😘Book Review😘
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Summary- Ali Morris is a professional organizer whose own life is a mess. Her mom died two years ago, then her husband left, and she hasn’t worn pants with a zipper in longer than she cares to remember.

No one is more surprised than Ali when the first time she takes off her wedding ring and puts on pants with hardware—overalls count, right?—she meets someone. Or rather, her dog claims a man for her...by peeing on him. Ethan smiles at Ali like her pants are just right—like he likes what he sees. He looks at her like she’s a younger, braver version of herself. The last thing newly single mom Ali needs is to make her life messier, but there’s no harm in a little summer romance. Is there?
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Rating- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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My thoughts- this one blew me away! I went in expecting a lighthearted beachy romance. This was so deep and wonderful I read it in 24 hours 😂. I loved their romance and finding themselves through their struggles. Also Ethan may just be the best book boyfriend, this is one of my favorite romance books this year and I cannot recommend this one enough 🥰 .
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QOTD- what plans do you have this summer ?! We have a beach vacation planned and I’m teaching summer school, summer cannot start soon enough for me!
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#summerromance #annabelmonaghan #bookreview #bookrecommendation #bookstagram #booksofinstagram #booksofig #bookish #booklover #bookaddict #bookaesthetic #readersofinstagram #readmorebooks #readersgonnaread #romancep

Ooooh I got the same feelings reading this that I gt when reading Nora Goes Off Script. After disliking Same Time Next Summer so much, I was afraid that this author would be one hit wonder for me. But I really enjoyed Summer Romance.

I really liked Ali and Ethan's romance. It was just so cute and they had so much chemistry since the beginning. And it wasn't insta-love at all. I loved how much they were supportive of each other. Ethan helping her with her divorce and helping her find herself again as with her relationship with her eldest daughter was really nice to follow. But I liked that Ali also helped Ethan - in a lot of romances, specially the ones with a woman rebuilding her life, there is a focus in helping only the woman. But Ethan had his own life and his own issues that Ali helped him through.

I liked how the romance between them was not the answer to their problems. But through it they managed to get to a better place by finding one another.

In this type of book, I feel that if I like the characters and their relationships. the book is really enjoyable more or less regardless of the plot. The plot exists for the relationship to begin and grow.

Thank you Netgalley, author, and publisher for the ARC.

📚 Book Review 📚

Title: Summer Romance
Author: Annabel Monaghan
Genre: Fiction
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5 stars)

This story follows Ali, a mom of 3 young kids, who is finding herself in the middle of a divorce while also grieving the recent death of her mother, who was her best friend.

I loved “Nora Goes Off Script” and “Same Time Next Summer” by Annabel Monaghan. I did feel like this one didn’t read like those other two books, and I had difficulty connecting to the story and the characters. If you’re looking for the romance in this book to be front and center, it’s really not. A lot of the plot revolves around Ali gaining her independence and confidence during her divorce, learning to co-parent, and continuing to process the loss of her mother. The romantic relationship that develops with the character of Ethan, and everything happening in his life, felt very contrived and a little too convenient for the timing of things in Ali’s life. I wish I loved this one as much as the others, but unfortunately, I didn’t. While I still love Monaghan’s work, this one was a bit of a miss for me.

*Thank you to @netgalley and @putnambooks for this advanced reader copy. This book hits shelves on 6/4/24.*

Summer Romance is a book that gives you all the feels. I loved the book so much! Ali is stuck when Summer Romance begins. Her husband and her have been separated for a year and Pete now wants a divorce. They have 3 kids, 2 girls and a boy. The kids live with Ali and see their Dad for soccer practice and games twice a week. Ali's mom died 2 years ago and she's been a mess ever since. They were extremely close and her Pete left soon after she died. Ali's been wearing sweat pants and t-shirts ever since unable to cope with much of anything other than the kids. Ali is a professional organizer, as putting things in their place and getting rid of things no longer needed, brings her peace. Don't look at her house though as it's very unorganized and cluttered with things no longer needed.

Ali decides to take off her wedding ring now that Pete has scheduled them with a. mediator to work out the details of the divorce. Ali takes her dog Ferris to the dog park. While she's there, Ferris runs over and acts like he knows a man that;s there with his dog. Ali doesn't recognize the man, but finds him very attractive. As she goes over to get Ferris, the dog pees on the man's leg and shoe! Ali is so embarrassed. She immediately apologizes to the man and says that Ferris has only done this one other time. Ferris also peed on her daughter who is his favorite person in the world. Ali says he should take it as a compliment. Ferris likes this man very much. That's how the relationship started between Ali and Ethan.

Ali starts to come back to the person she was before her mother died and actually looks in her closet for clothes again. She likes Ethan very much and wants to look nice in case she runs into him again. Ali's best friend invites her and the kids to dinner. Guess who else is there? Yep, Ethan is at her friend's house. That's because Ethan is also Scooter, her best friend's younger brother! She's known him since she was a kid! How is that possible? Ethan doesn't seem anything like Scooter! Will Ali and Ethan be able to find a way to make a relationship work? He lives 4 hours away and likes to skateboard for fun. He's only in town for the summer to help out once his parents announce they're moving to Florida. Ethan's here now and there's nothing wrong with a little summer romance, right?

Summer Romance will have you cheering Ali on as she deals with the divorce, her kids problems and triumphs, her organizing job, and a new relationship with a man who values her in every way. This book was fantastic and I read it way too fast! I rate Summer Romance 5 stars with my very highest recommendation. I'd like to thank NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for an advanced copy of Summer Romance in exchange for a fair review. Summer Romance is now available and should not be missed! #SummerRomance

All the stars for Summer Romance. This was such a great read!! I loved the whole thing. Ali is getting a new life and there are lots of changes. I found it beautiful to witness those. Her and Ethan’s summer romance was so sweet and he was patient with her. It’s fade to black, so everyone can read it. My favorite Annabel book yet!

Annabel Monaghan does it again!! I devoured this story in less the 24 hours. I absolutely loved that Scooter had had a crush on Ali since he was little!!!! Ali was such a relatable character. Can't wait to see what this author does next, and in the mean time I'll tell all my friends to read it.

I absolutely loved this book! I started it on a flight, then could not stop thinking about it and finished it in basically a day. An easy favorite of the year and the perfect poolside/beachside summer read.

I truly don’t know where to start with my raving and gushing. I loved the story. I loved Ali and Ethan. I loved the small town setting and immediately want to go spend the rest of the summer in a New England beachside town. I don’t usually like the insta-love trope but this was so well written that it felt so natural. I hated Pete so so much. I loved Ali’s kids so much.

What really sits with me though is how well Annabel Monaghan normalizes the messiness of parenthood. I felt this in Nora Goes Off Script as well. As a mom, I have had many of the same thoughts, feelings and too many days in sweatpants as Ali and that’s ok.

This book had the perfect balance of emotional and lighthearted moments. The characters were easy to root for and were so honest about their flaws and their desire to grow and evolve. It surprised me in the absolute best way and I never wanted the book to end.

A massive thank you to Putnam Books and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy!

I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley, this is my objective review. Sweet slow-burn romance. Ali is single mom of three, separated from her husband. Her mother and primary source of emotional support died 2 years ago and she has been struggling with adjusting to the loss. She's trying to calibrate herself to her new life when she meet-cutes Ethan at the local dog park. Ethan is spending the summer in his hometown to clean out his parents' house (with Ali's help, of course). He'll be leaving again at summer's end, can Ali and Ethan handle a summer fling between old friends without wanting more? There is a lot of sweetness and charm to Ali and Ethan together, and her kids are nice supporting characters as are the dogs. It was lovely to watch Ali rediscover herself, even as she got in the way of her own happiness. There are a lot of fluffy, pie-in-the sky romance books that are all sweetness and smooth sailing to an HEA. This is not that. This is a more realistic portrayal of a single mom trying to remember who she is and what she wants, and learning how to juggle and merge all the areas of her life that can and do make her happy. Quick read with some deeper themes of death and grieving but the overarching theme is of hope and happiness. I've read this author before (Nora Goes Off Script) and enjoyed the emotional nuances of the book, and this newest book did not disappoint.

The Goods💞
•urine induced meet cute 😬
•dog park
•skateboard lessons
•the widow’s walk
•canoeing
•it’s always been you
•SCOOTER?!
•Phyllis
•Fancy
•”skateboard and make out”
•the kids
•ETHAN 🫠🫠

I loved this — plain and simple. Annabel Monaghan’s writing is such a comfort to me and this story burrowed deep into my heart. It’s the perfect summer romance - LITERALLY! Ethan and Ali are made for each other right from the start. The chemistry never quits and just builds and builds. This story had me equally swooning and laughing.

There’s family drama, but it doesn’t overshadow the romance. I absolutely loved that Ali was an older, established mom. I enjoyed her growth and her self-awareness. It was so satisfying to see her find her voice and take back her life. This is the perfect read for a day at the beach!

Content: fade to black

Thank you to Putnam Books for a gifted copy. My thoughts are my own.

After reading and loving Nora Goes Off Script I jumped at the chance to read Summer Romance. Once again, Monaghan has provided us with a fun and funny, charming, and emotional read. I love her character development and how she portrays all different types of relationships. Her female MC are badass and resilient and I am here for it! My only complaint is that the author went WAY overboard with the use of the word "carbonated" (insert eye roll here). Otherwise, I found it super cute and think it would make a great summer read.

I really enjoy Annabel Monaghan's books! When I decided to read this I didn't realize that she was the author of Nora Goes Off Script! I love her characters because they are so real! Yes, the romance part is always a bit predictable but having fun, likable characters only serves to add to the story and make it's predictability easy to overlook.

Professional organizer Ali's personal life is anything but organized. She's trying to manage a divorce from a man-child, sort out her feelings from her mother's death, and raise three children. So when she meets Ethan, she decides that having a summer romance is just the cure she needs. Except, it's not that simple. When Ali falls harder for Ethan than she expected, she has to decide whether this romance should stay in the summer.

I love how Annabel Monaghan writes women. She captures how it feels to be in your late-30s and to have life be different than you expected. She also is great at writing motherhood in a way that doesn't feel contrived or as simply a plot device. This book was sweet and summery, the perfect beach read that will also tug at your heartstrings.

I just finished Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan and loved every minute of it! As someone who adored her first two books, this one was just as delightful. Ali, a professional organizer whose life is in chaos, really resonated with me. Grieving her mother and dealing with her husband leaving, she’s been in a rough place for a year. But then she meets someone special at the dog park, sparking a heartwarming summer romance. The story is refreshing, safe, and incredibly uplifting. Annabel Monaghan’s writing is so much fun to read. If you’re a fan of Abby Jimenez or Katherine Center, you’ll love this book too!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I’m not going to beat around the bush and make you wait for my rating; Annabel Monaghan’s “Summer Romance” gets all possible stars on all possible rating systems held by the Library of Alexanna, otherwise known as me.

When I first read “Nora Goes Off Script,” I thought, “Surely she can’t write something I love more than this.” And then she went and wrote “Same Time Next Summer,” which genuinely felt like parts of it were written from the perspective of my own mind. STNS has sat unabashedly on my all-time favorite books list for over a year now. I should have known better than to doubt her, but alas, I am perpetually stupid.

I went into Summer Romance with the following information:
It was probably set in the summer.
It was probably going to be a romance.
I would trust Annabel Monaghan with my life.

I can officially announce that I was right about all three. However, what I am more excited to talk about is how beautifully wrecked I am after finishing.

To summarize in the simplest of terms (and to grossly do this book an injustice, I’m sure,) Ali, thirty-something mother going through a divorce, is a ship lost at sea. After years of numbly going through life in a disappointing marriage and the death of her mother, her closest confidant, she wakes up one day to realize that she doesn’t recognize herself. How can she be “Ali” when she can’t even put on hard pants?

We follow her on a summer’s long journey of love. Loving herself, loving her children, loving her town, and allowing herself to be loved in return.

We feel her mother’s love through Ali’s own love of her children, with paragraphs like, “He gives me the smile of a six-year-old boy who hasn’t seen his mom in over six hours. This smile could power a small city, and every day I wonder when it will end. I wonder when he’ll walk out of the school, give me a nod, and then run off with his friends. I have never seen a forty-year old man look at his mother this way.” My heart dropped into my stomach at the beautiful and painful truth of this reality as I pictured the smile on my own son’s face. This occurs just 6% into the book, which is precisely when I realized how “good” the rest of the story was going to hurt. I cannot formulate into words how much Annabel’s writing makes me feel seen as a mother. I’m not sure how someone can so perfectly articulate the absolute trainwreck happening in my brain so beautifully and insert that into a character as loveable as Ali. It makes me feel loveable, too.

We grieve with Ali as she remembers and misses her mother through memories of summer’s past. “Fancy” as her grandchildren called her was Ali’s everything. We learn of summer wishes, of dinner parties, of cookies for breakfast, of sparkles, and of the misguided hopes and dreams for our children.
“What do you want this summer? And I’d say into the dark: I want to learn to ride a bike, or I want to beat you in chess. I want to grow two inches. I want to be kissed. She’d keep saying, “What else?” as I tossed my summer wishes into the dark. There was no limit to the things I was allowed to want. After my last wish, she’d say, “You can have all of it,” and I believed her.” I read this and needed to put the book down. I wanted to relish in a moment that so many parents want for their children- the belief that they deserve the world. We transform with Ali as she allows herself to acknowledge all of the ways her own mother, even though sometimes misplaced, sought everything for her daughter as she sees herself desperately seeking it for her own three children.

And of course, we fall in love with Ali, both alongside and also the character herself. Ethan, aka Scooter, is such an unexpected breath of fresh air for me as a reader, but also for Ali’s character. There are few things I love more than a more “serious” person falling for and being complemented by someone a little more relaxed, and this skateboarding lawyer is perfect. They balance each other so wonderfully and I felt myself falling back into memories of initially falling in love with my own perfect complement - the golden retriever to my black cat. There is so much to love about Ethan, but without giving too much away, there is an incredible running bit throughout the book where Ethan “dresses up” in work suits of varying absurdity for important meetings. Someone tells Ethan “You’re a weird guy,” and his only response is, “For sure.” Again, I am doing this moment no justice at all, but when you read it I promise you will get it and love him as much as I do right now.

This review is creeping over into college essay territory, but I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge Annabel’s Author’s Note at the end. I truly cannot type much about it because I know I will cry if I do, but what a beautiful sentiment that I hope to hold close as I, too, remember those I’ve lost “as close as my breath.”

In short: you need to read this book. Thank you, Netgalley and the team at Putnam for providing me with this ARC. If you see a fresh copy on display on my mantle, I assure you it is because I want everyone I know to know and love this book as I do now. It sparkles, for sure.

This was a highly enjoyable read from beginning to end. I also received an audio of this and tth narration by Kristen DiMercurio was on point and brought the story to life. The MFC is trying to move on from a separation and be a good mom to her kids, hasn't worn "hard pants" in too long, and her dog decided to take a leak on a very good-looking man. A perfect meet-cute for what has become a perfect summer book. Don't hesitate to reach for this one, hard copy or audio. You won't regret it.

I received advanced copies of this book. All opinions are my own.

4.5 ⭐️ A heartfelt romance that took me by surprise


"Come on, Ali. I'm pretty sure every guy at Beechwood High thought you were the one."
"Not even close."
"Maybe it was just me then."

This book had me giggling and smiling like an idiot!!! 😍


WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ small town romance
✨ almost-divorced, single mom
✨ best friend’s younger brother
✨ dog park meet-cute
✨ he falls first
✨ slow burn
✨ charming, flirty banter
✨ fade to black / closed door romance
✨ healing journey
✨ MCs in their late 30s
✨ single POV
✨ TW: death of parent/loved one, grief, divorce


My Thoughts:

This book was an absolute delight. Reading it felt like a breath of fresh air. It was so well-crafted with a captivating plot, relatable characters, and a sweet, believable romance. And overall, it had that kind of depth I always crave in a contemporary romance novel that tends to be elusive in this genre.

Summer Romance isn’t like the usual light and sexy romances I tend to read. It deals with some heavier topics i.e. loss of parent, grief, divorce, motherhood, rediscovering yourself. Yet, somehow, even with the challenges the characters face, there are plenty of lighthearted and beautiful moments that make this story so heartwarming. Basically, if you want to read a book where the characters feel real, and you get easily attached to them and the beautiful journey they embark on, read Summer Romance.

To elaborate on some of my points above:

I loved the MCs, Ali and Ethan. Their chemistry is off the charts, their flirty banter is amazing, and the love they have for each other is so gentle and kind - I just felt like my heart was going to burst! Both are wonderful people that you immediately fall in love with. However, they also are flawed and throughout this story, you watch as they navigate life and their budding relationship while also looking inward to grow and change for the better. Nothing about them or their journey felt contrived, and their transformations felt natural.

Even though the romance was closed door, I honestly found I didn’t really miss the spice, which is saying something because I LOVE me some spice. Ali and Ethan have a relationship that can stand on its own without explicit scenes, and I think that’s a testament to Annabel Monaghan’s amazing writing. However, just know that there are quite a few sexually tense moments that had my heart fluttering with anticipation, and we definitely get some PG-13 action, so there’s definitely something sexiness to look forward to.

I absolutely do not have similar life experiences that make me relate to the MCs. I’ve never been close to my parents, nor have I lost one. I’m happily married aka no divorce. I’m not a mother. I’m not in my late-30s. And I’ve never ‘lost’ myself and been on a journey of self discovery. Yet, somehow, Annabel Monaghan had me so emotionally invested in the characters and this story that I could not put this book down. Again, a testament to the charming and accessible writing. I genuinely want everyone to read this book. 🫶


Overall, Summer Romance is a fantastic book that should immediately be on your TBR! It’s perfect for readers who are fans of Emily Henry and Catherine Walsh.


Thank you NetGalley and Putnam for providing an e-ARC copy in exchange for an honest review! As always, all opinions are my own.

This book was seriously a perfect way to start the summer off! The characters are so real and that was very refreshing. It wasn’t smutty which I appreciated as well! I giggled and even laughed out loud once or twice. This was a great read and even though it was a little predictable, I didn’t mind. I will definitely be checking out more from this author

Thank you Putnam for the e-arc. This one got me up in my feels like her other two books did. Ali is a single mom just trying to pick up the pieces after her separation and her mother’s death. In comes a meet cute that is actually a blast from the past and the sparks fly. It’s instantly swoony and so heartwarming. Ali’s emotions are on display and man was I rooting for her. Evan is a perfect man and that way he cheered her on and helped her get her confidence back… I can’t!!

Perfect summer read! I loved watching Ali grow and mature and find herself through this book. However, I do wish she would communicate a bit better. Especially with Ethan. I feel like that should have been a big thing she learned from her marriage and she didn’t really grow or learn that lesson. Overall though, this was a sweet and fun summer read!

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a fun, lighthearted summer romance that gives you all the good vibes of finding love the second go around. I appreciate that the characters in this story were real, with raw realistic problems (grief, divorce, personal growth, finding your joy etc.) and had a good balance of wit, charm, chemistry between the main characters and character development.