Summer Romance tells the story of Ali Morris, who is in the process of divorcing her husband, and still grieving the loss of her mom two years earlier. She bumps into Ethan Hogan, her best friend's little brother, and begins what she intends to be a no-strings fling while he's in town for the summer. Ethan seems to be just what Ali needs to put her life back on the right track - but will he stick around for more than the summer?

I really loved Annabel Monaghan's "Nora Goes Off Script," but TBH was a little disappointed by "Same Time Next Summer." This book was very reminiscent of "Nora" and I found it really hard to put down. Highly recommend!

Annabel Monaghan tackles so many topics beautifully in SUMMER ROMANCE; it's a novel that deals with grief, the struggles of love and loss, divorce, second chance romance, and so much more... But underneath all of those big themes is an extremely relatable pure novel that is just so sweet.

I loved every page of this book; I raced through it, it's one of those books that is impossible to put down because you fall so completely in love with the characters.

Monaghan's novel tells the story of Ali, who is still grieving the loss of her mother who she shared such a personal connection with, when her husband leaves her and begins divorce proceedings; some months later, the most adorable meet cute happens in a dog park when her dog pees on a handsome man... and so many hijinks ensue from that point forward. What’s the harm in a little Summer Romance, right??

Annabel Monaghan's books never fail to put a smile on my face; they simply make me so very happy. I've been telling people for a while I was saving this one for a day that I just so desperately needed to smile, and that day finally came!

I absolutely loved SUMMER ROMANCE! I laughed and cried and couldn’t put the book down. Ali is going through a divorce and finds herself falling for Ethan whom she met at a dog park. She’s all for a summer romance but can it really end come August? Ali finds herself and connects with the woman she used to be while discovering a strength she forgot she had. This is a story about standing up for yourself, allowing love in and second chances.

This is a messy story of love, grief, family, divorce, motherhood and finding oneself again. I love that Monaghan features middle aged women trying to balance all the many roles they have while trying to not lose themselves and finding happiness.

Thank you to NetGalley and G. P. Putnam’s Sons for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I love Annabelle Monoghan's story telling. This book was so cute and had the perfect amount of humor and sadness added into the storyline. She painted the perfect picture of Beechwood. The struggles Alice went through were easy to relate to and drew me in. Scooter was the kind, patient man every woman dreams of! An easy, friends to lovers romance that's perfect for your summer vacation.

I can't wait for her next book!

So nice to read a romcom about someone older than 25! Ali’s mom died and her husband left her. She is a thirty something professional organizer whose own house is a mess. With three kids to care for and a divorce on the horizon , Ali can barely get dressed to go to the dog park. Then a new guy appears at the park and after her dog marks him… Ali’s life starts to turn around. Summer Romance is a perfect refreshment read.
Thanks Netgalley for the ARC - my opinions are my own.

I love that the FMC already had her own family. This is not something I have seen often in romance novels and it’s wonderful to see how she navigates being a present mom and dating. It was slightly predictable though and dragged out at the end for me. It's still a cute summer rom-com for the beach or pool.

Tropes/Vibes: Best Friends Brother, Recently Divorced, Summer fling but for grown-ups.
Spice: 2/5
Perspective: 1st person

Unhinged thoughts while reading: POSSIBLE SPOILERS
- LEAVE that man BABE you can do better!

- I love a man who can blow off inconveniences! SOO HOT!

- Dude! You waited this long to shoot your shot!

- He still skateboards! Why is that so cool 🥵.

Thank you to Netgalley and Putnam for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is my least favorite of Annabel’s trilogy of beach reads. I understand Ali was supposed to start as a shell of a person, but her pushover state went over far too long for me. Love where we ended up, but definitely not as fun and flirty as her previous works. I love Annnabel's writing though, and find it captivating and fun. Her humor is intelligent and carefree. I'll continue to read her books!

Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan is a sweet book that focuses on Ali, a newly single mom. Ethan, the man beau in this novel, is just the kind soul that Ali needs. She goes through the process of rediscovering herself and Ethan is just the man to show her who she is. I loved the chemistry between the characters and thought this was a perfect summer beach read.

I loooveee Annabel Monaghan and how complex her romance books are while still being relatable. The setting of Summer Romance was perfect and how she writes about characters having to rediscover and redefine themselves is so validating.

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25
Trope: Best friend’s brother
Spice: 🔥

Synopsis: Ali, on the brink of divorce, finds herself on the struggle bus as she navigates mourning the loss of her mother, and trying to confront the reality of her impending divorce. She struggles to maintain order in her home and in her personal life. However, after finally removing her wedding ring and dressing in something somewhat presentable, she has a random encounter with Ethan at the dog park. They have an immediate connection and sparks fly.

Thoughts: I could feel the emotions from Ali and her struggle with how her life turned out. I could empathize with her relatable Mom moments and I loved the journey of her rediscovery. I felt a sense of hope and renewal at the end of this book.

Many thanks to NetGallley and Putnam group for the ARC.

This was so cute. I loved seeing Ali learn who she was again and how to be a proper human. Her relationship with her kids was so sweet and they knew that they could always rely on her. Now Ethan, that man is such a sweetheart and I'm obsessed with the fact that he has loved her since they were kids. He helped her to be herself again.

I received an arc through netgalley.

5 STARS!!!! I absolutely loved this book. I wouldn't change anything about this book. It was heartfelt and mature but also had some fun summer-y themes.

Annabel Monaghan writes the best summer romance stories, so only natural she writes a book called "Summer Romance". I thought that the romance between Ethan and Ali was sweet and very cute. It was a good best friend's brother dynamic that had a wholesome he falls first dynamic. I really really enjoyed Ali's character. From the start, she is a dedicated mother who is also grieving her own mother while dealing with a divorce. She is a woman who has lost herself along the way of always putting others before herself. Whether it is her ex-husband or her children, she doesn't know what it is like to not take something for herself. Throughout the book it was inspirational to see her realize these small moments where she folds to other's wants or needs, and i loved that Ethan uplifted her and helped her realize that. Her character growth and story is what stood out to me the most. She felt very relatable and real, and i loved being able to ride along in her journey of re-discovering herself again. I feel like her story really shines the most, and the romance with Ethan comes secondary. but they pair with each other perfectly. Definitely recommend this read.

Fun, lighthearted read about a woman starting over after the death of her mother and her divorce. I was in the mood for a fluffy summer read, and this fit the bill.

Solid 3.5 stars, rounded up.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

SWOONING. OMG. Ethan?!? BRB while I present a list of notes to my husband. I am obsessed with Annabel Monaghan. I have read her books too quickly and now am suffering withdrawals.

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

This was a little bit sad and heart-wrenching but mostly just beautiful. There was a nice small amount of ex husband vengeance but mostly the focus was on how the FMC rediscovered herself. I loved it.

5 stars.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A very sweet story. Kind of like the title, it is a pretty simple and straightforward small town romance. No real twists or complications. I loved the relationship between Ali and Phyllis and found myself wanting more relationship development in other areas. Realistic and relatable. No open door steam. Certainly would make a nice and relaxing beach read.

✨ 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 ✨

𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝘆 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗲𝗹 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗵𝗮𝗻
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:
☀️ best friend’s brother
💛 single mom
☀️ small town romance
💛 dealing with grief & divorce
☀️ slow burn
💛 closed door romance/fade to black
☀️ one POV (FMC’s)

Ali has been dealing with the grief of losing her mother. Ali & her mother had not only a mother/daughter relationship, but they were best friends. Ali’s husband also left her & Ali just finds herself unable to make decisions for herself. This is till she meets a man at the dog park & this man has sparked feelings in her that she hasn’t felt in a while. When she finds out that Ethan is only here for a couple weeks, Ali decides to take a chance on a summer romance.

It’s not often I read a closed door romance, but I can always guarantee that when I read one of Annabel Monaghan’s closed door romances, I am going to love it! I loved all of the wittiness, the humor, the meet cute, the connection, the self discovery, the rollercoaster process of dealing with grief, & so much more!! If you’re looking for your next perfect beach/summer read, this one is it!

Another good one by this author! She’s got a good formula going - underloved wife with kids that randomly meets the most amazing guy and she has to convince herself she deserves it. I like how there wasn’t additional drama with the ex husband. It seemed realistic and love the setting - the town sounds adorable. I liked Ali and could understand her thoughts and feelings and wanted her to love again, and felt every anguish she felt with her kids.