Annabel Monaghan

The heart-tugging and hilarious story of a professional organizer whose life is a mess, and the summer she gets unstuck with the help of someone unexpected from her past, from the bestselling author of Same Time Next Summer and Nora Goes Off Script. Benefits of a summer romance: it’s always fun, always brief, and no one gets their heart broken. There aren’t enough labeled glass containers to contain the mess that is Ali Morris’s life. Her mom died two years ago, then her husband left, and she hasn’t worn pants with a zipper in longer than she cares to remember. She’s a professional organizer whose pantry is a disgrace. No one is more surprised than Ali when the first time she takes off her wedding ring and puts on pants with hardware—overalls count, right?—she meets someone. Or rather, her dog claims a man for her in the same way he claimed his favorite of her three children: by peeing on him. Ethan smiles at Ali like her pants are just right—like he likes what he sees. The last thing Ali needs is to make her life messier, but there’s no harm in a little Summer Romance. Is there?

Summer Romance

Zoë Mauldin

Shannon C

Summer Romance was my first Annabel Monaghan book, and I loved it so much! I will certainly be checking out her backlist and any future books she writes.

Monaghan wrote a beautiful and heartwarming story and it's one of the perfect summer reads. It's set in a coastal town, and I was fully immersed in the small-town vibes. The romance was also super cute where both characters weren't expecting it. I was also really rooting for Ali to find herself again after her grief and divorce. She’s a great character and she really deserved to heal and move forward. I think she definitely did that throughout this story.

I feel like Annabel Monaghan’s books are getting more polished but also more formulaic? I really enjoyed this one — Ali & Ethan were so real! — but it made me miss the unevenness of Nora Goes Off Script a bit.

Amelia Hruby

Ali Morris is completely lost after the death of her mother, but on the one year anniversary, Ali's husband asks her for a divorce.  Ali can't get passed the losses in her life and spends most days in loose fitting sweat pants.  Things change, however, when at the dog park, her dog pees on the foot of Ethan.  The only problem is that the grown up Ethan is actually her best friend's little brother, Scooter.  Ali is thrown by this but can't resist Ethan's charms as he begins to break down her resistance and shows her what her life might be like if she can let go of the past.

Summer Romance is more women's fiction than romance, as most of the book chronicles Ali's struggles with her personal life.  Ethan is present throughout the book and works well for as a sounding board for Ali as she begins to come out of her shell.  There are no laugh out loud moments in this novel, but there are several scenes that brought a smile to the face of this reader.  The main plot is mostly about bringing Ali back to life, and the romance works well as a subplot.  The characters in this story are likable, but since the book is written in first person POV, we don't learn too much about characters other than Ali.  Overall, Summer Romance is a light, gentle summer read about starting over.  

Lynn Braden

Ali Morris is completely lost after the death of her mother, but on the one year anniversary, Ali's husband asks her for a divorce.  Ali can't get passed the losses in her life and spends most days in loose fitting sweat pants.  Things change, however, when at the dog park, her dog pees on the foot of Ethan.  The only problem is that the grown up Ethan is actually her best friend's little brother, Scooter.  Ali is thrown by this but can't resist Ethan's charms as he begins to break down her resistance and shows her what her life might be like if she can let go of the past.

Summer Romance is more women's fiction than romance, as most of the book chronicles Ali's struggles with her personal life.  Ethan is present throughout the book and works well for as a sounding board for Ali as she begins to come out of her shell.  There are no laugh out loud moments in this novel, but there are several scenes that brought a smile to the face of this reader.  The main plot is mostly about bringing Ali back to life, and the romance works well as a subplot.  The characters in this story are likable, but since the book is written in first person POV, we don't learn too much about characters other than Ali.  Overall, Summer Romance is a light, gentle summer read about starting over.  

Summer Romance

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