I legit squealed when I got the chance to read this. Big thank you! Annabel Monaghan has quickly become a go-to author for me starting with Nora Goes Off Script. Summer Romance is no different. I think this might be my favorite read of hers so far. I simply got sucked in to this world and didn't come out (or want to!) until long after the last page. I really enjoyed getting to know these characters and watching them grow throughout the pages.

One of my favorite attributes about Annabel's writing is creating relatable characters that we get to see enjoy each other throughout most of the book. So many romances are a cat and mouse chase, terribly annoying miscommunications, and other things that make me go ugh. I love that we get to see into the characters relationship has they develop - it's not just finally they are together at the end of the book and it's over. I thoroughly enjoyed both main characters and was rooting for them both from page 1. I could relate to Ali in different ways as she navigates this new chapter in her life. The secondary characters are great and enjoyed their addition to this book.

Overall, this is heartwarming read that I couldn't put down. I didn't want it to end. I can't wait to read her next novel! Thank you Netgalley for this chance to read this before the publish date. I can't wait to purchase the hard copy in June!

Annabel Monaghan is becoming one of my favorite authors. Her books are more deep than traditional beach reads, but so fun while still having an emotional impact. I definitely recommend this and her previous works.

I really enjoyed this one!
Ali’s job may be my dream job and she has a dog that seeks her love matches. What a great story. Definitely give this one a read.

Summer Romance is about a woman finding herself again after divorce and the loss of her mother. This is my new favorite book from this author. The story is a romance but it goes deep with the main character's relationships with her family members and friends also. The complicated emotions she goes through dealing with the loss of her mom who was everything to her but also an underlying problem to her life was really written well. The chemistry between Ali and Ethan was so good! The themes from her past graduation speech Ethan kept reminding her of hit hard. I liked how her divorce was handled in the story without her ex becoming too much of it. This is a memorable romance read that will be great to read this summer.
Thank you to Putnam books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

Annabel Monaghans Summer Romance is the perfect closed door, romantic beach read. Ali Morris has lost her mother, is going through a divorce, and a stay at home mother of 3 children. Grief-stricken and heartbroken, Ali must figure out how to take back control in her life. This is a small town, second chance, romance that is sure to pull on your heart strings.

Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan will be released on June 4th, 2024.

A huge thank you to author @annabelmonaghan, @putnambooks, and@netgalley for a free advanced copy of Summer Romance in exchange for an honest review.

Annabel Monaghan became an author I will always read after I picked up Nora Goes Off Script. Summer Romance was exactly what I was hoping and expecting. I love the balance Annabel brings to her characters; they are good, but flawed. There is room for self-improvement, but in a hopeful and encouraging way.

Ali is still learning how life works without his mother who passed away 2 years ago. She is also one year separated from her controlling husband and they have decided to amicably divorce. They were never truly in love with each other and were married because Ali was pregnant. Scooter (a.k.a. Ethan) is her best friend's little brother who has had a big crush on her since they were teenagers. Ethan works hard to prove what a reliable, encouraging, supportive, fun, and kind partner looks like. Ali finally learns what it feels like to be in love and she finds herself and rekindles her passion for her career along the way.

I am a middle-aged stay at home mom who is trying to find myself among raising teens, so I related to some of the heart-wrenching plights that Ali was going through as a mother.

Thank You to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

What better way to cope with cold winter weather (which here in Florida means a bone-chilling 50 degrees) than by reading a heartwarming SUMMER ROMANCE by Annabel Monaghan. The novel’s protagonist, Ali Morris, tries to get out of the long funk caused by her mother’s death and her impending divorce by having a short-term rebound romance with the former town screwup, a plan that becomes complicated when they develop real feelings for each other.

I liked the single mother aspect of the story, which echoed the vibes from the author’s breakout hit NORA GOES OFF SCRIPT about a woman trying to steady her own life as well as pursue a romantic relationship. I also connected to the protagonists struggle with prolonged grief after the loss of her parent. Read with tissues if you’ve lost a parent. 😭

Overall, if you enjoyed Nora, you’ll enjoy this heartwarming story of a single mother finding faith in herself and connecting with a partner who respects and values her.

Thank you to Putnam books and NetGalley for allowing me to get an advance look at this terrific book.

Absolutely loved this story. Monaghan's novels feel so true to life and the characters are so easy to identify with and empathize with as well. The man Ali's dog chooses for her to meet in the park when she is least expecting it turns out to be someone she never would have dreamed would be the one for her. I loved the way Ethan helped Ali to realize things on her own, but didn't push her into anything. This is a sweet small town, best friend's brother romance with very little steam, but a ton of heartwarming and humorous moments to keep you turning pages quickly and then savoring the final pages and not wanting the story to end.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy. I read this quickly, enjoyed most of the story and the characters. The setting was a small NYC suburban town with a sort of second chance romance. I didn't love the love interest's obsession with the main character and found some of it not believable like him remembering her valedictorian speech from high school. Their romance was sweet and I mostly enjoyed their interactions as well as the supporting characters. I'd recommend as a summer read while on vacation.

This read is my third Annabel Monaghan, and she is officially ensconced on my must-read author list. She has done it again.

Ali Morris has hit rock bottom, that is if she could find her way out of her cornstarch backstock and piles of paper. Facing divorce, grieving the loss of her mother, and raising two tweenagers and an adorable 6 year old, Ali is just trying to put on hard pants and fit the pieces back together. Meanwhile, enter Ethan and cue the Summer Romance. Can Ali find her way back and avoid disappearing... again?

The writing, the characters, the setting... all so well done. This book struck the right balance between "find yourself" and new love. Never would I have thought I could fall for a skateboarder (I mean, really?!), but here we are. Ethan knows who he is outside Beechwood, but he still struggles with his hometown. Both characters needed something from the other, and it was not cheesy or forced. Beyond that, I could actually feel Ali's kids and their personalities while I read. It's often hard for authors to genuinely capture interactions between parents and kids, but Monaghan did it.

I am so looking forward to recommending this book to everyone I see. And adding this gorgeous cover to my bookshelf.

As 2023 has come to an end, let’s reflect back on all the books we read this past year.

At the last second I decided to take this prior week off to squeeze in some rest, relaxation, and books!

One of my favorites of the week was…

Summer Romance

I’m bursting with the warm and gushy feeling as glitter flows through my veins.

This was the exact book I never knew I needed at this moment . Talk about laugh out loud funny!!! I was bellied over giggling way too often to count.

I am obsessed with Ali! If Ali existed in real life I could guarantee we would be besties ! Ethan? Ugh, I have no words as he stole my heart and left me speechless 🤤

This book is a Summer MUST READ and I can guarantee I’ll be packing this one in my beach tote way more than once this year.

Summer Romance releases June 4th!!!

I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to read and review Summer Romance prior to its big release! I know without a doubt this book is destined for the bestsellers list .

Check out this teaser :

The heart-tugging and hilarious story of a professional organizer whose life is a mess, and the summer she gets unstuck with the help of someone unexpected from her past, by the bestselling author of Same Time Next Summer and Nora Goes Off Script.

Benefits of a summer romance: it’s always fun, always brief, and no one gets their heart broken.

There aren’t enough labeled glass containers to contain the mess that is Ali Morris’s life. Her mom died two years ago, then her husband left, and she hasn’t worn pants with a zipper in longer than she cares to remember. She’s a professional organizer whose pantry is a disgrace.

No one is more surprised than Ali when the first time she takes off her wedding ring and puts on pants with hardware—overalls count, right?—she meets someone. Or rather, her dog claims a man for her in the same way he claimed his favorite of her three children: by peeing on him. Ethan smiles at Ali like her pants are just right—like he likes what he sees. The last thing Ali needs is to make her life messier, but there’s no harm in a little Summer Romance. Is there?

I'm a big fan of Annabel Monaghan, This is the 3rd book from hers i've read and it's just as consistently good as the others. Her down and out single mother troupes just work. These aren't your typical rom-coms and I'm here for it. I loved her twist on the Summer Romance; a single mother who is trying to figure out how to cope with the loss of her mother and ultimately biggest support system, while going thru a divorce and trying to rediscover her passions while still trying to be there for her kids.

“Feeling your actual feelings isn’t always so pleasant.”

Anabel Monaghan is an auto-read author for me, and this one did not disappoint! While yes it is an adorable romance, it is also the story of a woman’s path to rediscovering herself. It deals with the grief of losing her mother, her husband, and ultimately the life she expected she would have. That makes the beginning of this book a little hard to stomach. But, power through, and once you get Ali’s character developed, it blossoms into a beautiful summer romance and so much more.

Ethan is the perfect compliment to Ali. While his own life is messy as well, I loved how they supported and encouraged each other. Men take note. We could use more Ethans in the world!

Lastly, as someone that grew up in a small town, the setting was perfectly depicted. Sometimes it is so hard, if not impossible, to overcome the persona those in your hometown believe you to be – no matter how much time has passed.

If you are a fan of Katherine Center, you need to check out Annabel’s books!

Post losing her mom and in the midst of a divorce Ali has way too much on her plate for romance. Until the perfect summer romance comes along! Through a meet-cute at the dog park, outdoor dinners with friends, and juggling her kids schedules: Ali finds herself making all the time in the world for Scooter. This was a sweet clean romance that leaves you wishing summer would last all year.

holy fucking shit. HOLY FUCKING SHIT. THIS BOOK. I really could not have asked for a better book to start my year!!!! The first like ~20% was a little slow, but after that??? I was sobbing like all the time???? BOTH Ali and Ethan’s character development are so unique and heartbreaking and necessary, and I just really loved the two of them together. Also idk why but I might have missed the best friend’s brother trope because I was SO pleasantly surprised by the scooter thing. I will admit that sometimes the writing was a bit…monotone? blunt? idk how to describe it but I felt that sometimes it was a little granularly descriptive but overall, I just loved this story so much!!!!! Thank you NetGalley and PRH for the ARC!!!

I love a good summer read and Annabel Monaghan books never disappoint.

Summer Romance is by far more that a summer romance with another person but about loving yourself enough to value yourself. I absolutely loved it and can’t wait to read more by Monaghan.

This is such a super sweet and comforting book. The main character , Ali, has 3 kids and has been separated from her husband for a while and is in the middle of getting a divorce. She loves her job as a professional organizer but her home is anything but organized. One day she meets Ethan at the dog park and immediately feels a spark coming back into her life. We follow them as their Summer Romance unfolds. I loved everything about this book. I loved the small town, her quirky friends and her sweet next door neighbor. This was just a cozy read for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for a copy of this book for review.

This. This was the perfect book for a summer read—or a winter escape, if you’re in my shoes.

This is a book about a recently single/separated mom that is living her “coming of age” story in her late 30s. She’s finding her self after losing her self over the last ten years—as many mothers go through. With the help of a handsome lawyer friend, Ali is able to rediscover herself, confront an ex who has dismissed her the last 10+ years, and find the confidence that she once had. I probably just watered down the story with that description, it was so beautiful, swoony, and full of characters I fell in love with.

I highlighted multiple lines in this book, which I don’t normally do for most “romcoms”, but this book has so much depth and insights that resonated with me. I can’t say it enough, I loved this book.

My only hold up that I wish happened was that Ali and Ethan waited to start dating until after her divorce papers were signed. To be fair, her ex was dating people and they were separated for some time, and he’s a big jerkface—not a deal breaker for me and this book, i still am giving it a 5 star, but I would’ve been completely lost in the story otherwise.

Do yourself a favor and mark this one for the start of summer 2024. It’s the perfect summer romance.

Content: fade to black, implied intimacy, I think some swearing (not strong at all, I can’t think of much), death, divorce, mean girls (7 graders)

I loved Nora Goes Off Script and Same Time Next Summer but I think this might be my new favorite book by Annabel Monaghan. Summer Romance is so heartwarming and the perfect summer read. I highly recommend picking this up when it publishes on June 4, 2024.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam, G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

There’s a part of us as women that sometimes forget about ourselves as we get wrapped up in caring for others. Ali is separated from her husband and going through the motions of life/motherhood. She’s lost her enthusiasm for life without even realizing it and can barely remember what she was like before kids. She’s comfortable being the people pleaser, working a couple days a week and being both the mom and dad for her children.

Enter Ethan. The man who was chosen for her by an unexpected little matchmaker. While Ethan is not the man her teenage self would have imagined falling for, he ends up being the man that brings her back to life.

Ethan has a reputation that he’s running from. He doesn’t want to be seen as a screw up for the rest of his life. He’s created a life where people need him, admire him, love him for who he is and most importantly respect him. Being called back to his hometown brings all the old baggage with it but his time there becomes more healing and maybe not so bad after all.

As a mom this book spoke to me in so many ways. I’ve never experienced Ali’s same hardships but it reminded me to take care of me, to try new things, to not be afraid to speak my mind, that parenting teens can be a challenge, and most importantly…wear the hard pants!

This book grabbed me from the get-go, even with the initial somber tone, and I finished it in 24 hours. The meet-cute had me laughing and cringing but mostly laughing. Do not skip this book! The happily ever after will give you just the right amount of that carbonated feeling!

Thank you NetGalley and Annabel Monaghan for the chance to read this wonderful book a little early.