ON-TREND WOMEN’S FICTION: Uplifting stories about finding oneself again (especially women leaving toxic relationships like in Evvie Drake Starts Over and The Overdue Life of Amy Byler) are strong sellers. Nora feels like the iconic Lorelai Gilmore, a woman readers are eager to root for. This is the kind of sweet spot elevated romance/women’s fiction that booksellers and readers are asking for.

BUT ALSO A RICH LOVE STORY: The love story between Nora and Leo is transformative, completely relatable, and just a joy to read. Fans of Beach Read and The Hating Game will find their next romance to get lost in. Annabel Monaghan gives Nora Ephron a run for her money.

NOT A COOKIE-CUTTER ROMANCE: Recently divorced mom of two Nora Hamilton is not your typical love story heroine, and this gives the read layers and depth. Monaghan provides an inside-out look at the romance genre that rom com fans and general fiction readers alike will adore.

ESCAPIST SUMMER FICTION: Nora Goes Off Script has a picturesque Hudson Valley summer setting that pairs perfectly with the escapist reader mindset of the season. Nora’s backyard cottage reads like an oasis. 

BOOK CLUB PERFECTION: Readers will be itching to discuss themes of new beginnings after divorce, the different loves one can experience, evolving family dynamics, and how to find happiness again when it feels impossible—all evergreen topics in the women’s fiction category.

Annabel Monaghan is the author of two Young Adult novels and Does This Volvo Make My Butt Look Big?, a selection of laugh-out-loud columns that appeared in the Huffington Post, The Week, and The Rye Record. Nora Goes Off Script is her adult debut novel. She lives in Rye, New York, with her family.



Author Residence: Rye, New York

Author Hometown: Los Angeles, California

One of Real Simple’s Best Books of 2022
One of Cosmopolitan’s 30 Best Romance Novels of 2022
One of the Washington Post’s 10 Noteworthy Books for June 2022
One of USA Today’s Top Rom Coms for June 2022
One of Southern Living’s Beach Reads Perfect for Summer 2022

“The perfect escape.” —USA Today

“A witty and poignant roller coaster that springs a delightful surprise.” —People

“Who is ready for their next stellar and sparkling beach read? Nora Goes Off Script is a freaking delight. Charming, funny, uplifting and completely captivating, I devoured it in three days.” —Elin Hilderbrand, author of The Hotel Nantucket

“[A] delightful work of fiction…Readers who loved Emily Henry’s Book Lovers or Linda Holmes’s Evvie Drake Starts Over are sure to savor Nora Goes Off Script.” —Shelf Awareness

“Filled with swoon-worthy moments and hilariously lovable characters.” —Woman’s World

“Funny and smart, with a Nancy Meyers–movie quality you’ll love and a main character you’ll want to befriend. This is the perfect easy-breezy, feel-good read.” —Real Simple

“Hallmark meets Hollywood in this gorgeous, fast, and poignant read. A book to savor!” —Abby Jimenez,  author of The Friend Zone
 
“Monaghan’s witty adult debut novel perfectly captures the apprehension and excitement of infatuation blended with life’s complications.” —Washington Post

 “Absolutely irresistible—funny, addictive and deliciously romantic, this is exactly the sort of book we all need right now. I loved every word.”—Rosie Walsh, author of The Love of My Life

“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

“This perfectly-scripted love story left me feeling the way all the best romances do: filled with hope and the feeling that true love always wins. Nora Goes Off Script will be a reread, for sure.”—Jill Santopolo,  author of The Light We Lost

“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

“[A] funny, clever, and joyful rom-com.” —Business Insider

“A must-read for summer.” —The Augusta Chronicle