Light, engaging, and thoughtful, Summer Romance might be a perfect addition to your beach bag this summer.

Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan

Genre/Categories/Setting: Contemporary Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Friendship, Second Chance Romance, Long Island Sound (New York)

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

My Summary of Summer Romance:

Thanks #NetGalley @PenguinUSA @PutnamBooks for a complimentary e ARC of #SummerRomance upon my request. All opinions are my own.

Ali finds herself in a tough situation. She’s grieving the passing of her mom and the loss of her marriage. Ali’s a professional organizer whose life and cupboards are a mess. One day she meets someone in the park and sparks fly. There’s no harm in a summer romance, is there?

My Thoughts:

Annabel Monaghan Fan

I love thoughtful and substantial women’s fiction that has more to offer than romance. Since reading Managhan’s debut, Nora Goes Off Script, I’ve been a fan of this author. She doesn’t try too hard or over-write. Her characters are complex and multilayered, her writing is engaging, and her themes are thoughtful. Although there’s drama, her stories are not trauma-filled. Heartfelt, but no ugly crying. I have her on my auto-buy and auto-request list. For readers who love spice and steam, the bedroom door is not firmly closed, but explicit details are minimal. Some readers prefer firmly closed-door (sweet and chaste). but I find Monaghan’s books just about right for my reading tastes.

Relatable Characters

Monaghan’s Ali is relatable and some of us can imagine experiencing what she experiences. Ali is starting over after difficult losses, picking up the pieces of her life after grief, and rebuilding after a failed marriage. Ali faces all this in realistic ways and with a sense of humor. Not too snarky, but entertaining and authentic. Her love interest is a stand-up guy, and their dogs add an element of cuteness to the story. These are characters you can root for.

Content Consideration: grief, loss of a mom, deserted by a husband

Recommending Summer Romance

If you loved Nora Goes Off Script, I can recommend Summer Romance for this summer’s TBR. Light, engaging, and thoughtful, it might be a perfect addition to your beach bag. Book Clubs might enjoy this one and find lots to discuss.

Related: See my review of Nora Goes Off Script and Same Time Next Summer by the same author.

My Rating:  4 Stars

Meet the Author of Summer Romance, Annabel Monaghan

Writing love stories has probably been the most fun I’ve ever had. Pre-Nora, I wrote fiction for young adults and a column for not-so-young adults.

I grew up in Los Angeles, and nearly every one of my relatives still lives in Southern California. I attended Duke University where I studied English. I have an MBA from The Wharton School of The University of Pennsylvania and a brief history as an investment banker. I also used to teach novel writing at The Writing Institute at Sarah Lawrence College. I now live in the suburbs of New York City with my family, including a little dog who sheds.

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QOTD:

Is this on your summerTBR or have you read it?

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