Summer Romance

An American writer, columnist, and novelist, Monaghan entered the working world as an investment banker. After transitioning out of the corporate sphere, Monaghan began to write children’s and young adult literature. Her publications in this genre include the novels Double Digit and A Girl Named Digit. Monaghan also wrote a nonfiction book called Does This Volvo Make My Butt Look Big?: Thoughts for Moms and Other Tired People. In part, this text was inspired by Monaghan’s columns featuring stories about motherhood, the woman’s experience, and midlife. Another work of nonfiction, Click!: The Girl’s Guide to Knowing What You Want and Making It Happen, is a collaborative project Monaghan wrote with Elisabeth Wolfe in 2007. Monaghan grew up in Los Angeles, California, and has an English degree from Duke University and a master of business administration (MBA) from The Wharton School of The University of Pennsylvania. She taught novel writing at The Writing Institute at Sarah Lawrence College.

Since her nonfiction and young adult publications, Monaghan has established herself in the literary world as an author of adult romance novels, which include Nora Goes Off Script (2022), Same Time Next Summer (2023), and most recently, Summer Romance (2024). In her author bio on her website, Monaghan identifies this era of her writing life as “the most fun [she’s] ever had” (“Things You Know.” Annabel Monaghan). All three of her adult novels use geographical settings familiar to Monaghan. In “A Conversation with Annabel Monaghan” (included at the back of the source text), Monaghan notes the importance of balancing “space and quiet” with “the heartbeat of the city” (329). Such autobiographical threads run through her novels and enliven, enrich, and authenticate the experiences of her characters. Additionally, Monaghan approaches her romance novels with the same empathy that characterizes her broad publication catalog.