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.

Right book and the right time- I cried more than once and loved each character. But I did hope Jane ended up writing and singing the song- Butterflies on the Beach.

3.5 stars This is a good comfy summer read or vacation read. I thought the story line was cute and I like how she found herself in the end without it being just about a guy suddenly liking her. I will say for a story that griped about instant love so much it was literally the definition of instant love but I would still recommend it to others!

My 3rd book by Annabel Monaghan and possibly my favorite! All of her books have been so great! I loved this sassy enemies to lovers romance and I’ll be recommending this to all my friends!

This was such a cozy, sweet, easy romcom. I loved the chemistry between Jane and Dan. Jane is no nonsense and just wants to find her practical partner. Even though she works in Hollywood, she doesn't believe she is deserving of the Hollywood love story with all the frills and meet cutes. Then she meets Dan who sees the world in a totally different way, who believes in the messy but perfect love story. I love that Jane starts to open herself up to Dan and allows herself to feel love and connection however I hated the self sabotage. However, I thought the author did this in such a way that makes Jane realize she can be happy and can be loved regardless of what she has been told. I love that she is forced to look inward and face all the ugly truths. And this makes her connection with Dan so much more realistic and easy to imagine. They accept the good and the bad. This was an amazing read.

Not my favorite of Annabel’s, but still cute and will make you feel all the things. My main beef is with the 3rd act miscommunication of it all… like it was silly to me, JUST TALK

Thank you thank you Annabel Monaghan and your team for this ARC! This is the most excited I’ve been for any of the ARCs I’ve gotten. I LOVED this book. Easily one of the best I’ve read this year so far.

Jane can’t stand Dan, but when they finally agree on a script that needs to be made into a movie, Jane must rely on Dan to help her do want needs to be done to get it made.

This was such a heartwarming story with real and raw emotions. How love is just as special if if it’s not love at first sight and how the wounds we carry affect more than we know.

I CANNOT wait for everyone to read this book!!
It’s a love story out May 27th, 2025

ARC REVIEW!!!
3.75⭐️

This was a very fun and easy read I loved Jane a lot I thought she was a complex character and i loved seeing her open up to the people in her life and actually fall in love. I did like Dan but I wish there was a bit more to him and we got to actually know him more I would have loved a dual pov for this book! Overall cute and fun with some good emotional bits!

If you’re a fan of Annabel’s previous work, make sure to add this to your summer tbr because you will really enjoy her upcoming book, It’s A Love Story. It has all the makings of a fun summer romance and beach reach- workplace rivals, small beach town and enemies to lovers plus a swoon worthy MMC. Sign me up!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy. It’s a Love Story will be published on May 27, 2025.

My love for Annabel Monaghan runs wide and deep! She writes the most epic, swoon-worthy, sweet and kind love stories. And ever since Nora Goes Off Script, I have been a fan! Nothing has changed with her newest book, It’s a Love Story, except that maybe I love her more.

It’s a Love Story is the story of Jane Jackson, a former kid celebrity. She’s still working in entertainment, but on the other side. She found a script she fell in love with and is trying to get greenlit. After she lies and says she can get a huge music star to write a song for the movie, she travels with her co-worker and one-time crush turned enemy to his hometown where the music star is performing. Jane, who loathes her co-worker Dan when they land, comes to find out that there is much more to him during the week they are forced together.

And you can probably guess what happens when they are forced together. Right?! Right!

This book runs on swoon, not steam, and honestly, after reading wayyyy too many rom-coms in a row last year, I need more swoon and less steam. I want to kick my feet and giggle. I want to squeal and shout yes when the characters finally get together. And this book gave me all of that! It was feet-kicking good! It’s a Love Story hasn’t even been published yet and I already want a new Annabel Monaghan book!

An absolute delight of a book. AM has this ability to get the reader engulfed in a swoon-worthy romance and this book is no exception.

It’s a Love Story incorporates multiple tropes in a fresh, fun way. Monaghan has become a “must read” for me.

If you’re looking for a sweet, funny, beachish-read. This is it.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for a preview copy. I have read a few enjoyable romcoms by Monaghan, so I wasn't expecting a such a serious and emotional story. I would classify it as an enemy to lover's story. Jane, a child TV star, is trying to find her REAL grown-up self and get a scrip she has written made into a movie. Dan starts out as the man who is not sure about making the film, but circumstance have them spending a lot of time together in the company of his large, boisterous, Irish family and their relationship starts to change. This is not your usual romcom, but it's a satisfying read.

3.5 out of 5.

***Huge thank you to Penguin Group Putnam, Putnam Books, and Netgalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book felt like How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, if we spent the movie at his family’s house. Which, I do not say as a bad thing. If a book has found family, I am immediately sat. This family was no exception. I love books where main character is absorbed into a loud and chaotic family, where they can finally be themselves and feels like of them. Just always is a chef’s kiss! The love that this family shares for each other and for our main characters is so special. It feels like a warm hug and was something I really loved about the book. I could gush for pages about them alone.

The beginning of the book started a little slow, in my opinion. It took a minute to pick up, but once we get to Dan’s family home, we are in the thick of it. Then the ending was a little meh, but I still enjoyed it none the less.

I also could not stand Jack’s character nor his role in the story. He sucked so bad, but that was the point. I just didn’t like the story line of them trying to get a song from him, but I think it ultimately led to Jane’s character arc so I understand it. I just didn’t like him at all! Insert SpongeBob quote “oh brother, this guy STINKS!”

There were so many other scenes that the author does very well. The painting scene is one that I cannot get out of my head! This was so well written and immersive! Like was Jane there, or was I? There are many sweet moments like this in the book that were well done and something I throughly enjoyed about the authors writing. Also, was happy that the spicy scenes were closed door. That felt like a nice touch for this story.

All in all, I enjoyed these characters and their romance. I think that Jane really comes into herself at the end of this story and ultimately fights for her own. This story is lighthearted but also packed a punch when it needed to. What really steals the show though, is indeed, you probably guessed it, the family! I would read a whole book about them alone! Loved this part!

Definitely would say this is a perfect summer beach read!

IT’S A LOVE STORY 📝🎥🎶

3.5 STARS ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Genre: Romance

I am so EMO right now because I have absolutely LOVED every single one of Annabel Monaghans books - and this one just did not hit the same for me.

It was a cute love story 💕- but the beginning was really rushed for me and had SO many different characters to keep up with, I felt like I couldn’t get invested into them.

Also Dan and Jane were super quick insta love which is fine- I just felt the entire other part of the plot of finding the singer (Jack) became way to much of a focus and for no reason?👩‍❤️‍👨

I will be curious to see if others will feel the same about this one because truly I love her books. 🧐

READ IF YOU ENJOY: 📖Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan (This is my favorite of hers!!)

📆This book comes out May 27th, 2025! Thank you Penguin Random House for sending me this ARC!

📚2025 Book 11