But she realizes Leo starts to invade more of her space than she expected. He’s at the her patio for watching the sunset with her, appearing in her kitchen to criticize her turkey meatball cooking skills, befriending her daughter Bernadette, giving advises her son not to chase his acting dreams when he becomes adult! I read because books are a form of transportation, of teaching, and of connection! Books take us to places we’ve never been, they teach us about our world, and they help us to understand human experience.”

Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan - Really Into This Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan - Really Into This

Rom-coms are all about the appeal of the characters, the dialogue, and the journey. Despite familiar themes, this felt fresh and new to me, and was simply delightful. I especially loved Nora’s relatability, her down-to-earth attitude, and her relationship with her kids and extended family. I get it, Nora. It’s not always easy when life goes off script. It’s messy, and it makes you feel as if you’ve lost all control. But sometimes, shaking things up a bit is just what a woman needs ...

Diaries & Calendars

But issues arise when lead actor Leo keeps showing up every morning on her porch to share the incredible view of the sunrise. It’s not long before he’s slowly working his way into Nora’s life… maybe her heart as well. I really enjoyed this book. I loved all the characters, I don’t usually like the big movie star characters, but Leo was a bit different. He was reflecting on his life and his choices and enjoys the simple life at Nora’s house. Nora is just a bit quirky and a lot normal. It’s so easy to warm up to her, as she’s very easy to like. Her children, Arthur and Bernadette are adorable, but also realistic and not perfect (like most kids!). Nora is dumped by her self absorbed, narcissistic husband Ben , who doesn’t have proper job to assist his family so he sharpens his over spending skills to buy himself for more unnecessary merchandises because HE CAN and it makes him feel SO GOOD! Finally he leaves his wife and his children to travel around Asia without offering alimony or any financial support! I’ll be honest: from my perspective Nora’s life seemed really boring. She eats the same thing, every week, and it all sounds very unseasoned. But Leo and Nora both talk a lot about how her life is “real” and how he loathes his regular actor lifestyle. Leo wants a “real person” and doesn’t see his pre-Nora life as real. The repetition of this theme annoyed me. Being famous doesn’t make you inhuman. Annabel Monaghan’s first foray into women’s fiction is the book every one of us needs right now. This delightful, marvelously meta story will charm even the most cynical of readers. With her trademark wit and snappy dialogue, Monaghan has crafted charismatic characters that readers will want to befriend in real life. Nora Goes Off Script is that perfect combination of a wildly clever premise, a captivating cast, and enough heart to make all of us fall in love.”—Lynda Cohen Loigman, author of The Two Family House and The Wartime Sisters

Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan Book Review: Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan

Nora is living an incredibly predictable life until Leo shows up. Her days revolve around her children’s activities and she craves the comfort of a rigid schedule. She drops the kids off, goes for a run at the same time on the same route, cooks the same meals every week, and has the same cheap glass of wine after putting them to bed. The most luxurious part of her life is the light-filled tea house in the garden where she writes from precisely 10am-2pm each day. I appreciated how Nora’s divorce is presented not as tragic, but as reclaiming her peace after a poorly fitting marriage. She has a full life of kids, friends, and a career that she knows she’s fabulous at. It’s a breath of fresh air. A standout in a deep, populous sea of romance novels. And I think it’s because for one, as a lead character, Nora skews slightly older and is a divorced mother of two children, and for two, her relationship with Leo reflects her maturity. As she and Leo grow close, realistic concerns about how their love affair will affect her children arise, which is something I typically don’t see in the genre.

Christmas Cards & Gift Wrap

Some Steam: There are a couple of steamy (open door romance) scenes that are easy to skip or scan if this is not to your taste. This book is the perfect length. Not to short, no too long. Honestly, every word is meaningful and it’s not filled with unnecessary details. We get right to the heart of the matter. I also really adored the kids and thought they were a great addition to the story. The one thing that gave me slight pause was that I didn't think Nora protected the kids enough from Leo--I would have said "Hey, if you break my heart, fine, but if you mess with my kids' hearts you're dead." Her actions in those moments were what made this not quite a 5-star read.

Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan: 9780593420058

I loved this book with my whole heart. It’s smart, fresh and romantic, full of humor and warmth. I didn’t want to put it down.”—Beth O’Leary, author of The Flatshare Woman pass me in heels I could never stand in. I look down at my peasant top, jeans, and sandals and think, When did I turn into Carole King?"

Hobbies

Funny and good-hearted—a romance for romantics, a blending of the real and the deliciously unreal.” —Linda Holmes, author of Evvie Drake Starts Over Nora is a screenwriter for a “romance channel” but despite writing about Happily Ever Afters, her own marriage is ending in divorce. Well, at some parts, I truly bang Nora and Leo’s heads together! They acted a little stubborn to lose their chance for happiness! But overall , this is epic, lovable and Sooooooooo romantic to skip! It’s giving a Hallmark Channel plot on a Nancy Meyers set…Part love story, part self-love story, this fun read is the perfect warm-up if don’t know where to start when it comes to your bookshelf.”— theSkimm

Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan | Goodreads Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan | Goodreads

This is a perfectly charming and fun uplifting read with a sweet message. The writing was great and the audiobook narrator, Hillary Huber, was terrific. But it was the characters that truly won me over and I was sorry to see the book end. Readers who loved Emily Henry’s Book Lovers are sure to savor Nora Goes Off Script.”— Shelf Awareness Nora Goes Off Script is funny with endearing characters. I think it's probably my first single mom rom-com. It is clean. I love Nora and Leo together. I love that their romance was gradual. I love how he criticized her Wednesday Meatloaf. I love that it felt fresh and the ending was a bit of a surprise. Looking for a book that will leave you with a full heart and a smile on your face? Look no further, this is the book for you!Nora is a recently divorced romance-channel screenwriter. She decides to write a screenplay about her collapsed marriage, and it’s being made into a major motion picture staring the “Sexiest Man Alive”. Part of the movie is being shot in Nora’s home that she shares with her 2 adorable children. I decided to read this book after LOVING her new one which I received as an ARC from the publisher. It’s called “Same Time Next Summer” and has an expected publication date of June 6, 2023.