Whew! What did I just read?! It was amazing, fantastic, and made me feel all the feels. I thought Jane was going to come off ad annoying but I loved her. She had some bumps in her life but she was so lovable in how she was dealing with them and my heart hurt for her. And can we talk about her best friend Clem?! She is like the girls guide to how a best friend should be. I loved her. The romance was spot on and I loved the banter back and forth from Jane and Dan from the beginning. Definitely a top read for 2025. Cannot wait for the next book from this author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Trop: Enemies to Lovers

A book I could not put down. Jane (FMC) was a child television star. Dan (MMC) a cinematographer. They must work together in close proximity to obtain a mega popstar’s assistance.

Reading this story highlighted that sometimes people act in ways to have others like them. Both Jane and Dan were relatable characters and I couldn’t stop thinking about them for several days.

There was the right level of angst between Dan and Jane. Great banter between both the FMC, MMC and family members. Both characters were striving to be taken seriously in their chosen professions.

I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an opportunity to provide feedback. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Overall , I would recommend this book. Annabel Monaghan is an auto-buy author for me.

This book gave me all the summer vibes. The author has such a great way of writing that makes me feel like I'm actually with the characters. I expected this to be a light read, but Monaghan knows how to write emotional stories.

3.5 ⭐️

This was my fourth book by Annabel Monaghan and each book I have liked more and more.

I was close to rating this book the full four stars, but I just felt in the middle of the book the pacing was a little off and the romance was too rushed.

At the end in the acknowledgments I thought it was so cool that after reading Jennette McCurdy’s book “I’m Glad My Mom Died” that Annabel was inspired to write this book.

Pub Date: May 27th, 2025

Thank you NetGalley, Putnam Books, and Annabel Monaghan for this #gifted DRC!

Thank you Netgalley for sharing a digital copy of this book with me in exchange for an honest review. I loved it! I loved the setting, the characters, and all the depth that came unexpectedly when reading a romance book. Anabel Monaghan has become a must read for me and this is my favorite of hers since Nora Goes off Script. The imagery was so well written. I could picture the beaches, farmland, and small towns so well. The characters felt so relatable and real. I liked that it wasn’t an insta love situation and had a semi slow burn.

This is easily my 2nd favorite Annabel Monaghan book. I love the character development, especially of Dan. The setting was fabulous, and I would love to be a part of the Finnegan family. The romance felt a little rushed and then slowed down, and then kind of halted while Jane figured her crap out. And then it started again. There was a point where I thought for sure, just based on where the romance was at, I had to be close to 3/4 done. I was at 40%. But, this book focuses less on the romance than Jane developing as a person. My main qualm, and the reason I didn't give it 5 stars, was the miscommunication and freakout at the end. Jane had made so much progress and then just reverted back to her old self? And honestly, an extreme, not nice person. She gets it together by the end, but I wanted Dan to stick with her through it because it was out of character of her. Especially if they know each other and love each other as deeply as they claim. But it was a great read overall.

Wow this book really roped me in, to the point that I had to finish it in the middle of the night. The character complexities along with the summery feel made for such a delightful read. Another success from Annabel Monaghan!!

Another great read by Annabel Monaghan. Thanks NetGalley for an ARC. Devoured this book in two days. Love isn’t always linear, it has its ups and downs. Jane and Dan seem like total opposites, but one thing draws them together. They both want to have a movie made. Jane made some promises she couldn’t deliver and Dan was there to help pick up the pieces. A cute love story. Looking forward to the next novel.

I couldn’t sleep at 3am last night so I picked up this book, and I never went back to sleep. I wholeheartedly fell for this book and the characters. Beyond my love for Jane and Dan, I was completely moved by every side character. Dan’s family reminded me so much of my own, and their enthusiasm and love for each other jumped right off of the pages. This book has all of my favorite tropes, but with just enough of a fresh edge or twist to them to make it feel unique and like something all its own. The humor in this book had me laughing out loud at several points. Both Jane and Dan were well-developed characters with depth, and the pacing of them growing closer and eventually together was perfectly timed. While I was initially frustrated with Jane for her reaction to Jack at the end and her actions afterwards, her growth afterwards is so real and her apology scene to Dan so meaningful that I couldn’t help but let go of my initial frustrations altogether. I genuinely loved this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Books for the ARC!

(Also because I loved this book I just have to say this- I was a bit thrown off by Dan’s eyes being described as rectangular! I was confused and laughing and then googled it to see if there was something obvious I was missing, but the only search results I got for rectangular eyes were goat eyes, and then I was crying laughing when I went back to the book and tried to picture it. But this was my only tiny gripe with the book!)

Thanks for NetGalley and Annabel Monaghan letting receive this as a ARC. This story was about Janie Jakes is pitching her movie "It's a love Story" to this big movie producer Dan. I was also about her figuring what she wants out of love and life. While figuring what she wants she falls in love with Dan. Dan is the one person she can count on. Dan ends up being her person.

4.5

Jane Jackson spills a lie in order to get her first project greenlit and embarks on a trip to Long Island with cinematographer Dan Finnegan to right her fib with Jack Quinlan.

This is the first time I've read Annabel Monaghan and now I've added every book by her to my cart. There isn't enough words to describe everything I liked about this book. It was completely unexpected and I didn't anticipate the characters feeling so real. Even though majority of the book takes place over a week, it moved slow which made the romance between the two characters feel more believable. Jane Jackson was such a relatable character since I could completely understand why she acted the way that she did. The miscommunication on her part didn't even bother me since you could see why she was having trouble with certain things and was too embarrassed to share her issues.

Though, I did feel like this book could've been a little longer or maybe just resolved better. I wish we had insight of the overall success of her project since that alone would've had me a lot more satisfied when the book ended.

Nevertheless, I read this book in one setting while smiling the whole way through. I might even reread this while sitting on the beach since this the ideal read for a hot summer day!

Thank you Netgalley!

What an amazing book! Jane Jackson is a former child star who is trying to make a name of herself as a producer in an industry that caused her nothing but pain. She is forced to work with her least favorite cinematographer, who has crushed her dreams in the past, to make a movie that moves her beyond explanation. Soon the chaos ensues.
This is a story of forgiveness, growth and learning to embrace our true selves.
My only let down was the end which felt like drama for drama sake and resolved too quickly for it to feel meaningful.

The characters really made this book enjoyable for me. Jane, Dan and the Finnegan family. Annabel Monaghan writes delightful characters.

It’s a sweet story about two people, rather quickly, falling in love. And unfortunately, that’s about it.

There was so much more to build upon here - compared to her last three books, this one fell a little flat for me.

I look forward to reading her next book

It’s a good read! It’ll be a good pool day read- I like the growth of Jane, and I loveeee a good slow burn/hate to love story. It had some cute moments, and a realistic time frame for the relationship.

Jane Jackson is a former child actor trying to leave her awkward past behind and make it as a serious studio executive. She has found the perfect script and is willing to do or say anything to get it made…..including lying about how well she knows the hottest pop star on the radio. Now, she has to rely on Dan Finnegan, an arrogant cinematographer, to track down this pop star who is performing at a music festival in Dan’s hometown. Jane thinks this trip with Dan will be “the worst” but it might make her believe in things she never thought possible.

Annabel Monaghan has done it again! Another sweet, funny, binge-worthy romance! The characters have tons of chemistry, lots of witty banter and the perfect slow burn. Like her other books, this one would be a perfect beach read. I really enjoyed this story. I fell in love with Jane and Dan and the whole Finnegan family. Highly recommend this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the opportunity to read an ARC of It’s a Love Story in exchange for my honest review.

This was the perfect cozy book for this unseasonably cold weather we are having. I loved that Jane had depth as a character and I really loved the relationship that developed between her and Dan. Another shining spot in this book was Dan’s family - each one could have their own book! I thought that Monaghan did a great job building the tension between the characters while not relying on silly miscommunications. Overall, I would highly recommend this one!

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you @annabelmonaghan @netgalley @putnambooks

I read this book in one sitting and couldn’t put it down. This book will make you squeal and feel the butterflies of falling in love for the first time.

Thank you Putnam books & NetGalley for the ARC!

Overall I enjoyed the story. What I didn't enjoy as much was the third-act break-up. Or more accurately, the motivation behind it. It seemed so extreme for the situation. Still, loved the characters.

Creative studio exec and former child television star, Jane Jackson, is desperate to get her first project greenlit without changing it into the blockbuster the studio is clamoring for. After exaggerating to the bosses that she is close with pop star Jack Quinlan, It’s her grumpy co-worker, and one time crush, Dan Finnegan who must come to her rescue.

Annabel Monaghan can do no wrong in my book. Is she an auto-buy author for me? Yes. Fun fact - she is the only author who has a perfect five star score from me. Literally every book she has written is one I have loved enough to read and reread, and her latest is no exception.

Her characters are always so relatable and real, they feel like they can exist off the page just as perfectly as on it. Jane and Dan are so fascinating. Their insta connection turned workplace enemies was way too much fun and I could not wait to get to the bottom of how that mess came to be. And while this is of course a rom-com, the serious and more emotional notes, hit you right in the heart as we go back in time to experience the loneliness, humiliation and longing Jane felt being a childhood star.

I could not have loved this one more and will of course be doing an audio reread in the not so distant future.

Read if you like:
▪️enemies to lovers
▪️former childhood actors
▪️unconventional Hollywood romances
▪️forced proximity
▪️relatable characters
▪️dual timelines

Thank you Putnam for the advanced copy.

📆 Pub: May 27, 2025

I don’t know what happened. I have adored every other story I’ve read by this author. Something about this book felt different. I’m also tired of all her FMCs having the exact same personality. Normally, I find her work adorable and swoon-worthy but this was so boring to me. I’m disappointed.