I just finished this and I am so sad it's over. Absolutely one of my favorite books of the year. I read in a description that this is "Beach Read meets Evie Drake Starts Over" and I 100% agree. If you enjoyed either of those books, you need to read this one.

I love how the author writes. Every sentence felt so intentionally crafted but at the same time the rhythm of the book was so easy to get wrapped up in. I love Nora. I loved getting to know her, and her kids, and Leo. The side characters added to the story and I felt wrapped in in their world. Truly such a lovely book, one I won't hesitate to recommend to all my friends. This book felt familiar without being predictable. I wanted to keep reading to find out what happens, but also wanted to savor each page because there is something special in reading a book for the first time without knowing where it will end. This is one of those books. Beautifully written, Annabel Monaghan!

Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam & NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

The story follows Nora, a newly divorced mom who turned everything she felt after the end of her marriage into a screenplay - and the movie is now being made. Leo Vance is a big Hollywood actor known for his talent and intense smoldering looks. He’s been cast to play the character inspired by Nora’s ex-husband.

The plot unfolds with romance, career victories, funny lines and lots of sunrises. I love that this story really focused on Nora as a mother, finding the new normal and always putting herself and her kids first. I loved the setting of the small town, it gives me "Stars Hollow" vibes, where every one knows each other and feels the joy and pain of others.

This was an enjoyable and entertaining read.
Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.

Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan is a romance novel involving a screenplay writer & late thirties divorced mom of 2, Nora, who rediscovers herself when Hollywood shows up in her yard to film her screenplay about her divorce. It’s a celebrity meets non-famous person romance that showcases the beauty of regular life & family.
I loved reading a heroine who wasn’t in their twenties. Obviously that’s a wonderful time & I feel like because of that, the majority of adult novels are set in that age range. So I found it refreshing to read a late thirty something, who was divorced with two lovely kids. I adored her children & their cozy little unit of a family. Their love & their life together felt like a hug to me.
I was absolutely charmed by our hero & movie star Leo & I was smitten reading this book. It was a beautiful story & I loved how everything came together.
If anyone is looking for a romance with celebrity, drama, humor & family, I would recommend Nora Goes Off Script!

Nora Goes Off Script comes out June 7, 2022.

Massive thanks to NetGalley & Penguin Group Putnam for giving me the opportunity to read an arc of this in exchange for an honest review.

I will post reviews to my Bookstagram before publication & I will post to Amazon after publication. I will add links to the reviews after posting.

I don't think I've cried over a book in at least 10 years. The characters in this story felt so incredibly real that I felt so much sympathy for them throughout the story. Monaghan is an amazing writer, yet the dialogue between the characters felt realistic and funny. I really loved Nora's internal dialogue and how relatable she felt. I received this book as a e-book on Netgalley and will probably be purchasing a physical copy when it comes out since I'll probably reread it.

Nora Goes Off Script was everything I could have wanted and more. The anticipation, laughter, heartbreaks, and joys all had me so deep in my feelings that I felt like I was in the book, living alongside Nora. It hooked me from the beginning and I didn’t want to put it down, but I never wanted it to end. This is the perfect slow burn summer read and I can’t recommend it enough!

Wow, this was wonderful! It’s a take on contemporary romance that felt really fresh, but still cozy and fun—as if a Hallmark romance movie writer wanted to try something different from the usual romance formula.
I think this is a book that’s best read without too much known upfront, but I’ll say that the middle did feel kind of laggy and I was really confused about a few choices by the characters. The end really paid off and made up for it, though.
I’m definitely excited to read more from the author, Annabel Monaghan, in the future! Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is such a great contemporary romance! I've been reading a lot of books about mid-30s women who rediscover themselves and their love for life when they fall in love (again or really for the first time). Nora is such a relatable heroine, and I think any woman who is around the stage of life of married with kids, or has been through that already, will find a lot to connect with in her. Leo is of course so sexy and charming, and really the whole time I'm just rooting for them to make this work! The 'twist' is a little....ehh. It probably bumped my rating down a bit although I'm glad that Leo wasn't just a total dick who ghosted her for no reason. It relied a little too much on miscommunication, which we know I HATE. But anyway, long live Leo and Nora and their sweet little family and rot in hell Ben.

God I love a book where I don't see the twist coming. I've read dozens of romances, and I expected the ending to be some take on the same ending I've read in who-knows-h0w-many books, but this one really surprised me!

I love the fact that this book centers around a family—not just a couple. Leo's relationship with Nora's children, 10-year-old Arthur and 8-year-old Bernadette, are just as important and highlighted as his relationship with Nora. The scenes of Leo being the father that Nora's children don't have anymore were some of the most heartwarming ones in the story, and they leave the feeling that the HEA is actually going to be a happily ever after.

My only criticism is that, at times, it feels like the book was missing details. I appreciate that the story completely lacks the purple prose that causes me to skip paragraphs in some books I read, but there were certain scenes that I wish were more fleshed out.

My first read by this author and I couldn't have loved her anymore! Nora is a single mother who supports her family by writing romance movie scripts for The Romance Channel making her skeptical about her real-life love stories after being burned by her ex-husband. That is until her house is the location for a movie she wrote peeling back some layers of her past and kickstarting a romance that makes Nora believe in love for herself again. Love the author's wit, charm, and writing and how she seamlessly wove so many emotions into this read.

I absolutely LOVED this. I didn't really know what to expect, and found myself reading this throughout the night. I appreciate that Nora is different from the norm--she has lived a life, she is a mother, she is finding a second life post-divorce. The best part was Nora's voice and how deep it goes, almost like the reader is truly in her headspace.

Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan was a pleasant quick read. Nora was a very relatable character who was easy to like and root for. The pacing of the storyline was perfect and there was just the right amount of romance.

A rollercoaster of a story with hope around every bend. Nora’s inner-dialogue was so charming and real that I wish she were my friend in real life. Every character in the story is an individual with purpose, and the author has a firm grasp on building plot. I want to read everything by her!

5⭐️// I saw someone liken this book to Evvie Drake Starts Over (one of my favorites) and I would have to agree - this book is real, sweet, heartbreaking and heart mending. The relationship between Leo & Nora unfolds in such a beautiful natural way & don’t even get me started on how sweet he is with her children, who are just so fun & quirky. This book is like a beautiful sunrise that you just don’t want to end. Highly recommended & can not wait to read whatever Annabel Monaghan writes next.

I thought this was a great rom com. Nora writes a book about her ex husband leaving her and her kids. The book is picked up for a movie and the movie star shows up to film (in Nora's guest house) and just doesn't leave.

Nora has written a screenplay detailing her life and relationship, including the meaningful tea room in her home. The filming company wants to use her home b specifically her tea room to film the movie she has written. This screenplay is different than her normal romance style, think Hallmark-esque in that it is real and has dark moments and is sad and honest. But it is so good.

The actors arrive on set, they film and one actor elects to stay longer which for some reason Nora allows. And the bond that is created is truly one of a kind.

Read Annabel Monaghans Nora Goes Off Script to find yourself immersed in Horas life filled with heartbreak, motherhood, her depth of sadness and hate, and a place where she begins to find herself again. This is a brilliant novel, written in a way that makes the reader feel apart of the story but also looking in the whole time. You root for the characters and wish some of them the worst of luck too. You hope the Nora finds her way and that her kids turn out well enough. You hope the actor finds stability and a sense of who they are. And at some point you hope that Nore finds enough of herself to be able to truly open herself to love again.

And lets not forget the writing about the tea room. So exquisite, so descriptive and delightful. It makes me want a yard and tea room exactly like Nora's despite never having the need or want for one before.

Oh my goodness was this fabulous!!! Meta, clever, heartfelt, sweet, smart... This is the ultimate rom-com and I hope they make a movie of it asap. This goes on my shelf to re-read when I want to feel hopeful and happy and believe in happy endings.

Omg I loved this book! Nora is a screenwriter for cheesy hallmark romances. But after her dick of a hubs leaves her she writes a darker screenplay that’s picked up and cast with some a list actors. The production ends up filming in her actual home and the male lead somehow ends up weaseling his way into Nora’s home and heart. While the set up is pretty hallmark romance itself the execution was fabulous. I just loved Nora’s voice and her growing relationship with her smoldering male lead was charming and adorable. With bumps and bruises along the way, this wrapped up in just the right way and I’m now recommending this widely as a feel good summer read. If you liked Idea Of you or the bodyguard you’d likely be swept up here as well. 4.25 stars.

I absolutely adored this book. I thought I was picking up a cutesy romance, but this book was so much more. Nora was an incredible mom, and her kids were wonderful characters too. I loved reading a book where the main character truly prioritized her kids, not sacrificing them for an instant romance.

Quick Summary: Brilliant!

My Review: Nora Goes Off Script was quite brilliant in every way. It was perfectly paced and so well balanced where romance and fluttering hearts are concerned. The entire story tugged at my heartstrings. I could not put the book down, once I started. Three scenes that nailed it for me...the first kiss, the bird sanctuary, and the hugs from the kids and for the kids. (Every single one was priceless. Real treasures.) I landed at the place of happy tears by the final page. Bravo!

My Final Say: This has earned a place on my favorites shelf.

Rating: 5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Re-read: Yes
Keeper: Yes

Sincere appreciation is expressed to the author, to the publisher, and to NetGalley for making a digital ARC of this title available for review in exchange for an honest critique. The words I have expressed are my own and have not been influenced by any of the aforementioned parties.

* This review has been posted on Goodreads.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub date: June 7, 2022

Divorcee Nora usually writes formulaic romance movies for a living but then writes a serious movie about her failed marriage. When a full movie crew descends on her suburban home to shoot scenes for the movie, superstar actor Leo ends up crashing as a houseguest long after filming wraps and flips her very structured life upside down.

This is a quick read, closed door romance. I found the first person voice to sound like a narrator floating above the scenes at time—it just felt a bit detached from the character it was supposed to be from. I really enjoyed the characters in this one and was racing this this tearjerker HEA!