Annabel Monaghan’s bones are always an auto read for me! I can’t get enough of them and really enjoyed this one! I loved that it highlighted a divorced lead role and an unlikely relationship. This book was full of friendship, family, romance and also loss. I couldn’t put it down!

Summer Romance
By Annabel Monaghan

This book was such a good read. I really enjoyed getting to know Ali and Ethan in this heartwarming romance. It begins with a meet cute. I won’t tell you how it ends. While it is a romance, this book was realistic and emotional.

I have loved all of Annabel Monaghan’s books so far. I recommend them all.

Thank you @netgalley and Penguin Group Putman for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Net galley for sending me an arc copy of this gem.
I think I found a new favorite author to add to my list. Annabel Monaghan nailed it with this summer romance! It gave me all the feels! As a mom who has been previously married and then found a new better me and someone to love who genuinely loves me this book touched me in so many ways. I can tell before reading the acknowledgements that this author wrote from the heart and this was a personal story for them.
This book is a great summer read! Although I can see myself reading it again any time in the year too. It felt so good to read. It's wholesome and has appropriate spice. I loved the characters and the setting was perfect.
I can see myself buying this book for friends. I might even do that this summer and gift it in a gift basket with some wine.
If you're thinking about reading this book I can say with confidence that it's a great read.

Summer Romance follows Ali, a professional organizer whose own life could use a refresh. When we meet Ali, she has so much on her plate. She’s a single mom trying to raise three children, and she’s also grieving the loss of her mom, as well as dealing with the fallout from her recent divorce. Ali loves her children, but a chance encounter with Ethan, a handsome man at the dog park, opens Ali’s eyes to the fact that she hasn’t felt truly happy in far too long.

Even though Ali is immediately attracted to Ethan, she’s unsure if it’s really the right time for romance, but the more she thinks about it, the more she decides to just go for it, even if it just ends up being a summer fling.

The budding romance starts off on an awkward note when Ali realizes that Ethan is actually her best friend’s younger brother “Scooter” all grown up. But Ethan is so charming and so adorable that Ali soon gets past that. I loved the romance between Ethan and Ali. They have such amazing chemistry and their scenes together are just so moving. I also love how they’re able to have such frank conversations with one another. It’s easy to see how good they could be for each other if they’re willing to make this more than just a summer romance.

In addition to the romance, what I most loved about this book is Ali’s very relatable personal journey. She truly transforms throughout the course of the book and it was just so wonderful to witness.

Kristen DiMercurio’s narration of the audiobook is fantastic and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to her bring Monaghan’s writing and her characters to life. I found both the audio and ebooks equally bingeable!

If you’re looking for a heartfelt and swoony summer romance that also features an emotional journey of self discovery, be sure to pick up a copy of Summer Romance.

I absolutely loved this book! Ali was such a likable main character and I was rooting for her from the beginning. She was incredibly strong as she manages grief from losing her mother and feeling lost after her husband, Pete, divorces her. When Ali meets Ethan, she is excited to feel something for somebody new after her divorce. However, it becomes complicated when she realizes Ethan is her best friend's younger brother who is in town fixing up his parents' house. Ali makes a deal with Ethan to help him clean up his parents' house in exchange for him being her divorce lawyer. I loved the romance between Ali and Ethan, and how Ali never stopped making her kids her main priority. This book was an addictive read, and perfect for the summer.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP, Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC!

I was introduced to Annabel Monaghan last summer through another eARC I was granted, Same Time Next Summer. After reading that, I immediately read Nora Goes Off Script (another eARC, there seems to be a theme here!) As you can imagine, I was very excited to get early access to the newest Annabel Monaghan. Ali and Ethan stole my heart and by the end I felt like I was going to run into them when I was out and about. Monaghan's characters are always incredibly relatable and I completely understood the thought processes and feelings that Ethan and Ali were going through. I laughed out loud, I cried a little bit and I cheered this couple on. Monaghan's books are perfect summer reads. The plots is realistic, heartwarming and wonderful. Highly suggest when you are looking for a book to lift your heart!

Ali is a 38-year-old with 3children going through a divorce. Also grieving her mother her life seems quite a mess until Ethan comes along and what starts out as a summer fling, Ali worries about the complications of it developing into something more.
This book was so satisfying. You could feel the chemistry between Ali and Ethan and the love they have for each other. A fun lighthearted read perfect for summer!
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the advanced copy.

I will read anything Annabel Monaghan writes. I've enjoyed her other books and this one didn't disappoint. She is a solid go to rom- com author. I give this five stars and highly recommend this summer read. Go get your copy now!

This story is told in first person by Ali. Ali’s the mother of three, still grieving her mother and in the middle of a divorce. Even though she’s a personal organizer, her own home is a bit of a mess. As soon as she said that she organized pantries fit for a serial killer, I was enthralled with this character. I found her very relatable. She has an embarrassing meet cute when her dog Ferris pees on a cutie in the park.

Ethan was a great character too. He’s returned home for a visit since his parents have a big announcement. His family treats him like he’s still an irresponsible teenager who will never amount to much, even though he’s a successful lawyer with his own legal practice in another state. His family is full of colorful characters that I really loved even if I was irritated by their insistence on calling Ethan a nickname he disliked.

I loved the relationship that develops between these two as they embarked on what was supposed to be a summer romance but turned into something more, leading Ali to believe that she was going to be hurt considerably when the summer ends because her life is here and Ethan’s is not. What a beautiful romance filled with good supporting characters and true to life issues.

Recommended for a great summer romance read. What an apt name!

Thank you to Netgalley and GP Putnam’s Sons for a copy provided for an honest review.

Love a heart-warming tear jerker 😍 loved the characters, loved the families, loved the town. I just really enjoy Monaghan's writing and it absolutely sucked me in!

This was such a sweet summer read! All of Annabel’s books are simply a breath of fresh air and the perfect palette cleansers! You can expect a cute scenery and even cuter MMC {highly recommend picturing Glen Powell} 🤭

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC 🫶🏼

Witty, sentimental and romantic- this story was a breath of fresh air. As always, Monaghan does an amazing job with character development, allowing readers to connect and feel a range of emotions. I loved following Ali’s journey of healing from her mom’s passing and overcoming her divorce. The unexpected meet-cute was hilarious and relatable. I loved Ali and Ethan’s love story. Helping one another to heal from their past, they brought out the best in each other- which is the true definition of love. Tender moments of vulnerability, self-discovery, playful banter and the perfect ending- made this story so enjoyable and memorable.

This was adorable! I particularly loved the main characters - Ali & Ethan - and was rooting for them every step of the way. I would put this in the romcom PLUS category because there are themes of grief and starting over after divorce in this novel that really made me care even more for our main character of Ali and what she was going through. Ethan was utterly adorable and I just wanted to hug him immediately and their "meet cute" involved two really adorable canine characters which made me love it even more!

There's nothing mind-blowing or new or different in this one but who cares?! It was adorable, fun, and emotional in all the ways I want a Summer RomCom to be!

Read This If You Love:
RomComs
Best Friend's Brother
Meet Cute
Small Town Romance
Closed Door Romance
Single Mom
Books Featuring Adorable Dogs

I listened on audio and definitely recommend it! It was an easy, breezy listen and would be a perfect read or listen laying by the pool with a cocktail in hand!

Thank you to Netgalley & Penguin Random House Audio for these advanced copies in exchange for my honest opinion.

Annabel Monaghan has done it once again with creating a perfect story that is so heartwarming and relatable, with Summer Romance. She threw it out of the park with Ali and how messy her life is when we first meet her, but with the true supporting cast she has around her, Ali is able to find out more about how to navigate life with her kids, divorce and the loss of her mom.

The perfect way to tie in the beautiful meaning of love and the meaning of being there for someone, along with dealing with grief and loss, this was a breath of fresh air. Monaghan has such a way of creating a perfect blend in romance and women's fiction in this beautiful story.

As expected, Annabel Monaghan has done it again with an amazing summer romance story! All of the characters were so well developed and relatable allowing true emotional connections to play a role in the reading experience. The love story between Ethan and Ali was admirable and I enjoyed how they each played a pivotal role in each others’ lives to help in making them the best versions of themselves. This entire story was perfection. It was funny, empathetic, real and raw and the ending was sensational! I highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and Putnam for a #gifted eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Summer Romance
By: Annabel Monaghan
Review Score: 5 Stars

Boogie’s Bulletpoints
•I loved Ali’s entire evolution in this story.

•No spoilers, but man. Pete is an awful husband lol.

•Monaghan weaves life and love with grief so seamlessly; I felt allllll the emotions.

•This book was the perfect summer read.

————————————————————————————————

Summer Romance was kindly provided as an ARC by Netgalley. Thank you for allowing me to enjoy this wonderful book!

Release Date: Out Now!

You guys, this book was so wonderful.

We meet Ali, a mom of 3 who is going through a divorce all while still coming to grips with the loss of her Mom, who passed away 2 years ago. She finally comes out of the fog and meets Ethan, a man that seems perfect for a quick and fun summer fling. But, of course, it doesn’t work that way.

I loved this story. The setting, the people, yes, but also, the emotions that a family can feel as they go through a series of hard things. I really resonated with those complicated feelings.

While there is definitely some heavier stuff, this book also has fun banter, a beautiful setting, and the perfect summer vibe. I laughed, I cried, I loved this book.

Ali Morris is struggling. As Ali is still trying to find herself again following her mother's passing, her husband leaves, and, arguably most tragic of all, she hasn't worn pants with a zipper in too long. Maybe a fun, carefree summer romance can help Ali get a bit of her old self back. When she runs into a hot guy at the dog park, it seems like the perfect solution. When she discovers this man is not anyone but her best friend's young brother, and she might actually like him, things get a bit messier.

I absolutely love Annabel Monaghan's writing style and I look forward to reading her books every year. She has such a way with words and is so incredibly talented as a writer. She also writes older characters so well!

Throughout the book, Ali's relationship with her children evolved in such a precious way and I enjoyed watching that growth. Additionally, Ali's complicated relationship with her recently passed mother was very powerful and realistic. I appreciated how Annabel Monaghan wrote such a realistic ending and the characters didn't move too quickly in their relationship, especially given the kids.

At times Ethan did not come across as an adult and it was kind of strange how obsessed he was with younger Ali. Him constantly quoting her graduation speech made me feel weird. I also expected Ali and her friend/Ethan's sister to have more conversations about their relationship given she had a strong initial reaction.

***Make sure you read the author's note for this one!***

This is most definitely the summer of the best friend's brother, and I am here for it!

The book had great pacing, lots of characters that weren't hard to keep up with. I was shocked I enjoyed it as much as I did since it deals with a divorce and kids. There were a lot of funny moments. It ended with everything settled accordingly with no questions to be had.

This was my first Annabel Monaghan book and I have already added more of her books to my TBR. I don't know how it took me this long to read her. Annabel Monaghan is a master at creating characters that are deep and meaningful. Her characters are relatable and give you all the feels. Ali Morris is navigating the loss of her mother and her fresh divorce all while trying to be the best mother of three. She had totally lost herself and this book takes you on her journey of self discovery and the excitement of falling for someone new. This book was a solid 4.5 stars for me.

My favorite by this author so far. This younger brother of my BFF romance was sweet, funny and tender. I loved Ethan (hated that everyone still acted like he was a teenager). Ali drove me crazy at first (FMCs who are a MESS drive me crazy) but loved seeing her get a spine with the ex. These two were made for each other and you feel that from their first meeting. And what a joy to have an older couple romance. And as it is a closed door romance (not my favorite style) I can easily recommend it to so many people.