I was so sucked into this one. Grief, loss, love… so many emotions.

(Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.)

I love a good mature romance. Ethan was great and I really liked Ali and her character growth. Pete can f*ck off.

This romance novel swept me away with its heartfelt emotions and captivating chemistry between the characters. The author skillfully weaves a compelling story filled with tender moments, heartfelt conflicts, and satisfying resolutions. The pacing kept me engaged from start to finish, and the characters felt authentic and relatable. Whether you’re a fan of slow-burn love or a passionate whirlwind, this book delivers the perfect blend of romance, drama, and warmth. Highly recommended for anyone looking to escape into a beautifully told love story.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for sharing this with me! I really enjoyed it. I felt the setting was very descriptive. I could easily vision it. I really enjoyed the relationships in the story. Especially between Ethan and Ali. It was heartwarming. It made me laugh. It made me cry. It’s the perfect summer read.

This was such a sweet book…like a really good Hallmark romance movie that played out in my mind as I read. Great summer read.

I really enjoyed this summer story. I appreciated that the characters were in their late 30’s and acted like it.

Annabel Monaghan can do no wrong. I have loved every book she has written and this one is no exception. The perfect little quick beach reach.

Thank you publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this in exchange for my honest review!

4.75 rounded up.

Wow. Talk about feeling all the emotions. I was constantly in between being on the verge of tears and feeling all the warm and fuzzies. I really loved this book. The themes in this book are so deep and I thought the author navigated them very well. The only reason this wasn't a five star was because the FMC calls Ethan Scooter multiple times after he has asked her not to and it bothered me.

Thank you to Putnam for this gifted ARC.

I received an ARC for this book last year and I decided to wait until this summer to read it. Summer Romance is more than just a love story, it also deals with self discovery, love after divorce, and life after loss. Ali had such growth in her confidence and her life. She put herself first and advocated for her and her children. Ali and Ethan had such a cute meet cute and I loved how everything came about with their relationship. Definitely recommend!

Genuinely, could not put this book down!! Annabel Monaghan might be an auto-read author for me from here on out.

Read if you love:
Best friends brother
Small town vibes
Single mom

Few books have grown on me in the space between the first chapter and half of it — which is the moment when I usually give up and realise that I don't have to read every book in the world, especially the ones I dislike.
So, in a way, I could say Annabel Monaghan did the impossible: she missed the DNF pile thanks to the perfect use of a dog in a book, and my hatred of deadbeat fathers.

If the short chapters are the most loved aspect of her books, her narration is something I had to get accustomed to; by the end of the story, it’s still too stiff and not smooth at all in the moves sequences as in “we’re getting off the car” or “Ethan brings me a glass of wine” (there's a scene where she says Ethan is in the kitchen and then she’s just sipping the “fresh” wine that magically materialized in front of her).
And most of this is quite fine, as someone who's not in the author’s target audience.

But what I found difficult from chapter 1 — and kinda the reason why I also kept reading, so I could go full “told you so” on her — is their whole family dynamics.
Peter is a terrible husband, father, and person.
Ali’s mother is portrayed as this amazing mother with an amazing bond with her daughter but, as the story unfolds, every single thing she did to “protect” her daughter from an already ended marriage just gave me boy-mom vibes in a very derogatory way.
And then there's Frannie, the most shallow best friend ever, who turned out to be less useful than the dog.
Ali has to go through this journey to finally become the one she used to be, but she also never akwnoledge any of these issues, which was a bummer.

But hey, I discovered it’s possible to have kids in a story and don't want to strangle them or send them away. How fun is it when they don't annoy you!

Thanks to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnams’s Sons and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book that I've read by Annabel Monaghan. I liked this one a bit better than her 2023 release, "Same Time Next Summer." I appreciated the portrayal of our female main character's (FMC) stage of life. Ali Morris is 38 years old, grieving her mother, and on the heels of a divorce while raising three children. While my life experiences are different, Monaghan perfectly captures the overwhelm of this stage of life, in addition to the extra challenges that Ali faces. The characters in this story felt real, with believable flaws and emotions, and I cared about what happened to these characters. I ended up purchasing this book, and have also purchased her 2025 release, "It's a Love Story." I'll continue to enjoy picking up Annabel Monaghan's books each summer!

I have previously really enjoyed Annabel Monaghan's books so when I needed a fun read on vacation I just naturally gravitated towards this book. I do have to say that I absolutely flew through this book. It was such a quick read, that was definitely a very entertaining read. It also has the perfect summer vibes, and therefore a perfect beach vacation read.
However, I wasn't a huge fan of the romance. I mean, they were quite cute together, don't get me wrong. However, it didn't feel very real to me. I don't know if that makes sense. It gets revealed that Ethan has had a crush on our main character since they were teens, and throughout the book it definitely feels like he never left that teenage fantasy. On top of that I feel like Ali really just romantised everything about Ethan and their relationship because it just was such a high contrast with her ex-husband. On top of it also very much read like she 'fixed herself' just for him. It gave me such a massive ick. Her entire personal development was centered around this guy, not around herself, or even her kids. I don't know. I feel like in 2025 we have really grown past that, didn't we? Women are more than the men in their lives, and Ali definitely didn't read that way.
I did quite like the discussions around Ali's divorce in this book. I definitely think it is very realistic for women to put their own needs and desires to the side for their husband, and not even realising it until they've completely dissapeared. I also thought it was interesting to see Ali realise how her ex-husband's behaviour is basically emotional abuse throughout the book as she distances more and more from him. I don't know. It felt very real, and I really liked the way it was executed. Especially because she is juggling her own souring feelings about him with her kids' positive feelings towards him. That was easily the most interesting part of this book to me.
So yeah, I ultimately ended up feeling fine about this book. I'm really glad I read it when I did. I feel like it definitely was the perfect moment, but it wasn't the perfect book for me personally.

Really enjoyed the book. Loved the tropes and the characters. I loved Ali’s character, she was going through a lot in this book and I appreciated how her character handled those obstacles and grew from them. I enjoyed Ethan’s character, he was very charming and sweet, I loved how much he showed his caring side to Ali and helped ground her. I enjoyed Annabel Monaghan’s writing, especially with how she wrote about grief and parenting. There was a touch of chaos but it made the plot fun and enjoyable. Overall, a great read, perfect for summer.

I loved how Summer Romance was the perfect mix of fun and feel-good. The characters are super relatable, and the story’s light, but still has some heart. It’s got that perfect summer vibe—romance, self-discovery, and humor. If you're looking for something easy, sweet, and entertaining, this is your book! Perfect for beach days or just when you need a quick escape.

I started reading Summer Rommance by @annabelmonaghan for the summer vibes and romance…

Instead I feel seen, but in a whole different way! 🥺

Yes there’s a summer romance and yes I’m feeling all the summer vibe BUT the motherhood message- the day to day life of what is like being a mother and the trying to find yourself again amongst struggles and motherhood…

THAT hit home! 😮‍💨

The romance? It was so good…. Ethan and Ali was the cutest… I loved how their friendship developed. The chemistry was there… the slow burn… and the steam! It was perfection.

This is a great summer read and I’m definitely going to be reading more of Annabel’s books.

Infinity ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️could not love this slow starting love story that I almost gave up on. Scooter and Ali are my favorite couple. This story surprised me and made me laugh and cry.

*Summer Romance* is a breezy, heartwarming tale of second chances, self-discovery, and the messy joy of falling in love when you least expect it. Annabel Monaghan blends humor and heart with effortless charm, delivering a feel-good story that’s as refreshing as a dip in the ocean. It’s the perfect companion for lazy afternoons and hopeful hearts.

Relatable heroine: Ali Morris is a professional organizer whose own life is in disarray—grieving her mother, finalizing a divorce, and raising three kids. Her journey toward rediscovery is both funny and heartfelt. The small-town Long Island Sound backdrop adds cozy, summery vibes that make it perfect for beach reading. The meet-cute with Ethan (involving a dog and a very unfortunate shoe incident) kicks off a slow-burn, closed-door romance that’s tender and believable.

Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for this ARC!

Such a cute, sweet summer love story. All the characters were fun and easy to love (minus Pete!)but our main characters Ali and Ethan were too precious. I especially loved the growth Ali experienced and the voice she found to speak up for herself. Being a dog mom, I really enjoyed the dog’s role in the story. I smiled and let out a few giggles reading this one.

Ali recently lost her mother and now she finds herself in the midst of a divorce. Her life is chaos! The morning she decides to wake up to put on pants with a zipper and remove her wedding, is the same day she runs into Ethan at the dog park. Literally, her dog marks his territory and of course Ali is mortified. Ethan smiles at her despite being peed on, a smile that goes straight to her heart. With her crazy life around her, the last thing she needed was to add a new relationship to the mix. But a summer romance could be fun, right?

This was a fun, sweet, and easy summer read. It would make the perfect poolside book for anyone who loves a good romance with little spice. It’s such a vibe!