An absolutely extraordinary book! Embarking on this story reminded me why I love reading so much.
This book is filled with charming characters and has a unique story. Thank you for allowing me to read it in advance.

“My parents are people I aspire to be like. And I hope to find love like theirs one day.”

If Annabel Monaghan writes it, I will be reading it. I love how she crafts a story with older main characters (late 20s and 30s) who are still working to figure out their lives. It gives me hope I’ll figure out mine!

The only reason why this one is 4.5 stars is because it was a little slow in the beginning. If you find this to be true for you, keep reading. I promise it is worth it in the end!

Once Dan and Jane head to his hometown on the east coast, I was all in for the story. The found family component was my favorite, and I loved the relationships Jane developed with Dan’s family – especially his dad. In fact, I really enjoyed all the characters, well except for one, but I’ll let you figure that part out!

I also liked how it explored that sometimes you are just different than your family members and that can be so hard to fully embrace in a small town. I’m from a small town, so I get it!

And, the enemies to lovers trope had the perfect amount of tension. You know I am not a fan of instant love, and this connection took time to develop and was worth the wait.

This one is out May 27, and a perfect summer read. You don’t want to miss it!

Thank you to @netgalley and @putnambooks for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really did enjoy It's a Love Story. Great characters!

Janey Jakes was a child star, now she is trying to produce her first movie. The cinematographer put a nail in the coffin of her last attempt to produce a movie and she has been hating him since. Janey says she knows the singer who is constantly on the radio and that she could get him to write a song for this movie she wants to produce.

I'd heard a lot about Nora Goes Off Script and have been wanting to read a book by Annabel Monaghan. I'm so glad that NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons approved my request to read the advance read copy of It's a Love Story in exchange for an honest review. 5 solid stars! Publication date is May 27, 2025. Approx 368 pages.

This is a slow burn, enemies to lovers story. I like the MMC’s down to earth, true love believing personality. The FMC is your typical love cynic. I liked their chemistry. The family dynamic is everything you could hope for in a family. It all comes together nicely at the end.

Was so excited to read this new Annabelle Monaghan book and was not disappointed! While it isn’t one of my favorites from her, it had all the same charm and energy as her previous books. I was entertained the whole entire time and read it in just a couple of days. I think there are so many people will be able to relate to this book’s heroine and I can’t wait for it to be officially published.

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: It's A Love Story
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: Annabel Monaghan
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: May 27, 2025

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝:
⇥ LOVED LOVED LOVED the main character, Janey. She was so real, funny, and easy to connect with.
⇥ Loved Dan and his family. Each hot brother deserves their own book. They were hilarious and written so well.
⇥ Not quite a closed-door romance, but spicier than I remember from her other books (though I have a terrible memory, so don’t hold me to that!).

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐝:
⇥ There was one small detail I wish had been addressed for closure with two of the plotlines. I wanted either more or less from what we got—just a little something extra to tie it all together.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠:
★★★★.5
I love when the main characters in a romance aren't in their 20's because then I feel too old. Janey and Dan were ADORABLE, and I loved their dynamic. Full disclosure: I went into this blind and totally thought Dan was the “villain,” with Jack as the love interest. I couldn’t have been more wrong! While this isn’t a perfect romance, it hit all the right notes for me, especially when I was in a major slump. The writing was mature, hilarious, and had me hooked. If you like childhood acting tropes, this one has it, too!

“Love happens over breakfast”

This had a bit of a slow start in the beginning. There was so much background explanation and building of the story that made the first couple of chapters flat. The story didn’t start to come to life until Jane and Dan made their journey cross country and when they did, I couldn’t put this book down. The dialogue was witty yet emotional and I loved how the author slowly built Dan and Jane’s through every day actions.

The author has a way with setting a scene and brining it to life. Her words immerse you and pull you into the story where you feel as if you are a part of the book rather than an outsider looking in. I could feel the chaos of the Finnegan family and the love they showed one another. I wanted so badly for this fictional world to be my reality.

This is a quiet love story. One that sneaks up on you after slowly getting to know it. It’s not filled with over the top grand gestures or billionaires with private jets, but instead contains little mundane, day to day activities that truly show how real moments are truly the most romantic.

Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons through NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love this! Heartwarming and skeptical, simultaneously.

Jane Jackson, creative director at a Hollywood studio, passionately wants to make a movie, a love story. Her boss, Nathan feels it doesn’t have a commercial feel; Dan, a handsome cinematographer, agrees. Jane is upset.

Jane used to play a character on an after school show when she was 14 years old. The character was nerdy, awkward and funny. Jane feels she was playing herself. Now at 33 years old, she doesn’t get recognized much which is fine with her.

Jane feels like she’s unlovable and no one really wants to have a relationship with her. This stems from her father, leaving her and her mother when she was a young child. Like many children, she feels like it was her fault.

Jane meets Dan, accidentally and sort of a meet cute situation before their meeting with Nathan. She’s now pissed at him for agreeing with Nathan, plus she lies and says she could get a current rockstar to write a song for this movie.

Jane and Dan fly to NY and stay with Dan’s large family on Long Island, to go to the rockstar's concert to try to discuss the song. After a week Jane has fallen for Dan and the Finnegan family. It’s fun to watch it develop.

The rockstar turns down the song writing gig and laughs at Jane. In her humiliation she lashes out at Dan. They fly back separately. Weeks go by without contact and she feels she effed this up.

They may or may not get together again in a memorable way! So fun.

I love Annabel Monaghan’s sense of humor.

Thanks Netgalley and GP Putnam.

Thank you Netgalley and Putnam Books for the gifted eARC.

Once I start an Annabel Monaghan book I can't stop until I have finished! Her books completely pull me in and I probably would have finished this in one sitting had I been given the chance.

What worked for me:
-Loved the setting
-Adored the extended family/secondary characters
-Appreciated both the main character's flaws and struggles

What didn't work for me:
-The FMC's very extreme rush from dislike to infatuation and proceeding borderline juvenile responses to this. HOWEVER, I think that given that part of her story is that she grew up as a young child star it maybe makes sense that she has some immature reactions to things based on her life experience's. Also... I might just be being a bit judgy.

This will be a high recommendation for summer reading from me this year!

Jane was a child actress with years of identity and self-esteem issues that affect her still decades later, especially in relationships. In this enemies to lovers romance, she works through her unresolved issues (although she really could have used some therapy!) with Dan to get her happy ending.
I’m not a fan of the third act breakup, including this one, but the ending was sweet and I overall enjoyed the story. I really liked the part of the story where they were in along Island with Dan’s family, and all their craziness. The story had some very great parts.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you Netgalley for this arc. I really enjoyed this authors writing and her other books were really good as well. Nora goes off script is one of my favorites, so it was obvious I would want to read this one.

I understand now why people adore Annable Monaghan's summer romances. Her characters feel so raw and fresh out, paired with her beautiful writing and some descriptions that make you go, wow. This creates such a pleasing read. I enjoyed both Jane and Dan a lot and felt so fulfilled with all the family scenes in this book. Monaghan's descriptions of Dan from Jane's point of view made my heart flutter, and a smile stretched my face. Even though, at times, the writing could feel choppy towards the end, this is the epitome of summer romance. Thank you, NetGalley and publishers, for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I started reading this story, expecting it to be a light summer romance, but it ended up making me feel so much.

Jane is a former child star who’s trying to put her past behind her while trying to become a respected Hollywood executive. She has to end up working alongside Dan, a creative studio executive, who she can’t stand, to get a script green-lit.

Throughout the story, you see from multiple angles how trapped Jane feels in her past identifies, while simultaneously seeing her fall in love for the first time with someone who doesn’t check all of her boxes.
Love, in itself, is an emotion that Jane has struggled with because of past experiences with her mother. It’s a beautiful journey seeing her walls come down when she is around Dan and his family and seeing how effortless love can actually be; that it is something she is worthy of having.

Aside from the emotions, this was a fun, workplace enemies to lovers, forced proximity romance with amazing banter. Jane and Dan’s personalities bounce off of each other effortlessly - I couldn’t stop smiling or laughing the entire time. It’s the perfect summer/beach read.

Thank you NetGalley and Putnam for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

There is nothing like a new Annabel Monaghan book to give me a good Nora Ephron 90s rom com dopamine buzz. It’s got loads of witty banter, sexual tension, messy family issues, and emotional complexity. (Plus a ton of references to the movie “The Notebook.”) I love a good forced proximity trope, so when Jane and Dan have to travel together to secure music for their movie soundtrack, you KNOW it’s going it’s going to get good!

As always with Monaghan’s books, there’s plenty of emotional punch for both characters. Dan wrestles with being the creative introvert who doesn’t quite fit in his big family. Jane’s got a whole suitcase full of emotional baggage just waiting to be unpacked with the right person.

Dan’s parents are my favorite side characters; the way that they talk to each other and relate to their family is so sweet.

Loved this so much book that I read it in one sitting!

Another Annabel Monaghan book that I loved reading! The descriptive settings are always a treat and this was no different! This was an uplifting and lovely read and really felt like I knew the characters. I love a summer Annabel read and always look forward to them.

A former child star who is trying to make a (new) name for herself is forced to team up with her one-time-crush-turned-nemesis in an effort to get her first movie greenlit. There's so many more layers to this story, but that's all you need to know before diving it.

I don't really know how to review any Annabel Monaghan book other than to say READ IT!!! I have loved every book she was written so far, and It's a Love Story is no exception. I laugh, and I cry. I highlight quotes and passages. I want to be best friends with the characters because they feel so real.

I love a rom com about an "older" couple. This was my favorite from this author so far, and I've read them all!

Truly one of my favorite authors and such a good story complete with a great family of string background characters and a believable love. Huge fan of the story, and I need a spin off in this world asap’

I loved this book! Annabel Monaghan always does a great job of keeping her romance novels lighthearted, while not feeling silly or pointless. Vacation-settings were super enjoyable, and i loved the male main character! This author writes some of the best romantic chemistry in the game, and did not disappoint with this book!

* former child star MC
*enemies to lovers
*history

This was my first time reading the author and it won’t be the last but I didn’t love this. I loved the idea of it, but ultimately found it predictable, and Jane insufferable.

I will read the author’s work, but this one was not for me.



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