Summer Romance is one of the most highly anticipated releases of the summer, and Annabel Monaghan’s sweet, heartfelt novel lives up to all of the hype. The novel begins with Ali Morris attempting to pull herself out of a rut, or more specifically, out of the sweatpants she’s been wearing ever since her mother died and her husband, subsequently, asked for a divorce. As a mother of three kids dealing with such big life changes, no one would blame Ali for lacking the wherewithal for “hard pants,” yet after two grief-filled years, she’s ready to get unstuck. So, when her dog conveniently orchestrates a meet cute for her with a friendly guy at the park, she decides to lean into the energy of a summer romance and have some fun. After all, summer romances always have an expiration date, so there’s little risk this flirtation could upend her life more than it already is. Ethan is down-to-earth, funny, and handsome in a way that makes Ali’s stomach do flip-flops, and their dates make her feel like her younger self again. All of a sudden, Ali is cleaning out rooms she hasn’t touched in ages (she actually organizes other people’s homes for a living, but her own home has been fairly… neglected recently), taking her kids out on spontaneous beach picnics, and throwing dinner parties—Ethan has helped her find her spark again, and now Ali doesn’t know if she’ll be ready to give that up when August comes to a close.

Comforting, hopeful, and deliciously funny, Summer Romance is my ideal summer romance. When I’m looking for a beach read, I want something light yet grounded, something that feels a little flirty but also has some depth, and—lucky for us—that happens to be the sweet spot where Monaghan’s writing lives. As I first learned through her previous bestseller Nora Goes Off Script, Monaghan is an expert at crafting relatable characters with an excellent sense of humor. From the first page, Ali feels like a friend; she has a messy kitchen but finds space to bake cookies, schedules her days (and dates) around her kids’ camp schedules, and talks to her mom’s voice in her head when she needs advice (only when she’s alone, though… don’t worry). Ethan, too, charmed me with his kindness and reliability. There’s a lot of care in his interactions with Ali, which feels right as she tentatively steps back into herself, and this quiet tenderness proves to be wildly swoon-worthy. Along with the romance, Monaghan offers thoughtful insight on grief and letting go that kept me thinking long after the novel ended. Summer Romance is like a light summer breeze: delightfully refreshing and over too soon—I loved every second of it.

I’d recommend this book to…

• Anyone who loves a rom com that feels as if it could feasibly happen in real life (but still sweeps you off your feet)… it’s similar in style to Funny Story by Emily Henry
• Anyone interested in the intersection of romance and family and grief and small town life… it’s similar in theme to Early Morning Riser by Katherine Heiny
• Anyone looking for something filled with realistic optimism… it’s similar in tone to Sandwich by Catherine Newman