Reviews with content warning for Suicidal thoughts - Part of Your World

Oh my goodness gracious, this book! This. Book. I cannot begin to describe how much I loved, thoroughly and completely, loved this book. Part of Your World is 100% on my to-own list after this read. This story and its premise and its tropes and elements might seem old hat, but it’s so much more than just some vapid, fluffy rom-com. It’s also much more than an unrealistic sex fantasy or a cheesy Hallmark movie story. It’s a story about healthy relationships, boundaries, self-respect, honest and open communication, enduring devotion, and unconditional love.

It is a romantic story, yes. It does have many of the elements of the cliche and superficial “chick flicks” and “chick lit” stories that are out there: the headstrong and career-driven intelligent female protagonist, the neglectful and severe current love interest, the sassy best friend, the difficult family dynamic, the sweet and down-to-earth almost too perfect man with a dog who the female protagonist meets and wants (and he wants her back), the charming small town with a loving community, etc. It ticks so many of the rom-com bingo boxes that you may laugh it off as a complete joke. But please, I implore you, look beyond this. It really is so much more than this. It almost made me laugh unironically how every time I identified a rom-com cliche, the author seemed to turn it on its head.

You see, this is a story about navigating the challenges in life, no matter what your circumstances are. And, none of these circumstances ever once felt unrealistic or contrived. There are things that happen to kick off the main conflict, thus the story, and they do seem convenient. But, everything that happens after this is not convenient. It’s not convenient at all. In fact, it’s very, actively inconvenient for our protagonists and it forces them to make some difficult decisions, for which there are real, inescapable consequences. It’s the bottom of the ninth (so to speak) and the odds are stacked against them, so what will our protagonists do? Ask yourself, what would you do? It’s not an easy question to answer and the author does not shy away from this for the sake of telling a sweet and happy shallow story. These characters are well-rounded and complex and relatable. The things they say and the way they talk to one another is believable and sometimes politically charged as well. This is a world filled with a spectrum of diverse characters, each with a unique perspective and walk of life. The protagonists are fully-developed, layered, likeable, and they both have complicated relationships with people in their lives who don’t feel like they exist simply to be supporting characters, they feel like real people in the real world.

The story may seem light and fluffy at first blush, but it deals with some heavy topics that are addressed in a nuanced way. There was never a point where I found myself fully convinced of any one character’s moral superiority. They are multilayered and damaged and hopeful and conflicted, with their own dreams, goals, and desires, and they all feel quite real and relatable, as do the things that they must deal with. This story recognizes that the world is not always kind and the people within it are not always easy to exist alongside. It recognizes that the circumstances in which we find ourselves, often out of our control, can and usually do have an element of control over us, and we often acquiesce to that pressure, giving up the things that mean the most to us in the process. But it encourages the reader to believe that there is hope. This book tells a story of two people, so deeply mired in circumstances that seem impossible to reconcile, who fall in love despite them. It presents this paradox and it leaves the reader with much to ponder.

It is also a story that spotlights healthy, successful, mutual trust and communication. It emphasizes the importance of this in all aspects of all relationships in life, even in sex. And speaking of sex, the sexual content in this book is very tastefully done without being gratuitous. While it may verge on the self-indulgent at times, who doesn’t like a little dessert with their substantial meal? I certainly do, and the few love scenes that appear in this story do not disappoint. But they also don’t exist just to titillate and arouse. They serve to illustrate intimacy and vulnerability between two loving partners. They highlight the importance of trust and respect and open communication and feedback and mutual pleasure and the focus on fun with one’s partner in bed. It’s really a beautiful depiction of something that can often be such a tricky topic or even presented in a harmful way.

On that topic, this book also addresses abuse, not just the overt, obvious kind that people can immediately identify and call out, but also the pernicious, subtle kind, the kind that often goes unnoticed and unaddressed. It shows the ugly reality of manipulation, gaslighting, emotional control, and psychological subjugation. It explores the damage that is done on one’s psyche as a result of abuse and it also shows how healing from this trauma is possible. The healthy relationships in this story are simultaneously juxtaposed against examples of unhealthy relationships and the author positions them masterfully so that they constantly reinforce the positive and negative elements they each embody. It’s significant and effective without being preachy, and it presents a world that is messy and, as stated, complex. It even avoids the all too common “we’re having an argument that could have been avoided by communicating” contrivance, but it also finds itself exploring a conflict that is based in a misunderstanding, crossed wires and all that, which feels so real and actually possible without the protagonists even trying to cause the issue. My goodness, I’ve fallen into similar traps in my own relationships and I try to be as communicative as possible. I’m repeating myself now but it’s truly applause-worthy how real this whole story and all its complexity feels.

It also kept me on the edge of my seat. I had no idea how it was going to end. Sounds crazy for a rom-com right? But it’s true. I knew how I wanted it to end, but I did not ever know how it was going to end. I questioned constantly in the last hundred or so pages how this was going to end, afraid that the actual ending of the book would emotionally destroy me. In a way, it did, but that’s all I’m going to say for fear of spoiling one of the best stories I’ve read in years for people who care to read my review.

I’d not ever read anything from Abby Jimenez before, but after this I have to check out her other books. I laughed, I cried, I squealed with joy, I seethed with frustration, I clutched my chest with agony, and I closed this book with tears in my eyes, having just been on a marvelous, unforgettable journey. This beautiful, emotional, poignant story captured my heart and will always live in my mind as a shining example of how love is important, people you love are worth fighting for, unrelenting perseverance is worth it, and grace costs you nothing. If all of this sounds like your kind of thing, then I heartily encourage you to read this book.

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connor's review

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emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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