Scan barcode
ashleyjean6's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I have complicated feelings; the main character bothered me so much! Let's just get that out there. Mainly, I think this was a cross between a light romance novel and something more, like a heavy family literary saga. And it kinda worked, but not really. The overall tone and writing skill were solid romance book; a good one with a plot and good banter. But it lacked the true depth and character development when trying to deal with the family drama (honestly complex trauma) in the other part of the book. For it to work, there was too much convenient trope plot. And the characters were fairly well developed, especially the main 3, but there wasn't a supporting cast to carry off the nuance. Anyway, yes I liked it, but also it needed to pick a genre. Or maybe I need to adjust my expectations for this author and figure out a new hybrid genre... Elevated romance, but not quite a complex contemporary literature work??! I liked it, but.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Vomit, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Grief, Mental illness, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
carlynnnnne's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Abby Jiminez never misses. This book is wonderful for the soul and a reminder that the real beauty of life is in the everyday. Justin is all things good and Emma is the epitome of bravery and grace. This book provided an intertwined universe of characters from the two prequel stand-alones and closure in some of those characters’ stories we didn’t even know we needed. But what was the best part of the whole book you ask? The forbidden puppies. Sorry, you’ve got to read it to find out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Abandonment, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Domestic abuse, Grief, and Mental illness
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
lomesia's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
thelibraryskeeper's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is my first time reading one of Abby's books. I went into this expecting a fun light hearted romcom. What I got was so much more. First off take the trigger warnings seriously at the beginning. This is a beautifully written story about trauma. There is no spicy scenes and the relationship is far more centered on meeting people where they are. I adored this so much thay about halfway through my audible listen I went and bought a physical copy for myself.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Panic attacks/disorders, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Mental illness, and Child abuse
mdwsn27's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Medical content, Forced institutionalization, Sexual content, Vomit, Abandonment, Grief, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
lindcherry's review
hopeful
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Abandonment
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Child abuse
Minor: Vomit
kayceero's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-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
5.0
I love Abby Jimenez’s writing but the depth in this story really blew me away.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, and Grief
Moderate: Alcoholism, Fire/Fire injury, Vomit, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Medical content
beate251's review
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
"If you can choose anger or empathy, always choose empathy."
I first read Abby Jimenez around Valentine's Day when the Improbable Meet-Cute Series was downloadable on Amazon. From the six short stories, hers, "Worst Wingman Ever", was the only one I really rated.
So when this came up I knew I had to put in a request for an ARC. Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group for being kind enough to provide one. I read this in one sitting, until deep into the night.
"I didn’t know how to stay, and I didn’t know how to leave."
This book comes under false pretences. It promises a light-hearted romantic comedy with an impossibly cute meet-cute - two people both claim that after breaking up with someone said person will meet The One within six months. We all know they are going to meet up to test the charm on each other and we all think we know how it's going to end. But we get a so much more intense story which is full of emotion, mental health issues, heartbreak and sadness.
Emma is a travel nurse on 3 months assignments together with her best friend who is also her foster sister. She has been abandoned by her mother all her life. Justin is a software engineer about to take guardianship for his three younger siblings. Both characters are very mature in outlook as they had to grow up fast and, interestingly, they have great friends - even Justin's guy friends are really there for him.
"Sometimes the best way to show love or be kind to someone is to meet them where they are.”
The story is told in alternating dual POV, so both Emma and Justin get their say. Both have baggage due to their parents, and in Emma's case her mother's abandonment leaves her so severely damaged that it's not clear until the very end whether she can heal. Sometimes not even the love of a good man seems enough. And Justin is a seriously fantastic character, with his own problems, but he never stops caring.
"Not everything that comes out of crisis is bad. Sometimes your traumas are the reason you know how to help."
This is the most romantic book I have read in ages - it's a romance I can totally believe in and not the insta-love for someone because they are hot. A romance where someone is there for the other person because they don't know how not to. When you're on the island of someone's soul. I have never been so frightened in a story that it wouldn't work out for the main characters.
"You can love someone and still not be willing to give up your way of life for them. And then there are those you love who you’d take a bullet for. It’s all the same emotion, just different levels."
The cover is utterly utterly beautiful.
Now excuse me while I wipe my eyes and hunt down Abby Jimenez' entire back catalogue. Apparently characters from previous books are wandering through this but I can honestly say it works well as a standalone.
I first read Abby Jimenez around Valentine's Day when the Improbable Meet-Cute Series was downloadable on Amazon. From the six short stories, hers, "Worst Wingman Ever", was the only one I really rated.
So when this came up I knew I had to put in a request for an ARC. Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group for being kind enough to provide one. I read this in one sitting, until deep into the night.
"I didn’t know how to stay, and I didn’t know how to leave."
This book comes under false pretences. It promises a light-hearted romantic comedy with an impossibly cute meet-cute - two people both claim that after breaking up with someone said person will meet The One within six months. We all know they are going to meet up to test the charm on each other and we all think we know how it's going to end. But we get a so much more intense story which is full of emotion, mental health issues, heartbreak and sadness.
Emma is a travel nurse on 3 months assignments together with her best friend who is also her foster sister. She has been abandoned by her mother all her life. Justin is a software engineer about to take guardianship for his three younger siblings. Both characters are very mature in outlook as they had to grow up fast and, interestingly, they have great friends - even Justin's guy friends are really there for him.
"Sometimes the best way to show love or be kind to someone is to meet them where they are.”
The story is told in alternating dual POV, so both Emma and Justin get their say. Both have baggage due to their parents, and in Emma's case her mother's abandonment leaves her so severely damaged that it's not clear until the very end whether she can heal. Sometimes not even the love of a good man seems enough. And Justin is a seriously fantastic character, with his own problems, but he never stops caring.
"Not everything that comes out of crisis is bad. Sometimes your traumas are the reason you know how to help."
This is the most romantic book I have read in ages - it's a romance I can totally believe in and not the insta-love for someone because they are hot. A romance where someone is there for the other person because they don't know how not to. When you're on the island of someone's soul. I have never been so frightened in a story that it wouldn't work out for the main characters.
"You can love someone and still not be willing to give up your way of life for them. And then there are those you love who you’d take a bullet for. It’s all the same emotion, just different levels."
The cover is utterly utterly beautiful.
Now excuse me while I wipe my eyes and hunt down Abby Jimenez' entire back catalogue. Apparently characters from previous books are wandering through this but I can honestly say it works well as a standalone.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Abandonment
Moderate: Vomit and Sexual content
More...