I 🩷 Ali and Ethan! This book not only had me smiling over the romance, it also motivated me to organize my home! Win win! This is the perfect summer romance (😉) but also explores deeper themes of grief and motherhood. I highlighted some things about being a mom that I resonated with. I like that Annabel Monaghan writes love stories with main characters who are in their 30s and 40s. She also just has a lovely writing voice.

Cheers to a champagne summer 🥂

Closed door romance but still sexy!

First thank you to NetGalley and Penguin random house for the ARC.

I love this book with all my heart. First the writing and the quotability of this book is phenomenal there are so many things that I have underlined.

Second the way it deals with so many topics are done in a beautiful way. This deals with grief, divorce, relationships, self esteem, many different types of relationships, and of course love. This love is not only between the two love interests but also between Ali and her children.

Third, I absolutely loved Ethan and the way he cares about people. The people at the skate park, Ali, his family, Ali’s kids etc. He’s just overall a great person and he is able to show he cares in so many different ways.

Finally, I loved that the characters were actually able to communicate with each other how they are feeling. I’m not a huge fan of miscommunication in books and there was none of that here. I just love this book so much.

The synopsis for SUMMER ROMANCE gives nothing away, but I knew I was probably going to love it. I still haven't read Monaghan's debut adult romance but I was kind of obsessed with SAME TIME NEXT SUMMER when I read it last year. Her writing was so addicting and enjoyable.

I think it was really fun to go in without knowing what exactly would happen - so many hidden tropes in this one (some of my favorites too!). It’s a testament to how much I want to read her books that I read a story involving fresh grief, fresh divorce, and a MC with young children - a few things I tend to avoid. Monaghan did a great job weaving those elements into the story without making it feel like it was ABOUT those topics. It really was about a summer romance and a main character finding herself again after many years of living in a fog.

I'll be honest - it took me so long to get into this! I was never in the mood to pick it up during the early chapters and I do think it's because I didn't know what to expect. In the back of my mind I knew once I sat down and actually read it, I’d finish it in a sitting... and that’s pretty much what happened.

The male love interest is a skateboarder, which is a totally underrated MMC character trope. I love a skater boy for obvious reasons. Her skateboarding terminology could have been better and sometimes took me out of it (not every ramp is a half pipe - I highly doubt he had an actual half pipe in his basement... mini ramp or just a plain ramp would have been fine!). Not bad when that is my only complaint though ;)

I swooned so much while reading - I genuinely felt giddy on almost every page. If I had just made the attempt early on, I absolutely would have finished in a sitting. I loved the setting (NY near CT), especially during the summer, and the cute small town of Beechwood. I predicted a lot of things but I'm really glad because it just meant that the character was destined to do what called to me as the reader... if that makes sense.

It's clear that this author is a new auto-read for me and I'm definitely going to have to read NORA GOES OFF SCRIPT as soon as possible.

I really loved this book, it was so so sweet! There's something about the way Annabel Monaghan writes that is so unique but it just pulls you in every time. This was fast but also perfectly paced at the same time? I loved Ali and Ethan's relationship, especially how understanding he was when she wanted their relationship to move at a slower pace. He was just everything. Even though this was a cute romance book, it was so much deeper than that, there were some hard topics and obstacles to overcome and I loved how they gave this book so much more depth. Overall, I 100% recommend this book, I think its for everyone!

This book was fun and flirty. A perfect summer read for anyone needing one. I think I was not in the mood for a romance coming off of so many romances, but I still Really enjoyed the storytelling and characters. I would Love to re read this next summer and see where my opinion lands.

Definitely will give her other boos a try after this one!

Annabel Monaghan has quickly risen to the list as one of my favorite authors. All it took was a little book called Nora Goes Off Script and I was hooked. Now I will read each and everything thing she writes....probably even her grocery list, if given the opportunity.

This book tells the story of Ali who is dealing with the death of her mother and separation from her husband. She is stuck and can't seem to move forward. She's an organizer who can't manage to put groceries away or open bills. She's been wearing pants without a zipper and is barely functioning. Her soon to be ex is nothing but critical of her - - even in front of their children, But everything seems to change the day she meets a kind man named Ethan at the dog park.

Ethan is the best book boyfriend. As someone who is battling his own demons, he definitely knows how to reach out and speak to someone who is battling their own. He and Ali set off on a "summer romance" with few expectations but of course their emotions run wild and plans change.

This was just such a good book. I love seeing someone find their way through a difficult time and back to the other side. It's even better when they find an encourager but also when they want to do it for themself. Ali wanted to do it for herself and her kids. But Ethan also inspired her as well. Highly recommend this one as a solid summer read.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.

Great romance for women of all ages. As mom in her 30s I really appreciated a FMC who I could relate to much more closely than other romance novels. Overall very cute, quick read and I would definitely recommend!

awe a cute fun read! i didn’t except to like a mom romcom as much as i did. thank you to NetGalley for this opportunity!

What a book! I’m a big Annabel Monaghan fan and she did not disappoint with this novel!

5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Ali is in the thick of life. She’s getting divorced, grieving her mother, and parenting. Even though she’s a professional organizer her house and life feels very messy. That is until her dog pees on Ethan at the dog park. They begin a summer fling and Ali starts to discover more about herself, her mother, and her kids a long the way. But nothing is ever as simple as it seems.

Ethan is the perfect book boyfriend. I loved him! Like Annabel’s other books there’s a lot of the main characters self discovery. Ali’s growth in this book is so amazing. I loved that she grew as a person but also as a mother. The kids were written amazing as usual and I even laughed out loud at parts.

Would highly recommend this book!

Summer Romance
By Annabel Monaghan

I absolutely adore Monaghan’s books and this one is no exception! This book is a balm for the soul, gave me all the feels! This book was truly special and I read through it in a weekend! Highly recommend!! I also loved that the main character was named Ali since that is my name 😎

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the digital advanced readers copy!! Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Add it to your TBR!!

Another major slay from Miss Anabel!! This was such a great read. While I couldn’t relate to some of the themes like single motherhood or divorce, I could absolutely empathize with them. My heartstrings were constantly being tugged on and it was a refreshing change of pace from a lot of my other recent reads. Ethan and Ali had such good chemistry and banter. I found myself smiling and swooning so much while reading them. They deserve all the happiness!!! This was a great summer read!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of “Summer Romance” by Annabel Monaghan. All opinions are my own.

I loveeeeed this book. By far my favorite of hers so far!!! I read the other two last summer (thank you netgalley!!!) and will continue to request and beg for anything else she writes.


I literally read “Summer Romance” in one afternoon at the pool. I couldn’t put it down.

Annabel Monaghan writes the type of romance that is fun to read. That doesn’t mean the subject-matter is cheesy; her books contain authentic characters dealing with real-life struggles. (Divorce, identity, and grief) The chemistry between these characters is pitch perfect and hit me in the feels. You will be rooting for them right away. I’m amazed how she can craft these characters so fully in such a small amount of words. Five stars! I will be recommending this one all summer.

I never like a third act breakup. Buuut...in Summer Romance, I could appreciate it. I could feel Annabel Monaghan's heart in this book.

Summer Romance had me thoroughly hooked the first 50% of the novel. I was so captivated by the main character’s next chapter and newfound confidence, but the second half fell a little flat. The story of a divorced mom finding herself is a such an important story to be told, but the ending seemed a little hurried.

DNF at 50%. This story was so bland - I realized I just didn’t care to see the rest of it. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the free ebook and PRH audio for the free audiobook.

Summer Romance by Anna Monaghan you can root for. And while I enjoyed the story and her reading about her comeback it wasn't a favorite of mine by her. I loved her first one but the second book and even this one felt like the heroines weren't really likeable. But it was still a good story and I will be picking up other books by her in the future.

This book has so many layers that so many will relate to, and the main character deals with them in such real ways; the loss of a marriage, the loss of a parent, the dealings of a daughter in middle school are just a few things this main character tackles, and in the process, she comes to find her true self. The line that truly got me (and may have brought on some tears) was, “Because that’s what life is-joy peppered by loss.” This book is a definite recommend for those who enjoy a good “summer romance.”

This is by far my favorite book so far in 2024. It is adorable. Characters are lovable! The story is so relatable in every aspect, from single parenthood, divorce, death, new love all wrapped up in a book! I absolutely adored this book! 5 STARS!

A novel about dealing with loss and moving on.
Ali can’t seem to move beyond grief over her mother’s passing and the limbo of her separation from her husband.
She thinks a summer fling might jump start her life again.
Naturally, it’s more than a fling.
I thought Ali was bland until she began to take charge of her life and live it instead of being a passive member on the sidelines.