A review by rachels_booknook
Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan

4.5

Nora is a single mom who wrote a movie script based on her divorce. To her surprise, it gets filmed on location at her small town house, complete with a starring role for massive movie star, Leo Vance. When filming wraps, Leo asks to stick around for a week, paying Nora, who as a single mom needs the money, to stay. Of course, as it happens, Nora and Leo grow closer until we all can guess what happens between them. 

I loved reading the growth in this relationship between two people in their late 30s/early 40s. Kids are involved and of course Leo’s celebrity status, and it’s not straight forward for either of them. Watching Leo react to Nora’s children, of course she fell in love with him. Annabel Monaghan writes in the Q&A at the end: “Nora’s being a mother adds this dimension to the story – it’s one thing to have a thrilling affair; it’s quite another to watch it impact your children. Nora moves through this story bearing the risk of having three hearts break, not just one.” 

I also loved watching Nora become more confident in herself and her career. The scenes of her getting ready for and going to glamorous parties and the Oscars were some of my favourites. 

Of course, there has to be a twist in Nora and Leo’s relationship, something that breaks them apart so they can get back together. I don’t think this is a spoiler because romance novels are pretty predictable in that sense. So I have a great appreciation when the author crafts this in a way that I don’t see coming. And that’s what Annabel Monaghan did here.