Annabel Monaghan portrayed grief and finding yourself through the midst of grief so beautifully and accurately. I loved Ali’s story and how she was able to find herself and love herself again after losing her mom and going through a heart breaking divorce. The love story between her and Ethan was beautiful and so realistic. I loved that the romance was secondary to her character growth and development.

Thank you Annabel Monaghan, Putnam Books, and NetGalley for this ARC!

Love this book and author! Main characters are great especially MMC!

The small town setting was great. Loved the relationships with the sisters.

Absolutely loved this story! It should be called "How Ali got her groove back" as the story follows a single mom of three through her separation and divorce. She's such a loveable character that you're rooting for her the entire time.

This is a beautifully written book, with well developed, likable characters and a heartfelt storyline. Tropes: small town romance, second chances, best friends younger brother, older woman/younger man.

Alice (Ali) has had a hard time coping with the death of her beloved mother, especially since she doesn't have a close relationship with her father and her husband, Pete, is a jerk. On the anniversary of her mother's death, he announces that he no longer wants to be married. Before they were married, she had been an accountant in the same firm as he, but when their first child (why they had gotten married) had serious medical issues after birth, she gave up her career. And slowly she began to disappear. She has recreated herself as a professional organizer, but with 3 children she has not been able to organizer herself, her home or family. Then she has an unusual cute meet with her best friend's younger brother, whom she doesn't recognize. Ethan (Scooter) has had a crush on Ali since he was 14. He teaches her so much during their summer romance, skate boarding, believing in herself and him. But what will happen when the summer ends? I would definitely recommend this book.

I was gifted with an advanced reader's copy via NetGalley.com. This is my honest, unbiased and voluntary review. I have added this author to my list of authors to read.

Annabel Monaghan does it again. She has officially reached automatic read status.
I always love a second chance love story, but I found the secondary mother/daughter story to be the most compelling in this one.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this for an honest review.

Oh, Annabel Monaghan, you lovely, lovely author. How I love your romances. My favorite protagonist yet – a must read.

Swoon! This book hit me in all the feels! I didn’t find it to be a light read as it deals with a lot of meatier topics; motherhood, marriage, divorce, relationships, divorce and grief. The writing was perfection.

Ali’s journey of self discovery after her husband leaves her is quite relatable. It had me cheering Ali on with every page turn. She’s an enduring main character whose chemistry with new love interest, Ethan is undeniable. I found myself laughing at the humor of the book as well as enjoying the PG-13 moments of new found love.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Summer Romance did not live up to Monaghan's previous work for me personally. It felt flat and lacking with that sort of intangible feeling that really pushes romance books over the edge for me. I will continue to be excited for her work.

I love a romance about an older couple. The woman in this book is divorced with two kids and a funny little dog and she's not looking for romance but finds it in the most unlikely place - her best friend's brother. I love every single thing about this book.

This was the perfect book to kick off summer. A small town, best friend’s brother was just what I needed. Going into the book I thought it was going to be light hearted and boy was I surprised. This book tackles tough and deep topics, grief, divorce and motherhood to name a few. The characters faced this challenges and created some truly beautiful moments.

Annabel Monaghan does it again. Her books are relatable, heartwarming, and well written. Summer Romance is no exception. Loved it!

This was another light hearted love story by Annabel Monaghan. I really enjoyed the dynamic of watching Ali become a newly single mom and navigating co-parenting and dating. This isn't a story line that I have read often. You routed for them the whole time.

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

SUMMER ROMANCE is by one of my auto-buy authors Annabel Monaghan!

This is such a fabulous read featuring my very fav troupe…a second chance romance 😍.

I was smitten (I don’t think I have ever used that word before!) with our main characters Ali and Ethan. It’s one of those books you tear through because you just need to know if there is a HEA. (You’ll have to read it yourself to find out)

☀️ It’s a perfect summertime (or anytime!) book and a glorious escape read!

I am also such a sucker for any book that has the word SUMMER in the title-I can’t be alone in this?! Thank you NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons
for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I loved Annabel Monaghan's Same Time Next Summer and loved it! When I saw that she wrote a new novel, Summer Romance, I couldn't wait to read it. It did not disappoint! Monaghan doesn't write just a romance novel. Her characters have depth. Real issues are explored. In this one, Ali is a mother of three. Her husband left her on the 2nd anniversary of her mother's death. Ali is dealing with grief - for her mom and for her divorce. She is functioning, but she is not truly happy. After meeting Ethan, Ali begins a journey of self-discovery and healing. She can love again.

I highly recommend this heart-warming. novel. I look forward to more books by Annabel Monaghan.

Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for providing me with an advanced review copy in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely adored Nora Goes Off Script, but I was one of the rare people who didn't love Same Place Next Summer, so I was curious where Annabel Monaghan's newest book would fall for me. I'm sad to say it's my least favorite of her three books. I attempted to read it first on my kindle and ended up DNFing it after about 150 pages. I then decided to try it on audio to see if I would have a better experience, but it didn't help. I made it to the halfway mark and ended up DNFing. The main character was so annoying, and the love interest was the opposite of swoony for me. I am so disappointed that I didn't love it. As much as I adored Nora Goes Off Script, I'm starting to wonder if maybe that was a one hit wonder for me. I'll still try AM's next book because I want to love her, but this one was not it for me.

Huge thank you to @prhaudio
and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. I loved the narration of this audiobook!
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Another summer, another Monaghan book I love. Ali’s life is in shambles. Her mom passed away, her marriage has imploded and she can’t find the strength to get out of sweatpants. She has lost herself and that’s tough when you’re a mom. She decides that her and the kids are going to have a “Champaign summer” and she’s going to pull herself out of the trenches and what better way than a summer romance? Of course, this is not a simple summer romance but one lovely summer leads to a lifetime of change and happiness. I really enjoyed this one and it’s perfect for summer!
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I gave Summer Romance by Annabelle Montague a solid 4.5 out of 5 stars. This book was super funny, filled with witty banter and laugh-out-loud moments that kept me thoroughly entertained. What really stood out for me was Montague’s fantastic writing style—her ability to craft characters with undeniable chemistry and engaging dialogue is something I absolutely love. It makes the reading experience feel effortless and fun.

While the book is lighthearted and a great escape, it also tackles deeper topics like grief, single motherhood, divorce, and self-exploration in a way that feels genuine. It balances humor with heart, which adds so much depth to the story. Moving forward, Montague’s books are definitely a must-read for me, and I can’t wait to dive into more of her work in the future.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to review an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

“Summer Romance” by Annabelle Monaghan is a must-read! The plot is engaging, the characters are incredibly relatable, and the romance feels so authentic and sweet.

The story follows Ali, who’s trying to rebuild her life after losing her mom and going through a tough divorce. Juggling three kids and the weight of her grief, she’s barely keeping it together. But thanks to a push from her best friend, Ali gets out to the dog park, where her dog Ferris ends up leading her to a handsome stranger—who turns out not to be a stranger at all! The guy is Ethan, her best friend’s brother, now all grown up and back in town for the summer. What starts as a chance encounter quickly turns into a meaningful connection, with Ali and Ethan deciding to enjoy a summer romance while he’s in town.

Watching Ali's journey of self-discovery unfold alongside her blossoming romance with Ethan is such a joy. Their chemistry is undeniable, and their scenes together are full of warmth and emotion. What really stands out is how genuine their conversations are—honest and open, which makes their connection feel all the more real. Ethan is just the perfect match for Ali—he’s caring, reliable, and supportive, whether it’s dealing with her ex-husband, helping out with her kids, or being there for his family.

If you're in the mood for a swoon-worthy summer romance that also touches on personal growth and reclaiming your life, “Summer Romance” is a perfect pick. This book belongs on your TBR, especially if you’re a fan of Emily Henry or Abby Jimenez. You won’t want to miss it!

Thank you Annabele Monaghan and Penguin Group Putnam for the #gifted ebook ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

this was painfully boring!!! I was super excited after seeing such rave reviews, but this just didn’t hit any marks for me. I found the skateboarding MMC to be cringe, and the romance to be lackluster. I’m also not a fan of the talking to the deceased when it’s not a ghosty-paranormal story.

Ali’s life is turned upside down and all she wants is to move on but is struggling. In walks Ethan at the dog park and Ali sees her silver lining. Ali and Ethan decide to a summer romance is just what Ali needs until she realizes Ethan’s true identity and wonders if she can keep doing this. Love knows all and Ali and Ethan do their best to discover if love concurs all. A lovely read full of hope, resilience and of course love!