Ohhh I really loved this one! 😍 I always appreciate how Monaghan writes her main characters- there’s so much depth, love, and care for each of her leading ladies and SUMMER ROMANCE is no exception!

While this book is definitely a swoon-worthy romance, I feel like the story centers on Ali rediscovering and falling in love with herself, not just falling in love with a guy. I really appreciated that Ali had insecurities but wasn’t an overall insecure character; Ali’s ability to identify how she got to where she was in life, and which of those choices she made for others rather than herself, was really carefully and respectfully done. I loved how well-rounded this made Ali and it made her happiness even easier to root for!

There are also pieces of the story that focus on grief and all of the complicated feelings that you may feel when someone you love dies. I found these sections to be particularly emotionally resonant, and I definitely had tears in my eyes towards the end. ❤️

Overall, SUMMER ROMANCE felt like, well, a perfect summer romance! Emotional, funny, and hopeful, I finished feeling like I just had the best cry followed by a warm hug. I highly recommend you read this one when it comes out in a little more than a week!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review!

SUMMER ROMANCE by Annabel Monaghan ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 I just love Annabel Monaghan's writing so so much. If you want to laugh, feel hopeful, and also giddily kick your feet.... try her books!

Pub date June 4th

Ali is a professional organizer but her life is anything but. As 38 yr old mom of 3 who is going through a divorce and dealing with the recent death of her mother, she feels like she is barely staying afloat. When she meets a dreamy guy at the dog park, she decides to try out a light summer romance!

I found that the depictions of depression and the chaos of three children were so relatable. While the grief and ongoing healing from Ali losing her mother was dealt with beautifully, I'd still give a caution to those who have lost a parent.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Spice: 🌶️ closed door romance
Mood: 🌮🍫

“i don’t think i want to get married,” i tell my mom, just a few days ago. i’m in the middle of tying my shoes before we head out for brunch. “or date,” i correct myself, “i like being alone. i don’t think i ever want to be in a relationship again. it’s so much… stress. thinking about another person, that whole thing. i think i was really meant to be alone all this time.” my mom smiles to herself, like she knows something i don’t. “you might change your mind,” she offers, before standing up to lock the door, “you never know.”
 
what is it about our mothers, and their ability to release utterances in the wild that we don’t think will mean too much, at least for the next few days? and then, later, their words come back to haunt you.
 
“kels, what does this have to do with summer romance?” –my inner voice, some of you, maybe. i promise, it’ll all make sense.
 
this book felt like a love letter; not the flowery kind you’re thinking about, but the kind you write to your past self. something that goes along the lines of, “everything will work out someday. don’t you fret.”
 
it’s not to say that annabel makes that deliberate—it’s more of the way this entire romance was written. at the forefront we have ali, who’s dealing with both divorce and grief over losing her mother. in a way, this entire book is centered around grief—over a marriage, a mother, and a past self. these three are intertwined throughout the novel, where ali recounts how much of her marriage made her feel small—encouraged, albeit unknowingly, by her mother, who just wanted her to have the perfect life. i don’t think you ought to have been in marriage to feel the former. i think, in some ways, anyone can relate to shrinking yourself down to make the puzzle pieces fit; whether it be in a job, a long-term relationship, friendship, or even within your own family.
 
ethan, the male lead, is also evidence of that. but, it’s a different kind of grief; the kind that’s eager to move on. in retrospect, there’s also evidence that he mourns—but of the aftermath.

it’s as if he grieves the kind of person people know him to be, and assume he still is. i think if you’ve ever had a sort of dramatic shift in personality from your teenage to early twenties years, then you’ll know what i’m talking about. it’s akin to finally feeling like you’ve known who you are and being relieved that you do, but also harboring this certain resentment for people who respond with a surprised reaction.
 
while ethan and ali couldn’t be any more different, the latter binds them together. ali struggles with going back to her old self; once she’d lost in her marriage, while ethan is tasked with moving forward to convince others that he isn’t the lost boy they all thought he was. i think, whether you relate more to ali to ethan, you’ll find yourself in both of them. that’s sort of the magic around this book—you find yourself so deeply unmoored by how you relate to the characters individually, and unknowingly so. when i say unmoored, however, i mean this in the best way possible.
 
annabel monaghan’s writing is the kind that lifts you up and makes you feel like hope isn’t a bad thing. it’s the kind that can turn nonbelievers into fledgling romantics—and i think a lot of that has to do with how simple yet powerful her prose is. it’s a quiet kind of romance that doesn’t rely on grand gestures or sweeping acts of love; it’s the kind of romance that calls you to cherish the moments in between. small actions, comfortable silences, and the ability to feel wholly yourself; how love, sometimes, is the act of understanding a person fully—and nothing else. ethan and ali’s relationship is mature, balanced, and one of the healthiest ones i’ve ever seen. there’s no dramatics in it—but rather a kind of profound simplicity that captures the complexity of a true relationship.
 
this is where the first bit trickles in—and where, hopefully, i can show you why i included it.

romance books are special in the way their meaning, and how you approach them, changes. i’ve had my fair share of luck this year, having books just come to me when i needed them the most, despite me reading them on a whim. summer romance was the healing kind for me; the one that made me want to renege the statement i sure-footedly declared to my mom. it was honest proof of how romance books are sometimes filled with more lessons on self-discovery than some other genres; because ultimately, how you process or react to them can be telling of where you are in life.
 
reading summer romance made me stop in my tracks—it made me think that maybe, down the line, i’d still be capable of opening myself up like that to someone, too. it was a reckoning of the kind of thoughts that have been echoing in my brain for some time—this sort of perpetual question on whether or not love was even worth the risk. why do we fall in love, anyway, when we have absolutely no certainty that it’s going to work out? phyllis, one of my favorite characters in the book, likens it to owning a dog—we adopt one, certain they’re going to die at some point, but we still invest our hearts and souls in them. “spring always comes,” she says, and that’s fact. my simple shift from bleak literary fiction to sunshine-and-rainbows-romance is proof of that—somehow, we all find healing in the end.

what does it mean, then, for me now? to be honest, i don’t know. but maybe my mom is right, as she always is—and even how fancy, ali’s mom, is. maybe we change our minds in the end. maybe i’ll find someone, maybe i won’t. maybe i’m not ready yet to fully render myself vulnerable to someone new, but who’s to say that i won’t be ready forever? no one can ever be certain.
 
but one thing i am certain about is that when it comes to it, i want to find a love like ethan and ali’s. the kind that’s both understanding and forgiving; not full of sweet missives and grandiosity, but rather one brimming with the profound simplicity of allowing yourself be known.

This one had so much potential but just didn’t hit. I’ve enjoyed the previous Annabel Monaghan books I’ve read so I had really high hopes for this one but it fell short.

Ali’s character wasn’t fleshed out enough for me. I needed her to have more backbone. And Ethan/Scooter was cute but also seemed much younger than the FMC which wasn’t the case. The relationship just never took off for me and it felt very instalove/instalust.

However, the last 30% of the book started to engage me more and I enjoyed the scenes when the side characters were involved the most. The best friend, the children, the meddling old neighbor. I actually even shed a tiny tear towards the end. So in the end, I ended up liking the book just not loving it for a summer read.

"Summer Romance" by Annabel Monaghan is a total gem of a summer read! Imagine this: Ali, fresh from a divorce and navigating life as a single mom, accidentally meets this hot guy Ethan—because her dog literally pees on him at the dog park. Talk about an unusual icebreaker, right? Turns out, he's her bestie's little brother, all grown up and totally swoon-worthy.

Their story's got everything—a slow burn romance that just feels so right, some deep personal growth, and of course, loads of beachy vibes that make you want to soak up the sun. It's like Monaghan knows exactly how to mix the perfect cocktail of feels and fun. Plus, the family dynamics and the kids add such a realistic touch. Absolutely adored it! Perfect for our next beach day read or when you just wanna chill and feel the summer breeze. So, when are we hitting the beach to gossip more about Ethan and Ali's cute summer fling turned oh-so-much-more? 🌊💕

Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for my advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

SUMMER ROMANCE was a delight to read. It was not only relatable and sweet but also funny. I thought Allie was a great mother and also a great daughter. Her love for her mother is shown throughout the entire story and I really enjoyed that. Overall, this a sweet romance that will put a smile on your face and leave you feeling happy. I can confidently recommend getting yourself a copy.

Many thanks to G.P. Putnam and Sons and NetGalley for my gifted copy.

This review will be shared to @coffee.break.book.reviews closer to pub date.

I am so honored to have received Summer Romance to review a few months ago. . I was very excited since I loved Annabel’s other two books. I downloaded it not long after my mother died. I want to give an honest review but I cannot read this book right now. I know I will love it once I am ready but reading a book mentioning the death of a mother is just simply too hard for me.

Read if you like:
🤰🏼 Single Mom’s
👯‍♀️ Best Friend’s Brother
🔥 Slow Burn
🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 Family
💍 Divorce

This book was so much better than I expected and I truly loved it so much!

I loved the depth of emotion and the way that the slow burn intensified this feeling of building the emotional & undeniable connection between our main characters as they each faced their hard things, and had the support of each other to grow.

Also, Omg, the he falls first and Scooter’s story about his falling first made my heart soar!

All in all, this is the perfect summer beachy romance with all the emotions and I highly recommend it!

Thank you so much to Putnam for my ARC & to PRHA for my gifted audiobook in exchange for my honest review!

Annabel Monaghan does it again! Summer Romance is the perfect summer read!
Ali is freshly divorced with 3 kids. She has had a difficult 2 years with her mother dying and her divorce. She meets a handsome stranger at the dog park. He happens to be her best friend's little brother. Scooter is the town screw up and no one can see it he ways he has changed in the decades since he has left the town. They are a great pair that see the best in each other and help each other grow.
#netgalley #netgalleyreads #netgalleyreviewer #netgalleyreview #netgalleyarc #netgalleyarcs #netgalleyarcreviewer #arcreview #annabelmonaghan

It isn't summer without a new Annabel Monaghan romance!

I adored Nora Goes Off Script in 2022, but I wasn't sure what to expect with her upcoming release, Summer Romance.

I loved it.

It was a quick read for me, and I thought it was so endearing and sweet. The story featured themes of grief and self-identity, but it still felt more lighthearted than heavy.

I really wanted to love this book, but it honestly fell flat for me. I guessed the ending (with how everything works out / wraps up). It was a nice story, but it was a little hard for me to get into. I did enjoy Ethan and how he showed up for Ali in so many ways. I feel like the book had a lot of plot lines flowing but not enough time to fully dive into them all. I think this book overall was not for me, but clearly has been enjoyed by many. I will be trying some of this author's other books. I did like how the author brought in Ali's children and their personalities into the story. I also wish Pete grew up a little.

The piece with her mother reminded me a little bit of One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle, which I did enjoy. The meet cute in the beginning also reminded me of The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez.

Super cute! I liked this A LOT more than her second novel. This was almost as good as Nora - I got similar vibes, but the similarities in the FMC were almost TOO much, and it kind of felt like a copy + paste of Nora. Overall, I was happy and thought it was a sweet romance.

THE ROMANCE OF THE SUMMER!

Reeling from the death of her mother and her impending divorce from her assh*le husband, Ali is finding it difficult to find the motivation to change out of her sweats and into “hard pants.”

Until one day she meets cute guy Ethan at the dog park (when her dog pees on him), and feels a spark of attraction. When that attraction is reciprocated and they have a perfect first date, she’s confounded that she doesn’t hear from him again. When she runs into him at her best friend’s house and realizes he’s Scooter, the ne’er do well younger brother, that complicates things. Except that he’s not that guy anymore. He’s sweet, bright, caring Ethan who looks at Ali like she just hung the moon. Which frankly, after losing track of herself for so many years, is something she desperately needs.

As a newly single mom, Ali wants this summer to be filled with joy and excitement, which Ethan delivers in spades. What could be the harm in a casual summer romance, right?

I love that Annabel Monaghan writes romances for adult women and understands the drama that we deal with – family relationships, parenting, career issues, and the desire to /guilt from prioritizing oneself after years of neglect.

Annabel Monaghan is an auto-buy author for me. I loved Nora Goes Off Script and Just for the Summer. And, no pressure, or anything, but Annabel, if you’re reading this, I really hope you’re working on something new, because I don’t think I can wait too long for the next one!

I could not love this book more. If you have not already done so, pick it up. It might just be your favorite read of the summer.

Thank you to @annabelmonaghan @netgalley and @putnambooks for the advanced reader copy.

Annabel Monaghan is an auto-buy author for me, so when I landed the arc of Summer Romance I was absolutely thrilled. Her characters skew a little order than many popular contemporary romances (think adults in their 30s) which is always a nice change of pace.

She almost always handles romance + something more which I love. In Summer Romance, Ali is facing grief in multiple ways. Her mother passed and her marriage ended in divorce. She has three kids and is drowning in feelings of sadness. She’s just floating through the routine of day to day life doing her best.

When she runs into her best friends brother, Ethan, at the dog park she’s stunned to find that he’s gorgeous??? And then her dog pees on him. Only the best of meet cutes for Ali, right? Ethan and Ali strike up a deal to help each other out and the rest truly is history.

I loved the supporting characters in this, even if they weren’t around much. The whole story ended feeling like a warm hug and that’s exactly what you want in your beach read!

Highly recommend adding this to your summer list. 💗

Thank you to @putnambooks and @netgalley for the eARC!

This was a delightful read from Annabel Monaghan. Perfect summer vibes while still tackling some serious topics. Despite being an adult, I could still absolutely relate to the girl drama of middle school. I thought it tackled topics of grief, love, and change so well while not being too "heavy" throughout. Also - Ethan is 10/10 in my book. We love a MMC who is clearly obsessed and not afraid to show it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Such a great summer read! After losing her mother and then her lame husband leaving her, Ali was struggling to get back to herself until one day, she puts on a pair of real pants and runs into someone in the dog park. When her dog pees on a cute guy, she's immediately stricken with him. He's totally perfect and they really hit it off so what's the harm in a little summer romance?

Thank you to NetGalley and Annabel Monaghan for this digital ARC. I read her Same Time Next Summer romance read last summer and I wanted to give her another try. I liked the main idea of this story, but it’s definitely a slow burn. I wish I read it quicker and it might have raised my rating, but ultimately I feel like it was too slow with not a lot happening. I was waiting for more of climactic events than what really happened.

4 1/2 ⭐️
I loved this story! Ali’s life is a bit of a mess. She’s grieving the loss of her mother and trying to finalize her divorce, all while being the primary caregiver to her three young children. When she meets Ethan and feels a spark of attraction, she decides to embark on a summer romance – telling herself it will just be a fling and she won’t catch any real feelings.
Ethan is actually “Scooter”, the younger brother of Ali‘s close friend. He’s back home for the summer to clean out his parents’ home in order to sell it. He’s had a crush on Ali for years and is happy to see where this new relationship goes. However, he’s made a good life for himself in a town two hours away, and being home is proving difficult because everyone still thinks of him as a kid.

I liked watching Ali transform into a confident woman despite the insecurities she feels. I thought the pace of the relationship was great, and that Ali and Ethan took time to get to know each other and see the real person. I liked the secondary characters and felt their stories contributed to the rest of the book.
If you’re looking for a fun summer read - with some depth - this is the book for you!

4.5 stars
Huge thank you to net galley for providing me with an early copy!

YALL this book was EVERYTHING AND MORE. It took me about 50 pages to really get into it, but once I was past that point I was hooked! This book genuinely gave me butterflies and captured the feeling of a new love PERFECTLY. I also loved the way that the author portrayed grief and how there really isn't a time cap on it. This is the perfect beach read and everyone needs to add this book to their summer tbr!

Ali is going thru a divorce from a marriage where she lost her identity. She's surviving but not thriving and learning how to be a single mother. Enter Ethan, her best friend's brother who she never gave a second thought to growing up. He has moved away and made a life for himself, outside of the shadow of his disapproving family and the town. While in town for the summer, Ethan agrees to help her with her divorce in exchange for her helping him clean out his parents' house. What's the harm in a summer fling?

I read and loved Monaghan's previous book Nora Goes Off Script and if you loved it too, then this book is for you. I especially loved that the characters' problems and the things that kept them apart were real problems, not just issues that could be resolved with a simple conversation (I'm looking at you, Emily Henry and Abby Jimenez books- which I also enjoy)- but Monaghan writes about more plausible situations.

I loved the main and side characters and how they were also looking to find their own identities outside of a romantic relationship. I didn't love the title (generic), but I this book was wonderful, and I hope everyone has a summer romance with it.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.