Thank you Netgalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the opportunity to read this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I had high hopes for this to be a great summer read but it fell short for me. The meeting of the FMC and MMC felt rushed to me. And the writing style was just not the right fit for me.

This is a fun beach read about a woman named Ali who loses her mom, her marriage, and herself. Now a single mother navigating the stress of a divorce and custody of her three great kids, she meets Ethan at the dog park. Except, Ethan is really Scooter, the younger brother of Ali's best friend, who is only in town a short while. Everyone is shocked when Ali and Ethan start dating, saying Scooter has never been reliable. But Ethan has grown up - he's not the young foolish kid he used to be and the more Ali gets to know him, she realizes more and more about herself and the backseat she has put herself in her whole life. Life is complicated though - Ethan lives 4 hours away and Ali is not about to uproot her 3 kids. Will this be a summer fling, or is there a way it could blossom into something more?

Super sweet book with relatable characters going through circumstances that were real and vulnerable. A good summer read with the right amount of lightheartedness and depth! Thank you kindly to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this title.

I really love Annabel Monaghan so this was a no brainer for me. This was nice and enjoyable but I didn't think it was anything CRAZY good. It was just...nice. I was waiting for the moment when Ali makes a stupid decision due to a lack of communication and sure enough, there it was. But although Ethan was upset he didn't doubt her AT ALL and made giant life decisions on assumptions. He seemed too good to be true, especially after his high school reputation. In any event, this was still enjoyable and I would still recommend it and this author.

An absolute delight! Monaghan has a gift for making you feel like your truly know a character. Exploring grief, how it changes us, how we cope with the fact that those we have loved and lost were still only human, all done with such beauty and tenderness. And yet, it’s still a romance! With a decently good walking green flag velour tracksuit wearing man! It’s still early, but this one is in the running for my favorite summer romance. I’ve had a book hangover ever since.

Light, engaging, and thoughtful, Summer Romance might be a perfect addition to your beach bag this summer.

Ali finds herself in a tough situation. She’s grieving the passing of her mom and the loss of her marriage. Ali’s a professional organizer whose life and cupboards are a mess. One day she meets someone in the park and sparks fly. There’s no harm in a summer romance, is there?

I love thoughtful and substantial women’s fiction that has more to offer than romance. Since reading Managhan’s debut, Nora Goes Off Script, I’ve been a fan of this author. She doesn’t try too hard or over-write. Her characters are complex and multilayered, her writing is engaging, and her themes are thoughtful. Although there’s drama, her stories are not trauma-filled. Heartfelt, but no ugly crying. I have her on my auto-buy and auto-request list. For readers who love spice and steam, the bedroom door is not firmly closed, but explicit details are minimal. Some readers prefer firmly closed-door (sweet and chaste). but I find Monaghan’s books just about right for my reading tastes.

Monaghan’s Ali is relatable and some of us can imagine experiencing what she experiences. Ali is starting over after difficult losses, picking up the pieces of her life after grief, and rebuilding after a failed marriage. Ali faces all this in realistic ways and with a sense of humor. Not too snarky, but entertaining and authentic. Her love interest is a stand-up guy, and their dogs add an element of cuteness to the story. These are characters you can root for.

Content Consideration: grief, loss of a mom, deserted by a husband

If you loved Nora Goes Off Script, I can recommend Summer Romance for this summer’s TBR. Light, engaging, and thoughtful, it might be a perfect addition to your beach bag. Book Clubs might enjoy this one and find lots to discuss.

Thanks #NetGalley @PenguinUSA @PutnamBooks for a complimentary e ARC of #SummerRomance upon my request. All opinions are my own.

I am a huge fan of Annabel Monahan's first novel Nora Goes Off Script and now I am a huge fan of Summer Romance. Ali is in the midst of a divorce and grieving the death of her beloved mother. She is stuck. Although she has a small business as an organizer, her house is a mess. On a visit to the dog park, she meets a good looking man named Evan. He is interested in her, but he seems too good to be true. After a promising first date, she learns that he is her good friend's unreliable younger brother "Scooter." Ali has had enough of unreliable men, but Evan seems different. Ali is so attracted to him that she gives him a chance. In some ways Evan seems too good to be true. Their relationship is easy in a way that Ali's marriage never was. But Ali has three children and strong ties to her hometown while Evan lives several hours away. Will this just be a summer romance? I like how Ali's relationship[p with Evan causes Ali to reevaluate her marriage and how she realizes she allowed certain things to happen which diminished her. While I don't like the man as savior trope, I did feel that her growth was realistic even if her relationship with Evan gave her the push and support she needed to make some changes, I particularly like Ali's relationship with her preteen daughter Greer and the honest discussions they had. Those discussions also led Ali to rethink her marriage. Evan's struggles with his family who have never acknowledged how much he has changed since he was a problem teenager adds some complexity to his character. I highly recommend this romance.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

LOVED THIS! The perfect summer read!

Ali Morris’ life isn’t exactly panning out the way she had planned. Fresh into a separation from her husband and still grieving the death of her beloved mother two years prior, Ali isn’t worn “real” pants in god knows how long. As a professional organizer, she finds herself incapable of even organizing her own life.

When Ali runs into an attractive fellow dog owner at the dog park - she’s taken by his care free persona and the way he sees her as more than a failed marriage and mother of three kids. When Ali finds out this handsome stranger is no other than her best friend’s younger brother who is in town for the summer - she starts to wonder if maybe a summer romance is exactly what she needs.

Summer Romance is equally as lovely as Annabel Monaghan’s two earlier novels, Nora Goes Off Script and Same Time Next Summer. Romantic and heartfelt - Summer Romance captures the essence of falling in love for the first time after heartbreak and the changing dynamics that come with both being a mother and losing your parents. This NEEDS to be on your summer reading list.

Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, Annabel Monaghan and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I wanted to love it based on the synopsis and the hype but it was lacking in every way possible. Save your money

I would give anything to climb back into this world for a few more minutes! Monaghan’s FMCs are so real to me that it feels like I just got back from a lunch with Ali where she told me everything that’s been going on in her life.

I am floored by the author’s ability to weave complex topics such as grief, divorce, and parenting into a somehow also lighthearted story about how finding the right person can help you regain control of your life.

I’m excited to have another auto-buy author on my list. Thank you, Annabel Monaghan, for choosing to write such strong, complicated, loving women!
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📚 Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam, and Annabel Monaghan for the ARC of “Summer Romance” in exchange for my honest review!

Loved this one even more than Nora Goes Off Script! Great summer beach read for Millennials who may find themselves transitioning into a new chapter in life. Heartwarming and fun!

This is THE summer reading !!! Perfect to binge on the beach. So cute, fast paced, the dogs??? Yes count me in. Ethan the man you are!! It has the perfect amount of emotion, fun and spice. P E R F E C T

Love love loved this so so much! Annabel Monaghan is one of my favorite romance writers out there and this is no exception. Absolutely a knockout book for your summer romance vibes!

I wanted to like this book. Maybe it's the end of school year chaos but the book seemed very slow. Ali is divorced, raising her 3 children, a doormat to her ex-husband, still grieving her mother's death. She runs into a guy and somehow wants to become a stronger person. Spoiler, she does, but the book dragged for me.

4.5 stars! ⭐️

I loved this one - perfect summer romance vibes!
(just as the title suggests 😂)

I really enjoyed that while the romance was key, it wasn’t the whole focus of the plot. Ali’s growth, self discovery and grief was so honest and moving but the book still felt lighthearted overall.

I can’t wait to read more of Annabel’s books in the future - thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC!

Summer romance was an adorable contemporary read where there was a lot of growth in all the characters. I loved the two leads and their chemistry and was rooting for them the whole way through. I loved the idea that the male lead had feelings for her since childhood only to have them realized as an adult. Definitely recommend.

“You’re the architect of your own experience”

I just adore Annabel Monaghan and I will read anything and everything that she writes. Her stories are smart and heart warming and her writing style is so descriptive that in this case, I could actually see the scenery during Ali’s kayaking trips!

Our main character is a professional organizer who helps others get their lives in order while her life is still a hot mess! Our FMC recently lost her mother and somehow, Monaghan found a way to give us a romance while following Ali along on her journey of healing and finding her own identity outside of motherhood. I lost my father earlier this year so it was so fitting that I finished this book on Father’s Day! Reading the Author’s Note on this day was a form of therapy that I did not know I needed. Thank you for tackling on grief in a way that was not sad, but hopeful! Just like Ali (and Monaghan, as per the Author’s Note at the end), I too have daily conversations with my father!

If you are looking for a heart warming, picture perfect summer book, then definitely pick this one up for a sweet summer escape filled with skateboarding, kayaking and dogs! The family and friends in this story are just perfection and the love story was just the cutest thing ever. For the romance part, this one remained closed door, which means it’s perfect for those of you who prefer to stay away from the 🌶️. I would have preferred a little more chemistry/spice (like in Nora Goes Off Script…which is still one of my faves!) BUT I really did enjoy this book.

A big thank you to Net Galley, Putnam Books and Annabel Monaghan for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

4.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 for me!

This was just a beautiful, heartwarming story. I loved the relationship between Ali and Scooter, and how the author showed the change/growth in Ali throughout the story. Thank you for the ARC of Summer Romance.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy. This was another sweet book by Annabel Monaghan. I appreciate the “older” main character and her complicated history, her willingness to stand up to her (ex) husband, and the determination to find true happiness. I really resonate with the - even though there will be grief and sadness, the good times and happiness outweigh the strife.

This is my second book of Annabel’s and I am so glad I was able to read it! If you’re looking for a chill & laid back beach read - I have to tell you, this is NOT your book & that is just fine! In true Annabel Monaghan form, she dives into the complexities of life - addressing many different topics & Summer Romance was no different.

Jumping right in to the divorce process for MC Ali, while grieving the loss of her mother & working to co-parent (where she is more so the primary parent) her 3 children. The divorce and grief has left her numb to most things & her world has drastically shifted. Add in a fair share of small town dynamics & a best friend’s brother trope, and you’ve got this sweet storyline!

In following Ali’s journey, you can see how Annabel has such a way of detailing the various situations that the characters go through, in such a unique and interesting way. I thoroughly appreciate the care and attention she brings to her books and look forward to reading more! ☺️