I’m sorry, but I was unable to finish this book, I wasn’t able to get to get pulled into they story. I’m disappointed as the story sounds so good.

I wish the author & publisher much success upon its release. I know there will be many getting lost in the pages during the summer months. I’m sorry I wasn’t one of them.

Read This If:
•Enjoy Nancy Meyer movies
•Want a quick read with some romance

Thoughts:
This book was so cute, it reminded me of a Nancy Meyer’s movie. I thought it was such a good story, that I didn’t want to put down. I loved the chemistry and dynamic between Nora’s family and Leo. The descriptions were so beautiful, I want to go to Nora’s home so I can watch that sunset and see the tea house. I loved Nora’s character so much, and her kids were so adorable.
 I wasn’t sure how this was going to end, which I enjoyed. It was such a quick read, and it just warmed my heart. I really enjoyed this one and will 100% be purchasing a physical copy.
 
DO NOT SLEEP ON THIS BOOK GUYS! I highly recommend!
 
Thank you @Netgalley & @Putnambooks for this advanced copy!

Nora Goes Off Script is a single mom who gets a second chance at love. I really enjoyed this one. Nora felt real and was very relatable to me as a mom; the guilt, navigating life, and trying to keep things together for your kids. I loved Leo and then I hated him and then my heart hurt for him just as much as it did for her. The miscommunication trope doesn't bother me at all, I liked it here and the time and distance it created between Nora and Leo. I wasn't prepared for all of the emotions packed into this book, it is on the shorter side and the romance is at the beginning and is a bit of a whirlwind. Ultimately this is a little hallmark reminiscent, but there is so much more in here, it's much more nuanced and real. It left me happy and warm and smiling at the end.

Nora is a movie writer for The Romance Channel (TRC). Think Hallmark with all of the recycled plots.

Her pr!ck of a husband recently left her and her two children, and she’s mainly okay with it because, well…he’s a pr!ck.

She recently stepped out of her rom-com box and wrote a screenplay based on their marriage and the ending of it. It is now a full-fledged Hollywood production with none other than the hottest actor of the moment, Leo Vance, playing the role of her ex-hubby. The movie studio decides to film at Nora’s house for a few days. She’s looking forward to that extra money.

All of a sudden, equipment trucks, wardrobe trucks, and Leo’s trailer end up on her front lawn. When he first meets her, he’s quite rude and walks right by her with neary a word. Two days later, when filming has finished at this location, he decides he’d like to stay with her for a week (he’s become quite accustomed to watching the sunrise with her on her front porch). That same day, he charms her children and asks to hang with her while she runs errands. A few days later, they’re in love. A perfect family of four, and it is so realistic…NOT! I wonder if there will be any conflict.

SLIGHT SPOILER AHEAD
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Then, out of nowhere, they’re not together for about 40% of the book. Per usual, it turns out to be a ridiculous misunderstanding that any ADULT would have nipped in the bud by sending a simple text or making a phone call. But not here.
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END SPOILER

This is a rom-com that is rom for maybe 40%, and very little com…although I smiled once or twice. It’s completely unrealistic, and the ending had my eyes rolling as if on loop. Yet, I did enjoy reading it. I really liked the character of Nora and found her to be very fleshed out. However, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that this has cheese written all over it. Nora could’ve written the story for one of her TRC movies. Did she?

Overall, an enjoyable rom-com with little rom-com, but excellent writing and a great main character to help balance things out.

Thank you to G.P. Putnam’s Sons and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Expected Publication Date: 6/7/22.

Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com

Thank you to both #NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam/G.P. Putnam’s Sons for providing me an advance copy of Annabel Monaghan’s romance novel, Nora Goes Off Script, in exchange for an honest review.

#NoraGoesOffScript is a heartwarming novel about a divorced screenwriter who writes romantic screenplays for a channel akin to #Hallmark. Unlike the trite Hallmark format, however, the novel offers several quips, twists, and turns that keeps the reader engaged and will surely have some beachgoers scrambling for suntan lotion late into the afternoon sunset.

I absolutely adored this novel and was squealing half the time like Nora’s eight-year-old Bernadette. This book is so left field for me in so many ways, and contained all the right ingredients to veer off-track, but kept managing to pleasantly surprise me. I would be absolutely shocked if this wasn’t at the top of everyone’s beach reading list; right up there with Emily Henry’s #BookLovers this year. Though very different tonally, the two authors know how to bottle magic between the pages.

Nora is a divorced, single mom to two kids in the suburbs. After her husband bails on their family, she seizes the opportunity to give meaning to the quote, “Art imitates life,” and writes an Oscar-nominated screenplay. The story opens immediately with Hollywood arriving on her front lawn to shoot several pivotal scenes, which results in the male lead, Leo Vance, overstaying his welcome long after the cameras are removed from her property.

Leo begins to sync into rhythm with Nora’s daily routine and her kids’ school schedules. One week soon becomes three and the two fall in love in her Tea House—the fictional setting of her movie and where her real-life marriage to her now ex-husband Ben fell apart.

When a sudden call from a studio to star in a major blockbuster beckons Leo back to L.A., Nora starts to unravel in a way that her first marriage never affected her. This prompts her to write yet another script about love in shambles and you’ll just have to read the rest to know how the story ends.

This is the perfect, sweet and indulgent read for a hot summer day! Nora is a screen writer and it's when she writes the story of her personal life for the big screen that big things change in her life.

Nora is recovering from a divorce and a husband that never really wanted her anyways. Her two children fill her days along with PTA, her daily run, and the cheesy romcom screenplays she continuously spits out. Life is good, life is normal...until...

The set-up was predictable, the story kept me guessing, and I didn't understand why until the end that made perfect sense so I approved. I read this at the right time to just indulge and enjoy this sweet, easy book for what it was. Pure entertainment.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the advance e-copy of this book.

💫 Small Town
💫 Single Parent
💫 Different Worlds (Celebrity Actor & Small Town Parent)
💫 Journey of Self Discovery / Growth
💫 Slow Burn Romance

I went into this book not sure what to expect – new to me author, interesting sounding premise and hopes for a good read. I was surprised in the best way possible – I was really enjoyed this romantic drama immensely. I started it right before bed last night thinking I’d read a chapter before going to sleep, but I was immediately drawn into the story and found myself staying up late to read just one more chapter.

I was drawn in to the story and found it an easy, authentic and enjoyable read – the characters and setting were intriguing, but more importantly they felt real to me. Nora’s story was an interesting one to see play out and I enjoyed the juxtaposition of her two ‘love’ stories. I really loved the kids (Arthur and Bernie) and liked that they played a real role throughout the book. I was also a fan of the slow burn relationship that unfurled between Leo and Nora.

I will say this book left me feeling like I was on an emotional roller coaster – so many emotions to grapple with! I felt swept up in the story, it brought tears, joy, frustration and introspection. It made me think about the real things that make up a life, about understanding your value, personal accountability and living in the now and appreciating the life you have and its small wonders.

Best of all, the ending brought it all together in a truly satisfying way that left me with a smile on my face. I’m so happy I tried this read and can’t wait to read more from this author in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the opportunity to read an early copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and freely offered.

From the opening page I was hooked and could not wait to see what happened to Nora and her charming family! Nora writes a screenplay about her egocentric husband leaving and not only does it get picked up by a major movie network but she agrees to let hollywood film the movie at her house! Pretty quickly the leading heartthrob Leo becomes a part of her daily life and I absolutely loved Nora and Leo’s dynamic. I loved the sunrises and the thoughtfulness of the characters and Nora’s kids. I also really love that Leo encourages Nora to step outside her comfort zone. There is love, heartbreak, transformation, sports practices, and awards shows and so much more that made this book fun and engaging until the very last page. This is the perfect beach read and oneI’ll be recommending all summer

Out June 7th

4 stars!

Thank you @netgalley and @putmanbooks for the early copy

I received an advanced reader's copy of this book (much thanks to the publisher) and absolutely could not put it down! I devoured it in under two, full days and enjoyed every second!

While this is a romance novel (one of my favorite genres to read) it follows characters that are a bit older than myself, which I wasn't sure I'd find relatable. I'm happy to say I was totally wrong! I loved the complexity of the characters and how they handled different situations. I also really loved reading about Nora's children and their interactions with them.

The romance was definitely the main plot of the story, but there were so many other pieces that filled it out wonderfully and made the characters (especially Nora) feel very real and relatable.

As a quick summary, Nora is a screenplay writer who typically churns out movies for "The Romance Network." After her and her husband go their separate ways, she writes about it and the exceptionally-written drama, The Tea Room, is quickly picked up by a major movie studio, who casts A-list celebrities as Nora and her a-hole husband, Ben.

What I loved most about this book was the twists and the way Nora showcases how being "normal" has its perks and lovely moments! I gave it an easy five stars!

Nora Goes Off Script comes out June 7, 2022!

I’m so sad to say that I wasn’t a fan of this one. I DNF around the 35% mark. I felt It lacked depth and at times it was a bit too slow. Also, I wasn’t a fan of the writing. I was really looking forward to reading this one and so sad it fell a little flat for me.

4.5/5 stars

I really really liked this book! It was so delightful and the characters were sweet, quirky, entertaining and I loved the settings in this book. Everything from the tea house, to the red carpet to the small town play setting.

I loved Nora and her children from the first page they were talked about. They have a special bond and learn a new rhythm of life when Ben left. Bernadette (her daughter) was my favorite character in this book and I loved how fun, caring and very mature she was. Arthur (her son) was of course so entertaining too.

I'm loving the famous person/not famous person troupe a lot lately and this one was done so well. Nora learned so much about herself as a person, writer and mother throughout this book and I'm so proud of who she was at the end.

Leo, what an amazing character! He keeps you on your toes as to what he's going to do next and his growth throughout this book is so good :)

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and it would make a fun movie! I know this book will take bookstagram by storm come June 7th!

I loved this book! And it took me by surprise how much I loved it. I casually read a few chapters before bed… and then decided to read just one more chapter… and then stayed up super late to finish the whole book.

These characters! All of them. MCs and friends and family… they were all clear in my mind… so well developed. I wasn’t done with them when the book ended. I want more!

I laughed, I cried, I got mad, I swooned.

I’m going to need to read it again.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book was a breath of fresh air for the romance fans out there. It is a unique telling of an everyday woman that wrote a blockbuster screen play based on her divorce & the leading man that stars in it meeting at her house to film a few days for the movie. She can't believe it when he shows interest in her & her kids (her ex is quite the loser, hence the blockbuster script). I don't want to give any spoilers so I will just say read this book. You won't regret it.
Thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for advanced copy in exchange for my honest review

Nora is profitting off the fact that her ex-husband left her and her children, which is good because he left them with nothing but debt in his wake. Nora is a romance writer, she writes "hallmark" like romances for a movie channel and all of them have the same story line, until The Tea House. It is her story and the biggest names in Hollywood are there to make the story a reality.
Leo is playing Nora's ex husband and after filming, he wants to stay at her house for respite. He offers her a thousand dollars a night to let him stay an extra week. Since she could use the money, she agrees. Soon, they fall into a romance made for her movies. But just like in the movies, there's always a conflict that tears them apart. Can the movie star make it with the small town girl?
I loved reading this because it was just refreshing to me. I know it was a little cheesy, but honestly, it hit me right in the feels. Nora was so strong and her ex was so oblivious. I felt so sad for her kids because while she did the best she could, having a dad that really didn't care was so hard on them. This book was super light, even with heavy subject matter. It was a quick read for me and I fell in love with Leo and Nora.
Thanks to Penguin, Netgalley and Annabel Monaghan for an early copy.

When Nora’s husband walks out on her and their kids, she decides to write a Hollywood screenplay about it. She agrees to let the studio shoot some scenes in her own home, specifically in her Tea House, which is where a lot of the story takes place. Leo, a handsome, famous, movie star, plays Nora’s husband in the movie. When they’re done shooting he decides he might want to stay a little longer. They strike up a sweet friendship that turns into a sweet romance pretty quickly.

I really liked this! Even though Nora writes romance screenplays for television, she is still a very relatable, down to earth, single parent whose sole focus is taking care of her kids and making sure she has money in the bank. Because this is a single POV, we only see her side of things, and it’s hard to relate to Leo and his motivations at first. I ended up really liking him though and the big conflict seriously broke my heart.

The author nailed what it’s like to be a parent and Nora’s children are the same age as my own so it was easy to put myself in her shoes. I loved the small town setting, the beautifully descriptive scenes at the Tea House, and the glamour of the celebrities and parties. There are some laugh out loud moments and some heartbreaking ones, as well. I definitely went through ALL the feels with this one.

Miscommunication is not my favorite, and finding out that the conflict could have been avoided with a simple conversation was frustrating. I will say that I really liked the interesting spin the author put on this trope and how each character dealt with their feelings towards the end.

This is a great read for anyone who likes a clean romance with a lot of depth. I can’t wait to read more from this author in the future! Thank you so much to NetGalley and Putnam Books for my advanced copy to read and review. Make sure you preorder your copy before pub date on 6/7.

I love, love, LOVE, this book! Nora Goes Off Script is the perfect summer/beach read.. This delightful rom-com introduces Nora Hamilton and her two children who live in a dilapidated but charming old house in upstate New York. Nora's husband Ben left the family the year before to pursue his own selfish needs. Nora feels much better off without him and is able to pursue her career as a screenwriter of Hallmark Channel-type romantic movies while being a great Mom to her children. While recovering from her divorce, Nora wrote a completely different type of screen play about her struggles with Ben and her freedom once the marriage ended. The novel opens as the movie company is pulling in to film in the actual Tea House on Nora's property. The Tea House, the best part of the rickety family home, is where Nora writes and finds peace during the day. It is also the setting of her story that was optioned by a Hollywood movie company. The money from the location shoot will help Nora reduce the debt that Ben left her with and pay the mortgage on her beloved home. Nora is sighing in relief when she meets the leading man, devastatingly handsome Leo Vance. He seems to be drunk much of the time and is making himself at home, in her house, as well as being interested and kind to her children. Once the filming wraps, Nora wakes to find Leo asleep on her porch swing. He convinces her to let him stay and recover from the recent loss of his mother. As things go, charming Leo helps Nora's son Arthur win the role of Fagin in the school play and ends up directing the school show. Bernadette, Arthur's younger sister is enjoying the attention as is Nora. As she takes Leo around town and introduces him to small town life. Nora gets to know the real Leo as opposed to the one who smolders on screen and she finds herself falling in love in spite of herself. When Hollywood inserts itself back into their lives Nora must reconcile the fantasy with reality while protecting her kids and her heart. I really, really enjoyed this book to the extent that I was sad when it was over. Fans of good, well written romance will enjoy this book. I plan to purchase a copy for my friends. Many, many thanks to Net Galley for the chance to read this lovely ARC.

Okay so this has been on my tbr forever and I was expecting more of a women's fiction so I wasn't super excited about it. But omg why did I wait so long? I absolutely adored this book! Definitely my favorite of the month and quite possibly the year!

I have been pretty vocal about how annoyed I get at philandering husband storylines. But this one the husband is just super egocentric and only cares about himself. Nora was doing EVERYTHING in the relationship (even being the breadwinner) and her dumb husband couldn't handle it. And then she does something super badass - made a big Hollywood screenplay about him.

When the movie starts you feel a sort of ambivalence about her. But then the leading man (who is pretty much playing her husband) wants to stay longer. And then starts a beautiful and super natural growth of a relationship. Leo was so sweet and kind and pretty obviously into Nora.

The big conflict absolutely broke my heart. I almost cried. And their separation went too long. But Nora picks up the pieces all while thinking the worst of Leo. They do refer to her as a feminist icon and I totally agree. Her writing is important and honored in the best way.

And don't worry it all works out in the end and all the better for the suffering Nora and Leo (we lol) go through.

This book comes out in June and you must put it on your tbr! You won't regret it!

Nora pays the bills by writing formulaic scripts for the romance channel. When she decides to write her own messy love story, complete with an ex-husband who leaves her with two kids and a mortgage, everything changes. A major Hollywood studio buys the script and decides to film at her own house. And then the leading man decides to stay...
There's so much to love about Monaghan's adult debut. Nora is strong, independent, and never a victim of her circumstances. She works hard for her two adoring children, who are the center of her life. She has the love and support of her friends and family. There are unexpected moments and laugh-out-loud interactions. I was wrapped up in this story from page 1.

I absolutely loved this book! I flew through it in less than a day because once I started reading, I did not want to stop. Normally I'm not a big fan of kids in my romance books, but I thought the relationship that Leo formed with Arthur and Bernadette was so sweet and realistic, I really enjoyed watching their connection sort of mirror the connection between Nora and Leo. And I really loved the relationship between Nora and Leo, which was like a total fantasy and yet completely grounded in realistic feelings and emotions. The ending gave me actual chest pains it was so perfectly done! Definitely one I will read again and recommend to friends!

Nora is a screenwriter of formulaic romances for the Hallmark channel. When she turns her heartbreak into a movie with a little more nuance, she is thrown into the filming that hits closer to home than usual. Leo is a movie star who increasingly wants to connect to "real life". This unlikely pair learn from each other. But will they get their cookie cutter romance ending? Life is a little more complicated.

I thought this was going to be just another rom com. Some of it is, but there is a lot to like and that stands out in this one. Nora is not the traditional heroine- she's older, she has kids, she's organized and independent. Nora is what made this book for me. I liked that I knew where the book was going, but it didn't just take the straight path there.

This book will be great for summer reading with a little more substance. Well done.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.