I love Annabel Monghan and her stories so much. It's a Love Story stars Jane and Dan as the MC's. I enjoyed reading this book and the connection felt between the 2 at their first interaction on the street. Jane is a former child star and is trying to make a name for herself as an adult, unfortunately Dan is standing in her way.

Some parts of this story were not my favorite. One being the way Jane so quickly latched onto Dan's parents, it felt a bit awkward? Insta-love is not my favorite either. Reading Jane become comfortable and opening up to her mom about what she's been hanging onto was really heartfelt. This was not a favorite of mine from Annabel, but it was still an enjoyable novel!

I love where the inspiration came from for Jane, check the acknowledgements!

Thank you to Putnam and NetGalley for this ARC

Jane is a former child star who really needs something to go right in her film career. On a whim, she agrees to convince her former co=star who is now a rock star to write a song for her new script. Her co-worker, Dan, offers to put her up in his family's home for the week. In the meantime, it is his parents' 40th Anniversary and the whole family is home for the celebration. Jane gets drawn in to Dan's family, and sees a different side of him as their feelings for one another start to grow. This was a sweet story about small towns, sensitive spirits, and love that has the power to last a lifetime.

The first Annabelle Monaghan story I read, NORA GOES OFF SCRIPT, solidified in my mind what an amazing writer she was, and I knew she was my newest one-click author.

Her newest book, IT”S A LOVE STORY, has underscored and added exclamation points to that statement.

This story of a grown-up teen sitcom star and her feelings of inadequacy and irrelevance spoke so loudly to me. In fact, I’d just read I’m GLAD MY MOTHER IS DEAD and was thinking about the parallels to that memoir. Lo and behold, Monaghan cites that book in her acknowledgments with giving her the idea for Jane Jackson.

Grown-up Jane meets Dan Finnegan, and as any love story worth its salt, happiness, and sadness ensue.

I don’t want to give away too much of the plot because this book needs to be READ – slowly, and while paying attention – but suffice it to say Jane’s back story wrecked me
And then Dan put me back together again.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and GP Putnam and Sons for a sneak peak at what will undoubtedly be another bestseller for Monaghan.
5 stars

Synopsis: A woman trying to get a movie green lit travels to her coworker’s family home to try to make connections.
Thoughts: Really torn over this one. Honestly I didn’t like the plot, and that storyline dragged, but I loved the romance. Annabel has a way of writing such palpable chemistry that spice isn’t even necessary.
If you love her other books I think you’ll still like this, just maybe not as much as the others.
Thank you NetGalley for this arc- it will release in May!

Jane was on a children’s TV show growing up and her Dad died early in her life. She has a lot of issues with trust and self worth. She’s working at a Hollywood studio trying to get a movie made that she feels strongly about. Her co worker Dan is a thorn in her side. Although he irritates her to no end, she agrees to go to his family home on Long Island to try and move forward on the movie. She finds herself in the midst of his large boisterous family and she sees Dan in a different light.
This book really picked up for me when Jane and Dan get to his hometown. I loved his entire family and how welcoming they were to Jane. I have loved all of Annabel Monaghan’s books and this is no exception. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book for review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for providing this book, with my honest review below.

It’s a Love Story was a rom com done in the best way as it focused more on the main character, Jane, with the romance coming in the form of a guy who ended up helping Jane believe in herself but not due to their romance, but rather his belief in her. I love it when that happens.

Jane is in the movie business working to find scripts her studio will green light. She’s a child of show business having worked on a TV show in her youth which saw her as ‘the clumsy one’. The Urkel, if you will. That childhood had her type cast into trauma but when she finds a script she falls in love with she’s sure it will set her on the road to being known for her savvy in show business vs. her character’s hijinks (a feeling that’s largely in her head as Jane has some things to work out, including but not limited to hiding under her desk at work and taking calls that shes not comfortable with in her closet). Enter Dan, a cinematographer she absolutely detests for knocking down a previous project and who her boss wants on this one… if they can bring in a bang, whether with a literal explosion or a la the tiger in the Hangover. Jane digs her own grave by committing a very famous music artist who had a cameo on her show (also managing to treat her like total crud) to writing a song for the film, adding in the commercialism it needs. The journey to actually secure him of course involves Dan but that journey allows Jane to start crawling out from the proverbial desk/closet, and make the absolute best coming into your own story for Jane.

With some great supporting characters, humor and heart, and such a great premise, It’s a Love Story is that but also a lot more.

thank you putnam books for an advanced copy :)) i really enjoyed this! the finnegan household was so charming and stole the show in some places. this prob wasn’t my favorite book of annabel monaghan’s but she’s quickly become a must-read author for me and this book didn’t change that!

**ARC REVIEW**

Swoon, I will follow Annabel Monaghan into the dark. This one is going to be a H I T. Jane is a creative director on a mission to make "True Story," a big film, but when she gets to the meeting to get the show on the books is faced with her arch nemesis, Dan Finnegan a cinematographer who has crushed Jane's dreams one too many times.

Jane says (a little too confidently), she can get superstar Jack Quinlan to write a song for the movie to make it a hit and to sell. Unfortunately for her to make this happen, Jane needs to go to Long Island to a music festival to track Jack down. She's shocked to find out that Dan is just as eager to make this script happen and so he suggests staying at his childhood home with his family to find Jack.

Jane is able to uncover a lot about who she is while she's away, and face some ugly truths that she's been keeping buried.

I ABSOLUTELY loved this book. It was giving subtle Gilmore Girls references, child acting tea, and showing up for yourself. I feel like I saw a lot of myself in Jane, just a funny girl, who definitely doesn't have the best luck in the love department, who is just trying her best but without seeing it - is her own worst enemy.

Thank you NetGalley and Putnam for this gorgeous ARC in return for my honest review <3

Quick intro:
Jane, a former child star turned creative executive, has one week to convince a popstar to write a song for the movie she’s desperate to have made. Seems easy enough? NO. She and Jack knew each other when she was dorky Janey Jakes on TV, a persona she’s fought so hard to separate herself from. AND she’s staying with stuck-up cinematographer Dan’s (who she hates but also almost dated?!) family in NY while trying to catch the popstar at a music festival. What could go wrong?

Quick thoughts:
GUYS, Annabel writes the most charming, heartwarming, and just all around lovely books. This will be the sort of book where you come for the romance, but you stay for the whole cast of completely lovable and compelling characters. You will fall for Dan’s family and their warm (yet often sarcastic and playful) nature.

This book was just so warm and cozy and a delight. I found myself slowing down toward the end to savor the moments and steep myself in the imagery. To be honest, I sometimes struggle to picture books - characters/setting/etc. But I didn’t find that to be true with It’s A Love Story. Monaghan’s writing is so beautiful, I felt like I was just spending time with close friends for the entirety of the book.

This is a book that celebrates family, steadfast commitment, the small moments where love happens, individuality, and creativity. It’s a real grand slam of a story and I can’t wait for you all to read it when it comes out.

Read if you like workplace romances, rivals to lovers, fade-to-black, big loud families, New York in August, books with a peek into the movie making process,

A big thank you to Putnam Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

In Annabel Monaghan’s novel 𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘢 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺, Jane Jackson is a former child actress who once played the nerdy sidekick on a beloved musical teen sitcom. Now, as a 33-year-old creative executive and aspiring producer, she is trying to get a romantic film off the ground as her first big project. Though Jane is skeptical about love and has a careful, pragmatic approach to dating, she believes in the movie and is desperate to get it made. Her work nemesis, arrogant cinematographer Dan Finnegan, surprisingly feels the same way about the film and is willing to help her do what it takes to get their boss to greenlight it… including tracking down Jack Quinlan—popular musician and Jane’s high school fling—at a music festival and convincing him to write a song for the soundtrack.

Though overall I enjoyed the book, it was uneven for me. The beginning is somewhat flat with the introduction of the two leads as co-workers at a Hollywood studio—their surface-level quirks are a bit trite and their dislike of each other comes off a little forced. The narrative doesn’t really find its footing until the two go across the country to Oak Shore, Long Island—Dan’s hometown—for the music festival and they interact with his family and friends. Like with her other novels, Monaghan excels at describing environments, creating interesting and well-developed supporting characters, and setting dynamic scenes. Oak Shore is where Jane and Dan come to life on the page not only as a pairing but as individual complex, intriguing characters. Unfortunately, the magic of that dissipates some with a third-act break-up and a resolution that felt too protracted and heavy-handed.

While flawed, 𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘢 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 is still a well-written, engaging romance good for a vacation or beach read. There are some truly beautiful lines and dialogue, and I also appreciated the themes of finding one’s sense of identity and worthiness and the importance of artistic integrity. I recommend this book to fans of Annabel Monaghan or of the tropes enemies-to-lovers, workplace romance, forced proximity, and small town romance. Thank you to G. P. Putnam’s Sons and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

If there’s anything that’s true in the world, it’s that Annabel Monaghan writes a good book!


It’s a Love Story follows Jane Jackson, a former childhood star turned movie studio executive hoping to really make it in the entertainment industry. In an effort to get a script she loves made into a movie she tells a little white lie: that she knows singer (and superstar) Jack Quinlan and can get him to write a song for the movie’s soundtrack. The problem? She hasn’t talked to Jack in decades. To add to that, the studio insists on adding Jane’s nemesis, Dan Finnegan, to the team as cinematographer. Desperate to get the movie made, Jane does everything she can to get Jack to sign on to the soundtrack, including spending a week in Long Island, NY with Dan and his family. But is Dan really her nemesis and can the two of them actually get her movie made?

I’ve read all of Annabel’s books and while Summer Romance is my favorite, It’s a Love Story is a very close second! I loved the little tidbits about the entertainment industry and found Jane’s character to be so complex but deeply relatable. Plus the nod to Taylor Swift in the title is chefs kiss.

I also loved the “enemies to lovers” vibe of Dan and Jane. The forced proximity adventures in Dan’s childhood home were so fun to read. The deeper moments, with Jane’s self-reflection and the conversations she has with Clem and her mother, were very moving. But my very favorite thing was the Finnegan family! It was so much fun to get to know each family member as the book progressed (with special shout outs to Reenie and Ruby)!

I really enjoyed this book overall and know that you will, too. Preorder or request this one from your library - you won’t want to miss it!

Thank you to Netgalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the ARC!

I ate this book right up. I loved the slow burn and truly felt like this was such a relatable romcom (minus being a child star and all). I can’t wait for this to come out!

Annabelle Monaghan never lets me down.

I was crazy lucky and got an ARC for her newest book, “It’s a Love Story”, which releases May 27, 2025.

I read this SO fast! ❤️

Jane was “Janey Jakes” on the hit tv show PopRocks as a kid. She was the “nerdy, funny” girl, but not the leading lady. When she told her co-star, Will, that she loved him after basically one kiss, he laughed in her face and they haven’t talked since. Now they’re all grown up. Will is a superstar singer and Jane is still trying to find that one script that will hit it big.

And she think she’s got it! But, when stupid Dan Finnegan meets her in the elevator and tells her he’s looking to also work on the same project, her dream is shattered. But, not as shattered as when her boss says the film wouldn’t be commercial enough for their company. To try to save the project, she says she knows Will and can get him to write a song for the movie. 😬😬

Will happens to be playing a gig in Dan’s hometown, so Dan offers to let Jane stay with his family. Stupid Dan Finnegan starts to not seem so stupid….and maybe a little hot.

I loved this book. I love Jane and Dan. I love the Friday night movie night with her mom. I love the whole Finnegan family, especially the bagel loving Dad. I love flirty Brian. I love that the nerdy girl who normally fades into the background typically shines in the spotlight for the guy who really gets her.

It’s a Love Story by Annabel Monaghan is a laugh out loud romantic comedy. It’s filled with second chances and unexpected connections with Jane Jackson trying to prove herself as a serious Hollywood executive. But her journey takes a hilarious and heartfelt detour when a desperate lie forces her to revisit her awkward past. I love this author’s writing! It’s full of humor and poignant insights about self worth and the courage to face your past. The mix of romance and personal growth makes this more than just a love story. I look forward to her books every summer!

If you're not reading Annabel Monaghan, you're missing out! It's a Love Story is a perfect beach read for summer 2025. I highly recommend for romance readers and fans of Katherine Center.

4.5 ⭐️ I was so grateful to get a copy of this! Monaghan does it again - an adorable romance with the messy reality of life. The plot of this one felt almost outside the box for this author in the best possible way - I loved the more ambitious feel of the book!

GAWD I LOVE HER BOOKS. This might be my fave ARC I’ve gotten all year. THIS IS WHAT READING A ROMCOM SHOULD MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE. I LOVED THE CHARACTERS. I LOVE THE STORY. This woman cannot write books fast enough for me. I really don’t like that there’s only one release a year. I want to give this book four and a half stars.

My least favorite thing about this book was the beginning. I felt like it took a long time to get where we were going, but I think that made the payoff that much sweeter. I really enjoyed the premise of the book. At first I was nervous it was gonna be a love triangle situation, but it becomes fairly obvious at a certain point that that is not the case.

I don’t know. I just wish I could read this book over and over again - or rather, read this book for the first time over and over again. If you like reading romcoms, including those by Emily Henry and Abby Jimenez, I think this book and this author will be right up your alley. I wish I saw her being discussed more on Booktok.

annabel monaghan's writing style is beautiful, simple, and comforting and i always have a good time reading her books. this one centers around jane who used to be a child actor on a sitcom and is trying to get her new script turned into a movie. she meets dan who works in this world with her and they go back to his hometown of long island to find jane's former co-star (jack, who is now a popstar) to help get her movie greenlit.

i'm a little sad to say that this one just didn't hit as hard as 'summer romance' for me! i still had a fun time, however, it felt slow and a bit choppy. jane felt immature to me and i found myself cringing at things she was saying and her inner monologue. i couldn't connect with her or dan and i didn't quite feel the connection between them, i just wanted more from them & this story overall i think? i still would recommend, perfect lighthearted read 🤍

thank you so much penguin group & netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review!

I read this book in under 24 hours...I could not put it down! This story brought the romantic longing and tension that not many stories to these days. Jane and Dan are coworkers who are not technically enemies but do not get along well. Jane wants a script to be made into a movie; Dan, the cinematographer, also wants the movie made. This gives them common ground enough to work together. Jane tells a fib to their boss that she knows an artist a lot better than he knows him, who she could get to write a song for the movie. The two go to Long Island for a week, where a music festival will be held. Jane hopes she can see the artist and ask for the exclusive song.

Throughout their week in Long Island, you find out Jane was a child actor who played the "nerdy sidekick". This significantly impacted how she grew up with a lack of confidence in herself and how people see her. She is an only child with a single mother, so when she goes to Dan's family's home on Long Island, he has multiple brothers and loving parents. She can see how a family can function with love and honesty.

Reading how Jane became more flustered around Dan each day was so fun. She starts the week with no romantic interest in him but falls in love as she sees him with his family, and they have vulnerable conversations. I LOVE Dan; he is the perfect amount of honest and goofy, and vulnerable. He sees Jane fully, and she deserves that.

I loved this story; I felt Jane's emotions in my stomach, and I craved a partner like Dan. I would recommend this to my friends!

Thank you so much, NetGalley and Putnam, for the e-arc!

LOVED this book! The first 10% I wasn’t sure I was going to like Jane and her “act”. She seemed like a weak, sad person but the more I got to know her, the more I understood and could find understanding in her character. Dans family was so fun and I could picture their interactions as a wild big family who love big.

Annabel is an auto-read author for me and I was so excited to get book early. Definitely 5 stars!