I loved Nora Goes Off Script, but this one just didn't hit for me. The main Character Sam is indecisive and aloof. It seems that making her a surfer, was an afterthought to make her seem less boring: She's not. Wyatt was an interesting character, I didn't particularly care for him either. The parents always had some good wisdom to impart, which I enjoyed; to they learned from their mistakes and help Sam make the right choices for her. Sam's Fiancé seemed like a tool and someone you'd give a second thought to about marrying, which makes him harder to leave I suspect..

All in all, I enjoy the author, so I'll be looking out for her next book!

Well, it’s official. I would enthusiastically read Annabel Monaghan’s grocery list, and it would likely be one of the best things I’ve read in a long while. Thank you to the publisher for my free review copy.

SAME TIME NEXT SUMMER perfectly captures first love, first heartbreak, and finding yourself as an adult. The characters, flawed yet lovable, feel so real that I got the urge to look up their photos online. Their story was a perfect example of “God bless the broken road” and man, what a journey that road was. My heart swelled, broke, and felt like it stopped over and over again.

The beach house and the town were characters themselves, with quirks and descriptions that had me longing to pack up and head to the nearest small beach city. Monoghan doesn’t waste time with unnecessary details, but gives just enough so you can feel like you’ve opened up the book and walked right into the story. The wind, waves, salty air, and sunsets were satisfying and idyllic, making this book the perfect summer read.

Another thing Monoghan does well is creating conflict that feels believable, painful, yet solvable. While Wyatt and Sam’s characters have a complicated past, the reader doesn’t sit there and think, “Is it best for these two to want to be together?” Throughout the story, I never lost confidence in who these two were as individuals and what they could be if they came together.

I recommend this book to anyone looking to read about first love without it feeling cheesy. Or anyone who wants to be transported to a small town getaway where everyone feels like family. All in all, you can’t go wrong picking up SAME TIME NEXT SUMMER.

*Thank you to Putnam Books via NetGalley for the ARC*

I blame Bug Juice on Disney channel. Or Sandy and Danny crooning Summer Lovin’ in Grease. Either way, it’s been engrained in me since I was a youngster…I loooove a good summer romance.
I started Same Time Next Summer like walking into the ocean. Tentatively at first, unsure of what to expect. Stalling when the water is up to my knees, pausing to take a long break because I didn’t feel ready. Then, finally fully submerging myself in before asking myself “why didn’t I just do it sooner?!”

Because. I’ve been burned by books I’ve had to review in the past. Y’know how it goes. You request a book by an author you’ve always liked. Then when you get that ARC, it’s just a letdown. So here I am, coming off a 5 star for Monaghan’s only other book I’ve read (Nora Goes Off Script) and it starts out…just ok. That sinking feeling of regret starts to bloom and I think wanna get out of the water. But I carry on towards the water. STNS is about Sam, who’s 30 and returning to her family’s summer house with her shiny new fiancé, Jack, in tow. She discovers that her long lost summer love, Wyatt, has not only returned as well, but has also been getting chummy with her family unbeknownst to Sam. The ocean tides take over and you’re suddenly submerged in a story about first love and heartbreak, growing older and hopefully wiser, and finding a way back to yourself and your place in the sun and all the feels that came with the best summer of your life.

Truly such a satisfying read! Monaghan does such a great job setting the scene and capturing the intricacies of the characters’ relationships. I really felt like I was at that beach house and could feel the ocean breeze while reading. 4.5/5 stars only because the pacing can be slow but otherwise exactly what I love for a beach read, short chapters and all.
🎤“Ahhhhhh those summer niiiiiiiiiiights!” Same Time Next Summer publishes June ‘23, just in time for everyone to dive right in!

I loved this book. only took me 1 day to read the entire thing. I loved the dual POV from then and now and really felt the characters were very likeable. The sexual tension was great and a good build up. Love a happy ending like this.

Sam and Wyatt, childhood summer time friends to teenage love. Torn apart by family secrets, they meet again as adults when Sam is planning her wedding.
In this second chance romance, Sam not only rediscovers parts of herself she has locked away since that awful summer but her relationship with her dad and Wyatt. Sam travels to her family’s beach house for the first time with her fiancé (who in my opinion is a bit of a jerk) and sees Wyatt for the first time in over a decade.
I enjoyed watching Sam grow. I laughed out loud many times. I loved all the sibling relationships.
This is a great summer read!

This book was a fun and quick read. I pretty much figured out how it would end but still enjoyed it very much.

I loved Nora Goes Off Script and so when I heard the Annabel Monaghan had a new book, I knew I had to read it as soon as possible. I’m not generally a romance book reader but if the book is well written and I like the characters, I’m in!

This book is about Sam, engaged to Jack (who you know is just not going to be right for her) and mainly takes place at her quirky family’s summer home on Long island where she bumps into her long-lost teen love Wyatt (who also lives in the house next door) and who she has not seen since they broke up at 17. The story is told from Sam and Wyatt’s perspective, both past and present so you learn what happened, how they fell in love, fell out of love and feel about each other now.

This book is what I call chocolate chip cookies for your brain, it’s fun, indulgent and I just enjoyed the read. I wish I had read it on the beach, but I’ll buy it for the summer so everyone else can read it there. I look forward to Annabel Monaghan’s next book, and maybe I can hold off and read it on a vacation.

This was 4.25 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the chance to review this novel

This book starts like a lot of summer beach reads, girl goes home to family beach house with boyfriend and bumps into the boy next door who got away.

After the first chapter, Same Time Next Summer was so much better than the rest. Annabel Monaghan has a way of drawing you into her characters' lives and you don't want to put the book down.

A great book for the summer.


*I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and I am required to disclose that in my review in compliance with federal law.

A very fun read! I was rooting for Sam (And Wyatt) from the beginning. A heartwarming, relatable story of second chances, first love and summers at the beach. The perfect vacation read!

This is the pinnacle of a dreamy summer beach read. It’s low-stakes, light, breezy, and 100% passes the vibe check. Wyatt expertly plays the role of the mysterious, kinda hippy energy, starving artist/musician. I love him. Sam is this tragically buttoned-up gal in an engagement of safety/convenience who has essentially lost herself in her relationship with Jack. I also love her. It should come as no surprise that I did not like Jack. But I also think that was Annabel Monaghan’s intent in how he was written into the story <3 Bye, Jack!

The only thing I would change about this book (if I could) is that I would give my firstborn child for more chapters once Wyatt & Sam finally get together at the end. There’s a lot of relationship building in the “then” chapters of the book for the couple because they’re actually together as teenagers in those parts. The people (I am the people) need more of that pure and good cinnamon roll energy once the grown-up versions of those two finally figure out they should be together. This would have also allowed me more time to appreciate The New Sam (TM) post-Jack, leaning into the whims of who she really is & wants to be. I also love her.

This is big cute, feel-good, summer reading. Highly recommend. TY to NetGalley and Penguin for the ARC. I am forever indebted to you for this one.

Second chance romance is not really my thing— too much anguish, lots of questioning the characters’ judgment…. But I was excited to read this one because I loved Nora off Script. It did not disappoint, but I also didn’t love it as much as Nora. It was well-written, atmospheric, with well developed characters. My main complaint was that the main character took too long to figure herself out— it’s always frustrating to see the character making what we know are mistakes on page 1 and then she is not redeemed until there are only 30 pages left. The storyline with why they broke up the first time around was a true twist, and it surprised me. I loved the description of her family’s artsy home and eccentric behavior, and as someone who is from Long Island I did keep trying to place it in a real town, to no avail. Overall, this was a nice read, though probably not as relaxing as some others I’ve read this year. I kept wanting to yell at the MC for not speaking up for herself. Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for the E-arc.

Pros: Nora Goes of Script is one of my favorites in the genre, so I was excited to read the author’s newest. Although I didn’t like this book as much as I did Nora, I know that’s because of the tropes used in each book. This book felt like a Hallmark movie meets a beach book, and readers who enjoy both of those things will definitely like this book.

Cons: Although I understand that predictability is purposeful in romance novels, this one felt too predictable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group, G.P. Putnam's Sons for the opportunity to read this book.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for an early copy of this book due out June 6- which will be perfect for summer.
I was very excited to read this because I loved the author’s first book: Nora Goes Off The Script. I will say, I really enjoyed this and binged it in one day. If you’re looking for a sugary sweet, vanilla Hallmark-style romance- then you’ll love this.
For me it lacked that intense chemistry and steam and wasn’t exactly original. It had a similar concept to Every Summer After and Love and other Words and doesn’t hold a candle to them, but I still fully liked it.

Nora Goes off Script was one of my favorite books of 2022, so when I found out Monaghan was writing a new novel, I was immediately intrigued. When I think of the definition of "beach read," I immediately think of this book. Long Island beach setting, second chance romance, and a cast of characters you cannot help embrace, Monaghan has truly embraced the "beach read" and wrapped it up in this book. Yes, I liked Sam and Wyatt, but for me, the win of this book comes in the setting. I wanted to escape to this beach house and hang out with Sam's family, and for me, that is what made this book special. Overall, this book is such a sweet, comforting romance, and one I will be sure to recommend!

Sigh. I feel contented and happy after closing this one. I loved Nora Goes Off Script, so I had high expectations for this one. It is different and had a bit of a slow start for me but I ended up really enjoying it. It screams of summer and made me crave the beach, so maybe save it for vacation this year! The characters are fun and relatable and the setting was perfect.
Thanks to NetGalley for the arc.

If you are looking for a book for the beach, lake or pool - this will be the perfect summer read. A nostalgic, coming-of-age story about first loves, heartbreak, family, and finding out what you truly want may have been in front of your all along.

Sam and Wyatt spent all of their formative summers together. Next door neighbors, friends, surfing partners - they were each other’s first loves, and first heartbreak. Sam is returning to her family’s summer home in with fiance, Jack to plan their wedding. Seeing Wyatt after 12 years brings back all those memories of the time they shared, and the heartbreak that followed.

Told in a series of flashbacks this story is perfect for fans of Carley Fortune’s Every Summer After or Jenny Han’s The Summer I Turned Pretty. I loved it. ❤️

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for an advanced copy of this book.

This is the perfect summer nostalgia read. There is something special about a second-chance romance when it involves young/first loves. The writing made the relationship between Sam and Wyatt so relatable and reminded me of the awkward stage so many of us go through when we are younger and trying to navigate a friendship that might be more. I appreciated the actions of our MCs being realistic based on their age and watching the progression of things as they both aged during the summers.

Another thing that made this book so special is that we get to watch Sam struggle to determine if who she grew to be is really who she is or if her circumstances and coping mechanisms from heartbreak turned her into a version of herself that made her feel safe. This book is so heartwarming and enjoyable, I don't often reread books like this, but this is one I will be purchasing when it is available.

I loved Annabel Monaghan’s Nora Goes Off Script and long ago, lost count of how many I have hand sold since reading it, so I was a little skeptical about whether or not she could recreate the magic with Same Time Next Summer. I was delighted to find that I enjoyed this one every bit as much as Nora Goes Off Script.

In Same Time Next Summer Monaghan proves her ability to consistently create a romance novel of substance complete with all the messiness of familial relationships, love gone horribly wrong, and then gloriously right. No gratuitous, over the top sex merely to round out a page count. Just another outstanding story, well told.

Keep them coming. Please.

I am a huge fan of Nora Goes Off Script, so I was so, so excited to get this arc. I loved this book, too!

I am a sucker for a young love/summer romance who reconnect as adults, so this was a no brainer. However, I felt like this one was a bit more relatable than most of the others I’ve read — yes, it included all the pining and reminiscing and cozy feelings we love, but it was also a narrative about rediscovering who you once were when the weight of adulthood, pain from the past, and expectations on who you’re supposed to be overtake who you were and should still be.

I loved that this format was a little different, too. It’s mostly told by the main character, Sam, in the present tense, but there are flashbacks in the first half of the book, with some of Wyatt’s perspectives sprinkled in at the right moments. I appreciated that this wasn’t an entire half of the book being flashbacks, and that there was true character development in it. I was also glad that Jack, Sam’s current fiancé, wasn’t a horrible guy — he just wasn’t the right one for her. This book feels like a premise of a more young adult romance, but then it makes you realize that no matter how old we are, it’s never too late to be who we once thought we would be.

I’ll always read anything Annabel writes! Thanks for letting me read this!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy. This book is going to be super popular this summer. It has similar vibes to Every Summer After by Carley Fortune, which was such a huge hit last summer. I flew through this in just a few hours and am now craving an east coast beach house vacation.