I absolutely loved Nora Goes Off Script and Annabel Monaghan's evocative writing style. She has a talent for vividly bringing the settings of her stories to life, making me feel a deep sense of nostalgia for these places, even if I’ve never been there. In Summer Romance, Ali is a wonderfully complex character. This book goes beyond just romance—Ali navigates the challenges of being a mother, daughter, friend, sister, and ex, all while trying to find her own path. Ethan, on the other hand, is an exceptional character—also flawed, supportive, thoughtful, and kind. Together, they create a story that’s as heartwarming as it is compelling. The perfect read.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review.

The title of this book was so deceiving because picking this book up expecting it to be a summer romance, then you will be shocked when you find yourself crying over this book.
I really did love reading this book and absolutely flew through it when I read it.
The characters in this book were so fleshed out and the romance was so beautifully written, that I could not help but love this book. The way Annabel Monaghan writes how characters deal with grief and rediscovering themselves and love is so beautiful.
Ethan and Alice were such well written characters who you could not help but fall in love with and root for. Their relationship and chemistry all felt so natural and realistic.
I loved reading this book and cannot wait to read other books by this author in the future.

"Summer Romance" by Annabel Monaghan is a delightful and heartwarming novel that perfectly captures the essence of love blossoming under the warm summer sun. Monaghan’s writing is breezy and engaging, making this novel an ideal escape for readers who love a good romantic tale set against the backdrop of long, lazy days and starry nights.

The story centers around two characters who find themselves drawn together during a summer that promises to be anything but ordinary. As they navigate the ups and downs of their unexpected romance, they discover that summer love, while sweet and exhilarating, can also be complicated and transformative. Monaghan deftly explores themes of self-discovery, the joy and pain of first love, and the bittersweet nature of fleeting summer romances.

The characters are well-developed, each with their own quirks and insecurities, which makes their relationship feel authentic and relatable. Monaghan’s skillful storytelling ensures that the readers are invested in their journey, rooting for them as they confront the challenges that come with opening up to love.

"Summer Romance" is a perfect read for those who enjoy lighthearted yet emotionally resonant stories about love, growth, and the magic of summer. Annabel Monaghan has crafted a novel that will leave readers with a warm, satisfied feeling, reminding them of the simple pleasures of love and the fleeting beauty of summer days.

A sweet but realistic love story - it’s also inspiring showing how Ali, one of the main characters finds herself again
I thoroughly enjoyed following Ali & Ethan’s journey
Ali is witty and resilient, reminding us to be the architect of our own experiences
Perfect beach read
Thanks @annabelmonaghan @penguinbooksuk & @netgalley for the fab beach read

Couldn’t get into this one I’m afraid - loved the idea but just didn’t fit what I needed to read at the time

Summer Romance" is one of those feel-good stories that’s perfect for a relaxing day. The beachy setting and sweet connection between the characters really capture that summer vibe. The romance is cute, and you’ll find yourself smiling at the little moments they share.

That said, the plot is pretty predictable, and there were a few spots that felt a bit rushed, making it hard to get fully invested. But if you’re in the mood for something light and fun, this book is a solid choice. It’s not groundbreaking, but it’s a nice escape when you just want to chill with a good, breezy read. 3.5 starts

𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙛𝙤𝙧…
⛱️ summer romance (…unsurprisingly)
🛶 journey of self discovery
⛱️ divorced single mum
🛶 cinnamon roll mmc
⛱️ he falls first

𝙨𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨…
Soon-to-be-divorced single mum Ali is overwhelmed, and grieving her mother. She hasn’t put on real trousers in two years… but on the day she decides to turn her life around, she meets Ethan - who is just in town for the summer - at the dog park.

𝙢𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨…
This book is so much more than a light & fluffy romance - it’s a journey of finding yourself when you realise life hasn’t gone exactly as planned (but also the romance is just perfect 🥹)

This book feels very “adult”, and also very real. As a 38 year old mum of three, Ali has more than just herself to consider. She longs for the kind of love that Ethan can give her, but she will always put her children first. She is so strong and I loved her.

Ethan is the perfect complement to Ali - he is steady, kind and understanding, and would never ask anything of her that she cannot give. He reminds Ali of who she used to be, and could be once again 🛹🐕🛶 Also his communication is 🤌🏼 which you know I find one of the most attractive traits!

The analogy between taking a risk on love and owning a dog, knowing it will end in heartbreak, made me feel all the feels 🥺 And there were definitely many tears towards the end 🥲

I could knock half a star off for a slightly slow start (stick with it if you find the same!) but I know this will stay with me for a long time so all the stars 🌟

This was a simple, fun, easy and quick read. The perfect type of book for your holiday, beach, pool kind of read. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

http://thesecretbookreview.co.uk

This is my first Annabel Monaghan book that I picked up because the author's works came highly recommended to me, and I can definitely see why.

I think the book's greatest strength is the writing of Ali's experience grieving her Mum, and grieving her marriage in the stressful process of divorce. There were so many beautiful, "highlighting worthy" lines in the book on the experience of grief and loss. One scene in particular with Ali’s neighbour was so filled with emotion and beautifully executed.

The romance was… fine? However in a romance novel, where the romance is very central to the plot - I need more than fine. The love interest is a modern Mother Teresa with no flaws or depth but just a perfect, kind, handsome, saving orphans man. He was still a really likeable character who I found charming and funny, I just found myself at times rolling my eyes at how another perfect trait of his was revealed to the reader

This book's greatest weakness for me was that it frustratingly scratched the surface of these difficult and deep topics only to be thrown jarringly right back into the shallow end. The book would start to discuss a difficult topic and I would be drawn in, only to have a superficial solution in the next paragraph. This was made even more frustrating because I genuinely believe Annabel Monaghan is a beautiful writer, with several passages I love, but for some reason this didn’t hit the mark for me.

The beautiful writing is enough for me to try another book from Annabel's Monaghan, and over all I did enjoy reading this one.

This was a sweet read about a soon-to-be divorced mum of three finding her feet and herself again in the wake of grief and a fizzled out marriage. This book is filled with relatable moments about combating the daily challenges of running a household

In a cozy, costal, small town setting, we are introduced to a small cast of characters in the way of local townsfolk. Local community and finding yourself are big themes in this book which makes it a light hearted summer read. Themes such as grief and weight of parental expectation add a nice depth to the story without casting a shadow to the overall feel.

I particularly enjoyed Phyllis, Ali's elderly next door neighbour, who has a particularly heartwarming relationship with Ali. In addition, I enjoyed scenes focusing on Ali's divorce, mediation and relationship with Pete and I wish it had more page time.

Overall, my feelings towards this book never really grew from like to love. The plot felt a little flat and predictible and the pace often lacked momentum. While Ethan was sweet, I felt quite indifferent towards him and the romance in general.

Thank you so much to Head of Zeus for providing me with a copy of this book to read and review.

This was my first Monaghan book but it certainly won't be my last..... What a gem!
Emotional, full of heart & hope for a new beginning.
A swoon worthy MMC to boot, who doesn't play games or mess about.

I felt the ending was a rushed so it & I so wish the book had just been longer.

.

A fabulous romance, where newly single mum starts a summer romance with her best friends brother.
Ali is separated and about to get divorced, she's downtrodden by her ex and is just sleepwalking through life, until she meets the stranger at the dog park, who turns out not to be a stranger at all.
This was an enjoyable read, I loved that the characters were in their late 30s, and had some life experience.
I thought the relationships were believable and her friendship with Phyllis was so sweet.
Ideal for reading on a sun lounger.

I don’t read romance regularly but I love Annabel Monaghan’s books! There is something about the characters, settings and her style of writing that gets me every time. Summer Romance is the story of Ali, middle aged recent divorcee trying to get over the death of her mother and parent her 3 children.
When she falls for the younger brother of an old friend she thinks it will just be a fling.
I read this in a day, complete break from reality and the perfect holiday read! I can’t wait for her next book.

This is my second book from Annabel Monaghan - I liked both of them. They are easy-going, romantic summer reads. No big dramas, yet very entertaining.

A fun read, I liked both characters and wanted everything to work out for them. A best friends brother romance. Looking forward to more from this author.

Annabel Monoghan has done it again and wrote yet another 5 star read for me. This book made me smile, laugh and even cry and I ended up reading this in one sitting because I could not and would not put it down until I knew what happened.

From the very first chapter I knew I was going to love Ali as a main character and just wanted the absolute best for her. She's been struggling through and has lost sense of who she is. She's such a realistic and relatable character whose development throughout was just perfect. She's been through so much and she deserved to be happy and to be selfish when it came to what she wanted or needed in life.

Ethan was absolutely adorable and I immediately found myself swooning. Not only was he an amazing love interest but he was just an amazing friend and support system for Ali. I loved how Ethan and Ali actually communicated and understood that relationships can be hard.

Summer Romance is more than just a romance. It's a story about grief, motherhood, self exploration, finding yourself and falling in love. Annabel is a fantastic writer who can do no wrong in my eyes and I cannot wait to read her next book!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a great book! Loved the characters and the depth they had to them. There was a balanced mix of humour and deeper themes so it didn’t feel too heavy but also gave more depth to the storyline. Would definitely recommend!!

2.75⭐️

I ADORED Nora Goes off Script and Same Time Next Summer so I’m really sad to say I didn’t like Summer Romance. To be quite honest.. I was bored most of the time reading it, the only bits that I really liked were the sessions with Ali, Ethan and Pete.

There wasn’t anything “bad” about it as such, I think this one just wasn’t for me. I will absolutely buy her next book though.

God, I loved this. Annabel Monaghan really is my Emily Henry, i’ve adored all of her books and she really is an exceptional romance writer. Her books are so full of heart and I think Summer Romance may be my new favourite of hers.

The book follows Ali, who has recently lost her mother and her marriage has ended leaving her as a grieving single mother with three children. She’s all but given up on life until a chance encounter at the park brings Ethan into her life.

I adored Ali, and the depiction of both grief and motherhood in this book was so brilliant. This is so much more than a romance, it’s about living when your life is falling apart and the complexities of parent-child relationships.

As always it was beautifully written and made me long for an American summer.

This was my first Annabel Monaghan book but definitely not the last.
This is so much more than just a silly romance book. It was emotional and realistic and the writing was beautiful.
Ali is such a sweet, mature woman, a role model for Greer and Iris. I loved Ali and Ethan their relationship and how it all came together.
It’s a quick, fast paced, easy read and I highly recommend it to everyone.

☀️ best friends brother
☀️ single mom
☀️ closed door
☀️ self discovery

Thank you Netgalley and Aria & Aries for this arc in exchange for an honest review.