Book Review and Summary: Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez

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Book Summary: Just for the Summer

Justin and Emma meet after Justin posts an “Am I the Asshole” post on Reddit (that will have you laughing out loud). In the post, he reveals that he has a curse — whenever he dates a girl, the next person she dates is her soulmate. Emma has the same curse, and she decides to DM him so they can commiserate.

The two have an instant connection, and they decide it would be fun to see if they can break the curse by dating each other and then breaking up. The only problem is that Justin lives in Minnesota, and Emma is a traveling nurse who is about to head to Hawaii for three months.

But she manages to convince her best friend Maddy, who works as a traveling nurse with her, to go to Minnesota for six weeks. And the book takes off from there, as we start to learn that there is a lot more going in both Emma’s and Justin’s lives beneath the surface.

This book is technically book three in the “Part of Your World” series, but you do not need to read those books to enjoy this one. (I can say this with first-hand experience because I have never read those books.)

Book Review: Just for the Summer

What I Liked . . .

• Abby Jimenez has an amazing ability to write about serious topics in the context of a romantic comedy, and she pulled it off.
• I want my romance books to make me laugh. This book had me laughing out loud and had me in tears. A book that can conjure both of those emotions deserves some serious accolades.
• I thought the characters were very well-developed, and I was rooting for both of them.
• Abby Jimenez can write. She has the kind of writing that just flows — nothing clunky or awkward. Some writers over-describe, some under-describe; I think A. J. is the Goldilocks of writers — she gets it just right.
• This book uses the Fake Romance Trope. This is a trope that I really enjoy because it tends to come with some fun banter, and this book has A LOT of fun banter.

What I Didn’t Like . . .

• I tend to like my romances closed-door, and this one is definitely open-door. That being said, the sex scenes were minimal and easy to skip.
• This book has some language, but it definitely isn’t over the top.
• I would have loved to see more of the characters at the end, but I think a good romance book leaves you wanting more, so I’m not sure that’s a negative. BUT, I would be up for a sequel with these two.

Who This Book is For . . .

• Those who love romance books (obviously).
• BUT, I also think that if romance is not your go-to genre, you will enjoy this one because this book is about so much more. In fact, I would say this book is a cross between romance and women’s fiction.
• Those who like books aren’t afraid to explore some heavy issues.
• Your book club! This book will give your book club a lot to talk about.
• Fans of Emily Henry, Taylor Jenkins Reid, and Camile Pagán.