Dolly All the Time: A GMA Book Club Pick

Another fabulous Annabel Monaghan book! The setting was so beautiful and the characters are so wonderful and real. I appreciate realistic characters and the reality they are dealing with, pieces of this were so relatable to me. I also appreciated the character growth shown throughout the story.Dolly being the caretaker spoke volumes to be and my heart went out to her. I was so happy to see her find her voice in the end instead of doing whatever would keep the peace, I think it is something all caregivers/people pleasers need to learn over time.I was not sure about Stewart in the beginning, not going to lie, but I warmed up to him eventually just to have him disappoint me but he won me over in the end! I think that is the beauty of Annabel Monaghan's characters, they are not always likable, especially when we do not see their POVs but eventually we peel back the layers and get to know and fall in love with the characters.I appreciated the highlight on therapy and how important it can be. I also love the bond Stewart and Gus form and how Dolly approved of it even after the break up. I also love the time it took for Stewart and Dolly to find their way to each other again, it allowed for growth and to know what they really wanted and made their love more real and special.Everyone should read this book this summer!

Annabel Monaghan- your storytelling never disappoints. Your craft your profession, your ability to weave words together are magic.Nora Goes Off Script was my first of your books- was and remains a favorite. Dolly’s story was well worth the wait.Easy, fun enjoyable weekend read.

Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan is the sweetest romance about a middle-aged single mom who has spent her entire life taking care of everyone around her.Dolly lives in Boston with her teenage son, but she returns home to Rhode Island for the summer to stay with her father, brother, and son. Ever since her mother left when she was young, Dolly has been the caretaker of her family. She is the person everyone relies on, always putting others before herself. Her selflessness is simply part of who she is.While home for the summer, she runs into Stewart Whitfield, a wealthy businessman stranded with a flat tire and absolutely no idea what to do about it. Stewart comes from the kind of family that has a town named after them, and that town just happens to be where Dolly grew up. When Dolly effortlessly changes his tire, Stewart is immediately captivated. Here is a beautiful, capable woman juggling three jobs and managing a busy life with grace. Meanwhile, his last girlfriend left him for a professional baseball player, and she could barely hold down one job.Stewart is desperate to be named the next CEO of his family's company, but his recent breakup has left him looking anything but put together. He works too much, enjoys life too little, and never stops long enough to appreciate what truly matters. In an effort to improve his image, he asks Dolly to be his pretend girlfriend for the summer. No romance. No funny business. Just a few carefully curated appearances.However, Dolly is impossible not to love. She is warm, funny, intelligent, honest, capable, strong, and completely authentic. Stewart quickly realizes that she brings color and joy into every room she enters. As their relationship deepens, he begins to see that there is more to life than work and expectations. And Dolly, who has spent her entire life caring for everyone else, finally finds someone who sees her and appreciates everything she is.Stewart is truly a diamond in the rough, and watching both of these characters grow and evolve is incredibly rewarding. I fell in love not only with Dolly and Stewart, but also with their families, friends, and the charming Rhode Island setting.I absolutely loved this book with my whole damn heart. This is my first Annabel Monaghan novel, but it certainly won't be my last. Her writing is full of warmth, humor, and heart, and this story brought me so much joy.Thank you so very much to Annabel Monaghan, G.P. Putnam's Sons, and NetGalley for the incredible honor of receiving an ARC. I feel like I owe you all so much because this novel brought me so much joy!

A big fan of Annabelle Monaghan since reading NORA goes off script. I must say I wasn’t disappointed in this read. Monaghan knows how to write strong women with a certain vulnerability. The character of Dolly is a woman nearing 40, a single mother, and the backbone of her family which includes her father, her disabled brother, and a younger sister. When she stops to change a flat tire for Stewart Whitfield her summer takes on a life of its own. He is the wealthy son of the towns namesake and he has publicly broken with his fiancé. When Stewart asks Dolly to be his pretend girlfriend for the summer, she agrees. Stuart is very generous with his time, money, and. begins to form a relationship with her 15 year-old son. Though Dolly and Stewart come from different worlds, they do find they have a lot in common. Things go well until they don’t and Dolly must learn that she cannot be responsible for everyone and their actions. She can’t bear the weight of the world on her shoulders.There are supporting characters who deserve mention. Naomi, Busy, and Christopher all and a special touch throughout the book.Perfect romance for the beach and beyond.

A rare gem in contemporary American romance novels. Instead of the typical inane and overly repetitive drivel, Annabel’s writing is always fresh, witty, intelligent and real, even with this usually overused trope of poor-plucky-girl-meets-workaholic-billionaire-with-a-heart-of-gold.