Nora, who writes what are basically Hallmark Channel movies, often mentions the formula those movies follow. Somehow this book manages to follow the same formula while feeling fresh and original. Nora’s voice is charming, witty, and relatable. The romance is swoon-worthy, the characters are lovable, the setting is adorable. I loved this book.

Thanks to Penguin Random House and Net Galley for this advanced reader's copy of Nora Goes off Script! I absolutely loved this book. I can already tell that this is one of those that I'm going to be thinking about for a couple days or weeks! I think this one is definitely worth reading when it comes out on June 7, 2022!!

I don't want to spoil anything, but I will just leave it at I HATE THE TROPE THAT IS IN THIS BOOK. But this was one of the times that it was better done! I kind of understood and appreciated how everything ended up, but I was definitely thinking "REALLY????" for a chapter or two.

In the wake of Nora's husband leaving her and her two children high and dry one day after years of an unfulfilling marriage, Nora welcomes Hollywood's biggest names into her home to film the script she wrote and sold to pay off some of the debt her husband wracked up. The leading man has more to him than he lets on to his scores of adoring fans, and he ends up hiding out at Nora's country home a while after filming wraps. Nora learns more about herself, we learn more about this Hollywood star, and an all-consuming romance follows.

Nora's journey of self discovery, watching her kids find confidence again and seeing Leo become a real human being was so heartwarming. I felt genuinely sad, happy, hopeful and heartbroken during this book, but it was simultaneously an easy read, Loved it!

I loved this book from the beginning! I loved Nora, and her kids, and Leo, and all the characters (almost) haha.

Nora is a TV film romance writer, and her assignments for the channel are written with a set formula. After her husband Ben leaves her and their two children, she writes a story that isn’t a Hallmark TV film, but a rendition of her own experience of the breakup of her marriage. When Nora’s screenplay is filmed at her home, she gets much more than she bargained for. Can a highly sought after leading man, Leo Vance really be interested in her?

I truly enjoyed this book. The characters were so believable and had such redeeming qualities. There’s reflection, humor and so many heartfelt moments. I laughed, I cried, I rooted for characters and the relationships. I highly recommend this one and I look forward to the author’s next book!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Putnam books for the advance readers copy.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC. I really enjoyed this book. Nora was a likable character. I felt every emotion while reading. At times I felt bad for Nora because of her lazy belittling ex, but she was able to put it behind her and come out on top. This is definitely one I will be recommending.

Nora Goes Off Script is a believable and entertaining journey that is more than a romance. Nora is a newly-divorced screenwriter with two children. When her her latest script is filming, the crew and cast need two days at her ocean home in New York and centered around her tea house on the premises. Enter Leo, the utterly handsome main actor, who stays longer than the two days. Nora and her kids fall for him, and he appears to have fallen for them. But when a new filming sends Leo off, the story really evolves. Leo fails to return text messages from Nora, and the family feels used and abandoned. One of the real strengths of this book is the way Nora navigates not only herself but her children through the hurt they are feeling.

Later Nora encounters Leo at an Academy Awards party. Shortly after, a confession from an unlikely source will give all the main characters a chance at something real and lasting.

Readers will be drawn to Nora, a strong woman who admits her mistakes and learns to move on. She also has a great capacity to love.

Loved Nora’s story. Her kid’s were fun. Friend’s were realistic. Love reading a second chance at happiness story.

I loved this book. It reminded me of a more mature version of the Olivia Rodrigo drama that comes along with writing your side of the story into your art... and then making it big. Nora can't help but write what she knows, and feels, and honestly, any writer can understand that pull. The characters were believable and I DID NOT see the twist reason that was revealed toward the end. So much so that I was irritated by how childish everyone was being! But when it came to light, I understood and loved it more.

Pick up this book if you are a fan of THE ROUGHEST DRAFT or BEACH READ. Or if you're just a writer looking for a good love story about a writer.

Nora is a mom, always putting her kids first and also a romance writer of those made-for-TV movies, but that isn’t her life. Her dead-beat husband up and leaves her and their two kids, which prompts Nora to write a cathartic movie based on her life, her truth, which is so off script from her normal formulaic romance stories. Lo and behold, it becomes a block-buster movie worthy of an Oscar. Filmed at Nora’s home, and with a cast featuring Leo, the latest “Sexiest Man Alive”, Nora’s life will never be the same. After filming, Leo decides to stay for seven days at Nora’s to experience normal everyday life like going to the grocery store and watching a baseball game. But mostly he wants to see the sunrise that is like never seen where he lives in L.A. or NYC. Leo fills the space that has been empty for Nora for a long time. But is this real or Hollywood fantasy?

This fast-paced story is a warm and tender romance. The relationship between Nora and Leo, and likewise Leo’s attention to her children, is so joyful and charming that it makes the reader hopeful for good endings. When there is a glitch in the road and Nora is ghosted, it still gives you hope that there will be that fairytale ending that Nora always included in her romance stories. I loved the setting and the idyllic stone tea house. I loved Nora’s optimism and belief that there were possibilities where her ex-husband never saw them. I loved how she was so family focused and thought of her and her children as a team. She was an incredible character. This is a fun filled and joyful feel-good story that many will enjoy.

Many thanks to #netgalley #noragoesoffscript #penguingroupputnam for the opportunity to read and review this book.

*wipes away my tears* But no spoilers here… you just need to pick up and devour Annabel Monaghan’s Nora Goes Off Script to understand where I’m at.

Nora Hamilton is the definition of soccer mom of 2 kids in a small town. She also happens to be a screenwriter. Her bread and butter are those adorable snacky cake romances that a certain cable channel is known for, and she’s made a living out of creating tons of those romances.

Tragedy strikes, and to deal with it, Nora pens a screenplay that will change her life forever.


You NEED to pick this book up, and if you’re like me, you won’t be able to put it back down.

Thank you So much to NetGalley and Putnam Books (Penguin Group) for this ARC!

I loved it. It's practically a Lacey Chabert Lifetime movie, and that is 1000% my jam.
It's a slow burn romance with a single mom of 2, and a movie star who inadvertently ends up living with her and they fall in love.
There's a sharp left turn at around 80% and I truly did not guess what caused The Big Misunderstanding™ so kudos to the author for that. I read so many of these that it felt new.

Annabel Monaghan had written a witty, fun story that every reader will relate to. She’s a skilled author and I highly recommend “Nora Goes off Script”.

This was excellent. Fast-paced, sweet without being saccharine, and I loved Nora as a character. I do think the ending was a bit rushed, but overall I loved Nora Goes Off Script.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free e-copy.

Nora Goes off Script by Annabel Monaghan #jaylammreviews

After the end of her marriage, Nora writes a screenplay about her ill fated romance. When the cast and crew come to her beautiful country home to film for a few days she gets more than she bargained for with the male lead, Leo. Leo is looking for a break from reality and asks to stay with Nora and her two children for two weeks...just enough time to turn her world upside down. 

Wow I LOVED this book! I was immediately charmed by Nora and her two children. They had a beautiful rhythm to life. You could see how they have all bonded together after Ben left their family. When Leo barges his way into their life, everyone is very apprehensive but Leo quickly warms them all up and settles in. 
This book invoked so much emotion in me. I was crying repeatedly while reading- sometimes out of sorrow but most of the time from the beautiful family scenes that brought such joy. I loved all these characters and honestly did not want this book to end. I could have stayed in their world for another 200 pages. 

I love that this story really focused on Nora as a mother, finding the new normal and always putting herself and her kids first. I loved the setting of the small town, where every one knows each other and feels the joy and pain of others. 
This was a definite 5 star book for me. 
Give us more Annable Monaghan!

I didn’t expect to enjoy this book so much, but gosh darn it, I just loved it. This was a quick read for me, and my favorite part was watching Nora become so independent and find herself after years of catering to someone else. Highly recommend for a feel-good read!

A quick, easy read with a lot of heart. The story was well-plotted, and Monaghan created a cast of likable characters that you want to root for. I loved the way Leo's relationship with Nora and her family developed, and Nora's thoughts and feelings felt very true to life. There was a bit of a lull in the middle for me—and I wish there was more spice!—but overall this was a very enjoyable read. (And yes, I did cry a little.)

This book was SO GOOD! I originally rated this 4 stars, but after I marinated on it for a day or so.... 4.5 stars for sure. It was a feel good story that wasn't too cheesy. I liked that they joked about "typical" hallmark style movies. I loved the different way the MCs came together and the big explanation. Truly enjoyed this book, and would recommend it to anyone.

Love this romance that was about the story and strength Nora realized she had as she evolved throughout the book.

This book was not at all what I expected it to be, but it was delightful! It is such a cute story of finding love you deserve in the most unexpected place. I loved the chemistry of the characters. The romance did not feel forced, and I did not struggle as a reader to root for them to end up together. All of the background characters only added to the lively atmosphere of the book. None of them detracted from the main couple or the struggles of the protagonist, Nora. Every new character addition got me more invested in the world that the author created.
What makes this book 3.5 stars for me? The pacing and the narrative voice. This book is written in first person, which, while not my favorite, is necessary for some stories to be told. This one could've been more impactful in third person, with maybe some first person inner monologues. I understand that the main character needs to go through this epic character development, but I feel as if the first person narrative left out some key elements of the story. If course, first person leads to a bias for the reader that the author intended, but for most of the book I found myself wishing for a third party, less biases narrator. I think the first person narrative also leads to my issues with the pacing. I found it difficult to keep up with the timeline of the story. At times it was "instant love", while other scenes dragged on that really didn't need to. Some scenes and thoughts of the character were skipped over a little too quickly. The pacing definitely made it more, not necessarily difficult to read, but less enjoyable. It read more so like a diary entry (which is not a bad thing, just not what I would have chosen, especially for a romance novel). But because the side characters were all so three dimensional and delightful, I was able to overlook the narration even when it annoyed me.
Overall, this is an easy and delightful read with both romance and personal growth. I really enjoyed it.

In Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan, the characters are well-rounded and the prose is pleasing, but it is merely good. However, the book does not stand out as remarkable. The book is worthwhile, but not as memorable as it might have been.

Well this book is another one that’s hard for me to rate. At times I felt like it was super slow. I also thought the storyline was a tad unbelievable and a little cheesy. Other times I got super into the story and loved where it was going. There was some humor which I loved and there was some great depth to the characters. I also loved the “Hallmark” movie references. It wasn’t a bad book at all and I think a lot of readers will enjoy it.