I was eagerly anticipating diving into "Summer Romance" by Annabel Morgan, and I'm thrilled to say that it lived up to my expectations! The story and characters were wonderfully crafted, showcasing Morgan's skillful writing. My only desire was for more humor, as I couldn't help but envision this as a fantastic rom-com. Nevertheless, the overall experience was delightful, and I thoroughly enjoyed the well-written narrative.

I think Annabel Monaghan is my favorite romance writer. She has this great feel for characters and dialogue that’s so real. She’s one of the few writers that also makes you feel like you could simultaneously be friends with her as well as her main lead character. This book in particular is about a divorced mom who ends up hooking up with a kid (now grown man) from her home town. There are sweet, funny and touching laments and it was for me another knockout..

This is the PERFECT summer beach read. Summer Romance left me feeling all the warm fuzzies and is laugh out loud funny. It is perfect for fans of Nora Goes off Script and Evie Drake Starts Over. Thank you NetGalley and GP Putnam’s Sons for the ARC!

This book was well written and I thought the characters were developed well. It was a perfect summer read and very real. The characters were relatable.

I received an ARC of this highly anticipated book (thank you, NetGalley and Putnam Books!). "Nora Goes Off Script" was my favorite book of 2022, and I loved Annabel Monaghan's follow up, "Same Time Next Summer".

I'll be honest, I was skeptical -- ANOTHER summer love story? But the freshly divorced single mother protagonist drew me in immediately. Ali is the single most relatable character I have ever read -- and her arc is absolutely incredible. The way she grows through this book is both realistic and inspiring, and her love interest is an absolute precious gem of a man. I highlighted so much in this book, but my favorite theme was relating the risk of falling in love with dog ownership. You know it's gonna hurt when it ends, but man is the joy ever worth it.

A completely random aside -- all I could think about when reading Pete's character was that absolutely abhorrent husband in "Me Before You" (played in the film by Matthew Lewis). His scenes were sad but so well written and bitingly funny.

Monaghan has done it again. Top notch banter, fluid prose, handling big sad scary topics with grace and growth and the perfect amount of humor. Her understanding of parenting and parent/child relationships always brings me to tears. Pre-order this book immediately. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is a perfect summer beach read! I’ve loved all of Monaghan’s books and this one is definitely no exception. All the characters are well thought out in a way that doesn’t make you feel like something is missing. The main characters are in their late thirties and there are main themes of grief, loss, family, and love.

Thank you NetGalley and Putnam for my advance reader copy!

Another hug of a book from one of my favorite authors!! I loved this single mom, reverse age gap, best friend's little brother, 'summer' romance that sees Ali slowly awakening from the grief over losing her mother and the fog of an unhappy marriage when she bumps into Ethan (aka 'Scooter') at the dog park.

Unbeknownst to Ali, Ethan has harbored a crush on her since they were kids, never thinking he'd have a chance. Unfortunately he's only in town for the summer to help deal with the house he inherited from his parents who moved to Florida. Willing to take anything Ali will give, Ethan agrees to a no strings attached summer relationship and also barters his legal services with her divorce in exchange for her organizational expertise cleaning out his parents' house.

Oh so swoony and sweet while also tackling touch subjects, from rediscovering your 'self', single parenthood, divorce, grief, new love, loss and all sorts of complicated interpersonal relationships (romantic, friendship, co-parenting, etc). I really related with Ali and sped through this book. Another homerun and must read summer read sure to deliver on ALL the feels!!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review. I will be buying a copy as soon as it comes out and recommending to all my friends, especially those who enjoy authors like Ali Brady or Sarah Morgan.

I adore Annabel Monaghan's writing so much. I think this book captures the ups and downs of grief so well, and not just grief in the sense of death. Ali is not only grieving the death of her mother, but the death of her marriage, and I think this book portrays how it feels to start completely fresh. And talk about a meet cute... I really loved this book and the characters so much.

Amazing, fun summer beach read romance you never want to end. This book had so many real elements of day to day life. Old age, dying, divorce, clutter, losing yourself in a bad relationship and people expecting you to be someone your never going to be. All of these things combined to make a great summer romance turned into a book about a couple who help each other make realizations about themselves and rescue each other, and others in their path. Annabel Monaghan did a great job making the reader want to place themselves in the story and wanting to fall in love again.

This book gave me so much more than I was expecting. The themes of grief, toxic relationships, boundaries, self worth, and finding self were so relatable. I have never related to a FMC before like I have Ali. It was beautiful and I can’t wait to buy it and read it again.

summer romance | annabel monaghan

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice: 🔥/4
📚: contemporary romance

While learning to navigate life after the death of her mother and a divorce, Ali finds solace as a professional organizer. She's great at bringing order to other people's spaces... but her own life is a bit of a mess. Enter Ethan - her best friend's little brother - who is in town for the summer. Is a summer fling what she needs to restart her life?

Just like Annabel's other novels, this has a slow, easy pace and realistic characters. I always find it refreshing to read about MCs in their late 30's, and I loved watching Ali learn to stick up for herself!

The quirky and loveable side characters really stole the show for me, but my favorite part was her organizing business... it really spoke to my neat-and-tidy heart. 😆

It's a sweet and easy read. If you enjoyed Nora Goes Off Script or This Time Next Summer, you'll like this one too!

Some things to love:
+ dog park meet cute
+ single mom
+ friend's little brother
+ professional organizer
+ skateboarding lessons
+ he's always loved her
+ hard pants
+ costume parties

Excellent option for a summer read or an anytime read when you need a little romance in your life. I always enjoy Monaghan's voices and writing. Her characters are lovable and never eye-rolling...

I loved Nora Goes Off Script and was a little iffy about Same Time Next Summer, so I was skeptical about book 3 but I loved this. It was similar to her other books in that it's a romance but it involves deeper storylines about grief, family, etc instead of totally being focused on the romance. Annabel Monaghan is such a great writer and this book really sucked me in.

This was a beautiful story of a woman, finding herself after the loss of her mother and her divorce. When we meet Alli, she is trying to figure out who she is, and how to reclaim her life. As a professional organizer, she brings organization and clarity to her clients, but can’t seem to find it herself.

I really enjoyed the book and Ali’s growth throughout the novel. Plus, the leading man, Ethan, was a lovely character. I was rooting for him from the very first pages.

And the book contains one of the cut meet cutes I’ve read in a while - a dog park. :)

Okay I LOVED this.
This is by far her best one yet. I’ve liked but not loved her other books (sorry Annabel!) I couldn’t put it down.

The characters and scene setting were really well done. Lots of mid life issues—grief, love, self-love, friendships, parent relationships—tackled thoughtfully. There is so much here that’s relatable for those of us in midlife or who find themselves disappearing in mid life. This is especially for women in that regard—how we can be conditioned to disappear because of others, and how we can find ourselves again.

I love the proverbial and literal village of people she built in this book, and I loved the relationships. They’re painted authentically, which is to say they’re beautifully complicated.

This comes out June 4, add it to your summer reading list!

Thank you @netgalley and @penguinbooks for the ARC.

Thank you Annabel Monaghan for this lovely little world.

FIRST OFF THANK YOU NETGALLEY for this ARC <3
I really enjoyed this summer read — during winter. I loved Ali’s character development throughout mourning her mother’s death, her divorce, and being torn between choosing her kids or her love. I cried, laughed, and could really relate to Ali’s character. Beautiful must read!

Thank you NetGalley and Putnam for my ARC!

Well, it’s perfect. If you’re not sure if the new Annabel Monaghan can possibly live up to Nora Goes Off Script or Same Time Next Summer, get excited because yes yes yes.

Ali is a newly divorced mom of three, navigating life after losing her beloved mom. Enter her best friend’s kid brother (well, he’s 36 and a lawyer, definitely a grownup) who’s ready to sweep her off her feet. What harm can a little summer romance do?

I swooned. I didn’t want it to end. I loved the personal development that kept pace with the romance and I was cheering for Ali herself just as much as her summer fling. The author’s note at the end made me cry.

This book is sunshine and warmth and it’s so beautiful. I loved it.

I loved this book! It was incredibly relatable, and you immediately love the main character, Ali Morris. Ali has had a rough couple of years. Her mother passed away and now she is going through a divorce. Though she excels at professionally organizing her clients’ lives, her own home is a chaotic mess. Enter Scooter, Ali’s best friend’s brother who has a reputation for being unreliable and immature. Together, Scooter and Ali embark on a summer romance that turns out to be much more. Ultimately, Ali has to decide whether loving someone even though you may lose them is worth the risk.

I really enjoyed watching Ali’s confidence and sense of self grow over the course of this book. From Ali and Scooter’s “meet cute” to the hiccups that come with the start of a new relationship, this book was both hilarious and poignant. Annabel Monaghan’s writing was on point—both easy to read and at times beautifully descriptive. Her author’s note brought me to tears as she described some of the events in her own life that served as inspiration for the book.

Many thanks to Annabel Monaghan and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

Annabel Monaghan strikes again with a delightful romance that encapsulates the experience of divorce, life after divorce, and finding new love. Flipping relationship stereotypes on their head, Monaghan creates a world where men sacrifice just as much, if not more, for the women they love.

4.5 stars!

What a lovely, emotional romance! The characters were so lovable and real, and everything felt very natural.

This will be such a lovely summer read :)