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Please Note: I received an advance copy of this novel from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.
Synopsis (from Goodreads):
Nora's life is about to get a rewrite...
Nora Hamilton knows the formula for love better than anyone. As a romance channel screenwriter, it's her job. But when her too-good-to work husband leaves her and their two kids, Nora turns her marriage's collapse into cash and writes the best script of her life. No one is more surprised than her when it's picked up for the big screen and set to film on location at her 100-year-old-home. When former Sexiest Man Alive, Leo Vance, is cast as her ne'er do well husband Nora's life will never be the same.
The morning after shooting wraps and the crew leaves, Nora finds Leo on her porch with a half-empty bottle of tequila and a proposition. He'll pay a thousand dollars a day to stay for a week. The extra seven grand would give Nora breathing room, but it's the need in his eyes that makes her say yes. Seven days: it's the blink of an eye or an eternity depending on how you look at it. Enough time to fall in love. Enough time to break your heart.
Filled with warmth, wit, and wisdom, Nora Goes Off Script is the best kind of love story--the real kind where love is complicated by work, kids, and the emotional baggage that comes with life. For Nora and Leo, this kind of love is bigger than the big screen.
Review:
Lately, I've read several romance novels. I found Book Lovers, by Emily Henry, to be unrealistic with the characters having too much angst (I swear, in Book Lovers, every decision (big or small) the main character made was fraught with haunting memories of the past. It was just too much ). And although I enjoyed The Treehouse on Dog River Road, the characters were annoyingly perfect. I think I found the right balance of angst, fun, and romance with Nora Goes Off Script, by Annabel Monaghan. There's the angst of Nora's divorce and it's effect on her kids. There's the fun of Nora being a screenwriter and having a film crew at her home. And the romance is swoon-worthy. Could the hottest actor in Hollywood actually want to hang out with Nora in her very normal small town? Is he interested in her, or just wants a break from his glamorous life?
This was a really fun book to read. I liked that everyone had their issues (even Nora's kids), but that they were all just people trying to get on with life. There were many big moments, such as some of the characters winning awards, and small moments, like the kids participating in school plays and sports, that made this book both realistic, and super entertaining. This would be a great summer read.
What I liked:
Settings:
I enjoyed Nora's small town where everyone knows everyone else's business. People know all about Nora's divorce from her husband Ben. He was a dreamer who belittled Nora's writing talent, and wouldn't hold down a job. And there was a mix of people who were supportive, pitying, and judgemental. Nora is happy here with her kids, and the stunning sunrises that calm her each morning.
Other moments in the book take place in Hollywood. I appreciated that this wasn't filled with too many cliches about fake people. In fact, I would say that this was the opposite of that. Nora meets some really big movie stars, and gets attention. But she doesn't feel out of place. She knows that this isn't something she can get used to, and just enjoys it for what it is.
Characters:
I really liked Nora and her family. Nora felt like a whole person to me. Yes, she falls in love with a movie star, and has her doubts about if this could turn into a long-term relationship. But she never doubts her self-worth. She had an ex-husband who constantly tried to undermine her, calling her writing cheesy. But, as she rightly points out, her writing has given her the ability to take care of herself and her kids.
Since we're seeing Leo through Nora's lens, it's less clear what kind of person he is. Is he a down-to-earth guy, or a narcissistic sociopath? Their romance is sweet and doesn't seem too Insta-lovey to be real. And he does seem to genuinely care about Nora and her kids.
Story:
This is about as formulaic as it gets, girl gets boy, girl loses boy girl gets him back. But there's a reason that there are these roadmaps. The stories work! I liked that Nora and Leo actually have good conversations with each other as they fall in love. And I really liked that Nora figures out a path forward when she loses him. Their getting back together is a bit of a fantasy, but it was also really entertaining.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Release Date: June 7, 2022
Author: Annabel Monaghan
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Page Length: 272 Pages
Source: NetGalley
Format: E-Book
Recommendation: A fun, romantic summer book. You will love Nora and Leo!
