Nora Goes Off Script is a fun and entertaining love story filled with all the delicious banter and humor that is sure to hook readers and leave them swooning.

When we first meet up with Nora, she’s recently divorced and has written her best story yet…the story of her life. No one is more surprised than Nora when her script gets picked up for a movie and Hollywood Heartthrob, Leo Vance, gets cast as her former love. The moment Nora meets Leo she knows her life will never be the same…

Nora Goes Off Script is the perfect summer read. It pulls you in instantly and leaves you utterly captivated. Nora and Leo are real and flawed. Their story is written with great emotion and will make you feel as though you’re experiencing the words on the pages right along with the characters. The slow-burning romance between Nora and Leo was absolute perfection. Neither one of them was perfect and made plenty of mistakes along the way to their happily ever after. But it was those mistakes and misunderstandings that drew me in and left me wanting more.

Nora Goes Off Script is the type of book that just makes you feel good. I finished this book a few days ago and it’s still on my mind. Yes, it’s got drama and its share of angst, but it’s so perfectly balanced. You can’t help but find yourself invested in this story and of course Nora and Leo.

In the end, Nora Goes Off Script took me by surprise in the best possible way. If you’re looking for a heartwarming, feel-good romance, you won’t want to miss Nora Goes Off Script. I hope you will fall head over heels for this story as I have. I can’t wait to check out more from this author in the future.

Romance writer meets Hollywood star

Nora is a screen writer for the “Romance Channel” (think Hallmark) who lives in an old house in a small town somewhere in the northeast. She is a single mom with two kids and has written a screenplay of her divorce story. The production company descends on her home for a few days to film a portion of the movie and in the process, Nora meets Leo, the star of the movie.

Leo is a lost soul…drinks too much and feels adrift in the world of Hollywood stardom. After the production company leaves, Nora discovers Leo has stayed behind and offers him the use of her guest quarters for a week while he considers the next steps he wants to take for his life.

If you are a Hallmark fan like me, you have already figured out the plot. It follows the course of any Hallmark movie…the first meeting, the back and forth of falling in love, the pivotal moment of miscommunication or misunderstanding, the revelation of what was thought to be really isn’t, and then the HEA.

I liked the book but found it to be very predictable. The moment of misunderstanding was a bit unique and led to an interesting layer but in the end, all was well. This is a new writer to me and I might look for other books she already has or will write.

Note Goes Off Script was truly a delight! This book has a wonderful MC and I loved her and her two kids. Nora is a scene writer who finds herself in a plot of her own with leading man Leo Vance. I loved her relationship with Leo and how it grew during the book. A closed door romance, for those who like spice. This was one a good read.

**I received this book from NetGalley for an honest review **

Ok, I liked this story, but admit I struggled a bit with patience for the pace. The story is through Nora’s eyes and at times I really wanted to shake her. Leo seemed so one dimensional that I was finding it hard to understand why she’d try to see anything beyond his movie star handsomeness for something deeper. I wanted to love this story, but it’s ok to just like a book sometimes.

I really enjoyed Nora’s character because she’s a screenwriter for cheesy tv rom-coms and can come up with a cliché storyline on the spot. But she also seems pretty normal for a single mom. Leo Vance was a good partner but he seemed a little rushed and so did their romance in the beginning.

Would recommend this books as a quick-read for anyone who likes romcoms!

OMG my heart! My ex wasn’t as flat out awful as Nora’s, but gawd, I so saw myself in her. usually the breakup feels rushed and contrived, but here I truly doubted until the last that Nora and Leo would get back together. Nora is so quiet and still outwardly, and watching her grow felt like looking in a mirror.

No Spoilers ever...I don't like even the smallest of details about a book before I start reading so I will give you just a bit...but not too much...

What's not to love about Nora? She is a recently divorced, working mama just trying to keep her kids happy and her bank account in the black after her husband left her alone to support their family. She is a TV Romance screenwriter (kinda love this about her) who finds her most recent story (based on her marriage with the no good ex-husband) has made it to the big screen (major win) starring some big time celebrities!!! Not only that it's also being filmed in her own backyard!

I think what drew me to this romance meets women's lit novel and to Nora the most is that her character and her circumstances in life are so very relatable! I was rooting for her success in her career, her love life and her self worth from start to finish. I was drawn to every twist and fumble throughout the romance.

If you are looking for something with some spice this book doesn't really have any but it wasn't missed at all! This story took me through all my feels in the best way! I could not put it down!

This also happened to be my first ever kindle e-book. I wasn't sure I would like a book in digital print as much as a hard bound edition but I definitely did and I have Nora goes off Script, NetGalley and Penguin Publishing to thank for my ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. If you're a hopeless romantic (like me) and are here for a feel good romance then this book is definitely one you'll enjoy!

I loved learning more about Nora's life, her divorce and how she is learning to be a single mom. This story quickly pulled me in and kept me guessing until the very end.

When Hollywood descends on Nora’s house to film the movie about her failed marriage, everything about Nora’s routine becomes altered. Especially when the star of the movie extends his stay and falls seamlessly into Nora and her kids’ lives. Nora knows this development is too go to be true. She makes her living writing predictable movie romances and knows life isn’t like the movies because someone always winds up with their heart broken.

I really really liked Nora! She’s so relatable; she took her heartbreak over the life she thought she could have, wrote it down and turned it into a successful movie. Very cathartic and healthy for Nora to process what happened to be able to move forward. Leo was surprising in his own way. He was much more relatable than you would expect from a celebrity and he found a place of belonging with Nora and her kids. Arthur and Bernadette are adorable and make a run for stealing the show.

Nora Goes Off Script would make a great movie from the one liners delivered by a great cast of characters to the serious topics handled beautifully and the hopefulness of each moving forward. This is much more than a love story; it has everything you want in an effortless read destined to make you smile.

Rating 4.5 stars


Thank you @putnambooks @annabelmonaghan and @netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

4.2 - this was great. So genuine and true. Nora is so relatable. She’s got her scheduled and routines down to a science since her husband left so she can provide stability for her two kids. I loved a lot of her thoughts about marriage, and how there are “some things you have to ignore if you’re trying to stay married” - so true! And just her fighting so hard to keep her marriage and keep her husband happy, that when he decides to leave, she just felt so relieved by it. I would’ve been fine with that, and then Leo, sexiest man alive that wants to play house with her, comes into the picture! Great couple with a lot of baggage. My only complaint is that I felt their attraction was nonexistent and then THERE. Needed to be a little more gradual. And I can’t imagine that he wouldn’t get swarmed with fans when he was out and about with her in town. But overall - I really enjoyed it!

This book felt very disjointed to me. The narration:dialogue ratio was very unbalanced and I felt like I was being told a story rather then experiencing or watching one unfold. The book didn’t really connect with me at all and it might be because I’m not a 39 year old divorcee who has the responsibilities of a single mom of 2. The things I did like in the book were how Leo interacted with the kids and the kids themselves. Nora felt very somber the entire book and it really depressed the poop out of me. I think I just expected something different than what this book gave.

Thank you Putnam for my early copy! All thoughts are my own.

Lately, I’ve been loving books that I feel “in” on, so that has meant lots of books about actors, writers, readers, and book lovers. Nora Goes Off Script is no exception! It’s the perfect quick, light, but also kinda deep book. It’s a closed door romance which usually isn’t my thing but it definitely fit the vibe.

I read this book pretty quickly and had a great time reading it! It’s a spin on a classic Hallmark romance and will be a great book for pool or beach bag this Summer.

Synopsis:

“Nora’s life is about to get a rewrite… Nora Hamilton knows the formula for love better than anyone. As a romance channel screenwriter, it’s her job. But when her too-good-to work husband leaves her and their two kids, Nora turns her marriage’s collapse into cash and writes the best script of her life. No one is more surprised than her when it’s picked up for the big screen and set to film on location at her 100-year-old-home. When former Sexiest Man Alive, Leo Vance, is cast as her ne’er do well husband Nora’s life will never be the same. The morning after shooting wraps and the crew leaves, Nora finds Leo on her porch with a half-empty bottle of tequila and a proposition. He’ll pay a thousand dollars a day to stay for a week. The extra seven grand would give Nora breathing room, but it’s the need in his eyes that makes her say yes. Seven days: it’s the blink of an eye or an eternity depending on how you look at it. Enough time to fall in love. Enough time to break your heart. Filled with warmth, wit, and wisdom, Nora Goes Off Script is the best kind of love story—the real kind where love is complicated by work, kids, and the emotional baggage that comes with life. For Nora and Leo, this kind of love is bigger than the big screen.” —NetGalley

What I Liked:

The Concept—I am not a huge fan of Hallmark films. But I do know the formula extremely well and sometimes, you just need a happily ever after and for it to be predictable. But I loved the twist on the familiar set up and I also loved being “in” on the story. It was very clever and satisfying.

The Kids—Arthur and Bernie were my favorite characters. I love when kids are included cause if done well, their personalities leap off the page in the best ways.

The Balance of Reality and Fiction—Some parts of this story were predictable, some really really surprised me. It kept me on my toes just enough.

What Didn’t Work:

The Pacing—This is always something i’m picky about with books but particular a Romance. The pacing just didn’t work for me. It seemed to go too fast and too slow at points and when you flipped to a new chapter, a large chunk of time had past. It almost made it seem like I wasn’t as much a part of the story.

A Few Unnecessary Phrases—A few phrases used by the author, though common at one point, were on the ableist and unnecessary side. I kinda cringed because they just didn’t need to be there.

Character Authenticity: 4/5 Steam Rating: 0/5 Overall Rating: 3.9/5

Content Warnings:

Divorce, Infidelity, loss of a parent (mentioned)

I'm screaming! This was so good I don't even know where to start. I laughed, I cried, I cheered. This had typical romance tropes but flipped them on their head. Nora is a divorced mom of two who writes movies for The Romance Channel and then gets a break for a blockbuster feature about her divorce that films a portion on her property. Telling this story of loss, love, loss and love again is a beautiful and swoon-worthy touch. More books like this, please! I literally could not put it down. Thank you NetGalley and G. P. Putnam's Sons Publishing for the ARC.

I loved this book it was a chessy cute escape, I laughed so many times.

Nora lives in a small town with her two kids, Bernie and Arthur, and just recently divorced. Nora writes cheesy romance scripts, her latest one got noticed that a big time company is making it to the big screen with two big movie star. Leo Vance acts like he owns the place in his big own rv. They need 3 days and they are gone. However on the third day Leo stays behind and asked to stay and will pay her a thousand a day, Nora decided to allow it ans soon he’s the talk of the town and all Nora can think about.

Is it possible for a movie star to fall for a small town girl??

Pros: I wanted to read this rom com after Annie Jones of the From the Front Porch podcast mentioned that she liked it so much, she read it twice! I can see why—it’s a light, fast read with likeable characters and a cozy setting. Also, the celebrity-and-normal-person-fall-in-love trope was lots of fun. This book—in which the main character writes Hallmark movie-like scripts—feels like it could easily be turned into such a movie.

Cons: None really. This book was just what I was expecting (in a good way) from the genre.

3.5 stars

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

I tried multiple times to read this and give it a chance, but I just could not get into this one. It is very well reviewed, but it just was not for me.

Annabel Monaghan's Nora Goes Off Script is an easy, engaging read, filled with some great themes and refreshing focus on everyday challenges that adults face when facing marital strain and distress and then the start of a new relationship. I always enjoy stories with celebrities as actual flawed humans and celebrities and every day people meeting and exploring a relationship, always tropes I am all in for, and readers who enjoy those themes should look for this one! I think that the target audience for this book, generally women and women in particular who enjoy romance novels and a focus outside of characters in their 20s (nothing wrong with those books at all!) will find a lot of engagement and visibility here.

I think my wanting a bit more from the plot and characters here more shows my genuine interest in the story and particularly in Nora's mindset and thoughts (Leo was a strong character too, maybe felt a bit stereotypical though); wanting more often simply means I was drawn into the character and wanted to spend more time knowing them.

For me this is a 3.5 plot, it was a bit under developed for me in places and a bit lacking in full development of main characters BUT 4 star rounded up here because I also think that this book 100% lives up to its intended purpose: a charming romance for summer reading and women's focused book discussions. I am looking forward to reading more from this author!

I have a love/hate relationship with this book, so bear with me, this review will be heavily opinionated. I went through the reviews and there are a lot of five-star reviews... I may just not be their target audience.
Let's talk about our MC, Nora. It took me a third of the book to connect with the woman. Don't get me wrong, I wanted to feel for her... but I wasn't getting any real emotion or feelings from her. I'm pretty sure that was deliberate on the writer's behalf. It left me cold, bored, and several times wondering at which point I could honestly say "I tried" and tossed it in my DNF pile. I found it boring, honestly, with pockets of funny one-liners that made me smile (think 90's sitcom... I could almost hear the canned laughter).
I liked the kids, Arthur being maybe the most level-headed and real in the family, whereas Bernadette adds the warmth and excitement needed for the story. Leo is.... complex. He came and obviously had baggage; but watching him insinuate into Suburban-Mom land was charming. I ended up adoring him, and then adoring the way Nora opened up just a bit more. I connected to Nora through these interactions, and they are what saved the book for me- thus, when the misunderstandings started, I was ready to throw hands.
I think the biggest issue for me is that nearly the whole book read like a Hallmark (or would that be a Romance Channel?) movie. There were moments of reality, though... pain, joy, sarcasm... that seemed deeper than that would allow. I guess that would be Nora going off script (for me, anyway... though many would say that the romance in itself and Nora giving up her rigid control would be where she went off the script). All in all, I liked the book but found it messy, formulative, and far too much of a slow start. I was so excited when I read the summary... maybe my expectations were too high. By the end, I liked the book and had made peace with most of the characters. I am still glad I read it but having to wait a third of the book to connect to the main character- and half the book to truly enjoy it, if I had bought the book, I think I would have found that upsetting. Like I said, there are tons of people who loved this book; I may just not be their intended audience. After all, I don't watch those Hallmark Romances. In the end, this was a three-star book for me.
On the adult content scale, there was language, drinking, sexual content and references to a fairly toxic relationship (let's face facts, Ben was an emotionally abusive narcissist). None of it was terribly over the top, so I would say New Adult and higher. (16+).
I was lucky enough to receive an eARC of this book from Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam in exchange for an honest review. My thanks!

This was a good one! Nora Goes Off Script is the story of a single mom who writes cheesy romance movies for The Romance Channel (think: Hallmark). When her loser of a husband leaves her, Nora does what she does best... she writes! The finished product is a game changer. Nora's emotional screenplay gets picked up by a huge production agency and the A-list actors film the movie in her very own back yard... and one of them doesn't leave.

Leo might be incredibly talented and the Sexiest Man Alive, but he's burnt out and miserable. After filming Nora's movie, he realizes that he could use some time away and offers to rent a room for a few days. What follows is a complicated love story that packs quite the punch.

This is a quick read that can be devoured in one sitting and I enjoyed Monaghan's writing. She took a pretty common trope ("celebrity falls for a normal person") and made it feel believable and authentic. The first half of Nora Goes Off Script was a light and fun story with a bit of romance. Things took an emotional turn during the second act, which I found a little frustrating at times but I still couldn't put it down. I think the pacing could potentially use some work, but I am the last person that should be giving advice to a writer.

If, like me, you enjoyed Evvie Drake Starts Over this might just be your cup of tea. I do caution you to go into this anticipating about 2/3 women's fiction and 1/3 romance. A cute little rom-com, this is not.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book; all opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for allowing me to be an early reader.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book. It was a joy to read from start to finish.