I love this light, fun, rom-com that features a main character that is very relatable for many reasons. I found this story to be realistic enough that it was very easy to become enamored with. Ali's relationship with her elderly neighbor was especially heartwarming and each character held a depth that made them each hold a place in your heart. This is a great book all around.

Monaghan is a master of emotional, satisfying stories about women with children and marriages and messy pasts with an intelligence and attention to detail that makes the story so satisfying. Summer Romance is no exception and I loved every step of Ali and Ethan's journey, both together and apart. One of her best!

This book was a warm hug. I’m sorry that seems silly, but I love this author and what she does with her books.
Everything is relatable and honest and it’s written in such a comforting way.

Ali lost her mom 2 years ago and also lost herself. On her way to divorcing her husband, she finds hope and renewal in what she thinks is just a summer romance…

I loved this book. No notes.

Thank you NetGalley and Putnam Group for the ARC.

Another homerun novel from Annabel Monaghan -- this book is a joy to read. The characters and relationships are loveable and remind you of the good in your life. However, it goes without saying it's a great remind to escape the bad apples that we can get caught up with. I'll recommend to my book club and family!

This one is so highly rated, and I loved the authors previous novel, Same Time Next Summer, so I had high hopes going in.

This wasn’t it for me. The premise is fantastic. Newly divorced, best friend’s brother, a home organizer, summer fling, all fun things. But the characters were drastically underdeveloped. They both annoyed me so much. It lacked some much needed depth.

A modern fairytale romance of a mom who has lost her way in her marriage and career, disconnecting with her own identity along the way. In finding love, she finds herself and becomes the role model her children need. This was a quick and inspiring read! Don’t skip the author’s note at the end.

I'll preface this review with saying that Nora Goes Off Script was one of my favorite reads of 2022; so I was a little worried that it wouldn't live up to the hype. It's hard when an author has hit it out of the park on their freshman debut because everything else is compared against it. But Monaghan nails it again with this fresh take on a summer romance. Basic premise is that Ali Morris is trying to find her footing again after a divorce and the loss of her mom; she's the classic every woman/mom who's pulled in a million directions and just giving up on certain things. Enter Ethan who makes her think that just maybe she can find a life on the other side of the chaos. Overall the book felt authentic and the characters were very relatable with unique details and developments. So for me a solid 4.5 stars that will make for a great Summer 2024 read. SPOILER ALERT: I did feel like the issues with blending families and drama with Pete were kinda brushed over and minimized; as was how quickly Scooter gave up the life he loved in Devon. But in the end it didn't impact my overall enjoyment of the book and they're fairly standard issues with books of this genre and length.

I really enjoyed Annabel Monaghan’s first novel for adults, Nora Goes Off Script, but then was disappointed by her next, Same Time Next Summer. Fortunately her next release, Summer Romance, has recaptured much of the wit, charm, and heart that made me love “Nora” so much.
Once again we are in the upscale environs of the East Coast (Monaghan must stick to the adage of writing what you know), with an attractive mom who is separated from her jerk of a husband and at crossroads in her life. This time, it is Ali Morris,a mother of three and personal organizer by trade, although her own home is in chaos as she struggles with the crippling grief of losing her mother and the callous dismissiveness of her soon to be ex-husband.
But fear not, reader, for Ali shortly has a “meet cute” with Ethan when her dog decides to pee on his feet at the local park. Turns out hunky lawyer/skateboarder Ethan is none other but “Scooter”, the screw-up younger brother of Ali’s best friend Franny.
There isn’t much new in terms of plot, but there are some really sweet and truly touching moments in Summer Romance that will make you root for a happy ending. The novel will be released on June 4, 2024…perfect timing to throw it in your beach bag. Thanks to NetGalley
and the publisher for the advanced readers copy in exchange for my review.

Summer Romance is about Ali, who is a professional organizer, recently divorced, her mom (who she was very close with) died two years ago, and her life has been a bit of a mess. She is a mom who is constantly putting her kids first and forgetting to take care of herself. But with a little sign from her mom, she decides to make a change and be open to new things!

Ali is such a likable and relatable character, watching her learn, grieve, grow and open herself to being loved is wonderful. There were many things I personally wasn't expecting in the book and I enjoyed being a little "caught off guard". Annabel's writing style is beautiful and I can understand why she gets so much praise as an author. I also loved the length of this book. I'm excited to get my hands on the physical copy when it releases.

Thank you NetGalley!

Trigger warning: loss of a parent

Annabel Monaghan is quickly becoming a favorite author of mine. I was so excited to get an advanced copy of Summer Romance, and it did not disappoint! We meet Ali exactly two years after her mother's death and one year after her separation from her husband. In order to be a better parent and role model to her children, Ali knows that she has to past the grief of her mother's death and learn to be "seen" again following the separation and subsequent divorce. Enter Ethan aka Scooter aka her best friend's younger brother.

Y'all...Scooter made me swoon. He was such a dreamy character who truly allowed Ali space while also pushing her to become the best version of herself again. The plot was wonderful, the ending was wonderful, and the supporting characters were wonderful. What can I say -- I thoroughly appreciated so many aspects of this book, and I encourage everyone to read it.

Aww this was the perfect romance to read right around Valentine’s Day! So cute! I loved getting to know Ali and was so happy to see her with someone as loving and supportive as Ethan! This was such a sweet story and was honestly inspiring to watch her grow with her job and move on from her marriage and all the grief from her mother. This was my first Annabel Monaghan book but certainly won’t be my last! I’ve already ordered Nora Goes Off Script!

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC. It took me a minute to get into this, but I loved it. Pete was the perfect villain, Ethan was swoony, and Ali’s character arc as a mother, ex-wife and individual was lovely! This would be a wonderful book club book - lots to discuss!

Annabel has done it again! Absolutely loved this story, perhaps most of all of her books. A must read, and it reminds everyone that every end might just have a new, even better beginning around the corner!

This book! The whole time I was reading I felt like I had a hanger in my mouth. So. Much. Smiling. There were some sad heart wrenching moments here and there but I adored every single word.

This book is seriously going to be hard to top this year. So incredibly thankful to have received this ARC from @netgalley and @penguinbooks

Ali is newly separated mom of three and quite frankly a hot mess at the moment. A former accountant turned organizer that has the most disorganized house of anyone she knows.

Ethan, known to his hometown as Scooter, is happily living away from the hometown that still sees him as a screw up until his parents decide to leave their life behind to him and his sister calling him home. But he is absolutely not staying. He has a very happy life back in Massachusetts, thank you very much.

Cue a dog park and Ali’s dog deciding he’s the one for her and marking their territory, literally. Except Ali doesn’t realize it’s her best friend’s younger brother until she’s already falling.

This is the feel good book of the summer. Release date is June 4, preorders open now.

This is my favorite Annabel Monaghan book so far. Honestly.

Ali Morris has recently lost her mother and has taken it very hard. On the one-year anniversary of her death, Ali's husband, Pete, tells her he wants a divorce. On the second anniversary, he tells her that it's time to file for the divorce. He's a real gem; always thinking about what's best for him. Meanwhile, Ali is at home with their three kids trying to keep thing afloat. She is a professional organizer but at the start of the story, she is anything but organized in her own life. She then meets a handsome guy at the dog park when her dog pees on his foot. He is familiar to her but she doesn't really know why until she meets him again at her best friend Frannie's parent's house. Turns out the handsome dog park guy named Ethan is Frannie's younger brother Scooter, who happens to be a successful lawyer and lives about 4 hours from their hometown of Beechwood. Ethan agrees to represent Ali in her divorce in exchange for her services in helping him organize his parent's house after they leave it to him to move to Florida. As they spend more time together, their friendship starts to turn into something more. But he has his life in Devon and she has her life with her kids in Beechwood. How can they make this relationship work?

I really enjoyed reading this. The writing flows and is so natural. Having lost my mother eight years ago, I could totally relate to the feelings Ali was going through. So many memories and things you want to hang on to at the time of death, but are afraid to let go of because that makes death so final. But life goes on, right? We can get rid of the stuff, but hopefully the memories live on. I loved Ali and her story with Ethan. Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Random House, and the author for letting me read an advanced copy. The story had a lot of humor, romance, and emotion. What more could you want in a Summer Romance?

I’m not crying! You’re crying! Annabel Monaghan got to me again!! I love that she writes about women in their late 30s who have messy lives and buy their underwear at Costco. Her female characters are relatable and real.

As the story unfolds, Ali begins to take chances and rediscover herself. As her relationship with Ethan grows, she understands that she let her husband, Pete, demean and belittle her, slowly grinding down the capable, independent woman she used to be. She realizes that her mother, with whom she had an incredibly close relationship, enabled Ali to ignore Pete’s selfish behavior while she was busy raising her kids and running a household.

Ethan, on the other hand, supports and cares for Ali in a way that she has never experienced before. Initially, Ali thinks that their relationship is only meant to last for the summer. But soon, she realizes that her heart is in danger of breaking and she must decide whether she wants to risk a future with Ethan.

"Summer Romance" is a book that will make you laugh, cry, and fall in love. The characters are relatable and genuine, and the themes of family, humor, and romance are beautifully interwoven. If you enjoyed Annabel Monaghan's previous work, "Nora Goes Off Script," you will not be disappointed by this gem of a novel.

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

A fantastic summer romance read!! I love how, through their relationship, Ali found her way back to herself and Ethan found a way to be at ease with his own growth in his hometown. Would definitely recommend!

Such a great author and an enjoyable beach read. By far one of my favorite books that I highly recommend to my friends of this genre. I look forward to reading many more books by this author.

📚 Summer Romance
✍ Annabel Monaghan
📖 Contemporary Romance
⭐4/5
🌶️ closed door

➡ She may help other people declutter for a living, but Ali Morris's life is in dire need of her own services. Two years after her mother's death and a year into a separation from her husband, she's barely holding it together for her three kids and isn't quite sure when she lost herself.

When a chance encounter at the local dog park leads to dinner with a handsome stranger, Ali gives in to feelings she hasn't felt in years...or maybe ever and tells herself a summer romance may be just what she needs. As the summer progresses and she begins getting her own life in order, she'll realize that what she thought of as a summer fling may actually the love she's deserved all along.
💭
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🙏 Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam and the author for an advanced copy of Summer Romance. All opinions are my own.

🎯 What I loved: I fell in love with Annabel Monaghan's writing after reading her debut Nora Goes Off Script and have loved all her books since. Monaghan has a great way of making her characters completely relatable and while her stories still harbor the magic of romance, she never shies away from flawed, raw emotional characters that feel like they could be your best friends. In Summer Romance, the main characters Ali and Ethan bring out the best in each other and seem genuinely compatible. Summer Romance had me laughing, sighing and cheering for Ali's comeback every step of the way and I'll be recommending it to everyone as the perfect book to kick off a feel-good summer.

🙅‍♀️What I didn't: I appreciated the depiction of Ali's grief but was a little thrown off by her 'conversations' with her deceased mother. A lot of this is explained in the author's note at the end though.
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Read if you love:
* mistaken identify romances
*best friend's brother
*love after divorce
*single mom
*relatable portraits of grief
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See also: This Could Be Us, Nora Goes Off Script, Yours Truly

This book is so wholesome. I laughed, I cried, and I wished it wasn't over. It was so easy to slip right Into this story. These characters felt like old friends, this town felt familiar. It made me feel nostalgic for a place I had never been.

Ali Morris is a professional organizer, but the irony is, her own life is a mess. Her mother passed away two years ago and she has been drowning in grief when her husband asks for a divorce. She is now a single mother of 3 figuring out life after divorce. The day she takes off her wedding ring and puts on real clothes, the ultimate meet-cute happens: her dog pees on a very handsome man at the dog park. Ethan smiles and Ali is captivated. The last thing she needs is to add dating Into her life, but a little summer romance can't hurt, right?