Favorite most memorable quote “Love happens over breakfast.” 💖

Initially I went into this with high expectations & assumed I would love it … which I did ☺️☺️ I will say the beginning had me questioning that though, I couldn’t stand the main female character Jane, at all. To borrow from the author, her character had me thinking “oof” quite a few times😬. I figured if this is how I feel about the female mc then this book is doomed. Pretty painful character in the beginning but I think that was likely the point & what the author was going for. Thankfully she made this very cringey character pretty likeable & even to the point of where I was rooting for her & Dan (the main male character). So many times this book had me smiling, a lot of great moments that played out!! I love loved Dan’s family, please just plant me in their family 😍

This is your typical love story with the token miscommunication/hiccup. Jane’s character was ridiculous but I still really enjoyed it. A cute romcom to start the year off with ☺️


Thank you NetGalley & PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for the advanced copy!

it’s a love story by annabel monaghan

thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the e-arc of this book!

it’s a love story follows jane jackson, a former child star/actress, who trying to get her big break as a creative executive. in order to secure her first big movie project, she must rely on a cinematographer, dan, who she does not see eye to eye and music star, jack, with whom she has a somewhat complicated history with in order to gain success. jane and dan have to travel in close proximity to NY to try to convince jack to help them with their movie soundtrack.

this was my first time reading annabel monaghan’s writing and i wasn’t sure what to expect. he strengths of this book was the dan’s family dynamic. i thought annabel monaghan introduced all the characters seemlessly and it gave the book a sense of heart. the relationship between cormac and jane was also beautiful to read and carried a lot of depth to it. i also thought that the banter between dan and jane kept me hooked and it reminded me of the banter that nora and charlie have in emily henry’s book lovers. it was biting, and cute all at the same time.

another strength is the setting of this. it occurs in the heat of summer in august and it made me wish i was in a small beach town. i definitely would love to re-read this in the summer instead of january so that i can fully appreciate the ambience.

however, i did find that the pacing was quite slow and that the story jumped around in places. i enjoyed the setting and characters but needed a little bit more from the structure.

overall, i would give the 3.5 stars (with the intention to re-read!!)

I love all of Annabel Monaghan’s books and this one is no different. The perfect beach read, I finished it in ONE DAY. Couldn’t put it down.

Amazing chemistry between the two main characters, Jane and Dan. Like Dan, I hate an insta-love romance so this slow burn was 100% up my alley. It had all the things - banter, tension, heart. Loved this book!

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC !

This one was a bit hard for me to get into. I think it's personally just me and the time of night I chose to start it. Either way it felt like it jumped right in to a bunch of people and was kinda rough paying attention. About 20% in is where I really started to connect to the characters and where this story was going. For me being based on long Island really gave it that homey good rom com feel.

Following Dan and Jane really made you feel every emotion and made you wish you could be at the home with them! I loved the passion and familiarity you got when any character was introduced.

Annabel is the queen of rom coms and this one is no different! I loved the teen celebrity and home visit aspect of It’s A Love Story. Awesome!

This was a lighthearted and really cute read, with fun characters and a writing style that only Annabel could put to paper!

Annabel Monaghan does it again - the queen of darling romance books! Loved the enemies to lovers trope with such great characters- the former child star "Janey Jakes" and her dark, pompous Dan. Loved the setting on Long Island and all the sweet family dynamics. Perfect read if you enjoy a rom com, witty banter and a little bit of heat!

Thank you for the ARC!

This book filled the Emily Henry-sized hole in my life! Jane Jackson, a former child star turned creative director at an LA studio, is struggling to get her scripts greenlit. In a desperate bid to secure the perfect script, she invents a close relationship with a massive pop star, Jack Quinlain—someone she met only once, at 14, during a painfully embarrassing encounter. Jane recruits her arch-nemesis, cinematographer Dan, to help track Jack down, leading them to spend a week together on Long Island. During this time, Jane begins to question everything she thought she knew about herself.

This is my favorite Annabel book to date! I couldn’t help but fall for both Jane and Dan, and I found parts of myself reflected in Jane’s journey. This story is more than just a romance—it's a celebration of family, embracing life's beautiful messes, and learning to love your past, even when it's painful. Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnum for an ARC copy of this book. I have loved Monagahns previous books, and jumped at the chance to read this one.

It's a Love Story, is a romance, but so much more. This is about finding yourself in the messiness of life, and learning to embrace the parts of you that you don't necessarily think the world wants to see. Monaghan builds characters that are messy, and flawed, but also shows the reader why they are the way they are. Her characters are relatable and feel like someone you may know, or even yourself. She focuses not only on the romantic arc, but WHY her characters are the way they are, and dives into how that impacts their relationships both romantic and non-romantic. It's her rich characters that make her books relatable.

Jane Jackson has always played a part, it started when she was a part of the show Pop Rocks, and it's something she's continued into her adult life. When she plays the part she thinks people want to see, that's when she thinks she will be happiest. That is until she meets Dan, he's everything that she didn't think she wanted, needed or liked in a romantic interest.

Together they set out to get a movie made, but along the way find so much more, What sets out as a work trip to get her movie made, turns into so much more for Jane. Jane learns to face her fears and become her true self. This book is about coming to terms with who you are, and facing your fears, and being willing to show up as your true self, and love yourself.

I will always read Monaghan's novels for the multi layered characters and the

Can Annabel do any wrong? Clearly not. As usual, she knocked it out of the park. I loved Jane and Dans story and how the navigate tough things and come out better on the other end. I also wish I could vacation with the Finnegan fam!

This book was so sweet!! I have really enjoyed my time reading Annabel Monaghan books and this one was no different. I absolutely loved how well fleshed out the characters felt for not being a long book and what they brought out in each other. I loved how much I saw of myself in these characters. I could heavily relate to Dan being the quietest and sometimes feeling out of place because of it. I admired how he stayed true to himself even when it’s uncomfortable and how that helped Jane become more comfortable being her true self. I also connected to how Jane felt like she had to put on a mask as a certain version of herself that she thought people would make her lovable rather than being her true self in fear of rejection. I loved the analogy of people liking loud, noisy movies because we feel like they can hide behind them in comparison to quiet movies that are scary because they are vulnerable and teach us things about ourselves even if it’s uncomfortable. The fun, cozy beach setting in Long Island would make this the perfect summer beach read!!

It certainly is a love story. I wasn’t sure how much I’d connect with the characters at the beginning of the book, but as details started to play out, I really started to fall in love with the characters. Jane reminds me of Jeannette McCurdy, which Annabel confirms gave her the inspiration for this story. I totally see it and thought Annabel did a fabulous job really exploring the idea of child actors, a topic that has been brought up in media very frequently. The romance just was the cake on top, with the FMC and MMC just having such a solid connection. I love watching their love play out. A solid 3.75/5 ⭐️for me.

This was such a cute read! I loved the banter between Jane and Dan and seeing their characters develop throughout the story. This book had me smiling so much and is down-right BINGEABLE. So far my favorite book from Annabel Monaghan!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Penguin Random House LLC for this ARC!

Once this story finds its rhythm, the characters become lovable, funny and complex. While there are a few cringey, forced moments and some repetitive backstory... the depiction of falling in love is worth the read. The contrast between the mother-daughter relationship and the dynamic of a large, close-knit family highlights how these perfectly flawed characters have been shaped by their upbringing and the emotional baggage they carry. It all comes together for a quick, enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Jane is trying hard to get her career moving. She finally has a shot at making a movie she believes in, but finds herself exaggerating a truth to sell it. She needs help from Dan, who she hates. Dan helps her out and along the way, they grow closer and fall for each other. Jane has some heavy baggage and is good at self sabotage. She finally gets to a happy place with Dan and an encounter with someone from her past brings up insecurities that have her torpedo her new relationship with Dan. With the help of her best friend, Clem, she climbs out of her hole and fixes things. Jane and Dan seem totally right for each other and it was satisfying to get their happy ending.

"Love happens over breakfast" Don't mind me over here sobbing...

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read It's a Love Story in advance. This is likely my favorite Annabel Monaghan book yet.

The writing encapsulates the feeling of slowly (and then very suddenly) falling deeply in love. I enjoyed watching Jane learn about herself and put those learnings into action (though not always seamlessly).

Also, Dan's family is 12/10

I just finished reading this book, and I plan to start it again as soon as possible. I absolutely loved it. Annabel Monaghan is a favorite author of mine, and this book lives up to the excitement I felt when I saw she had written a new novel

Jane and Dan are relatable characters and their story was beautifully written.. It’s a Love Story will be a favorite for a long time to come, and in my opinion, one of her best stories!

I received an ARC from NetGalley for Its a Love Story. I loved this book so much! Reading this story felt like I was laying in bed, under my favorite blankets, reading about perfectly, flawed people that I wished I could know personally. Do yourself a favor and add this to your must read list of 2025!

This book felt like a marg, chips, and gab sesh with your best friend. I don’t know how else to describe it.

Lighthearted yet poignant; funny and comforting. Somewhat indulgent, but also exactly what I needed.

Many thanks for the opportunity to read this advanced copy!

An engaging, witty romcom that grabbed me on the first page! Annabel Monaghan has written another winner. Perfect for fans of Emily Henry and Abby Jimenez. Can't wait for her next one!