I loved everything about Summer Romance.
I have adored all of Monaghan’s adult books and this one is my favorite. I love that Ali is a 38 year old mom. I love that Ethan is the little brother of her best friend with a ‘checkered’ past. I loved the town and the houses and the gardens. I loved watching Ali come back into herself and finding her voice. I loved Ali as a mother. I loved Ethan and his community. I loved Ethan realizing community is what you make it wherever you are. I loved Ali and Ethan. Go read this book!

I cried like 5 times. I love how this book (and other Annabel Monaghan books) have a protagonist who feels like a real person. So many romcoms have a 20-something lead who is quirky and cute - but this book shows that anyone, even a struggling mom, can be the star of an epic love story. This book deals with grief, the highs and lows of raising a family, and falling in love. It made me so so happy.

Thank you to the publisher and the author for this eARC. I was very elated to get a chance to read her newest book because I have enjoyed Annabel Monaghan’s other books in the past. Same Time Next Summer, that she published last year, was one of my favorites. This book follows Ali Morris as she navigates through her divorce, loss of her mother, while also trying to find herself as she starts over in the dating world. I really like the authors writing style, the descriptions always bring her settings to life. The story is touching and heartfelt but also carries a tone of humor throughout where I found myself giggling from time to time. The main characters meet cute was definitely unique. It was a nice change of pace to read about an older fmc that already has kids as well. The writing flows very nicely and the romance was executed beautifully. I just wish it had a little bit more of an exciting storyline like her other books but I do recommend checking this one out when it’s available!

Summer Romance was a tough read for me. Not because it wasn't good, it was. It was tough because I had a rough divorce as well. Finding love after divorce, especially when the first marriage was kind of loveless, is one of the most terrifying things in the world. Even more so when you have kids. Ali understands that and when she meets Ethan, she wants to keep him at an arm's length so no one gets hurt. It's not supposed to be anything more than a fling. It can't possibly work, he's only in town for the summer. This clean, slow burn romance is emotional and bright. It made me think about my own journey and what I've done for my kids.

Tropes :
Single Mom
Best Friend's Brother
Slow Burn

#cleanromance #booktok #bookstagram #netgalleyreads #netgalley #romancebooklovers

Summer Romance takes place in a small town where Ali, someone who has lost her mom and marriage in the span of 2 years, is trying to find herself again. Insert Ethan, who at first is a stranger to her, but then turns out to be the hotter, more grown-up younger brother to her best friend Franny. Ethan and Ali start to spend more time together as she helps him clean out his parent's house, and he helps her finalize her divorce.

My thoughts: I felt like there were three parts to this story. One part is Romance and the other two parts are about Motherhood and Grief. I connected to the elements of grief but had a hard time connecting with her identity as a mother. I think if you are one, then you’ll connect with this book differently because it is such a big part of who she is. I thought Ethan was cute, but I do wish he had a bit more edge to him because I felt like he was so head over heels for her that their romance wasn’t super exciting to me. This is definitely a he falls first story. And lastly, I thought about the way she wove in grief and the aftermath of losing a parent perfectly. The way Ali kept reaching out/thinking about how her mom would handle a situation or how her mom would guide her was so perfectly done.

The narrator of the audiobook does a great job capturing all of the emotions Ali feels, and I think hearing her have the conversations with herself/her mother was special.

This isn’t a super light beach read, but I think with the setting and the romance, it’s a great book to pick up this summer.

I received an e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley.

Annabel Monaghan is an auto-read author for me, and I'm happy to report that this one lived up to the quality of her previous two novels.

In some ways, Summer Romance combines the adult/mom protagonist of Nora Goes Off Script with the beachy setting of Same Time Next Summer.

This is a great summer read - there are some heavy themes (divorce, loss of a parent) but they are dealt with in a hopeful, productive way. I really enjoyed following along as Ali navigating the next stage of her life and her romantic relationship felt relatively real, although the MMC was certainly a little too perfect in the way that many romance-novel men are.

Highly recommend!

Summer Romance was a heartfelt and binge-able read. I liked this one a lot. This is my first time reading Annabel Monaghan, but I have her other well-known stories on my TBR. I can only see this one being just as well known and enjoyed by her fans and many new ones. Regarding the story itself, I thought all the characters we were introduced to were essential to the overall story, and no one overshadowed the other. As you learn about Ali's journey with grief in her loss of her mother and her marriage, you see her find a new balance and strength in gaining herself back while finding love in the most unexpected ways. Scooter is such a golden-retriever type of guy, and he needed to be someone who was a source of positivity but also needed someone to understand him and his way of being. They find each other at the right time and for the right reasons. The funny thing is that one of them has had a secret crush on the other for years! I found this to be so sweet. As a reader, you have hope throughout the story that everything will work and that everything will continue to be this forever type of love that you know these characters have for each other. Even this story's non-romantic love connections are unique and well done. I don't have kids, but I definitely loved learning about how she handles each of her kid's relationships. Overall, I would highly recommend adding this to your TBR. Its so enjoyable!

I loved this - got to the end so fast!

Loved that Ali found herself with Ethan! Such a good story and could’ve honestly kept reading about them - couldn’t believe I was on the last page so fast

Oh my goodness I loved Summer Romance so much!!

Scooter, Ferris, and Ali!!! <3.

Ok.. but this was my first by Annabel and I'm not sure why haha.

Ugh... I didn't want this book to end. I absolutely FELL HARD for Ethan and rooted so much for Ali.

By the time I finished reading, I felt like I knew the characters inside and out. I wanted them in my life to laugh and cry with. I cried with Ali as she navigated the tender moments of loss she has with her mom, and my heart soared for her finally able to feel the deep love of someone wanting and longing for her.

Annabel's writing is just beautiful and was so easy to fall in love with the plotline. I couldn't get enough and quickly found myself feeling hope and happiness reading.

It was easy to read and something you don't want to put down!

I am so sad to have to wait another year for her next book! I am definitely going to read her backlist!!

Highly recommend this romance. You don't want to miss Ali, Ethan, and two furry fluffs <3.

4.5/5 stars

Thank you to netgalley and Putnam for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

Pub date: 6/4/24

Prepare to be swept off your feet by this literary gem! From the first page, I was completely enthralled by the captivating storyline and vibrant characters. Set in the charming town of Beechwood, this book is a delightful blend of heartwarming moments and irresistible romance. Ali, the resilient protagonist, stole my heart with her journey of self-discovery and strength. Overflowing with emotion and laughter, this book is an absolute must-read for anyone craving a captivating and uplifting story. Trust me, you won't be able to put it down!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

I received a free ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This was a cute book. I liked the characters and the side relationships that these characters have. However the only thing that bugged me was the whole need for one of them to uproot their life if they wanted an HEA. However, she wrote it very very well. I will for sure read author again.

I loved this book! It was funny, heartwarming, and such a feel good read. This is the third book I’ve read by the author and it’s definitely my favorite!

Things to expect:
- An incredibly funny and relatable heroine. Ali’s character arc was so satisfying and I loved seeing her blossom and come back to herself. She doesn’t have all the answers and sometimes makes mistakes, but her character felt so real. The book does fall more into women’s fiction for me because of this.
- I loved the message that it’s never too late to begin again. That we have as many acts as we wish, if we’re brave enough to reach for them.
- A sweetheart golden retriever hero. Ethan had the biggest heart and I loved how thoughtful, caring, and supportive he was. I’m always a sucker for the pining hero and his teenage crush turned reality was so cute.
- Witty banter throughout and kids who act appropriately for their age. I appreciated that the kids were active participants in the story and that they were always Ali’s priority.
- The story tackled grief in a realistic and honest way. Some parts of the story were quite emotional, but I thought the discussions about the complicated relationships we can have with our parents and their love were well done. Please don’t skip the author’s note at the end too!
- A slow burn (fade to black/closed door) romance. Yes, the focus of the story is Ali’s journey, but the romance between Ali and Ethan was adorable. From their memorable dog park meet disaster to the quiet moments where they saw each other for exactly who they were - all of it was beautiful. The obstacles they encountered felt honest and understandable and they tackled them like adults (eventually lol).

I mainly listened to the audio of Summer Romance and the narration by Kristen DiMercurio was outstanding! She captured all the emotion and heart of these characters and I found myself saying one more chapter over and over again. Definitely recommend this one on audio!

Audiobook Review
Overall 5 stars
Performance 5 stars
Story 4.5 stars

CW: death of parent (past), grief, divorce, toxic relationship, death of friend/loved one, teenage cliques/bullying

*I voluntarily read and listened to an advance review copy of this book*

3.5 ⭐️

This was a cute read, I love that the main characters were older and could relate to Ali prioritizing her kids above all. I did NOT see that first twist coming which was fun, and I also loved her job as a professional organizer. For the characters’ ages though, the writing/dialogue seemed kind of juvenile, and I didn’t really care for the whole skateboarding thing. Also, her ex is the worst, and I sort of felt like a few storylines were left unfinished.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I love when a romance book gives a good dose of reality with a smart female lead. Ali is an organizer, mother of 3, and soon to be a new divorcee. Summer comes along and so does Ethan.

I thought that their "Summer Romance" was a fun one to read and one where I was rooting for the couple. There were some real life problems addressed, which I always love because we all have problems and it's nice to see it rather than just a fluff book.

I was entertained throughout and found it to be somewhat binge worthy.

Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for the advance e-copy of this book.

Cute, feel good summer book!

It was refreshing to have a main character over 40. We need more books like this!!!

Fun fast read and was the perfect summer romance! I'm always a fan of mature relationships and managing romance with kids and other complications. Officially back on board with Annabel Monaghan.

I really enjoyed this one from Annabel Monaghan! I loved having a more veteran fmc and the more realistic life problems that come with that age (applies to me)!

There wasn’t a lot of spice but it didn’t stop me from finishing the book at a normal pace. This one was good!

I don't ever really love books that are dismissive of marriage. So take my review with a grain of salt. It just wasn't my cup of tea. I love a good coming of age story but this one just felt immature to me.

I LOVE Annabel Monaghan's romances, and this one did not disappoint. I think it may be my new favorite of hers!

Summer Romance follows Alice (Ali), a recently separated mother of 3 young kids who also lost her mother two years prior. When her husband decides they should finally make the divorce official, Ali is ready to make drastic changes to her life, including wearing "hard" pants and taking off her wedding ring. A serendipitous trip to the dog park leads her to meeting Ethan (<3). Ali's hoping for "just a summer romance," but of course, it slowly begins to evolve into something more.

I love Annabel Monaghan's writing because it feels so cozy yet also summer-y. I especially loved the MMC in this book - his acts of service towards Ali were everything to me. I also definitely cried while reading this book. The story is so heartful yet witty and light-hearted yet so thoroughly explores each character. I feel in love with both Ali and Ethan, and I loved nearly all of the characters we met along the way.

Thank you NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!!

Ali is at a crossroads in her life. She is going through a divorce, grieving the loss of her mother, all while trying to be a good mom to her three kids. She feels she has lost herself somewhere along the way, and maybe a summer romance can bring her back.

No shocker, I LOVED this story. I feel women in many different stages of their lives will resonate with some piece of Ali, and want her to find her inner strength and be the badass woman she knows she is. I loved her relationship with her children, and how she works to be strong for herself and her kids. I of course loved the summer romance as well. There were so many touching moments in this book and I can’t wait to grab a physical copy when it comes out to give it a big hug it deserves.