Jane is a former child actor, known for her role as the goofy sidekick. She’s trying to make her way as a producer and found the perfect script. The last time she had a script she loved, it was shut down thanks to Dan, a cinematographer, convincing her boss the story sucked. But now Dan is the only other person that wants to make this new movie happen and they have to work together to find a way to get it green lit. They fly to his hometown where pop star (and her first kiss) Jack is performing so they can convince him to write a song for the soundtrack to show the execs this could be a major hit. Along the way shes forced to confront her inner voice that has been telling her since she was 14 that she’s just the girl in the background.

Thoughts
I really enjoyed this book. The main characters were so lovable while dealing with their own messiness. The author did an amazing job of providing depth to these character without making it too heavy. I found myself smiling as a read and laughing at their banter.

Thank you to Netgalley and Annabel Monaghan for an advanced copy of this book!!!!! I was given this book in exchange of an honest review.

I really loved this!!!! It was so lighthearted but at the same time the underlying message was really great and felt really relatable. both jane and dan were a delight and their story was so sweet. i loved their not quite enemies and not quite second chance but an interesting combo of both in ways. this was funny and made my heart warm. definitely recommending for when this releases in may!!!!!

Annabel Monaghan has done it again! She has a way with words that makes the reader feel like you're part of the story, longing to sit around the table with the Finnegan family, trading barbs and laughing with each other. From the love story, to the deeper moments of insecurity and not being your true self, It's a Love Story is a book that will have you believing in love and the special, yet mundane moments in life (like breakfast!) when you find your person. Thanks to NetGalley and publisher G.P. Putnam's Sons for the ARC of this amazing, laugh out loud, book! #ItsaLoveStory #NetGalley

This was so sweet! I love how Annabel Monaghan’s books are fun and funny but also make you feel something. I had all the feels for Jane and Dan!

This is my first Annabel Monaghan book and I loved it so much! She knows how to make you laugh and fall in love with the characters! I am so excited to read more books from Annabel.

Jane, former child actor, current perfectionist & aspiring movie producer, impulsively promises to have an original song made by Jack, former child actor coworker & current star musician, in attempt to get her favorite script made into a movie. Dan, current coworker & cinematographer, has a connection to get in contact with Jack. The catch, Jane must travel with Dan to his childhood home for a significant family event happening the same weekend.

Backstories for Jane & Dan unfold in the most relatable ways. Both have insecurities from the past that must be overcome in order connect in the present. One of the most relatable & well-written books I have read in recent memory. It’s A Love Story solidifies Monaghan as an auto-read author.

Annabel does it again!! Another great novel! Can’t wait for it to release to grab a physical copy and share it with my audience!

This was a lovely book with great characters. I really enjoyed the voice of the heroine. It's rare to read a book that feels lived in and real and this one does it very well. Even the tropes of shared space and small town meddling family felt intrinsic to the story, rather than forced. This author is becoming an auto read for me

This is another winner from Annabel Monaghan. She has become one of my favorite romance authors. Wonder slow burn!

Annabel Monaghan only writes perfect books, that's my review! I loved every moment with Jane and Dan. This book is funny, sweet, insightful, swoonworthy, and Monaghan is a pure talent who I will always support.

Annabel Monaghan knocks it out of the park again. I loved this, perhaps as much as Nora Goes Off Script. I think even the writing here is a step up from her previous books (I say this as a fan of all her books). There are several moving descriptions in the book that I highlighted as I read. It's also so incredibly romantic. Jane and Dan's relationship developed really naturally despite it being a short amount of time and I fully believed these two would fall in love in a matter of days. The side characters are all fantastic and fully fleshed out too. Dan's family was so much fun to read and Clem is a great friend to Jane. Annabel Monaghan has cemented her place as an instant read.

In her acknowledgments, Monaghan mentions that she was inspired after reading I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy. I think it's wonderful that she took pieces of Jennette's experiences and wrote them into Jane. It is definitely part of why Jane's internal struggles feel so real. I hope that Jennette gets her happy ever after too.

I’m always excited to read Annabel Monaghan's books, so I was thrilled to get early access to her upcoming release, It's a Love Story, set to come out in May 2025.

Jane Jackson needs approval for her film project, but cinematographer Dan Finnegan calls her script boring. In a desperate attempt to save it, Jane claims she can get famous singer Jack Quinlan to write a song for the film—though she hasn't spoken to him in years. Jane and Jack once co-starred in a show when she was a child film star. Dan suggests they attend a festival in his hometown where Jack is performing, hoping Jane can find him there. With little else to go on, Jane agrees. As she gets to know Dan and his family, sparks fly, and romance begins to bloom.

I highly recommend It's a Love Story!
Publication date May 27 2025
#ItsaLoveStory #NetGalley

I totally adore Annabel Monaghan’s writing. I love how human the characters are and the richness of the worlds she creates for them. This novel was lovely, even though parts of the general plot were rather obvious. That didn’t bother or distract me at all, and I flew through this book in one day.

It was the little moments — over breakfasts in the morning, not dinners at night — that made me fall in love with this story.

I would recommend reading the acknowledgements at the end. It was fun to learn that a book that was top of mind for me throughout this one was the inspiration for the main character.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

3.5 stars rounded up!

Ever since reading Nora Goes Off Script Annabel Monaghan has been an instant read for me! I absolutely loved that book and I can always count on her stories being enjoyable to read. It's a Love Story was not my favorite book by her, but still worth the read.

Jane is a film executive who will go to any length to get the greenlight on a new film she wants to produce, including trying to get a pop star (Jack Quinlan) to write a song that would be used to make this movie a hit. This leads to a trip with her co-worker/nemesis, Dan, to hunt down Jack and ask him if he'll write the song for her. Of course Jack will be staying in a small town with nowhere else to stay other than Dan's family home with his entire extended family, and you can imagine where this goes from there!

I had a hard time connecting with the main characters - Jane was portrayed as this hilarious character so I think I would have expected a little more banter between the two characters or funny one-liners from Jane. Also based on the descriptions of Dan it had me picturing him as having a man-bun that looked as if it had never been washed and I can't think of anything less attractive in a man. 😆 The plot also just didn't really work for me because it felt like there had to be a better way to get Jack's attention than to stay at her co-worker's parents' house and run around town trying to find him. Outside of that I did really enjoy Dan's family dynamic and there were definitely a few parts of this that gave me butterflies (as expected from Annabel's books). I honestly may have just gone into this with too high of expectations, so definitely don't write this one off! Save it for a fun summer beach read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Putnam for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Enjoyed this book as I do all of her books! Main characters and quirky and lovable. Adding the family element made the book even more enjoyable. This would be a perfect rom-com movie.

Wow! What a beautiful story. This book was a solid 5 star read. I am a fan of all of Annabel Monoghan’s books, this is by far my favorite. The tropes in this book were so well done. It is one of those books you finish and then stare at the wall and smile for a while! I will 100% be purchasing the physical copy of this book and doing a reread when it comes out.
Thank you NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
#ItsaLoveStory #NetGalley

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Annabel really knows how to hook you from the first page! I have read all her books now I love them all!

I loved the plot of this book and the characters. Jane was just beautifully authentic! She’s a former semi famous child star who’s still trying to figure out her place in the world. She meets Dan someone who is the complete opposite of her and their story just blossoms.

10/10 recommend!

I loved the writing in this book. This is my first Annabel Monaghan book, and i can't wait to read her others. She has depth to her characters, which makes you like them, and the romance doesn't feel forced.

I loved this book! I couldn’t put it down. The characters were great, the story was fun and meaningful. This book got me out of a slump and I looked forward to reading it. Thanks so much for the advance copy.

I love this author’s love stories! Once again she brought us such lovable characters and a couple you can’t help but root for. The author also did such justice to exploring the complexities of the life of child actors. Loved it!