4.75 stars!

Okay I loved this book, my literal only problem with it was that I felt like the problem took a bit too long to resolve (while I was reading it) but as soon as the issue is revealed/resolved it all makes sense. I will warn you all that it was a miscommunication of sorts, but one that I think most will enjoy because of how reasonable it was.

I also wish there was a tad bit more at the end before the epilogue, but I also get why it was done the way it was.

This book was super sweet and stressed the importance of standing up for yourself, family (that we find and happen to be born into), take care of oneself, and love. I loved seeing the relationship between Nora and Leo grow, despite Leo overstepping a little in the beginning.

Read for:
- Single parent romance
- Cute kids with realistic and fun personalities
- Small town romance
- Individual character growth
- Supportive relationship

Overall I really enjoyed this book and I would definitely recommend it!!

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the opportunity to review. All thoughts are my own!

Absolutely loved every page of this smart, surprising, endearing romance. It is the perfect anytime read, and will stay with me for years to come. It’s perfect.

I really enjoyed this new book. It had romance and humor and was such a feel-good book. Perfect summer reading. Highly recommend reading this one!

This book was super cute! I enjoyed the idea of falling in love with the person hired to play the character of your ex husband in a movie lol. Even though there wasn't any spice, I found the story carried it's weight without it. I was reeeeeally mad at the MMC about a certain situation and told myself "the author better have an excellent excuse for his behavior"....and she did. So, all in all, I loved it!

If you like Emily Henry, you’re going to love this book, too. Nora is a screen-writer who instead of writing a fluffy, happily ever after script, writes one about her failed marriage. The studio quickly picks it up and casts Leo, a former “Sexiest Man Alive” leading man, as her Ex. Things get further complicated when it’s decided to shoot the movie in her home! With Leo in her home for the movie & to live temporarily their relationship quickly and intensely escalates. But when he has to leave suddenly, will he come back? Will Nora once again have to pick up all the pieces alone? This is a perfect, quick summer read!

Nora Goes Off Script is the story of a recently single mom who writes formulaic movies for The Romance Channel - you know the type: corporate woman + cowboy + a family farm that needs to be saved = happily ever after. When her pretty much worthless husband leaves her, Nora writes her first-ever non-happy ending, at least in the traditional sense. Even though the writing was mainly just therapeutic for Nora, her emotional screenplay gets picked up by a huge production agency out of Hollywood and soon a pair of A-list actors arrive to film the movie in her very own backyard, and one of them doesn't leave...

Leo might be incredibly talented and the owner of a set of eyes that can't help but smolder, but he's burnt out and pretty miserable. After filming Nora's movie, he realizes that he could use a break from celebrity life and offers to rent her backyard tea house for a few days. A few days turn into a few more, and soon Nora's life is completely disrupted, in the best way.

The selling point for this book is completely accurate - it's Evvie Drake meets Emily Henry, in all the best ways, while still feeling like something fresh. This is not your average light-hearted romance, but as a romance lover, I still enjoyed every page. The conflict felt authentic, even as you were rolling your eyes that these two adults should just talk to each other. I'm looking forward to reading what Annal Monaghan puts out next!

I read a lot of rom-com/chick-lit, and this could be my favorite one of the year. It will definitely be one of my most recommended books. It's a second-chance romance between Nora, an "average" mom of two whose marriage recently collapses, and Leo, who is the famous movie star playing the lead in the movie being filmed at Nora's house. Like all good romance books, there is some substance behind the characters (even the two kids- who I loved). This reminded me of The Idea of You, with a little less sophistication and glamour and more "realness."

Thank you to the publisher via NetGalley for an advanced copy to review!

Although thousands of similar stories already float around, this book did the trick for me. I enjoyed it beginning to end, and it made for a very quick and breezy read. The plot was beyond predictable (at least how it ended), but the characters were likable and the writing style was easy to get into. All in all I can definitely recommend this.

Thank you, G.P. Putman’s Sons, for my ARC and Penguin Random House Audio for my ALC copy of Nora Goes Off Script. I enjoyed following Nora as she navigates being a recently divorced mother and seeing her screenplay come to life while it’s being filmed on her property. This was more of a women’s fiction story with closed-door romance. It gave me all the hallmark movie/Hollywood story vibes I wanted. I love the dating a celebrity trope. I also enjoyed the audiobook narration for this story. I would recommend it.

What can I say? I’m a sucker for a celebrity romance. There’s just something about the improbability of it. But also, the glimpse into a glamorous life while also celebrating the simple things. Either way, this was a good one. I liked Nora a lot as a character. I felt like she was a great mom and it was clear that that’s the role she holds dearest above all others.

Secondary characters didn’t get as much of an explanation as I would have liked. It took me an embarrassingly long time to realize that Penny was Nora’s sister and not just some girl she grew up with.

I also felt like the pacing could have been a little better. I thought the play was really rushed through and the ending felt a tad rushed as well. But I did like the way that the story played with those cliche romance movie tropes.

Overall, I think I read this book at the exact right time. It hit almost every note for me.

Note: I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This novel has to be one of my new favorite rom-coms of all time. I hesitate to even call it that. I feels like more. The depth of character for Nora and her children…their lives juxtaposed to Leo’s life made for an interesting twist to this story.

I don’t typically like books that are centered around the topic of romance, so I find myself surprised to be giving this five stars.

Nora writes movie scripts for this book’s version of the Hallmark channel. Despite this, she is a very down to earth single mom living in a small town just trying to make ends meet after her ex-husband spent all her money. The producer of her latest scrip wants to film some scenes at her home, and Nora reluctantly agrees because the money she will receive for just a few days of Hollywood coming to her home is too good to pass on. After filming, she find the main star has decided to stay for awhile longer. He seems to need the peace and quiet of her small town life and easily falls into her routine with her two children.

Very engaging storyline with characters you’ll find yourself liking very much. I loved it!

Nora writes romance movies (think Hallmark Channnel style) until her own marriage falls apart and she writes something a bit more dramatic and dark. Once Hollywood buys her script, the director decides to shoot the final scenes at her actual house where the story takes place. The actor playing her ex-husband winds up slowly inching his way into Nora and her children’s lives and she can’t help but question if their romance can survive their different lifestyles.
Is this another romcom? Absolutely. Was it fantastic? Yes! The character of Nora was so relatable and enjoyable and all the characters just worked. It was also cute how it was a little tongue in cheeky, clearly mocking the happily ever after genre. For sure a great easy summer read.
Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this novel!

Nora Goes Off Script was just the book I needed to put me in a different mood. It was beautifully written and impossible not to like Nora.

Nora is a divorced mom of two kids. Her ex-husband was a major jerk and did some psychological damage to Nora (and the kids). Nora is a screenwriter for The Romance channel, however she writes a screenplay about her marriage and it ended up becoming a film instead. We start as they are using Nora's tea house to film many of the movie scenes.

This was such a strong start and where we meet Leo, (the actor playing her ex-husband) who ends up extending his stay. I loved how their relationship developed over these few weeks, as well as Leo's relationship with the kids. Leo ends up landing a big roll and things kind of fall apart from there, but I'll leave that a mystery.

I adored not just Leo and Nora, but her kids and the surrounding friends as well.

I loved this book! Such a great bunch of characters!! Nora is used to being a divorced mom of two and depends on her routine. Once Leo enters her life things totally go off script and she allows him in to her thoughts and dreams and also her kids lives. I really loved getting to know these people and be a part of their lives. Nora Goes Off Script was a joy to read and I would suggest it to any one who wants a nice light read!

It was cute and sweet and light and had all of the feelings. I really liked the twists, all the while coming back to the comfortable and predictable sunrise with a blanket and a cup of coffee.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for the ARC.

This was an enjoyable story with the main character working as a screen writer. When she writes the story of life with her ex-husband, it’s made into a movie and becomes a hit. The ex-husband is a jerk, doesn’t show up for his children but it sounds like that was almost the best thing he could have done. Most children wouldn’t feel that way but when an adult makes plans and routinely never shows up, it definitely affects them.

The actor that plays her husband in the movie, Leo, needs a respite from his Hollywood life and asks if he can stay and will paya great deal of money. Nora needs that extra money for work on her older home but soon realizes that Leo is a distraction to her writing schedule. I loved how he wanted to go on errands with her, became a part of the family and involved with Nora’s children. Sitting each morning on the front porch watching the sun come up made me want that same view!

Close to the end you find out something that caused a heartbreaking time in Nora’s life and for Leo also. I didn’t understand why one of them didn’t reach out to talk vs letting so much time go by thinking something incorrect.

The book was similar to a Hallmark movie in that there’s family, fun, conflict and a happy ending.

Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this new work.

Immediately recommended this book after finishing! Realistic love story, parent/child relationship, and family + friend circle. Nora and Leo rang so true. Loved everything about this book.

I'm posting an honest review after reading an advanced readers copy of this story.

It was nice to have a romance writer have a super romance of her own. Nora writes mostly for The Romance Channel & yet her big angst kinda autobiographic novel is what beings her Leo. Leo is a talented but aimless wandering actor. He's good at acting but his life has gone off track & he doesn't know how to fix it, until he meets Nora. I love how she describes Leo's signature look...smoldering. He smolders at all his costars and even his parents in one movie. How romantic hero can you get...

#NoraGoesOffScript #Annabel Monaghan #romance #Netgalley #G.P. Putnam's Sons #contemparyromance

I really enjoyed this book and since I love Hallmark movies, I think this really pulled me in!
Nora is a divorced Mom who is a writer of romance movies for TRC (Hallmark type movies) , who writes a romantic screenplay that is being filmed at her home. The lead actor stays awhile and they develop a relationship. The kids love him, she loves him, the whole town loves him….
And poof, he leaves. Over time, we speculate what might’ve happened and wonder how this could have a happy ending….
Thanks to Net Galley for an advanced copy of this great book!