It’s a Love Story
G.P. Putnam’s Sons – May 27, 2025
“Poignant, funny, and bingeable, Annabel Monaghan writes five star reads.” —Abby Jimenez
From the USA Today bestselling author of Nora Goes Off Script, a novel about a former adolescent TV actress-turned-Hollywood producer whose “fake it till you make it” mantra sets her on a crash course with her past, forcing her to spend a week on Long Island with the last man she thinks might make her believe in love.
Love is a lie. Laughter is the only truth.
Jane Jackson spent her adolescence as “Poor Janey Jakes,” the barbecue-sauce-in-her-braces punch line on America’s fifth-favorite sitcom. Now she’s trying to be taken seriously as a Hollywood studio executive by embracing a new mantra: Fake it till you make it.
Except she might have faked it too far. Desperate to get her first project greenlit and riled up by pompous cinematographer and one-time crush Dan Finnegan, she claimed that she could get mega popstar Jack Quinlan to write a song for the movie. Jack may have been her first kiss—and greatest source of shame—but she hasn’t spoken to him in twenty years.
Now Jane must turn to the last man she’d ever want to owe: Dan Finnegan. Because Jack is playing a festival in Dan’s hometown, and Dan has an in. A week in close quarters with Dan as she faces down her past is Jane’s idea of hell, but he just might surprise her. While covering up her lie, can they find something true?
A Woman’s World New Book from a Bestselling Romance Author
A New York Post Most Anticipated Book of the Year
A Book Bub Most Anticipated Book of the Year
A Zibby Owens Most Anticipated Book of the Year
A Brit & Co. Most Anticipated Summer Read
“Annabel Monaghan has written a love story that is as laugh-out-loud funny as it is emotionally profound. Don’t miss this perfect summer escape.” —Emily Giffin, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Summer Pact
“Annabel Monaghan has a direct line to my heart—and my funny bone. With It’s a Love Story, she’s given us an enemies-to-lovers romcom that’s SO MUCH MORE. This is dopamine in book form. And don’t we all need that right now?” —Mary Kay Andrews, New York Times bestselling author of Summers at the Saint
“A bingeable beachy contemporary . . . Monaghan mines a lot of joy out of a close-knit family dynamic and the scenic coastal setting, while creating a heroine readers will root for. This is an addictive romp.” —Publishers Weekly (starred)
“The most beautiful, perfect love story—I loved it with my whole heart! I could have lived inside this book forever. It’s my favorite Annabel Monaghan novel yet, and made me cry such happy emotional tears!”—Paige Toon, internationally bestselling author of Seven Summers
“There is satisfying depth to the story . . . Monaghan writes another charming rom-com, this time with enemies-to-lovers and forced-proximity tropes. Monaghan fans will not be disappointed.” —Library Journal
“This novel is perfect for those looking to escape the summer heat with an enemies-to-lovers romcom.” —Brit & Co.
“A fast-paced adorable romance, this read is the absolute perfect pick for a day at the beach.” —Keys Weekly
“It’s a Love Story is proof that Annabel has hit her stride and is one of the best in this romance writing world. Her super power of an author is planting the seeds for a great romance and great characters and just letting it all unfold, scene by scene. I’m in awe. It’s a Love Story is one of the best of 2025. Do yourself a favor and read this beautiful novel. You won’t regret it.” —She Reads Romance Books
