Cute, fun, easy to read, romance.

Perfect for reading indoors on a rainy weekend, or in the sun by the pool/beach.

Thank you to Annabel Monaghan, Hodder & Stoughton, and NetGalley for an invitation read of this book.

Ah this books has all the emotions - ideal for an Emily Henry/ Beth O'Leary/ Lizzy Dent fan- it took my heart on a rollercoaster of a journey!

Romantic screenwriter Nora and her two children Arthur and Bernadette have been left by her husband Ben; not that much of a big deal for Nora as he always had one foot out of the door throughout their marriage and she never felt she was enough to make him stay. She's been able to keep their gorgeous house with its romantic garden-room - the Teahouse - and is making things work.

In a break from her usual romantic screenwriting work, she writes the fictionalised truth about what happened to her and Ben. Its a huge hit, the raw emotion pouring off the page, and soon Hollywood actors are set up in her house making the movie of her screenplay.

Obviously the lead man, Leo, is an absolute hunk, though a bit of a drunken mess at times, and he and Nora start hanging out, After filming ends, he asks if he can stay in the Teahouse for a few days to have some normality in his life, The friendship between Leo and Nora develops and she enjoys the feeling of being seen around the town with a handsome film star in tow. The relationship turns into more- in some beautifully written agonisingly emotional scenes - could this be the start of something spectacular?

I absolutely loved this book - the characters felt brilliantly real and super-entertaining, I was rooting for Nora and booing Ben. The set up with Nora being a romantic film writer was fabulous; reading the book you know that it is following the tropes of a romcom meetcute but so well handled - not twee in the slightest.

I will definitely look out for more books from Annabel Monaghan! Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read the ARC

This book was good! I enjoyed it, it was heartfelt and warm. It was predictable, as expected, but I’d say it’s a light, easy read for anyone looking for a romance read.

Nora is a scriptwriter, who wrote the most recent film when her husband left her. Now there is a film crew in her house, with Leo playing her husband on screen. When the filming wraps, he stays behind. He is troubled so will it lead to another heartbreak for her and her children?
A great read.

This is a fun romance with a really interesting premise! I enjoyed both the FMC Nora, a screenwriter and single mother of two, and the MMC Leo, a glamorous and flamboyant famous actor.

It is set mainly on Nora’s charming property which has a little tea house on it. This location plays a big role in the story and I loved all the lovely descriptions of the nature, sunrises etc.

The romance between Nora and Leo was very cute and I enjoyed the somewhat unique pacing of their relationship. Nora’s kids also play a big part in the story as well and they were both adorable and yet also portrayed realistically as kids who can make mistakes.

As a screenwriter myself, I did find some little inaccuracies concerning Nora’s job, filming processes and timelines etc., but they were easy to ignore for me due to the charming story and I’m sure a reader that doesn’t work in the film industry will not even notice these things.

The only thing I didn’t really vibe with was how Nora (and sometimes Leo as well) thought of her job as a screenwriter for a romance TV channel - as a filmmaker myself, I don’t enjoy when certain genres are seen as lesser than others. I know that Nora mainly thought this way due to her awful ex Ben (thoroughly hated him haha), but I don’t remember that she realized on page that every story that is told with passion has merit. It was especially strange to read in a romance novel itself, which usually celebrate the genre. Of course romance can feel formulaic at times, but so does every story. There are only so many basic plots - it’s what you do with them that sets the story apart from the other ones following the same formula.

But apart from that I really enjoyed the book and especially Monaghan’s writing style. I will definitely pick up her next one!

If you’re on the lookout for a fun yet also emotional summer read, this story will not disappoint you. Especially if you liked Olivia Dade’s Spoiler Alert and/or All the Feels, this will be a good pick for you.

(Thank you to NetGalley, Annabel Monaghan and Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with an eARC for this book in exchange for my honest feedback. All opinions in this review are my own.)

Although thousands of similar stories already float around, this book did the trick for me. I enjoyed it beginning to end, and it made for a very quick and breezy read. The plot was beyond predictable (at least how it ended), but the characters were likable and the writing style was easy to get into. All in all I can definitely recommend this.

A delightfully, easy to read story. I loved the characters and there were some ‘laugh out loud’ lines which I found myself chuckling at. A lovely family who were very ‘together’ despite being a single parent unit.
The whole story runs so smoothly. It’s a real ‘just another chapter’ kind of book.
I wanted to scoop Arthur up when his secret heartache was revealed. Will he resolve it and find happiness again? You will have to read it to find out. This book will definitely lift your spirit if you’re feeling low so snuggle up on the sofa, with a coffee and this book - just like our heroine does; maybe enjoy the sunrise as you do.

Thanks to @netgalley for arc of this book
Not my normal read but really enjoyed it a good old fashioned romance
Nora thinks she isn’t good enough for anyone after her husband walks out on her family. But then Nora writes a book about her life not her usual romance stories and it’s picked up by a film company and suddenly big film producers are wanting to buy the rights
Next thing Nora’s front garden has huge trailers on it and a famous actor walking towards her and she is thinking maybe he is ok
There then follows a love story complicated by film making and children but will it have Nora’s happy ever after ?

Massive thank you to @netgalley and @annabelmonaghan for my preview copy of this book. Nora, a single mum and a writer sells the story of her disastrous relationship to a movie company, unwillingly knowing that this would change her life and her loved ones for ever… Nora’s normal job is writing romance films for the romance channel, typically with a happy ending and those are the sort of vibes I felt throughout this story. That being said it was a lovely feel good read where the main character is a lovable mum of two and the children bring a lovely element to the story which has a lovely feel good element to it. Really easy read, and read very quickly. Enjoyable and would recommend for anyone who enjoys a romantic escapism.

I really enjoyed everything about this book and it is spot on in terms of the characters, storyline and romance. It’s a quick read but everything is in there, I liked the ambiance and laid back atmosphere and it didn’t feel rushed. I was immediately pulled into Nora’s world, intrigued with everything going on in her meticulously organised life. The writing style is relaxed and easy to follow and I enjoyed the funny and humorous moments incorporated in the story.

Nora is a relatable character, a slightly older protagonist in her late thirties and a divorced mother of two children. She has top notch organisational skills, has become completely self sufficient since her husband left her and is such a down to earth character. Her children played a great part in the story, the author did a fabulous job of integrating them into the main storyline without them fading into the background. Leo, on the other hand, is a famous A list movie star and living the movie star life style, however it soon becomes apparent he loves the cosiness and togetherness of being a part of Nora’s family and he shares a great bond with her children.

In terms of romance it’s a lovely slow burn, they didn’t hit it off immediately, in fact Nora found Leo frustrating and a little rude at times, however she was inexplicably drawn to him. I’m not going to dwell on the major miscommunication in the storyline which was a tad frustrating and could have been easily averted if Leo had just picked up the damn phone! That aside Nora Goes off Script is a fun, entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable read and I couldn’t put it down until I reached the end.

Thank you to the publisher for the eARC and hardcopy of this fabulous book and for having me on the tour.

Nora, a writer of romance scripts for a Hallmark-esque channel, accidentally writes a movie script that will change her life forever. When the crew show up to film for a few days at her home, she doesn’t expect for her world to be turned upside down.

I really enjoyed this story and the characters, Nora has two children who are wonderful! I was bought into the story but think some character connections could have been made a bit stronger.

Overall a really great romantic read!

I have got a real thing for small town romances at the minute, so finding out that this one was set in one was a total bonus.
Nora writes TV romances (Hallmark movies) but she's recently written one that Hollywood deemed worthy, so a film crew descend on her house including a very handsome actor.
I loved this one, I kept being drawn back in and gosh it had me grumpy in places when it didn't look like it was going the way I wanted it to.
Nora was a great character, loved her children too and frankly the film star vibe was something I was fully there for.

I don’t read a lot of romantic fiction but Nora Goes Off Script appealed to me so I thought I’d dive in. What a very good idea that was!
Nora writes romantic films for a living but her own life isn’t so rosey. Her husband has just left her and their kids and her house is charming but falling down around her ears. However, all that changes when big Hollywood star Leo Vance appears in her life.
The cleverness of this book is that it doesn’t pretend to be anything that it isn’t and the knowingness that comes from Nora’s job writing romantic fiction means that it doesn’t feel too cutesy, even when it follows all the laws of romantic fiction.
It’s fresh, funny and rather charming.
Thank you to #hodderbooks and #netgalley for suggesting I review this ARC.

From the first chapter, the writing was very playful and lighthearted which did somewhat set the tone for the rest of the book. It was refreshing to have Nora and Leo be characters in their late 30s/40s. A great feel good book that would be perfect to read on a summer getaway or trip to the beach.

2.5 stars

Unfortunately I've stopped reading this at 47%. The book includes a lot of tropes I really like and I do think there is a good audience for this book however the execution isn't working for me. The book feels like a TV movie with a grumpy vs. sunshine romance but I don't feel that these characters have much chemistry and the tone feels a little clunky at times. What I did love was Nora making the boss move to turn her break up into a movie - make your money! Nora has a single mum was a highlight of the book for me.

While it wasn't for me, I think there are a lot of readers who will enjoy this book.

A nice rom-com read that was a sweet, easy read. Good for sitting by the pool this summer with and for fans of romance novels. I'm not the biggest romance fan but I could see how this book would appeal to those that like the genre!

Nora Goes Off Script is the first adult novel by American author, Annabel Monaghan. When Ben Hamilton deserts his wife and two children, Nora Hamilton’s strongest reaction is relief. An entitled narcissist, Ben was a poor husband, a poor father to Arthur and Bernadette, and his consistently failing schemes meant that Nora was the family’s only provider.

Now, she won’t need to cover his extravagant credit card purchases, just write enough of her formula romance scripts for The Romance Channel to feed, clothe and house her and the kids. Her old house, though, is a big expense to cover.

But her reaction to Ben’s leaving to find the Big Life he was sure was his, is to write a very different sort of script, a somewhat autobiographical tale that is snapped up by a major studio and cast with the beautiful Naomi Sanchez and the gorgeous Leo Vance, the highest -paid leading man in Hollywood, known for his smoldering looks, as the male lead.

Nora agrees to allow filming in her own backyard Tea House because that will net her the price of new guttering and a roof leak repair. But, unexpectedly, Leo doesn’t want to leave after the shoot. He has lost touch with his soul, and believes that watching the sun rise from Nora’s front porch will help him find it. And he’ll pay her a nice sum to do it.

Nora describes herself as “the lunatic woman who schedules her life to run like a Swiss watch”, necessary when wrangling two pre-teens, but Leo seems to enjoy being part of her family. And, this being a romance, they fall in love. But does a relationship between a divorced mom of two and a much-in-demand actor have a future?

Monaghan gives the reader a very entertaining romance with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments and a few tearful ones and, entirely in keeping with Nora’s formula romances, a happy-ever-after ending. Recommended!
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this e-arc in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I really enjoyed this book! This was a funny, engaging and sweet romance book! Leo and Nora made me swoon, I loved their relationship! I also really loved reading about Nora and her children and also Leo's growing bond with them. I enjoyed the writing and thought that the book was the perfect length, there wasn't too much dragged out misunderstandings and I flew through this book in one sitting.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book

This was a fun book to read, with laughter and tears. Plenty of twists and turns. Lovely characters and came to life very well. This is one to read and I give it 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC

A lovely light read, a little deeper than the usual romcom.

Zoe turns her experience of the relationship between herself and her ex husband into a tv script and added to this her home is used as a filming location.

Leo, a popular and much sought after actor decides to stay on a few weeks after filming finishes and after a few hiccups the two learn about each other and fall in love.

The course of true love however doesn’t run smooth, and there a few hiccups and misunderstandings before the inevitable happy ending.

I raced through this book, it really pulled me in and I didn’t want to put it down.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me a copy of this story in exchange for my review.

4.5*