is just a bit quirky and a lot normal. It’s so easy to warm up to her, as she’s very easy to like. Her children, Arthur and Bernadette are adorable, but also realistic and not perfect (like most kids!).

The book starts out and pulled me right in. I was intrigued by the behind-the-scenes look at a film production at Nora’s house. Right away I was swept up in Nora’s world and enjoyed every minute of my visit with her, Leo, and her kids.

I highly recommend Nora Goes Off Script to anyone who enjoys romance. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

When life gives Nora lemons, she writes it all down and sells it to Hollywood where A-list actors will star in a movie version. What she doesn’t know is one of said A-lister Leo will want to squat in the “Tea House” in her backyard for a week after filming wraps. Good news is he’s willing to pay her a thousand bucks a day for the accommodations. As the week progresses, Leo realizes he’s quite inclined to live like a normal instead of as one of the sexiest men alive and Nora realizes she doesn’t mind having his company. And then of course romance happens – because duh.

This was just what the doctor ordered. The perfect mashup of chick lit and rom com that actually had some real humor . . . .

“Stop smoldering the other unsuspecting middle-aged ladies around here. Come on.”

Nora Goes Off Script even contained a couple of not insufferable children (and generally I despise all children that are not my own both in real life and in my fiction).

If you’re looking for some lighter fare for the poolside this summer consider this a winner winner chicken dinner.

Read this in one afternoon, hard to put it down. Fast paced and easy read. The characters all worked well together and were believable, a rarity in this type of book. The story had a lot of charm and wit and it flowed naturally. Satisfying ending, another rarity.

I recently finished reading Nora Goes Off Script and I have to say that in my opinion, this is the best kind of romance book. I read this book in the span of two days and I found myself thinking about Nora and her children in those moments when I had to put the book down to do other things. This book is just the right amount of Hallmark movie for me. It is about a divorced woman with two children and a career writing romance scripts for a television station. It isn't until she steps away from her writing formula that she ends up writing something that is truly meaningful and life-changing for other women. This new script changes her life and her children's lives in so many ways. If you are looking for a cozy family-oriented romance without all the steamy scenes then this book is a must-read for you. I absolutely loved the storyline and the pacing in this novel. I think that Annabel Monaghan did a wonderful job creating Nora and her world. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

I want to thank NetGalley for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review. Everything that I have written here is my own thoughts and opinions regarding this story.

NORA GOES OFF SCRIPT
3.5⭐
PLOT - Nora Hamilton, single mom is a screenwriter for romance channel.
As her husband leaves her she writes her best script and is surprised to be picked up for big screen.
Leo Vance is casted to play the lead and when the shooting wraps up ..he asks Nora if he could stay at her place for a week.
Seven days ...enough to fall in love or even break your heart..

What I liked...
Noras relationship with her kids as a single mom.
How she realised she was better off without her ex...realistic about her situation (albeit a little late in her life)
2nd chance romance.
What I didn't like
The main issue in the end had enough chances or opportunities to resolve....i found it hard to digest esp while living in today's times!
Not getting into details to avoid spoilers.

Thank you Netgalley and publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Nora Hamilton is a mom of 2 and screenwriter who specializes in formulaic romances for The Romance Channel, but when her real life marriage falls apart her work gets a bit darker and heads to the big scream . During filming, she meets and lowkey dislikes famous (and 🥵) actor Leo Vance who loves her property so much he just doesn’t want to leave. They agree on a 7 day stay at $1K/night, but a lot can happen in a week 😜

I needed this book! It was a joy to spend a few sittings over the course of an afternoon reading about these two characters and falling in love with the little family at its core. Despite the ludicrous premise (that I enjoyed), the story felt very believable and the main characters were really likable. I wish there had been more character development for Leo, but there was enough to hold the plot together.

This one leans more sweet than steamy! I’ll definitely check out more of Monaghan’s work in the future.

Simply Perfect!

Kaceey and I picked up this rom-com on a whim and both of us were glad we did. It made us laugh, smile like fools, and maybe shed a tear or two. (I think Kaceey may have shed more than I did, but you’d have to ask her!).

Nora is a screenwriter, who tends to write for the romance channel. Her formula is always the same, until one day she goes big and her life turns around. One of her scripts gets picked up for a movie and when they cast the male lead, it’s the sexiest man alive, Leo Vance. Some of the filming is done at Nora’s place and she gets to meet the man of the hour. When they lay eyes on each other, sparks fly. When Leo asks to stay for a while, Nora can’t say no.

What I loved most, besides the banter and the friendship that developed here, was the relationship Leo developed with Nora’s kids. Sweet doesn’t begin to describe it.

This rom-com has it all: romance, friendship, family, witty banter, and a great overall story.

A great buddy read with Kaceey that was just what we both needed.

Huge thanks to Penguin Group Putnam G.P Putnam’s Sons for the arc.

Published on Goodreads.

This book has my heart completely! It's all the best parts of Funny You Should Ask and Evvie Drake Starts Over with a huge helping of Emily Henry, all rolled into one funny, heartwarming, emotional story.

Nora Hamilton is a divorced, single mom of two, and a screenwriter for made-for-tv romance movies. When she writes a screenplay about the demise of her marriage instead of her standard formulaic happily-ever-after script, it is sold to a Hollywood studio who plan to make a big screen movie about it - complete with former sexiest man alive actor Leo Vance playing her ex - and pay her to film it at her home. The pair butt heads from the moment he steps out of the trailer that's ruining her lawn, but the morning after the cast and crew leave, Nora finds Leo on her porch watching the sunrise. He offers a proposition - let him stay on for a week in the tea house where they filmed, and he'll pay her $1000 a day in rent. As a single mom keeping her family afloat, with no help from her too-good-to-ever-work ex, she knows that the money will help pad her meager finances. But it's the raw and desperate emotion she sees on his face that makes her agree to the arrangement. As the days go by, they find a familiar and comfortable pattern, which evolves into a whirlwind affair. When Leo has to leave Nora to go back to L.A. for an audition, he promises to be back in a week. But life gets in the way and once a week passes, and Leo doesn't return, and then disappears entirely from Nora's life. What follows is the aftermath of a quick and intense love, heartbreak, and soldiering on for your family when all you want to do is fall apart.

A beautiful and emotional love story, with a happy ending. Nora is relatable - she's a wonderful mother, writer, and doesn't allow her past hurts to jade her to opening her heart again. Leo is complicated but is open hearted and generous. The pair balance each other out so well, they truly have a great relationship. The emotional ups-and-downs between them are well portrayed and entirely believable. My only wish is that we could have seen some of the story from Leo's point of view! This author is now an automatic buy for me!

Thank you to Netgalley, Putnam and Annabel Monaghan for the ARC!

At first I wasn't sure what to expect from this story. The premise seemed intriguing and I enjoy contemporary/women's fiction, but I will be honest, I did not expect to like this book as much as I did. This story was beautifully written, incredibly witty, and had so much personality in all the characters. While it had romantic undertones, I would say it was more of a women's lit story about remembering your power and your strength. We all get sidetracked sometimes, and sometimes we are put in lengthy situations where we forget what we value in ourselves. This story is about reminding yourself that you are powerful, and you are destined for great things, whatever you decide those things to be.

The characters here are so well developed, and with the exception of one or two, all are super loveable and I wish I could be friends with them. They all served a unique purpose- however, if I would to have one major critique, it's that some of the characters were not thoroughly introduced in the story. I was able to put the pieces together due to the scenes they were in and the relationship to other people in the scene, but I think an extra paragraph or two to introduce people a bit more thoroughly would have helped. Some of Nora's friends I can't even remember the names because they were a flash in the pan- maybe that was the intention as they were outlying characters, but I think it would have added to the unique charm of Nora's life in Laurel Ridge.

Overall, I highly recommend this book. It's just a fun, light read that it makes you almost forget the intensity of reality for a bit. It would be a perfect compliment for a sunny beach day.

Thank you so much for this ARC! I absolutely loved this book, and it feels very meta because of the theme but this needs to be a movie.

The banter was perfection. You can read this in one sitting. I love a single mom falling in love! This was a peak romcom!

Mama ARC Review
Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Swipe right —> for the Goodreads synopsis

Second chance romance ✔️
Small town setting ✔️

📖 Overvew: Nora’s a single mom of two kids that writes formulated romance movies for The Romance Channel (think Hallmark channel). Different characters and locations with the same formula and happily ever after. Nora hasn’t had her own HEA after her “too good to work” husband walks out on her and her kids for a “bigger life”. In an effort to flush out some feelings she writes a script, very un-formulated, about her failed marriage. Success comes in the form of the script getting picked up to be made for the big screen. This includes compensation for the use of her own home for a short stint of filming. Enter Leo Vance, previously named Sexiest Man Alive, and the rest of the film crew. After filming wraps, Leo proposes an arrangement for him to stay for a week some place real. A week is enough time to do a lot - heal, fall, and love. But will small town life be enough for Leo after they’ve both fallen? Or will the call of Hollywood lure him back? Will Leo and love prove to be just another disappointment for Nora and her kids?

I absolutely loved this one! The fantasy of all the circumstances was fun to dream through and the writing was fantastic. I loved the real conversations especially with Nora and her kids (who are hilarious- especially Bernadette!) The premise is totally unrealistic but isn’t that why we read romance books?! For the escape end the enjoyment from said escape from our normal lives! I know that’s it for me! I’ve already recommended this to my two favorite reading buddies and now bookstagram! Add this to your TBR - you won’t regret it!

Thank you @ and @netgalley for an opportunity to preview this ARC! This one should be an absolute pre-order for its release on June 7th.

I really enjoyed this! It was a quick and entertaining read. I wasn’t expecting it to feel so unique but it did. The author did a great job taking a classic trope and making it believable and adding in some twists. While I didn’t always agree with the characters’ actions they felt real which the book all the more engrossing. This comes out on June 7th and I would definitely add it to your TBR list!