⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.5/5)

‘Summer Romance’ by Ann Monaghan was the perfect way to close out the summer. 📖☀️ It’s a beautifully written story about grief, loss, love, & finding happiness when everything seems to be falling apart. Poor Ali—she’s coping with the death of her mother, her husband suddenly announcing he wants a divorce, & the daunting task of piecing her life back together. 💔

I really enjoyed the depth of the characters, their relationships, & the introspection that came with it all. While the story was a bit predictable, it was still a heartfelt journey to watch unfold. If you’re looking for a great beach read, this is it! 🌊📚

This was my first read from Ann Monaghan, but it certainly won’t be my last.

A big thank you to #NetGalley, #SummerRomance, and @penguinrandomhouse for the ARC. My thoughts are entirely my own.

What didn't this book have. Nothing, to me it was the perfect summer read. I have enjoyed each and everyone one of Monaghan's books so going in I had high expectations.

I loved that the characters are mature, it delt with death of a parent and expectations of a wife, mother and friend that can become overwhelming.

Ali was an inspiration and you wanted nothing but the best for her. The dynamic of the children, her ex and even her father are all so well written.

I fell in love right along with Ali and Scooter ❤️

Such a cute summer book! Gave me similar vibes to happiness for beginners but the banter was so much funnier and I liked the characters more!

I'm glad I read this because I enjoyed it much more than Nora Goes Off Script. I liked the main characters, small-town setting, and short-term summer romance premise. I thought Ali was very relatable (despite not being a mom myself), and her self-realization of how her ex and even her mom treated her was really interesting to see. I think the theme of grief was explored pretty well - it was clear that she was conflicted by how she felt and navigated that. I liked Ethan, but he admittedly had some questionable lines, and his nickname got old pretty fast. I thought the inclusion of her kids was well-balanced. However, I have to say that the choice of name for her children was very odd.

Overall, this was a fun and easy read for the summer (although for me, it is the dead middle of September, three months after release...), and I recommend this to those looking for just that. Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam, and Annabel Monaghan for the opportunity to read this!

If you are looking for a sweet, closed-door romance novel - look no further than Annabel Monaghan’s latest - Summer Romance.

Summer Romances are meant to be just that - or are they, or can they be? Ali Morris is going through a lot. Her mom recently passed away and her husband has left her with three small children. Her life is a mess, literally. Enter her best friend’s younger brother Ethan who has had a crush on her basically her whole life.

One teeny tiny problem. Ali’s best friend has said Ethan is off limits. What follows is a summer filled with Ali trying to rediscover who she really is. Ethan certainly helps the process. Along the way, the two of them form a relationship of understanding that at the end of the summer it will end. Or will it?

Another great read!

Thank you to both the publisher G.P. Putnam’s Sons and the author for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I really loved SAME TIME NEXT SUMMER, but I just could not get into this one! I started it many times but just did not connect with the characters or fall into the story. Sometimes it's just a case mood reading, so perhaps it was all me--nothing particular stood out as *why*, so I still recommend this book to others. I'd just recommend SAME TIME NEXT SUMMER first.

Huge apologies to the author & publishers as I posted my review on goodreads but it did not get posted here.

I loved this book! Is January 24th too early to have read my favorite book of 2024 already?

The way the author navigated grief of a parent, her marriage and at times, her old life and dreams, was tastefully done. I found all the characters likable and was not sure how it would end! I enjoyed her previous books and I totally recommend this one. Annabel Monaghan has become an auto-buy author for me and I can't wait to see what she publishes next!

Thank you NetGalley & the publishers for this advanced readers copy!

I absolutely LOVED watching these characters come into themselves and explore their passions. I have a deep appreciation that this “finding yourself” novel was not a YA romance. Which reminds me of the famous words of SFF "its never to late to be who you want to be. These two falling in love was magical and their chemistry was there. t’s hard to describe without giving too much away. HOWEVER, a meet cute at a dog park set my little heart on fire!!! Annabel has such a wonderful ability to write a relatable 40-something female character who is still trying to figure out her life much like the rest of us and she will forever be one of my favorites for it.

I knew I was going to love this one…I loved Nora Goes off Script and Same Time Next Summer but this might be my favorite yet!

Monaghan writes the best characters - I love reading stories of those my age too! All love stories can’t be about young 20 something’s!

This book made me laugh and cry - finding yourself after a loss of any kind isn’t easy and it was so fun getting to be part of it all!

When I tell you I almost passed on when I received this arc is an understatement. Annabel Monaghan has become one of my favorite authors and this book was great. This book follows Ali who has gone through some hardships and meets Ethan who helps her overcome some. Although this book is a romance and we get to see how their relationship unravels, I also enjoy how Monaghan develops her characters and allows us to see Ali's growth. Ali's self-growth elevates this book to something that even if you have not gone through a divorce you still reflect on your own life and see that sometimes learning how to be free and certain hardships can make you a better person.

Annabel Monaghan has become a favorite author, and I'm glad to say I've really enjoyed each of her books so far, Summer Romance included. Her books are perfect for summer; not only taking place in summer, but striking the right balance between being lighthearted and incorporating some heavier topics. I loved seeing Ali pick herself back up after losing her mom and going through a divorce, but also loved the reminder that healing doesn't take place in isolation, it happens in relationship and community with others. I also loved seeing her and Ethan's relationship develop and how they both encouraged and supported each other.

I definitely recommend the book and already can't wait for Monaghan's next book.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the eARC.

This was such a cute summer binge read. I loved the characters, the setting. Overall It was just a sweet story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the E-ARC.

All thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.

I ended up listening to the audiobook for this one and really liked how easy it was to listen to.

There were a lot of real life emotions and humor in this story which I really appreciated and enjoyed. It felt relatable which can be hard to do without coming off like you are trying too hard.

I will say that I wish this one wasn't as closed door in the romance department as it was. I needed just a little spice to believe in their chemistry more.

Overall, another winner from Annabel Monaghan and I look forward to her next book!

Thank you NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam and Annabel Monaghan for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Summer Romance is my first book from Annabel Monaghan and I really enjoyed it.

Ali is stuck. Her mom died 2 years ago and her husband left their marriage a year ago. She’s numb and just getting by.

Ethan is in town under special circumstances and he runs into Ali.

Both of them have personal obstacles to deal with and they support each other so they can overcome them.

This was a slow burn and closed door book but it had just enough tension to show their connection. The conflict seemed understandable and realistic - the outcome was a little fairytale but I liked it.

This was my first Annabel book but won't be my last. Thank you for a book with a heroine not in her 20s or even early 3os, with kids transitioning from the end of a marriage that didn't work into this next phase of her life. My goodness I appreciated this book so much!

This was so cute! I really enjoyed how this was not only a romance but a story of rediscovering yourself. I enjoyed the summer setting and also the aspect of family love and grief that was woven in. I would definitely recommend this for anyone who is looking for a romance that has a single mother finding her happiness again.

4.5 beautiful stars!

I really loved this book. I read a lot of romances; it’s probably my favorite genre. However, so few focus on women my age. Women with children and families and family problems. I think that ‘s why I liked this one so much – I could relate to Ali, even if I’ve never been through some of the life experiences she had gone through.

The chemistry between Ethan and Ali was so good. The supporting characters, including Greer, Iris, and Cliffy, were all great. Pete was so incredibly unlikeable, and yet, I didn’t mind him hanging around because he served as an excellent foil to Ethan.

I cried sad tears and happy tears while reading this one…and enjoyed the added bonus of wanting to organize and purge my home when I was done.

I devoured this book with my friend this summer. This author is truly beyond gifted. I love that she releases new reads around summertime when you are craving beach side reads. This book had heart and the characters were so memorable.

Also posted on goodreads. Thanks netgalley for the arc! This was an easy read about a fresh start at any point in your life. I liked it, but feel like I’ve read similar types of books to this so it wasn’t very unique. I did enjoy reading the main character find her confidence but was annoyed at how much she would “talk” to her mom. Overall a cute, average read

Ethan and Ali's story is an easy, predictable love story. It was a fast summer beach read with not much character development. I wish there was more.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!