Ali lost her very best friend, her mother, two years ago. On the one year anniversary of her death, while crying in the kitchen, her husband, rather than comforting his grieving wife, springs the news on her that he'd like a divorce. That tells you everything you need to know about their marriage.

She's okay with it, really. Things hadn't been good between them for years so it's not as though she misses him. But, she does miss having someone around. Her three kids keep her busy but it's not the same as tucking in next to someone at night knowing they'll still be there to love you in the morning.

At the urging of her best friend she decides to ditch the sweatpants and put on a bit of lip gloss. She takes her dog to the local dog park for some exercise when Ferris (the dog) runs over to the most handsome stranger she's laid eyes on in a while, maybe ever, and urinates right on his leg. Most awkward meet cute ever? You betcha!

His name is Ethan and he seems to see something in Ali that she hasn't seen in herself in a while. A confident and funny woman. When he asks her on a date she feels like a teenager again.

He's kind, funny, smart, and loves dogs. In other words, he's perfect. So what's the catch? You'll have to read this to find out.

I really enjoyed my time with this novel and these characters. I have so much love for each and every one of them, except the ex, and even he wasn't really all that bad in the grand scheme of things. Ethan, though, oh my goodness. That man could make anyone's knees go weak.

Another thing I appreciated with this novel was the age and maturity of it's characters. Ali (38) and Ethan (36) were both dealing with real life adult problems. These are things I'm able to relate to which makes it so much easier to become immersed in their lives and what their going through.

So to wrap up we have a hot MMC, a loveable FMC, cute kids, adorable dogs, and a swoon worthy love story leaving me a happy reader! This is the perfect rom-com to pack in your beach bag this summer. 🌞 4 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for my complimentary copy.

The main character of this novel, Ali, is a professional organizer but her own life is a bit of a mess. Her mom died two years ago, her husband left a year before and now officially wants a divorce, and so she’s now a single mom raising three kids - oh, and she hasn’t put on a pair of “hard pants” in years. Then one day at the local dog park, her dog pees on a very cute guy. Ali isn’t sure if she’s ready to date again, or if Ethan is a suitable candidate, but then she figures hey, maybe there’s no harm in a summer romance.

I just love Annabel Monaghan’s writing style - she creates real, flawed but endearing characters, and brings so much more to her books than just romance - family relationships, friendship, parenting, and women discovering who they really are and what they want from life. And she’s good at writing the romance part too! This one was perhaps a little less swoony than some popular rom coms, but in a refreshing way because it felt so grounded in reality, with both Ali and Ethan feeling like real people and their relationship not just some fantasy but one that unfolded in realistic fashion. I also, as with her first book Nora Goes Off Script, appreciated reading a book about a mature mom which is just more relatable to me these days than a young 20s character. Some great emotional moments in this book too, and not just about the romance but also about the other aspects of Ali’s life - how she connects with her kids, her relationship with her older neighbor, how she rediscovers her lost confidence in herself.

4.25 stars

The last thing Ali is looking for this summer is romance. She’s a newly single mom of 3 who’s just trying to stay afloat after the death of her mom and the loss of her marriage. But when her dog pees on a handsome man’s foot at the dog park, she finds herself taken aback at how this man looks at her. She feels seen like she never has by a man before and she wants to keep chasing that feeling. Before she knows it, she’s caught up in a whirlwind summer romance that she never expected.

I absolutely loved this story! I love how Annabel Monaghan writes such real characters and as a mom, I loved seeing Ali’s devotion and adoration for her kids. This story does deal with the heavy topics of grief and loss but not in a way that made me want to cry. It just reminded me how beautiful life can be and how love is always worth it. Ethan also felt like such a relatable character and I love how he always saw just how beautiful and strong Ali was and helped he get so much of her confidence back. This is the perfect summer romance that will feel like being wrapped up in a warm towel after a long day of swimming.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons for the ARC!

I devoured this book! I finished it in two sittings and loved it.

Ali’s life is a mess. She’s still grieving the loss of her mother two years ago, her husband wants a divorce, she’s raising 3 kids, and trying to run her own business. She’s stuck in the cycle of just getting by in old sweapants and T shirts. The day she takes off her wedding ring and gets out of the sweats, she meet cutes Ethan at the dog park and there’s instant spark. She decides to go all in and have a “champagne summer” that she won’t forget.

I truly loved these characters by the end of the book and felt like I really knew them. This book was easy to read and was so relatable and had you feeling all the emotions (in a good way).

Thank you Penguin Group and NetGalley for the ARC of this novel!
Pub date: June 4th, 2024

4.5 stars. Before this book, I had only read Nora by this author, which I found very “eh?” I’m beyond glad I gave her another shot and will have to go and read her second next!

The author does a fantastic job at writing for the 30-something woman. This book deals with divorce, grief, and so many other big subjects that the author tackled beautifully while still making it a happy rom com the target audience wants. I don’t typically relate to books with a protagonist with several kids, but I was hooked and saw myself in her after a few pages. Also my Kindle is FULL of highlights and profound thoughts via the protagonist that I will continue to reference to inspire me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review! This book will be released June 4. 2024.

Annabel Monaghan hits it out of the park again! I LOVED Nora Goes Off Script, but this might be my new favorite book by this author.

This heartwarming, feel good story exceeded all my expectations. I loved that the characters were realistic and super relatable. Ali is a grief stricken mom of three in the midst of a divorce. She’s a professional organizer, but her own life (and home) are a complete mess. Ethan is a charming, problem solving, skateboard loving cutie that turns Ali’s life around. There’s so much to love about this swoon worthy rom-com!

This is a perfect, easy summer read that will make you feel all the feels! Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC! Highly recommend picking this one up when it hits shelves on June 4!

Thanks to NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review! :)

I tore through this breezy, charming romance. It feels like Monaghan is really making her mark as a beach read author that shouldn't be missed.

When the book begins, it's been two years since Ali's mother died and one year since her husband asked for a divorce. She has three kids and feels like she's drowning in grief, stress, and mess despite being a part time professional organizer. But then a meet cute at the dog park brings Ethan on the scene and he becomes a bright spot for her in a way that nothing else has. Instead of saving her white knight style, it's the way that he sees her for who she really is/can be from knowing her earlier in life that helps Ali begin to recognize herself as a capable, strong adult. And what began as just a summer romance takes on a lot more meaning than Ali was expecting.

There were a few things that helped to set this beachy romance a step above some others. The writing is good and relatable. Ali is an organizer and it feels like Monaghan accurately captures the satisfaction/obsession people currently have with instagram-worthy pantries, etc. Monaghan also revisits the divorcee storyline that she wrote about with perfect pitch in her adult debut, Nora Goes Off Script. It was refreshing to read about a woman in her late (gasp!) thirties with a life of responsibilities, including children. The book explores divorce mediation and it seemed well researched. Pete, the soon-to-be ex, was a one-note cranky husband and dad which left a little to be desired in the story. But I was more forgiving about that as the story went on and Ali had a revelation as to why she stayed in her unhappy marriage for so long. Best of all, there were zero miscommunication storylines.

Highly recommend adding this to your summer reading list! Closed door for those wondering.

This one is going on my summer romance rec list.
Smart and gently funny contemporary romance about a soon to be divorced mom who's shocked to find out that the hot new guy from the dog park is her best friend's weird little brother.

Annabel Monaghan just doesn't miss! This book is the absolute perfect book for summer, talk about a beach read! I flew through this one and yet, it still packed such an emotional punch. Annabel has become one of my favorite writers, she is a star!

Reading this on Mother’s Day was the cherry on top. I can’t stop crying. I loved Ethan and Ali’s story but I loved Ali and her relationship with her kids and her mom and Phyllis the most. There were moments with her kids that reminded me so much of my mom and how hard middle school is and ugh I could go on forever.

Thank you to the publisher, author and NetGalley for the ARC

Really sweet romance novel and a perfect summer read. Ali is a great female main character and her family and friends are really interesting and truly make you invested in the story. Ethan is a really well-written love interest. This was a really easy read and would easily recommend it to anyone looking for a heartfelt love story.

This was amazing!! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher that I got to read the arc!
Ali is over 30, a single mom of three cute kids, going through a divorce and grieving the death of her mom. While I'm not currently going through any of these things I did relate to so much in this story! I'm realizing that I love romance books like this. They are so real and not only perfect and lovey dovey.
The fact that Ali struggles with grieving her mom whilst also being there for her kids and trying to manage everything but also being able to feel what she feels was so refreshing to read about. I loved the takes on relationships between kids and parents and also staying true to yourself.
The romance was perfect in my opinion. Ethan was just so amazing and head over heels for Ali and she needed that!! That Ali got to help the people in Ethans life to see that he changed and most importantly that he's happy made me so happy. The way the were there for each other through the meetings with Pete (special shoutout to one of the shittiest people), family gatherings, and everything else was amazing.
Also Ali's relationship with her dad made me sob and I couldn't stop crying until I finished this book! The ending was so sad but so good. There is no way I'm not going to read Annabel Monaghan's other books soon! This one sold me on her writing and storytelling and I just loved it.

This was such a fantastic summer read. I got the chance to read Same Time Next Summer as an ARC copy previously, so I was just thrilled to have the opportunity to read Annabel’s new book. A must-buy author for me!

Annabel writes such atmospheric summer reads that just make you want to visit the town they are set in. Her writing is so beautifully done and it’s so specific to her writing style. She writes romance that’s filled with connection, longing, history and the feeling of first love (even when it might not be).

I love reading about more mature characters, and Ali was such a wonderful main character you can’t help but fall in love with. The relationship she has with her kids, finding herself as her adult life changes, and the grief of the loss of her mother, were all beautiful. Her and Ethan’s relationship is precious and genuine. They have such chemistry and ease with each other.

I’ve never highlighted lines in a kindle book before but I had several highlights throughout this one! I feel like this book had such great messages about finding happiness in life.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced digital reader copy in exchange for an honest review. Annabel blew another one out of the water!

‘Summer Romance’ was everything I hoped for and more! I was introduced to Annabel Monaghan’s writing in ‘Nora Goes Off Script’, and that one quickly became one of my favorite books of all time. While ‘Summer Romance’ didn't quite reach top-tier favorites for me, it was genuinely such a wonderful read.

My heart ached for Ali as she navigated the hole that losing her mother two years prior had left, and my anger was intense every single time her soon-to-be ex-husband graced the page with his presence. He was the actual worst?! What an awful husband, dad, and human. Her three children all had unique personalities and her determination to be the mother they deserved was admirable.

Now let's get to Ethan! I will say that it took me a moment to fully warm up to Ethan as a plausible long-term romantic interest for a mom of three, but he won me over pretty quickly and, boy, was that guy charming or what! I loved his communication with Ali, and I was desperate for them to never reach the end of their summer romance. Watching them fall in love had me feeling all the butterflies and swoony feelings!

I laughed a lot and I cried more than once. Monaghan officially has a lifelong fan in me, and I cannot wait to read whatever she comes up with next!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I am so in love with Annabel Monaghan’s books and was so excited when I was approved to read this ARC ❤️ Her writing is so comforting and the characters she creates are so relatable. I loved going on Ali’s journey of finding herself while going through a divorce. I also admire the relationship she has with her kids. Her meet cute with Ethan was the cutest! And oh my goodness Ethan is a breath of fresh air. He is the sweetest and when he teaches her to skateboard 🥰 This is a feel good story that you won’t want to end ❤️

Oh I loved this so much, this is my new favorite from Annabel Monaghan! I found this to be so refreshing - following a recently divorced mom of three. I laughed, I cried, I truly had such a great time with this book, I was absolutely charmed by the main characters.

Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan was literally nothing short of a really great, bingeable book – go ahead and pack it in your pool or beach bag now. It is the perfect summer read, and I immediately fell in love with both Ali and Ethan. Ali is just sort of just going through the motions of life (taking care of her kids, neighbor) and has just become really complacent since the loss of her mother and the inevitable separation/divorce from her husband. Welcome Ethan, literally the day Ali decides to take control of her life, take off her wedding ring, and wear real pants. He actually sees her for who she is and it’s only going to be a Summer Romance…or is it? I really could not put this one down, and wish it could have been all the pages. This book isn’t all fluff, and definitely deals with some heavier topics, including grief, loss of self, etc. But the way I will immediately purchase and read Annabel Monaghan’s books, I have yet to be disappointed.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided to me through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Annabel Monaghan and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for giving me the opportunity to read this book!

Annabel Monaghan can do no wrong as far as I'm concerned. She is 3/3 in writing the sweetest summer love stories that I just can't get enough of. Dare I say that this might be the best one yet?! Summer Romance is more reminiscent of Nora Goes Off Script in terms of the single mom aspect, but it had all the best summer vibes of Same Time Next Summer. I love how this was kind of like friends to lovers but not really. Ethan is a great MMC, and I just loved him (and Brenda!).

This novel has a lot of depth, which is what I think I enjoyed the most. I really appreciated Ali's journey with grief. I also liked that through both Ethan and Ali there was a strong message about finding yourself and living the life that you want to be the architect of. Also, there was a lot of humor as well as some great secondary characters, which is always a plus!

I think this book healed me. Which is I am pretty sure how I also felt about Annabel’s other two books. She is a must-read author for me and this book is no different.

Just like with Nora Goes off Script, this book features 30+ characters navigating life during divorce and death of a parent. This story follows Ali, a newly single mom of three navigating divorce with an unsupportive partner while still reeling from the death of her mother over two years ago. This book is about regaining confidence, self-worth and finding your voice again after losing yourself in a loveless marriage. Ali meets Ethan at a dog park, and realizes he is someone from her past. Both Ethan and Ali are fully fleshed out characters with complex but relatable struggles, and you can’t help but root for them. The romance was so sweet, and they had great chemistry. It was so beautiful to see Ali realize the type of love she deserved all along.

There are a lot of lovely side characters in this book that just make it even better— you really feel like you’re a part of their world, and this cute little beach town. This was the perfect summer read and totally bingeable. I couldn’t put it down, and make sure you have some tissues at the end!

Summer Romance confirms that Annabel Monaghan is an auto-buy author for me.

I don’t have children and my husband isn’t a complete twat like Ali’s ex-husband, so I couldn’t relate to those parts, but I really liked reading about a main character closer to my age. Ali is dealing with the grief of losing her mother and losing herself. I enjoyed the journey of Ali trying to get her life back together with the help of a “summer romance”.

I loved Ethan and you can’t go wrong with “the best friend’s brother” plot. Although I think my favorite relationship in the book was Ali’s friendship with her elderly next door neighbor. It was so sweet and was one of the few times I cried while reading.

This is the perfect summer read. Loved it! Now I’m bummed that I have to wait another year for Annabel’s next book though.