Ali Morris is a professional organizer whose own pantry (and life) is a mess. Her mother passed away two years ago, and then her husband left her, and she hasn’t worn real pants since. So no one is more surprised than her when she takes off her ring for the first time and puts on jeans for the first time in a long time and she meets someone. Or rather, her dog claims a man for her the same way he claimed his favorite of her children: by peeing on him. Ethan smiles at her and suddenly she finds herself in a whirlwind summer romance, and there’s no harm in that right?

I just love Annabel Monaghan’s writing. This was the sweetest romance and perfect for the start of June. Despite the lack of “hard pants” and a messy house, it’s nice to root for a main character who has her shit together. I’m definitely enjoying reading more stories about women close to my age as I grow older! This was a perfect balance of sweet with a touch of spice and I was rooting for Ali the whole time.

I am happy to say that Annabel Monaghan is now a must-read author for me. This is the first book of hers that I have read and I cannot wait to read more of her books.

Summer Romance is a book of second chances, falling in love with your friend’s brother, and most importantly finding yourself. These are all troupes that I enjoy and they were all in one amazing book.

Ali and Ethan are perfect for each other, they compliment each other perfectly, and accept each other as they are. I love their relationship with each other and with their families. They both have histories but together they look to the future.

Thank you Putnam Books for a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

My second Annabel Monaghan book and it did not disappoint. It has been two years since the passing of Ali's mom and one year since her husband announced he wanted a divorce. She's a newly single mom of three kids and navigating the grief that still holds her. She is a shell of who she once was and she can't figure out how she got to this point. Enter Ethan, who she meets at a dog park while with her dog Ferris, via a very fun meet-cute! He's handsome, confident, and actually SEES Ali. 🤩 PLOT TWIST! Ethan is actually her best friend's littler brother, Scooter. He is a grown man now, so it's no wonder she didn't put two and two together, right? 😉

The unraveling of the past, the joy (along with some grief) in the present, the rebirth of oneself, the hope for the future. I loved this book so much! Ethan is the sweetest MMC and he helps Ali to see herself as he's always seen her, mostly from a distance, but now up close. The transformation in Ali is beautiful. Her three kids are wonderful and I love all of their different personalities. Phyllis is a treasure of an older woman and I love her little snippets of wisdom.

Thank you, NetGalley, for my eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Annabel Monaghan writes with such a wonderful sense of humor! The characters and quirky, do weird things and are people we know and can relate to. Can a mom navigate a divorce with three kids and have a summer romance.? You bet! And it’s a fun entertaining read.

Summer Romance was the first book I read by this author and I loved it! It was a feel good romance about Ali, a soon to be divorcee, and Ethan, the younger brother of her good friend. He grew up and sparks flew. I loved that this wasn't the traditional 20- something meet cute, but a story of blending families, children, and adult issues to contend with. I couldn't put it down as I rooted for the couple.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. Officially published 6/4/24!
#SummerRomance #NetGalley #Putnam

Loved this one - perfect for the summer. You get a closed door romance with a single mother who has been struggling to feel and be happy, but then a handsome man enters the picture. In this one, you feel grief, struggles of parenting, finding one's identity/voice. Ali is super relatable and develops a very undeniable connection to Ethan. . Will this summer fling lead to anything serious and be their HEA? It was so so good - this one. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this eARC in exchange for my honest thoughts and yup - I already ordered my physical copy so I could have it on my shelf.

I loved this book so much. The last quarter I could feel it in my stomach! As a mom who sometimes feels like she's lost herself, I related to Ali. I was cheering her on the entire story.

Ethan, scooter, is so dreamy and admirable while trying to outlive his past. I never wanted to learn to skateboard more. The two of them together felt magical.

I devoured this book!!!
A must-read for the summer!

Thank you, NetGalley, for the E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

All of this author’s books have been huge misses for me so I entered into this one cautiously. I am happy to report that this is my favorite of hers! There were so many good topics of becoming a divorced mom and opening yourself up to new opportunities (like love!).

I enjoyed reading about the connects she had with her late mother and how she kept her memory alive. There’s lots of grief covered in this story and it felt so real and not overdone, like it’s just part of life so how do we cope and try to move forward.

Overall really glad I decided to give this author another chance!

Read if you like:
🫂 found family
🛹 skateboarding
🤗 feeling new again
🌶️ closed door spice

This book was adorable! A perfect summer read. Her books are always a delight to read and put me in a good mood. I found myself laughing at points, and I just love her writing. Nora will always be my favorite, but this was cute and made me happy. I thought the author did a great job of developing the main characters and the families. Loved the kids!!

I really enjoyed this quick summer read. It was fun and with humor but also serious real life issues. It had a nice pace and felt relatable which often romance novels do not to me. Thank you G.P. Putnam's Sons for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley.

Annabel Monaghan's 'Summer Romance' promises a lighthearted escape to a sun-drenched coastal town, but unfortunately, it ends up feeling more like a lukewarm dip in a shallow pool. While the premise holds potential – a romance blossoming amidst the backdrop of a vibrant summer festival – the execution fails to deliver the captivating charm one expects from a beach read. Look elsewhere for a charming summer romance, sadly.

×♾️
Ali Morris is grieving her mother Nancy when her husband Pete asks for a divorce. Ali has become a shell of her former self. When she meets a man at a dog park. Her dog Ferris pees on his foot. She thinks it will just be a summer Romance but it becomes so much more.

Grab a box of tissues. This book will have you reaching for it. I bawled. I love this book so much. I just ordered my own copy because I loved it so much.

Another great summer romance from Annabel Monaghan! Ali is a married mom who is dealing with the loss of her mother when her husband announces that he is leaving her. She finds that for years she has put herself on the back burner caring for everyone else. Her best friend challenges her to get back to her former self and she takes her advice and finds that things start to turn around. She may have even found love. This was a fun book and I just loved the characters and her storyline. Thank you to GP Putnam and Sons and to NetGalley for an early copy. Summer Romance is available now. I loved it!

A wonderfully relatable and heartfelt story from the author of Nora Goes Off Script (2022) and Same Time Next Summer (2023). Annabel Monaghan is back with the perfect beach read for Summer 2024, Summer Romance. Ali Morris is having a bad few years. Mourning the death of her mother two years ago and the recent break up of her marriage, the professional organizer’s life is a complete mess. A former accountant and mom of three, Ali realizes she needs to pull herself together and move forward with her life. When she has an embarrassing encounter at the dog park, her life takes an unexpected turn.

This title is more than just a fun romance. Monaghan explores serious topics like: the crippling nature of grief, learning how to overcome adversity and mastering the art of standing up for yourself. This dog owner especially loved the comparison of love to dog ownership - you know you’ll eventually get hurt but the experience is worth it. A fast paced and fantastic escape read that we have come to expect from this author.

Perfect for fans of Emily Henry and Carly Fortune. Thanks to Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for the advanced reader’s copy.

love Annabel Monaghan’s books! This was a 4.5 for me as it was a quick binge.

Alice is a mom of 3 who lost her mom 2 years ago. On the one year anniversary of her mother’s death, her husband told her she wants a divorce. Trying to cope, she puts herself into her organizing business while taking care of those around her. Until she meets Ethan… the guy her dog peed on at the dog park.

Ethan is in town for a quick trip and takes Alice on a date. He seems perfect, but doesn’t live here. Why does he look familiar?

While trying to do mediations with her future ex husband and trying to get to know Ethan as Ethan, how will Alice handle that and her 3 kids. Will she take time for herself?

This was a quick, cute rom-com with the most loveable characters! (Other than the ex, but he could be worse)

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

The perfect beach read! I love how relatable Annabel Monaghan books are. I have to admit the premise is not quite what I thought it would be, which ended up being totally okay.

While it was a romance with a mild spice level, there was also a woman searching for herself and what was going to make her happy. If you are in need of a quick summer pick me up this could be a wonderful choice.

For Readers Who Like:
- Short chapters
- Meet-cute
- Skater boys

Thank you @netgalley and @putnambooks for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Oh, what a delight! I loved Monaghan's debut, Nora Goes Off Script, and this one lived up to my expectations. It's a fun, summery romance that ticked all the boxes for me.

Ali and Ethan's dynamic was so sweet, and I liked that they were slightly older main characters. It's refreshing to read characters who can openly share their emotions, and the tension doesn't hinge on poor communication.

I also loved the setting of coastal New England and, overall, just found it enjoyable to spend time with these characters.

Ali Morris has had her life seemingly fall apart- her mom died, her marriage died and her surrogate parents decided to move. BUT her dog introduced her to a new person in town and her life starts to subtly change.

This book dealt with so much sadness and so much recovery. It was a beautiful exploration of coming back to oneself and the little things that can happen in order to put life back in order a bit. The characters were a lot of fun and it was such a satisfying read. Definitely one I'll recommend for summer!

#arc
#netgalley
#summerromance

I really enjoy Annabel Monaghan's books. I absolutely loved Nora Goes off Script and enjoyed Same Time Next Summer. Summer Romance ranks right up with Nora Goes off Script for me. This was such a fun heartwarming book. Ali is a soon to be divorced mom of three that lost her mom two years ago. She is stuck in limbo barely making it through her days when she meets Ethan at the local dog park. Little does she know where this summer romance will take her.

I enjoyed the changes that Ali went through with realizing how much she really is worth and what she deserves. Ali and Ethan were perfect together and the summer romance was fun and ended exactly how I figured it would. I do wish there was a little more spice in the book like Nora had, it was definitely implied.

Thank you NetGalley, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons and Annabel Monaghan for an ARC of Summer Romance for an honest review.

I am a huge fan of Annabel Monaghan. This book was highly anticipated and did not disappoint. Ali has not been herself lately. Her mother died, her husband asked for a divorce... it's just not good. Enter Ethan/Scooter who makes her feel light and more like herself than ever. Sadly, he will only be around for the summer. This is a fun romance that will give you all the feels. 4.5 stars