This was a little bit sad and heart-wrenching but mostly just beautiful. There was a nice small amount of ex husband vengeance but mostly the focus was on how the FMC rediscovered herself. I loved it.

5 stars.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A very sweet story. Kind of like the title, it is a pretty simple and straightforward small town romance. No real twists or complications. I loved the relationship between Ali and Phyllis and found myself wanting more relationship development in other areas. Realistic and relatable. No open door steam. Certainly would make a nice and relaxing beach read.

✨ 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 ✨

𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝘆 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗲𝗹 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗵𝗮𝗻
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:
☀️ best friend’s brother
💛 single mom
☀️ small town romance
💛 dealing with grief & divorce
☀️ slow burn
💛 closed door romance/fade to black
☀️ one POV (FMC’s)

Ali has been dealing with the grief of losing her mother. Ali & her mother had not only a mother/daughter relationship, but they were best friends. Ali’s husband also left her & Ali just finds herself unable to make decisions for herself. This is till she meets a man at the dog park & this man has sparked feelings in her that she hasn’t felt in a while. When she finds out that Ethan is only here for a couple weeks, Ali decides to take a chance on a summer romance.

It’s not often I read a closed door romance, but I can always guarantee that when I read one of Annabel Monaghan’s closed door romances, I am going to love it! I loved all of the wittiness, the humor, the meet cute, the connection, the self discovery, the rollercoaster process of dealing with grief, & so much more!! If you’re looking for your next perfect beach/summer read, this one is it!

Another good one by this author! She’s got a good formula going - underloved wife with kids that randomly meets the most amazing guy and she has to convince herself she deserves it. I like how there wasn’t additional drama with the ex husband. It seemed realistic and love the setting - the town sounds adorable. I liked Ali and could understand her thoughts and feelings and wanted her to love again, and felt every anguish she felt with her kids.

A perfect book pairing for summertime.

Ali has been living for a year separated from her husband when she finally decides to get herself put back together. Just in time to meet Ethan at the dog park. After a perfect first date with Ethan she learns he is really her friend’s weird little brother that everyone called Scooter that moved away years ago.

Ethan helps Ali find herself again, Separate from being a wife, a mom. But can he move back home to the place everyone knows him as Scooter and unreliable.

“ When I’m quiet I can hear my heart yearning for impossible things. I want a perfectly pared-down home, and I want to hang on to every scrap of the past. I want a break from my kids without missing a single minute of their lives. I long for a partnership, and I long for freedom. I long to be enmeshed with someone without losing myself.”.

I found myself smiling so much in this light and fluffy read. This book easily went to the top of my list of Annabel Monaghan’s books.

"Summer Romance" is a sweet and heartwarming romance novel that will make the perfect poolside or beach read this summer. Somehow, this was my first Annabel Monaghan book, and I will definitely be reading more. I loved the charming characters and setting. Ali is a relatable main character who is facing real-life problems as a 30-something single mother in the midst of a divorce. This book tackled so many issues we women face in a thoughtful and deliberate manner. I enjoyed reading about Ali's journey of self-discovery, and you just can't help but root for her.

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I fall more in love with Annabel Monaghan every time she releases a new book, and its safe to say I'm head over heels after reading Summer Romance.

The opening of this book warmed me to Ali so much. She is paying homage to her mom, "Fancy", on the second anniversary of her death by making her three kids cookies for breakfast. Recently divorced (Pete asked for a divorce on the one-year anniversary of her mothers death), Ali's life is at a standstill and she can't seem to even get out of sweatpants most days. I loved when her best friend Frannie asks in the first chapter, "Tell me what pants you're wearing and I'll tell you exactly how much of a mess you are."

Buoyed by her revelation that she doesn't like making the coffee that Pete preferred during their marriage, Ali decides one day to take off her wedding ring, place it on Pete's favorite coffee ingredient, and get dressed for the day -- in something other than sweatpants. During an excursion to the dog park, her dog Ferris pees on the shoes of a handsome stranger named Ethan, who is undeterred by the urine but very interested in Ali. A date occurs. Sparks fly. Cut to an event with Frannie's family and we find out that Ethan is Frannie's younger brother, the mess-up kid who went by Scooter and was always getting in trouble.

Even though this revelation throws Ali off for a bit, she and Ethan embark on -- you guessed it -- a summer romance. Swoon. Monaghan does romance, banter, chemistry, like she has a freaking PHD in love. I couldn't stop reading. I loved their story, and the dynamics of a single mom with three kids, a man trying to leave his past behind him, and the real life work of comingling lives. Chef's kiss! It was perfect.

May we all have a champagne summer! Five big stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

I love Monaghan's romances. It's a breath of fresh air to read about romance later in life, as if your late 30s are later in life! But coming off of a romance with a 29yo protagonist, this was book was a welcome change. I do think the ending tied up a bit too nicely but otherwise it was a relatable story with great characters. Always get the dog.

4.5⭐️

Summer Romance was... the perfect summer romance! I adored this book from start to finish. I have fallen in love with Annabel Monaghan's books and writing style. This book toes the line between women's fiction and romance, blending the two genres to make such an impactful and beautiful read.

This one is my favorite of Annabel's to date. This book is a love letter to girls who are going through a change in their lives and want to get their spark back. Ali, the main character, is a superstar mom and I loved reading her story. Her character makeup and development were so wonderful to witness and handled so well!

The romance is... perfection! These two are an unlikely match that works so well. Ethan is exactly what Ali needs and Ali is exactly what Ethan has desired. The pining, the communication, the mutual understanding, and the overall chemistry were to die for!!! I love them so much and I quite literally smiled at their little moments, it feels like they got their chance at young love.

I HIGHLY recommend checking this book out. It was a beautiful summer read with so much depth and perfect for those in many different phases of life. This book will be a new go-to recommendation!

Read if you love:
- best friend's brother
- summer romance
- found family
- closed door
- banter
- single mom
- cinnamon roll MMC
- childhood crush "it's always been you"

*check trigger warnings including loss of a parent, grief, etc.*

I read this book very quickly and kind of had the feeling like nothing much was happening the whole time, but I wanted to hang out in this world anyway. I especially appreciated the FMC's believable and prioritized relationship with her kids, without them becoming moppets or cloyingly precocious as can often happen. And the way she deals with the end of her functional-but-not-actually-good-for-her marriage and subsequent coparenting is refreshing and quietly inspirational. Would recommend to just about any contemporary romance reader.

I’m gonna start this by saying that I am in my Annabel Monaghan era. I have read 2 books back to back and I have loved loved loved both. The only reason I haven’t read Nora yet is because I don’t want my Annabel summer era to end!

They way she writes is magical. I love how all her main characters are so mature, down to earth and relatable. Ali was so amazing and I was rooting for her from the start. This book tackles so many emotions from grief, to motherhood to self identity and it does it in such a special way.

If you’ve never read one of her books, do yourself a favor and go to the book store right now!

Such a cute summer read. It was so fun and keep me entertained. I wish I could Read it for the first time again.

I loved Summer Romance SO MUCH. Ethan is the BEST and this story is full of relatable and memorable moments! Our book club had the best time reading the arc and discussing it.

Thank you to Putnam for the eARC. All thoughts are my own.

When you think summer beach reads, Annabel Monaghan should be at the top of your list! I loved Nora Goes Off Script and thought Same Time Next Summer was the perfect little summer read. And I am thrilled to say Summer Romance was everything I was dreaming of for AM's most recent book!

First off, can we talk about how fun this cover is?! I love! If that doesn't look you, the story certainly will :) I felt for the FMC, Ali, in those first few chapters- man has she been through it! Truthfully, I couldn't really relate to Ali as a single parent grieving both her marriage and the death of a parent, but I still felt like AM wrote Ali in a way I could still find other things to connect with her on. I loved Ali's journey as she rebuilt her life and redefined what she wanted that life to look like. And y'all know I'm instantly all in on any book that has a brother's best friend trope, so it was pretttty clear (to me at least) that I was going to love Ethan. He was the perfect mix of sweet, goofy, and laid-back and was the perfect compliment to Ali.

Seriously, if you are looking for the sweetest book to throw in your beach bag, this should be it!

Professional organizer Ali is determined not to let her grief make a mess of her life anymore following mother’s death and the dissolution of her marriage. When Ali and her dog meet a handsome stranger she feels an attraction she hasn’t felt in years. Only to find out afterwards it’s her best friend’s little brother Ethan who hasn’t come in years in order to make his own way as a lawyer. Ali and Ethan strike up a deal, she’ll help clean out his parent’s house if Ethan helps with her divorce settlement. But the attraction is too strong for them to ignore. As Ethan shows Ali she can create the life she wants, he own job and obligations out of town mean Ethan isn’t planning on sticking around for long. Can Ali and Ethan find some way to make this new and supportive relationship work?

There are so many things I loved about this book from Ali taking life into her own hands in her grief and Ethan being such a positive support for her unlike her husband. The small town communities and people for both Ali and Ethan are wonderful to picture and read about. What a great summer romance!

I so enjoyed the story of Ali and Ethan. It's wonderful to see adults traversing real life and relationships and this was just a great entertaining read. I will look forward to reading more books by Annabel Monaghan. Highly recommended!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of Summer Romance in exchange for an honest review. Summer Romance is available now.

Ok hear me out on this one… I absolutely love Annabel’s writing and the way she seems to structure these bingeable romances!!! But this is the second book where she seems to toe the line of cheating and it always makes me so uncomfortable! In Summer Romance our main female character begins dating a man when she’s STILL MARRIED!!!! This might be a hot take, but “separated” is still married. You are not divorced yet. I’m sorry if that’s inconvenient to your dating life, but let’s call a spade a spade. For that reason alone, I could get on board with this romance.

First of all, Annabel Monaghan deserves to be in all the summer romance convos because she continues to put out bangers. If you don’t know, now you know!!

Ali’s mom died two years ago. One year ago, her husband Pete asked for a divorce and it’s felt like she’s been in a fog throughout it all.

This summer she’s filing to make the divorce final and is making an effort to wear hard pants again. IYKYK🤣

Her kids are busy with summer camps all summer, so she’s at the dog park alone one morning when her dog meets someone new.

Cue all the reasons why this someone new won’t work out. But Ali goes for it anyways.

This was such an enjoyable read for me. Call me old fashioned but I love a feel-good romance with no spice 😂🤭

Do yourself a favor and add Monaghan to your summer reading list. And add her back list too! You won’t regret it. Unless you need spice in your books. Then you might 😂

Thanks to #netgalley, the publisher and the author for this e-arc!

Annabel Monaghan had become a "must read" author for me. I enjoyed "Nora Goes off Script" and I loved "Same Time Next Summer" but I think "Summer Romance" is her best one yet! Ali, our main character, is a mom of 3 kids who is navigating life, the loss of her beloved mother and a divorce. As the title of the book suggests, yes, there is romance but this is also the story of a woman finding herself after years of putting her husband and children before herself. This is a beautifully written novel and I loved the ending.

Thank you to the publisher for the digital advance copy of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion!

After reading Nora goes off Script, Annabel Monaghan became an auto-buy author for me. While I did not love her last one, she redeemed herself with Summer Romance!

Ali is grieving the loss of her mother and the dissolution of her marriage. Her house is a mess, and she hasn't changed out of sweatpants in 2 years when she meets a cute guy at a dog park. His name is Ethan, and turns out, he's her friends younger brother, who she hasnt seen in years.

I loved Annabels writing style. I thought the way she wrote about grief, especially the relationship you have with your mom was beautiful. I viscerally hated Ali's ex husband Pete and wanted to punch him in the face several times. I thought the banter between Ethan and Ali was realistic, albeit at times, cheesy. I loved her relationship with her elderly neighbor Phyllis.

The only reason I docked a star off was because of her relationship with Frannie. It did not read like she and Frannie were best friends. I kept waiting for Frannie to be fleshed out more and it never happened.