Summer Romance had me feeling all of the feels-happy, sad, hopeful, distraught...every feeling, ALL of them! Our h (Ali) has three kids, lost her Mom 2 years ago and on the one year anniversary of her mom's death, her husband announced he wanted a divorce. At this point in her life, Ali doesn't really remember who she is. She's lost her spark, her sense of self, her confidence, her direction. The day Ali takes off her wedding ring, she meets Ethan at the dog park where her dog essentially chooses Ethan by peeing on his leg! At first, Ali has no clue that Ethan is her BFF's unreliable little brother "Scooter" and she takes him up on an offer of a date. Things unwind and Ali (who really only wants someone she can count on) discovers Ethan's true identity. Knowing he's Mr. Unreliable, knowing he lives 4 hours away, leads Ali to label her romance with Ethan a temporary, "Summer Romance" . The plot twists when hearts become involved and Ali is faced with the possibility that Ethan has grown into a very responsible, kind, thoughtful, reliable man who also happens to be a man who remembers just how special Ali was in high school. In fact, Ali was always his dream girl. Ethan helps Ali through her divorce, helps her finally find herself, helps her stand up to her soon to be jerk of an ex husband and finally proves to himself, Ali, his family and his whole hometown just how very reliable he really is. In the process, Ethan has to choose his new life in his new hometown or a chance at love with Ali. Ali has to decide if she can really trust herself and Ethan. In the background of this whole romance you have Ali grieving her mom, grieving the Ali she gave up when she had her kids and got married and Ali doing her best to guide her children through a divorce where their dad 100% doesn't know how to get past his own needs to just choose his kids for once. It's a very good love story with a lot of serious, heartfelt topics woven in. This book made me cry more than like but I also loved this book very much!

Summer Romance was such a bingeable, cute and swoony closed door romance! It will be the perfect summer/beach read. I fell in love with the characters and had such a hard time putting this one down. The characters were so relatable and I loved their development throughout the book. I found myself laughing out loud at some points, I loved the conversations with the MC’s mother, and I was left with a smile on my face after reading this book. I’ve loved all of the books I’ve read by this author but I think this one is my new favorite!

Annabel Monaghan’s Summer Romqnce hits it out of the park again! Nora Goes Off Script was one of my favorite reads of 2022 and I was over the moon to receive an ARC of her latest to read.

The story follows soon-to-be divorced mom Ali Morris’ bloom from becoming a closed up, meek former housewife/mom to the strong, and confident woman she once was. I loved everything about Ali—she realizes how her former married life robbed her from her glow. This story is about her own rediscovery that she is still BEJEWELED and finds her fun, light-hearted self again after all the grief life has thrown her way.

Thank you again to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for a chance to read and review an advanced copy of this book!

i have read a few other books by this author and her books are usually roller-coaster rides of emotions full of equal parts of happiness and angst. i found it funny and crazy that the female main character didnt really like the male main character in the beginning but then found herself attracted to him having absolutely no clue as to who he was. i enjoyed their story very much. while i will say that this book was very depressing at times, it definitely had its happy moments too which for the most part outweigh the sad. however, this book wasnt any different so if you like any of the others, you will like this one, too. i was really excited to get an arc. this book comes out in June. it is a great summer romance read so the title is perfect and i will definitely recommend it to friends who enjoy this type of reading.

thank you to netgalley, G.P. Putnam's Sons, Penguin Group Putnam, and Annabel Monaghan for allowing me to read this early.

This was such an enjoyable read! Fans of Katherine Center will love this book. The romance is great, but the book had so much depth in addition to the romance as well. I could not put this book down and immediately ordered more from this author's backlist.

Summer Romance follows soon-to-be divorced mom, Ali, struggling through her latest season of life. While grieving the loss of her mother for the last two years, she now finds herself with an impending divorce and raising three kids. Ali is a professional organizer but her life is just a mess. One day, she decides to wear presentable clothing and head to the dog park. There she meets Ethan and has an instant attraction. While Ali isn't sure she's ready to date she does humor the idea of a summer romance.

I really enjoy Annabel Monaghan's novels. Her characters are always relatable and you're cheering them on through their life challenges. I enjoy her character development and how when you end a novel, you feel like you truly knew the characters. I enjoyed the growth of Ali and seeing her transformation as Ethan enters her life. It was empowering to see her find her voice again. Annabel's novels are always added to my TBR list as I know she won't let me down with her writing. I can't wait to see where she goes next with her next novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Grab the tissues and add this book to your TBR for June 2024. It's an enjoyable summer beach read!

Ali Morris is grieving the loss of her mom and her marriage when she runs into her best friend’s little brother and sparks fly. This romance is full of unexpected depth, and I loved every minute of it. I was rooting for Ali’s growth and development into a self-assured woman and mother as much as I was the romance. The setting was also superb and perfect for a summer read. This takes the top spot for me by this author - a must-read if you loved Nora Goes Off Script.

Pub Date: 6/4/24
Review Published: 5/14/24
eARC received from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

It took me some time to get into the rhythm of this, but sure enough I got the comparisons to Katherine Center's books. The male hero is swoony and I hated to book this book down in between work breaks, eager to get to HEA.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved how relatable Ali was. It was so fun to read about her coming back to herself and how Ethan helped her realize what she deserves. I adore Ethan, he’s the perfect summer book boyfriend.

a perfect romance that also deal with heavy topics, like grief, losing yourself in marriage and finding yourself again
not spicy but so good and a great beach read!

Ali lost her very best friend, her mother, two years ago. On the one year anniversary of her death, while crying in the kitchen, her husband, rather than comforting his grieving wife, springs the news on her that he'd like a divorce. That tells you everything you need to know about their marriage.

She's okay with it, really. Things hadn't been good between them for years so it's not as though she misses him. But, she does miss having someone around. Her three kids keep her busy but it's not the same as tucking in next to someone at night knowing they'll still be there to love you in the morning.

At the urging of her best friend she decides to ditch the sweatpants and put on a bit of lip gloss. She takes her dog to the local dog park for some exercise when Ferris (the dog) runs over to the most handsome stranger she's laid eyes on in a while, maybe ever, and urinates right on his leg. Most awkward meet cute ever? You betcha!

His name is Ethan and he seems to see something in Ali that she hasn't seen in herself in a while. A confident and funny woman. When he asks her on a date she feels like a teenager again.

He's kind, funny, smart, and loves dogs. In other words, he's perfect. So what's the catch? You'll have to read this to find out.

I really enjoyed my time with this novel and these characters. I have so much love for each and every one of them, except the ex, and even he wasn't really all that bad in the grand scheme of things. Ethan, though, oh my goodness. That man could make anyone's knees go weak.

Another thing I appreciated with this novel was the age and maturity of it's characters. Ali (38) and Ethan (36) were both dealing with real life adult problems. These are things I'm able to relate to which makes it so much easier to become immersed in their lives and what their going through.

So to wrap up we have a hot MMC, a loveable FMC, cute kids, adorable dogs, and a swoon worthy love story leaving me a happy reader! This is the perfect rom-com to pack in your beach bag this summer. 🌞 4 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for my complimentary copy.

The main character of this novel, Ali, is a professional organizer but her own life is a bit of a mess. Her mom died two years ago, her husband left a year before and now officially wants a divorce, and so she’s now a single mom raising three kids - oh, and she hasn’t put on a pair of “hard pants” in years. Then one day at the local dog park, her dog pees on a very cute guy. Ali isn’t sure if she’s ready to date again, or if Ethan is a suitable candidate, but then she figures hey, maybe there’s no harm in a summer romance.

I just love Annabel Monaghan’s writing style - she creates real, flawed but endearing characters, and brings so much more to her books than just romance - family relationships, friendship, parenting, and women discovering who they really are and what they want from life. And she’s good at writing the romance part too! This one was perhaps a little less swoony than some popular rom coms, but in a refreshing way because it felt so grounded in reality, with both Ali and Ethan feeling like real people and their relationship not just some fantasy but one that unfolded in realistic fashion. I also, as with her first book Nora Goes Off Script, appreciated reading a book about a mature mom which is just more relatable to me these days than a young 20s character. Some great emotional moments in this book too, and not just about the romance but also about the other aspects of Ali’s life - how she connects with her kids, her relationship with her older neighbor, how she rediscovers her lost confidence in herself.

4.25 stars

I devoured this book! I finished it in two sittings and loved it.

Ali’s life is a mess. She’s still grieving the loss of her mother two years ago, her husband wants a divorce, she’s raising 3 kids, and trying to run her own business. She’s stuck in the cycle of just getting by in old sweapants and T shirts. The day she takes off her wedding ring and gets out of the sweats, she meet cutes Ethan at the dog park and there’s instant spark. She decides to go all in and have a “champagne summer” that she won’t forget.

I truly loved these characters by the end of the book and felt like I really knew them. This book was easy to read and was so relatable and had you feeling all the emotions (in a good way).

Thank you Penguin Group and NetGalley for the ARC of this novel!
Pub date: June 4th, 2024

4.5 stars. Before this book, I had only read Nora by this author, which I found very “eh?” I’m beyond glad I gave her another shot and will have to go and read her second next!

The author does a fantastic job at writing for the 30-something woman. This book deals with divorce, grief, and so many other big subjects that the author tackled beautifully while still making it a happy rom com the target audience wants. I don’t typically relate to books with a protagonist with several kids, but I was hooked and saw myself in her after a few pages. Also my Kindle is FULL of highlights and profound thoughts via the protagonist that I will continue to reference to inspire me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review! This book will be released June 4. 2024.

Annabel Monaghan hits it out of the park again! I LOVED Nora Goes Off Script, but this might be my new favorite book by this author.

This heartwarming, feel good story exceeded all my expectations. I loved that the characters were realistic and super relatable. Ali is a grief stricken mom of three in the midst of a divorce. She’s a professional organizer, but her own life (and home) are a complete mess. Ethan is a charming, problem solving, skateboard loving cutie that turns Ali’s life around. There’s so much to love about this swoon worthy rom-com!

This is a perfect, easy summer read that will make you feel all the feels! Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC! Highly recommend picking this one up when it hits shelves on June 4!

Thanks to NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review! :)

I tore through this breezy, charming romance. It feels like Monaghan is really making her mark as a beach read author that shouldn't be missed.

When the book begins, it's been two years since Ali's mother died and one year since her husband asked for a divorce. She has three kids and feels like she's drowning in grief, stress, and mess despite being a part time professional organizer. But then a meet cute at the dog park brings Ethan on the scene and he becomes a bright spot for her in a way that nothing else has. Instead of saving her white knight style, it's the way that he sees her for who she really is/can be from knowing her earlier in life that helps Ali begin to recognize herself as a capable, strong adult. And what began as just a summer romance takes on a lot more meaning than Ali was expecting.

There were a few things that helped to set this beachy romance a step above some others. The writing is good and relatable. Ali is an organizer and it feels like Monaghan accurately captures the satisfaction/obsession people currently have with instagram-worthy pantries, etc. Monaghan also revisits the divorcee storyline that she wrote about with perfect pitch in her adult debut, Nora Goes Off Script. It was refreshing to read about a woman in her late (gasp!) thirties with a life of responsibilities, including children. The book explores divorce mediation and it seemed well researched. Pete, the soon-to-be ex, was a one-note cranky husband and dad which left a little to be desired in the story. But I was more forgiving about that as the story went on and Ali had a revelation as to why she stayed in her unhappy marriage for so long. Best of all, there were zero miscommunication storylines.

Highly recommend adding this to your summer reading list! Closed door for those wondering.

This one is going on my summer romance rec list.
Smart and gently funny contemporary romance about a soon to be divorced mom who's shocked to find out that the hot new guy from the dog park is her best friend's weird little brother.

Annabel Monaghan just doesn't miss! This book is the absolute perfect book for summer, talk about a beach read! I flew through this one and yet, it still packed such an emotional punch. Annabel has become one of my favorite writers, she is a star!

Reading this on Mother’s Day was the cherry on top. I can’t stop crying. I loved Ethan and Ali’s story but I loved Ali and her relationship with her kids and her mom and Phyllis the most. There were moments with her kids that reminded me so much of my mom and how hard middle school is and ugh I could go on forever.

Thank you to the publisher, author and NetGalley for the ARC

Really sweet romance novel and a perfect summer read. Ali is a great female main character and her family and friends are really interesting and truly make you invested in the story. Ethan is a really well-written love interest. This was a really easy read and would easily recommend it to anyone looking for a heartfelt love story.