This was a cute easy read. Great for the summer! It started slow for me but picked up about a quarter of the way through. Gave me "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days' vibes with the visit to Dan's family at the beach.

ANNABEL MONAGHAN HAS DONE IT AGAIN!!!!!!

I truly do not know how she creates these amazing romances that I continue to fall in love with, but also create the most incredible women's fiction that I know will just break me and put me back together as a new person who sees the world through a more growing lens. I absolutely enjoyed this one so much and I feel like it was made for me. With the second chance romance, but also the slow burn. The roamce did it for me and I fear Monaghan will always create an even more heartwarming story that the last, with each their special touch.

However, that was not the only reason why I loved this book. Our MFC that we meet in the story is the most relatable warming character that I just wanted to hug. Jane's mission was so adventurous and truly was the best book I've ever read!

This book is so special to me with just the connection of the characters and the found family was so special to me, and I am ever grateful to Annabel Monaghan for writing this incredible characters.

This book is everything. A strong and yet insecure woman who doesn’t believe she’s lovable because that’s what the world told her. A quirky and articulate man who is just trying to make his way in the world outside of his family. Both of them fall in love with a movie script. In the process they fall in love with each other.

You know that feeling you get when you watch a rom com like How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days or Music and Lyrics? Where the main characters come together in an unexpected and exciting yet authentic way? This book is those vibes on paper.

The perfect summer rom com!

“It’s a Love Story” is a beautiful and swoony enemies-to-lovers romcom. Jane was formerly a teen actor known for her goofy antics, and now she needs Dan’s help to get her dream movie greenlit. He invites her back to his hometown to help her convince her (now wildly popular) teen crush to write a song for the movie, since he’ll be there performing at a music festival.

This book is slow burn and delicious. I empathized with both Dan and Jane as they longed to be seen and loved for who they are (something we all want deep down). To feel comfortable in your own skin and to know yourself and stand up for yourself.

This is the perfect summer romance if you’re looking for that sweet and romantic love story that hits you in all the right feels. It’s small town vibes and “The Notebook” and falling in love. You know where it’s going but LOVE the journey getting there.

Thank you to Putnam Books and NetGalley for early access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

Average romance read, I enjoy Annabel Monaghan's books, they are binge-able and will keep you interested but nothing grand. I feel like they made Jack, the popstar, a to big part of the plot just for them to have that interaction which then leads her life to implode and she just becomes so immature. I understand that he played a huge role in her childhood that led her to think she was unlovable but come on that happened when you were 14, you are giving him to much importance in your life when you spent one day with him. I loved how she was down bad for Dan and so was he, I liked their little backstory of how they met and why they hated each other and liked his whole family dynamic. I definitely saw her be more interested in him and just wanted him. Overall it was a good read, would recommend it to pass the time.

Annabel Monaghan this is my formal request that you never stop writing. I will read your grocery list if I have to!! I don't know how she does it, but every single time Monaghan writes the most beautiful love story in existence and sets it amongst an emotional character arc. Simply stunning. I highly recommend this book but PLEASE take the day off work because I was almost sobbing in my office while sneaky reading. I read this in one working day because it is so hard to put down. The characters are stunning. The plot and subplot and everything is award-worthy. Monaghan's writing is a siren call pulling me in and I do not want to resist it. I need another book from her ASAP

Thank you so so much to the publisher for the e-copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I adored the plot and overall romance wrapped up in this book. With pulls from previous books that live forever in my heart I love the nod to them and the overall fun with it. I enjoyed the way everyone fit together with their own corky personality and laugh out loud humor. It was a great easy to read romance.

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the early digital copy of this new book and thank you to PRH audio for the early copy of the audiobook! Monaghan has done it again! I absolutely loved this whirlwind enemies to lovers, second chance romance, raw and emotional love story. Monaghan doesn’t just give you all the tropes, she also gives you the raw characters behind them. I love how she looks at real human issues and how they affect our relationships. You can’t help but fall in love with Dan Finnegan and his family! It’s the perfect whirlwind Summer novel to get swept up in. And all I wanted to do when I finished reading it was be able to watch the movie that they were working on! Definitely recommend.

I am so lucky to have had the chance to read an adanvced readers copy of It’s A Love Story thanks to netgally and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam. This story had me absolutely blown away, I fell so madly in love with everything about this book and already miss it so bad. I was both in tears and laughing out loud while reading this story. Annabel writes such complex and realistic people that are beautifully complex and deeply relatable. I will be picking up Summer Romance asap because I need to read more from Annabel. I highly recommend this if you’re looking for an emotional beach read and if you loved Book Lovers by Emily Henry. Cannot wait for this book to release May 27th and for everyone to get a chance to fall in love with Dan and Jane.

Love! I always love Annabel Monaghans books but this one seems special. Reminded me of the magic from her first book. A perfect beach read for the summer.

RATING: 4/5 STARS

I love Annabel Monaghan's books - this one was another hit for me. Fantastic enemies to lovers and opposites attract vibes in a small town setting. Her writing is breezy but full of heart.

I enjoyed visiting the West and East coasts through reading this rom-com. Jane is a former child actor who is trying to get a movie made. Her work nemesis turns into her only hope in getting the job done. This was a fun read, and I was rooting for their happy ending.

The PERFECT spring/summer read!! Annabel Monaghan masterfully blends humor and emotion, creating characters that feel incredibly real and relatable. Obviously Jane's growth throughout the novel, especially regarding her relationship with Dan kept me engaged throughout. I felt that the third act was somewhat rushed or not totally resolved. However, the characters were more than relatable, and I am a sucker for well-written character development. Definitely a cozy read that's perfect for the summer (and has a tinge of depth!)

This is my 4th read by Annabel Monaghan because I've really enjoyed her writing. While I've connected with many of her FMCs, I connected more with Dan in this story. His perspective and connections to his family are solid and real. The main characters' banter and relationship development are great. I appreciate that there was no hint of a triangle between Janey, Dan and Jack.

Another great read from Monaghan!

ARC from Netgalley

Annabel Monaghan never disappoints and has once again delivered a brilliant read! The banter between the MCs was the best, and the way their relationship developed organically (as opposed to insta-love) was a breath of fresh air.

Thank you to NetGalley AND Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC!

I am so grateful for this eARC, and I didn’t want to put it down. Jane & Dan’s stories are woven with parent expectations, secrets, and the desire to tell stories through film and photography. All told from Jane’s POV, we watch this enemies-at -work trope shift when Jane exposes her celebrity childhood and the baggage it brings to her present. Inspired by McCurdy’s story, “I’m glad my mom died,” I love how Monaghan explores the concept of living in a script. Her writing is beautiful, and Dan’s desire to find himself in a house filled with look-alike brothers and careers that are dependable is such a great message to the readers. Living by any script has its consequences no matter the outcomes we think it will have.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐! Another 5 star read from Annabel Monaghan!

Jane Jackson needs a win. Her adolescence was one big punchline as the nerdy tagalong on a teen sitcom. Her first attempt to get a screenplay greenlit was thwarted by a haughty (and also hottie!) cinematographer. Try as she might to play the part of the perfect date, she can't seem to get past the third date with anyone. She needs a win. So, when the perfect love story script lands in her lap, she does whatever necessary to keep it alive, even if that is promising a song for the soundtrack from a popstar she knew back in her sitcom days. Jane and haughty (hottie!) cinematographer Dan set out to make it happen in his Long Island hometown. Making the perfect love story into a movie would be a huge win for Jane, but maybe learning how to be herself and finding love along the way would be even better.

Annabel Monaghan does such a fantastic job of weaving our favorite tropes (Friends to lovers! Forced proximity! Grand gesture!) into a story in a way that is not cliched or cringey. What a great way to start off the summer reading season! Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the advanced copy.

#itsalovestory #netgalley

Another absolutely beautiful story by Annabel! Her prose are so easy to get lost in. I loved the concept of this one and the heavy and introspective topics it touched on. I didn’t know I would resonate with it so much when i first picked it up but i definitely saw some of myself in Jane, the main character. Not your typical love story but heartwarming just the same

This book is a love story; messy, magnetic, and had me swooning. Annabel Monaghan does it again with a romance that had me grinning at multiple moments. The chemistry crackles, the banter is top-tier, and the emotional beats hit just right. It’s got all the charm of a rom-com with the heart of something deeper. Plus, Monaghan’s writing is like a warm latte with extra whip: comforting, clever, and totally addictive, as always!

If you love second chances, slow burns, or stories that feel like summer and soulmates, this one's for you. Add it to your TBR, you’ll thank me later.

Thank you to Penguin Group for the ARC.

It’s a Love Story by @annabelmonaghan is more than just a romance—it’s a heartfelt journey of self-discovery, healing, and learning to see yourself the way someone who loves you does. Jane has spent years feeling like the sidekick in her own life, doubting her worth both personally and professionally. But as she embarks on a high-stakes, slightly chaotic mission to get her passion project greenlit, she’s forced to confront the things holding her back. And through it all, there’s Dan—steady, patient, and always believing in her, even when she can’t quite believe in herself. Their connection is undeniable, built on years of tension, unspoken feelings, and perfectly timed banter that had me grinning the whole way through.

What makes this book so special, though, is Monaghan’s writing. The setting feels cinematic, the characters are layered and deeply real, and every moment—whether lighthearted or emotional—lands with impact. The way Jane finds her way back to herself, not just through romance but through taking risks and realizing her own strength, made this story feel even more rewarding. And Dan? He’s the kind of leading man who doesn’t need grand gestures to prove his love—it’s in the way he sees her, supports her, and never wavers. This book had me swooning, laughing, and tearing up all at once, and I already know it’s one I’ll be recommending to everyone.