Thank you to #gifted Putnam Books for our copy of Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan. This book comes out tomorrow, June 7, 2022.

Rating: 4.5 star
Genre: Romance

After seeing many rave reviews for this book, I had to pick it up! This was a really quick, fun romance read. If you enjoy romance books or are looking for a quick, easy read, this is a fun one to pick up!

Read this if:
-You enjoy Hallmark Movies.
-You enjoy celebrity romance stories.
-You enjoy romance where one of the main character is starting over.

While this was a good book, everything was predictable. There was nothing new about the plot, even though the characters are loveable. I would have liked the have some unexpected lot twist or a change from the stereotypical ending associated with these types of books.

Perfect summer read alert! Fun and smart and well-written, I sat and read this lovely novel in a single day. I loved the characters and the escape they provided - who doesn’t need a heartwarming escape these days? Pick this one up - I really enjoyed it. So grateful to Putnam for the advanced copy.

A typical Rom-Com that is entertaining enough but far to predictable to really engage the reader. It had a lot of promise but, sadly fell flat.

Nora lives in a run down house with a beautiful outbuilding that she loves to write her Hallmark-channel like stories in. Her husband is 'too good' for their lifestyle and leaves her with their two kids to raise on her own. His leaving inspires a much better novel and also gives her the freedom to parent without worrying about dealing with her husband's issues first. Hollywood makes a movie of her novel and enter Leo who is playing her ex husband. Leo is at a crossroads and is inspired by Nora's "normal" life. He asks if he can stay at her "tea house" for a week and pay for the privilege. That week inspires both of them to see life in a different way but can this last? I really thought that this story was going to be formulaic but it wasn't. I loved all the references to Hallmark movie plots.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for my honest review.

I can't say enough good and praising things for Nora Goes Off Script. This was by an author unknown to me but I've already searched to find more of her work since finishing NORA. This book caught me from the first page and kept me thinking about it until I could sneak a few minutes here and there to finish it. It's about a divorced mother, Nora, who write movies for the romance channel until one day she uses her terrible excuse for a husband and marriage as a muse and writes a drama. The drama is called the Teahouse and is sold and made into a major Hollywood movie. The actor who comes to her house to film in her very real Teahouse is the most famous actor at the time and instantly feels like her home is where he needs to be and stay while he decompresses from his Hollywood lifestyle. I loved the scenes where she is reintroducing him to real life and small town living as well as taking him to her kids frantic Saturday sports events. As a mom, I could put myself in her place many times. I loved the flow of this book and loved that she as a character was thinking what I was thinking... "this is to good to be true". In true fashion, they hit some bumps in the road, the whole while I am hoping and rooting for things to work out for them. I loved getting lost in Nora's life as Hollywood invaded her quiet, small town life.

Nora makes her living writing romance movies for The Romance Channel but when her jerk husband leaves her she switches things up and trades her happily ever after's with the story of how her marriage ended and much to her surprise it's picked up by a major movie executive. Nora's hit the big time and she could sure use the extra money!

The director wants to film on location and at HER house! Not only that but Luke Vance, voted The Sexiest Man Alive, has been given the role of her ne'er-do-well husband. Nora's life is about to be flipped upside down over the next couple weeks of filming.

When filming wraps and the works crews have packed up Nora can't help but to sigh with relief. She finally has her house and life back. All things normal from here on out. Imagine her surprise when she ventures on the morning porch, cup of coffee in hand, to watch the sunrise and see's Leo Vance wrapped up in a blanket and sleeping soundly. What is he still doing here? Leo offers Nora a thousand dollars a day for the next 7 days if he can stay with her and from here the sparks fly between the pair and my heart was all a pitter patter hoping for the very best for them. Of course no relationship is that easy and an unexpected roadblock comes between them leaving the reader to wonder: will they or won't they?

That's all I'm willing to say about this sweet but completely far-fetched story. This book served as a wonderful escape from the real world so the fact that it's really unbelievable did not hinder my enjoyment and most of my enjoyment stemmed from these wonderful characters. I loved Nora and her two children Arthur and Bernadette and Leo Vance isn't too shabby either with his smoldering good looks! The banter was super cute between Nora and Leo and I appreciated that the bedroom scenes were PG rated. I also imagine that this is EXACLTY what would happen if Leonardo DiCaprio came and stayed with me and don't you dare tell me otherwise! 😉

"Woman pass me in heels I could never stand in. I look down at my peasant top, jeans, and sandals and think, When did I turn into Carole King?"

She just described my exact outfit so she isn't the only one channeling her inner Carole King!

If you want an escape from reality with a side of swoon then this is one I highly recommend! 4 stars!

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

This is a perfect, light beach read. I enjoyed the author's writing style and the story itself. I would love to read more by this author.

This was a super fun, light closed-door romance! I really enjoyed it, but did guess the ending. I do not love a miscommunication trope, however this is the perfect summer read if you just need something light to read beachside or poolside!

Nora's life is finally in order after her divorce. She has her routine with her kids and her writing career is taking off. She has written for the small screen, but now her first major movie script is in production. Enter Leo Vance. The lead male actor in her movie. He is about to turn her life upside down.

I was drawn to this story thinking it would be a romcom. It wasn't a romcom (not to be at least), but I disappointed. It has Hallmark vibes without the cheesiness.

I enjoyed reading this story. The characters are relatable, I like the writing, and the author sets a beautiful scene. I expected it to have a predictable ending and I was curious how the author would tend it. It was predictable, but also surprising in a way. The emotions of the character come through the story.

Add this to your list of summer reads!

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

4.5⭐️

So i sat down to start reading and never stopped! This book was so cute and just gave me those “my heart is so happy” type of feelings. It is a small town romance where a single mother gets a second chance at love. And i LOVED that!! Nora, the single mother and fmc, is such a well developed character. She really was put through the ringer with her ex-husband Ben. It was kind of a relief to read that she came to terms with it and felt alright. I really loved that her children were not minor side characters in this book, they were very much involved in the plot and storyline.

Now here comes our new love interest, Leo. I was very confused with him at first, like.. dude whats your deal? And then you come to understand him and really like this guy! I think Nora gives in and goes “off script” because their love does seem to natural. And you really get that feeling as the reader. The way Leo interacts and builds a relationship with her children too, just made me smile throughout the book. i really loves the twist that the author throws in there. I had a total OMG! moment when reading and it was perfectly done. This was an overall great romance book, that I am thankful i was approved for an earc via netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

This book was so frustrating. I really loved the writing style and the setting. Like so much. Laurel Ridge is amazing and I loved it.

Spoilers ahead.

Everything about the break up was frustrating and enraging. These are grown adults. It was VERY obvious that something weird was going on and if they had just TALKED. Completely ruined what was a five star book at that point. So dissatisfying.

The voice of this novel grabbed me from the beginning. It's a single PoV story, as much women's fiction as romance. The start of the romance arc is a bit odd, with A-list movie star Leo hanging out on Nora's porch after the filming on her property has ended. Like, why is he at her house? At first, he doesn't seem like romance hero material. But the story quickly picks up from there.

This is a gorgeous, deeply emotional story about love and loss and finding your place in the world. It's a funny, quirky, heartbreaking, and ultimately uplifting novel.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Can I just say how much I appreciate a quick, short read? Sometimes they’re just what you need. And this was the perfect story for that.

So, we have Nora. Nora’s ex-husband a-hole. The product of wealthy parents, with no real drive or ambition of his own, he leaves Nora and their children for a better life. And good riddance, because Nora has basically been the sole breadwinner for the family. A writer, Nora’s works have been adapted for television for a network akin to the Hallmark channel. However, her latest book, based upon her divorce, has been adapted for the big screen, with Sexiest Man Alive, Leo Vance, cast to play her ex-husband. Oh, and the movie is being filmed at Nora’s home. After filming for the movie wraps, Leo decides to squat at Nora’s home a little longer, and the two soon begin hooking up. But what will become of their relationship when Leo is called back to LA to film his latest blockbuster?

As I mentioned, this was a short read. A perfect beach read, if you will. One that could easily be finished in a couple hours on a lazy day. The story was cute, if not a little far-fetched. Nora is a relatable character; a strong, independent woman who’s trying to make a life for her and her children and provide them with the stability they couldn’t have when her ex was in the picture. Nora isn’t looking for love when Leo enters the scene, but the swoony star soon captivates her heart as well as the hearts of her two children. So, when he leaves, his absence is even more devastating to them than that of her ex.

This is a book that would have been better served with less filler in the middle and more meat at the ending. There was a lot of buildup that lead to a very rushed ending and a, quite frankly, improbable explanation for why some things went down the way they did. I can’t get into any more detail than that without spoiling the story. Let’s just say a little communication between Leo and Nora could have gone a long way.

Are you in a book slump? Not sure what to pick up next? Need a good book to bring to the beach? If so, then Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan is the perfect book for you. If you’re looking for a fun, refreshing, and entertaining read, this upcoming release checks all of those boxes. At just under 300 pages, I whizzed right through this one in just a couple of evenings. The storyline was very enjoyable and extremely well done, so it was quite easy to do. You can’t help but fall in love with these characters, especially Nora. She’s very down-to-earth, witty, independent, and extremely relatable. Nora is recently divorced, and supporting her two children by writing screenplays for a popular romance channel. (Take note, Hallmark fans!) What I loved most about Nora is that she’s a mom, and is around my age! That seems to be a rarity in most of the romance novels that I’ve read. In a genre full of twenty-somethings, it was nice to finally read about a forty-something getting her groove on. So, will Nora get a second chance at love with the leading man cast in one of her movies? You’ll have to read it to find out! Be sure to grab a copy of this little gem on release day - Tuesday, June 7th!

Could Nora have a life with Leo?

Nora Hamilton writes the usual formulaic movies for The Romance Channel that change the details and settings to support her family without any help from her husband. She didn’t know that her life was going to change when she wrote The Tea House about the end of her marriage was bought by a large movie studio with big name movie stars including Leo Vance with part of it at the tea house behind her house. But Leo Vance doesn’t leave with the rest of the crew and wanted to stay in the tea house for a week.

Nora Goes Off Script starts with a movie star meeting a single mom wanting to have a normal life. But what happens when a big movie franchise wants Leo to star in the next movie?

I really liked Nora Goes Off Script because Nora takes care of herself and her family first.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was amazing! The characters’ imperfections made them amazing and relatable, even when I couldn’t actually relate. I could feel the frustrations, the complications and even the “slow” growing love. I read through the book incredibly fast and enjoyed every second.

Nora is a screenwriter, who writes the best script of her life, about the collapse of her marriage. She finds that part of the film is being filmed at her home - and when it is finished, Leo, a former sexiest man alive, is still there. When he offers to pay her $1000 per day to let him stay for a week, she says yes. Over the next seven days you watch their relationship unfold… and all the chaos of life (jobs, children, past relationships) along with it. Can they build a relationship despite the noise?

An adorable book that leaves you smiling.

PUB DAY: June 7

Thank you Netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

I'm going to keep this short and sweet - this clever, witty, and heartwarming book about second chances is a must-read.

The story is simple - Nora, a screenwriter who pens movies, falls in love with Leo, a huge movie star, when he plays her ex-husband in the movie she's written about the collapse of their marriage. But can two people from such different worlds find their own happily ever after? With precocious kids, an adorable small town setting and some fantastic banter over morning sunrises, it's the perfect summer read.

Thanks to Putnam Books and NetGalley for the copy to review.

“Nora Goes Off Script” by Annabel Monaghan
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Release Date: 6/7
Netgalley Ebook ARC

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC! I loved it!! Every moment of this book was awesome! I loved the main character and the rollercoaster of emotions. It was more than a romcom.

Nora writes romance movie scripts mainly for holiday films. After her husband Ben leaves her and their two kids to find himself and go explore Asia she pours her heart into a script regarding their story. The script was so popular a major movie producer bought it and wasted to film parts of it at her home because of the famous Tea House. When the famous Leo walks into her home she feels like he’s an arrogant actor. After filming is over he decides he wants to stay at her countryside home to see the views and live a “normal” life. One week turns to three and the relationship slowing builds. He implants himself in her heart and her kids. When he has to go away for a film her heart is broken. Will he come back? Can they make this work?

Divorced romance screenwriter Nora's new script is about to change her life. When the studio asks to film the movie at her 100 year old house in the suburbs, she reluctantly says, Yes. The star of the movie is the super sexy famous actor Leo Vance and when filming is done, he can't seem to leave her house. Nora and Leo slowly start a romance. Things seem too good to be true for Nora and when Leo leaves for his next movie, things change. Can these two make it work? Perfect for those who want a not so perfect romance. Thank you, NetGalley!