Thank you to G. P. Putnam's Sons and Netgalley for an advanced e-copy of Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan. I absolutely ADORED this book about a young woman starting over after grief and loss. Ali Morris is a professional organizer, single mom, grieving daughter, and lonely friend. She has come to her wits end with all of life, and is really struggling to adjust to this new normal that she never wanted. The day she decides to venture out into a new existence, she takes her dog to the dog park and meets Ethan (with a little help from said dog). Ethan and Ali have an instant connection that Ethan recognizes, but decides not to share with Ali. As their pasts meet the present and the two continue to grow closer, Ali discovers that love doesn't have to be just for a season, and that an untidy life can be just the thing to heal a hurting heart.

I have loved all of Monaghan's books, but this might be my favorite. For those of you who have suffered the loss of a marriage, a dream, and/or a parent - this one is for you.

I love Annabel Monaghan and was eager to read another book by her. She KNOWS how to write romance. Pick up this lovely read and fall in love with the characters.

That feeling you get when just finishing a five-star-read that leaves you with all the emotions. I just love the way author Annabel Monaghan writes, as she pulls you in with a cast of loveable and relatable characters, funny quips, and meaningful themes.

Summer Romance was such a delight to read, and I felt such an instant connection to the characters that felt so real, as if I was having a conversation with a friend over coffee.

Ali is a single Mom devoted to her kids, and trying to grasp the fact that her marriage is over, and that it’s time to move on. She has been dealing with the grief of losing her Mom, and finding solace in the reorganization of her closet.

Ethan is the cute and charming lawyer that brings instant attraction at a dog park meet-cute, and the sparks are hard to resist.

WHAT TO EXPECT
-closed door romance
-self-discovery
-best friend’s brother
-sweet next door neighbors
-themes of overcoming grief
-failed marriage

🎧I listened to the audiobook format and loved this sweet romance with second chances. I just couldn’t get enough of Ali and Ethan, and loved their friendship and flirting. The narration was so good, and it was such an enjoyable reading experience this way.

*many thanks to PRH audio, Putnam and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

Annabel Monaghan has become one of my favorite romance authors! I loved Nora Goes Off Script and Same Time Next Summer so I was super excited to get this ARC. Unfortunately, this one was not where near as good as those other two. I felt really bored reading this and I didn't fall in love with the characters like I did in her other pieces of work.

Another excellent summer romance (no pun intended) from Annabel Monaghan. I love Summer Romance even more than her last. Not only are her books fun and easy to read, her characters have depth, which can sometimes be lacking in the romance genre. I was hooked from the start and din't want it to end.

I loved this book! So funny and heartwarming, and I loved how nerdy and cool Ethan was. Will definitely be reading anything Annabel puts out.

A Summer Romance to enjoy!

Ali Morris has been dealing with grief for a couple of years. She lost her mother who was her best friend and supporter. She was always there for her and her children. A year after her mother passed, her husband, Pete tells her he is moving out. He wants a divorce.

Life has moved on but Ali is still stuck. She only wears sweatpants and is not ready to organize her home despite working as an organizer and being good at it.

On her mother's death's second anniversary, she puts on something closer to "hard pants" and takes her dog to the local dog park. Her dog makes a beeline for a hot guy and decides to pee on him. Luckily, the guy doesn't mind and strikes up a conversation with Ali. When they see each other again, he asks her out and she agrees. This leads to more outings and more time spent together over the summer.

Could this summer romance last?

I love Anabel Monaghan's books. Her characters are more mature. The problems they have are real problems that anyone can encounter. Her main characters are always likable and memorable.

I will be looking out for her next book.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by G.P. Putnam's Sons via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Annabel Monaghan’s Summer Romance is a delightful exploration of fresh starts and unexpected love, bringing together humor, heart, and the warmth of second chances. It’s a story that feels as comforting as a sunny afternoon and as real as the heartbreaks and hopes we carry with us.

Ali Morris is a refreshingly relatable heroine—a single mom navigating the messiness of life after the losses of her mother and marriage. She’s quirky, flawed, and endearing, making her journey of self-rediscovery both enjoyable and meaningful. Monaghan does a fantastic job portraying Ali’s internal struggles with both humor and empathy, particularly as she deals with her hilarious “pants with zippers” aversion. When her dog unwittingly introduces her to Ethan, the sparks and banter between them immediately add a layer of lighthearted charm.

Ethan is just the right mix of kind, understanding, and a little bit mysterious. He sees Ali not as a single mom who’s been through the ringer but as someone worth admiring. Their romance builds gradually, with each small moment capturing the feeling of a warm, easy summer fling that might mean more than either bargained for. Monaghan keeps their chemistry fresh and believable, blending tenderness and attraction that makes readers root for Ali and Ethan to turn this “no-strings” romance into something real.

Beyond the romance, the book touches on themes of loss, resilience, and embracing change, adding layers of depth. Ali’s journey of healing and self-discovery is a major highlight, as she learns to let go of her fears, open herself up to new possibilities, and embrace love on her terms. Monaghan has crafted a setting and characters that feel real, making readers feel like they’ve wandered into a summer evening with good friends.

For anyone looking for a summer read that’s both humorous and heartfelt, Summer Romance is a perfect pick. It’s a charming, easy read that captures the magic of finding unexpected love—and finding yourself along the way. Monaghan’s storytelling will leave you with a smile, and maybe even a bit of hope for new beginnings.

super fun, bingeable single mom romance! my first from this author and can’t wait for more. a few parts were just a little cringe/predictable/silly to me, but for the most part i enjoyed it and lovvvvved our main characters!

Ali and Ethan!!!

As always, Annabel’s stories are super cute. Ali struggles with revamping her life after losing her mother and husband. When she runs into Ethan at the dog park suddenly things change. I loved seeing Ali and Ethan begin as friends and hope for more. Ali can’t simply have a little romance though, things get complicated quickly… I couldn’t help but root for them. I wanted to see them overcome their obstacles and end up with an HEA.

I always love Annabel’s characters. She makes them so relatable. And I like that they’re not early twenty something’s looking for love. The older I get, it’s nice to see more mature characters.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House Putnam for my ARC of this book.

The perfect summer read!

With ideas of grief, family, and love, this book rapped so much into a small package.

I loved the relationship between Ali and Ethan - seeing it grow and evolve was a true treat.

I absolutely LOVED this book! It's a well-layered story of the main character's journey back to her younger, more confident, seize-life self. Ali's world has crumbled the past two years after her mother's death followed by a much-needed divorce.
What I love is how the reader slowly discovers the younger Ali, much as Ali does in the story. We see what a shining star she used to be and how little by little, that shine was dulled until she barely remembers what she was like. That's where Ethan comes in!
I loved the characters, the fun and wit, the underlying message of hope and not losing oneself, and the summer romance that unfolds.
I can't wait to read more of this author's other books! Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this much-loved story.

I love how the author tackles so many different life issues like death, divorce, single parent, grief, financial issues, family dynamics and self identity. The author did a beautiful job navigating those issues and made the characters feel real and relatable. I loved the characters and loved being able to watch both of them grow while going through difficult times. I also enjoyed that this romance didn’t follow the “typical” narrative and showed a single mom looking for love and how she navigated a new relationship for the first time in years and with her kids. The romance was there but not “spicy” so makes for more of a casual summer read. Overall, I would give this 3.5 stars (rounding to 4) but would recommend. Thanks to Netgalley for a ARC!

I absolutely adore Annabel Monaghan’s writing. Her characters are always so fleshed out and seen so real. Her stories are never drawn out. There is always heart to her stories. I loved reading the relationship with Ali and Ethan grow. I loved reading about Ali’s relationship with her mother and her children also. This book was hard to put down. I’ll definitely be reading everything from her in the future.

thank you Annabel, the publisher, & NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

I think this was the first book that I've read that involves a single mom, Ali's children really touched my heart. I like that she was constantly trying to talk to her mother even if she wasn't physically there with her anymore. I'm glad Ali found her person in the end and that she realized that she deserved more than what she was getting in her previous relationship. and who would have ever thought that I'd end up being motivated to clean because of a character in a book, thanks Ali.

Oh Annabel! I love how I can count on you for always providing a great romcom 😍 Another book by her that did not disappoint. The silliness of this one kind of gave me Finlay Donovan vibes.

Although the main male character “Ethan” wasn’t my ‘type’ he was great & someone you would definitely set up with a friend 😜 I loved his quirkiness, like how he thought it was totally ok getting peed on by a dog, or how he wore his special getups to Ali’s meetings (I kept picturing Burt Reynolds in his 70’s suit outfits), probably my favorite parts in the book. Ali (main female character) was fine. Ridiculous at times but fine. They were a sweet pair to read about their Summer Romance. One thing about this story is Ali lost her Mother a couple years ago (the book lets you know that right away), and I didn’t dig the way she would talk to her mom & her mom would respond…like he was an imaginary friend or she was talking to a ghost. I’d have rather it been written more so where she talked out loud to her mom but kind of rhetorical, or instead answer for her mom like “oh Mom would’ve definitely told me …”🤷‍♀️

So many things in this book were relatable to me in this book as far as relationships with family and my spouse, my kids, just being a Mom in general (sahm vs working). Lots of subjects I could relate to or got me thinking. Overall this book was a fun/cute romcom, good chemistry between the two main characters & a satisfying enough ending (without spoilers I’m a tad mad at Ali lol). With all the sexual tension it could’ve had a bit more spice but I also appreciate that Monaghan doesn’t make her books full nasty 😜 Wasn’t a full 5 star for me but it was a fun quick read & I’d definitely recommend it to fellow romcom fans & especially Annabel Monaghan fans. This is like the movie Inside Out for kiddos but the adult version, all the feels/emotions. You can tell she put her heart in this book & there were times it was even a bit emotional for me 💖

Many thanks to NetGalley & the publisher PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for the Arc!

Oh my two totally petty complaints.. she used the word “carbonated” too many times & she sure liked to have her characters wear white shirts often haha 😂

Cute, cute! Monaghan has become an auto read for me. The perfect read to begin summer. Cute, with enough plot, easy beach read. My teen has begging for more romance/women's fiction reads and this is perfect.

Summer Romance is officially my favorite Annabel Monaghan novel! After reading Nora Goes Off Script earlier this year, I was excited to dive into another Monaghan novel, and this small town romance novel did not disappoint. In fact, I read the book cover to cover in under 24 hours, which is extremely rare for me.

This book gave me all the feels. The story follows Ali, a mom of 3 who recently lost her mother whom she was very close with, and is going through a divorce. Ali is stuck and lost, until Ethan shows up in town and re-ignites fun in her life. The problem: Ethan is her best friends brother and family friend who doesn’t live in town, her divorce is proving messy, and it is hard to be a single mom of 3.

When I started the book, I thought it was a little basic, but I was so wrong! This book had incredible emotional depth. I have always found myself moved by talks about death and grief, and found myself deeply moved by Ali’s relationship with her mother, and the way she continues to search for advice from her. In addition to her obvious love and respect for her deceased mother, Ali has a beautiful relationship with her children, who are experiencing all of the wildness of growing up. Not to mention my favorite character, Phyllis, who is Ali’s next door neighbor and a godmother-type figure in Ali’s love. No spoilers, but Ali’s relationships with her mother, children, and Phyllis made me tear up multiple times. Of course, the MMC, Ethan, was great and I loved how he helped bring out the best in Ali. And naturally, the happily ever after left me giddy.

Overall, I’d recommend this book! It was fast paced and moving. It doesn’t have spice, and the drama is a little less ~dramatic then some other romance novels I’ve read, but it was still a fun time. Also, if you are looking for romance novels with older main characters (which I know a lot of people like), this one is definitely for you. Solid 4 star read for me!

another hit from this author. Perfect mix of romance yet reality. I loved the grief storyline and how the FMC slowly dealt with it through her personal trials.

Friends, Annabel Monaghan has done it again. She’s written a realistic,, well-written romance novel about a woman in mid-life who has gone through a divorce and has raised a child —- but finds herself later in life and ends up in a love story. I also enjoyed the way this book tackled losing your mother after a close relationship, and the way mothers and daughters often raise kids together. My mom has helped me so much that I could relate.

The only thing I just couldn’t was the fact that the love interest was a single lawyer who skateboarded. The skateboarding was slightly ridiculous.