Oh my gosh! I loved this book. ⁣
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⁣I picked up Nora Goes Off Script yesterday afternoon and just finished it eighteen hours later! It’s adorable, sweet, funny and emotional!⁣
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⁣Single mom and divorcée Nora is a romance screen writer who cashes in after her husband leaves her- writing a great movie. When the producers offer her more money to film it at her home, she signs up happily. After the filming wraps up, former Sexiest Man Alive and the star of her movie, Leo, offers her a thousand dollars a day to stay at her home for a week. Leo charms everyone he meets- including Nora’s two children and Nora begins to wonder if he might be her forever. ⁣
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⁣I loved their messy romance. The characters were fresh, likable and just a little bit cheesy! It was exactly what I needed to read today. ⁣
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⁣Five stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⁣
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⁣Thank you @netgalley and G.P. Putnam’s Son for an ARC of Nora Goes Off Script. It’s available now! #NoraGoesOffScript

Thank you for a story about a woman who is my age who is not unhinged or hopeless or falling apart. So often a woman has to be a complete mess in a novel, but Nora took the cards she was dealt, her narcissistic husband walking out on her and her children, and made it into something greater -- pulling her out of her formulaic romance script writing into something grander and stronger. And why shouldn't she get to have a lot of lovely sex and move on in her life with a Hollywood actor? Sure, things fall apart again, but Nora does what most women would do.... have a good cry, then put on really cute shoes to make us feel better, and keep going because our children need us. I love a happily ever after and loved how this one ended.

Rating: 5/5 Stars

LOVED THIS! Such a good beach read - I’m honestly not sure why this book hasn’t gotten more press yet!

Nora writes screenplays for the Romance Channel. Sticky sweet stories of two people falling in love and living out their own happy endings. When her own husband, Ben, abandons her and their children, Nora does what she does best - writes a screenplay about it. When that screenplay gets picked up by a major movie studio - Nora suddenly finds her home and her life filled with movie sets and actors that she’s only seen on screen, like the lead actor, Leo Vance.

Leo Vance, sexiest man alive, has had enough of Hollywood. He’s tired of fake relationships, staged apartments, and not even being able to buy his own bananas. When he finds himself living on Nora’s property in a trailer, he suddenly finds he has no desire to leave. The simpleness of her life is everything he’s been looking for.

But as quickly as Nora and Leo’s love story starts it suddenly comes to a grinding halt when Leo up and ghosts her. Is Nora another victim of Hollywood’s fickle movie stars or was there really something between her and Leo Vance?

I really can’t do this one enough justice - it’s not a cheesy romance and definitely has vibes of Stella Got Her Groove back or Steel Magnolias. Themes of motherhood, abandonment and partnership are strongly present and are clear throughout Monaghan’s writing.

This NEEDS to be on your summer reading list.

Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, Annabel Monaghan and NetGalley for this unexpected treat of an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Nora Goes Off Script

Every imagine having an epic love story with a celebrity?!

Well Nora does just that in this adorable, honest, and incredible story.

Nora just a regular single mom writes a major screenplay that is picked up by a big company and her house more specifically her tea house becomes part of the set for her film. She meets dreamy Leo superstar actor who’s playing the lead in the film and well he basically never wants to leave and asks to stay a little longer after filming has ended. He falls in love with the simplicity and scheduled life of Nora and her two kids as well as them.

I thought the audio was perfect and I found myself wanting to finish it right away.

I loved Nora and how strong and independent she was. The storyline was great and overall it was a great romance with a lot more depth.

A charming love story! Imagine a Hallmark movie crossed with a Primetime TV drama. The storyline is simple, you know exactly what’s going to happen, yet you still devour every single line. If you don’t like the “closed door” romances, this one is for you. The romance is sweet and won’t make you worried to read it at the salon with someone looking over your shoulder. It’s predictable and funny, yet completely satisfying.

After husband Ben leaves, Nora writes their break up into a screenplay, sells it to Hollywood, and receives the sweetest revenge ever: a paycheck! Additionally and never in a million years would she have guessed that she'd hit it off with Leo, the very hot, very sexy actor who plays the role of her deadbeat husband. But, will their love be strong enough to survive once real-life complications such as work, her two kids, house repairs, etc intervene?

In order to celebrate the First Day of Summer, I challenged myself to read a short book on the longest day of the year, and this was the perfect choice! The premise was cute, and I enjoyed the banter between the characters as well as the humor about cheesy, predictable Hallmark movies. The energy and romance between Nora and Leo was sizzling and romantic. And, I loved how respectfully he treated her kids, 10 year old Arthur and 8 year old Bernadette. If you love a good romance with a happy ending, then be sure to add this quick read to your list!

"Time and sunshine bring growth, and life unfolds just the way it's supposed to."

Location: Laurel Ridge (1.5 hours from New York City)

I received an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I loved this story! It was so easy to get lost in Nora and Leo's world without it being too syrupy sweet like the romance scripts Nora writes. I enjoyed getting to know all of them: Nora, Leo, the kids, her family and friends, and seeing how their relationship progressed. This was light-hearted and fun, filled with witty dialogue, but also blended in some serious issues (abandonment, dating with kids) which balanced the story well. Highly recommended for books you want to lose yourself in on vacation.

What a beautiful love story! Yes, Nora wrote scripts for TRC but they were simply scripts that were formulaic. It is only when she dug deep and realized what she deserves and who she is, was the success of Tea House was born. Ben leaving her, Bernie and Arthur made them a family unit that was complete. Or what she thought until Leo entered her life. The love they have for each other is real as evidenced by things as simple as watching the sunrise and grocery store shopping. When you love someone, and errand or moment is special because you are together. Yes, Nora achieved the accolades and praise that she deserved. But quite frankly, she won at the end because she was surrounded by true love and happiness.

Cute story about Nora who writes screenplays for a Hallmark channel-ish tv network. She has the trope down perfectly, and fits different characters and places into the same plan. Then she splits with her husband, and writes a different type of story, based on that situation. The film is partly shot at her house, she meets the handsome heartthrob star, and first friendship and then sparks fly. He loves her kids and they love him, seems like a dream come true. But there is drama, and maybe things are not as perfect as they seem? This is a great summer read, enjoyed it. #noragoesoffscript #annabelmonaghan #bookstagram #lovetoread #booksbooksbooks #bookrecommendations #bookreview #bookblog #readersofinstagram #booksaremagic #debutadultnovel #romcombooks #putnambooks #realsimplemagazine #takeapagefrommybook

If you're looking for a light-hearted, fun, summer read, Nora Goes Off Script is perfect!

Nora is a screen-writer whose husband up and leaves her and her two kids. She writes about the collapse of her marriage, which gives her her big break! Hollywood! Fame! A hunky leading man who happens to show up on her porch every morning to share the sunrise.

The follows Nora and Leo has they navigate their relationship, and Nora navigates her parenthood and figuring out who she really is outside of being of a wife and a mother.

I received an a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley.

This is the perfect contemporary romance for readers who like their characters with a bit more life experience. It's amazingly not the main element of the story but it does play a big part in how Nora reacts to things and it shows that taking a chance on things you once thought unattainable might just pay off. Getting to enjoy a story with a woman starting a new phase in her life while so in charge of it was a treat.
A big positive of this book for me is that it's done in such a light and breezy voice. It's a pleasure to read even the darkest parts of the story because Monaghan has such a pleasant writing voice. Even the fact that kids are brought into the story, which I usually hate, ended up being an element that I really enjoyed because of how the kids play such a pivotal role in it.
Nora and Leo are an unlikely couple on the surface, but it's great to see them grow closer and realize how much they help each other be better. The romance feels a bit rushed at times simply because of the way the story plays out, but I never felt like it wasn't the story of two people finding their perfect match and realizing that true, everlasting love is real.
I'm definitely recommending this as a perfect beachy summer read.

Very happy thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the pick-me-up read!

What a delight. I adored the main character and her journey over the course of this book. It had everything I look for in a summer read and felt so grounded and still an escape at the same time - a hard feat to pull off!

I completely loved this book. I would recommend this to the reader who likes a relatable, messy, and likable protagonist. Nora is an amazing mother who puts her kids first in every situation. She maintains an even better life for them after her wandering husband leaves them for good. When superstar Leo shows up for the film based on one of her books, her life is upended when he decides to stay. I wasn't sure what to make of Leo at the beginning of the book, but he won me over. I enjoyed all of the characters in this story. I am looking forward to more from Annabel Monaghan. This was a great book for summer reading - I will recommend to all of my friends to put it at the top of their TBR pile!

Loved loved loved this fun romantic read! Great summer beach read a with a message of substance. Would definitely recommend this book!

If you're looking for a cute, summer-read - this is definitely it! Loved the storyline as well as the characters and it truly was a feel-good romantic comedy that I couldn't put down.

Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan. Pub Date: June 7th, 2022. Rating: 3 stars. If you like Hallmark movies with love and laughs, then this book is for you. This is the story of Nora, a romance screenwriter, who has a life that is turned upside down when she ends up in a broken marriage with two kids. This book is about how she picks up the pieces of her life through work, meets a leading man and the rest is history. The story gives all the cheesy feel good vibes with a love story made for the screen. I really enjoyed this one, but was not an absolute favorite. Thanks to #netgalley and #penguingroup #putnam for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

Oh my word, this one was a delight! Just exactly what I wanted to kick off summer - this one will be going on the 2023 Summer Reading Guide!

My Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️/ 5

Nora Hamilton’s husband Ben left her and her kids high and dry. As a romance screenwriter for the Romance Network, she poured her heart out in the script for “The Teahouse''. It ends up getting the big screen treatment, even filming scenes at her own home in Laurel Ridge. The famous actor Leo Vance, who will be playing the part of her husband, is standoffish and cold at first, but he mysteriously stays after the crew leaves to get a little R&R. Nora needs the money and he is not bad to look at - so she agrees to let him stay for a week. After watching early morning sunrises together everyday, she finds out why he has been seeking a simpler life and perhaps he fits in better in her life than even her own ex-husband did.

I love the trope of the movie star/hometown heroine, but I did not believe their relationship. It went from one page where he really was indifferent to all of a sudden “in love” with her. I had to skim back to make sure I didn’t miss a few chapters where their relationship suddenly shifted. There were parts that were charming: the grocery shopping, the sunrise watching, their little texts but my biggest pet peeve trope: miscommunication! They wasted so much time because of a simple thing - it still bothers me writing about it. This is a cute-sy rom com/beach read, expect little to no spice though. Overall, I liked it enough until I found out they can’t even talk to each other.

Thank you to Putnam books and netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Tropes: small town, celebrity

Spice Level: 0.5/5

A rollicking ride through the ups and downs of single parenting, old house repairs, and movie making. What would you do if the most gorgeous movie actor moved into your home while creating your script?

One day, scriptwriter Nora Hamilton's husband decided to leave. He just took off leaving her behind with her two children. This caused her to diverge from her usual Hallmark movie writing into a much more serious film. One that got picked up by a major studio and is going to star Leo Vance. Yes, THAT Leo Vance, a former Sexiest Man Alive. Even better, they want to film at her house meaning she will get to make some extra money. And that's good because Nora doesn't seem to have it in her anymore to write that old familiar script. Hollywood will show up for a week, film, and leave. And all of that happens, except that Leo doesn't leave. Leo stays. And that is the story that unfolds in this book.
I didn't love the ending nor the Big Misunderstanding. And the ending was a little too formulaic but this was overall a delightful read.

Three and a half stars
This book comes out June 7th, 2022
ARC kindly provided by Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley
Opinions are my own