Book Title: It’s a Love Story
Author: Annabel Monaghan
Tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Summer Vacation, Forced Proximity, One Bed, Workplace Romance, Second Chance Romance
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Level: 💋 (sweet, closed-door, high emotional chemistry)
Format: ARC via NetGalley

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🤩The Vibe:
This book feels like the ultimate summer romcom getaway — think Sweet Home Alabama meets The Hating Game with a little nostalgic TV star glow-up thrown in. It’s witty, charming, and surprisingly heartfelt. You’ll be rooting for Jane and Dan from the first sarcastic exchange to the last swoony moment. If you love stories that balance humor, vulnerability, and a little messy growth, this one will completely hook you.

👩‍❤️‍👨Main Characters:
Jane: Former teen sitcom star trying to figure out who she is beyond the role that made her famous. Jane is smart, funny, and a little stuck in her own head — especially when it comes to believing that “funny isn’t sexy.” Watching her journey to self-acceptance and true connection was so satisfying.

Dan: The literal definition of a green flag boyfriend. Dan is kind, grounded, and unafraid to stand up for what he believes in. His family dynamic is pure perfection, and the way he sees Jane for who she really is will melt you.

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💕What We Loved:
• The blend of so many top-tier tropes into one seamless story — it never felt chaotic, just layered and fun.
• Forced proximity and one-bed tension that actually delivered.
• Dan’s entire family. Every. Single. Scene. The way that he was the “black sheep” but everyone still loved him for who he was is inspiring.
• The way Dan and Jane truly saw and supported each other beyond first impressions and past mistakes.
• The writing — Annabel Monaghan’s dialogue and internal monologue are sharp, witty, and heartfelt without being too heavy.

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🚫What Didn’t Work for Me:
• Jane’s constant inner comparison to her childhood TV character got a little repetitive.
• Her belief that “funny isn’t sexy” felt a little frustrating after a while — we wanted her to realize her worth sooner.

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💬 Favorite Quote:
“This is an odd thing for me to notice about a person I wanted to punch in the neck as recently as this morning, but something’s different.” - The transition from hating someone to loving them always gets me!

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🤔Final Thoughts:
It’s a Love Story is pure summer romcom magic — a perfect blend of humor, heart, and heat with characters you’ll wish were real. If you love a fast, bingeable read packed with all your favorite tropes, this book needs to be at the top of your TBR when it releases.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the early copy — this was a very rare one-sitting, stay-up-4 hours-past-bedtime kind of book for me!

4.5 🌟

Can I please adopt Dan's family?!

Confession: I don't know what makes some romcoms land and others just meh... but whatever it is that makes them land - this book had it. I loved Jane and Dan together and individually. Dan's family was perfection. The third act breakup was well done. Seriously - loved this book!

Closed 🚪 romance

Thanks, Netgalley for the ARC of this book!

I really enjoyed Nora Goes off Script and Summer Romance so I was very excited to get an ARC for the new Annabel Monaghan. This story is a fun beachy read, but there are times I was really annoyed with Jane. The romance and the ending are a little choppy and while I really like Dan's family, some of that was too forced as well. Overall an enjoyable story and fun read.
Thank you Net Galley for the advanced copy!

It’s a Love Story
By: Annabel Monaghan

I love Annabel Monaghan’s books. Her stories are always realistic and the characters are lovable and well developed. As expected, It’s a Love Story was a great read.

Thank you @Netgalley and @PutnamBooks for sending me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

#ItsaLoveStory #NetGalley

Thank you to Putman Books and NetGalley for the digital ARC of It's A Love Story✨and my honest review. I have mixed feelings about this. I went into this book totally blind. As I finish this book I think the concept of this book is actually pretty interesting. I did love how Annabel Monaghan had gotten her inspiration from Jennette McCurdy. For me it felt like i liked specific parts of the book. i love the cute little moments with Dan and also how Dan has the messy man bun. But I did struggle a little bit with there i relationship. it felt like it just happened out of nowhere. i felt like Dan was forced to love her. Another thing is there job i feel like i would've liked more of it especially in the end. i felt like the end happened so quickly especially with Dan and Jane.

Thanks so much to Putnam Books and Netgalley for the ARC!

Overall, I really loved this story. Jane was a child actress known for her role as an awkward girl in her teens, turned creative executive in film attempting to get a project green-lit to save her job. Dan is the seemingly pretentious cinematographer who was responsible for her last project not going through. Jane knows Jack Quinlan, a rising pop star, from her time acting and thinks his song is what she needs to get the project the boost it needs to be made.

Jane and Dan journey to the East Coast to try to get time with Jack to bring him into their project and stay at Dan’s family home on their trip. Through meeting his family, Jane is able to see a different side of Dan and realizes he’s different than she thought.

I really loved Dan’s character - he’s so sweet and I just really loved reading about him. Jane was a bit infuriating on and off… I sometimes struggle with characters who make their insecurities too much of their identity and Jane was definitely verging on that, though she did eventually have character growth and it became less of an issue in the end. That being said, it isn’t entirely unrealistic for someone to be that way and I pretty much only removed the 1 star for this reason - the story itself was very cute and I was cheering for Jane and Dan the whole book. It was a little difficult to get into for the first little bit, but after a while I couldn’t put it down and just wanted to get to a happy ending.

I have really grown to love Annabel’s writing style. It’s easy to follow and she really knows how to make you feel connected to the characters. I love a good rockstar romance and this one did not disappoint! It was cozy and had great banter!

I loved this book! I have liked all of Annabel Monaghan's books, but this might be my favorite. I loved the vulnerability of the characters, especially Jane. How she held on to her teenage self and the idea that we all hold of what perfection is versus who we really are was relatable in so many ways. The love story that develops between Jane and Dan is slow and perfect, and what makes it especially fun is that they are surrounded by his busy and lovable family, perfectly captured in the name of his family group text: The Mob. This is a fun summer beach read romance, which you can also read on a cold wintery day on your couch (which is where I read it). The vibes of love, summer, and beach will warm you throughout. I highly recommend this book, and I thank NetGalley for the ARC!

This ended up being a DNF for me. I split my time between reading it on Kindle and listening to the audio, but neither format really worked. The storyline just didn’t grab me, and the audiobook narrator’s almost monotone delivery made it even harder to stay engaged. Unfortunately, this one just wasn’t for me.

Oh I loved this book! Just delightful!!! The characters - ALL of them are simply wonderful. The warm and fuzzies were well written and absolutely received by this reader! Annabel Monaghan is an auto-read author for me. This was simply a fantastic reading experience. Big thanks to NetGalley for an early copy!

A sweet enemies to lover story that will make you smile and laugh!

“It’s a Love Story” is about Jane a former child actor that is trying to make it in the movie production business. She meets Dan, a realist who dismisses her first big project. The fly from LA to Long Island to track down a pop start that Jane knew from her childhood. But while they are there they stay with Dan’s family. You will absolutely fall in love with the Finnegan family! I loved each and every one of them.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a heart warming quick read with a found family vibe.

Thank you Penguin media for an ARC of this book.

DNF - Slogged through this at the pace of a turtle. I just could not get into it. It wasn’t poorly written just boring and slow. Didn’t connect with it at all unfortunately. I found myself in a book slump simply because I didn’t want to pick this one back up and that’s when I know it’s time to move on.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

I was told about this book from and friend and it did not disappoint! I enjoyed the development of the romance between the two main characters. The emotional growth of Jane had me in tears. A good lesson is learned from her relationship with her mother as well as the way Jane learns to see herself.
Some parts seem to drag a bit at the beginning and end but overall I enjoyed the story!

It’s a Love Story by @annabelmonaghan
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5


Annabel has done it again. She delivered another beautifully crafted story that you can see play out in your mind. Her books are perfect beach reads but always have an emotional depth that you don’t expect. I have loved all of them.

I immediately fell in love with Jane and Dan and was routing for them right away. Their troupe of enemies to lovers felt unique and refreshing.

I adored Dan’s family. A big, loud, Irish family was always my dream (spoiler alert, I got it). I could see the house and feel the warmth from his Dad and smell his Mom’s cooking. The way the family was written felt like a big hug that I felt right through the pages.

It’s a Love Story is out on May 27th. Thank you @netgalley and @penguinbooks for this advanced copy.

3.75/5 stars....The FMC had a plan for her life and was really trying to stick to it and the MMC really just didn't want to be compared to his siblings. I liked them together once the FMC realized the perfect person for her would not check every box on list but the ones that really mattered. The FMC is an only child and sometimes that's a blessing in and of its self. Her relationship with her mother (at the start) is not the best and she barely got to know her father. The MMC has siblings to spare and both parents in his life, these characters are polar opposites and were meant to be together. I was not a fan of the 3rd act break up but it all worked out in the end. This was also one of the quickest reads for this year.

Annabel Monaghan is an incredible romance writer. Romance is very hit-or-miss for me, but Monaghan's stories work very well for my tastes. Her characters feel like real people, not the quirky nonsensical characters that are often present in romances. There's always something deeper going on in her stories, and I find myself rooting for her characters more than most. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance reader's copy of this novel.

It’s a Love Story by Annabel Monaghan was such a warm and comforting read. I’ve loved her writing in the past, and she absolutely delivers again here — her style feels like a cozy hug, so easy to sink into. I felt especially connected to Dan’s character; his emotions and journey resonated with me deeply.

What held me back from a full 5 stars was the way the female lead’s storyline developed toward the end. Her mental breakdown felt a little too heavy compared to the tone of the rest of the book, and it pulled me out of the story for a bit. Still, overall, this was a solid, heartfelt read that I’d definitely recommend to anyone who loves sweet, emotionally layered romances.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this!

This may be her best yet! It still has the light hearted fun that’s perfect for a summer read, but this story feels like it is her most relatable and authentic yet. I saw myself in these characters in a way that was both heartbreaking and beautiful. And, on a final note, thank goodness for Clem ❤️ please give her a story of her own!

A total 5 stars.
I definitely WASN’T expecting it to be that good, and when I say that good, I mean I can actually compare to my most favorite author Emily Henry.
Words cannot describe how perfect this gem was. It kept me thinking about its quotes, and the one that stuck in my mind was: “there’s a difference between someone loving you and agreeing with every single thing you do.”
Dan was a heart-stealer and reminded me a lot of Gus from Beach Read, so I have a feeling if you loved Beach Read you’re gonna love this one.
I went to it completely blind and honestly wasn’t looking forward to anything except that the amazing @croknits_withmads saying that it altered her brain chemistry, and I was like “oh I definitely should give it a try.”. It’s became my 2nd fave read of the month if not more.
Thank you NetGalley, the publisher for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.

“𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭.”

𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝗣𝘂𝗯 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲: 5/20/25

*Thank you @NetGalley and @PutnamBooks for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆: Childhood TV star Jane Jackson aka "Poor Janey Jakes," was the funny nerdy girl in the sitcom Pop Rocks. Now grown up, shes trying to make it big in Hollywood by getting the movie script Love Story produced. When she gets some push back, she may tell a little lie: that she can get a mega star singer she used to work with to write a song for the movie. Only thing is, she hasn't talked to him in years. Jane heads to a small beach town with her office nemesis (and former crush) Dan, to confront the pop star during a music festival and ask for his help. Being forced to spend a week with Dan isn't her idea of a good time, but it will be worth it if things work out in the end.

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗜𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲:
🎥 Enemies to Lovers
🩱 Small Town
🎥 Forced Proximity
🩱 Big Family Dynamics

𝗠𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀:
Monaghan is a “she writes it I read it” author for me. I loved her other books. This one was my least favorite. I didn’t feel any connection to the characters and found Jane to be annoying and not quirky. The hiding under desks and in closets was odd to me. I do appreciate Monaghans writing, and the text flowed well and was easy to read. This story will definitely have its audience and is worth reading 📖 if you’re looking for a good light read.