Member Reviews

It's a Love Story by Annabel Monaghan
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
half of 🌶️😉

I LOVE Annabel's novels and always look forward to them. In two days, I devoured "It's a Love Story" and wished it wouldn't end. While this is a cute and humorous novel, it has a lot of heart, depth, and so many gorgeous lines. As someone who struggles with self-doubt(s), from looks to smarts to anything, I relate to the main character, Jane Jackson, and understand her decisions and life choices. 💕

❤️ I can’t wait to read Annabel's next book.

Tropes:
💏 Enemies to lovers
🛏️ Forced proximity
📋 Workplace romance
🏘️ Small town 
🫂 Found family

⚠️ TW: death of a parent


Thank you, Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, for this ARC.

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"It's a Love Story" by Annabel Monaghan had a slow start for me. I'm not usually drawn to stories set in Hollywood, but once the action shifted away from LA, I was hooked. The Finnegan family is pure chaotic energy – loud, obnoxious, and utterly hilarious. They perfectly capture the essence of a boisterous summer.

Dan is a fascinating character. He's quiet and observant, a man who knows his own mind. There's a quiet intensity about him that I found incredibly sexy. Jane, on the other hand, broke my heart. Her self-deprecating tendencies were both relatable and heartbreaking.

Monaghan's writing is truly special. She has a way of getting inside your head and making you feel deeply. This book felt almost therapeutic, exploring themes of self-doubt and the search for authenticity.

"It's a Love Story" is easily my favorite book by Monaghan so far. It's a perfect summer read, filled with humor, heart, and a touch of melancholy.

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I absolutely loved Summer Romance and was thrilled to receive this arc. Annabel’s writing is so easy to read, and everything about this book was just perfect. I loved reading Jane and Dans story!

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Thank you to NetGalley and Annabel Monaghan for this incredible ARC!

5 🌟
2.5 🌶️ peppers (not quite fade to black)

-rivals to lovers
-forced proximity
-small town feels
-charming loud family/only child who craves it

Jane Jackson, once a beloved child star, "the funny/nerdy type-cast girl", is determined to escape the shadows of her past. As a child, she was treated more like a product than a person, leaving her with a harsh inner critic and a regular occurring shame spiral. Now, as a creative executive in Hollywood, she's trying to make her mark behind the camera.

When Jane stumbles upon a captivating love story manuscript, she sees a chance to bring something truly special to life. However, to get the project green-lit, she must team up with "man-bun Dan" (who, ironically, doesn't even have a man-bun), a videographer and former almost-fling she dubs "the worst" after a run-in years earlier when he killed her first big project. To make the script more appealing commercially, Jane fabricates a story about her relationship with Jack, a former teen crush/acquaintance turned mega-rockstar. This lie forces her to confront her biggest fear: convincing Jack to write a song for the movie, despite the fact that he humiliated her teenage self when she confessed her love for him (ok in his defense, it was after like one hour of knowing each other).

Dan takes Jane to a music festival in his hometown, where Jack is headlining. As Jane spends time with Dan's charming family, so unlike her own, Jane must face her past, her fears, and her feelings for Dan, all while trying to secure the future of the project she's passionate about.

WOW ok wow. This book was so wonderful. First of all let me start by saying, I love a good romcom, and Jane's character, while being charmingly cringey and awkward, is also hilarious. There are so many funny little one-liners in this book, and this type of dry/sarcastic humor really sneaks up on you. Little gems like "on the days I don't run, worrying is my cardio" and "Dan follows me to the door. He's going to open it. I'm going to walk through it, and he's going to close it. That's how doors work." I also think her mannerisms and strange little coping tactics are hilarious as well. The way she hides under her desk or only makes embarrassing calls/texts in her closet. As if that will help haha. WHEN SHE THROWS her cup of soda at Jack's car in a panic?

But hidden behind the humor there is REAL depth in this book. I actually read Jeannette McCurdy's memoir "I'm Glad my Mother is Dead", and I don't think people understand how dehumanized stars and celebrities are. They're so often treated as commodities and little more. I mean sure, they make lots of money, and have fame, but I often wonder if you asked them "10 years later" if it was worth it, how they would respond. There are just so many hard-hitting moments in this book where you see the toll this takes on Jane, and how that affects her own sense of self-worth and all of her relationships.

Also, I love Dan, the mmc. I love the WRITING in this book it's so beautiful, but I love how Annabel captures Dan as being this creative soul that can see the beauty in the small things, and the prose she uses when he's describing something that captured him. For being a cute little romcom, in general I felt so sucked into the beauty of things. Really mundane things, like at one point they're viewing a painting of a woman stretching and the line "you can see the shadows between the discs of her spine." Like, it makes perfect sense, the language is even simple, but it's also so abstract and lovely.

Highlyyyyy recommend!

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"The small things are the big things. It's the thing that happens at breakfast."

Jane Jackson, creative executive for Clearwater Studios, has optioned THE movie that will make her mark. Jane grew up on a Nickelodeon style teen comedy as the awkward, braces laden, kooky "Janey Jakes". Jane is still dying to make it in the industry. When her boss makes it clear that their heartfelt movie is too "quiet" to green light, Jane tells a huge fib out of desperation. Her once coworker, now huge popstar Jack Quinlan, will write a hit song for the movie. The execs love it and Jane is mortified. To make things even worse, pompous cinematographer for the project and former crush Dan Finnegan is her only lifeline to make this work. They head to Long Island to stay with Dan's huge extended family for a music festival at The Owl Barn (I adore the throwback to Monaghan's second novel!) to track to Jack and make a proposal.

Jane grew up in a small family. Her circle is just her mom and best friend. Dan is one of five brothers. His family is loud. His parents have been married forty years. As Jane stays with Dan's family for a week on long island, she begins to make connections and calm in a way she never has before. Dan is a pain, but as she sees him around his family she notices that he is very quiet and considering to their loud and brash way of being.
There is always beauty in Monaghan's love stories, but her secondary characters always make the novel. The contrast between the responsibility of supporting a household as a teen and the voyeuristic trauma from growing up in the public eye is jarring when compared to Dan's big, crazy, stable Long Island family.

Most importantly, Jane has been telling herself lies about who she is her whole life. Too funny. Not special enough. Not memorable. Too embarrassing. Can our girl face the music and claim the life she's always wanted?

It's a Love Story is an absolute delight! Thank you NetGalley and G.P. Putnam and Sons for the gifted copy. It's a Love Story debuts on May 27, 2025.

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Top contender for my favorite book I read all year. Annabel Monaghan has held a special place in my heart since <i>Nora Goes Off Script</i>, and I found myself just slightly underwhelmed by her two follow-up novels. For me, this was a triumphant return to form. It made me laugh, giggle, gasp, and cry. I was utterly charmed by Jane and I identified deeply with her struggles - there is representation of a certain kind of trauma that I haven't seen explored often, and Annabel does so with complexity, nuance, and grace. There is also so much here about the persona others create for us (and we create for ourselves), and how this can become a shield as much as a mask.

"I hold on to a lot of shame," I say, "Like it sneaks up on me."
"Yes, you hold on to it really tight, like it's your identity."

I was rooting for Jane from the jump, and I was rooting for Dan just as hard. I love the way they come together, pull apart, and find each other again. I love the way they are flawed and complicated in all the right ways for each other. The evolution of their love story - and the ensuing conflict - felt so natural as it unfolded. In addition to the main pairing and their individual journeys, this book has an incredible surrounding cast of characters. Like Jane, I found myself completely captivated by Dan's family and his world. Clem is the best kind of book best friend. Every character feels fleshed out, relatable, and real. I loved this book so much and I cannot wait to read it again and again.

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Big thanks for Putnam Books for the ARC of this one! Since I read Nora Goes Off Script, Annabel Monaghan has been one of my favorite contemporary romance authors. Something about the way she writes just really draws me in from the first page. This one, just like the others I have read was incredible and I could not put it down. It was just a warm hug of a book and I loved every second of it. In fact, I am sad that it is over! This one is an easy five stars for me. I love an older FMC and the romance between Dan and Jane is unexpected and sweet and both characters are just so gosh-darn loveable. Absolutely, pick this one up immediately! See below for a brief synopsis!

Jane "Janey" Jakes is a former child star who is working in the movie industry now. She desperately wants a specific script made into a movie and promises that she can get a big name singer that she knows to contribute an original song to the soundtrack. The trouble is that she over promised and hasn't actually talked to him recently. In addition, she is stuck working with Dan, who she had a not so great professional run in with in the recent past. They end up teaming up to head to his hometown in Long Island where the singer is performing in a festival in hopes of making a connection with him. She falls head first into life with Dan's family and realizes that maybe, he is the type of person she has been looking for all along. Janey and Dan are both imperfect people that realize that maybe they are more compatible than they thought. This one is part love story and part story of discovering self worth. LOVED IT!!

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4.5 stars All the stars for Annabel Monaghan's 2025 romance! It's a Love Story has made this historical and literary fiction girl rate a romance higher than any other 2024 romance novel. And we all know how there were so many popular ones. I'm here to tell you that this is better than all of them!

Jane is a creative executive and producer trying to get a movie picked up, but her boss has other ideas. So it doesn't get thrown out completely, Jane tells him that Jack Quinlan, the biggest pop star of the day, is friends with her and she can get him to write a song for the movie sure to win him an Oscar. Truth be told, she hasn't seen Jack in over twenty years since they worked together recording songs for two teen television stars who were beautiful but couldn't sing. Jane is awkward and comedic as a child tv star. She also has other events from her childhood that have left her raw, vulnerable, and insecure. She doesn't believe in love. To make matters worse, Dan Finnegan, the arrogant and annoying cinematographer that her boss loves, is going home to Long Island, where Jack will be also. She agrees to go with him but there is nowhere to stay in the small town so she will be forced to stay at his parents' house for their fortieth wedding anniversary.

This book is much more than a romance with the typical tropes. Monaghan combines about four different tropes, making this novel fresh and unpredictable. Themes of childhood trauma, insecurity, family relationships, career, friendship, trust, human nature, and of course, love, are present throughout, making Jane and Dan very real and relatable characters that are rich and fully developed. The amount of spice is perfection as well. Not closed door but not so much detail that it is borderline TMI. There is a high level of emotional intelligence in the writing that resonates with the reader, making the characters realistic and endearing. Pre-order your copy now! This will be the beach read of the summer! Many thanks to NetGalley, GP Putnam's Sons, and Annabel Monaghan for an advance reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.

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Thank you to the publisher for a gifted copy of this book.

Monaghan is a very gifted writer. I loved the emotions she brought into the story. The relationship between Dan and Jane felt like a whirlwind but seemed realistic. I loved Dan and his family members - especially how easily Jane assimilated into his family. The reason this wasn't 5 stars for me was because I didn't love the conflict. Seems very forced and blown out of proportion.

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I just finished another Annabel Monaghan book and was so excited to read this one! Annabel does a great job at describing emotions, telling the back story, and her character development. I was invested in the story and read this in 2 days because I just couldn't put it down! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.

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I truly love how Annabel describes feeling and emotions. She is so good at describing the way people feel in a way that makes you feel the emotions yourself. This book follows Jane a former child star on her journey to be taken seriously in Hollywood as a producer. She ends up following her first heartbreak to a small town in Long Island to try to save a movie that could make her career. This book was such a fun read. I loved the former child star aspect and the way Jane grew into herself through out the book. It took me a bit to get into the story but once I did I couldn’t put it down! This book comes out this summer and would be the perfect beach read!

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Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam books for an ARC of this title!
Loved this! It took me a little bit to get into the plot at first, but once I met Dan's big, crazy family in Long Island, I was hooked & couldn't put it down. This book follows two people working in film in Hollywood, who fall in love with the same script and end up finding their own love story along the way. I loved the banter, the family dynamic, and the way Monaghan portrayed the life-long love of Reeney & Cormack, as their kids celebrate their 40th anniversary. Simple scenes like Jane learning to make a family pie recipe and helping a 6-year-old find the courage to preform "Let It Go" for her grandparents celebrated the simple joys of life in an authentic & touching way. I felt so completely invested in the story and felt the best kind of frustration when the happily ever after faced obstacles. Most of all, I admired the way the author described falling in love...she just nailed it!

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This book started off SOO strong for me. I thought we we were gearing ourselves up for another five star read! The characters were quirky, the plot line was unique, and the setting was fantastic. Unfortunately, the ending fell completely flat for me. I haaated the conflict that arose at the end. It felt forced and unnecessary and way too drawn out. The ending knocked it down a couple of stars for me, sadly. This is still a great author and I will continue to pick up her reads! I am grateful for the opportunity to have an advanced reader copy :)

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I LOVED Annabel Monaghan's last few books so I figured this would be no exception. I didn't read the acknowledgements that this was slightly inspired by Jennette McCurdy's memoir until after, but I can totally see it.
Jane is a previous child actor, now working to bring scripts to the big screen. She was the 'clowny, side kick' character, a designation that has followed her into adulthood by always making her feel somewhat inadequate. Dan is a coworker and cinematographer, who could have been something more but a bitter rivalry on their first day as coworkers has made them 'hate' each other. I've been real into rivalry-to-lover storylines lately, so this just worked for me. Their banter is delicious, the chemistry is palpable, and I LOVED the speed and interiority that drove them into the lovers category. A++.
When Jane promises she can deliver a current popstar (who she knew in her child acting days), she's forced to spend time with Dan at his childhood home, surrounded by his family in LI, to stage the meet up. The setting for their changing relationship and its the type you just want to sink into: loud, energetic, brash, large, cozy....to me this felt like the Burrow in Harry Potter. And thats about the highest compliment I can give. Also THANK YOU for keeping the popstar completely gross. Sometimes you want redemption for a character, and sometimes you just want them to be slimy so the lead can realize what they truly have: I'm so glad he never was anything more than just gross.
"It's a Love Story", at its heart, a story of finding love (for someone else and for ourselves), found family, and accepting our realities. Jane's complicated relationships with nearly everyone in the book are SO relatable and raw. It's one of those romances that stick to you and make you want to go back and maybe re-read for all the little nuggets you missed the first time.

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This book fell flat for me sadly. I don't know if it was the characters or the overall plot of the book that just didn't do it for me b/c I love Ms. Monaghan and her writing style. But this won't stop me from reading anything she writes in the future. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.

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I was very lucky to be approved for an ARC for this book and grabbed it as soon as I was able to. Sadly I struggled so much with the first half of this book it took me days to get there. I didn’t like Jack and Jane was driving me up a wall being so judgy. Unsurprisingly, Dan I loved from the start. Once I hit the point where I finally understood what was going on with Jane I devoured the rest of the story. In some ways this book read like a 90’s romcom (which is what I love from this author’s books)

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Can always count on Annabel Monaghan for a feel-good romance! While this isn’t my favorite of hers, that doesn’t mean its still not a top-20 read for me of the year. Jane and Dan have an untraditional “meet cute” and the book follows them through a week at his house in Long Island. Loved the family dynamics that came into play as well!

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3 stars out of 5.

I have loved all of Annabel Monaghan books so I was excited to get this ARC but the book fell flat for me. The story was dragging on for the first 60-70% of the book before it really even picked up. I did like Jane and Dan and thought they were a great match. Dan's family was so perfect and I really enjoyed reading the scenes with them in it. Overall, this book was just OK but it seems some people really liked it.

In It's a Love Story, Jane, who was a childhood tv star, is trying to get a script made into a movie. She has not had much success in her adult life but she finds the perfect script but her boss needs something big to get it made. Dan, a cinematographer who shot down her other script, was the only one on her side to get the movie made. Jane tells her boss she is in touch and good friends with Jack Quinlan, a popular singer, and she can get him to make them a song for the movie. It was a lie but Dan finds out his brother might be able to get them in touch with Jack. So Dan and Jane travel to Dan's hometown to find Jack and get him to make a song for the movie.

Thank you Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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This book fell flat for my sadly, I love Annabel Monaghan writing style so I’m not sure if it was just my mood or the tropes but I diddnt enjoy as much.

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4.5 ⭐️’s !!!

Annabel Monaghan has done it again for me! this story follows Jane, a creative executive, (ex-child actor) in LA, and Dan, a cinematographer who Jane happens to very much dislike. They both fall in love with a script and want it to be green lit however, their boss has a vision for the movie that will involve some traveling, groveling, and collaborating on Jane and Dan’s end. This experience leads Jane to hard realizations, including her past trauma, and that Dan maayyy not be that bad…

Firstly, this book had me hooked! I could not put it down after the 40% mark and completely devoured the last 60% in a single day. The way Annabel Monaghan describes falling in love with someone had me feeling all of the emotions and smiley like a weirdo to myself. But, the depth of the characters is really what got me, besides the romance. Both Jane and Dan had so much to give, and I really enjoyed diving into their personal lives as it helped explain why they are the way they are today.

So, not a five-star because I dislike third act breakups a lot. I understood Jane’s hurt and discomfort, but more often than not, there is a better solution than breaking up and running off imo. (I know it’s a fictional book and she had things to work through, just frustrating). Overall though, everything else was chefs kiss for me! Character growth, fun banter, not cringey, cute family, and not annoying children! Woohoo!!

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