Thursday, May 30, 2024

Book Review: Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan


 
Pages: 368
Genre: Adult Fiction/Romance
Pub. Date: June 4, 2024
Publisher: Putnam
Source: Publisher for review
Other Books By Author: Same Time Next Summer,
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars 
 

Goodreads says, "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?"

 

Ali Morris is not in the best place. Her mother died two years ago and she is still grieving. Raising her three kids is difficult, especially when she is going through a divorce from her husband, Pete, who seems to care more about his biking schedule than his kids. She has been in a rut, wearing mostly sweatpants, and hanging out with her geriatric neighbor, until she takes her dog to the dog park and her dog pees on gorgeous Ethan. Ethan and Ali hit it off and this reminds Ali of who she used to be and starts to get her out of her rut. That is until she realizes Ethan is none other than Scooter, her friend's little brother, who was a real pain in the ass in high school. She couldn't possibly date him, right? Scooter seems entirely different than the man before her eyes and he has had a crush on Ali since high school. Ethan is determined to make her take him seriously. Could their romance be something that lasts more than just a summer? Annabel Monaghan's  Summer Romance is beach read gold. I loved every second of this relatable story filled with characters that I actually liked and was rooting for.


Ali is one of my favorite characters of the year. I adored her, along with many of the secondary characters in Summer Romance, which rarely happens in books lately. Most of the characters, other than her ex-husband, were extremely likable. I enjoyed being in Ali's world and as a mom in my 40s, I could relate to her. Monaghan gets women in their late 30s/early 40s better than any writer out there today. How could I not root for Ali and the return to her former self in 
Summer Romance? I was so happy to watch her relationship unfold with Ethan and for her to gain some confidence back. 

The dialogue was, as usual, done so well and there were some laugh-out-loud moments in Summer Romance. Monaghan's realistic (and hilarious!) dialogue is right up there with Emily Henry and Carley Fortune. Also, Monaghan has created such a happy beach read. I didn't want it to end. Summer Romance is one of my favorite  beach reads of the summer, if not one of my favorite books of the year. I adored Nora Goes Off Script as well as Same Time Next Summer , so it's safe to say Monaghan  is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. If you love a beach read that is happy, sweet, relatable, and is believable, look no further than Summer Romance. I am convinced Monaghan can do no wrong. 

So, do you plan on reading Summer Romance? Are you a fan of Monaghan? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

 

4 comments:

  1. I've never read Monaghan, but relatable and believable are two things I look for in books!

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    1. She is the best! You definitely need to read her. I think you'd like her! Thanks for visiting, Angela.

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  2. I listened to Same Time Next Summer a few weeks ago, and fell in love. I am now counting down the days until I can get my paws on Summer Romance (and probably should go back and catch Nora soonish)! Hoping for another audio, because that was so so fun to *listen* to the banter.

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    1. I adore her novels! I am glad to hear you enjoyed it. I really liked Nora, too. I hope you read it soon! And I completely agree about the banter! Thanks for visiting, Rebecca.

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