I find myself reading different genres but occasionally I enjoy a good romance. However, these are hard to find because I don't want cheese and schmalz and unbelievable situations or characters (ironically just the sort of scenarios Nora appears to be able to whip up in a couple of weeks!) Luckily Nora Goes Off Script really delivered what I look for and I couldn't put it down.

I loved Nora, her house, her town, her children and of course I fell for Leo. All of these were very three dimensional and I think the addition of Arthur and Bernadette gave the story it's own kind of gravitas. I loved it!

However, I should point out that I dislake the title and really don't like the cover so if I'd come across it in a bookshop I wou;dn't even have picked it up and what a loss that would have been.

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this arc

i really wanted to like this; the story held promise and could’ve been the perfect rom-com had it have been executed properly

first of all, i liked reading about nora’s independence and strength and her children were super cool; the relationship that leo forms with the kids and how easy it is was nice to read, but that’s where the good things end for me.

there was no depth to any of this, the characters were bland, the dialogue was flat, there was zero chemistry or anything that gets you rooting for the mc’s. the way everything was written felt so stilted and read like a shopping list.

i didn’t care for any of the characters and felt like the promising storyline was wasted on the poor writing. how does leo suddenly turn up in the kitchen and nora is okay with it? how does he say absolutely nothing to her, yet they suddenly somehow have a friendship that very suddenly turns into “love” after practically zero actual conversation?? i just genuinely don’t understand how this was supposed to be believable and interesting.

you want to root for the main characters and want them to be together, yet i couldn’t care less and when it did happen, it was so out of left wing that i thought i’d missed 6 chapters. that final conflict felt like that unnecessary drama plot that’s added at the end of a book when there’s nothing else interesting to say, so the author has to grab at straws to make one final “gripping” scene happen.

overall, i don’t think this writing style is for me, but it’s a quick and light read which i can appreciate

~thank you to the publisher Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review ~

Tropes include: celebrity, small-town, single mother and forced proximity

First of all, I should say I don't often read much women's fiction but 'Nora Goes Off Script' will be definitely be changing that in the future.
Secondly, adding to the above, this is definitely leans more towards women's fiction than your typical contemporary romance but managing expectations aside, this was an enjoyable read!

'Nora Goes Off Script' follows Nora Hamilton - newly divorced, mother of two, screenwriter and overall girlboss - who after writing numerous scripts for TRC (aka hallmark 2.0) essentially catches her big break by selling a screenplay. But you see, this is not just any screenplay. This is the screenplay of Nora's marriage to her (now) ex-husband, from the beginning of their romance to the subsequent downfall.
Enter Leo Vance, Hollywood's most famous A-List actor cast as Nora’s ex-husband, armed with smouldering looks and witty humour who ends up at Nora's door to continue filming. And the rest as they say, is history.

I’m honestly surprised by how much I enjoy reading this, so much so that I read it all in one sitting (albeit it’s not the longest read). I think the main reason for this was because it went in thinking it would be this grandiose, almost over-the-top spicy hollywood romance and that is most definitely not what this is, and I am not mad at it all.
There is so much to love about this read - strong (for the most-part) girlboss lead, the dynamic between the kids (Arthur and Bernadette) and Nora/Leo, the way Nora and Leo would bond over TRC and all the hallmark references and side-characters all being the highlights.

However, I did have a few issues being pacing, writing and the main ‘conflict’.
Pacing ~ I would argue the book is almost too short, in that I feel like things were never fully fleshed out. Case in point, the romance between Nora & Leo was not there one minute, and suddenly there the next. We don’t really see the ‘falling in love’ part, we’re just suddenly thrusted into it and it was a tad jarring. I think this story would have benefited more from being dual-POV and seeing certain scenes from Leo’s point of view.
Additionally, there was quite a few time jumps which made a mess of the pacing. It just felt at times you couldn’t fully enjoy/relish a scene.

Writing ~ The writing also felt a bit disjointed in places. There was the odd occasion where it felt we were straying a little too much into the telling, not showing aspect but not to the extent that it hindered the overall reading experience.

Conflict ~ If there is one thing I despise, that’s the miscommunication trope. It wasn’t done awfully here, but I struggled through these chapters the most. The separation felt longer than in needed to be, especially compared to how much we are led to believe these characters’ felt for each other.

All that being said, this was a lighthearted fast read, filled with tender moments, witty humour and characters you can’t help wishing would get their HEA, no matter the form in which it would appear.

3.5 ☆

I loved the conceit of this. Nora writes TV romance movie scripts for a living. She know they're formulaic and not great works of drama but she's fine with it. They pay the bills and feed her and her children. Then she writes a script that changes things. It's autobiographical and recounts the story of her ended marriage. It's made into a cinema film and for a few days her home is the set. The male lead is Leo, famous, handsome and a bit odd if the truth were to be told. After the filming finishes he persuades Nora to let him stay on. And so Nora falls into one of her made-for-TV stories.

I thoroughly enjoyed this. It was funny and well-written with characters just staying the right side of caricatures. I liked the way Nora thought of her life in terms of a script and how Annabel Monaghan held on to that idea all the way through the book.

Many thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read an ARC 5 WELL DESERVED STARS! You will want to read this in one sitting! Gorgeous!

I really enjoyed Nora Goes Off Script, definitely an ideal summer read! Sometimes in a book of this style you just don’t warm to the main characters, but I was rooting for both Nora and Leo from the start. I also really liked how realistic it was; Nora behaves exactly as someone genuinely would do if a famous actor turned up to stay at their house. The book was very down to Earth and thought provoking, and I will definitely look out for more by Annabel Monaghan in future.

First, what is with the purposely incorrect emphasis on words? Such as “sur-prised”? At first I thought this was for emphasis but then it just started happening in random places throughout the novel.
Nora writes movie scripts for the tacky romance channel. It’s like the Christmas movies the ones with the same annoying plot that play over and over again. So this movie she wrote is based on her husband leaving her and she had no reaction at all as she found them drifting apart.
Why would you be with a man who is a LEECH? Living off his wife’s income and then divorcing and doesn’t want to see his own children. Why would you be with a man that complains about his children having extra circular activities? Especially when it’s with your money that you earned? And paying for his luxury lifestyle? Literally you’d have to be an idiot or a mug that was just desperate to hold onto anything that breathed. And then to have no reaction when you broke up.
Is Nora even human? Does she have any emotions?
The emphasis thing got very annoying. I mean writing “Manhat-tan” do you have a pronouncation error? As this is not mentioned in her character at all which makes for poor reading.
Anyway, Leo a film star lives with her for a week because that is SO realistic. Right after they finished filming in her house.
Also, another unrealistic point is that if you’re making a film and using only one location to film the entire thing, and the novel did state that these films are two hour films - you cannot possibly make a decent film within less than 7 days. It takes over 12 hours to make only a few scenes for a decent film I should know, doing acting and everything. Also, this novel claims to be ‘real love’ hardly real and not very realistic which is a fact.
This novel was very unrealistic and too fairy tale like with a non-emotional main character who loved to judge people and with the emphasis on the writing it was a bit meh for me. Considering my knowledge and my need for good grammar written novels, this was not my cup of tea despite the plot seeming interesting at first glance.

The publishers have sent me this novel in exchange for my honest review.

A different kind of love story. . I loved it Nora ‘s x husband was a piece of work. Children are strange creatures, the twist was amazing . I loved the tea house and the shopping of the towels made me laugh and the Oscar ceremony. A jolly enjoyable read

Nora Goes Off Script is the perfect summer read - light, flirty and romantic of course but, there is also real warmth and emotion there too as Nora picks herself up and learns who she is again after her husband leaves. I can see this being a BookTok fave this summer!

Nora goes off script when she meets Leo Vance the start of her film “The Tea House’ and Oh boy, does she deserve it. She has the surveyed the wreck of her much loved house and the wreckage of her marriage to useless Ben but looks with pride at the solidly built teahouse in her garden and the subject around which her darker than usual movie script is woven. Hollywood arrives, trundling over her lawns bringing Leo with his smouldering looks and his beautiful co-star Naomi Sanchez. After three days of filming Leo stays on as he rather like being at Nora‘s, of course the path of true love (down to the teahouse) never runs smooth.

This is a really enjoyable glide through read, it’s witty and smart in places sufficient to raise more than a few smiles. The dialogue is great and also has a real feel. The characterisation is excellent, they all feel authentic. Leo is, well, smouldering but also a darn good bloke, Nora is fab and her children Arthur and Bernadette almost steal the show! Nora’s house and the surrounding area make you feel a warm glow, it’s wonderfully described and you definitely want to be there preferably with Leo!

I really like the premise which comes through in several ways not just via the movie. Nora especially is reconnecting to her old self and taking back the power after Ben drains her in more ways than one. Leo also reconnects to his true self not the movie version people expect. There’s also a lovely message about family which is heartwarming.

Overall, is it fantasy or real? Nora deserves the real, she deserves the sunrise and the promise of a good day and you will that to happen! It’s a sweet book but not in a saccharine way. It’s good escapist reading in the company of lovely people. Sighs!

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Hodder and Stoughton for that much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

‘Nora Goes Off Script’ felt like a rollercoaster of a novel that I couldn’t put down. I found myself feeling Nora’s sense of loss when Leo suddenly abandons her family as if it were my own pain. The sense of emotion was really well written and I enjoyed the relationship she had with her children, friends and family. The Tea House felt like an enchanting setting and made a great base for Nora’s house and as a film set. I’d definitely recommend,

Absolutely loved this book! A really clever plot idea that was well written and engaging. The characters were interesting. A perfect summer read

I normally don't read romance type books but so glad i gave this one a chance. It was the perfect style of romance with intrigue. Loved the characters and how the story was told. An all over general feel good book.

Really enjoyed this story and it's fresh approach to heartbreak and romance. Light hearted and hard to put down!

This was a lovely treat of a read that I’m sure will be perfect to be read sat by a pool as a good holiday book.

Nora’s marriage has failed and as a writer of romantic stories she writes one which is set to be filmed with a big star lead. This is where she meets Leo and a second chance romance begins.

This book will have you laughing one minute and shedding a tear the next with believable characters taking you through a story of strength, heartache and everything in between.

The author has a wonderful writing style that draws you in making for an enjoyable read which is sensitively written despite some difficult subjects. Highly recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.

A fun read!

I loved the character of Nora and her interactions with her children through the book. The plot was interesting and the book was all around a fast, enjoyable read!

This book reminded me of the TRC scripts the main character writes - but that's not a bad thing. Sometimes you need a light feel good romance, which obviously has it's ups and downs but you are rewarded with the HEA.
Some themes that I particularly appreciated were the strength of friendship - Nora's best friend is there for her in a quietly understated way, family bonds - with her parents and sister, and being there for your children despite what is going on in your life.
An enjoyable book that would be perfect holiday reading.

When screenwriter Nora turns the story of her failed marriage into a movie script and some of the movie is shot on her property, the last thing she expects is for film star Leo to want to stick around for a while. It's the catalyst for her discovery that sometimes life can mirror the romantic scenes she writes - although not, perhaps, in the way she expects.

There's a lot to like about this book. It's told entirely in first-person from Nora's point of view, and her voice stands out: I could practically hear her in my head narrating the whole thing, and her humorous, slightly weary, very self-deprecating personality shines through. I liked the fact that these are mature characters, with children who are well-defined personalities in themselves. I liked (without revealing any spoilers) how the ex-husband is dealt with, because it could easily go a different, more cliched way. However I would have liked a little more from/about Leo and his motivations: while we obviously only see him through Nora's eyes, he feels a little under-developed compared to the other family and friends around her. And the way the plot plays out... I understand why the timeline is like it is, as it has to follow the realities of a movie release, but it did stretch my suspension of disbelief because there were so many ways it could have been resolved more quickly. Still: an amusing, romantic, absorbing 4 star read.

A pleasant story of different relationships and their affects on other people.
Based around a film writer, her children and how their lives changed for the better.
A feel good factor about this novel

Escapist, Heartwarming, Entertaining….
Romance channel screenwriter, Nora, knows the set up of a romantic tale better than most but the destruction of her marriage simply leaves her cold. Nora pulls herself together intending to write the best script she ever has. But, this one will be different. Brimming with deftly drawn characters and a fun and immersive plot populated with a swiftly moving storyline and witty dialogue this is escapist, heartwarming and entertaining.