Who doesn't love a second chance romance?

Sam and Wyatt spent summers together for years. Living next door to each other, their families were close and they built a friendship that became a first love for both of them...flash  forward to 14 years later where they don't speak anymore and Sam is marrying someone else. 

This was a cute story of how first love lingers. Sam is living the life that she thinks she wants but getting back in touch with Wyatt makes her question everything. As Sam plans her wedding to Jack, she starts to think about the past and how everything crumbled between her and Wyatt years ago. 

Although this did not have quite the charm that Monaghan's debut novel had, I still really enjoyed this sweet story. I was rooting for Sam through the novel. This is really a perfect summer read.

Read if you loved Every Summer After or Love and Other Words

Same Time Next Summer by Annabel Monaghan is a women's fiction romance book that will give you all the nostalgic summer feels! It is a past and present timeline that follows Sam and Wyatt growing up together at their neighboring beach houses and where they are after not talking for 12 years. Sam is afraid to go back to the beach house because it brings up too many memories of who she used to be. She is engaged to Jack is exactly who Sam thinks she needs to marry to put her past self behind. Sam may not know it yet but she's not happy with anything to do with her life and going back to the beach will show her that she wants more out of her life. I will say that this is more of a women's fiction book than romance because while you do see a second chance romance with Wyatt, the focus is on Sam's journey. This book also has perfect summer vibes. There is surfing, bonfires, and the feeling of putting on a bathing suit in the morning knowing you will spend the whole day on the water. I really loved seeing Sam and Wyatt reconnect and what exactly broke them up. That can be a sore subjects in books similar to these but this one was realistic. One issue I had was that the past chapters were written in third person and the present chapters were written in first person. I'm sure the author had a reason for this but it prevented the story from flowing well. I also feel like there was a lot of telling instead of showing with how Sam and Wyatts relationship devloped in the past chapters. Other than that, I loved this book and even cried at the very end.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for the review!

This is a great summer beach read. Sam has a perfect life and a perfect fiancée, Jack. She has learned to get past her first love Wyatt, the boy whose family rented the summer house next door. She is happy with Jack; he is perfect for her. However, when Sam and Jack go to the summer house to check out a wedding venue on Long Island, she doesn't expect Wyatt to be staying next door. All the old feelings come back and the deep sadness of missing her once upon a time best friend.

I loved all the characters in this book - Sam, Wyatt, Sam's family, and even Jack. The story is told from the POV of both Sam and Wyatt. The writing style was perfect and I was so engaged I finished it in one day. I loved the story and the journey the characters took to discover love and friendship.

After years of dealing with a tumultuous event that threw her life into a spiral at the age of 17, Sam, now 30, has her life exactly how she wants it—safe and comfortable. What’s not either of these two things is finding out that the boy who absolutely shattered her heart is staying next door to her family’s beach house while she’s in town for the weekend with her fiancé. She’s supposed to be touring a wedding venue and picking out table linens, not thinking about all her summers spent down at the beach with Wyatt.

Holy shit, y’all. This broke my heart and then put it right back together again. This is hands down going to be in my top 5 of 2023, I’m calling it now because it was that good. I think if you enjoyed Love & Other Words by Christina Lauren (which I freakin’ loved) you will probably like this one too!! That’s really all I have to say.

Thank you to the author & publisher for providing a NetGalley ARC in exchange for my honest review!

What a beautiful story, Wyatt and Sam stole my heart, it is so moving and inspirational, I couldn't put it down for a second.

Sam and Wyatt were childhood best friends and each other's first love, they see each other every year when they go to their summer houses on summer vacation with their families, I loved the way the author narrates the beautiful friendship that blossoms between them, friendship gives way to more intense feelings and then they fall in love, their love grows stronger every day, but circumstances make them break their relationship, and it is so hard for both of them, so sad.

They haven't seen each other in over a decade, but now Sam returns to their family vacation home with her fiancé to spend a few days with her family, and sees Wyatt again and feelings that remained hidden they come back stronger.

Narrated in past and present Same Time Next Summer is a sweet, angsty and captivating slow burn romance, it is a story about the first love, the first broken heart, friendship, forgiveness, second chances, that will leave your heart overflowing with happiness .

friends to lovers romances combined with second chances are my kryptonite and this one is so good. Perfect for fans of
Summer books
Friends to lovers
First love
Second chance

"Same Time Next Summer" is the perfect beach read. Annabel Monaghan returns with her witty writing and honestly flawed characters. Sam returns to her family's Long Island beach house with her fiance to discover her first love is also back in town. Told in a dual timeline, Sam and Wyatt's narrative comes to life with warm sand and soft touches.

There's a lot to love about this book: the setting, the characters, the humor. Yet I found myself slightly disappointed about 2/3 of the way through when the dual timelines reconciled. I literally thought "that's it?" for the reason Sam and Wyatt's young love falls apart. After sitting with it, the events are realistic to young people but as a romance reader, I wanted a touch more drama. The third act wraps everything up nicely though and gave me similar vibes to Emily Henry's "Happy Place".

This is a love story about Sam and Wyatt who spent summers on Long Island’s ocean front. They lived next door to each other with their families from the time Sam was 5 until she was 17. What started as a friendship turned to love but abruptly ended when Wyatt went away to college.
Sam has lived away from her family for more than 10 years in NYC. She has also met Jack and they are engaged. Sam is finally going back to Long Island so Jack can meet her family. Unexpectedly, Wyatt just happens to be there. What does Sam think of this? Can she put the past behind her? You’ll have to read to find out. Annabel Monaghan writes to evoke a nostalgic feeling for anyone who has experienced young love. As a Long Islander, I was quickly transported back to the times of my youth on the ocean shores in the summer. The sense of place is undeniable and I felt like I could hear the waves and smell the ocean breezes. I was invested in each character’s story. The side characters were compelling because they gave insight into the whys of Sam and Wyatt’s relationship and personalities. The book was well plotted and I had to keep turning the pages to see how this story would end. I enjoyed each and every chapter as well as her Other title Nora Goes Off Script and will gladly auto buy Annabel Monaghan’s next title.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Same Time Next Summer. It was quick-paced and easily consumable on a lazy sunny Sunday. I think the strongest aspect of this book is the character arc of the FMC and her relationships with her family members.

The story focused more on finding your sense of self and your identity after creating a more reserved, protected, and diluted version of yourself rather than the romance aspect, which to me, was absolutely terrific, especially in a second-chance romance, one of my least favorite romance genres tropes.

Monaghan once again transported me right into beachy settings and cityscapes and held me firmly in her grasp from start to finish. I loved her use of metaphors and that she didn't lean on the typical crutch of "there has to be some traumatic catalyst that leads to the failure of their love the first time around and it will obliterate your heart" that most second-chance romances do. It was real-life hurt and pain from a situation that was out of their control and that they both needed to heal from. I liked it.

In order for me to enjoy second-chance romances, I have to suspend a small dose of disbelief because I personally can't fathom a childhood love being the end-all-be-all, but that could just be me. For others it works, so I won't yuk on their yum and let that impact my overall impressions of the book.

I am still solidly a fan of Annabell Monaghan's after reading this book and will pick up whatever she puts out there next.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, for the chance to review an advance copy.

4.5 STARS. I was totally sucked in after only the first chapter. This is the epitome of a “beach read,” so it hit just perfectly reading it as summer draws near! This also solidifies Monaghan as an auto-read author for me. She’s now two for two on lovable characters and books. When I wasn't reading this one, I was thinking about it, and dying to get back to the characters to see how everything would turn out. Plus, I just really like this cover. Add this to your summer 2023 reading list now!

This was a really good beach read book. I loved the characters - Wyatt, Sam, Laurel, Bill, Travis. They were so much fun. Good story about what happens when we decide to be less authentic versions of ourselves. Whether to please other people or to choose the safe route in life. It was good to see how at any age you can change direction and follow a dream you had as a child. Would recommend for anyone wanting a nice romance.

Same Time Next Summer by Annabel Monaghan is a delightful and heartwarming story of love, friendship, and second chances. The vivid and picturesque descriptions transport readers to the beautiful beaches of Nantucket, creating a perfect summer escape. The well-developed characters are relatable and endearing, making it easy to become emotionally invested in their journeys. The engaging and well-paced plot keeps you hooked from beginning to end, with unexpected twists and turns that add depth and intrigue. This book reminded me of all of the best parts of The Last Song and The Summer I Turned Pretty. I guarantee that this will be your next beach read for this summer.

Oh Annabel Monaghan - you've done it again! I absolutely loved this book. A perfect summer read! If you loved "Nora Goes Off Script", you will love this one too! I love that her writing doesn't feel cheesy, even thought it is still a romance. One of the reasons I didn't want to put it down!

Thank you Net Galley for the ARC. "Same Time Next Summer" is a story about a second chance at romance. Sam thinks she has her life together until she goes to the beach to check out a wedding venue. When visiting the beach, she comes across her childhood sweetheart Wyatt. Sam remembers who she was with Wyatt. She will now have to make a choice between her past or present life. Will she pick her past or her future. Read this book to find out.

📚📚Advance Book Review📚📚
> Same Time Next Summer is the second book by Nora Goes Off Script author Annabel Monaghan and it is almost as delightful as her first. I am a sucker for a romance novel featuring a beach setting, first love, and happily ever after; this book checks all of those boxes. The Long Island beach house that is owned by Sam’s (the female protagonist’s) family is almost a character unto itself. It is so wonderfully detailed that I could feel the sand between my toes, taste the delicious meals eaten Al fresco, hear the guitar strumming and see the driftwood that was piled on the table. The book alternates back and forth between earlier summers and the present and between Sam and Wyatt’s (her first love’s) points of view. All of which really works to develop the main characters (both of whom are incredibly likable) and their love story. My only complaint about the book is that it is way too short- I would have liked more from or about the side characters, especially Granny, Gracie, Tyler, and Michael. Overall, this was a very enjoyable book that I would highly recommend , especially if you are looking for a quick summer beach read. Get ready to fall in love with Sam and Wyatt!

4 🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 stars

A very big thank you to @netgalley and @putnambooks for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 rounded up. I am such a sucker for the young summer love at the beach house trope. Gets me every time.

I don’t have those kinds of memories from my childhood, but they are so charming in theory!

The characters were (mostly) likable, there’s lots of beach bonfire and surfing action and overall enjoyable summer vibes.

Great warm weather read!

Thank you to #netgalley for this ARC of #sametimenextsummer

What a beautiful book! Beautiful characters, beautiful prose, beautiful story. It stuck with me long after I finished the last page.

One of my favorite romance novels of the year!

Annabel Monaghan is quickly becoming one of my favorite contemporary romance writers. I haven’t always been a huge fan of the genre, but authors like Monaghan, Emily Henry, Elissa Sussman, Julia Whelan, and Mhairi McFarlane have made me rethink my earlier assessment. I loved Nora Goes Off Script, Monaghan’s debut novel for adults (she’s written several YA books), and I was thrilled to get a chance to read an early copy of Same Time Next Summer, which I tore through in less than 24 hours.

Sam and Wyatt have known each other since they were children, living next door to each other at the beach each summer. They become friends and then they become so much more. First love shines brightly until something shocking happens that shuts the whole thing down. Now its 14 years later, and Sam is back at the beach with her (new) fiancée. She’s done so much work on herself to get over Wyatt and built a safe life to shield herself from ever experiencing that kind of pain again. But Wyatt shows up next door, and the memories of who she used to be, and what the two of them had together, is seriously messing with her head. Her fiancée is stable, buttoned-up, serious. Safe. But Wyatt is…Wyatt, just as impossible to resist as he was when they were kids.

This second chance romance toggles back and forth between then and now filling in the story of how it all went wrong and maybe, just maybe, whether there’s a chance to get it right the second time around.

You’re bound to see this book all over the place this summer, so you might as well go ahead and preorder your copy now. It’s the perfect companion for a day at the beach, some time by the pool, or a quiet afternoon on your couch. I recommend this book to everyone who remembers the all-consuming power of first love.

Thank you to @penguinrandomhouse @NetGalley and @annabelmonaghan for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a fun summer read! I devoured it by the pool in one sitting. Perfect for anyone looking for a pool or beach read.

This was so fun! I really enjoyed this romcom. I found myself laughing and smiling about her family and enjoying the romance. A fun, summer read.

Annabel Monaghan is going to be a must read author for me. I adored Nora Goes Off Script and I jumped at the chance to read Same Time Next Summer. This is a perfect beach read. And second chance romance between teenage lovers Sam and Wyatt. The story is told in dual time lines, present day as Samantha is about to marry her fiance Jack and summers growing up with the boy next door, Wyatt. Wyatt is the one who got away and the author does a great job retelling their love story and the all consuming ache of first love.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.