Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez

298 reviews

rachaelreadthat's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This was my first Abby Jimenez read and it’s safe to say I will immediately be devouring the rest of her books. This book is charming and witty with great tension and healthy friendships. It’s lovely to read something that isn’t a formulaic trope but more complex with the relationship between Emma and Amber and what that genuinely means for how Emma’s life has unfolded. This book is an instant favorite and I’m so glad I picked it up.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Abandonment

Moderate: Grief, Death of parent, and Pandemic/Epidemic

h_preadsagin's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I enjoyed the book! I was looking for an easier, lighter read and this accomplished that goal, even though some heavier topics were central to the story. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment

zemily83's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

Minor: Child abuse, Vomit, Grief, and Pregnancy

adub345's review

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.25

Anyone who has read Abby Jimenez before knows that picking up her books is like strapping into an emotional rollercoaster, but holy heck I was not prepared for the whiplash that this gave me. 

I had moments where I loved characters, where I wanted to shake them for being idiots, moments of crying followed al ost immediately by laughing, at one point I actually gasped out loud and startled a coworker on my lunch break.

This did not feel like a typical romance. And I love that.  It wasn't all happy and fluffy and romantic dates and spicy times. It felt *real*. It was plans getting thrown off course by life and rolling with it. It was loving the little things and making mundane moments just as special as if they were candles and rose petals. 

Justin is absolutely a "book boyfriend" but in a way that's actually achievable because he feels so familiar and realistic. Emma is a mess and (hopefully) has experienced more trauma than the average reader BUT she appeals to the broken parts of us and I just wanted to hug her and make everything better. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment

rceparski's review against another edition

emotional funny sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Mental illness, and Abandonment

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Toxic relationship

bookrecsondeck's review against another edition

emotional inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship

Moderate: Mental illness

cdobbertin's review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment

Moderate: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Gaslighting

Minor: Vomit

megnut's review

emotional funny fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

This sucked me in so quick. I loved Justin & ached for Emma & I loved the strength of Maddy. The whole thing hit me in all the feels. 
It's not on my bookshelf yet, but it's definitely going on my wishlist. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment

Moderate: Vomit, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting

Minor: Car accident

hruimveld's review against another edition

funny inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic relationship and Abandonment

Minor: Child abuse

sami_leigh's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5
🌶️/5

“Am I the asshole?”

🛶 First person Dual POV
🛶 Guardian to younger siblings 
🛶 Travel nurse who can’t stay in one place 
🛶 Emma and Justin are cursed. Everyone they’ve dated, and broken up with, has found their soulmate immediately. So why not try dating each other for a few weeks, break up and meet their own soulmates? If only it were that simple.
🛶 Insta-chemistry / fate
🛶 Slow burn / tension 🔥
🛶 Found family
🛶 ALL the acts of service, ‘mundane’ demonstrations of love 🥹
🛶 A heart-aching representation of a daughter breaking herself, and denying herself of happiness to put her mother first in the hopes that she will love her back. Beautifully written.  
🛶 Well established secondary characters: Alexis & Daniel (Book 1), Brianna & Jacob (Book 2), Benny, Brad, links to characters from other series
🛶 MC Growth: trust, risking a relationship, childhood trauma, past relationship trauma, self worth, abandonment/avoidant attachment
🛶 Considerate representation of mental illness 
🛶 Epilogue
🛶 On my comfort reads list 😍
🛶 I sobbed. In the best way.

Available on Kindle, Audible, and paperback.

⚠️ Toxic relationship (family), mental illness, parental abandonment, death of a parent (past), medical content (FMC is a nurse), PTSD, anxiety disorder, childhood trauma/neglect.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Medical content, and Abandonment

Moderate: Sexual content and Death of parent