3.75/5

"love happens over breakfast" (picture me sobbing)

this is my very first book by miss annabel monaghan. i have been meaning to get into her books because of their popularity and because of how summery they are. this being my first book of the new year was a completely random choice, i literally read the ARC in about four hours. my feelings about this story are very conflicting. i went in expecting this to be a love story with someone else, so its my bad for reading the synopsis wrong.

jane and dan, bland names for bland characters. thats wayyyyyyyyy too harsh actually but i'm sticking with it. their romance was very romantic and the scenes of them on long island were cute and rom-commy but the rest of their story fell flat and that is why this book isn't a four star. i don't understand their jobs, their lives, or anything about them other than their interest in each other. both characters needed more characterization, or maybe its just me and i didn't connect with either of them for whatever reason.

by the end i was rooting for them but i just felt out of the story. i am interested to see what other people think when this book comes out in may. the romance was written very well and the found family was amazing but then there are elements of the story that feel random or discarded. the writing is very movie-esque though and i am excited to pick up another book by this author in the summer time!

*thank you netgalley and putnam for the arc*

What a great read to start the new year!! This book started out a little slowly for me but it quickly sucked me in and I couldn’t put it down.

Jane, a former teenage TV star, has been battling demons her whole life - she never feels quite good enough. She has big emotions and when she shows those emotions, she sadly gets labeled as crazy. Jane is attempting to make a name for herself by having a new movie script get the green light. Unfortunately, the cinematographer for the movie is Dan, a man she met several months before who called her crazy.

In efforts to get the green light, Jane and Dan work together to try and secure a famous singer to write a song for the movie. Said singer is a ghost from Jane’s teenage past. In order to snag him, Jane and Dan travel to Dan’s hometown for his parents wedding anniversary. The singer is performing in this town and they have plans to meet with him.

Dan is one of five brothers in the Finnegan family. I loved this family, as did Jane, who didn’t get to grow up with a family like that. As they work toward meeting the singer, Jane and Dan’s distaste for each other slow turns to more.

This book was comical, sweet, and full of witty banter! Annabel Monaghan has quickly become a favorite of mine and I look forward to each of her new books. Definitely read this one!

Thanks Net Galley and Penguin Group Putnam for the eARC and the chance to read this early!!

I've been a BIG fan of Annabel Monaghan for a while & when I heard she wrote a new romance book, you better believe I pursued reading it.
Thank you, #NetGalley, for allowing me to read It's a Love Story by Annabel Monaghan. I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own, but please add this fantastic romance story to your TBR list.
Jane was a childhood actor & has never been able to step out of that role. Jane continues to work in Hollywood & she found the perfect script to be made into a romantic film. Dan is a talented cinematographer with an amazing eye for art. These two, professionally, don't make the best first impression on each other, but they both love this script & want to make it into a movie. There are a few hurdles they need to overcome to make this movie, which takes them both to Long Island & his childhood bedroom surrounded by Dan's big, loud family. Lots of self-reflection, a sprinkling of passion, & plenty of romance in this great story.

Jane Jackson is tender-hearted, wickedly funny, and so relatable in all her insecurities. Dan Finnegan is a total dreamboat. Will Dan's ability to prioritize himself and his needs rub off on Jane? Only time will tell.

Not as big of a fan of the heroine in this one. I felt like she was almost a caricature, which is a little sad because I liked Jeannette McCurdy’s book very much and really liked that it was Monaghan’s inspiration—it made sense but wasn’t too overt, and tracked with my favorite of Monaghan’s books, Nora Goes Off Script.

Once we got past my initial dislike of the heroine, I really liked this, I thought the love story was very sweet but also included authentic struggles and an authentic way of working through them. My only other gripe is I felt like we didn’t SUPER resolve a few storylines; the “ghost-singing” resolution was a bit too rushed for me, and I feel like there could have been more with the “naming this guy’s dad Dad in my phone” moment. Overall very cute and enjoyed it but not as good as Nora or Summer Romance (but better than Same Time Next Summer). Not all rankings are that simple but that’s mine for AM!

I adored this book! Watching two people fall in love is so satisfying, but this one also manages to feel like something that real people could experience. Really beautiful, sweet, and so genuinely happy.

You know how sometimes you pick up a book expecting a light read, but it ends up making you feel things? That's what Annabel Monaghan gives us here. Our heroine Jane Jackson is a former child actor trying to outrun her awkward past by becoming this polished studio exec. But then she backs herself into a corner by claiming she can get megastar Jack Quinlan (yes, the guy behind her most mortifying teenage moment) to write a song for her film. Cue the chaos!

Enter Dan Finnegan, this cinematographer who's supposedly her rival but might just be exactly what she needs. The way these two bounce off each other is pure gold - he sees right through her Hollywood façade and somehow manages to be both incredibly annoying and endearing at the same time. And his family? They're like this force of nature that slowly helps Jane remember who she really is beneath all that polish.

I really enjoyed watching Jane's walls come down. There's something so relatable about someone who's tried so hard to be "perfect" finally learning it's okay to just be herself. And the romance? It's got that slow-burn thing that makes you want to grab both characters and say "Just kiss already!"
The only letdown comes near the end - the final conflict feels a bit forced, like when a TV show needs drama for drama's sake. It's still a good ending, just not quite as satisfying as it could have been. If you've read Monaghan's Nora Goes Off Script, you might notice this one doesn't hit quite the same emotional depths.

But don't let that stop you! This book is like a warm hug with a side of witty banter. While it might not be Monaghan's best work, it's still a charming read that'll leave you smiling. Four stars - definitely worth curling up with on a cozy evening.

Many thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons for sharing this one of the most anticipated romances' digital copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

What an absolutely incredible read. Annabel is fully cementing herself in the romance/rom-com author category and I am fully here for it (also will unapologetically recommend her to anyone who will listen!).

Why do I love a good love story with some Hollywood vibes but not with the typical "Hollywood" that is today's time? Meet Jane and Dan. Dan with the man bun.

From the main characters to the side characters, every single one of them is absolutely loveable in every way shape and form. Except for Brooke. Okay and maybe one other person, but we won't get into that one. Side note - can we all have a friend like Clem?

I was absolutely hooked when I started reading this one, so hooked I finished it in one sitting, so engrossed in the writing.

Annabel, can you make a sequel so we can read all about how this turns out? You know what I am talking about!

Also Jeanette - you should go grab a copy of this - and if she isn't reading this, then Annabel your assistant/publisher needs to send a copy to her to read, I think she will love it.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for my ARC!

Annabel Monaghan has cemented herself as a must read author in Romance. Her characters have the depth I’m looking for and a strong background.

This is the second book that I've read by this author. I think the first thing that threw me was that I was expecting an older couple but these two were adults that behaved like coeds that skipped their much needed therapy sessions. I loved the dynamic of Dan's family and Clem was hands down my favorite character - we all need a friend like her.

Yep. Yep. Yep. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was leery at first because it took me about 50 pages to get hooked into the storyline while each of Monaghan's previous novels had me hooked immediately. Will I purchase and reread this again on publication day? Absolutely! I am glad I got to read this so early because by May, maybe it will feel like reading it again for the first time!

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I really enjoyed this one! I loved the relationship between Jane and Dan changing. The more they were together, the more they realized how well they got along. This book was sweet and filled with tons of laugh out loud moments.

Another fantastic story by Annabel Monaghan! While she hasn’t been writing sequels, I really hope this is the first book on the Finnegan Family. The close knit crew of 5 brothers was one of the best parts of the book! I loved the family antics.

This story is a slow burn with a significant amount of drama. From an incredible meet cute to a disastrous second encounter, Jane and Dan don’t make for a likely pair. However that starts to change when they are pushed together during a work trip/unintentional family vacation with Dan’s very large family,

One of my favorite parts of this book was the scenery. I was captivated by the picturesque town, seaside beaches, and venues.

4.5! This story is a great romance to eat right up like a summer snack. It is implausible, improbable and a hits a couple of the heavily used tropes but dang it, I didn’t care! I wanted to read every moment of Jane and her journey through some cliché but very endearing situations. The family interactions were charming, the settings were well drawn and the romance was compelling with real chemistry.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This story was predictable but relatable and cute! An easy read that hit your emotions a few times. Jane’s story is sad but fulfilling by the end and Dan’s honesty in all situations is refreshing.

Before I begin my review, I wanted to share some of my favorite parts of the book. These aren’t the huge, swoony moments. They’re the little ones that made Dan and Jane begin to matter to each other, and I love how they were written.

Some favorite parts:

Dan turns all the way toward me, as if I've just appeared. He scans my face again in that unnerving way he has of taking in every single detail.

====

Dan doesn't ask why I can recite a line from a movie I hate. Instead he laughs a real laugh and locks his eyes on mine like he did the first day. I like the sound of his laugh and the way his eyes dance around my face before settling on my eyes.

====

I turn my head toward him, and he's rolled onto his stomach, chin on folded hands, a clump of hair resting like a single parenthesis over his forehead. We are very close, and I can see each of his black eyelashes, a dusting of white sand on the ridge of his left cheekbone. I want to wipe it away with my thumb. I have the sense that we are in a small space now, that the sound of the waves and the kids has been muted. He's looking at me like I'm something he's unsure of. His eyes run along my hairline, my jaw. They land on my eyes. My body feels hot and loose like lava. Anyone lying this close to shirtless Dan would feel this way, but it's neither convenient nor appropriate for me at this particular time. One thing that's abundantly clear as I scan the slope of his shoulder and the way it flows into the ridges of his back: Dan needs to put his shirt back on.

====

Through all of it, I clock the nearness of Dan. When I laugh, he leans in, not away. When he leans back in his chair, he places a hand on the back of mine. I try on the feeling, just for a second, of what it would be like to belong to him.

====

(I love their friendship!)

"Hot?" she asks before I've even said hello. “Dan, who you hate, is hot at home?"
“I have a feeling he's hot everywhere," I whisper into the phone. "But maybe I just notice it more when he's not also dashing my dreams.”
"What's the family like? Are you in a big mansion on the water? Like in Revenge?"
"Small house on a potato field," I whisper. “I love it. And we're sharing a room and he takes his shirt off and it's just like nothing I’ve seen before. I want to lick him? Is that a thing people do?"
Clem is laughing so hard that I need to pull the phone away from my ear. "People, yes. You, no."
“That's what I thought. Maybe deep down I’m people."
“Yeah, Jane, I think you are." We're quiet for a beat.

====

“But I don't know, Janey. Dan keeps claiming you're not dating. Sounds like you're fair game."
He's kidding and he's not kidding. There's SO much ribbing that goes on in this family that I'm not sure where the threads of truth lie. He's either flirting with me or trying to annoy Dan. Or both.
"I’m neither fair, nor game,” I say, and Dan laughs. He glves me a sideways smile that says million things, and I can feel in my body how much I like making Dan laugh. It's incongruous, really. I like making him laugh while I also want to run my hands over his chest. The wind picks up, and we sail parallel to Long Island. There are long stretches of waterfront homes and then a patch of trees where there's been no development. Beyond the trees, the beach is rocky and a huge bluff looms overhead.
"That's Queens Park Bluff,” Brian shouts over the wind.
"It's beautiful,"' I say.
"I'Il take you later if you want," says Brian.
"Okay, stop it," says Dan.
"Oh?" Brian is challenging him and I can picture the two of them as kids, fists up.
"Yes, stop it," he says again.
The wind dies down a bit and we slow. It's as if someone's turned the volume down on the TV. Dan turns to me and rests his forearms on his knees. His hair is wild, swirls of black around his head in every direction. He looks like an ad for soap. Rugged soap that removes a day's worth of sweat and leaves you smelling exactly like you. His eyes are asking me a question. I don't know what it is, but I want to say yes.

====

Dan's on the phone. "No, that's a nightmare," he's saying. "She'll hate it. Okay, fine, I'll hate it. No. Fine."
Brian drops us off in the Finnegans' driveway. "Call me if you get bored later, Jane." He gives me a teasing look through the open car window. He is equally as handsome as Dan-the chiseled features and full lips but I'm not attracted to Brian like I am to Dan. The pull is specific to him, the way he moves in the world.
"Fuck off, Brian,” Dan says without looking up from his phone. Brian laughs and drives away.
"What am I going to hate? Or am I not the she?" I ask.
He looks up at me and holds my gaze for a second. "You're the she.”

====

"Sure”, I say. He scoots closer to me and our knees touch. Our knees press together as he reaches between my legs to paint, his arm on my thigh. That delicious hug in the alley has broken the seal between us. We`re allowed to touch now, and at every point of contact, my skin tingles like it's waking up. I steady my breath and watch him add vague, watery trees behind the pond. The bottom of the greenery blends into the edges of the pond, and instead of looking like a hot mess, it looks like we're seeing it from a distance. He rinses his brush and dips it in red, a dotting the field with poppies while his forearm rests on my thigh. I watch his face as he paints, just inches from mine, his eyebrows knitted together and his lashes in profile.
I feel like he's let me into his private world, the one where he is entirely in his senses. He turns and catches me watching. His eyes smile and mine dip to his mouth. He notices and leans in a breath closer.
"It's your turn," he says.
"What?" I think I'm holding my breath.
He releases my eyes and looks down at the painting "Fill in the bottom, make it sort of earthy."
"I don't know how," I say.
The two inches beyond Dan's lips are like a vortex pulling me in.

====

How easy it was to love this book! I’m already a huge Annabel Monaghan fan. Summer Romance was a book club pick last year. I was on the waitlist to check it out from the library, and while I waited, I saw Nora Goes Off Script was available, so I checked it out. I was not even halfway through that book before I knew I would not have to wait to get off the waitlist to read Summer Romance; I was wholly willing to just pay for it. Reading and finishing Summer Romance confirmed it for me: Annabel Monaghan was now one of my blind-buy authors. If she’s selling a book, I am pre-ordering that book. In fact, before I ever had the chance to request It’s A Love Story on Netgalley, I had already pre-ordered my physical and e-book copies. I am not a big-time influencer/book reviewer, so I did not have high hopes to get approved to read her newest on NetGalley. When I got the email that I had been approved for “It’s a Love Story”, I was ELATED! I inhaled it in a day, I loved it so much, and I feel incredibly privileged to get to tell you why 5 months before the book is released.

I don’t break down the synopsis of the entire story in my reviews. My apologies if you are not one of those people who read the official synopsis before using reviews to dip your toe in the water to see if you want to bother with reading the book. But believe me: you want to bother to read this book. Before I get all heavy, because this book deals with deeply psychological issues, I need to first say that the sense of humor that Annabel Monaghan writes with is delightful. She is hilarious, and it lends a quirkiness to her characters that makes it so easy to not only humanize them, but to adore them. You begin to feel protective of them. You are rooting for them, and because you are rooting for them, you feel it when they’re hurt or when they fail. This permits an immersion that deeply connects you to the story. The slow burn and build up of Jane and Dan was MASTERFUL! *I* felt butterflies! One of my absolute favorite things about this book was how Dan looked at Jane and saw all of the good and beautiful things she was unable to believe about herself. His family was also so funny, and the way they loved each other was so obvious. They were a cathartic part of the book for me. I already know this is going to be one of my favorite books of 2025.

I have never ever identified more with a character more than I have with Jane Jackson. Let me tell you: daddy issues can take down the best of us. Our fathers are supposed to be the first reliable man along a long line of men who will enter our lives who are supposed to protect us, help build up our worth, and who are supposed to set the example for the kind of man we deserve in our lives. This perception is not meant to overshadow the role and impact our mothers can have. They are just as important, and they are just as capable of supplying those same things and even more. But even if you have that from one parent, the psychological impact of knowing your father is out in the world and wants nothing to do with you can cause a very huge dent in a person’s self-esteem, whether they mean it to or not. Our female heroine, Jane Jackson, is one of those people. So am I. I have never met my father in person, nor seen him, not even in a photo. I spoke to him once on the phone the same day I found out that the man I believed was my father was not. My mom began dating a man when I was an infant, and they got married. I always believed that man was my father. They had my sister and my brother, and we were all under that belief, until one day when I was 8 or 9 years old. My mom closed my bedroom door, sat me down, and told me my dad was not my dad. I remember how confused I felt. At first, I thought he also wasn’t my brother or sister's father, either, but she corrected me and said he was theirs, just not mine. Even though I was very young, there were very distinct things I noticed during that conversation. He was not sitting there with her sharing this information with me, even though he was at home. And I heard all of the things that were NOT being said: “None of that matters; he still loves you.” “Love is bigger than blood. He thinks of you as his daughter, so you are his daughter.” No variation of that was shared, and I was very cognitive of it. My mom, apparently unaware of the effect the bomb she’d just dropped on me was having, then called my real father and put me on the phone with him without asking me how I was doing or even if I wanted to speak to this person. It was a very short conversation, and we never spoke again after that. I would find out my senior year in college that he died from a heart attack. I began to notice things after that day. My stepfather would come home with gifts, but not for me. I distinctly remember him coming home with records one day. We were in awe, and we were so excited to see them. The first album he pulled out of the bag was Whitney Houston’s album, the one where she looks super cute in her white tank top. He handed that one to my sister and said that was hers. Then he pulled out the soundtrack to La Bamba, and he gave that one to my little brother. And that was it. All that was left was the empty plastic bag he balled up in his hands. I remember standing there in the middle of the living room, beginning to feel small, as my brother and sister revered their new gifts. It wasn’t the absence of the gift that made me feel less empty than I had before he’d shown up with that plastic bag of records. Later I would realize it was that he either had not considered what it would feel like to be the only one not to receive a gift or worse, that he did not care what it would feel like to be the only one to not receive a gift. There was not an explanation for why I did not get anything, and he made sure to make it a point to tell them those were THEIR records. There was a very clear line I felt was drawn that day. The “real” children were the important ones, and I was not one of the “real” children. My sister and brother were so happy, and we were so young, that I do not think they even noticed. There was zero malicious intent on their part. My brother was 5 years old at the time, and my sister was 7. I didn’t cry, the same way I did not cry when my mom first told me that this man I loved was not my father, nor when I realized that he did not care to be. These are my first memories of learning to internalize my sad feelings. It felt like they shouldn’t be verbalized since no one had asked me what they were. So not only did I have a man out in the world who was my biological father, who knew I existed and made zero attempt to get to know me, there was also a second man in the world who had raised me and had the chance to be my father and decided that he did not want to be. It is incredibly difficult to not assume you did something wrong, that there is something wrong with you, or that you're not special enough, especially when you are a child. And similar to Jane’s story, my stepfather died 3 years after I found out the truth, so with his death went the chance to ever ask him why; what had I done wrong? And with his death came a very complicated grief I struggled to understand and get through. Okay, I know this isn’t my diary, but there is a point to sharing all of that.

Annabel Monaghan skillfully portrays the profound internal insecurities that the character grapples with in the wake of her father's abandonment. There were legitimate parallels in Jane’s thought processes when compared to my own. Through subtle nuances in the character's thoughts, actions, and relationships, the narrative captures the complex emotional landscape of someone torn between self-doubt and the desperate longing for resolution - and not just resolution: for proof that they are worthy, that they are capable of being loved, and more importantly, of not being left. Annabel Monaghan’s masterful exploration of these struggles allows the reader to deeply empathize with the character's journey toward confronting and ultimately attempting to overcome these haunting insecurities. Jane is so damaged by the purposeful absence of her father that she finds it difficult to deal with everyday difficulties. When she has a difficult phone call to make, or she is having a very difficult time, she hides under her desk or in her closet. I HAVE DONE THE SAME THING. (It took me a long time to realize how sad that was.) There is a scene where Janey is humiliated by an older boy. She is 14 and he is 16. This also happened to me in high school. I was a 14 year old freshman and he was a 17/18 year old senior. I thought because he wanted my phone number and we talked on the phone that that meant we were “talking”. He made it clear in front of the football team that we were not. It was horrible. (I wish I had the wherewithal to have asked him why someone as old as him was even getting phone numbers from 14 year old girls.) Jane Jackson felt like she was my fictional counterpart, and so she has become the character I have loved the most of all of the characters I have read over my entire lifetime. I fear people may not get her reasoning when the inevitable break-up occurs in the book. (For anyone who reads romance, we know the likelihood of a break-up is 99.9%, so this is not a spoiler.) I felt like Monaghan wrote the reason for all of the dents in Jane’s armor incredibly well, and I feel like it was written well enough to make the break up make sense. But I know it’s possible that some readers still won’t get how damaging that kind of abandoment can be because while Jane did not have her father, she had a very committed mother, but I know that that sometimes still is not enough. I did not have an overly committed mother, but I had an overly committed aunt and grandmother who helped raise me after my mom and stepfather divorced. It took me a very long time to realize that for people of their caliber to love me, that I was much more special than I ever realized. These are not things that are easy to realize right away, so for me, the break up made sense. (I do think that the person who had to grovel should have had to grovel just a teensy bit more. lol)

Dan Finnegan and his family were just what Jane Jackson needed. The family’s ability to love each other deeply enough to share difficult truths—truths that others might shy away from—without allowing these revelations to damage their bond is truly beautiful. Their openness and support was a welcome contrast to Jane’s upbringing. She was an only child and only had her mother. Dan’s family gave her a sense of connection and belonging I think she had been missing. I know it is not just girls who are unloved by their fathers/father figures who experience insecurities that impact their worthiness, a worthiness that when missing can allow a person to accept undeserved mistreatment and allow them to think less of themselves. There are a multitude of things that can happen in a person’s life that allows them to accept less than they deserve. This book is for all of those people. It won’t fix everything, but it will help you see that you can start to.

This is the kind of story that can leave you subconsciously raising your hand over your heart. (When you read it, you’ll get it. And I think you’ll agree.)

This was a really good lighter romance! I was expecting a bit more from it. I have loved her other books because they are great romance reads with some deeper emotions. But this one kind of lacked that. Overall, I really did like it though.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I was thrilled to have the chance to read another book by Annabel Monaghan. I initially found it hard to connect with Jane, but I loved that we gradually get to know her over the course of the book as she gets to know herself. The banter and setting made the book for me.

I squealed when I got the ARC for this as I will read anything she writes. I’ll be honest I didn’t even read the description. I saw her name and was like I can’t wait to feel warm and fuzzy. So it pains me to give this review as Annabel is a trusted 5 star read for me. I just couldn’t connect with this one. I saw another review that said there will be an audience for this and I fully agree with that statement. It just wasn’t me.

The story for me I had zero interest in. I didn’t really care for the MC or if that damn movie was made or not and I especially hated the third act break up. Checked me out of the book so fast.

Things I did enjoy: the Finnegan family, the witty banter, and sweet romance that AM has always given us readers. I love how she can deliver a romance that doesn’t go over the top or too into the details but gives us a touch more than closed door. It’s that balance that I always look forward to in her stories. While this wasn’t the one for me, I’ll be back for more stories from this author. I do recommend checking out all of her works.

I will literally read anything Annabel Monaghan writes. I love that she writes believable stories about characters who are a bit older than the average romcom character. These characters feel like real people and it’s just so easy to root for them.

It’s a Love Story follows Jane, a movie producer, who has found the next great screenplay and is determined to see it made. While in the pitch meeting for the screen play, Jane realizes that her screenplay doesn’t stand a chance of being made when its only action and Marvel movies bringing in the big bucks. Desperate to see this film made, Jane blurts out that she knows Jake Quinlan, a extremely famous musician (who Jane briefly knew as a kid when she was a child actress) and says that she thinks she can get him to write an original song for the movie. This piques her boss’s interest. Lucky for Jane, Jake is performing at a music festival in Long Island. Unlucky for Jane, Dan, a cinematographer/coworker and Jane’s nemesis, is expected back in Long Island for his parents 40th anniversary which is also the same time as the music festival. Together, Jane and Dan head to Long Island and stay with Dan’s family while trying to convince Jake to write a new original song.

My favorite aspect of the book was Dan’s family. Dan is one of five boys, so there were a lot of jokes being thrown around. I truly loved reading the scenes when they were all together and wish there was more of them in the book. Even though Dan feels like he is the black sheep in his family, you can still feel the love his family has for each other.

Overall, this was a really cute enemies to lovers book. Jane and Dan make a really cute couple - especially in the way they support each other. The way that they are able to just be themselves when they are together is really sweet. I also liked that there is a lot of growth for Jane. By the end of the book, she is a stronger person who has learned how to be herself.

Thank you to Putnam and NetGalley for giving me an ARC copy of the book. All opinions are my own.