It’s a Love Story
Is a beach read with the right amount of obstacles, chuckles, self discovery and swoon to keep you from putting this one down.

She has done it again!!!! Gosh I love everything Monaghan writes… she can do no wrong!! The character development of these two lovebirds is unmatched. Seriously I want to read about them for ten more books. I loved how the story intertwines the past and present and how very real the past can affect our present. Truly, this is a masterpiece. I laughed and cried so many times!!!!

If you were looking for the perfect light, swoony romance to pack for your late spring/early summer getaway, LOOK NO FURTHER! Annabel has Annabelled yet again - this is vacation in book form! We've got views, we've got steam, we've got self-reflection..what more IS there?!

Jane and Dan have a meet-cute for the ages, but things go downhill fast for them as they become coworkers in the small town that is La La Land. As Jane fumbles her way into needing Dan's help getting a script she loves greenlit, you know where the slow burn is taking you and every minute of the ride is delicious.

But I think my favorite part of this story has to be Jane's journey back to herself. She's spent a lot of time packing away parts of herself she doesn't want to show people, but those are the only parts Dan is interested in seeing.

Annabel Monaghan hits the spot with her latest romance. I was wholly invested in her characters and the HEA.

Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.

I was really looking forward to this book and it kind of let me down. I didn’t love Dan and felt like the characters weren’t as deep as the characters in her other books. It was a good time. I love Annabelle’s writing and will read anything she publishes.

This book is so meta, felt like a book version of 30 Rock.

What a joy! It was an incredible reading experience. I smiled so big and laughed out loud. Jane is a wonderful character. She works for a production company in LA with industry roots as child actress. Being a teen actor is hard, especially on a goofball role. I can see how it could prime you to want to be taken seriously as an adult. I love the whole premise around Pop Rocks and the core four. Jane is pushing for a script to be green-lit but needs the help of a cinematographer, Dan, to entice a former colleague to help increase the sell for the film. Dan and his whole family are wild and loving.

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this ARC!

Annabel Monaghan is easily amongst my favorite authors, and this is another great book.

This felt like the biggest departure from her other contemporary romances, in that it was slightly more broad and rom-commy in spots, though not in a cheesy way. I think this is largely due to the female protagonist. Jane reads as a little lost and slightly immature for her age. She is messy, and intentionally so. There are times when her actions will frustrate you, but I often love these types of characters the most—it gives them more room to grow. Jane is so afraid of being unlovable that she doesn’t know who she is, only who she thinks she needs to be.

The real treasure in this read is Dan, the perfect foil for Jane and someone who is so entirely sure of who he is that he strives to live authentically, even if it makes him the artsy black sheep of his boisterous family. He’s a character with layers, the kind who might initially seem off-putting, but you quickly grow to love him the more you understand his motivations.

As always, the Monaghan has created first-rate romantic chemistry, the kind that grows from small moments. Even in some of the broader moments, it’s the kind of chemistry that feels believable.

The premise—flying across the country to track down a now famous musician that Jane knew for all of two days in her teens—starts a little questionable but pays off. Not only do we get to return to Oak Shores and the Owl Barn (both featured in Same Time Next Summer), but we also get to meet Dan’s family, the Finnegans.

While this isn’t my favorite of Annabel Monaghan’s novels, it is still a stellar book, and Dan might be my favorite of her male protagonists. (What can I say, I love the quiet, artsy types.)

4.5 stars rounded up to 5

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for providing an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

I loved this book SO much! I was honestly truly disappointed in Annabel Monaghan's last book, Summer Romance, and was really excited but also nervous to read this new book. I was so pulled in with this story, I finished it in a day! The characters were so sweet, and Jane is so relatable. I loved how much this felt like Same Time Next Summer, bringing us back to Long Island and a similar setting, surrounded by big, loud, messy, and imperfect family. I loved how much Jane grew in the story, and how she learned to be herself and follow her heart. Dan was absolutely adorable, and seemed such a sweet character. I think I love him? I highly recommend!

Annabel Monaghan may be the new queen of summer with her heartfelt relationship fiction infused with a picturesque setting and plenty of romance. Jane aka "poor Janey Jakes" was a famous child actor who was known for her nerdy persona, and while she has moved into a movie producer career as an adult, she has never fully shed the long shadow of her younger life. When the perfect script comes along, Jane finds herself desperate to make the movie work, which sends her on an unlikely trip to Long Island with a cinematographer she can't stand to track down the famous pop star who was once her first crush, and first heartbreak. A very enjoyable summer read.

I usually love Annabel Monaghan’s work, but It’s a Love Story didn’t quite resonate with me in the same way.

The story centers around the FMC & MMC working on getting a screenplay green lit about a love-story. A lot of moments in the book the FMC ties to parallels in the script, but without knowing anything about the screenplay itself, other than it was apparently *amazing*, it felt like I was missing the plot and it was harder to feel invested.

This all contributed to the plot feeling a bit disconnected, dragged down by a few of the backstory elements which led the FMC to act quite immature at times. And I know with romance books you have to be willing to bend the reality of the plot a little for the sake of the story, but the reasons for the main couple resisting each other weren’t really believable for as long as it was drawn out.

That said, I really enjoyed the loud, loving Finnegan family and kind of wish the whole story had stayed rooted in that Long Island setting. And Dan, the MMC definitely captured a bit of my heart.

Not my favorite book from Monaghan (I think I’m in the minority!), but if you like her work you will likely still enjoy her signature charm.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the advanced copy.

This was my first Annabel Monaghan book and I loved it. This was so well written and the characters are so likable and relatable. I fell in love with Jane and her quirkiness and Dan was so perfect. I am looking forward to reading the rest of this author’s books.

Jane, a former child TV star is trying to get her first project greenlit with the studio she works for. She finds a script she falls in love with but she needs a way to market it. Desperate she claims she can get a famous pop star (who she worked with briefly when she was younger) to write an original song for the movie. She has not spoken to Jack since she was 14.

The book takes us along on a trip to her nemesis’s hometown to hopefully run into Jack and get him to write the song.

4.5 Stars
#NetGalley #ItsaLoveStory

This was a genuinely fun read, a perfect companion for a day at the beach or pool.

The plot wasn’t something that just grabbed my attention at first and I’m not a fan of third-act break-ups at all, but the characters made up for it. I thought the FMC was developed well and enjoyed her childhood actor background and references.

I absolutely loved the Finnegans. My family isn’t as big as theirs, but it reminded me of mine. Chaotic and very extra, yes, but also warm and hospitable and unconditional in their love.

A very cute story. :)

I’ve enjoyed all of Annabel Monaghan’s previous books, but It’s a Love Story really stood out—this one felt extra special. The characters had a spark that felt effortless, the emotions hit just right, and the story unfolded with a warmth and charm that pulled me in completely. It had everything I love about her writing, just turned up a notch. This might just be my favorite of hers yet.

4.5 stars rounded up.

My first book by the author and I am going to go run and devour everything else she’s ever written because WOW. This is my favorite type of romance. No mystery if they will end up together, closed door (no spicy scenes) but you are rewarded with a sweet story that feels meaningful and like LIFE.

This story was all of that and more. The more being delightful characters (the Brothers!), perfect pacing and the angst that has built up all through Jane’s life.

Advanced reader copy provided by GP Putnam & Sons and NetGalley but all opinions are my own.

4.25 ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Books for a copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was approved for this ARC months ago and kept putting it off (not sure why) but I’m SO mad at myself now.

Jane Jackson is on a mission to make a name for herself after being haunted by her childhood—a childhood she spent in the spotlight as Janey Jakes, the awkward teen people loved to laugh at on TV. She’s found a script she adores now that she’s working as a creative director for a studio and is trying desperately to get the green light for it--she's even willing to face her past to do so. The only problem? The cinematographer on the script is the man who killed her first project. Unfortunately for Jane though, he might be the only person that can help her get this movie off the ground.

Looking at the cover I really thought this was going to be a light & easy summer but there are definitely some heavier topics that come up. Don’t let that deter you though—this was so honest and soft in all the right places. It was ACTUALLY laugh out loud funny.

I loved the entire Finnegan family dynamics and how effortlessly this story seemed to unfold—I fell right into it and found myself waking up early this morning just so I could finish it before work.

This is my first Annabel Monaghan book and I absolutely adored her writing and sense of humor. I’ll definitely be looking to read more from her in the future.

I am a big fan of Annabel Monaghan, and have loved all her books so far, but I didn’t really enjoy this one as much. I thought the idea for the plot - A former child actress working in the industry tries to get a script sold and made - was interesting. But it lacked understanding of the why behind the obstacles she faces with the script. Almost like the author thought the reader worked in the film industry. I didn’t like the two main characters, Jane and Dan, in the beginning. Toward the end I did start to connect with them more. I also thought one of the main plot points - Jane needing to track down a former colleague who is a mega star to get him to agree to write a song for the soundtrack - Was great but how they decided to make that happen seemed kind of far fetched (her staying with a colleague she dislikes at his parent’s house during a week they are throwing a huge party. At the end of the day, I think this will be a popular beach read for this summer and that people will enjoy it. Like I said - Just not my favorite!

3.5⭐️ this was an easy read with cute summery vibes! I didn’t feel overly connected to the characters and storyline which is why it doesn’t quite hit 4 stars for me, but overall enjoyed!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this ARC!!!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Books for this eARC.

Annabel Monaghan writes beautifully complex and complicated FMCs.
The banter was bantering. The love was loving. This just worked for me.
I liked how real and honest the FMC felt and was definitely relatable.
If you liked Annabel's previous books, you will absolutely love this one. This was a summer love story told from a reluctant love starved FMC.

There was something really beautiful and touching about Jane's journey to find herself and to find and believe in love. She was a little obsessive and singleminded a lot of the time, but she got there in the end. I could have done without the MMC calling her 'crazy', but besides that, no notes. I want to be a part of the Finnegan family real bad now.

This is a fantastic summer read! Jane is a former TV child star. She decides to take a chance and go to Long Island with Dan a photography director, and the last person she wants to work/travel with in a last ditch effort to get the movie made. It’s enemies to lovers, forced proximity, second chance romance all wrapped into her own love story, filled with discovery, disappointment, and authenticity. There were times when I wanted to throw the book because of Jane’s choices. Monaghan’s writing is top notch.


A complementary copy was provided by publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC.

I've genuinely enjoyed every one of Annabel's books and this one was no different. It was the perfect combo of fun and flirty summer romance and heartfelt and realistic emotions and personal struggles. Jane was flawed but self aware which is extremely relatable. And Dan was so genuine and full of heart. This was a great summer romance.