Member Reviews

Another engrossing love story from Annabel Monaghan, complete with her signature character wit and color, and an honest dive into emotional histories/complexities.

This one was about slightly younger people than her norm (early 30s, never married, no kids), which was sad for me, as I rely on Monaghan to cover the more middle age brackets; the younger people are fully covered in the romance genre.

I also thought it was a bit short. One real spice scene, (which needed another notch in spice level imo - feedback I always give to Monaghan’s books), a fairly quick wrapping up of topics.

But it still enthralled me wholly, and I will be waiting impatiently for the next one, as usual.

Thank you, Putnam Books and NetGalley, for the arc.

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It's official...Annabel Monaghan is my new author crush...every single one of her books that I've read has been 5 stars, and It's a Love Story may have been my favorite yet. It's a true talent to be able to write in such a way that the reader actually feels completely immersed in the story and can picture every detail as if they're there. Monaghan accomplishes that making me wish that I was at the family's home on Long Island full of family and fun and four super hot Irish brothers!! I loved the whole concept of It's a Love Story with Jane being a former kid tv star - but not just any kid tv star...the awkward and dorky one. Jane was so completely authentic (eating candy in the closet!) and real, and I truly felt her pain and heartbreak along with her joy and happiness. Please SOMEONE make one of Monaghan's books into a movie/tv show!!!!

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had the pleasure of reading an advanced copy of It’s a Love Story, and I can confidently say this book lived up to the hype! This was my first Annabel Monaghan novel, and I now fully understand why her books are so beloved.

Annabel has a unique way of crafting stories that make you truly fall in love with her characters. They’re vibrant, relatable, and so well-developed that you feel like you’re living alongside them. What stood out most to me, beyond the heartfelt narrative, was the scenery. The California setting brought the story to life in such a vivid way—there’s something magical about books set in California, and this one captured it perfectly.

If you’re looking for a romance that feels real, warm, and filled with charm, It’s a Love Story is one you won’t want to miss. I’m already looking forward to reading more from Annabel Monaghan!

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Rating ⭐️: 5/5 this book is perfection
Spice 🌶️: 0.5/5
Release Date: May 27, 2025 ( MARK YOUR CALENDARS!)

I was absolutely captivated from the very beginning to the end. I didn’t want the story to be over.

Dan and Jane will be living rent free in my mind until the unforeseeable future.

Quotes that will also live in my mind rent free:

"When you smile, it does something to me, I feel it in my chest, and I just want to figure out how to get you to do it again."

"It's fragile and new and unfathomably beautiful."

" Love isn't a helicopter right to Catalina; its everyday care and treating the other person like they're your house keys."

SN: I have read one other book by Annabel Monaghan and this book encouraged me to read all her other books!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review

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I have absolutely loved Annabel Monaghan’s 3 previous books, so I had high expectations going in. I am sad to say this one kind of missed the mark for me. The family aspect was entertaining, and I did feel their connection, but the plot felt disjointed and rushed. I felt like her amazing writing was trying to peek through, but there were too many conflicting and unsupported threads of the story to weed through. I’m excited to see what she comes out with next!

Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.

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Did not want to put this down. Loved the Notebook references. Loved the complexity that came through in Jane’s self-talk and character progression; she was strong, scared, brave, funny….easy to root for. Jane and Dan’s story was beautiful, mess and all. Another fantastic creation by Annabel Monaghan!

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3.5 ⭐️

Another sweet and cozy romance by Annabel Monaghan. Reading her books is comforting because you always know what to expect, a light, yet still moving summer romance. This wasn’t my favorite, as I’m not a huge fan of enemies-to-lovers outside of fantasy and it’s very insta love (the majority of it takes place over a week), but she made it work. Also, pretty safe with no real OW/OM drama (his ex shows up, but he’s not interested).

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Wow, Annabel Monaghan has become one of the my favorite authors to read lately. I started with Nora Goes Script in 2022 and have automatically bought her new books each year ever since, so I was super excited to get an advanced digital copy of this years book.

Jane was a child sitcom star that made everyone laugh and now she will do anything to get her project green light…even tell a white lie about being in friends with a huge popstar Jack who has already agreed to write a song for the movie’s soundtrack. Unfortunately, her white lie is now forcing her to owe a favor to Dan (her arch nemesis that squashed her last project!) Jane and Dan fly to Long Island in hopes of seeing Jack at a local festival and approaching him about the project. Between Dan’s lovable family and forced proximity, Jane may had been wrong about him all along and spending time with him is forcing her to face her own truths. I really enjoyed this book and all the funny, quirky characters. The final conflict seemed a bit forced, but I loved it for beginning to end.

A huge thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for allowing me early access to enjoy this book! Get this one on release day 5/27/25 and until then check out Summer Romance or Same Time Next Summer.

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⭐️4.5⭐️

Thank you NetGalley for my arc copy!

This started out a little slow and I wasn’t sure in what direction it was headed.

Jane has a difficult time getting her script to bypass her studio and make it on the big screen. A childhood actor herself, she is determined to make something of herself that is beyond the dorky girl she was portrayed on the tv show. She meets Dan, who she instantly clicks with & schedules a date in the coming week. She walks into her bosses office and there’s Dan telling her that her script sucks. Obviously the date doesn’t happen, so we flash forward to her finding a new script and realizing Dan will be working with her in order to get it past publishing. She comes up with a crazy plan, that somehow involves her and Dan going to his childhood home. That is where it grabs me. Once you learn about his family and life, you fall in love with both of the characters. This book made me feel things I didn’t know I could feel. It was heartwarming, funny, realistic, and overall a great read. I highly recommend!!

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Ill be honest, at the very beginning, I would not have thought that this would have beat out Summer Romance as my favorite Annabel Monaghan book but as I kept reading, SHE KNOCKED IT OUT THE MF PARK WITH THIS ONE 😭 I love the way Annabel writes. I can’t really explain how it makes me feel in words. It just scratches an itch in my brain that not a lot of other authors can really reach.

I absolutely love Jane. She is slightly unhinged but in a way that feels relatable. Granted, we aren’t all former child/teenager actor stars but regardless. It’s everything that came after that. Her lack of confidence, stepping out of her comfort zone, etc. Watching her growth and find her courage was so heartwarming. I am obsessed with Dan (even though at first I wasn’t a fan) and how their romance developed. It wasn’t insta lovey to me at all but it felt like such a sweet semi slow burn (it does take place over the course of a week but WHATEVERRRRR I DON’T CARE). Tbh I miss reading romances where it takes spending time together, talking, etc to build their connection. I’ve been reading SO many books where it happens in the first 10 pages and I just like this so much more.

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Jane is a former childhood actress still trying to make her mark on the big screen, but now from the other side. She’s fallen in love with a script and she is doing everything she can to get it made. Even heading out of town with her annoying coworker, Dan, to convince famous singer Jack to work with them.

Poor Jane had a major embarrassment with Jack as a kid and an awkward work relationship with Dan, so what could go wrong? Or will it all go right?

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Thank you NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam and Annabel Monaghan for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 stars rounded up!

Jane Jackson, a child star turned studio executive, lies to her boss to get her dream script greenlit. Now, to make good on her promise, she has to get in front of Jack Quinlan, current pop star heartthrob and Jane's first kiss, to ask a favor.

She teams up with "man bun" Dan, an arrogant cinematographer who may or may not have had a hand in stopping one of Jane's previous projects. They go to Long Island to stake out Jack in an attempt to casually bump into him and ask their favor. While in Long Island, they stay with Dan's boisterous, loving family. They get to know each other on a personal level, have some awkward interactions before they finally admit they want each other.

This book was fantastic! Flawed characters with a history, a big, loving family, hometown shenanigans and people finding each other who will actually stand the test of time. (Idk about you, but sometimes I think these couples don't make it much past the epilogue.) In any case, the more we get to know about Dan and Jane, the more we know they're a match made in heaven!

I knocked off a half star for the storyline with Jane's dad. I felt like it was set up to be an important part of the story and it just kinda fell flat for me.

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Another incredible read by Annabel Monaghan!!! I am so sad that it’s over and there isn’t another new one this year, and jealous of everyone else who gets to read this for the first time! This book follows Jane who is at a career crossroads, as she partners with a man who she thinks is her enemy to help her get a project made. I was genuinely not sure who the love interest would be at the beginning but oh boy did Jane make the right choice. The love story is quick but felt like a slow burn with so much heart. I’m obsessed. Thank you for blessing us with your stories Annabel!!! 😍

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Today is January 8th, and I can already tell this book will undoubtedly be in my top 5 for 2025. I simultaneously couldn’t wait to finish it and didn’t want it to end. I’ll be buying copies for friends and adding it to my book club list just so I can read it again.

Jane, the childhood actress turned movie executive, can’t seem to catch a break in either love or her career. She feels trapped in a world where she’s forced to live a scripted life, complete with perfect outfits, and has long given up on the idea of love.

Dan, on the other hand, is authentic, introverted, creative, and shy. He won’t make a movie unless he believes in it, and his creative spirit is both raw and gentle.

Together, they embark on a mission to track down an old colleague of Jane’s to ask for a favor—helping them get the green light on a script they both adore, even though they can’t stand each other.

Annibel Monnaghan masterfully creates relationships that feel so real, special, and immersive, that they practically leap off the page.

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Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read an advance copy of It's A Love Story ❤️

Jane is so many women who want to be fiercely independent and strong yet struggle with the feeling that they are not enough. Do they really know who they are, what they want to be, and how to get there? Often, no. Because we are told how we should act, what we should look like, and how we should feel. Jane's journey of self-discovery is a love story in more ways than one. Before you can ever fall in love, you have to love yourself. Sounds cheesy, I know. But also very true. I enjoyed watching Jane grow and fall in love, and then eventually face the reality of lies she has told herself (and been told by others) her whole life. It IS a love story! And I loved it!!

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I never miss an Annabel Monaghan book! She is my favorite rom-com author and I just adore everything she writes. “It’s a Love Story” is another hit for her and I loved every minute of it.
Jane thinks she has to live her life perfectly, everything is scripted just the way it should be, down to her love life. A former child star, Jane carries so much pain inside and never really feels worthy of love, but Dan comes along and breaks down all of her walls in the sweetest way.
This story has it all and can’t be missed!

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This is the 4th Annabel Monaghan book I've read and they just keep getting better and better! I LOVED It's a Love Story!

Jane is a film executive tasked with tracking down a popular musician in hopes that he will write an original song for her new project. Dan is the cinematographer who is her work nemesis but also her host during her trip to find the elusive musician. Jane and Dan fly to his small hometown on Long Island (the author must have a soft spot for the New York coast, as most of her books are set there) and stay with his big, loud family during their trip.

I loved the character of Jane. She was insecure and vulnerable and broken by her past. And I loved Dan, too. I liked that he wasn't an alpha male. He was quiet and artsy and disorganized. There was just so much emotion in their story and I was rooting for them so much. This book gave me a hangover in the best way!

Many thanks to Penguin Putnam publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

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We all had our favorite tv sitcoms growing up that we will never forget because the characters were relatable, funny, and sometimes over the top...Now imagine how those actors/actresses feel trying to get you to forget them in their old roles as they grow up. Jane has spent the last two decades of her life trying to find herself and forget her old self- the awkward and hilarious "Janie Jakes" that people her age grew up watching. Jane has been struggling to find a career and a man that will love her for who she is...although she is somewhat unsure of who she really is.

Annabelle Monoghan has once again created characters and a setting that will suck you in and have you turning pages as fast as you can. This book was a solid 4 stars. This is for you if you love enemies to lovers, forced proximity, and The Notebook. You will enjoy following Jane as she figures out her second act. This book is full of laugh out loud and swoon worthy moments!

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It's a Love Story is the perfect summer beach read. The dialogue is humorous and the characters are lovable and relatable. The romance is sweet and well-developed, and the exploration of family dynamics is well done. If you like comedic beach reads that will tug at your heartstrings and make you believe in imperfect love, this is the book for you!

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Jane Jackson was the awkward yet comical Janey Jakes in one of the most popular sitcoms when she was a teenager. She’s since tried to move past this and is now a creative executive for a movie studio. In a desperate move to get a script made into a movie, Jane promises a song from Jack Quinlan who she hasn’t spoken to since she was 14 (and didn’t end on the best of terms with). This leads her to spending a week at her work nemesis Dan’s family home. But the more she gets to know Dan, the harder he is to hate.

I’m a huge fan of Annabel Monaghan and this did not disappoint! This book was adorable! Jane felt very real to me. She and Dan had great chemistry!

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

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