Unfortunately, I could not finish "It's a Love Story by Annabel Monaghan. I'm not sure if it was the plot, the style of writing or what but I just could not bring myself to finish it. The idea of the story sounded fun but it could not capture my attention.

Annabelle Monaghan has become synonymous with the perfect summer romcom—those books where the characters are a little older, and the romance a little sweeter than the usual spicy chick lit you might expect. *Although It’s a Love Story* may not have been my favorite of her works, it still delivers a charming, easy read with relatable characters. For fans of romantic comedies, this book will be a hit. It has that same playful, breezy vibe as the iconic scene in *How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days*, where Kate Hudson visits Matthew McConaughey’s house for an extended, spontaneous adventure.

Overall, it’s a sweet, lighthearted read that’s perfect for lounging on the beach during a warm summer day.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC. I have devoured every single novel by Annabel Monaghan, It’s a Love Story is no exception!
Annabel always tells a fantastic love story, this one had it all.
Jane and Dan’s enemies to lovers story is the type of romance that makes your stomach do flip flops and your cheeks burn. Friendship and family also played a central role in this story. The love story I wasn’t expecting was the self love story that unfolded as Jane came to terms with how she viewed herself and her own self worth. I cannot recommend this one enough, you will not be disappointed!

so i guess because this author or her people appreciate that i read and review her books positively (and yes i do also enjoy them) i was lucky enough to get an ARC of her upcoming book. this book comes out at the end of May which is a great summer kickoff. this is definitely a rom-com, great beach read with several tropes i like, such as opposites attract and the enemies-to-love story.

the two characters seem so different it was interesting how well they seemed fit together. the female main character, Jane was a child tv star who had a great voice but she was always known as the quirky and goofy sidekick comedy relief so she doesn't view herself as pretty or worthy of love. that is sad because a lot of times personality also be so much more meaningful than just looks. she judges herself way too harshly. as an adult she is trying to make it as an executive who finds the next big thing in movies. she meets the male main character, Dan, on the street one day and they seem to hit it off and realize they work in the same industry. they both end up trying to work on several projects together but he shatters her dreams when he shoots down an opportunity for a movie she wants to do and she decides she hates him. a while later she thinks she has finally found THE script but her boss wants her to get a popular singer whom she did happen to star with on the same tv show to sing a song for the soundtrack before greenlighting the project. so she decides she needs to go to this festival in New York to try to make this happen. ironically Dan is from the same area where the festival is being held, so they are sent to accomplish this and start to spend a lot of time together. i loved how well Jane fit in with Dan's family and really let her guard down and was not afraid to be herself around a family that clearly liked and accepted her as she was, not who she pretended to be. i also like how Jane helped Dan feel more comfortable with his family. i was so happy when Jane finally realizes she starts to have romantic feelings for Dan because she is jealous and it was so obvious he also did not want his brother hitting on her because HE liked her. so it was quite frustrating when she starts to have doubts, thinking things are too good to be true and there is no way it could last, and almost ruins things completely when she has a meltdown after her great big plan does not work and instead of turning to him for support she pushes him away. i can understand being scared of being hurt because it is really hard to be vulnerable like that sometimes, but you have to at least try to think there is any possibility and go after what you want. so after a lot of drama and a great grand gesture she makes to show him how wrong she was, eventually they do finally end up finding their way back together thank goodness. definitely a great summer light read and i will recommend it to everyone, along with this author's other books since i have enjoyed all of the ones i have read.

thank you so much to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons and to Annabel Monaghan and her people for sharing this one of the most anticipated romances' digital copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

We've got Jane Jackson, former child actor, on uneven footing professionally/personally desperate for a big break to jump start her career. We've got Dan Finnegan, creative genius, introvert, a man who knows his own mind, hottie with a body, etc etc. Jane and Dan do not get along in the early parts of this book. Jane tells a lie at work, chaos ensues, Dan/Jane take a trip to Long Island to attempt to resolve the drama created by the lie, Dan's family lives in Long Island, Dan/Jane stay with his family during the trip, more chaos ensues. Real talk: the Finnegan "the mob" family dynamics were so funny. Without question, my favorite part of this book. The parents, the siblings, their partners, their kids? The scheming. The antics. The old-habits-die-hard sibling dynamics. All of it. Spectacular. Enchanting.

I will say I didn't love the third act breakup/conflict in this story. I think conflict resolution needed a bit more time in the spotlight than this book gave it. Particularly appreciating how EARNEST <3 (!!) Dan was. His character felt like he deserved a more mature apology than he received from Jane & more time for them to unpack the slash and burn job Jane put on their very new relationship.

Annabel Monaghan... the woman that you are. One thing about me is that if Annabel Monaghan writes a book, I am absolutely going to read it. TY for the ARC XOXO

Thank you so much to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the early chance to read and review “It’s A Love Story.”

I really enjoyed this enemies (sort of) to lovers romance featuring Jane and Dan (who was really a perfect swoons match for the FMC). But even more than the romance, I was particularly drawn to Jane’s story of personal growth, reconciling the hurt and anguish from her younger self and allowing herself to become the adult person she was meant to be. The secondary characters, especially Dan’s very large NY family were well drawn and really added an emotional depth to the story. This might be my favorite of Annabel Monaghan’s contemporary romances. 5 stars.

I’ve adored every Monaghan book I’ve read and couldn’t wait to read this one. And it didn’t disappoint. Loved Dan - he’s my new book boyfriend! - and the dynamics in his big, boisterous family. Loved all the feelings this evoked on me. Can’t wait until her next novel.

Another absolute gem from Annabel Monaghan! I loved these characters and their story. I am an absolute sucker for an “immerse yourself into a big warm lovable new family while fake dating their son” storyline so this was a total win for me. I got all of the warm fuzzies at the end, and Monaghan remains an auto-read author for me!

I really enjoyed this book. It was different than a lot of the romance I have read lately, The characters, despite having jobs that really seem like a reach for the stars kind of dream in the book, still feel very relatable and real. I ike when the author has the ability to do this because it makes connecting with them so much easier. I had a lot of fun with Jane and Jack's love story. Annabel Monaghan has done it again!!! I can't wait to see what she does next.

It’s a Love Story is such a sweet, fun, slow burn romance that I enjoyed so much!! Jane is now one of my favorite romance book FMCs. One minute you’re laughing with her and the next you’re crying. This one packs a big emotional punch. Within the first 10% or so of the book, I was not too sure if I would like it. But I hung in there, and ended up loving it! It had more emotional depth than I had anticipated and I was there for it.

After reading the script for a new romance film that truly spoke to her, Jane knows that she has to produce that movie. After being matched up with cinematographer “man-bun” Dan, Jane must find a childhood acquaintance, Jack the rock star, and convince him to write a song for her movie. The catch is, she must travel to New York with Dan and stay at his parent’s home where she is thrust into a larger than life family atmosphere so different than how she grew up with just her mom.

And the romance!! I loved it 😍

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Putnam Group for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion! I was so excited to receive this because I absolutely loved Nora Goes Off Script!!

I received an ARC of this book and am happy to report that I really enjoyed it. While it didn’t quite hit the same level as Nora Goes Off Script and Summer Romance for me (which were both five stars), it was close. I continue to appreciate everything Annabel Monaghan writes!

Such a fun, big-hearted story. The dynamics of Dan’s big family were so fun to sink into. Some of my favorite tropes here: Enemies to lovers, forced proximity. I found myself rooting for Dan and Jane, but mostly for Jane to discover her own courage and worthiness of love. I loved this book! THE BATHING SUIT, 😂👙OMG Jane is so funny. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book!

Annabel writes such beautiful stories. Her prose is inspiring, heartfelt, and sentimental at best. Jane’s journey in Hollywood after being a child star isn’t very relatable, but her insecurities, determination, and self doubt are. I was rooting for her the whole way through to find out who she truly is. I instantly loved Dan. His blunt humor, sarcasm, and blatant crush on Jane (even though he would never admit it to himself) were endearing. Their story is full of banter, humor, self reflection, and pure love and respect for each other once they get out of the surface level.

Thank you PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons & NetGalley for the e-ARC
Pub Date May 27 2025

If you love rom-coms with sharp wit, questionable decisions, and top-tier banter, this one’s for you—main character Jane Jackson is a beautiful disaster!

Jane has spent years perfecting the art of faking it—until one (massive) lie threatens to blow up her career. Now, to clean up her mess, she’s stuck spending a week in close quarters with the last person she wants to deal with. Tension? Absolutely. Sparks? Let’s just say the line between annoyance and attraction gets very fuzzy.

What I Loved:
✅ Witty, self-deprecating heroine—Jane’s inner monologue is pure gold.
✅ A perfectly infuriating love interest—smug, sharp, and secretly sweet, just how I like them.
✅ The unraveling of a well-placed lie—watching Jane scramble is a delight.

What Didn’t Quite Work:
❌ Mild secondhand embarrassment warning—if rom-com cringe makes you squirm, be prepared.
❌ Some side characters needed more page time—one in particular felt underdeveloped.

Bottom line? If you love quick wit, slow-burn tension, and a heroine just trying her best (bless her heart), this one delivers!

I had randomly applied for this arc on NetGalley (thank you so much for this arc it actually changed my brain chemistry), and let it sit on my Kindle for a couple months before actually diving into it. If I had known what a gem this was, I would've read it the second I got approved!!

I cannot believe I briefly considered not finishing it around the 15 to 20% mark just because I thought it was just "ok". I'M SO GLAD I FINISHED IT OMG.

This book made me cry. I hardly ever cry in books. And when I say that I cried, it's not because it was sad necessarily, but because the emotional sucker punch I felt was just too much for words.

The slow burn intimacy leading up to when the main characters finally get together was (tears are literally in my eyes rn trying to write this) magical. Think Mr.
Darcy's hand flex, but the modern version. A light hand on the hip, soulful eye contact, crackling tension, it was PERFECT.

The non-romantic intimacy was also so beautiful with Dan's family. Seeing Jane be apart of a controlled chaos large family where she only had her mom growing up squeezed my heart in the best way.

Lastly I'll say that throughout the book I got major Jannette McCurdy vibes, and I was so pleased to see in the acknowledgments that Jannette and her memoir (both of which I LOVE) were major inspiration for this book!

I had the best time. My whole body felt this book. I'm crying again and I wish I could explain my feelings better. For my first Annabel Monaghan book, this was an absolute hit!

There is something wonderful about a book that makes you escape reality for a bit and relate to the main character(s). The FMC, Jane, makes you both want to laugh and cry with her. I found myself wanting to be her cheerleader. There are parts of her that each of us struggle with in some capacity, such as the desire to “make our mark” in this world, get past our own insecurities and hurt, and find the courage it takes to love and be loved. The MMC, Dan, might be a favorite book boyfriend. Any man that encourages a woman to just be herself is a winner in my opinion. I also loved the supporting characters and found myself particularly thankful for my own “Clem.” Dan’s “people” added so much humor and fun to this story as well. Overall, this has been my favorite rom-com I have read in a while. Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Publishing Group for my eARC.

This was a cute little romance, not too heavy or steamy. I thought the characters were very likable and I especially liked Dan's family dynamics. I thought the crossover aspects from Monaghan's book Same Time, Next Summer were fun.

“They’re the thing I aspire to, and I’d like to find that kind of love.”

“Love happens over breakfast.”

Annabel Monaghan’s books have become must reads for me.
Looking for a beach read, well this is the book for you
I loved the flawed, relatable characters.
Jane was a child sitcom star who felt irrelevant and inadequate. She's now trying to become a Hollywood executive and be taken seriously.
Jane has so many issues, insecurities, yet I found her lovable.
Jane meets Dan Finnegan and their love story begins.
A story that will pull on your heartstrings. Second chance romance, a fun beach town on Long Island, love.
A page turner with a feel good ending.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the opportunity to read this book.

I adore Annabel's writing and plotlines. She masters the small town romance trope without being overly cheesy. What I didn't love is the conflict between Dan and Jane. For some reason, I dislike when conflicts stem from self sabotaging and the MMC doesn't do anything wrong. Something feels very manipulative/crafted about it instead of believable but that's just a personal pet peeve. Overall I really enjoyed the book!

It’s a Love Story was a delightful whirlwind of second chances, banter, and just the right amount of rom-com chaos. Jane was a lovable disaster in the best way—armed with Hollywood ambition, a slightly unhinged determination, and a past she’d rather not revisit (especially if it involves her former teen-crush-turned-rockstar). And Dan? The grumpy, maddeningly talented cinematographer who challenged her at every turn? Swoon.
The forced proximity, the hilarious high-stakes lie, and the undeniable slow-burn chemistry made for a highly entertaining ride. The only thing keeping it from five stars? I wanted just a bit more emotional depth in certain moments. But overall, this book was a sharp, witty, and utterly charming rom-com—perfect for anyone who loves a little Hollywood chaos with their happily ever after.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!