Annabel Monaghan writes truly enjoyable romance novels. It's a Love Story was such a fun read. It keep me engaged the entire time, and of course, it's always nice to have the happy ending.

Annabel Monaghan…👏👏👏

I have a new favorite book now! This was precious! I could have read it in one day but I wouldn’t let myself. I wanted to savor all the things!

I never EVER highlight in a book but I did with this one! The way this author infuses witty quotes and inner dialogue is just incredible. I loved it. The characters, setting, the family (“The Mob”)…the ROMANCE! It is perfection.

I one million percent recommend this one. Five stars is not enough. It’s like a romance with a hug and Dan is THE book boyfriend of 2025.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this as an ARC.

Jane has found a movie script she loves, but is worried her nemesis Dan will torpedo it like he did her last one. Surprisingly, he likes it, but they have to convince the boss to greenlight it. Jane overpromises by saying she is good friends with a famous singer and could get him to write a song for the soundtrack and then needs Dan to help her try to make it happen. Luckily, his family lives on Long Island where Jack (the singer) is performing that weekend and it just so happens to be his parents' 40th wedding anniversary celebration. Jane sees a new side to Dan when he's with his family, one she really likes. But she's used to hurt and disappointment in love and so is reluctant to risk her heart. However, Dan may be just the person to knock down every one of her defenses.

I really enjoyed Dan's family and Jane's transformation. It was a fun and sexy story.

“Tonight I felt what it is to want someone else’s happiness more than anything. I felt what it is to lend someone else your bravery and then to be brave yourself.”

An enemies to lovers story where the “love” is inspired by the MMC parents’ love story. The FMC tries to overcome her past and how she has protected herself from love as she equates love to stupidity/pain, etc. I struggled with how much the FMC let others define her perception of herself for so long after the fact. And then the MMC falls in love with the “real” version of herself but she couldn’t possibly believe him because love doesn’t exist and she isn’t worthy of it. This FMC had no self worth and then ultimately had the MMC basically help her recognize her worth instead of her. There were great parts, especially showing her the love of a rowdy Irish family unit but I wish the FMC wasn’t constantly berating herself. She eventually came around but sought a great deal of external validation to get there.

Thank you to Putnam Books for this ARC.

Perfect beach read. A very consumable enemies-to-lovers plot line, with many likeable characters.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

Overall, this was a cute, fun read! I enjoyed Jane and Dan’s story, including “the Mob” and Clem. I did find the writing to be a little choppy at times and this started a little slow. But it did pick up once Jane and Dan were on Long Island. Definitely would recommend this for a beach read!

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I read Annabel Monaghan's Summer Romance as a book I picked up for a fun beach read, but it was much deeper than anticipated and I have now been trying to read all her books since! I was very excited to get to read her upcoming book Its a Love Story early.

It definitely took me a bit to get into this read but around 25% in, I was hooked but wanted to say don't get discouraged if it might be a slower start for you as well. I felt for Jane throughout the book who only saw herself as unloved and stuck in her child actor role that made her famous (Think Kimmy Gibbler from Full House). It was nice to see her healing some of those thoughts throughout the book. Dan our main male character did take me a minute to grasp his character, but I think it was written that way on purpose as Jane saw him as her workplace enemy. Overall their love story was cute and felt more genuine with the timeline. This will be such a perfect read for the summer, which is perfect since it will be out on May 27th! Highly recommend for any vacation this summer. Annabel is very good at making you feel all the emotions in a book and this one is no different!

Tropes: Workplace Romance, "Enemies" to Lovers, Forced Proximity, Miscommunication, Third-Act Conflict, Closed Door

Thank you NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Definitely loved this closed door romance. The writing kept me intrigued and made the story seem like it went by to fast. From the beginning to the end the romance was there. The tension was great the MMC was a gem. The FMC had some issues to work through but she got through it.

This author's writing is wonderful I need to read everything else she's written asap. I loved the family aspect of this story as well all the side characters were amazing. So many laugh out loud moments. Thoroughly enjoyed and I will be reading more from this author.

This is my first Annabel Monaghan book and I think she’s now on my auto-buy list! I read this is under 24 hours and was absolutely obsessed. I loved our quirky main characters and the loud mob of an irish family. I adored how this book portrayed love, as not just the grand gestures but the beautifully normal and quiet moments in daily life… the idea that love happens over breakfast, without pretense. This story was fun, sweet and felt like summer reincarnated 🌞

My favorite quote from this story though is “This feels like wealth. This is the thing you save up for. you live your whole life so that you can be surrounded by too many people in too small of a room and tell the story of how it all happened.”

I really enjoyed this book, another hit! The whole Finnegan family was wonderful. Their dynamic and whit was one of my favorite parts of the story. The first 20-30% of the book was slow. I had a hard time understanding why Jane was the way she was & following her backstory was difficult at times. Once the characters got to Long Island, I couldn’t put the book down!

This was my first Annabel Monaghan book and it was so cute! I always enjoy a good enemies to lovers troupe and this one also has a touch of forced proximity as well. (At the MMC’s parents house). I love how his entire family treats the FMC like one of them from the moment she arrives. You can feel this family’s love for each other coming off the page. This will be a great book to read by the pool over the summer

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC

Annabel Monaghan is now an auto-read author for me and her latest book did not disappoint! It took about 50 pages for me to connect with the characters but once I did I could not stop reading! The angst between Jane and Dan is so real and I fell in love with the brothers and whole family dynamic of Dan’s family. I did feel that Jane’s insecurities were played up a little too much and I could not relate to her in that way, but it was refreshingly honest instead of the main character not having any flaws! Overall I will definitely recommend this book to my friends this summer! I will be speaking about it at my next book club meeting. Thank you for the ARC!

What a fun book. I did enjoy this one. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC copy. I will be recommending this book to anyone who wants a good read..be on the lookout for it this spring.

I genuinely just want to cry because it’s over. There is no feeling like finding a 5 star read after being in a book slump. Annabel Monaghan has quickly become one of my favorite authors. I think she has such a talent for having such relatable writing. There are so many times I pick up my highlighter because I have felt the same way as one of her characters but had never been able to put those feelings into words. I absolutely adore this story. The way she explains quiet love is just beautiful. The story has such realistic characters and I felt like I was reading someone’s real life live story. Monaghan had such a talent for writing such complex characters and making me feel so much alongside them. I would definitely recommend this one.

I LOVED this book. This was the ultimate summer romance to read to escape the cold February weather. Jane Jackson's character is just so lovable- her childhood actor role reminded me so much of Kimmy from Full House. The love story felt believable and was so engaging without ever getting repetitive. Annabel Monaghan is officially my top romcom writer! Already can't wait for the next one!!

Jane Jackson is a former child star who played the token goofy third-wheel friend. She has since taken off as a creative executive with a project that she is hoping to bring to production. In trying to bring this project into fruition she makes a big claim that she can secure big talent to write music for her movie which causes her to have to work closely with her arch nemesis Dan Finnegan, the musician in question.

I love Annabel Monaghans writing style. The book started off a bit wonky, and it did take a while for it to get my attention as I felt confused at some parts, but once it took off about 30 percent of the way though, I settled in and enjoyed it!! Nothing like a good close proximity, enemies to lovers story! I'd compare it to Nora Goes off Script meets How to Lose a Guy in 10 days. I easily fell in love with the MMC and appreciated the growth that the FMC underwent as she tried to detach from her old identity as a goofy child actor.

Overall an enjoyable light read.

It’s a Love Story follows Jane Jackson, a film exec who was an overshadowed child actress, try to make it now as an adult in the film industry. In order to make her film happen she has to work with Dan Finnegan, a pretentious cinematographer who Jane despises.

This book was so much better than I thought it would be. The chemistry between Jane and Dan had me giggling and kicking my feet. Jane’s character felt so complex and I loved seeing her learn how to be vulnerable throughout the book. Dan’s family was so wonderfully written and the relationships amongst the characters in this book felt so cozy yet complex. I loved that this book tackles heavy topics while still remaining a light summer read.

I had such a fun time reading this! Thank you NetGalley for this arc!

✨ARC Review✨

I wish I had a talent for writing. I’d like to be able to express the joy I found within the pages of It’s a Love Story. My heart is wide open. I devoured every word, every turn of phrase, every swoony moment.

Jane Jackson is a former child star, the jokey sidekick, turned studio executive trying to get her first movie picked up. Unfortunately her boss doesn’t think it’s commercial enough to proceed…until she claims super hot music star, Jack Quinlan, is ready, willing, and able to write a song for the soundtrack. Just one teensy problem: she hasn’t seen Jack since she was fourteen.

By pure romcom happenstance, he’s going to be playing a music festival in her sworn enemy’s, Dan Finnegan, home town in a week. Dan reluctantly agrees to house her with his family since there is no room at any inn or Airbnb.

Jane and Dan spend the week ostensibly on the Quinlan-hunt, but also getting to know each other. Of course, discovering they actually like and are attracted to each other is a surprise to them both.

Dan’s family is everything you want in a romcom family. They are loud and plentiful and they love each other a whole lot. Jane has only ever had her mother and while they’re very close, she’s missed this abundant familial caretaking. She likes it and everything about Daniel Finnegan.

And so do I. I love these main characters and their inner turmoil and their love. So so much. Greatly.

And the setting? Long Island beachy small town in the summer? Gimme 14 more of ‘em. Gimme all the beach days and bike rides. Summer storms and car kissing. I’m a melted puddle of love. Thank you, @annabelmonaghan for this wonderful book. I’m so grateful.

I received this eARC via #netgalley and @putnambooks. All thoughts are mine alone.

#booksbooksbooks #romancebooks #contemporaryromance #workplaceromance #itsalovestory #annabelmonaghan #bookreview #bookrecs #bookstagram

4.25/5
First, I would like to thank NetGalley, Annabel Monaghan, and the publishers for allowing me to read an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Jane, a former child actress, treats dating like it is a script and she is just an actress trying out for an audition. She struggles with self-worth but she believes in this script she is trying to make a movie. Her character reminds me of Stephanie Tanner from Full House.
Dan, a cinematographer, is a free spirit who doesn't fit in in his big family. He helps Jane get her script the green light by inviting her to his parent's anniversary party on Long Island.
I enjoyed this book immensely. My favorite part was Dan's showing his childhood favorites to Jane. Their love was gradual and natural, and their personalities fit very well. One of my favorite scenes was Dan's saving Jane in the rain. It truly felt like it was straight out of the movie The Notebook which was mentioned many times since it is Dan's favorite movie.

If you love close proximity, second chance romance, and closed door, this book is definitely for you.

Don't let two stars fool you – two stars is a like! This was fine, but didn't come close to Same Time Next Summer or Summer Romance. I'm not typically a third act conflict fan, so that did bring down the overall vibe for me BUT I think this is super cute and will be popular, particularly with those who loved Nora Goes Off Script.