"Summer Romance" by Annabel Monaghan is a perfect blend of heartwarming moments and laugh-out-loud humor that left me wanting to move to a small summer town.

I was a bit skeptical as a twenty-something reader, thinking I might not connect with Ali Morris, a 40-something divorcee with kids, yet I was hooked from the start!

The characters are not just adorable; they're witty and quirky, adding layers of charm to the narrative. Ali's stumble into a summer romance with Ethan was utterly endearing and their chemistry was electric. The author does an excellent job portraying the struggles of divorce, family dynamics, and parenting, making the story feel authentic and relatable.

The narrative isn't just about romance; it's a journey of rediscovery after life becomes stagnant. It's a sweet and uplifting story that goes beyond the typical summer romance tropes.

The writing flows effortlessly, making it a breeze to get through in a day.

A couple of quirks I noticed—the "carbonated" analogy for Ali's bubbly feelings was cute at first but loses its impact through overuse. Also, Ali's frequent conversations with her deceased mom were charming, but they occasionally felt a bit too frequent and slightly confusing.

"Summer Romance" is a fun, easy read that's perfect for a beach day or lounging by the pool. Whether you're in your 20s or 40s, you'll find yourself grinning and rooting for Ali's journey. Add this one to your summer 2024 TBR!

Thank you to Netgalley, Penguin Books Putnam Group for the ARC!

Oh my goodness I ADORED Nora goes off script and somehow I think this was EVEN BETTER. As a wife and mom, the themes just hit home. Loved!

What a cute story! This book was exactly what I needed to ready lately and I am so glad I was provided a copy from Netgalley in return for an honest review.

This is not just a story of a summer romance but also of a woman that was lost and was able to find herself again. Ali is a mother that lost herself over the years due to becoming a full time mom and then losing her own mother. She is able to find herself again and reconnect with her children by inadvertently falling in love with her best friend's younger brother.

There is just so much emotion in this book! you love all the characters, they are skillfully written and very relatable. You feel for the oldest daughter as she navigates her way through middle school drama; the middle child is just who she is and I love it; and the youngest is just happy to be around his mom.
Then you have the romance part of the book, where Ethan is able to help Ali find herself again.

This is a must read and I will be looking for more books from this author.

Funny, sweet and as much charm as Nora Goes Off Script, which I adored. If you like witty banter and characters you root for, read this book! This may become of my future comfort reads, which is a high bar to reach.

This was positively STUNNING. What a beautiful story about grief, love, and loss it nearly had me weeping every chapter. What i thought was going to be a sweet, lighthearted story that would make me yearn for the summer turned out to truly be a deeply heartfelt story about a mother and and the facets that come with that. I don’t want to spoil too much, but if you’re looking for something more than you’re typical romcom, Annabel Monaghan did a wonderful job creating this story and this won’t be my last time reading from her,

4.5 stars rounded up. Annabel Monaghan has become something of an auto-buy author for me. When I saw that her upcoming release, Summer Romance, was available on netgalley, I jumped at the chance to read it early. And although this book doesn't come out for 6+ months, I couldn't wait. Summer Romance is told entirely from Ali Morris's POV. And her life is a bit of a hot mess, which is kind of ironic given that she's a professional organizer. She's recently divorced, still dealing with the death of her mother, and is falling in love with her best friend's younger brother, who is only in town for the summer. Is a summer romance worth it, even when you know there's no possible ending, but an ending? Something about Monaghan's writing just resonates with me. Summer Romance felt a little bit more emotional, and maybe a little bit slower, than her other books, but it was no less powerful or poignant. Her books seem to feature older women (aka women not in their twenties), and a big theme with her books is that life can happen at any age. And I just love that. But because of that, I feel like they're more on the women's fiction spectrum of romance, rather than rom com. That's not a bad thing at all, but just something that new readers of this author should be aware of, especially given the fun illustrated cover. Scooter was totally a golden retriever type of book boyfriend, and he was truly adorable. But also reliable and supportive and just absolutely everything Ali needed.

I absolutely recommend Summer Romance, and truly think it would be a perfect summer read. Thank you so much to Monaghan, Putnam, and netgalley for early read in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars. I absolutely loved the characters in this book. I especially loved Ali’s character growth. The kids were realistic and the ex wasn’t an over-the-top monster (he still sucked). I loved how she showed and talked about grief.

A warm, quick read!

I just adore Annabel Monaghan's books! This one is the perfect summer reader with very likeable and relatable characters and a story that keeps me hooked and wanting it go on long after it is over.

Another fun beach read by Annabel Monaghan. This book will leave you feeling happy and thinking about life. The main character is a home organizer going through a divorce. She falls in love with someone in town that once caused lots of drama. The book will be great for a summer book club discussion.

Summer Romance is a coming of age journey of a 30 something, separated mom of three struggling through the grief of losing her mom, her marriage and her self.

Ali Morris is challenged by life’s circumstances to find her voice and herself with the help of her friends, neighbor, family and of course, a romance! The characters are well developed and likable (with the exception of the ex).

It is heartwarming, inspiring and relatable. Fans of Annabel Monaghan will not be disappointed with Summer Romance. It is everything you want, all wrapped up in a terrific summer read.

Summer can’t get here fast enough for this publication! Preorder your copy ASAP, you are going to love it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Books for the complimentary eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Pub Date 04 June 2024

Summer Romance is the perfect summer read! As a parent myself, I love romances with parents as main characters, especially when they fall in love and explore themselves in the midst of raising a family. Ali is dealing with that and much more when Ethan reappears in her life. What starts as a sweet summer fling continues to grow, and the experience is delightful, with a fun amount of humor and a little bit of spice. Go to a beach and start reading ASAP!

this is a sweet, fun, emotional story! I loved seeing Ali branch out of her comfort zone and find so much love and fun, but I really connected with her fear and anxiety around her want to change up her normal lifestyle after her mom died and husband left-- those kinds of things leave us so raw and emotional, I can understand the urge to just step outside the life we have and step into another "fun" one. But Ethan and Ali have the sweetest, most fun summer romance that lets Ali feel fun and love and excitement again, and I love how Ethan makes her feel that while also being a safe space for her to land. while this story had the fun elements of a summer romance, "new me" style adventure, it also touched so well on how deep sadness, loneliness, and insecurities can make us want to just escape and the rewards of doing it in a safe way. overall, very sweet, fun, emotional read. thank you for the arc!!!!

I love how quiet this book felt. The everyday aspect of their relationship and how it opened up their future into something to live within and not hope for an escape from.

My first Annabel Monaghan book was "Same Time Next Summer" when it released last year and I immediately purchased "Nora Goes Off Script." When I saw that Annabel had written another "summer-love" book, I flew through it.

In this book, Ali Morris has recently been through a divorce and gotten out of a loveless marriage, when she runs into some random man at the dog park. When her dog quite literally picks him for her by peeing on his shoe, it was basically love at first sight. What she didn't realize was, it wasn't really first sight....

The dog park man just happened to be her best friends little brother, who was all grown up now.

Ethan engrained himself in every part of Ali's life, including her kids lives and even if she tried to fight it, she fell for him hard. When she tries to push him away, he fights for her and her family. He uproots his own life to fit with hers.

It's a beautiful story about giving love another chance & truthfully I couldn't recommend it enough. Also, if you love Carley Fortune, you'll love Annabel Monaghan.

✨ Best Friend's Brother
✨ Small Town
✨ Coping with Grief

Thank you to Putnam and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review. SUMMER ROMANCE is out June 4, 2024.

How cow! Annabel Monaghan seriously knows how to write a dang good novel. Summer Romance left me speechless.
The story begins with Ali's husband telling her that he wants a divorce on the anniversary of her mother's death while she is crying her eyes out making her mother's oatmeal cookie recipe. It highlights the struggles of Ali dealing with the mother's death but also navigating a life with three children alone. She then has the most adorable meet cute at the dog park with Ethan and the Summer Romance begins. He doesn't live in town so this will only be a summer romance right? But what happens when feelings go deeper and Ali and Ethan know in their bones they are meant to be together?
I cannot wait to read even more by Annabel. Her books never disappoint!

A special thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for an advanced digital copy of this book.

This was the 3rd romcom from Annabel Monaghan I've read and she does not disappoint. She hooked me immediately with her vivid description of making oatmeal cookies (I immediately craved butter and sugar!), but Monaghan's novels are so much richer than many romcoms. This heroine was inching towards 40 and a divorce mother of 3, and while she never criticized her body as she got involved with a new man, she did bemoan her Costco underwear! She mourned the death of her mother and also came to realize some anger she had towards her. As she worked through her divorce from a self-centered man, she also came to realize the part she played in the demise of her relationship. The relationship with her kids - from the 5yo son who still adored her and crawled onto her lap to the 13yo daughter who was critical and withdrawn - was very real. And her new romance was delicious from day 1!

I adore Annabel Monaghan's books so much, while this was not my favorite of hers- it is still such a great beach read! Ali ( a professional organizer) best friend, her mom, passes away and just two years later her husband leaves her. After struggling, she finally takes off her wedding ring and puts on "hard pants" to start over. It always happens when you are not looking, but at the dog park she meets someone and what she thinks is a Summer Romance, may be something more. I loved all of the characters and story line...highly recommend!

I absolutely adored this story and all the characters in it. It is extremely relatable, as many mothers feel like they have lost themselves when motherhood, marriage and life doesn’t go as planned or expected.

This is a story about Ali who has lost her way after her mother’s passing and her husband leaving her. For a professional organizer, her life is an absolute mess. One day she decides to take her ring off and put on her “hard” or real pants, then meets someone at the dog park…the meet cute is charming much like the rest of the book. After a few dates and help with her mediation/divorce, Ali finds her confidence and her way back to being herself…and it is all thanks to Ethan. The only problem is Ethan’s life is elsewhere and he is only in town temporarily. But it’s only a summer romance, right? Or is it…

A special thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for an advanced digital copy of this book.

If you have not read Same Time Next Summer or Nora Goes Off Script, another two gems by this author.

Summer Romance is such a poignant read - I loved Ethan and Ali's romance and character development in the book. Annabel Monaghan's writing always works to heal a piece of me - and this book was no exception. This book's pacing was slower - it was not plot-driven, but it allowed you to get a holistic sense of the character's world and emotions. Each character's experiences were richly portrayed. I thoroughly enjoyed this book (4/5 stars).

This was such a fun "Second Chance" Romance! (But not the type of second chance trope we are used to!)

This was my first Annabel Monaghan novel and I am sad I'm late to the party. I loved how Ali grew back into herself, with the help of "immature" Scooter, reminding her of who she was before her marriage. She learned to stand up for herself and take chances, and she became the role model for her children she wanted to be. Monaghan has written what it means to be a mother while navigating new relationships in such an honest way.

The story moved smoothly, and kept me reading throughout the entire book. Monaghan has brought to life what it means to truly be yourself and make yourself happy, again.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy of #SummerRomance