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February 2, 2026
  • Annabel Monaghan
  • August 13, 2024

Summer Romance

5.0
Moving, warm, teaming with just enough humor for happy tears and depth for sad ones, 𝘚𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 will be on my shortlist for favorites of the year. Ali is stuck. Between losing her mother, her unfulfilling marriage turned impassioned divorce, and the nonstop nature of raising kids, she struggles to find herself among all the mess in her life. Enter Ethan, full of bold laughter, a love of skateboarding, and lots of eye contact. But it is summer, and she has the kids, and he lives out of town, so how could it be anything more than a summer romance? Just wait! The chemistry! Annabel has a true talent for capturing everyday life and making it romantic. This book feels comfortable like your favorite t-shirt, soft and a little worn, yet always makes you feel good. The crux of the plot is simple everyday life, and I love how she captures so much of the undulating emotions of motherhood in her words. It is refreshing to read about a late-30s woman who still feels like they don’t quite have it all figured out and is still learning who she wants to be. The romance is enchanting and yearning; I swoon at how much they notice each other. Plus, much of this book focuses on family dynamics, and I was captivated by the complexity. {light spoiler ahead} I had the absolutely stellar luck to see Annabel on tour. While I was excited to read 𝘚𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 after hearing her speak, I had no idea what an absolute imprint this book would make on my heart. While I am not grieving a parent or in an unhappy marriage, I am a mother, a daughter lucky enough to have a loving mother, and I was once a young teen who was bullied by the mean girls at school and a witness to how that impacted my parents. I cannot remember the last time a book gutted me the way I cried reading this one. The mother-daughter dynamics are masterfully intricate, and the details of how those shape womanhood and the experience of being a mother are relatable. I LOVED every sun-filled moment of this fast-paced, lived-in novel, and I highly recommend it!!
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Moving, warm, teaming with just enough humor for happy tears and depth for sad ones, 𝘚𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 will be on my shortlist for favorites of the year.

Ali is stuck. Between losing her mother, her unfulfilling marriage turned impassioned divorce, and the nonstop nature of raising kids, she struggles to find herself among all the mess in her life. Enter Ethan, full of bold laughter, a love of skateboarding, and lots of eye contact. But it is summer, and she has the kids, and he lives out of town, so how could it be anything more than a summer romance?

Just wait!
The chemistry!

Annabel has a true talent for capturing everyday life and making it romantic. This book feels comfortable like your favorite t-shirt, soft and a little worn, yet always makes you feel good. The crux of the plot is simple everyday life, and I love how she captures so much of the undulating emotions of motherhood in her words. It is refreshing to read about a late-30s woman who still feels like they don’t quite have it all figured out and is still learning who she wants to be. The romance is enchanting and yearning; I swoon at how much they notice each other. Plus, much of this book focuses on family dynamics, and I was captivated by the complexity.

{light spoiler ahead}

I had the absolutely stellar luck to see Annabel on tour. While I was excited to read 𝘚𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 after hearing her speak, I had no idea what an absolute imprint this book would make on my heart. While I am not grieving a parent or in an unhappy marriage, I am a mother, a daughter lucky enough to have a loving mother, and I was once a young teen who was bullied by the mean girls at school and a witness to how that impacted my parents. I cannot remember the last time a book gutted me the way I cried reading this one. The mother-daughter dynamics are masterfully intricate, and the details of how those shape womanhood and the experience of being a mother are relatable.

I LOVED every sun-filled moment of this fast-paced, lived-in novel, and I highly recommend it!!

Buy it

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