Lovable characters, this was practically perfect! Just the right amount of “miscommunication/non communication” to not find either of the characters annoying. Lol This is what romance really is. It’s real, it’s Costco, and it’s schedules and mess. Thank you for this great book!

I've been looking forward to reading Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan since I've heard so many glowing reviews. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Hillary Huber and loved it! I've never given a romance 5 stars, but this story definitely deserves it. If this book created the romance trope of a "normal" person falling in love with a "famous" person, I'm here for it if they are all this well-written.

I really liked how 'real' Nora was - her dry sense of humor, her strong sense of self, and the love for her children. I wasn't sure about Leo at first, but he definitely found his way into my heart. And Nora's daughter and son felt realistic and added to the story. I was so invested in these characters, I gasped when the source of the inevitable conflict was revealed. And I had a big smile on my face as I listened to the final chapter with its HEA ending.

Thank you to Putnam and NetGalley for the egalley. Now I'm very eager to read the author's next novel Same Time Next Summer which is scheduled to publish June 6, 2023.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the ARC of Nora Goes Off Script. I found this to be such an enjoyable book. I really like the writing, the character development was good and I liked the relationship with Nora and Leo and how it grew. Reading about Leo and how he evolved was great. Overall, a fun book and a story that I haven't previously read elsewhere.

📝𝙱𝙾𝙾𝙺 𝚁𝙴𝚅𝙸𝙴𝚆📝

Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Nora, is a divorced, single mom of two kids, and a screen writer for tv romances. Instead of her usual happily-ever-after scripts she decided to write about her broken marriage. Her agent pitches the story which gets picked up by a major studio to be made into a movie.
Leo, who was a former sexiest man alive will be playing her ex. They butt heads but there is a special connection between them that they can’t deny. What follows next is the aftermath of a quick and intense love, heartbreak, and soldiering on for your family when all you want to do is fall apart.

This was such a Hallmark movie feel for me! A heartwarming read and unexpected at times. There were twist that I didn’t see coming that kept me engaged. Annabel brings the character to life in such a way that you can feel what they’re going through every step of the story. It was such an emotional love story with a beautiful happy ending.

Thank you @netgalley and Putnam book for the ARC.

This was a beautifully written and wonderful story. I really loved the development between Leo and Nora. How he got close with her and her kids. I also loved how even though it was a slow burn, it felt as though they both knew instantly. I know a lot of people aren't big on insta love but boy oh boy am I!!! The only thing I wish would have happened it that we would have gotten more of Leo. He sometimes fell a little flat for me. Overall I would totally recommend this book!!!

"At the corner of arrogance and cluelessness, you find the worst kind of person."
*
After a tough divorce, reliable romance screenwriter Nora Hamilton writes the script of her life...which happens to be filming on location at her 100 year old farmhouse. All goes well, until the lead actor--hearthrob Leo Vance--just . . . doesn't leave. Leo wants the break from the public eye that her remote small town can provide, and offers a hefty sum to stay with Nora and her kids for just a week. But at the end of the week, will either of them be ready to say goodbye?

The set-up of this story was great for me, and Monaghan is a smart writer--I underlined so many excellent one-liners/observations! Yet there was something ineffable about it that kept NORA GOES OFF SCRIPT from being great for me. A little too much tell not show, maybe? I didn't FEEL a ton about the characters; no tension leapt off the page at me, even as the mechanics were smooth/the story beats seemed right. Nevertheless, it was a solid romance, and I'll definitely give Monaghan another try.
*
"There's nothing more shameful than this retrospective knowing, because it reminds you how blind you can be to things that don't jibe with the reality you're trying to believe in."

Thanks to the publisher for a chance to read an advance copy!

Oh, i absolutely loved this book. This was a rom-com, but with depth - and with a more mature protagonist, which I loved. She was real, and she ran into problems and dealt with them. Nora was not wishy washy, and I appreciate that.

As a single mom myself, I saw the premise of this book and was somewhat skeptical if it could be written in a non stereotypical "I'm helpless and need a man to do everything for me" type of way.

Nora is the mom we all want to be. Strong, independent, and loving. But who would have expected Hollywood's bad boy (& his trailer) to literally show up in her front yard.

Also the cover of this is just *chefs kiss*

This was my first Annabel Monaghan book! The storyline was so cute. I loved it! I would love to read more books by this author.

Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Single mother Nora, fresh from a breakup with her narcissist husband Ben, is typically known as a television screenwriter but writes a personally-inspired Hollywood film about her divorce. The cast and crew arrive at her 100-year-old home for filming, and her life (and the life of her children) changes forever when the actor (Leo) cast as her ex-husband steps on her front porch after filming wraps.

And what a great read! This book is for you if you're looking for a clean romantic comedy. It's set in an idyllic small town and honestly reminds me of watching a Hallmark movie with a typical romantic formula that still found a way to make my heart happy. A very binge-able read (I think it took me two days to finish), and despite the fact I could guess what the switch in the plot would be, I still didn't find it cookie-cutter.

Nora is such a likable character and a great mom - and her children are adorable and heavily featured in the novel, which isn't usually the case in these kinds of books. Leo Vance is an inspiration to find someone who treats you as you deserve - even if he happens to be the most handsome, highest-paid actor in Hollywood. The budding relationship between Leo and Nora felt exciting. I couldn't wait for them to figure it out, and the misunderstanding between the two felt like a typical argument between a real-life couple, as we're all guilty of a conflict that could have been saved with a simple conversation.

As I said, despite the typical rom-com themes, this book still felt new, fresh, and fun. It'll make your heart feel warm and put a big smile on your face!

I don't know why I held off on reading this for so long! This is a well paced romantic novel about a smart woman building a life for herself. Her relationship with her children is really wonderful, and the central romance is believable.

I also listened to this on audio, and the narration is very well done. This is a great light read.

Loved it! Fun and engaging. Can't wait for Annabel Monaghan's next novel! I enjoyed this so much, I later listened to the audio and it was exceptional!

I received an e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley.

I was attracted to the premise of this book - a single mom has a movie (that she wrote) being filmed at her house. The trope of famous person vs. normal person romance is a fun one, I also loved the protagonist of this book - a (somewhat) older woman who is capable and independent. It was easy to root for her. The author's writing style lends to this. I felt like Nora and I were having a conversation.

I recommend to someone who likes romance but is looking for something a little bit different. In addition to the story of a romance, it's also about a women who is succeeding at making it on her own. I should also note this has pretty much zero spice, especially by today's Booktok standards.

It's always interesting to read a romance novel where the main character is not a fan of insta-love and that makes fun of it while also being someone that makes a living from writing about love. Nora is a script writer that makes those super cheesy hallmark type movies where she uses her love equation that creates the perfect set up. Her life though is everything but romantic, more in the I-DONT-CARE-ABOUT-FINDING-LOVE-AGAIN-ILL-GO-THROUGH-LIFE-ON-MY-OWN. I want to assume that Nora had been someone who believed in love, who wanted to have that perfect story but unfortunately ended up with the wrong partner to try that with. She likes stability because of her kids, of knowing what will happen at what time and being able to be at home and enjoy that time. I enjoyed her character, she was a mom who really did put her kids first before herself. unfortunately she was someone who was ok with staying where she was and let things happen around her. The end of here marriage, the start of a new relationship, the end of the relationship and then fixing that was not her doing but it was done to her. Even toward the end she still her everyone decide what she should be doing.

Leo on the other hand is someone who has everything but stability, he does what he wants. When he arrives at Nora's house to film her movie he is burned out, not knowing where life is leading or knowing who cares about him because its hard to know when you have money and fame. So Nora is the complete opposite of his personality and to be honest its a bit hard to understand how they fell in love so quickly but i suppose it was because she had everything that he was missing so I an in a way understand why he fell in love.

I saw some people be a bit annoyed about the fact that she thought a lot about money and well i actually understood that part, not from experience but from seeing it happen to someone that I now. of them working so hard trying to provide and seeing their partner spend that money without a care to purchase a pair of shoes ( or any other material thing) and not even use or need it and at the same time complaining that the reason they are struggling with money is because of her. Noras relationship with her ex seemed so real that I could picture them as someone i knew.

towards the end though I had lost a bit of interest, I'm not sure where they lost me but somewhere past the first half I was just not as invested. the twist that caused all of their issues was not even surprising, what surprised me more was the fact that Nora did nothing... she didn't try to talk to Leo instead she waited until HE reached out to her otherwise they might not have gotten back together

It was an enjoyable story to pic up but one that I might not think about unless its in front of me.

I am a little late to the party, but this was a home run. It was so witty and fresh. This felt like the perfect romcom.

Swoon worthy! A complete and total delight.

“Have you ever felt like you’re disappearing? he asks. Like you’re sure one day you’re going to wake up and find that the truest parts of yourself have been replaced by someone else’s plans?”

Most of the time, I grab rom-coms for an uplift. I want to laugh. I want to fall in love. And many times, I just want to escape from real life.

And that is nice. But you know what’s even better? A rom-com that lets you laugh and fall in love while also being in the middle of the hard parts of real life.

Nora might write the perfect love stories for others to adore. But her own life took a very different turn, and now she’s muddling through the unexpected with her two kids. Leo Vance, Hollywood hunk, is adored by millions. But in reality, he’s unfulfilled and lonely.

But those early morning sunrises (7 of them) that Nora and Leo share on her front porch… they suddenly put both of them on a different (exciting) trajectory.

This was a special story. It had all the things I love (witty banter and steamy chemistry). But it went beyond that. The scenes around the dining room table. The grocery store trip. The late night texts filled with longing. The afternoons spent with the kids.

The way Monaghan wrote “real life”… it showed the *beauty* in the mundane. It showed the real, heart exploding in your chest, fulfilling type of love that we all long for. The kind that lets you grow as a person while also growing as a couple. The kind of love that lasts. Oh Nora and Leo! 💗

I was smiling from ear to ear as I finished this one. I absolutely loved it.

Nora Goes Off Script is a heartwarming and insightful novel about love, work, and family. Monaghan has crafted an engaging story that will resonate with readers long after turning the last page. The characters are richly drawn, and the dialogue is sharp and witty. The romance between Nora and Leo is both believable and electric. I was rooting for them from the very first chapter. If you're looking for a feel-good read that will make you laugh, cry, and fall in love, look no further than Nora Goes Off Script.

I really loved this book! It was well written and love the dialogue in the book. The author did a great job in writing the characters and the relatability.

Four stars. Delightfully Hallmark-y with heart. I'm so glad this book found me, it's the perfect way to start of the new year! I thought I knew where it was going, but I was so wrong! Light, breezy, a perfect way to reset!

I hate to say this but this book bored me! I couldn’t get my way through it, and I am a romance / meet cute lover! I love books that fit this typical description but this one didn’t hit it for me,