5/5⭐

In the process of trying to get the romance movie that speaks to her soul green lit by her production studio, former child star Jane Jackson takes on a bit more than she can handle by promising a song from a megastar she used to work with as a teenager. In efforts to save herself and land the film that coincidentally both her and professional nemesis Dan love, Jane and Dan end up on Long Island to speak to said musician and also attend Dan's parent's 40th anniversary party.

Time and forced proximity with Dan leads to friendship and beyond as they begin to see one another differently and further than their mutual disdain. Jane is a woman who doesn't know how to be herself and still sometimes feels like the painfully awkward child star she used to be with her life on display for the world to see. She's haunted by past humiliation and deep down truly doesn't feel worthy of goodness in her life. Dan isn't perfect either. He's a bit of a mess, as a struggling photographer and the black sheep of his family. But for all his imperfections, he's authentic and knows who he is. He's unashamed to stand apart, a sharp contrast to Jane's people pleasing nature. Coming home with him awakens a yearning in Jane for the family that he has - parents still in love after decades and siblings who love each other fiercely and in time she starts to understand why she feels so moved by the movie script she's pitching and how her feelings and fears about love have formed her entire outlook on life.

Watching only child Jane navigate the absolute chaos that is a loud family of 5 children plus their spouses and own children was nothing short of hilarious and also heartwarming. Annabel Monghan developed all these characters so beautifully and I applaud her. I love the gentle way she wrote romance, how sometimes it's about the quiet moments instead of the lightning bolts. How love happens at breakfast instead of dinner. How love teaches you to see yourself through the eyes of the person who loves you, challenging your own self perceptions. Annabel is absolutely gifted.

If I had any criticism at all, it would only be on the synopsis of this story. I think the synopsis didn't quite fit the plot of this book and alluded to this being a bit of a love triangle, which, it was not (thank goodness). I think a change in wording would be helpful to readers to understand what kind of book this is and to manage expectations.

Really loved this book. 4.5 stars. The beginning was slow for me but I loved the plot. I also love Monaghan’s writing and how beautiful her wording is.

“And then what happened?”
“Everything.”

That sums up the book. What a great read about the small and big parts of love. A simple reminder that you are worthy no matter what and that you are never too old to knock on your mom’s door with a broken heart.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a really immersive read for me. I enjoyed it and didn't want to put it down.

I loved this! What a fun read, it was a good balance of romance and going deep with emotions. It wasn't a sex fest like other romance books and get married after knowing each other a week book.

I love a book where we see the FMC character grow, and a silent MMC that's there to support her and catch her. I also liked that there were consequences to actions, so when one character does something to hurt the other, it's not fixed in 2 pages. There's a grovel, it makes it more relatable. I also love flawed characters, and these two are both flawed.

I was a little weary reading the synopsis that this would be a love triangle with Jack, it definitely was not. It was a slow burn watching two people fall for each other, despite their baggage and accepting each other as they are. I really roted for Jane to work on herself and realize her self worth, and I also rooted for Dan to feel like he fit in with his family better after feeling like they didn't understand his life choices. I loved Dan's family though, they seemed so close knit and cozy, and I'd love to explore more of their stories too.

What a treat of a book!

Thanks to NetGalley I received an advanced electronic copy of the book to read and provide a review.

3.5 stars rounded up! This was a fun, easy and engaging read. It had a slow start but once the characters made it to Long Island, I got wrapped up in the whirlwind and enjoyed the mess. Another entertaining romance by Annabel Monaghan!

This book is amazing. We follow Dan and Jane two work enemies who are on a mission to get a movie greenlit. In an attempt to make a "successful project", Jane taps into her TV show background from her teens to connect with her former bandmate, Jack and tells her boss she can get him to write a song for the project making it more commercial. A major wrench in the plans happens when Jane hasn't spoken to Jack in like 20 years and the last time they spoke, she was humiliated.

This book's synopsis is good but a bit misleading, the story of romance is around Jane and Dan. The heart of this story happens with Dan's family. The cast of characters are truly amazing. The length of the book was great, just enough to tell the story. However, Jane's uncovering of her dad's secret seemed tossed in at the end, are there other ways to bring this in throughout the story more? We knew that Jane had issues and her father dying was a backseat to the feeling she got from jack, but if we had more about the dad and what that was like, we may be able to more closely see the connection between Jane's self worth and the pattern it has had from childhood from home, teen job, and now as a career woman.

This book is LAUGH OUT LOUD funny. There were very comical scenes and Jane and Dan's banter was perfect. I could see this back and forth on screen in my mind. Then family's dynamic with Dan seemed so natural. I highly recommend this book!

A heartwarming enemies to lovers book about finding the real you. It’s A Love Story was funny and touching. I didn’t want to put it down.

I decided to be very intentional about what my first read was going to be for 2025. I wanted whatever popped up when we get to those yearend recaps 12 months from now to be something I adored. So, I knew just who to look to for that to happen. Y'all, I loved this story. Jane really wants to make her first movie project happen. She lies about a connection to a musical artist from her child star days in hopes she can get the go-ahead. A colleague who just gets under her skin knows this star's going to be in her hometown and tells her to come along to connect with him. From here, the story is just so, so wonderful. It's truly the story of Jane - navigating the linger impacts of child star life, figuring out who she is now, and yes, there's unexpected romance in there. I loved this one so very much - The surprises along the way just made me so happy. It was a great way to start the year, and I'm so glad to have had the sneak peak of this May 2025 release thanks to NetGalley.

Get ready for another heartwarming journey of self-discovery and unexpected romance. Monaghan delivers a compelling narrative that goes beyond traditional love stories, weaving personal growth and professional development into a beautifully crafted tale. With her signature humor and emotional depth, this book promises to steal your heart and leave you feeling inspired.
Perfect for fans of complex, character-driven romance who love stories about finding yourself while finding love. 💕

I absolutely loved this story. The plot is riveting- ex child star working hard to have her second big break behind the camera is blocked then helped by a humble brooding artist. I read this so fast; the details are just enough and the story keeps a fast pace. Can’t wait to read more from Monaghan!!!

It’s no secret how much I love anything and everything Annabel Monaghan has written. Getting to read It’s a Love Story was an absolute dream come true. And I flew through this book. Jane was so perfectly relatable and awkward in a way that just felt true to who we all are on the inside. In many ways, this book is a book of her self discovery and learning to love who she is NOW, not some idealistic version yet to exist.

This book simply hit in all the right places. I’m obsessed with Dan and his beautiful family. The forced proximity for him and Jane was *chef’s kiss*. I love how they’re able to disagree with each other and get under the other’s skin while also clearly being a good match. The setting of Long Island and the family home was a perfect fit for the development of feelings between these characters.

It was a beautiful read from start to finish. Jane is relatable and grounded me deeply in the story from the very first page. I would go back and read this story again tomorrow. Once again, Annabel Monaghan has done the perfect job combining romance and self love in a story!!

Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for the opportunity to read and review this book! I received a free advance copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you Netgalley, Penguin Putnam and Annabelle Monaghan for this Netgalley arc of Its A Love Story. I once thought Annabelle Monaghan could do no wrong but Inwas mistaken. There is one thing I have found that is wrong with her books. That is, they all come to an end!!! I just want them and the giddy feelings Monaghan creates with her wonderful way with words to continue for about 700 more pages! I’m a fast reader but I have found myself slowing down for books like Nora Goes off Script and It’s A Love Story. They just get better and better! Monaghan has a way of capturing the hypnotizing uncertainty that comes in the early days of romance and I’m a here for it! It’s a Loce Story is the enemies to lovers, close proximity, small town romance between Jane and Dan. A former child star and current movie exec, Jane has found the perfect script and can’t wait to pitch it to her boss, but soon finds out that Dan, Finnegan would be the cinematographer for the project. She can’t stand Dan since he shot down a former project of hers and doesn’t want to work with him on this one. Of course, things change, after all, It’s A Love Story.

I always love Annabel Monaghans books and this was no exception! 4/5 stars because I now compare everything to Summer Romance - and this was slightly under that for me! But I really enjoyed reading Jane & Dans story.

Jane is a former child star who now works in Hollywood (but on the other side of the camera) and dan is a cinamatographer - who she has crossed paths with in the past - and it did not go well. But now they need to team up to get a new script green-lit in the studio, and they end up staying together on their week long work-trip to Long Island.

I feel like despite Jane and Dan having great chemistry, the banter was a little awkward at times, but I think it made them both feel more like real people and kind of highlighted the internal struggles Jane was going through. Some of the plot points were kind of wild/unrealistic but I didn’t even care because I could not put this book down.

The supporting characters were great as well - I loved Dans family dynamic as well as the relationships Jane has with her mom and best friend Clem.

Also as a Long Islander, this book just gave me all of my favorite summer vibes!

Def recommend to readers that enjoy:

-forced proximity
-complex characters
-workplace romance
-enemies(ish) to lovers

It’s A Love Story by Annabel Monaghan
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Baby just say yes when it comes to this romance read! We love Annabel’s style and will read whatever she puts out!

33 year old Jane is a child star, grown up to be a film producer. Though the LA lifestyle may not be relatable for us, her quirky character traits make her a down to earth FMC. She is desperately seeking to separate herself from the box she feels stuck in by her sidekick character role. Jane is in a dedicated phase of “fake it till you make it” approach on life. It seems like everyone from her old cast has elevated themselves to superstardom. Jane fiercely believes this new script is her big break and will do just about anything, even lie to get the green light.

The only problem is her sworn enemy, who shot down her last project, is also interested in the script….Jane is not about to let Dan ruin this for her. In order to make this movie happen, Jane finds herself on a wild goose chase with Dan hounding an old flame and cast member-turned-rockstar from her sitcom days.

In the background of this adventure, Jane is facing some of her family trauma and coming to understand what it is about this script she loves so much. Turns out, she seriously misunderstood Dan. Dan is a NICE guy. This is a story where the nice guy is hot and wins out! Dan is 100% himself and helps Jane see that maybe being the funny one isn’t so bad, and being true to herself is the key to happiness. This was our favorite message of the book along with the idea that “love happens over breakfast”.

Jane can thank her parents for never believing in love. She scoffs at the romance of the Notebook, but surprisingly it’s DAN, enemy, man bun Dan who helps her to realize that the walls she built to keep love out haven’t been serving her.

If you read Same Time Next Summer you will remember Oak Shore and Chippy’s Diner! That was a fun surprise! Aside from the romance of it all, we loved Jane’s best friendship with Clem and think that deserves its own special love story.

Thank you Putnam books and NetGalley for the ARC copy to be released May 27th! It will be the perfect romance read to start off your summer!

This book and the FMC resonated with me on so many levels. I enjoyed how the author developed both Jane and Dan so beautifully (usually you really only get one POV) and I thoroughly enjoyed the way she wove The Notebook into the storyline - from discussing literally, to comparing against the True Story (and prior script plots) as well as the book’s budding love story. All in all, I thought it was so incredibly well done (Including making Jack a prick) and am ready for Annabel to make the NYT already!

10/10! best romance i’ve read this year. i loved the relationships and the premise,do the book. the mmc is so swoon worthy 🥰

I didn’t love this book, but I also did not care for her first book. I think I only liked her books that took place on the beach. In order for Jane to get her script going, she needs to get a childhood friend who is famous ok board to help her. Kind of skimmed this one.

I always feel like I'm apart of the story alongside the characters in Annabel's books. I enjoyed this one overall. I thought the dialogue and banter was fun and light. It had nothing super serious like some of her books but it was a good enjoyable read!

thank you for the arc!!!

It’s a Love Story by Annabel Monaghan

What it’s about:
Jane—former child star and goofy sidekick on a NOT Disney Channel TV show—has finally found The Script™️ to make it big as a serious Hollywood producer. The problem is her studio will only greenlight it if she lands a major commercial partner. So, naturally, Jane lies through her teeth, claiming she can convince her childhood crush-turned-global pop icon to write an original song for the movie… despite their only interaction being a single, incredibly awkward 24-hour encounter over a decade ago. No pressure.

Enter Dan: a broody, art-house cinematographer who once derailed one of Jane’s projects but now sees The Script™️’s potential and wants in. Conveniently, Dan has five brothers back home on Long Island, one of whom can get them into a music festival where said global pop star is performing. Cue a harebrained, only-in-romance-novels plan to crash at Dan’s chaotic Irish-American family’s house for a week. Sparks fly, brothers roast each other mercilessly, and chaos ensues. What follows is a heartwarming, laugh-out-loud love story filled with unforgettable characters and family dynamics that will tug at your heartstrings.

My thoughts: Five stars, no notes.
I went into this book expecting a fun, light read, and instead, I was absolutely blown away. This book is phenomenal.

Annabelle Monaghan’s writing is sharp, funny, and profoundly moving. The banter is top-notch, the family dynamics are perfection, and the characters are unforgettable. Jane is witty, self-deprecating, and deeply relatable—battling insecurities that feel both uniquely Hollywood and universally human. Dan, on the other hand, is her total opposite. As the black sheep of his big, boisterous family, Dan knows exactly who he is and fiercely protects that sense of self. He refuses to conform to societal expectations or the pressures of his salt-of-the-earth upbringing.

I loved the contrast between Dan’s quiet, unshakable confidence and Jane’s performative, people-pleasing nature. While Jane has spent her life trying to entertain and bring joy to others, Dan is rooted in authenticity, unafraid to stand apart. Watching their relationship evolve was such a joy—they push each other in all the best ways, helping one another find strength in their vulnerabilities.

Dan’s family dynamic also stole the show for me. Watching Jane (an only child) navigate the chaos of his five brothers and their kids was hilarious and heartfelt—big family energy at its finest. The juxtaposition between Dan’s loud, loving “mob” and Jane’s smaller, more guarded inner circle was beautifully written and added so much depth to the story.

This is more than a love story—it’s about finding peace in who you are, letting go of the pressure to constantly achieve, and learning to appreciate the beauty of the everyday. I adored every moment of it, and I hope you do too when it releases on May 29.

Thank you to @NetGalley and @PutnamBooks for the ARC. All opinions are my own.