Such a cute story! A fantastic read and it was so well written. I loved the way Monaghan wrote about motherhood. Loved the second chance romance — Ethan is the best book boyfriend. Add this one to your to be read pile!

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy!

Wow. Annabel Monaghan has done it again. The author of Nora Goes Off Script and Same Time Next Summer has a new book that must be placed on your to be read list! Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan is a wonderful story of a woman in need of figuring herself out and oh, yeah, a great romance thrown into the mix, too. Ali Morris who is in the midst of a some major life events. It’s been one year since Ali and her husband separated and two years since her mom passed away. Her best friend knows Ali has been struggling and so do her kids. The unexpected meeting of a guy at the Dog Park puts Ali on the road to a romance with limits and the evolving clarity of what her marriage structure was and in search of her own identity and happiness. Along the way there are many parts of Ali that I was able to identify with and I was cheering her on and also finding motivation for myself. Well done (again), Annabel Monaghan!

My goodness… This book has so much heart!!! I absolutely loved it. I am officially obsessed with @annabelmonaghan. I loved both Nora Goes Off Script and Same Time Next Summer, but this was next level. This felt closer in style to Nora so if you enjoyed that you’ll love this as well.

What I loved:
- Literally everything!!!
- Second Chance Romance 👏🏼
- The way she writes about motherhood. It made me so appreciative of the stage my kids are in and to cherish every moment. My future teenage girls scare me so much 😂
- Falling in love. Oh Ethan.
- Ali’s relationship with her mom. As someone who has lost a parent I loved the moments they share. My dad’s voice pops into my head occasionally and I just loved this aspect of the book. And the authors note ❤️❤️❤️
- How much the main character cares about everyone else in her life. I absolutely loved her relationship with her neighbor Phyllis and the beautiful moments they shared together.
- Honestly I think I fell in love with every character… well except one.

What I didn’t love:
- Pete 😡 there were definitely some moments I think a lot of married women with kids will relate to. It made me momentarily hate my own husband until I realized Pete was a million times worse 😂
- Back to Ethan … a skateboarder? Seriously? Ok Annabel, you took a character I thought I would despise (I literally rolled my eyes when I read the word skateboard) and turned him into my FAVORITE book boyfriend of all time. I think I fell in love. Well done 👏🏼

If you’re looking for a heartfelt-slow burn-closed door romance this summer, make sure to preorder this asap 🥰 I really hope you get your hands on it this summer!

Lastly, thanks for helping me get a jump start on spring cleaning. Ali the professional organizer inspired me to clean out every closet in our house and it feels oh so good 😂 PS: RIP soft pants

What a sweet book. I liked reading this because it was a story about love—loving yourself, loving your life, loving those around you well, becoming yourself again after life felt like too much. The writing was excellent and the story was so well done.

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my opinion.

A light hearted story that covers some topics that aren't so light hearted: a divorce, raising preteens/teens, depression, death of a family member. Through all of this, Ali Morris tries to stay positive and does the best she can for her kids while putting herself last. Then she reconnects with someone unexpected and starts prioritizing her needs and wants. Beautiful story about love, getting what you deserve in life and not being afraid to start over

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Many thanks to Net Galley for my copy of this book in exchange for my review. Ali Morris is on the brink of divorce while mourning her mom’s death.
She is a professional organizer who has no time to take care of her own needs. She has three wonderful kids and has a summer fling with a man who remembers her from high school.
I found this to be a heartwarming tale of love and family. It was an easy read and fun.

I enjoyed this book, maybe not as much as her first two, but still a compulsive, character driven novel. The characters were great and I loved the love story.

SUCH A GOOD ONE! A heart warming rom com that reminds you that it’s worth getting a dog even though you know they’ll break your heart. I have loved Annabel Monaghan’s previous books and this one does not disappoint!

I loved this book. It was heartwarming and cute and everything you could want in a summer romance. Perfect choice for a summer/vacation/beach read.

Ali & Ethan were two characters who you can't help but root for. Ali is super relatable - her life is chaotic, she loves dogs, she buys her underwear at Costco, and despite being a professional organizer - she admits that sometimes you just have to throw shit in the pantry. And everyone should have an Ethan.

Thank you Netgalley and Putnam Putnam books for this eARC.

Arc review

Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan
Coming out June 4, 2024
4.5 stars

“Ethan is something I never thought possible – a partner with whom I am totally free to be myself. A summer romance that doesn’t have to end.”

Read if you like:
- Single parent
- Closed door romance
- Best friend’s brother


Spoilers below:

Having enjoyed "Nora Goes Off Script" last year, I was excited to read this one, and it lived up to my expectations.

"Summer Romance" follows Ali Morris, dealing with divorce, grief, and the challenges of raising three kids. Her interactions with her late mother, seeking guidance and signs, add a nice touch. When her dog introduces her to Ethan/Scooter, her best friend’s younger brother, they start a summer romance. Ethan helps Ali rediscover herself, revealing the strength, independence, and beauty he's always seen in her.

Watching their journey to open up and face their fears was delightful. "Summer Romance" is a heartwarming story where love knows no bounds. I can't wait to hold the physical copy this summer. The cover looks fantastic! I really love the colours.

Thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Definitely add this to your TBR!

I absolutely adore Annabel Monaghan! Her books are gentle and true, filled with real emotion and meaningful depth, and her characters jump off the page. I loved every minute of Andi and Ethan's story, and especially connected with Andi and her darling kids. I could feel her heart and her struggle, and was cheering when she got the happy ending she deserved. Will read again!!

Ali Morris is a professional organizer whose own life is a mess. Her mom died two years ago, then her husband left, and now Ali is trying to raise her 3 children, mainly alone, and is having a rough time. Until, she meets a man at the dog park who may just help her begin to wear pants with zippers again!
I loved this book. I thought it was a perfect adult summer read. For fans of Monaghan’s previously books, this one will not disappoint. Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam books for giving me an ARC copy in exchange for a review. 4 ⭐️

“Summer Romance” was such a delightful read. Ali Morris is in a rut following the death of her mom and pending divorce from her ex husband, Pete. She meets an attractive man named Ethan at the dog park who is in town for the summer. Sounds like a perfect summer romance, but the book is so much more than that. The character development was superb - Ali was relatable (down to her Costco underwear), flawed and likable. There were many family dynamics covered, death, divorce, friendships, teen drama, feelings with parents, etc. I especially loved how beautifully the mother/daughter dynamics were woven in with both Ali and her deceased mom, and Ali with her own daughters. The character development of Ali and Ethan was done so well that I was invested in them, it felt authentic and I laughed/cried with them. The only thing I wanted more of was the friendship with Ali and Frannie, which dipped off heavily after the first quarter of the book. This book was superb and easily my favorite Annabel Monaghan book to date!

Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the ARC!

This was a light and easy read that made the reader really connect with the main characters. I was really rooting for them in the end. The beginning of the story was relatively heavy but ultimately the details were helpful further on to wrap up the story. While I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I did enjoy the author’s previous books a little more. Thank you so much for the opportunity to read and review!

Another hit from Annabel Monaghan! I absolutely love how REAL her characters emotions and life situations are, and she does such a great job of writing mom and kid dynamics.

This book has great tropes: single mom, he falls first, best friend’s brother, small town, summer romance, rediscovery.

Some emotional triggers to be aware of: divorce, parent/grandparent loss, mention of miscarriage for a supporting character.

I was given the immense privilege of receiving an ARC of this book before release, and I’m so honored. Annabel Monaghan is quickly becoming one of my favorite romance authors!

I really want to give this a 4.5 instead of just a 4! I really loved this one! It’s such a real and relatable situation where she’s navigating a divorce with kids and trying to figure out how to live her life while still making the kids a priority. It shows how moms truly sacrifice for their kids and it’s so heartbreaking but also so loving! And the romance between them is so fierce as they work through it all together. I just really appreciated the realness I felt reading this one! And of course I know I’ve been emotionally connected when I have happy tears multiple times in a story! ;)

4.5 stars, 1 chili pepper/Closed Door but has some angst.
I loved this book - it made me laugh, cry and swoon - the best type of book IMO! Ali's story is one that I think many 30ish age married women with young kids could relate to, where you don't even realize that you've lost yourself/your voice until it's too late. I also think Ethan's story is very relatable as well - he was a bit of a "bad kid" growing up, and was overlooked by his family and town, never really seeing the growth he had made. I loved following Ali find her way back to her self through her summer romance with Ethan <3
Annabel Monaghan is the queen at writing in a way that makes her stories so relatable, realisitic and swoony, and she once again masters it in this book!

*Thank you so much to Putnam and NetGalley for this early release publication for my unbiased review!

Started off a little slow for me and took a while for me to want to keep reading it, but I’m glad I kept on reading it. I really enjoyed the love story and the connection that the two main characters had, but I also really appreciated the FMC’s journey through grief and divorce. I also thought the author did a great job communicating how wives and mothers can disappear into their family and forget themselves in the chaos. Overall a great read.

What a lovely read this was. Ali is a soon to be divorced mother of three who is also still grieving the loss of her mother. Ali works as an organizer of homes, but hers is a mess as is her life. She meets a man in the dog park and begins a “summer romance” with him. The summer romance becomes both more intense and more complicated as time goes on. There are surprises along the way and more grief, but the story of Ali finding her true self and finally “organizing” her own home is very satisfying. I really enjoyed this sweet story and look forward to reading more from this author..

I LOVED this! After inhaling Nora Goes Off Script, I instantly knew I needed more Annabel Monaghan. Summer Romance has the perfect cast of characters, and a compelling and swoon worthy romance. But most importantly, I LOVED the setting - I wish everything about Beechwood was real.