What a cozy summer/spring read! I went into this book not sure what I was expecting and ended up coming away with a new favorite comfort book. I adore the characters of Jane & Dan and wish I wouldve been able to see them a little longer. The family dynamic and just all of the characters were so loveable, seriously a 5 star read!

Annabel Monaghan does it again! This book gave me all the feels. Jane and Dan’s love story felt so real, and the insecurities that Jane had felt so relatable. Who doesn’t have moments in life where they feel unremarkable? There were a few parts that felt a little choppy and rushed, but overall I loved it. This is going to be the perfect summer beach read!

I have read all of her books so far and dare I say, this is her best work yet! This book sucked me in and I finished it in less than 24 hours. Soooo good and can’t wait for others to read it!

Wow this was so beautiful. I could feel the chemistry between these two characters from the very beginning. I absolutely love how Annabel Monaghan puts serious topics into her books. I adore her writing as well. One minute, you’re laughing out loud and the next you’re tearing up. And that is what makes a good book in my opinion. I really feel like I could have read about Dan and Jane for a hundred more pages! The Finnegan family was also such a good addition to this story. They brought so much light and joy into this story for me (and laughs!) and I loved their dynamic. Thank you Netgalley and thank you to Annabel Monaghan for this ARC! I loved it.

Annabel Monaghan is a master of writing character driven fiction, and her latest book, It’s a Love Story, is no exception. Not only do the main characters, Jane and Dan carry the story beautifully, but the “background cast” adds multitudes of humor and love to the overall plot and storyline. My absolute favorite scene in the book is when Jane meets Dan’s entire family, upon arriving for a special family celebration. The banter, nitpicking, love, playfulness….every bit of it was perfectly timed and realistically penned. It’s a Love Story is a love story, but so much more-it’s thoroughly entertaining and fun to read.

Book Review: It's a Love Story by Annabel Monaghan

It's a Love Story by Annabel Monaghan is a delightful and heartfelt read that blends humor, romance, and a touch of charm. The story revolves around a grumpy but endearing main character whose sharp wit and sarcastic nature make for some fantastic banter with those around them. The chemistry between the characters is infectious, and their exchanges bring a refreshing energy to the story. What makes this book even more special is its theme of found family — the characters create deep, meaningful bonds that show how love and connection can come from unexpected places. It’s a perfect mix of cute and emotional, leaving you with that warm, fuzzy feeling after you turn the last page.

If you're looking for a quick, feel-good read with heart and humor, this book is definitely worth picking up.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 stars)

Thank you NetGalley & Putnam books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I fear my TBR did not stand a chance once I saw I was approved for an ARC of It’s a Love Story 🤭

I fell in love with Annabel Monaghan’s writing after reading Nora Goes Off Script and she’s been an auto-buy author for me since. Like her other novels, It’s A Love Story is a charming, sweet romance that’s also deeper than you might anticipate.

Our story follows Jane Jackson, a quirky former child actor now working as a creative exec at a Hollywood studio and hoping to make her first big movie. She’s finally found the perfect script, one that feels important. But in an effort to get her project green-lit, Jane promises she’ll get the hottest pop star to sing an original song for the soundtrack. The problem? They haven’t spoken in nearly 20 years. Naturally, Jane is forced to enlist the help of her annoyingly handsome workplace rival, Dan Finnegan.

What follows is a story filled with witty banter, relatable characters and sweet moments that make you pause. Both Jane and Dan grapple with personal insecurities and the more time they spend together, the more they realize maybe they had each other all wrong.

I majorly felt for Jane and her insecurities - I wanted to give her a hug! Annabel Monaghan’s writing is always such a treat because she’s skilled at writing characters who are at a crossroads. It’s something I find refreshingly relatable and part of the human experience.

As for the love story itself, I enjoyed Jane and Dan’s banter and seeing their feelings grow but given the short timeline it did feel a little insta-lovey at times. I think the love story would have benefitted from a longer timeline because the tension was there, it just felt rushed towards the end. For me, the real star of this novel is Jane’s relationship with herself as she finds self acceptance.

If you’ve enjoyed Annabel Monaghan’s previous novels, I think you’ll enjoy this one too. Definitely a good beach read!

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5, contemporary romance)

p.s. the millennial in me pictured Dan as Dan Humphrey with a man bun the entire time

Wonderful story as usual from a reliable author! Love the slow burn before they finally kiss. Write another, please! Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you so much @netgalley & @putnambooks for the ARC of @annabelmonaghan upcoming book It’s A Love Story (release date 5/27). I was beyond excited to read this book as I’ve loved Annabel’s previous books. It’s A Love Story is a perfect spring/summer read, I loved all the scenes at the beach. It made me look forward to warmer weather ☀️🏖️.

I rated It’s A Love Story 5 stars, I recommend reading it if your in the mood for a fun, engaging romance with extended family members that you will fall in love with!

Jane is a former child-star turned wannabe movie producer who has found the perfect script to turn into a romantic movie. Only the studio she works for doesn't think it will bring in the money. So Jane pulls a solution out of her hat - they can get a song for the soundtrack from one of the hottest pop stars out there because he and Jane are friends from way back. Only that's a slight exaggeration because Jane hasn't talked to Jack Quinlan since they were 14 and she declared she loved him on their first date. But Jane has an unlikely ally in Dan Finnegan, the cinematographer who is just as invested in the script as Jane, and who happens to live in the Long Island town where Jack will be playing next weekend. Oh and he and Jane almost went on a date before she heard him trashing an earlier project. So Jane and Dan pack their bags for a week in Long Island where they will try to win over Jack and try to keep their growing feelings for each other at bay.

The first third of this book was a slow start for me. Jane is so traumatized by her childhood acting days that she doesn't know who she really is and therefore doesn't know how to act without a predetermined script to help her out. Her rules for dressing and acting and all the ways they come back to bite her is rather cringy. However, once they land in Long Island and she starts to let go, the book turns into really a great story of a woman who finally starts to see herself as other people see her and lets down her guard to fall in love. I loved her growth arc, and I appreciated that we did get some deeper back story for Jane that helps to understand why her guard is so up. Dan's family adds some great secondary characters (his parents are just the best).

Overall: 4.25/5 rounded down
Spice: 1/3 (open door but not explicit)

4.5 stars - Loved this one! It felt like her typical beautiful writing that left me kicking my feet with excitement over the romantic storyline. I did think the resolution with her mom went a little quickly given time spent on other storylines, but it wrapped up nicely. Loved her friendship with Clem as well. I always love an Annabel Monaghan book and can't wait for the next one!

4.5 stars: As a huge fan of Annabel Monaghan, I was super excited to receive this ARC. Overall, a highly enjoyable read. It follows Jane Jackson, a former child television star and current studio executive who is trying to get her first movie greenlit. After making some exaggerated statements, she has to rely upon her grumpy co-worker Dan Finnegan. There is an enemies to lover trope but the novel itself is so much more than a simple beach read. However, while it was a very fun spring read, it just didn't quite have the depth of some of Monaghan's previous novels (especially Nora Goes Off Script or Summer Romance).

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have come to look forward to anything that Annabel Monaghan writes since I have enjoyed everything she's written and this was no exception. The characters and their stories had me invested and caring about them. The pacing felt a little off at times in this one but for the most part I looked forward to reading each day.

First time reading Annabel Monaghan and what a delight it was!!

This one had all the emotion, a swoony MMC, and such quirky comments and banter. The off-beat comments from Jane were perfect for an ex-TV sidekick (also I appreciated how she was inspired by Jennette McCurdy's autobiography...I read it a few weeks ago and I'm glad this this doesn't completely sugarcoat the experience of child actors).

Some small things knocked it down a star for me, but it's still a great love story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book. I loved the characters, including the main ones but also many of the side characters. I’d read an entire series on “the mob”. I also loved seeing behind the scenes in an industry I don’t know well. I flew through the book and could have read in one day should l have had that time.

Jane “Janey” Jackson is a former sitcom actress turned Creative Executive. She’s recently read the script for a romance that speaks to her and expresses all of the things she wishes to say to her mother about love. The only problem is that her bosses are looking to make the movie more commercial. In an effort to get the movie made, Jane blurts out that she knows Jack Quinlan, a chart-topping musician. While this isn’t untrue, her relationship with him is based on an embarrassingly fleeting moment from Jane’s adolescence. Now Jane must team up with her coworker/rival/almost lover Dan Finnegan by traveling with him to a music festival being held in Dan’s hometown on Long Island.

What wasn’t there to love about this book? Jane is goofy, infuriating, and a protagonist that feels real. Dan is headstrong, genuinely himself, and frustratingly, lovable. I love when an author creates a world so I loved that this story was set in Oak Shore and at the Owl Barn (if you know you know). I found myself losing track of some of the brothers, but I feel like that speaks more to the chaos the author wanted to express about how this family operates than a fault of the writing. The third act break up was done in a way that doesn’t rely on overused tropes, but instead seamlessly spoke to a larger conflict that existed throughout the entire story. Lastly, I love enemies-to-lovers, and this was a subtle version of that with one room/close proximity that was the perfection combination of angsty and sweet.

After reading Nora Goes Off Script and Summer Romance in one sitting each, Annabel Monaghan quickly became of my favorite authors. When I got the chance to read and review her newest book It’s a Love Story early I jumped at the chance and it did not disappoint.

This book follows Jane Jackson, a childhood TV star who is just trying to make her place in the adult world. As a Creative Executive for a movie studio she finds a movie that she thinks would be her career breakout film.

The only problem?

The only way to get it made it to talk to her first kiss who she hasn’t spoken to in 20 years.

Searching for Jack Quinlan takes Jane and her enemy, Dan, to his childhood home to hopefully be able to corner Jack at the local music festival. But, as always, nothing goes to plan and Jane leaves questioning everything.

This book was truly a sunny day in novel format. Without a doubt It’s a Love Story is going to be one of the summers best beach reads.

This was another delightful romantic comedy from Monaghan. While an enemies to lovers story, it's also about Jane's journey to self acceptance and moving past issues stemming from an adolescence spent on camera. The Finnegan family was a highlight of the book and I enjoyed every minute spent with them. This really is the perfect summer, beach read. Would recommend for fans of Katherine Center.

I loved this book--maybe even more than Nora Goes Off Script?? I loved the flashbacks to her childhood, Jane's complicated relationship with her mother, her love of her best friend and her need to be MORE. The best scenes in the book are the scene's on Long Island with Dan's family--you could feel so much come through in those scenes. The overwhelming love of a big family, but also their inability to truly see Dan. Jane's yearning to be a part of a love like that and her understanding of Dan's need for space from them. I will read anything Annabel Monaghan writes!!!

I enjoyed this book SO MUCH!!!! It had just the right amount of humor, strife, hope, and if course, love.

I feel like it author wrote it from heart. It was so refreshingly honest, and lovely. It's not often I read a book that touches me so deeply.

The main characters are adults. They don't have it all figured out, and they're both a mess, in their own ways.

Please read this book!! You won't be disappointed!!!

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.