Nora is a divorced mom of two romance screenplay writer. Her steady income comes from writing romance movies for a Hallmark-like romance channel. Then she writes about her break-up story, a major studio picks up the script and now Hollywood actors are cast to play Nora and her terrible husband Ben. Part of the movie will be shot in Nora's home, specifically in the tea house in Nora's backyard so Nora hosts the film crew in her property for a few days, When the filming ends everyone leaves except Leo. The most-sought after actor of Hollywood, known for his smoldering looks. Leo and Nora gets close but more importantly Nora's kids Arthur and Bernadette warms up to Leo and in a short time Leo sort of fills the space left out from Ben's abandonment. Then Leo leaves for work, and promises to come back but he doesn't. But why? That is the question.

In the synopsis of the book, this one is compared to Evvie Drake Starts Over and I can see why this is an accurate comparison. We have a woman in her thirties just out of a bad marriage, in a way starting over. Leo is not satisfied with his life, mourning his mom's loss and wants normalcy. I think Nora with her daily set schedule (because she is a single mom of two, duh) and the simple family life attracts him. Their romance takes off easily and kind of quickly. There is a lot of good, funny one liners in this book, two very endearing kids (who are portrayed realistically), a picturesque setting (an old house with a tea house in the garden with a gorgeous view of forest behind it) and lots if sunrises witnessed by Nora and Leo sitting side by side on the porch coffee in hands.

The first half of the book is them falling in love and the second part is Nora going back to her old life with her kids, writing her formulaic romance stories, trying to leave Leo behind but also trying to figure out why Leo didn't come back. The conflict is partly due to miscommunication so that part was a bit frustrating.

Nora Goes Off Script was a quick and sweet read with mature, lovable, and relatable characters. I just couldn't buy into their connection/romance. It felt more infatuation than love to me. But the setting was great. The small upstate NY town, the house (Nora is in love with the house and I get it) and the garden. You almost want to be there in July/August to see blue hydrangeas in full bloom framing the tea house, open the windows and write there like Nora does or drink your coffee on the porch and watch the sunset. The piece and quiet... I close my eyes and I feel like I am there. I don't blame Leo for wanting to stay :)

Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I'm gonna need a minute to scream about how much I loved this book!

Nora Goes Off Script follows Nora, a screenwriter and mother of two. After her husband walked out on her and the kids, Nora turned her heartache into a new movie. The movie is being partially filmed in her backyard and the actor playing her ex-husband is a former Sexiest Man Alive. She expects him to leave with the rest of the crew and is surprised when he offers to pay her (a lot of money) in exchange for a week at her place.

This book is absolutely amazing. I need a physical copy in my hands right now so that I can sob into the pages. It's part romance and part fiction. I loved watching Leo (the actor) interact with Nora and her kids. Each character had their own challenges to overcome and my favorite part was that none of them were alone. These characters were really united. I could feel the love and warmth between everyone, even through the cold hard screen of my phone.

I binged this book in one day and I hope everyone else will do the same. Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan comes out June 7. I will be picking up a copy and re-reading as soon as possible.

Wow, this was a delight to read! There is romance, angst, resilience, sparkly shoes, and professional growth and success! It is a little bit cheesy, somewhat implausible, and a whole lot of fun.

Our protagonist is Nora, a recently divorced screenwriter and mother to two children. Nora typically writes scripts for romance movies, primarily for The Romance Channel (i.e. Hallmark), but after her husband leaves her, she channels her experience into a darker script that is optioned for a major motion picture. Her life is changing and she is surprised as anyone when she finds herself connecting with a movie star who plays her ex-husband in the film she wrote.

Nora narrates the story and is an extremely likable character, she is funny and vulnerable, and I was rooting for her to succeed and felt proud when she achieved some major career wins.

Nora Goes Off Script is a wonderful, lighthearted story and I recommend this to fans of women’s fiction, romance (novels and films), and books with lovable leads and side characters.

Thank you very much to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Nora is a single mom of 2 and is a screenwriter. She meets a celebrity that is in her film they are shooting and they fall in love. The writing was very light and uplifting on heavier topics. While I’m a big fan of dual POV, this is only told in Nora’s perspective but in the end it makes sense and I enjoyed it. Nora goes off Script was a great read and definitely binge worthy.

Rating: 4/5
Genre: Women’s Fiction with a Romance
Warnings: Infidelity, Divorce, Death of a Parent
Read if You Liked: Evvie Drake Moves On
Steam: 2/5
Tropes: Single-Parent, Celebrity Romance, Second-Chance Romance

Things I loved: The tiny humans, I loved them so much, their dialogue and their relationship with Leo. Leo’s fascination with being a real person and shopping for his own food. Nora’s family; parents were hysterical and her sister gave really great advice. The small town antics. Coming of mid-age story with such authenticity. Nora giving herself permission to spend money on things that made her happy. Sunrise coffee and runs. Honestly, this conflict was unique and pretty believable. I did like the ending but it did feel rushed…another 50+ pages would have done this book good.

Things I didn’t love: It was easy for me to get distracted in this story and do other things. There were times when elements of the story didn’t feel fully fleshed out, the sentences didn’t feel complete and the timeline jumped without any indication. There was a comment where Nora compared her eye make-up to “mildly like an assault victim”, this is completely unnecessary and offensive to the trauma assault victims face. I hope this is removed in the final copy.

I wasn't sure I would enjoy this. I don't love Hollywood romance stories, and I may have groaned when I got to the miscommunication trope, but it is lovely! It is slower paced but felt appropriate during her growth period, as if we were processing with her. I really would recommend this for fans of Evvie Drake. They have much in common, but not in a way that feels rehashed. Both are empathetic, thoughtful coming-of-mid-age stories. This one is very funny though. Definitely recommend.

Oh my god...I did not expect to enjoy this book as much as I did (?!). Another one-sitting read for me. I'll admit, you kind of need to let go of reality when coming into this book. If you are someone who enjoys a very realistic, relatable read, this might be a stretch for you as it is quite far-fetched in my opinion. If you're able to suspend judgement and a need for reality to just dive into a story for pure pleasure and fun, this is for you. It was funny, delicious, glossy, and heartbreaking at times. From page one, I was instantly hooked on Monaghan's style and I found myself laughing out loud at times. I have mixed thoughts on the ending. Not sure if it went in the direction I would've liked to see it go in BUT that did not take away from how much I enjoyed this book. It felt like a true treat to cuddle up in a cozy bed and dive into this story headfirst. Escapism at its finest. Highly recommend!

I absolutely loved this book! This is the best book I have read in a while. Between the author’s humorous character inner dialogue and the loveable family unit I was cheering for a happy ending the whole time! This book took me on a ride and I loved everything about it, ups, downs, highs and happily ever after! It’s a must read!

This book was DELIGHTFUL.

This story follows Nora, a recently divorced single mother of two, who writes screenplays for The Romance Channel ((think Hallmark)). In the aftermath of her divorce, she writes a screenplay about the downfall of her marriage, and to her surprise it gets sold to a huge Hollywood production company who casts former Sexiest Man Alive and a-list actor Leo Vance to play her ex-husband. Next thing she knows, a film crew is crashing on her lawn, using her property as the setting for the movie. As filming wraps up, Leo persuades Nora to let him stay for a week and the two begin to form a deep connection as Leo gets to live a normal life out of the spotlight for the first time in his career. And that’s only the beginning.

When I first picked this book up, I was expecting a whirlwind Hollywood romance that would make me wish I was getting swept away by a famous movie star, but what I got was so much more than that. This book was full of longing, hoping, and some DELICIOUS tension in the second half of the book.I’m also a sucker for love interests bonding with the MCs children ((not everyone’s cup of tea I know)) and the way Leo immediately bonds with Nora’s two kids is so endearing and swoon worthy.

This is not your typical spicy Hollywood romance. In fact it’s really not spicy at all. This is a wonderful story about a mother constantly doing what is best for her children while hoping for a second chance at love.

My only criticism is that i felt there were quite a few pacing issues. At times it felt like parts of the story were lacking important details, and others it felt like we were given much more info than needed. It also jumped from day to day a little too fast for my liking, but overall a VERY enjoyable read!

Nora writes twee romances. But when her husband leaves her and their two kids, she writes a more serious script, one that gets purchased and then requires filming in a very specific location in the tea house in the backyard of her small-town home. Who could predict that she would fall in love with the Hollywood actor who arrives to play her douchey ex-husband?

Okay, listen. It would be easy for me to nitpick about this book. Would I say that the characters have the MOST development I've ever read? No. Is the relationship a tiny bit insta-lovey? Sure. Do I care? Not at all.

It gave me the feels that I get from watching an intentionally saccharine Hallmark romance, which is ironic because that's essentially what Nora writes as a career. I thought the dialogue was realistic and charming. I LOVED the small town feel, and how much everyone was invested in Nora's relationship with Leo. The family dynamics of this really clinched it for me, especially Leo's relationship with Nora's two kids Arthur and Bernadette.

There are basically no steamy scenes to speak of, though there is some innuendo and kissing. But this was just a sweet, earnest, lovely good time that left me feeling warm inside.

I definitely see the Evvie Drake comparison, which is similarly about a woman trying to find her new normal after no longer being married and then having an unexpected romance with a famous person, also taking place in a small town.

“As we make our way to the stage door, I say, ‘Stop it.’
‘What?’
‘The smoldering.’
He stops walking. ‘I don’t smolder you.’
I turn to face him, and I just ask it. ‘Why not?’
Leo holds my gaze. ‘I wish I knew.’”

What a sweet celebrity romance! I loved the small-town setting, the ordinariness of the relationship amidst the Hollywood backdrop, the inclusion of a single mom with awesome kids, and the amazing families that Leo and Nora had. Like, seriously, I absolutely loved Nora’s parents. They were hilarious. This book is bingeable, filled with both funny one-liners and angst, and makes for a great romance read. I thought it was really well paced, but I could have read even more! I wasn’t sure about the wrench that was thrown into it to mess up the relationship, but it played out really well in the end.

“But time and sunshine bring growth, and life unfolds just the way it’s supposed to.”

Thanks so much to Putnam for the copy of this ARC!

I’ve been on a roll with celebrity romances lately and was excited to read another. Nora’s husband left her and their two kids. She is a screenwriter and turns her story of her husband into a movie. But when Hollywood rolls in to her small town to film, Leo - the actor playing her husband - stays on her property long after the rest of the cast and crew leave.

There’s so much I liked about this one.
💚 I enjoyed the humor. So many funny one-liners.
💚 I adored Nora’s kids and how they played a huge role in the book.
💚 I loved Nora’s family and friends.

Unfortunately though I didn’t feel the romance in this one like I hoped. This book could have actually benefited from being 50-100 pages longer to get some more love on the pages. The miscommunication trope plays a big role too, and that’s one of my biggest pet peeves about romance books.

Though none of that stopped me from enjoying the book. The thing that pushed it from 4 to 3 stars was the inconsiderate humor at times. There’s a line that uses humor about assault victims, and that is never okay. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Overall it’s a quick and enjoyable read though.

Nora Goes Off Script completely took me by surprise! A beautiful, engaging love story that flowed so perfectly! I was left feeling a lot of different emotions. 1 - Single parents are super heros! 2 - Celebrities are humans too, most of them. 3 - Relationships of any kind are subject to miscommunication. We need to say what we are feeling, when we are feeling it.
I was enchanted with the tea house and want to know if this was inspired by a real place. I need to see it!
Thank you again for allowing me into Nora and Leo's world. I would love to see these characters again please!

I rarely read romance but I heard about this book from a trusted bookseller and I absolutely loved it. The writing was so good, the characters were fully formed, and it was just believable enough, but also highly relatable. I am thankful for this ARC so that I can tell all of my non-romance-reading friends to get this as soon as it publishes. I loved the cover too!

Nora is a recently divorced mom of 2 and a screenwriter who normally writes fluffy movies for a romance channel. Her latest script, though, is about her and her deadbeat ex-husband and is expected to be big, with A-list stars attached. The last place to film is at her home where Nora meets Leo Vance, the actor who plus her husband.

They get done filming and Leo asks to stay there for another week. Nora and Leo hit it off immediately and within 3 weeks, have fallen in love. He eventually has to leave to shoot another film and things happen and the relationship changes.

I loved this book! It’s so realistic to me and maybe that’s because I also have 2 kids and am a similar age to Nora. I loved reading about a FMC having life issues and her kids were a great part of the story.

The rhythm of the book was really good and all of the minor characters added to the story. I fell in love with all of it.

This is a short novel and I wish that I was able to read more of it and be in their world for a little bit longer. The twist was surprising but just added to the story and made sense.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

I’ve had to rewrite this a couple of times bc I’m having trouble putting it into words how much I loved this book. I don’t think it was anything special or magical about the story specifically, but I think that’s why I loved it so much? Bc it wasn’t special or magical. Everything about this book felt so real and normal. Despite the fact that Nora is a screenwriter who wrote a movie about her failed marriage, who then falls for the star of that movie bc he just decided he wanted to stay at her house bc he liked it. Everything about Nora and Leo felt so normal. She was just showing him how to live a ‘normal’ life. She was able to finally feel loved and appreciated and praised, everything she was missing from her marriage. Leo was struggling with the loss of his mom and Nora and her kids provided him with some normalcy. It was so sweet to see the way they all just melted together so easily. The four of them so quickly became a little family unit. Arthur and Bernadette were perfect. They both had their own personalities and it was written so perfectly. The middle was ROUGH let me tell you. BUT even while Nora is mourning the loss of Leo, she is growing and learning from everything that she just went through; from both her ex husband and Leo. At the end of the book her friend tells her that she needed that time so she could finally be fully ready for the relationship and it’s so spot on (even though I hated every second they were apart).

The pacing felt slow and I usually don’t like that, but it was absolutely perfect in this book. It felt very Nora and Leo. Even the miscommunication, once we know what’s happening, was good, again something I don’t love, but it was so good here.

I got this ARC from NetGalley and Putnam in exchange for an honest review. It comes out June 7th and I cannot wait for everyone to read this!

This book was everything! I’m a sucker anytime there are books with kids in them. The family stuff always gets me. Nora was great. Her kids are great. Ugh LEO. I want my real life Leo. I don’t usually like the miscommunication trope but it worked for this one. I read it in a matter of hours and stayed up too late on a work night finishing it. Thank you NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!! You won’t want to miss this one

I really enjoyed Nora. I felt she was fantastic. The book was short and sweet, and didn't add a ton of unnecessary fluff. The whole reason why they broke up just seemed crazy to me. For two people that really talked about how much they communicated and naturally had great chemistry, I just don't believe why they didn't question what was going on. Nora herself again was great. She is a strong independent single mom. I loved how she valued her kids, had mostly real conversations with them, put them first. I love how she wasn't afriad to finally step away from her husband and continue to work. The romance channel talks were fun, a nod to hallmark movies which are so cheesey but I love them.

This small town meets Hollywood story is a great pick for fans of women’s fiction with closed door romance. There are a lot of fun and heartfelt moments, but I was a little tripped up by the pacing. Still, this overall is a cute and enjoyable read.

3.5 ⭐️ A cute, slightly cheesy/cliche, romance read. I found Nora to be a likeable MC, and her pursuit of happiness as a single mother was well-written. Generally speaking, I really enjoyed her kids as well— their characters were substantive and added to the story. There were some aspects that I didn’t care for, and the ending was definitely rushed. However, this is a short and enjoyable read that’s perfect for the beginning of spring!