I loved this book! Ali is stuck in the biggest of ruts. Her mom died, her husband left, she doesn't want to wear things other than sweats, and she's going through the motions for her kids. She has a long list of questions she'll ask organization clients, and she can balance other people's books, but she doesn't do any of that organization for herself.
Watching her find this summer romance and use it as the catalyst to care for herself and find who she should really be and reclaim her happiness was awesome. There are laughs and groans and swoons all in one in this book. My favorite quote was that she knew Ethan loved her for her true self, which is all anyone can ask for.
Despite Ali having serious circumstances she's working through, this book was overall upbeat and a perfect summer or vacation read. Another winner from this author!

I love Annabel Monaghan books and even though I already bought a physical copy I couldn’t resist getting the audio too. I’ll save the physical one for when I hopefully meet her one day ❤️

Here are a few quotes I liked…

“It’s not time for dating until you wear hard pants.”

“She said SEXY!!!” “You did!!!?” #swoon

“Maybe I’m totally reliable when it comes to you.”

Ever have a book that makes you smirk while reading!? Ok well now is your chance…𝙂𝙊 𝙋𝙄𝘾𝙆 𝙏𝙃𝙄𝙎 𝙊𝙉𝙀 𝙐𝙋.

Alice “Ali” Morris is in a loveless marriage with Pete, a selfish, clueless man, a man who treats her like an afterthought…IF she’s lucky. The silver lining? Their beautiful children that she adores 𝙖𝙣𝙙 she’s finally getting out of her blah marriage. This is a story of tremendous growth for someone who has lost sight of who they are.

Until….her dog pees on someone…that someone is Ethan/Scooter. Ethan’s unassuming charm oozed off the pages! Faith in men restored.

Ali gets a bit stalkery, don’t worry it’s juvenile and awkwardly cute. Ali has no idea how to date. 1st things 1st shes gotta learn that dating does not involve hard pants.

This is a feel good, heartwarming story of an almost 40 year old woman who is ready to start living her life the way she wants, all while falling in love with someone worthy of it.

Note to 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗲𝗹…I talk to my Mommom everyday even though she’s been gone for years I still feel that closeness to her. ❤️

I have reviewed early copies of every Monaghan book and this one was easily my favorite. I love how she has older main characters who have gone through real issues like difficult marriages, divorce, and tough children situations. It’s so nice reading these characters who feel so real find love again. This one in particular has so many winning features I love: small town setting, best friend’s brother, finding yourself, and lovable side characters. As a fan of short books, I love how Monaghan’s are not only short but so, so satisfying.

If you enjoyed her previous books or like contemporary romances with characters in their 30s, I can’t recommend this enough!

This was such a great summer read! Nora Goes Off Script remains my favorite but this one was a close second. I loved reading the growth of Ali and even her daughters and son. As someone who is also obsessed with organizing, I enjoyed that part of the book. I didn’t really care for the skateboarding aspect, but was easily able to overlook it and love the book. Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

“ You’re the architect of your own experience.” The best line in this entire book! I loved everything about this book. It was funny, sad, sarcastic, and full of love. This was my first book by Annabel Monaghan and I’m now a big fan. She is going on my must-read author list. I can’t wait to read all her other books. I started reading this book as a fun early summer read but it hit home more than I could have ever imagined. I lost my dear grandmother while halfway through. Although that life altering event made me struggle to finish this book, I am so glad I did. There were so many moments in this book about love and grief that gave me the perspective I didn’t know I needed. And if this book reiterated anything to me, it’s that I will always have a dog.

3.75

Finally, a romance about a grown woman with children! I often say I don’t love the romance genre, but if I could relate more to the characters and think I would. Well I can relate to to the characters in Summer Romance. I really enjoyed myself. There is cute banter but no spice. If you are looking for a sweet love story that is also about finding yourself again after having children, this is it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced release copy in exchange for an honest review.

Ali is a newly single mom and a professional organizer whose life could not be messier. When her mom died, she couldn't get over it and her already failing marriage could not recover. Now her soon-to-be ex-husband comes and goes as he pleases and Ali is having a hard time picking up the pieces of her life.

When she meets Ethan, she decides that a summer romance would be the perfect thing for her to start the next chapter in her life. She does not realize that Ethan might turn into so much more. She also does not realize that Ethan is her best friend's brother whom everyone calls Scooter. She has not seen him in years.

Why I Love This Book: Same Time Next Summer and Nora Goes Off Script were both books I loved, so I could not wait to read this book. It's a slow-burn romance that deals with the loss of a parent, the loss of self, and how to move forward one step at a time. Throughout the book, Ali moves through the stages of grief, mourning the loss of her mother. It was poignant and moving with the HEA you expect. #gifted

I really enjoyed this! It was a super fun read! Even though I could not relate to everything the characters were going through I was still able to learn something from them, I loved that. I also loved the summer vibes.

Summer Romance, a novel by Annabel Monaghan, available June 4, 2024!

Ali is a recently separated mom of three who recently lost her mother to cancer and is navigating a fog of “who really am I?” after the end of her marriage looms. A chance meet-cute in a dog park with Ethan (aka Scooter, Ali’s friend Frannie’s brother) shifts the tide and helps Ali realize that she is someone worthy of love and speaking up under all that grief. Ethan is the “mayor” of a town four hours away in Massa Cheez-its (love it!) and isn’t thrilled to be in his hometown that treats him like the sixteen-year-old delinquent he once was. But one summer with Ali and he’s rethinking everything…

The character arcs for both in this book were so well written. Ali’s struggle with grieving her beloved mother and the anger over realizing that Ali ignored her failing marriage because her mother stepped in was such a realistic and interesting way to frame Ali’s loss of self. Ethan found a family in his hometown that he never realized could be there for him. He just needed to open his heart to it. I loved that both characters were older and had complicated lives. They dealt with their issues maturely and in a way that wasn’t overly dramatic.

I’m a sucker for “real” romances, and this delivered. It was like this could have happened to your neighbor! I’m also a huge believer in signs and messages from those who have passed and this book had all that and more. Something so many readers can relate to!

A perfect Memorial Day weekend read and start to the summer, Summer Romance is the found family, single mom, best friend’s brother story you didn’t know you needed!

Be sure to read the TW, especially if you have a hard time with grief and loss.

Thank you so much to G. P. Putnam’s Sons (Penguin Group) and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced (e-)reader copy and a chance to rate and review this book!

4 ⭐️ a whiff of 🌶

Annabel Monaghan is the queen of writing about women who have been stuck in bad/average relationships and finally are able to move on to find something actually magical. I loved her other two books and this one was another good one about a realistic middle aged single mom learning how to actually be happy. Short, sweet, emotional & bingeable. I will read anything this lady writes.

Thank you NetGalley & Putnam for the ARC <3

I wouldn't change anything about this book. It was heartfelt and mature but also had some fun summer-y themes.

I loved that the MCs were in their late 30's and the book explored navigating dating during the process of getting a divorce and juggling 3 kids. I enjoyed reading about Ali finding herself again and transitioning back to the person that she wanted to be. Also, it was wonderful that the MMC Ethan was supportive, consistent, and patient throughout the book. This really was a lovely read.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Summer Romance will give you all the feels. While the story centers around a romance, it's much more than that. Ali Morris, the main character, starts out at the beginning still dealing with intense grief over losing her mother two years prior and her husband has decided to divorce her. After a chance meeting at the dog-park, she slowly begins to find herself again. I loved watching her character come alive throughout the course of the book, while finding her voice and discovering her own happiness.

I highly recommend checking this one out. It's a quick read that will warm your heart.
Thank you, Putnam Books, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

The perfect summer read! I absolutely adored the author's previous books, especially Nora Goes Off Script. This one was utterly charming, well fleshed out, and I could picture myself contentedly reading it on a beach somewhere. I will definitely be recommending this one to all my friends this summer!

Ali is a almost divorced mother of 3. She is still wheeling from the death of her mother and the official end of her marriage. Then in the New England coast during summer break appears Ethan. After their meet cute, all is at her best friend, Frannie’s diner, when she realizes that Ethan is Frannie’s kid brother Scooter all grown up. They have an amazing summer romance…but will it last?

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the eARC.

I just love Annabel Monaghan. Her books are just my happy place. I loved Ethan so much, he was so sweet.

My new mantra: Ethan 4eva, Pete 4neva.

I loved Annabel Monaghan’s most recent book, Summer Romance. She is quickly becoming a favorite author for me. In her latest book, we find Ali is just getting through the days… her beloved mother died two years prior and her husband declared their marriage should end. While Ali loves to organize others homes, she can’t seem to get out her funk to straighten her home, and is in a rut. Will a summer romance be the spark she needs to find herself again? Annabel captures grief beautifully and you find yourself rooting Ali on to put on the “hard” pants and find herself again.

Cute and heartwarming! Ali Morris, a professional organizer, is trying to make her business on Instagram “a thing”. No one would believe that her own pantry is a MESS! Ali, who is still grieving her beloved mother who passed 2 years ago, is also heading toward a divorce from her husband, Pete. Trying to be a good mom and make a living from her passion of organizing is hard enough, now her best friend thinks it’s time for her to put on “hard pants” and start dating. The first time she takes off her wedding ring and heads to the dog park with her dog, she does indeed find a man under very embarrassing circumstances. There is instant chemistry and after an official first date Ali is hoping for a “champagne summer” as her late mother used to call it. But this summer romance will turn out to be a lot more complicated than she could have anticipated!

Annabel Monaghan writes for the woman who is past the first blush of youth and gives us all hope that it’s never too late to find a second chance at love and romance. This was a very sweet story that would make a perfect beach read!

Thank you Netgalley, Penguin Group Putnam, and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be available for purchase on June 4, 2024

Annabel Monaghan has become an insta-buy author for me. Summer Romance is the perfect read to kick off your summer.

This story starts with Ali, a 38 year old mother of three, deciding that today is the day her wedding band comes off. It is, after all, one year to the day after her husband left her, one year to the day after her mother died.

Absolutely nothing feels right anymore, and Ali doesn’t know how to be a person anymore. She asks her mother for a sign that things will be okay. This comes in the form of her dog, Ferris, peeing ALL OVER the most handsome man she’s seen at the dog park. The best part is, he not only takes it in stride but seems completely amused and taken by Ali.

Perhaps it’s time to wake up and start participating in her life again.

This book had me genuinely smiling and laughing at the banter and moments between Ali & Ethan (dog park man). I also felt everything SO DEEPLY as Ali deconstructs her descent into a “weary housewife” in the throes of negotiating her divorce. I feel like many moms will see part of themselves in Ali.

Annabel Monaghan writes people and characters so well that it comes as a shock to me that these aren’t real people.

Summer Romance is available on June 4th, 2024. You simply must go read it. For my friends who prefer closed door romance stories, this is TOTALLY going to be your jam. Check out Annabel’s other books.

Thank you to Net Galley for an ARC of Summer Romance in exchange for my honest review. It was a honor to get my hands on this early.

I had not read a book by Annabel Monaghan before and it is safe to say that Summer Romance will not be the last title I read by her. This book had amazing summer vibes and was fast paced. I loved how the romance felt fully developed as well as the side characters and all of the issues that the FMC was facing.

Usually, I feel like I enjoy books more when I can see myself in one of the main characters. While Ali was going through so many things that I haven't, I still felt fully connected to her and was able to relate to her in many ways. I loved how Ethan was down bad for Ali and that he never gave up on her.

I can't wait to read more books by this author and definitely recommend this book for the summer, a perfect summer read!

This book is self care for the soul.

I can’t believe how much I loved and needed this book at this moment. This book is pure sunshine on the page. This is another five star read from Annabel Monaghan!

Ali hasn’t gotten over her mother’s death of two years, and her marriage is in shambles. The only order she has in her life is the professional organizing that she does for other people. She just doesn’t know a way forward. She spends her days taking care of her three amazing children, but when is she going to find the time to take care of Ali?

Enter Ethan - the lovely man she meets at the dog park when her dog pees on him. It really is one of the most charming meet cutes. From there, Ethan and Ali start a friendship that becomes more.

This book is terrific. Ali’s neighbor Phyllis is amazing, her friend Frannie is terrific, and her kids are incredible. Then there’s her ex-husband Pete. He’s a fool. Ali also has a complicated relationship with her Mom that she has to reconcile before she can move forward. And while the story is about Ali and Ethan, I really felt like the bigger story was Ali finding out who she is and who she wants to be moving forward. Ethan has his own story to write, and his decisions take him on a journey as well. I loved both of these characters!

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Books for the opportunity to read this one. It is the perfect book to start your summer, read on the beach, or spend a beautiful afternoon with on your porch. I adored every page! This one releases on June 4th - pick it up!