This was my first Annabel Monaghan book, so I didn’t know what do expect, but I had heard great things about her other books. “Summer Romance” definitely exceeded my expectations!

I knew there would be romance, of course! (Closed door by the way!) But I didn’t know it would go deeper and make me feel so many emotions! The book was a swoony, spunky, fairly predictable (at times) romance…but it also touched on grief and family and finding yourself! It was sweet and funny and heart-breaking and beautiful all in one!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the advanced copy in exchange for my review. All thoughts are my own.
Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan comes out on June 4th, 2024.
3.5/5 stars, round up.

Annabel Monaghan knows exactly how to write delightful, light, quick summer reads. I have read and enjoyed her other books and this one was no different. I read it all in one sitting while laying out by a pool with a tall glass of lemonade and honestly, nothing could have been better than that.

This story follows Ali, a professional organizer whose personal life is anything but organized. She is still grieving her mother's death when her husband announces that he wants a divorce, plunging her into life as a single mother of three children. When her best friend encourages her to get back into the dating world, Ali finally gives it a try and is pleasantly surprised when she meets a charming man at a local dog park. She decides to give into the idea of a summer romance, but little does she know that the man she met is her best friend's little brother. Is it possible that this summer romance could turn into something more?

One thing I love about all of Monaghan's books is that she writes about fully grown women. So many summer romances revolve around characters in their 20's, and while I enjoy those stories, as someone who is no longer in my 20's I appreciate reading stories about characters who have full and complex lives. Fans of Monaghan's other books were certainly love this one as well.

I actually really like Annabel’s writing. Her characters are so fleshed out and lovely. Ali is reclaiming her life and I love to see it!!

I think this is going to be such a good summer m beach read!! I mean it’s called Summer Romance and I think people are going to love it.

But truthfully I’m not feeling the women’s fiction vibe right now. So this is a very soft dnf @ 25%

Thank you so much to Penguin Group - Putnam for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Ali, a professional organizer, who is still dealing with grief over her mothers death and her marriage ending considers her life an absolute mess. Her best friend is trying to get her to put on “hard pants” and take her wedding ring off but she did not expect her first guy to be her little brother, Ethan. Ali did not recognize Ethan right away and when her dog decided to claim him by peeing on his leg. She does not ask for his number and ends up going back to the dog park to look for him the next day but she doesn’t see him. When she finally puts it together that Ethan is actually Scooter, her best friends little brother, she does not know what she will do with herself.

Looking at the cover, I thought this was going to be a light, summery beach read, but it was so much more. There is grief, struggles after divorce, learning to date again, and doing all of this while taking care of three kids. Ali and her children show tremendous growth throughout the story and Ethan was the perfect complement to that compared to her horrible ex husband. He was the worst and just put her down at all times but expected her to be able to watch the kids 24/7 with no warning even when he said they would be staying with him. The love story between Ali and Ethan was just perfect and Ethan is the best kind of guy who was so considerate of her and her kids.

Ali's husband wants a divorce and she is a feeling a bit lost with being herself and also taking care of 3 kids. Thank goodness she lives in her hometown near her best friend. One day, she takes her dog to the park and that dog pees on a good looking guy's foot. Ali is mortified, but is able to strike up a conversation with this guy, who's name is Ethan.

After the dog park, she realizes that she never asked for Ethan's number and she can't stop thinking about him and his charm. She even goes to the dog park the next day in hopes that she will see him again, but she doesn't.

When Ali meets up with her best friend, she sees Ethan!! Her heart just skips a beat, but then she is informed that that dude Ethan, is actually Scooter...her best friend's brother that grew up and hasn't been around for ages.

Will Ali be able to navigate life as a single woman with 3 kids? Will she be able to find her voice again? Is her summer crush going to be something that happens for the summer?

Annabel Monaghan does it again! I love everything she writes and this was an amazing reading. I enjoyed how the writing flowed really well and the storytelling was amazing. It's not a simple rom-com kind of book as there is more depth to it, but it is definitely a book you'll want to take to the beach, relax with, read in bed with, or cancel all plans just to binge read this book!

This was not my first Annabel Monaghan book, but it’s my favorite. I already knew she was a sharp, witty writer that portrayed real, mature women in realistic every day life with accuracy and grace. And she did it again.

I went into this one blind and gasped out loud when I learned quickly that Ali is still in the thick of her grief of losing her mother two years ago. On top of all of the other things going on in this book, that resonated so deeply and I wasn’t sure I could go on. I did, and not only did I fall in love with Ali, I loved reading her journey through her emotional loss and then growth. Monaghan had such great insight and her afterword confirmed that (don’t miss that).

Ali’s life is a mess, she hasn’t worn “hard pants” in two years, she is stuck and her grief is a bit of a cornerstone of that. Her husband has left her, she’s a professional organizer with a mess of a house and her life is chaotic all around. She meets a cute guy on the day she finally takes off her wedding ring and decides she’s going to have a summer romance. Monaghan captures the complexities of a busy woman/mom that is suddenly single, juggling all the balls and desperate to not drop any of them.

I don’t want to scare anyone of thinking this book is solely about grief. It’s much more about Ali as a whole person and her growth. There is so much more, I laughed to myself multiple times and can completely relate to redoing my pantry in plastic bins and having way too much to go through. Ethan, the cute guy, is adorable and the type of book boyfriend every book ought to have. He’s kind, considerate, smart and is obviously very into Ali. Her kiddos and friends are great too. Her ex, well he’s a jerk.

Monaghan is a writer that you wish lived next door. I have no doubt we would be great friends. She would entertain me endlessly with her recommendations for favorite non-hard pants. I don’t often rate this genre of books as highly but I have no doubt that this one will stick with me as I remember “she’s as close as your breath”. Thank you for sharing those words, Annabel.

I loved Nora Goes Off Script and Same Time Next Summer, so I couldn’t wait to read Summer Romance. This hit the spot! Easy, one sitting read with lots to engage emotion overload in.

I didn't love this one quite as much as I loved Nora Goes Off-Script, but it was still SO good. Quick, well-written, and a great exploration of grief as well.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free e-copy.

Oh my gosh, this might be my favorite of all her books I’ve read. It was soooo cute and realistic. It was an unquote story line and I loved how it was all about her self discovery. Finding herself and her own voice again.

This is a must read this summer. I laughed, I cried, I stayed up till midnight to finish it.

This was such a heart warming book! I loved the story and the story around grief and a new start were well done. I just wanted to keep reading Ali and Ethan’s story.

Annabel Monaghan's writing is slowly becoming my favorite style––dry yet engaging. It feels like I'm reading the mind of a real person, not just someone with spunk all the time, and I'm obsessed. Summer Romance is a best friend's brother trope (though, it doesn't feel like it), and though it was a bit instant-lovey, it felt more like adorable crushes than falling head-over-heels immediately. About a woman who is going through a divorce, getting over the death of her mother, and re-learning how to live life fully again with the help of a summer romance named Ethan "Scooter"––a golden retriever-type guy who skates and makes every page feel like it's bursting with a bit of summer sunshine.

Perfect read for the summer, and I'm suddenly in the mood to go canoeing. Maybe eat a hotdog at a baseball game. Who knows?

I just finished Summer Romance and I was SO enchanted with Ali and Ethan. They were the perfect pair. I love Annabel's books because they're older, more relateable adults who've had life experience. They're characters my age who I can engage with. Summer Romance is a grand slam!

This romance checked so many boxes for me! Best friend’s brother; single, divorced mother; second-act romance; great banter; heartwarming love story; adorable kids! Summer Romance was such a gem and the perfect warm-weather, beachy read. It had me craving lobster rolls and time by the ocean, and honestly, I just loved every second of it! So bingeable, lovable, and heartwarming!!

Put this high on your summer reading list and get ready, because it hits shelves June 4!!

Available 6/4! This was an easy, light summer read. This is a romance but it’s also a book about rediscovering and loving yourself. Ali is a mother of 3 and a professional organizer. Two years ago her mother died and a year later her husband asked her to separate. Ali has been living in a fog and sweatpants ever since until she wakes up and decides to take off her wedding ring and put on real pants. That's all it takes for her to meet a handsome guy at the dog park who makes her feel something for the first time in years. He’s temporarily in town and she’s in no place for a relationship, but when has a summer romance ever been a bad idea?

A lot of people love and rave about Annabel Monaghan’s books, but I’ve never fully gotten the hype. Her leading ladies tend to be women who have taken a back seat in their lives and I have a hard time connecting with those types of characters. I’m also not a mom (and her characters often are) so that might be another reason why I felt a disconnect.

Despite the fact I didn’t connect with Ali, I did like Ethan (the leading man) and thought he was a sweet MMC. The tension and anticipation gave me butterflies- which isn’t always easy to achieve in a closed-door romance!

Tropes: best friend’s brother, closed door, single mom, summer romance, meet-cute, late-30s MCs

Thanks to @PutnamBooks for the ARC!

3.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
1/5 spice 🌶️

This was so lovely! I adored Nora Goes Off Script, but Annabel Monaghan's second books wasn't my favorite, so I went into this was cautious optimism. This ended up being very on par with Nora Goes Off Script, which I was delighted about. I immediately fell so in love with Ethan, and I just wanted Ali to have everything she's ever wanted.

I did find parts of this frustrating, mainly Ali's dialogue. I know the point was that Ali is stifled and feels like she's lost herself, but sometimes it felt like she just gave us nothing. I wanted to yell at her to say MORE so many times. I also wanted a bit more of a comeuppance with Pete, but it probably is more realistic to keep them civil.

All in all, this was really sweet and had a cast of lovable characters in a small town setting. Being in this world feels so warm and inviting.

Thanks to Netgalley and Putnam for the ARC!

This emotional story is not to be skipped. Ali has been swallowed up by her marriage(her ex sucks) and with the grief of losing her mother. She meets(really meets again) Ethan and slowly wakes up and restarts her life. Ethan has been staying away from his home town, but can't stay away from Ali. His sister is friends with Ali so that complicates things at first. Ali also has 3 kids that she's trying to be protective of. Ethan is such a presence that is impossible to not love him. This book is easy to get wrapped up in and will make you feel all the feels. I'm quickly becoming a huge fan of this author as her other works are just as addictive.

Summer Romance
By Annabel Monaghan

I loved both the MCs, Ali and Ethan as they like to be called. Ali is an organizer whose life is a mess. In the last two years her Mom has died and she and her husband have separated. She moved back to her hometown a beach town called Beechwood, NY after she married and started having kids. Once an accountant in NYC, she is a stay at home mom who can organize anyone’s life but her own.

Her meet cute with Ethan happens in the park and involves their dogs. Ethan is visiting family after moving away. His family and the town can’t let go of his wayward past. The couple have a spark and a connection in Frankie, Ali’s best friend and Ethan’s sister.

Now there are some bumps, leaps of faith and a big obstacle but you will be rooting for Ali and Ethan. They are witty, funny, love their neighbors and have a running gag with Ali’s Ex. All the characters are relatable and most highly likable. Ali’s struggle with her confidence, standing up to her Ex, her relationship with her children, and her grief are real challenges that hit close to home for me. I learned some tips on organizing from Ali and skate boarding from Ethan.

It’s probably obvious I like Annabel Monaghan’s books and writing. If I had any issues it would be how the characters never have to really worry about money, don’t have to worry about job security and they are only gorgeous and super talented. Lives, character development and quirks add depth. Thank you to the author, NetGalley and G. P. Putnam’s Sons, New York for an advanced reader’s digital copy.

Annabel Monaghan does it again! There isn’t anything she writes that I won’t read! Definitely a perfect summer read! Lovely, well thought out characters! Pick it up, read it, you won’t be sorry!

This was an excellent twist on “don’t date my little sister.” Organizational expert Ali is still grieving the loss of both her mother (2 years ago) and her marriage (after a year’s separation, her husband has just asked to move forward and finalize their divorce). She’s struggling to parent three children and a dog solo most of the time, including a teen and pre-teen daughter, and is running out of pantries to organize in their small community. When she finally puts on adult pants and takes off her wedding ring before bringing her pooch to the dog park, the dog promptly pees on the shoe of a handsome stranger, who asks her out! Ali calls upon her best friend Frannie for emergency babysitting, has a lovely, if chaste, first date, and promptly runs into her new beau Ethan the next night at Frannie’s parents home–Ethan is Frannie’s younger brother aka Scooter, who has returned to help clean out the family home so her parents can more to Florida, leaving their inn and diner in the hands of their offspring. Scooter is all grown up, and a lawyer, but his reputation as a unreliable troublemaker precedes him. He and Ali decide to embark on a summer romance, and while she is viewing it a bit as a rebound, he’s had a crush on her since they were teenagers and is all in.

The weaving in of Ethan’s interest in skateboarding, and Ali’s passions for accounting and organizing enrich the narrative, as does Ali’s awkwardness, perceived failures to adult (which she is actively adulting!), and Ethan’s charm and openness. They both have a need and desire to outrun the pigeonholes their hometown keeps trying to fit them into, and they burst out of them beautifully. Ali talks aloud to the mother she misses, and hears both her mother’s affirmations and good advice, and finally addresses and challenges the voice that encouraged her to brush aside the more hurtful issues with her marriage. The structure, tone, writing, character development, and devil of the details place Morgan on par with Ali Hazelwood, Katherine Center, and Elizabeth Berg.

I received a free advance reader’s review copy of #SummerRomance via #NetGalley, courtesy of Penguin Putnam Group.

4

“Summer Romance” is both the second book being released on June 4 and the second “romcom” in a row I’ve read featuring an “older” female character who divorces from a toxic marriage and finally meets her someone. I use the term “older” loosely, particularly since they are all younger than me, because all other books of this genre tend to feature characters who are dreading the approach of their 30th birthday and the ensuing decrepitude or some such.

I have liked both of Annabel Monaghan’s previous non-YA books, which also feature established women who are taking control of their lives. This book is a sweet story about two people who obviously make each other happy and were meant to be together, but have complicated lives and think they can just have a light summer affair. Coincidentally, the other book being released, “Birding with Benefits”, also features characters who naïvely think they can be together for a limited period of time and then walk away. I’m sure you know how that’s going to go!

One thing I like about this book, which is definitely worth mentioning, is that it lacks the explicit play by play of every physical encounter or anticipatory erotic thoughts of such encounters. Sex happens and you know it has, but you feel their connection and know how they feel without hearing about every physical sensation. It was a nice change of pace.

This was a sweet story. I could vividly picture the locations she describes and I felt a connection to the characters. I love Cliffy, but also felt a connection to Greer. I could vision how Ali got to her current situation bit by bit over time and how daunting it seemed to take back her life. Though there was a bit of whiplash, I could see how you could realize that someone you love and miss terribly, in this case her late mother, can have given you both the best and worst advice, all out of love.

“Summer Romance” is just a good romantic read and the title says it all. This is your go to beach read for the summer!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for providing me with a free advanced copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.