Dan and Jane had a meet-cute that turned sour before they could finalize their first date. Now, they are co-workers and rivals who mostly dislike each other. Things change when Jane is desperate to get her project greenlit and Dan (and his family) may hold the key to her success.

When forced into close proximity for a week-long stay with Dan’s family in Long Island, Dan and Jane begin to once again see in each other what led to their initial attraction. Jane, an only child, full of insecurities stemming from her childhood trauma, and Dan, one of five brothers, who often feels overwhelmed by his large family, have more in common than either realized.

I loved watching Dan and Jane rediscover each other and allow themselves to be vulnerable in ways they couldn’t be even with their closest friends and family. I loved all the Finnegan family interactions and how much they meant to love-starved Jane. And even though I could see the third-act conflict coming, I didn't hate it. It pushed Jane to finally confront all that she has been holding back for years.

It’s a Love Story truly was charming and surprisingly emotional love story.

I absolutely ADORED this book! I love all of Annabel Monaghan's books, but this one is right up there with NORA GOES OFF SCRIPT. I will be heartily posting about this book and recommending it to all my friends. This is a perfect beach read with zero corniness; Monaghan nails it with genuine characters, witty dialogue, and a love story you can actually feel and believe. Like watching your favorite rom-com.

Annabel Monaghan has solidly placed herself in my "auto buy author" category--her books have all been a success for me! That being said, I do connect with some more than others (last year's Summer Romance was my favorite of hers). I did not connect to Jane, the FMC, as much as I would've liked, but I did fall in love with Dan, the MMC. His loveable family was the star of the show of this book for me. In fact, I would love one of those interconnected series about each of his siblings--his family had that vibe. If you're a fan of Annabel's previous books, you'll definitely enjoy this one. I think of her books as similar to Emily Henry's books, in that they're all good, but everyone has their favorite one. While this wasn't my favorite of hers, it will definitely be someone's favorite, as the writing and story are so well done!

3.5 rounding up. Most of these stars are for the Finnegan Family. I didn't love the FMC, Jane, and I didn't buy the 180 she did over a single week on Long Island. The long awaited meeting with Jack was so anticlimactic. Overall I think this book needed more tension.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC!

This book took me a HOT MINUTE to get into BUT it was worth it because there were moments that I loved. I LOVED Dan. Sweetie misunderstood golden retriever was the perfect MMC. You get to meet his family and they felt like coming home to your own crazy family reunion. Did the story seem super plausible? I mean, not really? I didn’t relate to Jane our FMC as much as I had hoped but truly their relationship kept me going. Thank you NetGalley for the Arc!

This was my first Annabel Monaghan book and I absolutely adored it!

I love a good romance where the characters have real life traumas to work through. Sometimes they don’t realize they need something or someone until it smacks them in the face and they’re forced to work through everything.

This was cozy and had me feeling all the feelings! I laughed, I cried, I was in suspense. I can’t wait to read more of her books as this was just perfection!

I want to thank Penguin Group Putnam for my ARC copy. Make sure to grab yours May 27 2025!

I was given an ARC of It’s a Love Story because I have enjoyed all of Annabel Monaghan’s other books and this one was no exception, I loved it! Might’ve been my favorite yet. Monaghan writes a believable love story without any extra cheesiness. The FMC is likeable and relatable and the MMC was very well written. The story is swoonworthy and I will be recommending this one to friends!

3.5 stars I would say! I ended up really liking this however it took me a solid 50% to really be grabbed. It took me a very long time to become invested in the story and I think it really took getting to Dan’s family and getting to know them to actually want to see how the story continued. I love a family conflict or when it takes a family to really learn about a character to that was very helpful here! Thank you so much for the review copy!

Work place romances aren’t usually my thing, but this book was so adorable! I absolutely loved Jane’s slightly unhinged rivalry dynamic with Dan and her growth over the story. And when she visits his family? Strong How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days vibes. Loved it! Both she and Dan have good arcs throughout and the ending did not disappoint. Highly recommend!

I love Annabel Monaghan, and this one did not disappoint. She has a way of writing characters that feel so real, and I was completely invested in Jane and Dan. Jane is trying to get her first script made into a movie, and she’s picked a really good one—one that actually means something to her. But just as she’s about to pitch it, she realizes her nemesis, Dan, is also in the meeting to give his opinion as a cinematographer. He doesn’t think it’s a blockbuster, but he does think it’s good. And then, in a full-blown panic, Jane blurts out that she knows mega-famous musician Jack Quinlan, and he’s going to record a track for the movie…which is a total lie. Whoops.

I loved everything about this book. Jane’s insecurities, Dan’s quiet confidence, the way he got her. His family was an absolute riot—so fun and such a great addition to the story. One of my favorite things about Annabel Monaghan’s books is how she includes a wide range of personalities and relationships, not just the standard romance tropes. And the love story? It was both fast and slow at the same time, which somehow made it even better. The way Dan helped Jane unwind a little, the callbacks to their first missed date, the way he showed her that her humor is amazing but not the only thing that makes her special—I just loved it all.

100% recommend It’s Love Story. Annabel Monaghan is right up there with Emily Henry and Abby Jimenez for me—another heavy hitter in the romance world.

This is the second book I have read from this author and it did not disappoint. She is great at building emotional depth in her stories. I love how she gives her characters relatable backstories with realistic nuance. Altogether a solid cozy romance story.

I’ve read 3 of Annabel Monaghan’s other books, and this is BY FAR my favorite and first 5-star read of hers. I devoured this in 8 hours.

This book was funny and honest, and had a great cast of characters. I really loved everything about this book. The storyline, the tension, Jane and Clem’s friendship, the Finnegan family and dynamic between the 4 brothers, the setting, the relationship between Jane and her mom, and of course Jane and Dan. I’m not ready to leave this story, so I’ll probably reread before diving into something else.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Annabel Monaghan's fourth romance is everything her readers have come to expect from her yearly outings. With It's a Love Story, Monaghan has earned her rightful place as a romance author alongside the likes of current greats like Emily Henry and Abby Jimenez. What distinguishes Monaghan's most recent novel is--apart from incorporating romance tropes like enemies-to-lovers and fake dating--that she writes characters that are truly multi=dimensional. Love Story's heroine, Jane Jackson, is a former child actress struggling to make it on the producing side of the film industry, Having supported herself and her mother before coming of age, Jane is a mass of hidden insecurities. When she meets introverted cinematographer Dan Finnegan, there's chemistry but instant dislike, until Jane conspires to travel with Dan to his hometown in a desperate bid to have one of her former co-stars greenlight their shared pet project. There is more than meets the eye to Dan as well, once we meet his large boisterous family and realize that Dan's introversion is by design. The "will they or won't they" romance delivers beautifully, and the novel is both intelligent and escapist enough for the beach.

ARC REVIEW 

It's a Love Story
By @annabelmonaghan

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 ( 5 out of 5)

Publishing date : 5/27/2025

Jane Jackson, or "Janey Jakes" spent her youth as the geeky girl on a popular sitcom. Now, she's an executive at a film studio, desperately trying to get the greenlight for a script she has fallen in love with. In a desperate attempt to make this movie happen, Jane promises mega star Jack Quinlan will record a song for the sound track. Problem is....Jane hasn't spoken to Jack since they recorded a song for the show she was apart of.....20 years ago. (What was Jane thinking!!!)

Enter cinematographer Dan. His hometown is hosting a festival where Jack is performing. Since Jane is desperate to contact Jack, Dan decides to head home for the week and extends the invite to Jane. She tags along, determined to get Jack on the soundtrack. 

I. Loved. This. Book!!! 😍😍Love!!!!!!

I'll admit it was a bit slow for ME to start but once they arrived in Dan's hometown....*chefs kiss*

I adored the characters! The chemistry between Dan and Jane was PERFECT and I could actually FEEL their connection growing!  Dan's family was a great group of additional characters,  that  really added to the story! Especially his parents 🥹

And the ending was oh so good and brought me to tears! PERFECTION!

SOOOOO thankful to @netgalley and @putnambooks for the chance to read this one early! I love Annabel's books!

Definitely add this one to your tbr!

4.75 🌟 When I received the advanced copy of this book, I literally jumped up out of my seat screaming with joy. That's how excited I was to read Annabel Monaghan's newest summer book, and I'm happy to say that it did not disappoint.

For fans of her other books, I will say this had a different vibe than the rest of her other books (Nora Goes Off Script, Summer Romance, Same Time Next Summer). It stayed true to the amazing story telling and full heart feelings that Annabel is known for giving us, but it just had a different feel. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I definitely was here for whatever the difference was!

It's a Love Story follows former child star turned Hollywood studio executive, Jane Jackson, who feels she is constantly running from her geeky butt-of-the-joke persona from her breakout tv role as a young girl. Growing up on camera definitely has left some scars that Jane is very anxious for everyone to forget so that she can move on and be taken seriously. When she finally find THE script that she's sure is going to shoot her into studio executive fame, she learns that she is going to have to work with Dan Finnegan, a self important, artsy cinematographer who thinks most things are below him. In order to get her movie green lit and headed to Hollywood, she tells a smallish white lie that lands her having to work way too closely with Dan.

I really liked both of the main characters in this story. The author gave them both so much depth, all while keeping them very likable, despite some quirks. The found family in this book, however, may be my very favorite part of it all. I wanted to be adopted by the Finnegan family and move to a potato farm after finishing this book. There was some miscommunication between the two characters, which can sometimes drive me crazy, but it was nothing that kept the story from moving along. The author did an amazing job of making you feel like you were really experiencing the story with the characters instead of just spectating from the sidelines.

This is my fourth Annabel Monaghan book and it will absolutely not be my last. She just has such an amazing talent for story telling, and she manages to keep a fun summer feel, while pulling in deep emotions that make you really feel. I highly recommend this book. Now...I have to go google potato farms and see if there are any I can move to.

It's a Love Story is pure joy! Annabel Monaghan delivers a heartfelt, funny, and charming romance that had me smiling the whole way through. The chemistry, the banter, and the emotions all hit just right. A perfect feel-good read!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC on this one! I requested this book because I very much enjoy Annabel Monaghan's stories. She delivered yet another cute love story that included a strong sense of place, family charm, and a not-obnoxious child.

I sped through this one and teared up a bit at the end realizing how much the character realized about herself by falling in love that typically would be something discovered after a lot of therapy!! (This character probably needs therapy).

A great summery, beach read. Heartwarming and sincere.

Annabel Monaghan has done it again. Somehow, Janey Jakes, child star turned studio exec, with a big Hollywood life is one of the most relatable characters I have ever read. It’s A Love Story is poking at themes that will resonate with all reader, and at its core, this romance wants to know, what does it mean to love and be loved for who you really are. Jane and Dan’s story is deeply romantic, a slow burn in the very best way. The ensemble cast of Finnegan’s provide family hijinks and the very best comic relief. If you are looking to be swept away by a summer read, go grab It’s A Love Story as soon as you can! Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Books for my gifted ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. This was a highly anticipated novel for me. I adored Nora Goes Off Script. In It's a Love Story, Jane has got dating down to a science - what to wear, what to say, who to be. But all of that unravels when she meets Dan. I enjoyed the two of them together. Some steamy moments. Loveable supporting players like Dan's perfect family and Jane's saint of a best friend, Clem. Unfortunately, this book fell victim to a trope in the third act that irritates me to no end. I won't spoil it here. I enjoyed the book overall, but the Annabel Monaghan spell has been broken for me a bit.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC - I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

5 ⭐️ wow this book gave me all the feels. I loved The Notebook references. This is an ARC that made me think, I can’t wait for this to release so I can re-read and highlight the swoon worthy passages. I can’t wait to buy the audiobook and watch every scene play out in my head.

Jane was so relatable to me. Her father chose to leave her (and her mom) at the young age of 5. The rest of her life she thinks she isn’t worthy. Not compelling enough. Not pretty enough. She molds herself and her personality to be perfect for who she is around.

Enter Dan. Swoon. Dan is quite possibly the most perfect man to exist. He’s quiet but passionate. He’s charming and funny. He’s a family man and loves fiercely. While traveling for a work trip, Jane stays with Dan and his family in Long Island. Jane finds herself while immersed in Dans small town childhood home.

This definitely had The Proposal vibes. I loved the banter and the tension between Jane and Dan. This will be a perfect beach read this summer!