Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan was a sweet, finding yourself again, RomCom. Ali Morris finds herself in the midst of a divorce, mourning the loss of her mother and trying to find herself again as she nears 40. She's forgotten how to live, how to be happy, how to write her own story. That is until Ethan scoots into her life and gives her a reminder. Sweet, thoughtful, and unreliable..?? How can she bring someone into her life and around her kids if they aren't willing to commit? Is the feelings between them enough to change both their lives for the better?

Thank you NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for early access to read Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan in exchange for an honest review. I smiled, laughed, and even shed a few tears!

“Because that’s what life is — joy peppered by loss. It’s why you get a dog. And then you get another dog. Madness repeating itself just to get another taste of joy.”

Annabel Monaghan does it again in Summer Romance, and I just feel lucky to get to read her books (and this one especially since it’s early). This book didn’t let me down, and my only regret is not reading this arc sooner. I was so engrossed in it that I didn’t notice I was at the end until I was at the end. While it may not be flashy or incredibly unique as a concept, this book has heart in it. Even though the main character is a newly single mom who has three kids and recently lost her mother, there are so many themes that apply to our universal experience. Sometimes we lose ourselves, and sometimes it takes going through cycles of loss, grief, love, and joy to get ourselves back. I’d highly recommend this book!

Wow!! I literally ate this one up. I read so fast and was itching to jump back in the story at any chance I got. Annabel’s last book was not my fav so I am so glad that I enjoyed this one. It will be the perfect summer beach read. the romance and grief were both portrayed so well and I think ethan is a new fav book boyfriend!! 4/5 stars.

Annabel Monaghan writes women’s fiction for women of a certain age-or a certain stage (of life that is), and she is a MUST READ author for me!!

At the beginning of a relationship you feel vibrant and sexy.

But, after three kids, you may have lost that version of yourself, identifying only as a “wife” or “mother”.

And, sometimes you aren’t sure how to get the sexy version back!

That’s the kind of stories that she excels at writing, and this one is no exception.

It’s the two year anniversary of Ali’s beloved mother’s death-and the one year anniversary of the day that her husband Pete announced that he didn’t want to be married to her anymore, and she has woken up sick with grief.

But, a walk in the dog park with her pooch Ferris is about to change everything. He arranges a “meet cute” for her, which isn’t “cute” at all-when he pees on a handsome stranger’s leg.

Awkward!

Ethan takes it better than expected-in fact, he doesn’t seem bothered at all, and he is actually looking at Ali like that version of herself that has been missing for a very long time.

And, all of a sudden, Ali is inspired to wear something other than sweat pants, and to apply lip gloss as she searches for him, with the hope of meeting again.

BUT then she finds out that he is the younger brother of a close friend, and was once known to her as “Scooter”!

AWKWARD AGAIN !!

Still, there is no denying that she hasn’t felt this way in a long time-and that a SUMMER ROMANCE has its benefits-you know it’s temporary going in, you know it will be fun, and therefore you cannot possibly get your heart broken? RIGHT?? ❤️‍🔥💔

Find out on June 4, 2024

Thank You to G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!

“Life’s going to do what life’s going to do, Alice. You might as well have a dog”

The title gives it away but this is the perfect “Summer Romance”

Ali Morris is a professional organizer whose life and quite frankly, pantry is completely falling apart. After years of an unhappy marriage and the recent death of her mom Ali has lost her way and even worse, she’s lost her voice. She and her sweatpants are stuck in a rut until the day she meets Ethan at the dog park and he smiles at her in a way that feels so right. Ali decides that there’s no harm in giving a summer romance with Ethan a chance -- no strings, no heartbreak, just fun. But what happens when the guy you choose happens to be your best friend's brother and what do you do when the summer sun fades but the feelings don’t.

Summer Romance is about second chances. It’s about what you do when the person who was supposed to be the love of your life isn’t even close to being the person you are meant to be with. It’s about losing your guidepost and realizing that you have to find the voice that lives inside of you. It’s about recognizing when your forever love is standing right in front of you and having the courage to love them back. Most importantly it's about being a risk taker and knowingly doing the thing that you fear may lead to heartbreak because you know that there is power in the little moments and loving someone one and being loved is worth the risk.

I fell hard for this book and I think that you will too!

Thank you to Putnam Books, Netgalley and Annabel Monaghan for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was the second book I've read by Annabel Monaghan and I loved it so much. I loved having main characters who were a little bit older and had more life experience.

It has been two years since Ali's mom died, and one year since she and her husband separated. As they are figuring out how to coparent their 3 children, and finalize their divorce, Ali decides it is time to get on with her life. Ethan is in town visiting family when the two cross paths and have an instant connection.

I loved Ali and Ethan, as well as the side characters -- especially the children and Ali's neighbor Phyllis. I loved all the descriptions of Ethan's life and how he had created a community and place for himself. I loved Ali's organizing business -- I also find organizing so soothing and relaxing and could relate to so much of it.

The descriptions of the town and all the old houses were so vivid, I could picture it all and loved all the details.

I recommend this to anyone looking for a rom com with more depth and characters you will fall in love with. I am so excited to go back and read Annabel Monaghan's first book, and look forward to reading everything she writes in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group for the ARC.

This is an easy and fun read. A perfect vacation or beach book.

I fell in love with all the characters…well, except for Ali’s ex-husband (Pete). I love seeing Ali work through her grief and find her own voice. She recognized the power and influence a strong woman can have.

Going into Summer Romance, I was expecting a big romance like Annabel's previous works. This book read more women's fiction than romance. As a women's fiction story, Summer Romance is great! Annabel perfectly portrays the grief, struggles, and triumphs of a woman going through a lot. I enjoyed watching Ali's character development. What I didn't enjoy was the romance 🙁 I was disappointed by the romance of this story. I thought the chemistry between Ali and Ethan was lacking. I wanted their relationship to be more of a focal point. I can't quite put my finger on it, but something felt missing with Ali and Ethan. I did like how Annabel weaved the setting into the story. She did a wonderful job of describing the town. Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons and Netgalley for the ARC.

Very enjoyable summer romance. I like how the author writes about characters with complicated past relationships and backgrounds. Her writing style brings talent and depth to a story that could have been just another second chance romance.

After the last couple summers of enjoying Annabel Monaghan's romances, I eagerly looked forward to this next one. While enjoyable, it is not nearly as good as her previous works, and quite forgettable after a few weeks. We follow a single mom as she works to finalize her divorce, rebuild her life, and reconnect with a new love connection. This is a great summer read, however it lacks the staying power particularly of Nora Goes Of Script, but it is still worth a read. The descriptions of small-town life and humorous interactions between the leads are great, and the novel is well written.

Annabel does it again.. I just loved this book and these characters so much!
Annabel adds so much heart to her stories. I find the characters and situations relatable.
The romance was perfect and swoony. There was no crazy miscommunication and it was so refreshing. Enjoyed from start to finish!


-Closed door romance
-Mid 30’s MCs
-That meet cute 🤣, so good!
-Best friends brother/ He fell first

Oh this book. I absolutely hands down adored this book. The grief of losing her mom, her ex, the sweet kiddos, her dog and of course Ethan. From start to finish this book was a delight. Great characters, funny, heartwarming and really brings you into all those summer feels! So grateful for the ARC copy NetGalley!

There is life after divorce! Such a great story about finding true love after losing yourself to motherhood and a marriage that didn’t’t work. I couldn’t stop reading and truly appreciate the author’s ability to tell an engaging story.

I didn’t think it was possible to love a book more than Nora Goes Off Script, but I think this one surpassed it. I loved Ali, I loved Ethan, and I LOVED the overall message.

I will not be surprised when this book ends up being one of my favorites for the year.

4⭐️
1.5🌶️

⛱️This book was an unexpectedly deep beach read. Going in, I knew that grief was a topic that was going to be handled, but it was done so well and in so many different ways.

🌊There were several times that I got so mad at something Pete was doing that I actually had to take a break from the book 🤦🏻‍♀️

⛱️I loved the ending of this book. There was a lot of self-discovery, character development, and an overall satisfying end to the story.

🌊Thank you to Penguin, Putnam, and Annabel Monaghan for the oppourtunity to read and enjoy this advanced copy.

💌Content Warnings: divorce, death of a parent/friend, grief

Such a sweet book that has me ready to kick off summer! I really enjoyed the main character Ali and her development throughout. The conflicts in this one were pretty low stakes so it didn't have a ton going on plot=wise, but I found myself super invested in the characters and it was an easy read to just relax into. It did seem a little far-fetched that Ali couldn't ID Ethan right away - but that's a minor enough quibble that I could suspend my disbelief for this delightful book. Definitely recommend as a summer beach read!

After three books I can say I’m a big fan of Monaghan. She writes the loveliest of rom coms with a level of depth that makes me feel so much and she adds in that necessary dash of humor to make the sad moments very approachable.

This entire story is told from just one point of view which was a really nice change from so many of the books I’ve been reading lately. I didn’t have to keep track of timelines or people! 🙌🏻 I was a big fan of the main gal Ali and thought both her life journey and romantic aspects were just delightful. Between the meet cute, adorable dogs, and quirky characters this was exactly what I’ve come to love about Monaghans stories.

Thanks to Penguin Group Putnam for the arc via Netgalley!

This is the third book I’ve read by Annabel Monaghan and it is my favorite so far. Ali and Ethan’s romance is fun and sweet and full of hope. And Ali’s story with her family as she navigates this new relationship amidst all of the loss she’s experienced makes for an emotional story. I don’t know how, but Monaghan manages to make this book feel like summer even when you’re reading it on a cold, rainy day.

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam for this ARC!

Did I sit down with the intention of devouring this book basically in one sitting? Nope. But I shouldn't have been surprised because this has happened with every book I've read from Annabel Monaghan. There's something about her writing style that sucks me in. I LOVE the characters in this book. Ali is a fantastic heroine and Ethan is SWOON WORTHY. Get this book on your radar now because it's PERFECT to get sucked into on vacation.

This was such a sweet summer romance about love, grief, moving on, and just becoming yourself. I loved the family dynamics mixed in with this romance and the love interest was sweet. It’s one of those reads where nothing really bad happens and you’re just along for the ride, so it can definitely be a light pick me up while also talking deep topics. Our main character, Ali, has to combat a lot of changes to her life as she lost her mom a few years before and she’s going through a divorce with a man she never fully loved. All the while raising her three kids and a new-ish love interest comes into town. I flew through this just like I have with the author’s previous books and got me in the mood to read more summer romances!

I do wish we got to see a bit more going on as it felt like not much was happening throughout the novel. I did enjoy seeing Ali’s love for her kids and figuring out how to fit Ethan into her life. I just loved Ethan and did find it hard to believe that she had no idea who Ethan exactly was at the beginning. Overall, it was a short and sweet novel that I had an enjoyable time with!