A champagne summer sounds fun. A feel good romance between a divorcee and her best friend’s little brother. Ali was a good character had relatable moments as a single mom entering the dating world. There was also humor and lots of swoony moments that will make you smile.

Anything that Annabel Monaghan writes, I WILL READ. This did not disappoint. I was so excited to get the ARC because I loved her previous two books. What a wonderful story to read. Finished in under 24 hours because I couldn't put it down!

Ali's mom passed away two years ago. On the anniversary of her death, her husband asks her for a separation. One year later, he is ready to file for divorce. Ali has let her life fall apart into grief after her mom's passing. She's barely hanging on, but the ask for a divorce sparks something in her that she hasn't felt in a while. She's ready to get her life moving again. On her first day trying to get out of her grief, she ends up at a dog park where her dog chooses the cutest guy there, Ethan, to pee on. She's mortified by her dog's actions, but thrilled at the possibility of starting something new with Ethan. From there a summer romance starts to bloom and Ali is able to finally see a bright side to the future.

Ali is such a relatable character dealing with real grief over her mom and her marriage, untangling how she became this version of herself, and finding her way to be who she wants to be next. On the flip side, I didn't find the character of Ethan very relatable. I liked his character, but he seemed too perfect and I wish he had a few more flaws that would make him seem more real. Because of that, I didn't fully buy into their romance. The book is worth the read to fall in love with Ali and watch her grow throughout the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC of Summer Romance.

This was the perfect summer romance. I really enjoyed this one. A newly divorced mom finds love and the setting was full of summer activities.

I put off reading this book because the premise didn’t appeal to me. Since I lost my mother-in-law (who is the antithesis of all mother-in-law stereotypes) I don’t love reading books that delve into grief. But, I wish I hadn’t put off reading this book. I needed it months ago (maybe years) and I just devoured it. It’s currently 1:45 a.m., I have a board meeting in less than 6 hours, and I’m taking the time to share how much I loved a book - that should tell you something right there.

The romance in this book was gentle and healing, Ali’s grief journey was authentic, her approach to motherhood was aspirational, Phyllis is who I want to be when I’m older…I may be Frannie right now. I loved this book, start to finish, and cannot wait to reread it.

You know those people you meet & you just instantly click like you've known & loved them forever? That is this book. I just feel hard & fast - it was like my favorite sweater wrapping me up in the best hug that made me smile, shed a tear, swoon & keep turning pages to see what sweet moment would happen next. Ethan is my new book boyfriend. Annabel Monaghan is officially on my auto buy list & this book is so dang cute I can't stop smiling, so if you haven't read it yet, please pick it up because I adored it so so much & want everyone to know how gosh dang cute & good it is.

“Because that’s what life is—joy peppered by loss. It’s why you get a dog. And then you get another dog. Madness repeating itself just to get another taste of joy.” Just a quote from the book that I liked. I’ve read a couple other books by Annabel Monaghan and this one was a really good read. It was so easy to fall in love with Ethan and Ali’s characters! This book was heartfelt and funny at the same time! If you are wanting a rom com to read during the summer I would recommend picking this one up! Thanks to Netgalley for this advanced readers copy.

I found this book to be a delightful read, filled with warmth and heart. Ali, dealing with the loss of her mother and navigating a divorce, embarks on a journey of rediscovery and happiness. The characters are engaging, and the storyline is compelling, blending fun banter with poignant moments.

Ali's relationship with her mom and her neighbor Phyllis tugs at your heartstrings unexpectedly. A particularly touching scene between Ali and her daughter Greer reveals surprising wisdom amidst the typical drama of seventh grade. Witnessing Ali's growth, her evolving relationship with Ethan, and her bond with her children is truly heartwarming.

Overall, I enjoyed the book's mix of lighthearted moments and touching scenes that brought tears to my eyes. It embodies the charm typical of an Annabel Monaghan novel, with just the right amount of emotional depth. Plus, you might as well have a dog alongside these characters—it adds to the cozy feel of the story.

When we meet Ali, she’s grieving the loss of her mother and the end of her marriage. She is stuck in a rut and hasn’t been taking care of herself and has been absent from her own life. One day, she gets motivated to go to the dog park and her dog pees on a handsome man. Enter: Ethan. Ethan is funny, smart, kind, and doesn’t live in town. Ali thinks she can sign up for a summer romance, but as a rom-com, this obviously develops into something so much more. I loved how the exposition was done in this book. You slowly start to understand just how Ali got to this point in her life and really root for her to find her happiness. Ethan is very sweet, although a couple of his memories and how obsessed he was with Ali back in high school took me out of the story a couple of times. I do love how you come to understand him as well and why he doesn’t want to move back to his hometown. I adored Phyllis and her insights. Frannie was a bit annoying and her parents were very inconsiderate of their children, but I didn’t hate them. I really loved that the characters weren’t all in their 20s and felt like fully fleshed out people with realistic problems. The relationships all had depth to them and felt so human. I do wish we had gotten a little bit more time with Ethan’s trajectory as his story felt a bit rushed towards the end. I do also wish Ali’s motivation to put herself back together stemmed a lot less from finding a new love and was more inspired by how her emotional absence was impacting her children. It just felt like a really easy way to fall into a bad pattern. Overall, I really liked this book and how it tackled the topics of loss, divorce, and finding yourself again. I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a romance book with a little more substance. I give it 4/5 stars. There is sexual tension but no spice, the one scene is closed door/fade to black. Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

I really liked this one in the beginning but it lost me about halfway through. A little too corney and predictable for me. Thank you to @putnambooks and @netgalley for my copy!

I really enjoyed this cute, sweet, and funny summer romance (no pun intended) book! I’ve read a few from this author and so far, this is probably my favorite! Perfect summer read!

I waited way too long to read this. I expected a typical rom com and this wasn’t. I liked that the female main character was “older” and not a young 20 something. The divorce and grief angle added interesting elements. I liked Ali’s friendship with Phyllis. Overall I really enjoyed this. 4.5 stars.

Summer Romance is the perfect little beach read. It's cute and charming and sweet. Ali Morris' life is a mess, she is a newly single mom that is still grieving the loss of her mother, who passed 2 years ago. She has three wonderful kids whom she loves dearly but Ali is lost. She is trying to find herself and it's not until she meets Ethan, that she begins to see herself in a new light and finds joy again. It's a pretty predictable storyline but it's a fun one to read. What I love about Annabel Monaghan's characters is that they are older and have lived life but also make mistakes and fix them. It's more realistic and less dramatic.

I loved the setting of this book, it made me want to visit and rent a little cottage, walk to town to grab some ice cream. It was so adorable. I also really liked Ali's kids, they are pretty true to life and representational of a mom with 3 kids. I loved the chemistry between Ali and Ethan, their funny "meet cute", and just the mature way they handled their romance: like adults with pasts. It's a light & delightful book that I loved. I'll always read Annabel Monaghan books.

Loved this one! I love the older characters. So relatable. I enjoyed the story and how the characters were a little quirky but so kind. Definitely a winner

This was a fantastic read I read it five stars. I love the heartwarming parts of the main character, talking with her mom and the romance and motherhood aspects. This is one of the best of her books 3 cheers for Ali.

This book was just so sweet. I loved the perspective of a story about a woman finding herself again after divorce. I’ve read so many romances about twenty-something’s falling in love for the first time. This felt fresh and incredibly relatable. I would certainly recommend this to a friend for a heartwarming summer read!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

Another romantic masterpiece by Annabel Monaghan! This is so delightfully BRILLIANT. The characters are so realistic, and you can't help becoming fully invested in the outcome.

Ali is a professional "organizer"...but her own life is anything but. She is truly a mess with a capital M. Her husband left her and the kids on the anniversary of her mother's death. I truly loathed her ex, Pete. He is a total tool! Ali is finally at the realization that something has to give...she must put on her big girl pants (not sweatpants!) and somehow move forward in her life that has become stagnant by her grief.

Enter swoony Ethan and the perfect remedy for starting to live again, a summer romance! Ali and Ethan have the cutest meet cute ever and a dreamy first date...then Ali discovers the true identity of who Ethan is: her best friend's younger brother, Scooter now all grown up!

The backstories are so emotionally charged! Ethan trying to break away from his youthful identity that his family and the town hold onto. Ali also trying to rebuild her identity and find the woman she used to be. She was shut down so long by her ex but also her beloved mother who always stepped in to help which in essence prevented Ali from doing things and to be her own person.

I adored Ethan so much! If I wasn't a married woman and he wasn't a fictional character...be still my heart! lol This book had it all, kids and dogs, and sweetness overload. I appreciated that we had mature, flawed characters who were simply trying to become better people. They communicated and supported one another...and just got each other. It was refreshing that our couple acted their age, too. The emotional depth captured me as much as the heartfelt romance and the journey to discovering how to fully live.

I'm still smiling!

5 stars

The author's books always start off slow for me, but I end up really enjoying them, and this one was no exception Despite being heavier than I originally anticipated this was a great summer read.

Ali Morris, a professional organizer with a not-so-organized life, is dealing with the loss of the mother she put on a pedestal and a recent divorce. When life takes a surprising turn when she meets Ethan, thanks for her dog. Ethan sees through her lack of "hard pants" for who she truly is. I loved this trope ( I won't ruin the small surprise). Balancing emotional depth with some laugh-out-loud moments, this book is the perfect blend of romance and growth.

This was definitely a cute book that kept my interest with Ali learning to move on after she’s getting divorced and her mother has passed. It definitely felt like a cute summer romance with a vibrant community!

I was excited to read Annabel Monoghan's newest release. I enjoyed several of Monoghan's previous releases including Nora Goes Off Script.

Ali Morris has had a rough spell to say the least. Her beloved mother dies and her husband announces that he no longer loves her or wants to be married. As a mother of three younger children, Ali is sliding through life in autopilot until her best friend's younger brother returns to their hometown. What could be better than a summer romance? Will Ali get more than she bargains for in a summer romance?

This is a fun easy "beach read" with some substance. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.