This is definitely my favorite of Annabel Monaghan’s books. The characters were relatable, the setting and scenery were so realistic I could feel them, and I loved the journey of self discovery that Jane went through. Plus the love story (while not quite The Notebook level, iykyk) was true to life and just fun to read!

I am truly grateful for the chance to read this ARC. Annabel has captured my heart and has quickly become one of my favorite authors. Words cannot fully express my appreciation for her writing. Her characters pull me in right from the start, making me feel a deep connection to individuals I've never met. I witnessed their love story unfold, and the way their romance was depicted was incredibly accurate. At times, I felt a wave of anxiety, fearing an inevitable breakup, desperately hoping I was wrong and that a happy ending was still possible. I can't remember ever wanting a relationship to succeed as much as I did for Jane and Dan.

While reading, I also thought of Jeannette McCurdy's memoir and believe she would be quite flattered by the comparison. Additionally, I was surprised to learn that Annabel lives in Connecticut—my home state! Although the chances are slim that she would want to visit my library, I think I should reach out to her agent.

Thank you NetGalley and the Penguin Group for the ARC! I was so excited to see my request to read it early was approved.

This book, like all of Annabel Monaghan’s books was a delight from start to finish. Janey is this quirky, former child actor who is trying to find how she fits in now that she’s an adult and no longer on TV. Like most child actors, she has some deep seated trauma, but she is also witty and kind hearted. This books starts off with Janey thinking/hoping she found her big break, and how she will make a career for herself by pitching a movie called True Story. Cue Dan who is a filmmaker that Janey just happens to despise, and is forced to work with for this potential film. Janey’s story takes off from there on how she and Dan have to work together to try to get this movie made, while also getting to know each other.

Let me just say the banter in this book was top notch! I laughed out loud multiple times when the two characters were arguing. The side characters are also fun and lovable and give a touch of that found family that Janey has never had. This book was fast paced and it had me smiling through the whole thing. The characters are lovable and you can’t help but root for them.

During this book, I got strong Jennette McCurdy vibes from Janey and how she was working though her life after being such a well known child actor, and in the acknowledgments Annabel talks about how Jennette’s book brought the idea for this story to light. Janey is in no way Jennette, and they don’t share the same trauma (like Jeannette’s eating disorder, abusive mother etc.) but that dynamic of being the goofy side kick in a children’s television show and how it became such an integral part of her life is definitely a shared theme in these books.

This book is for those that want a fast paced bing-able, feel good story. If you enjoy that rivals to lover trope, with some great character growth, and closed door romance, you will definitely enjoy this book.

I think this may be my favorite Annabel Monaghan story yet! I appreciate the journey of acceptance that Jane went on through the book that ultimately led her to her own love story. I loved the whole "mob" dynamic, all the real and messy characters that made up the extended family but also loved each other so fiercely. I especially loved Reenie and Cormack's relationship, which also served as a anchor for the whole story. A beautiful story that felt adult, funny, and has you rooting for Jane and Dan the whole way through.

Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for the ARC!

4.5

I started off skeptical, because I hadn’t enjoyed a previous book by this author, but this turned out so good! The characters were so heartfelt and well developed, and I genuinely cried (which is the measure of a great book). It was enemies-to-lovers but in a soft, sweet way, if you can imagine. I would definitely recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first time reading something by Annabel, and I’m impressed.

I was able to visualize every aspect of the story. I enjoyed witnessing Jane’s journey of self-discovery. There’s something relatable about someone trying to meet society expectations and finally realizing that it’s perfectly acceptable to embrace their true self. And the romantic element? It has a good slow-burn.

However, I must admit that I didn’t give the book a full five stars because the final conflict felt somewhat forced. This is like 4.5.

I’ve been meaning to read Annabel’s book, “Summer Romance,” for quite some time now. After reading this, I’ve decided to add it to my TBR list and give it a chance. I genuinely enjoy her writing style and believe that I’ll find it equally enjoyable.

Thank you Netgalley for the Advance copy.

I was lucky enough to get this ARC from Netgalley. Whoa. I could not put this down. I cried for these characters and don’t want to let them go. It’s one of those books where you are so sad to be leaving their world. It was in no way predictable and kept you from putting it down. Five stars!

4.5 ⭐️ I loved this book. Jane is trying to make it as a movie producer, she has found the perfect script, all she has to do is track down a superstar singer, who she has a tiny history with, and get him to sing a song for the movie. Sounds easy enough right? Oh but also she has to work with her work enemy along the way. Jane finds out that she’s completely misjudged Dan. We get to fall in love with Dans whole family. The whole thing felt like a giant warm hug. The only bad thing I have to say about the book is I absolutely hate a third act break up, and unfortunately we have one of those here. If it wasn’t for that trope I would have given it 5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin publishing for the early copy of this book.

This book will be published on May 27, 2025 ❤️

Oh man! Her books are just SO good. So much character development and depth and such good romance. And closed door! She’s ready to knock Emily Henry out of the water.

Jane Jackson, a Creative Executive at Clearwater Studios, tells a lie that lands her on Long Island with her enemy, Dan Finnegan. Will they save their film and each other in the process?

I really enjoyed reading about Janey Jakes’s background. It gives Jane more depth and explains why she is the way she is now. The slow burn, the small touches, and the almosts were killing me in the best way possible!

I can empathize with Jane feeling like she can’t be her authentic, funny self in relationships, and men (and just people in general) wanting a certain version of you, a specific type. This made her seem more real and relatable.

I love their meet cute; how cute it was, but then it turned bitter. It was a non-traditional start which I liked. I love how Dan views love and how his parents have shaped him but that he’s also different from his brothers and family. I just loved Dan (and Jane) in general.

I also loved the ending and the book as a whole. Super cute read!

There's something cruel (self-induced) about reading a perfect beach read during sub zero winter temperatures.

"It's a Love Story" was exactly what I've come to expect from Annabel Monaghan. She writes an incredibly well-balanced romance: full of lightheartedness, silliness, and just enough emotional depth to see character growth.

I think this was my favorite of the 4 of her books that I've read. Something about Jane and Dan felt the most relatable and I loved the dynamics of the Finnegan family. They were so heartwarming.

Would highly recommend picking this up when it comes out end of May!

*ARC REVIEW*

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book. I’m a big Annabel Monaghan fan. Her books are always the perfect warm and fuzzy romances. It’s a Love Story was no different. I’d probably give this book 3.75 stars realistically. The downfalls for me came in the character development - I didn’t feel like the development within themselves or their relationship was as fleshed out as it could’ve been. The storyline also wasn’t my favorite. Truly the whole “finding a famous guy to write a song to make a movie happen” story felt like a forgotten afterthought that every now and then Monaghan got back to. I could’ve done without that entire storyline to be honest. I also didn’t love the FMC. She was alright, but mostly she seemed a little whiny, underdeveloped, and immature for her age. Dan though. I loved Dan. I also loved his entire family, although that brings me to another issue - he had so many nieces and nephews and sisters in law that I lost track of who people were and I never felt connected to any of them because they were such minor parts, but when I was supposed to feel like Jane felt connected to them. I just think the book could’ve gone a bit deeper, but I did truly enjoy it and the romance was fantastic. Overall a great warm and cozy romance as usual for Monaghan and I’d absolutely recommend it as a read!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.

I love Annabel Monaghan; she's always a recommendation for someone looking for a lighthearted beach read. I don't think this is my favorite of the ones that I read. I really loved the middle part of this book. I struggled a bit getting invested at the beginning - I wasn't loving the headspace of the main character, Jane. I didn't feel particularly connected to her job in the film industry. I was more interested as she travels home with her work nemesis, Dan, and gets to know his family. That part of the story was fabulous!

This was so cutie patootie, I teared up twice. I loved how Jane found herself and was able to find love with Dan. There was a little excessive use of “I” at times, but I overlooked that because the book was cute!

Thank you to NetGalley, Annabel Monaghan, and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for allowing me access to the e-arc.
This was so cute and fun. I have loved all of Annabel Monagahan’s books and this was no exception. Dan was a gem and his family so wholesome.
The only part I didn’t love was with the 3rd act breakup and makeup. The breakup was immature. Also, I didn’t like Dan’s reaction when Jane tried to apologize, especially since he was supposedly so heartbroken. However, the ending/epilogue was what I was hoping for

My eyes were glued to my kindle the last 50%. I did not want to put this down and I did not want it to end.

The characters were loveable, frustrating, and believable. The tension between Jane and Dan had me completely hooked. Without giving anything away I just have to say that a certain scene involving a thunderstorm TOOK ME OUT. Annabel Monaghan nailed it. The tension, the longing, the desire...utter perfection.

This adorable beach read from Annabel Monaghan finds Jane, a retired child actor (now movie exec), desperately needing a ‘win’ at her job. So much so that she exaggerates and claims that her one-time childhood crush, Jack, has agreed to write a song for a movie she’s trying to get greenlit. We also come to learn that Jack is also at the core of some of her greatest teenage shame. In desperation, she enlists the help of Dan, a barely-tolerated coworker who has a connection that will get Jane an audience with Jack in his hometown on Long Island.

This book had more depth than I initially anticipated, and it was really lovely to see Jane’s development throughout the book. It got me thinking about how small moments in our life can have very formative and important implications on how we think about ourselves, and how it can be so difficult to change how we view ourselves when we’ve been of a singular mindset for so long. I appreciate the journey the author took us on as Jane sorted through her own feelings of inadequacy, and how her relationship with Dan (and Jack) modified those feelings throughout the book. Ultimately, this is what I want in a summer read – the beach setting, a developing romance, a fun side cast of quirky family members, and general chaos stemming from poor decision making, but with sufficient substance that I feel satisfied as a reader when the book is over.

And a special bonus for readers who read Same Time Next Summer – a return to Oak Shore.

Thank you to NetGalley, Annabel Monaghan, and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for allowing me access to the e-arc.

4.5 stars

Jane and Dan's love story was beautiful. I love it when Jane meets his family it gives found family feelings. Jane's life has not been easy. She grew up on a sitcom where she was the nerdy character. People only saw her as her character. Even though she had more talent than the girl next door she was always put in second place. I loved seeing Jane fall in love with Dan who treated her like she was special to him. It was difficult to get an understanding of Dan in the beginning but once I did he is a great book boyfriend. I do feel like the beginning of the book needed more information about Jane so that we could understand her reactions in the first couple of scenes. This is one of the heavier books from Annabel Monaghan. Overall, this was an emotionally beautiful story that I will be re-reading.

I highly recommend it!

Loved loved loved this book! I haven't read a book by this author before this book but boy did she deliver! I knew the second I started reading it that I was going to love it. Had all of the good feels, witty banter and pulling at the heart strings. If you are looking for a quick rom-com this is the one for you!

Having read all of Annabel Monaghan’s other books, I had high expectations for this one, and boy did it deliver! This book was full of heart, humor, and deep insight into what truly matters in relationships. Annabel Monaghan’s writing is so compelling and relatable to me because she exhibits a vulnerability that reminds us that we are all flawed and weird and wonderful at the same time. I wanted to devour this book in one sitting and also savor it slowly to absorb every bit of it. I absolutely loved the characters and the ending was perfect!