I love Annabel Monaghan's writing style. Summer Romance has lovable characters who are fully developed so they seem like actual people you would know in real life. It's a very relatable and enjoyable story and I was rooting for this couple the entire way through!

Monaghan's writing is warm and inviting, with vivid descriptions that bring the seaside setting to life. From the salty sea air to the taste of melting ice cream cones, she captures the sensory experience of summer in a way that is both nostalgic and evocative. Through Lucy's eyes, readers are transported to a world of sun-drenched beaches, starlit nights, and the timeless magic of first love.

At its core, "Summer Romance" is a story about the joys of youth, the power of friendship, and the transformative nature of love. It celebrates the fleeting moments of summer and the profound impact they can have on our lives. Whether you're soaking up the sun on the beach or curled up in a cozy armchair, "Summer Romance" is the perfect escape—a sweet and satisfying read that will leave you with a smile on your face and a warm feeling in your heart.

A fun and easy summer beach read that hit the ground running. From the adorable meet-cute at the dog park through to the end of the story the characters felt real and unforced. Fun beach read.

By far the best book I've read this year! I loved Summer Romance from the very first page. Even though I couldn't wait to see how it unfolded, I read it as slowly as I could just so I could live in the story a little bit longer. It was raw, real, heartbreaking, heartwarming, and hopeful. Ethan showing up in the powder blue tuxedo will forever be etched into my mind. There were many tears shed at the end.

Monaghan writes a different kind of romance--one in which (at least to me) the outcome isn't always obvious; sometimes I don't even know what I want to happen for our heroine. But I'm so here for the journey Monaghan always takes us readers on. I already can't wait for the next one!

Thank you Putnam and NetGalley for the ARC.

Summer Romance is the perfect title for this book, and it is the PERFECT summer read. This book just made my heart happy, and I adored everything about it.

I laughed, I cried, I didn’t want it to end. Annabel Monaghan is quickly becoming an auto read author for me.

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the digital ARC!

Summer Romance made my heart happy and makes for a refreshing beach read! I wasn't sure if I could relate to a divorced mother of two until we were introduced to stretch pants and piles of paperwork on her dining room table. I'm smiling as I write this so do yourself a favor and give it a read.

Summer Romance was a heartwarming, summery book but with some more serious issues mixed in- grief, parenting, & what it means to have love in your life. The MMC, Ethan was so sweet. I think a lot of women will relate to Ali and her relationship with her (ex) husband, children, & how she navigates getting back into a relationship. I adored Nora Goes Off Script and The Same Time Next Year and will be looking forward to reading more from Annabel Monaghan.

summer romances only last for the summer… right? this is such a good story and shows the power of overcoming different types of grief (death, loss of a marriage…)

Absolutely loved Annabel Monaghan’s newest novel! She has a way of quickly developing depth in her characters and their relationships. I was completely hooked from the first to the last page. I will continue to read anything by her!

Goodness it was so sweet and good. All the tears… good tears! The main characters were so sweet and such great people. I loved reading this book. I have enjoyed everything Annabel Monaghan has written so far but this one is the BEST!! I will automatically be pre ordering anything she writes in the future!!

It's not a new story. Woman loses herself in her mediocre marriage, gets divorced soon after her mother died, then later meets a great guy. It's a HEA. It's something most women can relate to, since most of us give away a large chunk of our lives and live with chronic low self esteem when they're not appreciated.

But there is charm here, and heart, and man, this woman can write. Very engaging characters, very distinctive turns of phrase really make the story resonate.

“What if I was a person who could be easy about things for a bit? Such fun, my mother whispers over the waves. A summer romance.”

I defy any reader to consume an Annabel Monaghan novel in more than a single sitting! To date I have been woefully unsuccessful in tearing myself away before I’ve turned the final page, and this latest is her best yet!

Readers are in for a treat, and at this point I’m not sure it would even feel like summer without a Monaghan novel to dive into.
In her latest, the author drops us into a fictional Long Island Shoreline town, complete with an endearing (and sometimes infuriating) cast of characters. Ali, single mom of 3, is grieving her mother, her marriage and a life that didn’t evolve as she had planned. Balancing big changes seems to be derailed by a childhood acquaintance who has resurfaced, as Ali tries desperately to get all of their lives back on track. Reality based humor sprinkled with sensitive scenes seems to be the author’s signature style and I couldn’t be more thrilled to have another solid recommendation in my arsenal. 2024, the book of the summer has arrived!!

Many thanks to Net Galley and Penguin Group Putnam for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I laughed and I cried. Summer Romance is an all too raw depiction of loss in many forms (that of a loved one, and one of a marriage) learning to navigate motherhood alone, and exploring how to rediscover yourself as an individual. All while navigating how to embrace love for a new version of yourself as well as for another, again, wholeheartedly and without fear.

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Group, and Putnam for an ARC of Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan in exchange for an honest review.

I've read and enjoyed two of Annabel's previous novels, Nora Goes Off Script and Same Time Next Summer. However, I think, just like a good fine wine, Annabel's books continue to get better and better. I thoroughly enjoyed Summer Romance and found it to be the perfect novel to binge read.

Summer Romance is the story of Ali Morris. Ali is anything but glamorous and her life is in shambles. She has a semi-successful part time organization business, but her life is anything but. She's grieving the loss of her mother, she's on the way to a divorce from her husband, she's the caretaker for an aging neighbor, she feels like she's failing her children, and she seems to just be getting by.

She meets a charming man who seems new to town, named Ethan. Ali figures a Summer Romance is just what she needs. But, Ethan, and his secret, throws her for a loop.

I adored this novel. I thought that Ali was incredibly relatable. What Mom hasn't been through what she has as a mother? Who has a life that is all put together? But, it's how we address that life and how we come out of it that truly matters. I highly recommend this great summer read!

Annabel Monaghan has become one of my favorite authors! Her stories are romantic, fun, sad and all believable! Who doesn’t love a good summer romance? Warm days by the water, eating dinner outside and so much fun to be had! Ali has been through a tough couple of years, so when a cute guy at the dog park seems interested she figures “why not?” This is a wonderful story about loss, love, friendship, family, and moving forward.
Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the digital ARC!

Monaghan’s best book yet. Something about the way Monaghan writes gets in every time. Ali is one of my favorite characters I think I’ve read. The way she deals with her grief from the death of her mother, the end of her marriage, and the loss of herself is equally heartbreaking and heartwarming. Monaghan also always writes such great side characters that you truly care about. I absolutely loved Ethan and how well Ali and Ethan communicated. I loved how sure Ethan was about Ali and how sure Ali was that Ethan was going to change her life. Their struggles were so real and raw. So many gut punches and also swooning. The dog metaphor? Killer.

Thank you to Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP PUTNAM/ G. P. Putnam’s Sons for this advanced reader's copy and the opportunity to review. All opinions are my own.

Ali is a professional organizer, but most of her life is falling apart. Her mom died two years ago and she is still dealing with grief, she is in the middle of a divorce with her ex-husband Pete, and her pantry is an absolute disaster. Not to mention that she has not worn real pants with a zipper in longer than she would care to admit.

As soon as she takes her wedding ring off, she meets someone great. The last thing Ali needs is to make her life any messier, but there is no harm in a little summer romance for her champagne summer.

I really liked this book. I would rate it 4 stars because it was a sweet, enjoyable, summery read. Annabel Monaghan is such a brilliant, emotional, descriptive writer. Each sentence she writes is beautifully crafted, and makes reading her novels a truly wonderful experience. I loved Ali and Ethan's story and how realistic it felt. Summer romances are so circumstantial, but once feelings get involved, it is so hard to walk away.

All the characters were so lovable, and I adored the small town vibe of Beechwood. While reading the descriptions of the town, it reminded me of one of my favorite shows, Gilmore Girls.

If you love small town romance, best-friends brother, cute characters, a sweet love story, a good cry, or Gilmore Girls, Summer Romance should be your next read.

Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan comes out June 4.

This book was well-written but still somewhat difficult to get through. Ali Morris, the protagonist and mother of 3, has come to a standstill in her life after her mother's death and impending divorce. She's being pushed by the forces around her instead of creatimg her own path - until she meets a new man (the summer romance). For this reason, I wasn't as impressed with the premise of the story. Her life is defined by men in a very depressing way, and she realizes she's lost herself. She speaks to her deceased mother for guidance and occasionally blames her for the way her life turned out. It was hard to root for someone who doesn't seem to root for themselves, but maybe that was the point. Several of the plotlines were also repetitive and the book felt a lot longer than it needed to be.

Thank you to netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review!

5 Stars for Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan! I predict this will be one of the best books of the summer romance (no pun intended) category, and I absolutely plan to re-read it once it releases!
I fell in love with Annabel's writing in witty and vulnerable Nora Goes off Script, and she really stepped it up even more with Summer Romance. I was sucked into the world of Ali & Ethan, and absolutely put off any real life responsibilities because I just could not put it down. This book did a great job of blending funny side thoughts, bright humor, and swoony romance with harder to swallow topics such as grief and divorce. Watching main character, Ali, find herself and be brought back to life throughout this book is the real joy of this book. There are so many moments I loved, so many phrases I'll continue to think about (Hard pants!) and oh the many descriptions of falling in love with Ethan....
The chemistry between the main characters, a cast of unforgettable side characters, and a true "how will they make this work" feeling of angst - all the perfect components of a stand out in the contemporary romance genre.
To me, this book felt like the best mix of an Abby Jimenez book & and Emily Henry book. I mean that with the upmost respect and honor, as those are two of my favorite authors and I hope to continue to read more books by Annabel Monaghan at this level. If you want to be whisked away on a Summer Romance this June - absolutely add this one to your Summer Reading list!

Thank you to NetGalley for an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I loved this book!! I loved all the side characters particularly Greer and Iris and the next door neighbor.
The setting and side characters made this feel like a town I wanted to live in and a community I wanted to be a part of.
I find that a lot of the times things like young kids or dogs in books feel forced and cheesy but in this they were done so well.
Ali is extremely relatable and I felt myself connecting to her in so many ways.
My main complaint about this book and why it just didn’t hit that 5 star mark for me was the 3rd act breakup. I felt like this was inevitable and I was honestly kind of excited for the break up to be over something warranted and not something silly. But it was just solved so quickly I don’t understand why the issue was pushed so much. Ethan was adamant about loving Devon and not wanting to move back to Beachwood and then just up and does? I think a couple of POVs from Ethan would have made this more understandable and not seem so out of the blue. Overall I really enjoyed this and will definitely pick up more by this author.