“Summer Romance” by Annabel Monaghan was a delightful book to read this week! This book had characters with heart and their lives were very believable. The main characters are in their late 30’s and have complicated lives with backstories that have formed their personalities. The setting was summer on the Long Island sound.
Ali Morris is a soon-to-be-divorced mom of three, who recently lost her own mother. She is a professional organizer and also checks in often on her elderly next door neighbor. Ali has lost the real ‘her’ though – somewhere between an aloof husband and a doting mother, Ali’s ambition and confidence have disappeared and she wants to return to feeling happy. Ali meets Ethan at the dog park, of all places, lol. He seems to see her as funny and strong – all the things she used to feel about herself. I’ll let you enjoy the details of Ali and Ethan’s relationship as you read the book – I laughed and I cried at things that happened. What a fun feel-good story!
There were important topics covered in this novel – grief after loss, motherhood, relationships, communication, life-growth – and they were written with humor, sensitivity and a realistic outcome. I really enjoyed reading “Summer Romance” and will be looking at other books by Monaghan!