Just for the Summer

This was my first Abby Jimenez book, and I absolutely loved it! I’ll definitely be reading more from this author. The storyline flows beautifully—it’s fast-paced without dragging, making it easy to stay hooked from start to finish. Emma and Justin’s connection, sparked by a Reddit post, was so fun to follow. Their banter and chemistry had me hooked right away. And Justin? He’s everything a woman could want—kind, thoughtful, and undeniably swoon-worthy. I really appreciated how mental health was portrayed in this book. It felt so real and relatable, without making the characters seem unrealistic. The emotional struggles they faced were handled with care, and I loved that these topics weren’t just glossed over. Emma’s relationships were another highlight. Her friendship with Maddy was everything—Maddy is the kind of friend everyone needs. She was Emma’s reality check, always there for her no matter what, and willing to go on every journey with her. I absolutely loved that about her. On the other hand, Emma’s relationship with her mother was frustrating. OMG, I wanted to shake that woman! I wish we got more insight into why she did what she did to Emma. But at the same time, it was clear she was mentally unwell and in desperate need of years of therapy to unravel everything. The family dynamics in general were so well done. Justin stepping up as a big brother, father figure, and even taking on a motherly role at times was heartwarming and made his character even more lovable. This was a solid 5-star read for me—one I could see myself coming back to again and again. Highly recommend

Abby is brilliant. This book was the third in the Part of Your World series but was actually my least favourite (which seems to be the opposite for others) but was still a great read. It was very cute, found family vibes, funny, sad and dramatic. I absolutely love how the three books connect and this had the best link but I just really wanted more of Waken. My heart is still in WAKAN.

“In a world where you can choose anger or empathy, always choose empathy.” I recently discovered Abby Jimenez and have totally fallen under the spell of her writing. Please do not let the cover of her books put you off! For me, they give totally the wrong vibes about whether these are books for me or not. Based on the cover, I have to say I’d have never picked them up and yet having now read two books by her, I want to read everything she’s ever written! Just For The Summer is book 3 in a trilogy but whilst you might get a different experience reading the books in order, they work perfectly well as stand alone books because minor / side characters in one book have a greater role in another, it’s not a trilogy where story 1 leads onto story 2. I am yet to read book 1 and 2 and one of the twists in this story was a real shocker, yet those who’ve read the other two books were expecting it. So I actually really liked the fact I didn’t know what was coming. Anyway, back to the story! The book centres around Justin and Emma. Justin, is a lovely, ordinary guy but he is also an internet sensation as he seems to be cursed: every woman he dates, goes on to find their soulmate, yet he is left alone. Emma is a nurse who can’t settle in one place and works three month at a time in one location before moving on. Funnily enough she also seems to have the same effect as Justin on her own dates. So they decide to meet up to see if they can cancel out the curse by dating each other. Writing that paragraph might make you think this is a shallow book. It isn’t! It is a gorgeous romance, well written and I can guarantee you will fall in love with Justin! And what I love about Abby’s books is that alongside the romance she always tackles some heavy life issues but in a gentle way that will make you think, make you nod along with maybe personal experience coming to mind as you read but as it’s not the focus of her books so it won’t totally break you like some heavier books might. In this book, you will come across panic attacks, PTSD, grief, neglectful parenting and undiagnosed mental health issues. If you fancy a well-written book that will help you escape the everyday then I wholeheartedly recommend this one and I can’t wait for my next Abby Jimenez read!

REVIEW cw: panic attacks, anxiety, PTSD, depression, grief, undiagnosed mental health issues, toxic parenting, past child neglect Emma and Justin have something in common: they're always the person someone dates right before they find The One. When Emma reads Justin's viral Reddit AITA thread, an idea is formed. What if they dated each other? Maybe they'd finally break their respective curses, and then find their own true loves. Abby Jimenez always puts my emotions through the wringer, in the best possible way. She also writes the softest book boyfriends, and Justin immediately stole my heart. He was such a cinnamon roll, hilariously funny but also self-deprecating. I loved the graphics and questionnaires he sent to Emma, and his nervousness on the first date was so adorable. And honestly? Best. First. Date. EVER. Also? If a man wouldn't come to my rescue on a rainbow unicorn floatie, I don’t want him! I loved how much he cared about the people around him, and I found chapter thirty-two profoundly beautiful. Meanwhile, chapter nineteen made me laugh and cry in equal measure. The raccoon situation was too funny. But chapter twenty-one? I bawled. I loved that Justin was so transparent about his feelings, despite his own emotional baggage. He was SUCH a good man. And that birthday gift? Utter perfection. I adored Justin's friends. I loved that Benny (yes, THAT Benny) and Brad were so supportive of Justin. The whole Brad situation was hilarious. Faith's constant exasperation with Justin's dog's name was amusing. But more than that, both Benny and Brad were sweethearts, and I loved how much they cared about Justin and his family. Speaking of supporting characters, I loved all of the friendships in this book. Maddy was hilarious. Her vetting of Justin was peak friendship, and all of her dating theories were hilariously brilliant. But I also felt her frustration with Emma and how she continually gave her mum (Amber) a pass. I appreciated that she made sure to point out how Amber was so neglectful of Emma, and I could feel her hurt at times. But she was also THE most loyal, supportive friend and I loved how much she cared about Emma, and rooted for her relationship with Justin, as well as helping him understand Emma's trauma. I went on quite a journey with my feelings for Emma. I was simultaneously heartbroken for and frustrated with her for quite some time. On one hand, I couldn't even begin to imagine how difficult her childhood must have been. Her resilience was commendable, and while I empathised with her, and in many ways could understand her blind hope in her mother, her resistance to what was glaringly obvious at times frustrated me, especially surrounding Amber's behaviour. Still, I'm glad Emma finally opened herself up to love and stability, and I adored how natural she was with Justin's siblings, even when she was struggling. I loved the metaphors with the rose bush and the island. And that twist! It completely reframed my feelings about Emma, and I finished the story loving her. There were some amazing little Easter eggs from other Abby books. Amber's new boyfriend SHOOK ME, and as for what happened in chapter forty? (no spoilers, but OMG. I was screaming, but also SO angry on Emma's behalf). That chapter absolutely BROKE me, and I'm still not over it. I also loved that Abby didn't take the easy option afterwards, even though I sobbed for most of the rest of the book. Thankfully, she always guarantees a HEA, and this one was perfect, so even though i was emotionally drained by the end, I was also intensely happy. A heartbreaking but ultimately uplifting story of love and found family. Stock up on tissues! Overall Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Heat Rating: 🔥

I loved the Reddit post being the first thing we got to see. The idea of both of the MCs having the same "curse" is really interesting. Seeing how much Emma struggles with her childhood trauma brought up a lot for me. I really felt for her and I was rooting for her. Not just for her to get the guy but for her to understand herself and to work on making peace with her past. Justin was such a wonderful guy. Stepping up for his family and never really complaining, the love and care he shows everyone in his life, and his loyalty to the people he loves. I might have a little bit fallen for him 😂 I really enjoyed this book. I wish I'd started with Part of Your World now that I know there's Easter eggs in this one but I'll definitely enjoy reading that one soon enough.

An emotional story, quite heavy. Enjoyed the relationship between the two main characters & not a typical predictable romance plot. That being said, the writing style wasn't for me. Too much mundane unnecessary detail at times which detracted from being able to fully get into the story/characters

★★★★★ (5 Stars) Pure romance perfection. I wouldn’t change a single thing. This book was everything. I read Just for the Summer by the pool, kicking my feet and giggling like a little girl, and I can honestly say—I loved every second of it. I don’t normally reach for contemporary romance, but Abby Jimenez has officially converted me. She made me fall in love with love. The chemistry between Justin and Emma? Off the charts. The banter, the emotional depth, the slow build that felt so natural—it was all beautifully done. The characters felt real and relatable, like people I could actually know (and want to hang out with). And the setting? Total summer escapism. Every page made me feel like I was right there with them. There was laughter, there were heart-squeezing moments, and even a few tears—Abby Jimenez just gets how to write characters that stay with you. I also adored the balance between romance and meaningful personal growth. Nothing felt rushed or forced. It was romantic, emotional, and full of joy. Honestly, I have zero critiques. This book was perfection. One of my favorite reads this year, no question. Tropes featured in Just for the Summer: ✅Fake dating ✅Only for the summer (with real feelings) ✅Found family ✅Slow burn ✅Emotional healing through love ✅Forced proximity ✅Meet-cute with fate vibes ✅Cinnamon roll hero If you’re looking for a contemporary romance that will make you laugh, tear up, and believe in love all over again—this is the one. Abby Jimenez doesn’t miss.

This is my 4th read of Abby in three months. I absolutely loved this book. The concept was soo good the execution…wow. I loved the characters, I loved the drama and I loved the ending. The writing is was makes me want to read every single book that the author writes. It’s witty, funny and overall just super sweet.

Excellent, easy read. Funny with some serious underlying topics.

Pretty sure I’m still on the verge of tears while writing this, and that’s because of how emotionally invested I was in the relationship. Jimenez is so skilled at writing these playful, chemistry-filled romances that make me smile one minute and have a churning in my gut the next. This one really put me through my paces emotionally, with these gorgeous, sunshiney moments juxtaposed with an undercurrent of heartache and pain. These two fell for each other in such an effortless way, even though that was never the plan. Our sweetheart of a hero was swooning from the start, and I LOVED how adorably smitten he was. So freaking adorable, this man. Our black cat heroine put up a good fight, but she didn’t stand a chance against him. The relationship was bright and easy, which contrasted perfectly with the chaos swirling around them both. Neither was in the right headspace to fall in love, but it found them anyways - even though the road to HEA was filled with landmines. Such a compelling and complex read, EASILY my new favorite from the author. The story follows Emma, a woman who is constantly on the move. She didn’t have the best childhood, so she prefers to take temporary jobs and travel around the country with her best friend. One day, Emma reads an AITA post and relates to the guy - every time he dates someone, the next person they meet ends up being their soulmate. The same thing seems to happen to Emma every time, so the two bond over DMs and text messages. It’s not long before Emma and Justin make a plan - they’ll go on a few dates with each other and break both of their dating curses. But once they meet face-to-face, that plan begins to crumble. Not only do they get along way better than either could’ve anticipated, but keeping things fun and easy is impossible to do when both of their messy families get involved. Soon, Justin and Emma are falling for each other in a very real way, which could cause trouble for them both. I loved the concept of two strangers who bond over DMs and messages before connecting in person, and the epistolary element was great. Justin and Emma both know they’re not in the right headspace for something real, but that’s not what they ever intended to be for each other. Their relationship developed so naturally, and it was easy to see how perfect they were for each other. I was laughing, smiling, and swooning right along with them, especially since Justin is such a fantastic man. He’s so steady and cuddly and adorable, even though he’s barely keeping his head above water. It’s definitely a case of meeting the right person at the absolute worst time, which ratchets up the tension in a major way. Emma is such a complicated character, but I loved her too. After six books, I’m never surprised when Jimenez emotionally devastates me with her twists and turns, but I was still taken aback by how much it hurt this time. It’s not a story I’ll be forgetting anytime soon, it’s both entertaining and impactful. I loved it! Audio note: The audio is fabulous, highly recommended in the format! The epistolary element at the beginning is almost duet-style, so I had my fingers crossed that it would be that way throughout (it’s not), but both narrators give excellent, emotive performances. I’m not familiar with Christine Laken, but I loved her voice and the emotion she was able to infuse into the story. There were a couple of instances where it was difficult to tell who she was voicing, but that would be my only complaint. This is the best I’ve ever heard Zachary Webber, he gives an incredibly strong performance. The runtime (11-12 hours) was just slightly more than I could get through in a single day, but I could not wait to dive back in. There’s a very minimal amount of spice, so no worries there if you plan to listen at work - just be aware that you might start crying at any time, lol. All in all, I’m very glad I was able to experience the story in that format.

前半は、特に主人公二人の会話や登場する動物のネーミングセンスなど、笑いのセンスが半端ないです。 笑いの部分の一部、二人で（ロマンスファンに人気の）映画を観るシーンがあり、後でそれをネタに会話する部分があります。 その映画も小説の映画化ですし、その映画のセリフも当時の慣用表現と関連があるようです。何かの引用やパロディーに遭遇すると、言語理解と文化理解は切り離せないなと思います。 後半は、家族関係や夫婦関係の問題にも焦点が当たるので、笑いだけを期待して読むと裏切られます。 過去の個人体験によっては、読んでいてしんどくなる場合があるかもしれませんので、心配な場合は、若干ネタバレになりますが、事前に著者が発信している内容に関する注意（content warnings）を読まれることをおすすめします。 個人的には、現実逃避と内省に導いてくれる良い作品だと思いました。 It was a wonderful escape from reality that also gave me plenty to reflect on. This is my first Abby Jimenez book, and it definitely won’t be my last.

Arrived in perfect condition, never had a book from amazon come in this pristine condition. It looks amazing can't wait to read it.

Made me laugh and cry.