Definitely Annabel Monaghan’s best book yet! And I really didn’t think she could top Summer Romance for me. I’m crazy grateful to have landed an ARC so I could enjoy this one early. Jane & Dan and the entire cast of characters in this one are just top notch. I’m still processing how these characters aren’t real people, they feel like they should be! But truly Annabel’s ability to make things feel real but entertaining, relatable and still so thought provoking, I love it! Dateline, The Notebook, “Let It Go”, being “the worst” — just go read it!

Truly the only thing I didn’t love was the name of Jane’s childhood show, Pop Rocks. I thought of the silly (and gross) candy from the 90’s every single time.

I loved this book for so many reasons but I was so unsatisfied with the ending! I wish she wrote the hit song for the film and went on to win a big award for it. I wanted some big grand gesture moment.

This was cute, but I really disliked the third act breakup and the characters' reactions to it. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for honest review.

I received a free copy of “It’s a Love Story” by Annabel Monaghan from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a cute rom-com, but has so much more. We have enemies to lovers, a friendship that they will do anything for the other, and a mother-daughter relationship that is so sweet, but also very complicated. The story has a bit of everything and I loved it!

This one wasn’t my favorite. I had a hard time getting into it, but I won’t be leaving anything less than five stars because all of her other books are my top tier favorites and I know that she’s just gonna write a banger next time.

<i>Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.</i>

4.5 stars rounded down

Annabel Monaghan is a must read for me and I did really love this. A couple nitpicky preference things - one too many references to the notebook (was good for a while but found it got a little old) and I didn’t love the conflict. The found both Jane and Dan’s reactions a little immature (seriously, blocking someone??). I did love Dan’s family and the backstories so much!!

This is hands down my favorite Annabel Monaghan book so far! The story follows Jane, a movie creative executive and former child star, who stumbles upon the script of her dreams—but there’s a catch. In order to bring it to film, she needs to convince her childhood peer-turned-superstar to write an original song for the movie. To make that happen, she agrees to stay at her work nemesis Dan’s Long Island house for a week long family party. She quickly finds the maybe Dan is not as bad as she thought.

From the start, I felt an instant connection with Jane, and I quickly found myself falling for swoony Dan and his lovable family. The characters are so well-crafted, and Annabel’s writing style always seems to hit all the perfect romance notes without making it cheesy. I adored this book from start to finish and can’t wait to reread it on the beach this summer. It’s the perfect read for anyone looking for heartwarming romance and unforgettable characters!

Do you ever read a book and you feel like your heart got enveloped into a huge hug? This book is my new favorite hug! I can confidently say that Annabel Monaghan is a must read author for me now. Her characters, her settings and her backstories blend seamlessly into one beautiful tale that I wish went on forever. I want to follow these characters beyond the epilogue and stay with them to hang out. I want to get invited to a BBQ at the Finnegan house and witness their crazy family. I want to go to Friday night movies with Jane and her mom and do facials and makeovers afterwards. I want to see this love story continue on beyond the pages.

The book had a simple premise, a romance about a former child star who is trying to produce a movie and the opinionated cinematographer who needs to be a part of the project to save his career but it was more than simple in execution. After a meet-cute (that I absolutely adored) he then sticks his foot in his mouth and they turn bitter towards each other.

Jane was anxious and quirky but she was also very funny and endearing. I found similarities between myself and her. I also must leave the room to talk to someone on the phone– who knows why?! I also found her false confidence a personality trait that I think many people can easily relate to. As a former child star you would think she is comfortable in her own skin but she has her own doubts and insecurities.

Dan is very different from the rest of this family and didn't always fit in with the loud boisterous bunch. He liked the calm and the quiet of the solitude and found that with photography. The way he was open with Jane was refreshing and it caused them to truly understand each other.

Shoutout to the Owl Barn and Oak Shore! I would have loved to run into Wyatt and Sam but I loved that they were in the same universe (Same Time Next Summer)

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putman for sharing this book’s digital advanced review copy with me in exchange for an honest review.

I read this book through a digital ARC from NetGalley
Author: Annabel Monahgan
Genre: Romance
Troupe: Rivals to Lovers, Forced Proximity

This is such a delightful, feel-good romance with plenty of humor and heart! Jane Jackson, once the punchline of a sitcom, is now a Hollywood studio exec trying to get her first project off the ground. But when a white lie about landing a popstar to write a song spirals into a week-long showdown with her past, she ends up on Long Island with Dan Finnegan—the very man who still knows all her awkward moments from childhood. Their chemistry is undeniable, and the mix of old grudges, unresolved feelings, and genuine connection makes for a perfect blend of humor and emotion.

The heart of this book really lies in Jane’s journey of self-acceptance and redemption. Watching her navigate her past with the hilarious and charming Dan, while also trying to save her career, adds layers to the romance that make it all the more engaging. The dynamic between Jane and Dan is witty, sweet, and filled with banter, making their journey to find something real together incredibly satisfying. If you love a good second-chance romance with a healthy dose of humor and vulnerability, this one’s a must-read!

Wow, Annabel Monaghan! She has become an insta-read for me and i was super happy to get this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A former child star navigates the world from the other side of the creative process, and is trying to get a movie made. It’s a story she really believes in—but can she believe in herself enough to make it happen? Can she shake the impact of being a child star and what she dealt with as a kid? I don’t want to overstate the darkness of this book—it’s really not dark, it’s just honest and vulnerable and lovely.

I loved this. Read it in a day. Couldn’t put it down. I love how Monaghan weaves in so many details (pop tarts, candy in the closet, the front porch, so much more). I loved the big family and the summer on Long Island and the courage there is in being yourself. I really really want to re-watch The Notebook now.

Get your preorders in bc this is the hit of the summer.

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC!

I did not expect to love this book as much as I did! Overall premise is that a former geeky child star who now works as a movie executive is trying to get a film made and she needs to ask the boy she sang a duet with as kids who is now a pop star to write a song for the movie because it won't get made otherwise. She has to spend the week near him by staying with a colleague Dan (who she describes as "thr worst" so you can see where this is going) and his family.

OK so his family: incredibly endearing, fully fleshed out, loved them all. Want to hang out in their potato fields with them please. While the brothers are all pretty similar to each other, that is actually the point and I loved them. The dad is awesome. The mom is amazing. Can they adopt me? I also love how non-playing-games Dan is. Just love. Though I can't quite imagine the rectangular eyes Monaghan says they have, repeatedly?

Our MC Jane is lovable (which is actually a major theme of the book). I don't want to give away too much, but I will say her one-liners made me laugh a few times. I also love her BFF who is an excellent BFF.

Definitely recommend this book, I couldn't put it down.

Thank you Penguin Random House and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I have loved all of Annabel Monaghan's books and I loved this one too. It was a fun slow-burn that kept me hooked until the end.

A former child star, Jane and her sort of work nemesis, Dan team up over a week on Long Island to try and lure Jane's ex, famous music star Jack, to help them get their movie made. I adore everything Annabel Monaghan writes and this was no exception. It took me a minute to really become invested in the main characters but once I did I was all in. They felt very real and lived in. Cannot wait for her next book!

Annabel Monaghan is absolutely a favorite author of mine, and this latest book of hers (out May 27th) keeps her right up there at the top for me. At first I was a bit hesitant with the premise of the book and the first fifty or so pages. I thought it was going to be too silly and light, especially since I have usually connected with Monaghan's main characters because they were moms. However, once Dan and Jane went to his hometown, I was drawn into the story and didn't want it to end. Their romance was perfection, and I could feel the chemistry between the two of them. Jane had her flaws, and Monaghan wrote about them in such a way that made you connect with her and truly understand her feelings. I also LOVED how it ended!

REVIEW CONTAINS DETAILS FROM THE BOOK:
“It’s a Love Story” delivers a classic enemies-to-lovers romance with a touch of self-discovery, Hollywood drama, and small-town charm. The novel follows Jane, a former child star turned production assistant, and Dan, a cinematographer with whom she has a rocky past. Years ago, Jane pitched a script she was passionate about, only for Dan to dismiss it, causing a rift between them. Now, fate has forced them to collaborate again, reigniting old tensions—and buried feelings.

At first, the story unfolds at a slow pace, gradually peeling back layers of Jane and Dan’s complicated history. The real momentum builds when they travel to Dan’s hometown, hoping to convince Jane’s past love interest to contribute a song to their movie. Staying with Dan’s family, the pair are thrown into a whirlwind of small-town adventures, meddling relatives, and unresolved emotions. Jane grapples with deep-seated self-worth issues stemming from her childhood fame, while Dan struggles with feeling like the black sheep of his family. As they work together, their initial animosity gives way to understanding, and they rediscover what once drew them to each other.

While the novel follows familiar enemies-to-lovers beats, it shines in its character development. Jane and Dan’s growth feels authentic, and as the story progresses, their past hurts and personal struggles add depth to their romance. The tension between them is well-executed, making their eventual reconnection satisfying. However, the slow start might test some readers’ patience before the emotional payoffs truly land.

Overall, “It’s a Love Story” is an engaging, heartfelt romance that blends industry drama with small-town warmth. Though it takes time to find its rhythm, the journey is worth it for fans of slow-burn enemies-to-lovers arcs with strong character growth.

I absolutely loved this story. A wonderful slow burn with lots of side characters in the form of the mmc’s family. There was so much anguish in the fmc working through her own sense of inadequacy and insecurity. This is my 3rd book by Annabel Monaghan but it is my favorite one. Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC.

Out all of this authors books this one has been my favorite. I loved Jane and Dan as characters and for each other. It all starts out with one miscommunication and error and in reality they’re actually fated for one another. Heartfelt, cozy and romantic I loved reading the scenes of them hopping around Long Island.

Annabel Monaghan tells a great love story and her newest entry is no exception. The story of Jane and Dan is one that celebrates the small moments that make up love.

Overall I give this book 4 stars. Jane’s personality took me a while to get used to. At first, the book was just giving me anxiety. After about 15% though, I was sold. I adored Dan and his loud, expansive family. I loved Jane’s growth throughout the book. A solid and quick read.

I want to start by thanking Annabel Monaghan & Putnam Group for letting me read this early!

I absolutely adore the Annabel Monaghan's writing. It’s so poetic, and real. Her stories never fail to make me feel all the emotions when reading them. Her characters have so many layers and always have such good growth throughout the arc of the story, and this one was no exception.

Jane was such a real and relatable character, I felt all of her emotions with her. She experienced so much change and growth from where she starts out in the story to where she ends, I found myself cheering from my couch for her as the story wrapped up. Dan is such a strong and solid partner for her. I love Dan and his quirky family so much! She always writes the BEST male love interests in her books! I love the way Dan communicates throughout the story. He does so good about communicating his feelings and where he’s at throughout the story. Jane and Dan’s connection was so real and their love was so beautiful! Easily moving this to my top favorites list!

3.5 Stars!

Dan: (mmc)
Jane: (dmc)

This was my first book by Annabel Monaghan, and I think I will be reading her other books. It was an okay book that is a cute rom-com to read by the beach or in your vacation. I wasn't it for me, as in it wasn't my favorite book, but it was good.

I actually really love the setting of the book, and liked Jane. However, I couldn't connect so much with Jane and Dan as a couple. I felt like I missed the deep connection. However, their story is quite cute, and very entertaining. I think the author really gave them a thought-out story line. I can tell Annabel Monaghan is a good writer and really thinks through. Like I said, not my favorite but an okay read.