This was a sweet story that I happily binged in 24 hours. Ali is a newly single mom of 3, who recently lost her mom and also lost herself over time. I loved the romance with Ethan, but even more, loved watching Ali rediscover herself. It will be a perfect beach read when it comes out in time for summer.

Thank you Net Galley for the advanced copy to enjoy in the dark days of winter!

The beginning of the book was a little slow and sad/depressing but in an understandable/familiar way? But it makes you immediately root for Ali. I ended up loving this book so much.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ this book was completely five stars and I don’t give those away.

This book captured my whole heart. We come across Ali, who has had some life changes recently and is trying to figure out where she is in life. She decides that this summer she’s going to have a champagne summer. This book had it all it had heartbreak and romance. I loved all of the extra characters it gave off that small town. Everybody knows your business vibe. It would be the perfect book to read on your summer vacation.

This was a fun, quick read that I used as a pallet cleanser between two heavier books. I loved Nora Goes Off Script and was excited to read another by this author. In my opinion, it was not as good as Nora Goes Off Script, but still enjoyable. Ali is a newly separated soon-to-be divorced mom of three who works as a professional organizer. She meets a very nice man at the dog park and, it turns out they have a shared past. The relationship between the two is predictable and could have used more tension and excitement, but the characters are very likeable and there are some funny moments. Overall, a delight, a good beach read, or, in my case, a good January read.

My thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Summer Romance was a 5 star read, with every single word! I laughed out loud and smiled constantly throughout the book, but it also hit with deeper emotions of personal journey and growth. As a 38 year old mom and auditor who LOVES spreadsheets and binders, Ali seriously resonated with me. I absolutely loved Annabel Monaghan’s writing throughout. I highlighted so many quotes about growth, motherhood, and grief, as well as the cute and witty banter. The entire storyline was well-paced, relatable and completely believable from start to swoony finish. I could not put it down! I loved her other books, but this has catapulted Annabel Monaghan into my favorite author category.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Putnam for this ARC!

This was cute! A sweet, heartfelt romance, perfect for a quick read. The character development of the MFC, Ali, was rewarding, and I thought the MMC, Ethan, was adorable—a book couple you couldn't help but root for. I'm always a sucker for characters in their thirties navigating the reality of life and its unavoidable obstacles, and this story delivered. Their ongoing banter and dynamic together did not disappoint, either. However, I was a bit skeptical of the believability of their meet-cute at first, and I wanted more Frannie! Overall, a solid 4/5 stars. Annabel Monaghan has become an auto-read author for me.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this ARC!

Ali is a 38 year old mother of 3 in the midst of a divorce and buried in grief from her own mother passing away. Shes lost herself as so many of us do, until reconnecting with an old friend who remembers who she used to be. This was a coming of middle age story in the most beautiful way. How to find your way back to who you were while embracing and accepting who you are. I laughed, I cried, I felt deep emotions ranging from heartbroken in grief, to the joys and pitfalls of motherhood, to the magic of new love and finding hope and peace. This was a balance in how self growth and daily struggles can coexist. How loss and love float forever side by side. This is the perfect summer read! Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC it was the best way to start my journey reviewing books for you. 5 glowing big beautiful stars for Summer Romance.

Ali is a professional organizer whose own house is a mess. She’s getting divorced, still grieving the death of her mother and hasn’t worn anything but grey sweatpants for a year. And then on the very first day she takes off her ring and puts on real clothes, her dog pees on a very cute man at the dog park.
✅ She’s 38, he’s 36. He’s also a Leo which was not a surprise because like sees like, and he has real Leo energy
✅ my favorite kind of flirty banter - direct and witty
🌶️: almost all off-page

Yes it’s a romance but it’s also a story of a woman finding herself through her grief. It’s so good.

Wow this book was an emotional rollercoaster - and I absolutely loved it! High highs and low lows & I couldn’t put it down. There were moments of deep pain from a marriage ending (not to mention a glimpse into all the agonizing logistics that go along with separation/divorce), sparkles of hope from a new relationship starting (and all the fluttery/exciting fun that comes with that), raw grief from death of close people (loved the relationship the main character had with her mom - but also with her neighbor), darkness/sadness from a mom who had lost herself (and gah as a mom this was hard to read but I thought AM navigated it so well and brought Alice on SUCH a journey), and joy of that mom of coming to life again with such strength and confidence and resilience. Oh and let’s not forget that the entire story is peppered with the reality of having kids of all ages & all the different things those characters were going through alongside everything their mom was going through.

I loved how well the author kept Alice’s mom-priorities in order, it felt super realistic to me. One of my favorite lines was Alice telling Scooter that she “trained her whole life” for the moment when her daughter needed her - while my kids aren’t quite there yet, I resonate with the idea of parenting little kids being a lead up to when they’ll need you for the older, more emotional parts of life. I feel like a lot of books don't do a great job of portraying moms, but AM nailed it.

This book was such a good reflection of real life - it’s messy, it can be complicated and full of joy at the same time, there are high highs and low lows - but in the end you can make it all work & can live a really good life with the people you love. This book gave me all the feels, but left me feeling very uplifted & optimistic.

Another good read by this author! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. While this was not my favorite of hers, I still enjoyed it. Light, fun, and a quick read in a summer setting. I particularly enjoy the way she always writes in children to her stories- they always make it more fun and meaningful. Would recommend to pick this up when it releases!

I loved this upcoming novel by @annabelmonaghan! She’s quickly become a go-to author for me and I’m so excited to say this summer read is going to top the charts.

I loved Nora Goes Off Script and I equally loved “Summer Romance”

As a mom of four, I resonate deeply with Ali (the protagonist) who seems to lose a part of herself when taking on the role of house-cleaner, mom, bill-payer, organizer, and overall chaos-coordinator. Ali finds who she is and a whole lot more during the summer after her divorce.

Save the date for this release on June 4th! Thanks to @netgalley @annabelmonaghan and @putnambooks for letting me have this advanced copy to read!

Annabel Monaghan has done it again. She has hit a home run with her newest novel, Summer Romance. And the secret sauce? Flawed characters that real people can relate to.

Ali Morris has 3 kids, a marriage that has flamed out and she doesn’t even recognize herself in the mirror. She’s not spending any time dwelling on her arguably more fruitful past, and maybe that’s why she doesn’t recognize a man who knew her way back when. (A main character that’s lived some life? Yes please!) This blast from the past, Ethan, is still remembered for his questionable choices and unreliability, certainly not at the top of any single mother’s “needs” list.

Of course sparks fly. But can Ethan remind Ali of her strength and capability in time for her to recognize all that he has become?

This was a solid read for me, right up until Ms. Monaghan leaned in to the complexities of motherhood. This gave me all the feels and turned a solid romance into a 5 star read.

“You are the architect of your own experience”. True indeed, Annabel Monaghan, true indeed. Thanks for the reminder we all need. A romance with a lesson, the very best kind.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of Summer Romance. The thoughts and opinions in this review are wholly my

I fell in love with Annabel Monaghan's writing the summer Nora Goes Off Script came out. I devoured it in one afternoon by the pool.

Summer Romance is even better. This is absolutely the bar all summer romances will be held to.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC. It was EXACTLY the distraction I needed.

Summer Romance (ARC) | Annabel Monaghan
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spicy: 🌶️

Ali Morris is a professional organizer that’s great at cleaning up everyone’s mess, except for her own. She lost her mother one year ago and on the anniversary of her passing her husband (Pete) asks for a divorce. With 3 kids in the marriage, Ali needs a lifeline. She has her best friend Frannie and her elderly next door neighbor Phyllis, but why not more? A summer romance?

At the dog park she has an interesting meet cute with handsome Ethan. After their first date when he doesn’t kiss her, Ali is concerned. Come to find out Ethan is “Scooter”, her best friend’s little brother who has had a crush on her since high school and didn’t know how to tell her on their date.

Navigating through grief, divorce, and raising 3 kids can Ali find love again? And perhaps true love this time?

Super cute read that I had a hard time putting down. With each chapter I wanted to keep reading to find out what happens next! Highly recommend for a quick, fun read!

Summer Romance releases on June 4, 2024!

I will say, first and foremost, that I had no idea how I would feel about this book going in and I ended up absolutely loving it.

Ali as an FMC was so so relatable for me and I really enjoyed seeing her dynamic with her children, with her friends and the romance built between her and Ethan. I LOVED her growth in standing up to her husband and finding herself again after going through loss/grief and divorce. I also especially loved Ethan’s growth journey and coming into his own in Beechwood. This story was simple in the best way - I absolutely love when stories of connection and growth are done in the perfect way, it works so well for me.

The romance wasn’t the entire focus of the plot and I appreciated that wholeheartedly. With this being said, I am SAT for Ethan and Ali. The way he treats her and her children is so reverent and respectful, it literally made me tear up so many times throughout the story. This story touched me deeply and I won’t soon forget it!

Thank you to Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a beautiful read! I really enjoyed both of Annabel Monaghan’s other books and knew I would enjoy this one. Spoiler alert: this one was my favorite!



Summer Romance follows Ali Morris, an accountant turned professional organizer whose life is anything but organized. She is in the midst of a separation from her husband (and pending divorce) and learning to get back on her feet two years after the death of her mother. When a chance encounter at the dog park (which may or may not have involved her dog treating a human leg as a fire hydrant) thrusts her into the orbit of Ethan, Ali begins to learn (or relearn) what life, success, and love really look like.



Annabel Monaghan’s books are the perfect blend of romance and women’s fiction, seamlessly blending humor with real-life hardships for her characters. Her stories always suck you right in and you feel like you are living life right along side the characters she created. The setting and the amazing secondary characters just added so much depth to the story. And yes, you will cry happy and sad tears!



Summer Romance will be the perfect read for this summer, mark my words!



Many thanks to Netgalley and Putnam for the e-arc!

Ok this book was so cute! I loved Nora goes off script so I was excited to read her new book. I sort of love the twist (spoiler: best friends brother) and thought he was so sweet. watching her fall in love was so tender and I was rooting for her happiness! This is a great quick read and the perfect summer romance!

This was such a fun and sweet read. It deals with loss and love, including for yourself. There was plenty of humor to make the main characters enjoyable. And of course, a delightful happy ending. Thank you for the privilege of this ARC.

Having read Annabel Monaghan’s other two novels, I was SO excited to dive into this one, and it did not disappoint!

Summer Romance has so many components that make it a really special contemporary romance. Fmc, Ali, is dealing with divorce, grief, and parenting with little help. We soon realize that her ex-husband’s comments and criticisms have slowly worn her down and turned her into somebody she doesn’t recognize. Even if you’re not someone familiar with these specific trials, Monaghan writes the characters so well that you have no choice but to develop empathy for them.

Mmc Ethan enters the picture, and in his whirlwind summer romance with Ali, he reminds her of all the ways in which she is deserving of love.

There were some really nice side plot points in the story like Ali’s relationship with her kids, specifically her oldest daughter, Greer.

The only criticism I had of the book is that Ethan consistently brought up the way that Ali acted when she was younger and seemingly compared it to what she is like present day. This is a relatively small criticism, I overall really enjoyed the book.

Thank you for NetGalley and the Publisher for a copy of this book in exchange of a honest review!!

The cover and title made me feel as if it would be a fast rom com type book with laughter and a quick read. It was much deeper which I’m not upset about? It was a slow burn, zero spice and a lot of real world grief that went with it. It was so real and I caught myself highlighting a lot of moments she had as a mom and even words in the author’s note. This was more than a quick summer fun read and if you want to go deep - a divorced single mom of three finding who she is now as she takes a chance of a new love interest after grieving her mother passing - this might be for you!