*Summer Romance* by Annabel Monaghan has quickly become my second favorite book by the author, only slightly trailing behind *Nora Goes Off Script*. Honestly, both books are probably tied for the top spot, but I have a soft spot for author debuts.

*Summer Romance* was an absolute delight to read. I binged the audiobook and finished it within 24 hours.

As a thirty-something mom myself, I really connected with the main character, Ali, who is a newly single mom learning to prioritize herself.

Ethan, the male lead, is an adult who can't seem to shake off the lazy teenager reputation he earned in high school. I loved how Ali sees beyond that, and how, over time, others begin to reconsider their preconceived notions of him as well.

If you’re a fan of the best friend’s brother trope or long-distance relationships, this is a rom-com you’ll likely enjoy. And if you haven’t read any of Annabel Monaghan’s novels yet, be sure to add them to your TBR list!

Thank you to NetGalley & Penguin Group Putnam for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I adore Annabel Monaghan and everything she writes. I love that she centers her books around women in their 30s just trying to find themselves and find love — and this book was no different.

The theme of grief is explored delicately but truthfully throughout the book in a way I haven't seen since I read One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle. There is something so special about a mother's love, even when they're no longer physically here, and I love that Annabel didn't shy away from including Ali's mom as a sort of character in the story.

Nothing feels sweeter than reading a book where the MMC has your fiancé's name, and Ethan proved to be just as wonderful as my real life Ethan is. I always knew he exuded the energy of a man written by a woman.

I loved Ali and Ethan together. They never held each other back and always cheered each other on. There's something so beautiful about finding love while you're healing, or reinventing/discovering parts of yourself. It reminds us that we are worthy of love at any stage of life, even if we're going through a divorce, or mourning the loss of a parent, or simply trying to be a good mom. Those things did not make Ali unworthy of love, and Ethan was man enough to recognize that and pursue her the way she deserved to be pursued.

I'll read anything and everything Annabel Monaghan writes because I love the way she approaches romance, and I definitely recommend Summer Romance to anyone who needs to be reminded that they are deserving of love no matter how 'messy' their life is.

I adore Annabel Monaghan and will read anything she writes. So i was thrilled to receive the advanced reader copy of this book from NetGalley.

Swoony, summertime romance at its finest. Highly recommend.

This story is definitely perfect for summer, but also has deeper themes you’ll love. This was a beautiful love story, there was so many beautiful quotes in this story!! The character development was chef's kiss. You felt Ethan's love in every interaction. He loved her with his all and prioritized making her feel safe and such a good communicator. This is definitely an amazing book club read with themes outside of the main romance i.e motherhood, grief, building confidence, coparenting, etc. I enjoy this author's writing style and super excited for her next release.

My favorite thing about this book was that it was a love story for a demographic that doesn't often get to have their happily ever afters. I did not expect the book to be as melancholy as it was but overall it was a very sweet story of a women taking her power back even if it was hard for me to relate to.

I had a lot of fun reading and listening to this story. It was a refreshing, heartwarming read and as a middle aged woman myself; I found it super relatable, especially during the self-discovery moments.
Ali’s moments of trying to get back into the dating game and embarrassing herself had me chuckling out loud. She gets nervous and proceeds to have “diarrhea of the mouth.” One line I highlighted in my Kindle was: “I wish someone would shove a sandwich in my mouth to shut me up.” LOL
There were a couple of things that I was not a fan of. One, there was some repetitive use of the same words when describing things. The one that comes to mind is “Costco-sized.” Two, during the audio it was difficult to tell if Ali was having inner dialogue or actually speaking out loud. I had to go back to the e-book to double-check. Lastly, I felt the story was too long for what it was and it could have been shortened by about 75 pages or so. Even so, I enjoyed the read and will likely pick up another book by her. I would recommend this book if you’re looking for a light and/or palette cleanser read.

Annabel Monaghan has been a favorite of mine since her first book, and Summer Romance has delivered again! I love that she centers her books on older characters, which gets rid of a lot of the miscommunication or childish antics that usually irk me. It also shows that no matter your age love is possible and hard. And that you are never too old to grow as a person. Great balance of family, romance, small town vibes, and personal discovery that all build into one of my favorite reads this year.

Summer Romance was yet again, such an enjoyable romance read for me, just like Monaghan's other novels. I loved all of these characters from the get-go and found myself rooting for them after the very first chapter. While the overall ending was probably just as you'd expect it to be, I absolutely loved the pages read to get to that satisfying ending, and still enjoyed many of the surprises along the way too.

Monaghan has easily become an auto-read author for me, as I have truly enjoyed every single one of her novels thus far, and will continue to read everything that she writes! If you are looking for your next summery read, I think this is a safe bet to be exactly that!

Wanted to love this more, but the pacing felt too slow to really get behind the main love story. Still an enjoyable story, but didn’t live up to the hype for me.

I loved this book! It was the perfect balance of plot, good characters, and romance. Loved how the main character grew throughout the book.

This was such a cute and lovely story to read.
Thank you Penguin for the oportunity to read this book, i enjoyed a lot.

Absolutely loved this one! I love reading romances where the MCs are closer to my age and this one really delivered. I hated Pete and I know we’re supposed to but man, he really sucked. I loved the twist with this with who Ethan was this was just such a good closed door romance

Such a quiet and charming romance. It’s about learning to love and take risks, even when you can’t be sure how long things will last and know first hand that nothing is forever. Annabel’s writing is simple in the best possible way, even down to the sentence structure it’s so easy and pleasant to consume. I really loved Ali and I fell for Ethan quick. Watching Ali struggle with her grief of missing her mom while also being angry with her was a vulnerability I didn’t know I needed. The addition of her kids and knowing Ali through her relationship with Ethan but also as a mother helped truly understand who she was. In all of Ethan’s relationships, he meets the other where they are. He’s supportive and encouraging but allows his people to simply exist as they are. The way he shows up for Ali is really something else, and every time he puts on his costume for his lawyer gig had me kicking my feet. This book manages to take a no strings attached fling and add so much heart and depth with these characters.

I did not enjoy this book, I pushed through reading it because I normally love this author but the tropes felt too forced and I did not feel a connection to any of the characters

4.5 stars

Ali is a stay at home mother of three who lost her mother, and then her marriage—but she’s only upset about one of those things. It’s a very dark two years for Ali, but she finally makes the decision to start finding ways to dig herself out of her misery. Enter the good looking man at the dog park! Except it turns out…Ali already knows him…or knew him, back when they were teenagers.

While an unlikely pairing, Ali finds that Ethan is helping her to rediscover who she is and the spark that she long ago lost. There’s only one problem…Ali lives in New York and Ethan lives in Massachusetts. Ali must decide if this is really going to be just a summer romance, or something more.

I have really enjoyed everything I’ve read by Annabel Monaghan! I really enjoyed this book because Ali really went through a transformation in an effort to not only find herself again, but to also set an example for her daughters.

Thank you, Net Galley and Penguin Random House for giving me the chance to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Fun summer read! This is the perfect book to throw in your beach bag. I enjoyed the older main characters and a second chance at love and happiness.

This book was absolutely amazing and beautiful. The story was so so wonderfully written, and truly left me wanting more and loving each and every one of the stories characters.

This book was just what the title says: a perfect summer romance read. I didn't love it as much as her other summer read but I loved how there was more depth than expected in a summer romance.

Ali's journey is inspiring, and I loved this one just as I loved Same Time Last Summer! It's realistic and beautiful, with a dash of romance and spice. The characters are delightful and I enjoyed the plot of a second chance of finding happiness and joy after heartbreak.
Thank you to the author and publishing house for this arc.

Summer Romance is a heartwarming novel about a newly single mother grappling with grief and rediscovering love.

Ali, a former accountant turned home organizer, is in a tough spot. Her husband has left her, and she’s mourning the loss of her mother, who was her biggest supporter. Her three children bring her happiness, but it’s been hard to cope with her grief, feelings of low self-worth, and inability to move forward. When her dog finds a new guy at the dog park to mark his claim on by peeing on him, Ali meets Ethan. It's when she starts to get to know him that she begins to find her own voice again and the spark of joy in her begins to flame up again.

I loved the gentle romance, but also the storyline of Ali's self-discovery. Seeing her start to regain her confidence in herself and her strength to be the person that he is meant to be is just wonderful. The conversations are funny, witty, and endearing. I loved how "real" the story is because life isn't just a fantasy - the real world has to deal with things like ex-husbands, kids schedules, finding your footing again after losing a parent, and trying to make two careers in different places work. This book touches on the reality of relationships in today's day and age.

This was a great read and a fun vacation treat to myself! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this Advance Copy in consideration for an honest review. All opinions are my own.