New to me author, but won’t be the last time I read her! Such a great summer read. I loved the characters and how they interacted with each other. The dialogue was top notch for me.

I truly enjoyed watching these characters find themselves and discover what they’re most passionate about. I really appreciated that this “finding yourself” novel wasn’t about an 18 year old but it spread the message that it’s never too late to discover your passions. These two falling in love and not being able to get enough of each other was absolutely so fun to read. I loved the side characters in this one and watching their quirky personalities come through. I always enjoy this author and I highly recommend this one!

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this story. This review has been added to storygraph, goodreads, Barnes and Noble and my instagram @manymerrybooks!

This was the perfect book to read on the beach. Summer reading perfection.

This is my new favourite by this author. Ali’s life drastically changed when she lost her mom and her husband left her - she hasn’t worn “hard pants” since and her life feels like chaos despite being a professional organizer.

I loved the themes of : “time to get back out there”, trying to date with kids and messy shared custody, dating later in life and being with someone that makes you feel all the happy.

The meet cute is perfection and the swoons with Ethan just don’t ever stop. Pure sweetness. Ali is so relatable and you can’t help but want only the best for her. These two made me giddy and laugh so much.

Thank you @putnambooks for the gifted copy!

🛹 𝙈𝙮 𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 🛹
This story features Ali - single mom, whose mother passed a couple of years ago, her husband left her last year, and this summer she is just trying to keep it all together. The first time she goes out looking presentable again, she meets a guy whom her dog claims by peeing on!

Ali realizes this guy may be perfect for a light summer romance to spruce up her life!

I enjoyed reading about a mom who is probably closer to my age in life, who is dealing with grief, the troubles of going through a divorce with her kids and her ex, and other things that life throws at you, that can just wear you down over time and change your outlook on life if you let it.

I enjoyed how our sweet love interest Ethan was able to brighten Ali’s day and teach her new things, along with letting loose and just having fun.

I loved the internal dialogue that Ali went through dealing with grief and different family dynamics because it was relatable. Any loss and major family change is difficult, and it’s nice to see someone able to grow through those things.

🎧 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚:
💛 Single Mom of 3
❤️ Best Friend’s Brother
💛 Loss of Parent/Grief
❤️ Divorce
💛 Self-Discovery

A fun book with a somewhat atypical plot!!

I enjoyed that the FMC was mid-30’s going through a divorce. The author’s depiction of grief feels genuine and thoughtful. Def glad I read it during my last days of summer.

Quick Summer Romance review while it’s fresh in my mind- since I finished it last night.

I freaking loved it guys.

It was just a really good story. There’s depth and communication and giddy giggling (from me…)

Ethan is a skateboarding lawyer- and that totally threw me at first…like that’s a weird combo…but then you get to know him and he’s just such a babe.

I love that Ali processed her own feelings and those of her children with us. It just felt like a real story with such sweetness.

I 100% recommend this book. I’m moving on to fantasy but if you’re still in the summer vibes and wanting a quick little perfect summer romance…pick it up!!

I did not want to put it down.

Thank you @netgalley for this incredible arc- I’ll read anything from Annabel Monaghan @annabelmonaghan

💣 minimal language, if any
🌶️ fade to black
⚠️ divorce

Many thanks to G.P. Putnam's Sons for the digital review copy via NetGalley.

I absolutely adored Nora Goes Off Script, which solidified Monaghan's place as an auto-read author for me. Naturally, that meant I jumped at the chance to read Summer Romance, with barely a skim of the synopsis. But in case you'd actually like to know what the book is about before I sing its praises, here's a quick snapshot.

Summer Romance Synopsis

Allie lost her mother and then, a year later, her husband asked for a divorce. Now she's overwhelmed by the mess of her life - literal and figurative. After her best friend Fanny finally coaxes her back into hard pants, she meets a handsome stranger at the park. He's in town visiting family, which could mean it's the perfect summer romance. But when doesn't love get a little bit messy?

Summer Romance Review

Monaghan has done it again, book friends. This book was chef's kiss perfection and a great summer read. The portrayal of grief is spot on, and Allie is a believable character both in her strength and her struggles to regain it after letting it slip away.

The romance is sweet and easy, but not too easy. One of the things I love best about Annabel Monaghan's romances is how she manages to create tension in the love story that feels true and honest. It's not without conflict, but there's no unnecessary third-act breakup borne of stupid miscommunication. There's heart and depth and real life to the challenges the couple faces before HEA. At this point, I trust her to guide me through, and Summer Romance was no different in that regard.

This goes down as another five-star read for me, without really any negative notes. I loved the pacing and the way Allie rediscovers herself and comes into her own. The romance is a huge part of the book, but there's a little more to it as well - the challenge of learning how to move forward while carrying grief, and how to stand up for ourselves even with the people we once let walk over us.

I recommend Summer Romance to anyone looking for another summer romance novel to round out the beach read season, and to anyone who wants to sit with what it means to put your heart out there knowing it might get broken in the process.

I loved this! What a beautiful portrait of motherhood, grief, and second chance romance.

Ali is an extremely likable and relatable character who is going through it— her flaky ex wants their divorce finalized, she’s still grieving her mother’s death, and her house is a mess because she has two children who spend the majority of their time with her and not the aforementioned flaky dad.

Enter a knight in shining skateboard.

Though the twists were a little predictable, this was still a delightful and touching read. Annabel Monoghan knows how to create the perfect summer romance.

I feel like the reading experience of this book delivers on the tagline of what Ali expected out of a summer romance. Reading it was fun, brief, and not heartbreaking. However, unlike Ali, maybe I shouldn't have expected more. I wanted more from Ali and Ethan's relationship. Usually I'm a big fan of the romance story structure, but, here, I just wanted something different and new as I read. As an attorney, I also got very annoyed at the divorce mediation storyline. There were so many ethical issues with Ethan representing Ali at her divorce mediation. It never seemed like they actually talked about what Ali wanted out of the divorce. Instead, Ethan just barreled in and took over with what he believed Ali should get, which might have been good but his own motives were the drive instead of hers. Also the fact that he told her he knew nothing about family law and would just google it -- at least say "research it." The "costume" at the mediation seemed unprofessional. I feel like Ethan's character came off as immature when the entire point of his story arc was supposed to make the reader believe that he'd grown up and his family needed to treat him like an adult.

Small town, a meet cute involving dogs, summer romance … whats not to love!

This was such a warn hug of a book. While the story centres around Ali, there is so much more at play than just a summer romance.

There is such an emotional pull… from Ali’s divorce from the very unlikable Pete, the death of he beloved mum and her grief, her relationship with her children (especially with her teenage daughter), to her self discovery and actualisation.

It’s a heartwarming tale and what I’ve become used to from Annabel Monaghan, who is now firmly an auto buy author for me - I’ll read anything she writes.

Many thanks to Penguin Group Putman for an advanced reading copy.
Highly recommended read.

This is the kind of book you read next to water under the sun. Or that will transport you to that fictional place.

The best romances deal with love and loss, difficult and easy. And this book definitely falls into that category. I like how forthright Ethan is. I like how Ali has to deal with her choices and see the consequences of her actions. I love how they both are most themselves with one another.

I loved this book having 30 something year olds falling in love and dealing with the elements of real life, kids, neighbors, jobs. Those details grounded the story in a way that allowed the frothy love story to be appreciated even more.

Content Warnings: death, divorce, grief

Thanks to Putnam Books for the digital copy. All opinions are my own.

Ahhhhh this is the Annabel Monaghan I grew to love with Nora Goes Off Script! Last year's book was definitely a disappointment but this book has renewed my romantic spirit.

Ali and her husband Pete have been separated for a year and are now headed for divorce. Ali had quit her job as an accountant to stay home and raise their three children. Now she's a single mom, mourning the loss of her mother who was Ali's closest friend and cheerleader, and wondering what the rest of her life has in store. Enter Ethan, a man she has an embarrassing meet cute with at the dog park. Sparks fly with him like they never did with her husband.

This is such a sweet story, I was happy all the way through. Even when things looked bleak for the couple, I just knew they could work it out and rooted for their success. This story has parts that will make readers laugh, cry, get angry, and sigh with romantic contentedness. It has some touching things to say about finding your own voice, your own purpose, and your own direction. And even if someone you are close to thinks and believes something, it doesn't mean you're required to think the same way.

I love that these characters are not young adults trying to find their way in life. These are seasoned adults with all of the baggage that comes with it. That's what makes this book so relatable and meaningful, because they act like real people would in these situations (well...except for the tuxedo and velour leisure suit, but hey, maybe some people would).

I listened to the audiobook and Kristen DiMercurio's narration is fantastic. She captures all of the characters perfectly and even when I stopped listening, I was always excited to get back to the book. I will forget about Same Time Next Summer for now and happily look forward to her next novel.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Tropes: best friend’s brother, childhood crush (him!), life after divorce, and recovery from grief

Annabel Monaghan‘s writing is simple and also simply beautiful. She is able to hauntingly describe Ali’s personal struggles with grief, depression, and being in a state of overwhelm. I loved the addition of Ethan to Ali’s life to provide support, but not the solution. She still put in all the work, effort, and energy to recover and thrive after her mom’s passing and divorce.

Did I cry? Yes. Did I laugh? Yes. Did I love this book? YES.

Overall, I’m so glad I snuck in one more Summer Romance before starting the spooky reads this year.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Benefits of a summer romance: it’s always fun, always brief, and no one gets their heart broken.

Benefits of a summer rom-com read: always fun, always lighthearted, and in the end no one leaves broken hearted.

With relatable likable characters, a believable and sweet romance and a small town set up, what's not to love?

I absolutely loved this one! It's so refreshing reading about a woman who has kids, a job, a previous marriage (etc etc) finding love. I loved getting to see the way that Ali and Ethan fall in love, but also watching Ali deal with the grief of her mom. It gave some weight to what was just a very lighthearted romance. I loved Annabel Monaghan's novels and look forward to more!

Thank you to Putnam and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I loved Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan, What a delightful summer read that truly envelopes the reader in costal New England. I loved the plot relating to being a professional organizer while your own personal life is a mess -- truly, none of us display what is going on at home in our professional lives, but Monaghan gives us the ability to see beyond the front and understand why her characters make the decisions they do.

Annabel Monaghan is an auto-buy summer author for me and she does it again ☀️👙🍉

Genre: romance, contemporary fiction
Rating: 4 ⭐️
Format: Kindle (thank you ) & Physical (thank you )

My thoughts 💭

Ali, is a character that many readers will find both relatable and inspiring. After the death of her mother, Ali finds herself adrift, weighed down by the responsibilities of her marriage and children, and questioning who she has become. As she grapples with her grief and the dissolution of her marriage, Ali’s sense of self begins to fray. It is only when she stumbles upon an unexpected connection at a dog park that she starts to piece her life back together.

Meeting Ethan, a kindred spirit who is also navigating his own path of rediscovery, Ali finds a spark of hope. She vows to embrace a "champagne summer"—a season of living fully, celebrating life’s little joys, and finding happiness on her own terms.

I found Annabel’s writing is both tender and evocative, capturing the emotional depth of Ali’s journey while also infusing the narrative with moments of lightness and joy. The chemistry between Ali and Ethan is swoon worthy, and their budding romance offers a sweet counterbalance to the heavier themes of the novel. However, it is Ali’s personal growth that takes center stage, making this story as much about self-love as it is about finding love with someone new who accepts you as you 🥹

The perfect summer read.

This was my first Annabel Monaghan book and I absolutely loved the writing style. The FMC just felt refreshing and relatable while the MMC was layered and just absolutely swoon-worthy. Thank you so much for the ARC and I can’t wait to pick up another one of her books!

[4.25 stars]

After now reading all 3 of Monaghan’s romance novels, I’ve realized I really like her writing style. It seems slightly more elevated than your average romance writing. And, not overly banter-y like Emily Henry. I think Monaghan is becoming my Emily Henry. Ali Morris, a mom of 3 kids living in Beechwood, NY (a fictional town set on the Long Island Sound), lost her mom two years prior and, one year after losing her mom, her husband told her he wanted a divorce. After a period where she completely falls apart, Ali finally ventures out without her wedding ring…to the dog park. Her dog pees on the foot of a good looking guy and things take off from there. He’s only visiting, so this is meant to be a fun summer romance. Beyond the romance, this story is about a woman who lost herself in her marriage figuring out who she is and what she wants again. And, learning how to use her voice. I also loved the lessons about grief and loss and risking those things to put yourself in a position for happiness. The ending surprisingly got to me, leaving me with a super warm and emotional feeling.

Ali is having a hard time after the death of her mother and her separation with her husband. What could be better than a rebound summer romance?

I absolutely loved this sweet and easy read. I loved watching Ali become more of who she was before everything happened and put herself first. I loved the romance with Ethan; he was so dreamy and I loved that he was a skateboarder! He was so uniquely himself and I think Ali was really attracted to that. Ali and Ethan seemed like people I might know and that’s a big selling point. They had real issues to deal with, but put them aside for love.

I hoped Ali’s job as an organizer would inspire me to clean up my own home, but there’s still time! I do wish Ali hadn’t let herself become such a doormat with her ex-husband. He was awful!

Thank you so much @putnambooks for my gifted ebook. Summer Romance is out now.