Summer Romance
🗓️ June 03, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I totally binged this book in less than 24 hours! @annabelmonaghan tackles some non conventional topics that are not typically written into a summer romance. Ali finds herself entering a new chapter of her life. Newly single, finalizing her divorce while grieving her mother’s passing. Add in reentering the dating world with three children and falling for someone you once knew in high school, who turns out to be your best friend’s little brother. Just when I think I couldn’t possibly have another favorite MMC, Annabel created Ethan 🥰

“Benefits of a summer romance: It’s always fun, always brief, and no one gets their heart broken.

Ali Morris is a professional organizer whose own life is a mess. Her mom died two years ago, then her husband left, and she hasn’t worn pants with a zipper in longer than she cares to remember. No one is more surprised than Ali when the first time she takes off her wedding ring and puts on pants with hardware—overalls count, right?—she meets someone. Or rather, her dog claims a man for her...by peeing on him. Ethan smiles at Ali like her pants are just right—like he likes what he sees. He looks at her like she’s a younger, braver version of herself. The last thing newly single mom Ali needs is to make her life messier, but there’s no harm in a little summer romance. Is there?”

Thank you @netgalley and @putnambooks for an advanced eARC in exchange for my honest review!

I picked up this book intending to read just a chapter before bed and ended up bingeing half of it that night and the rest the next day. The meet cute to start the story was a little hard to believe…Ali was only 2 years older than Scooter, right? I had trouble believing she wouldn’t have recognized her BFFs little brother in the slightest at the dog park. There were no current family photos on Frannie’s Instagram? But once I got over that I truly loved the book. The writing was delightful and I enjoyed how Ali and Ethan fell in love in the moments between summer camp drop off & pick up, soccer practices and cleaning the house. 5 stars, would highly recommend to anyone looking for an uplifting summer beach read.

This new Annabel Monaghan book did not disappoint! I think it's my favorite so far! This one hits on family, motherhood, love, grief, and summer. This felt especially poignant for mothers and daughters. Even with heavy topics, it's still such an enjoyable summer read. The scene setting and descriptions made me want to vacation on the boat, a kayak, or an inn on the water!

It’s not a secret that I’m a HUGE fan of Annabel Monaghan (Fan? Stalker? I’m not sure how to classify my love). I’m always so excited when she has a new book coming out but also a tiny bit nervous - what if I don’t like it? Well it was silly of me to be concerned because of course I loved this one like her others!

The first thing I love - she writes about mature women. Not grumpy old grannies but adult women that are badass, handling their business, and deserving of romantic relationships. The next thing, she’s funny. She’s sarcastic and smart and this comes across in her writing. Also, I admit that this is an odd thing to love, but I love that she shares the experience of losing her mom. My mom died a few years ago. Losing your mom feels lonely and I so appreciate that Annabel understands this feeling and handles it so lovingly. She just gets it. This book in particular, she captures the pain of losing a mom, the emptiness that is there, but never with over the top sentimentality but with love and grace and feelings that are true to my experience. I appreciate how honest she is and I feel validated by her words. Finally, I love the romance. I’m not a traditional romance reader and I would say she’s not a traditional romance writer. I think that’s why her books work for me.

Go ahead and preorder this one. You’ll want it in your beach bag. Romance without fluff. Thank me later.

3.5 Stars Summer Romance has Annabel Monaghan's signature blend of romance, self-discovery, and summer vibes!

It's been two years since professional organizer Ali Morris's mother passed away and one year since her husband left, and Ali still hasn't worn real pants. On the day when she finally puts on "hard" pants and removes her wedding ring, she has a unique meet cute with a handsome stranger at the dog park which includes her dog peeing on this man to claim him. Ethan asks Ali out and they have a magical first date, but then Ali doesn't hear from him. Until she sees Ethan again and realizes that he's "Scooter," the younger brother of her best friend. Now it makes sense why Ethan looks at Ali like she's a younger version of herself. As a newly single mom, Ali wants this summer to be filled with new experiences and to embrace the mess of life, and Ethan offers to help. There's no harm in having a little summer romance, right?

Summer Romance was a beautiful and emotional journey of self-discovery for Ali. It's not a complete "carefree" beach reach, but you will absolutely feel the need to grab a towel and head to the nearest beach while reading Monaghan's descriptions of the the sand and surf. Ethan was sweet and exactly what Ali needed to help her figure out who she was in this moment, outside of being a (former) wife and mother. A great read to kick off the summer season!

A perfect summer read! It was sweet, it was emotional, it was full of hope and fresh starts. I still prefer Same Time Next Summer, but this book goes deeper and I can see it resonating with people in a similar life stage as Ali, a newly single mother of three who recently lost her mother and needs to rediscover who she is on her own.

This book will make you laugh, smile, and maybe even shed a few tears. It may not be a "carefree" beach read, but it will still leave you feeling glowy and it has perfect summer vibes.

This book was really cute, and I loved how it didn't just focus on the love between Ethan and Ali, you got to see the growth that Ali had, help shown by Ethan, while she fully went through her divorce with Pete (I hate him your honor). You also see a lot about how she navigates being a mother throughout her divorce and dating someone new. I loved the chemistry between Ethan and Alice and was rooting for a good ending, as it was nice to see her being happy after always being put down by her ex-husband.

I struggled a bit getting through the book, but I believe that it was partly because of a slight slump, especially when it comes to Romance. Besides this, it was easy to get through and the pacing was quite nice. I wish there was some more development into side characters like Frannie, Marco, and Phyllis, as I believe that at points they fell flat. I definitely wished I could see more of Frannie, especially since she's Ali's best friend, especially once Ali was finding more of herself outside of Pete.

I ADORED THIS BOOK!!! Probably her best book in my honest opinion! I loved everything about it: the plot, the setting, the location!

Another home run from Annabel Monaghan - who is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors of all time. This was so fun and swoony. Gives you butterflies to read, sincerely!

This felt like a real life romance, something that could actually happen. The FMC is a 30 something professional organizer mourning the death of her mother and her imminent divorce. I was surprised by now sad this was at times. My favorite character was Cliffy, her 6 year old son who constantly made me smile. The way she wrote about her mother/young son relationship was so real and bittersweet. I also don’t think I’ve hated a character as much as I hated Pete EVER (IYKYK). In my opinion this was not a typical romance. There was definitely a HUGE romantic love aspect but it’s just as must a story about finding yourself through grief. Highly recommend.

Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan is a captivating love story set amidst the sun-soaked charm of the Hamptons. The story centers on Charlie, a sharp-witted nanny, and Henry, the alluring eldest son of the family she works for. Their relationship is filled with humor, warmth, and unexpected twists.
What I loved was Monaghan's vivid storytelling and enchanting depiction of the Hamptons' lavish lifestyle. The setting becomes a character in its own right, adding depth and texture to the story. From lavish parties to intimate beach scenes, the imagery transports readers to a world of sun-kissed romance and hidden depths.
This book is a delightful escape into the magic of summer love. Perfect for fans of feel-good romances, Monaghan's heartfelt storytelling and vibrant characters make this novel a charming addition to any reading list. Whether lounging on the beach or curling up at home, readers are sure to be swept away by the enchanting world of Summer Romance.

I absolutely devoured this one. It made me smile, gave me butterflies and had me laughing out loud. I once was a single mom and could relate to Ali SO much. This was the perfect romance. There were no spicy scenes but it didn’t need it. I just loved it. Now I want to read all of her backlist. Add this book to your tbr. You won’t be disappointed!
Pub date- 6/4/24

I fell in love with this novel. It is definitely my favorite by Annabel Monaghan. It was the most realistic romance novel I’ve ever read and left me feeling so happy. I also love the age I which Monaghan’s female main characters are. It’s so refreshing to read about women in their mid to late thirties and their journeys through motherhood, marriage and/or divorce. Summer Romance will give you butterflies and definitely have you falling in love with Ethan. I always look forward to Monaghan’s novels and this one was truly her best yet!

Annabel Monaghan writes books for women that are in a certain stage of life, usually women that are in the early stages of divorce. This one had an added component to it since the FMC had also lost her mom, so she was dealing with the complex grief of losing one's parent and best friend while going through a divorce. In this book, the 2 characters are more 2 dimensional and I really enjoyed that compared to her other books. This is a great beach/summer read.

Thanks to Net Galley for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review, as always all words are my own.

This was a gem of a book. It was sweet, it was emotional, it was full of hope and fresh starts. I really liked Same Time Next Summer but this book resonated a lot deeper for me which was unexpected. Reading this as a 28 year old with no kids had me a little worried I wouldn't be able to connect with Ali but this book held so much more than just the winding road of parenthood.

It was a journey for both of our main characters of re-finding themselves and forging a new path towards happiness while trying to trapeze through the chaos that is grief and life.

I don't want to spoil anything for readers but this book made me laugh, smile, and cry and while it may not be a "carefree" summer romance beach read it was a perfect summer read with a lot of feelings. This is definitely a book I would pick up and read again.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, the author, and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for this eArc!

*3.5* stars rounded up

Ali is grieving for both her mom and her marriage. Stuck in an endless loop of trying to work and take care of her kids, Ali may organize everyone else's lives, but cannot pull herself out of her own mess. But summer is fun! And Ali is determined to have fun this summer. So when her dog quite literally marks a target for her, Ali is ready to try and step out of that drowning grief. Little does she know that this not so stranger after all is going to change her whole life.

***

Crying. I was crying by the end of this. I think the story itself started a bit slow. Ali is a very likable and sympatghetic character, and yet it just took me a while to connect with her. And look, I was skeptical of our hero here. He was in a relationship that he didn't prioritize, ALI DOES NOT NEED THAT.

However, it is almost poetic, because we start in this fog with Ali. We start to emerge just as Ali does. We start to slowly get angry with her. We start to realize we're actually in love with Ethan. It works incredibly well!

Ethan is very much the epitome of he wanted to he would!! He's not perfect, he just obviously is in love with Ali (though the kind of creepiness of him constantly reminding her that a 14 year old she didn't really even pay attention to was in love with her 18 year old self, I could do with less of that).

I do not read a lot of romance, but this is a very cute summer read for sure. I would definitely recommend to any beach reader. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Benefits of a summer romance: it’s always fun, always brief, and no one gets their heart broken.

But is that ever true? This book deals with divorce, being a single mother trying to date again, grief, old childhood friend to lover, forbidden romance and finding our who your really are as an adult.

I really enjoyed Ali and "Scooter" relationship and watching each character grow, trying to find true happiness. There were a lot of rich side characters as well, especially the one Ali had with her elderly neighbor, so sweet.

Overall, a really fun Summer read. Be sure to throw this one in your beach bag! Out June 4, 2024.

Thank you to @netgalley, @penguingroupputnam and the author for this advanced coy in exchange for my honest review.

Summer Romance is a great addition to Annabel Monaghan's collection. The story tells the journey of Ali Morris's summer as she reconnects with herself following the death of her mother and divorce from her husband. There are plenty of funny and heartwarming moments intertwined with serious moments that aid in character development. I appreciated that in the end both main characters were able to find a way to happiness while staying true to themselves. I would recommend to anyone looking for a fun summer read with just enough conflict and development to get you thinking.

Another amazing romance by Annabel Monaghan! I’ve read and loved all three of her books and I’m already looking forward to whatever she writes next! Thanks for sharing the early copy with me!

Summer Romance starts with a hilarious, though slightly awkward, meet-cute between Ali and Ethan, a fun first date and then the awkward realization that they actually already know each other. The book then follows their “summer romance” as they navigate exes, families and distance.

I loved Ali and Ethan and felt like they handled difficult situations with maturity. The whole book felt real and wholesome and I just loved it all! I highly recommend that this book gets added to everyone’s summer reading list!

Small town romance, he falls first, divorce, single mom, death of parent, low self esteem, skateboarding

Ali Morris, is going through it – she’s getting divorced and feels like she’s lost herself. She meets Scooter (Ethan) at the dog park in a very realistic meet cute and they go from there. She’s hesitant as she’s just getting out of a relationship and he’s been in love with her since high school (but she doesn’t remember him?). The fact that she doesn’t remember her best friends younger brother at all was weird to me.
Ethan is just visiting because he doesn’t feel at home in their hometown. He’s into skateboarding which is not realistic for a 36 year old.
Also, do not go on a first date on a boat with someone you don’t know when know one knows where you are going!!!!

I had a lot of issues with this book, and the author’s other 2 were favorites so take from that what you will.