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beate251's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
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
3.5
Vanessa is a You Tube travel blogger, content creator and influencer and her next door neighbour Adrian is a criminal defense attorney. Both seem to have money coming out of their ears, which in Vanessa's case I simply don't understand - she makes a few videos and everyone throws money at her? Not believable. Anyway, she is looking after her tiny niece and after a 4am clash due to the crying baby they start spending all their time together until Adrian feels like a dad.
Abby Jimenez' books seem to have many similarities to each other. They all deal with difficult topics that are made worse by overuse of the miscommunication/ misunderstanding tropes, there is always a cute dog with a ridiculous name, a bearded man, the desire to have children, big feelings that border on obsession, and a couple of mentions of Nadia Cakes.
The characters are full of hangups about their families. Adrian hates his Mum's new husband who turns out to be his Dad, Vanessa's Dad is a hoarder, her brother a layabout and her sister a substance abuser. Her mother is dead and her other sister died from ALS. Vanessa thinks she has it too and thus she doesn't want Adrian to be more than a friend, which stands in direct contravention to her motto of not stressing about things until they are happening.
So in the first book we had "I can't be with him because I can't have kids", in the second it was "I can't be with him because he's famous" and now it's "I can't be with him because I'm dying". I mean, at least it's original.
I didn't like how the book essentially hammered home how Vanessa would die within a year and Adrian still didn't get it until very late because he didn't watch her videos, then he flipped out and demanded to have a say in how she dealt with it. It was all "I need, I need, I need." Totally selfish and tone deaf.
Also, everyone's problems seemed to get solved a little too neatly and quickly at the end. Hoarding is a mental illness. You can't overcome it in a few weeks with the help of a life coach.
I loved the click-bait chapter headlines, they were very authentic and funny.
The book is eminently readable and the big feelings will have many readers swoon. I think it's the best in the trilogy, but for me it's not up there yet with Just For The Summer.
Abby Jimenez' books seem to have many similarities to each other. They all deal with difficult topics that are made worse by overuse of the miscommunication/ misunderstanding tropes, there is always a cute dog with a ridiculous name, a bearded man, the desire to have children, big feelings that border on obsession, and a couple of mentions of Nadia Cakes.
The characters are full of hangups about their families. Adrian hates his Mum's new husband who turns out to be his Dad, Vanessa's Dad is a hoarder, her brother a layabout and her sister a substance abuser. Her mother is dead and her other sister died from ALS. Vanessa thinks she has it too and thus she doesn't want Adrian to be more than a friend, which stands in direct contravention to her motto of not stressing about things until they are happening.
So in the first book we had "I can't be with him because I can't have kids", in the second it was "I can't be with him because he's famous" and now it's "I can't be with him because I'm dying". I mean, at least it's original.
I didn't like how the book essentially hammered home how Vanessa would die within a year and Adrian still didn't get it until very late because he didn't watch her videos, then he flipped out and demanded to have a say in how she dealt with it. It was all "I need, I need, I need." Totally selfish and tone deaf.
Also, everyone's problems seemed to get solved a little too neatly and quickly at the end. Hoarding is a mental illness. You can't overcome it in a few weeks with the help of a life coach.
I loved the click-bait chapter headlines, they were very authentic and funny.
The book is eminently readable and the big feelings will have many readers swoon. I think it's the best in the trilogy, but for me it's not up there yet with Just For The Summer.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness and Chronic illness
Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Cursing, Grief, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Death, Medical content, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Ableism
sammiejo928's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
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
4.25
Ugh Abby 🥹 I continue to love her writing style and the stories she writes. This one is heartbreakingly beautiful. Forever loving how Abby writes about tough subjects so well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Addiction, and Grief
Moderate: Death of parent
lindyhopper's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Terminal illness, and Death
Minor: Addiction and Drug abuse
kelly_e'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Title: Life's Too Short
Author: Abby Jimenez
Series: The Friend Zone #3
Genre: Romance
Rating: 3.50
Pub Date: April 6, 2021
T H R E E • W O R D S
Witty • Tender • Wholesome
📖 S Y N O P S I S
When Vanessa Price quit her job to pursue her dream of traveling the globe, she wasn't expecting to gain millions of YouTube followers who shared her joy of seizing every moment. For her, living each day to its fullest isn't just a motto. Her mother and sister never saw the age of 30, and Vanessa doesn't want to take anything for granted.
But after her half sister suddenly leaves Vanessa in custody of her baby daughter, life goes from "daily adventure" to "next-level bad". The last person Vanessa expects to show up offering help is the hot lawyer next door, Adrian Copeland. After all, she barely knows him. No one warned her that he was the Secret Baby Tamer or that she'd be spending a whole lot of time with him and his geriatric Chihuahua.
Now she's feeling things she's vowed not to feel. Because the only thing worse than falling for Adrian is finding a little hope for a future she may never see.
💭 T H O U G H T S
Life's Too Short was the final book of Abby's repertoire on my TBR. The third installment in The Friend Zone companion series, I knew the major plot centered around ALS, and that there was a social media aspect as well. I knew very little more than that, which is exactly how I like to go into her books.
Another signature Abby tale with witty banter, complex characters and mental health representation. I really liked both Vanessa and Adrian, they each felt so wholesome. Getting both of their POVs allows for a more in depth look into their thoughts and actions. Their connection was believable very early on and felt genuine. Their ability to co-parent was organic and simply beautiful. Additionally, I loved getting to see Vanessa's relationship with her family and how each one dealt with the tragic losses in a different way. This really shows how grief is deeply personal.
For me, the first half was definitely stronger. The manner in which the whole medical aspect was handled didn't sit well with me. It became harder and harder to believe as the story progresses and at times felt dragged out. I understand Abby wanted to add depth, yet I think it could have easily been done in a different way and it would have worked better.
Life's Too Short was an enjoyable story with realistic and flawed characters, yet it was easily my least favourite of Abby's books (even though there were aspects I adored). Regardless, I have come to the end of Abby's backlist and will be impatiently waiting for her next release.
📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• modern families
• furry companions
• Abby Jimenez
⚠️ CW: mental illness, addiction, drug use, drug abuse, overdose, death, death of parent, sibling death, grief, car accident, terminal illness, chronic illness, abandonment, dementia, panic attacks/disorders, sexual content, cursing, medical content, pregnancy, hoarding, toxic relationship, infidelity
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"'Life is no excuse,' she said. "You should always have an adventure lined up. Having something to look forward to is tantamount to happiness.'"
"There are people you can know for a lifetime and they never get your heart. And then there are those who are already inside it, before you ever lay eyes on them."
Author: Abby Jimenez
Series: The Friend Zone #3
Genre: Romance
Rating: 3.50
Pub Date: April 6, 2021
T H R E E • W O R D S
Witty • Tender • Wholesome
📖 S Y N O P S I S
When Vanessa Price quit her job to pursue her dream of traveling the globe, she wasn't expecting to gain millions of YouTube followers who shared her joy of seizing every moment. For her, living each day to its fullest isn't just a motto. Her mother and sister never saw the age of 30, and Vanessa doesn't want to take anything for granted.
But after her half sister suddenly leaves Vanessa in custody of her baby daughter, life goes from "daily adventure" to "next-level bad". The last person Vanessa expects to show up offering help is the hot lawyer next door, Adrian Copeland. After all, she barely knows him. No one warned her that he was the Secret Baby Tamer or that she'd be spending a whole lot of time with him and his geriatric Chihuahua.
Now she's feeling things she's vowed not to feel. Because the only thing worse than falling for Adrian is finding a little hope for a future she may never see.
💭 T H O U G H T S
Life's Too Short was the final book of Abby's repertoire on my TBR. The third installment in The Friend Zone companion series, I knew the major plot centered around ALS, and that there was a social media aspect as well. I knew very little more than that, which is exactly how I like to go into her books.
Another signature Abby tale with witty banter, complex characters and mental health representation. I really liked both Vanessa and Adrian, they each felt so wholesome. Getting both of their POVs allows for a more in depth look into their thoughts and actions. Their connection was believable very early on and felt genuine. Their ability to co-parent was organic and simply beautiful. Additionally, I loved getting to see Vanessa's relationship with her family and how each one dealt with the tragic losses in a different way. This really shows how grief is deeply personal.
For me, the first half was definitely stronger. The manner in which the whole medical aspect was handled didn't sit well with me. It became harder and harder to believe as the story progresses and at times felt dragged out. I understand Abby wanted to add depth, yet I think it could have easily been done in a different way and it would have worked better.
Life's Too Short was an enjoyable story with realistic and flawed characters, yet it was easily my least favourite of Abby's books (even though there were aspects I adored). Regardless, I have come to the end of Abby's backlist and will be impatiently waiting for her next release.
📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• modern families
• furry companions
• Abby Jimenez
⚠️ CW: mental illness, addiction, drug use, drug abuse, overdose, death, death of parent, sibling death, grief, car accident, terminal illness, chronic illness, abandonment, dementia, panic attacks/disorders, sexual content, cursing, medical content, pregnancy, hoarding, toxic relationship, infidelity
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"'Life is no excuse,' she said. "You should always have an adventure lined up. Having something to look forward to is tantamount to happiness.'"
"There are people you can know for a lifetime and they never get your heart. And then there are those who are already inside it, before you ever lay eyes on them."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness, Mental illness, and Chronic illness
Moderate: Death of parent, Addiction, Grief, Sexual content, Drug use, Abandonment, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Death, and Car accident
Minor: Dementia, Cursing, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, and Infidelity
overdose, sibling death, hoardingsgjohnson2001's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Mental illness, Terminal illness, and Abandonment
lahreb_a's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
5.0
Abby Jimenez KNOWS how to write a book! The balance of fun romance stories with deeper themes is immaculate.
This story resonated with me and definitely sparked my reading dip.
This story resonated with me and definitely sparked my reading dip.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness and Addiction
literary_laur's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
tense
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
3.5
While I found this book to be an adorable romance, my rating is purely circumstantial. The medical component didn’t sit right with me at this time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Terminal illness, Medical content, Grief, Addiction, and Abandonment
Huge focus on terminal illness - ALSkyleethecatlady's review against another edition
emotional
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
4.5
So emotional. I love the characters. This was a really unique book. I haven’t read another book like it, and I really enjoyed it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Addiction, and Chronic illness
Moderate: Sexual content, Grief, and Drug abuse
Minor: Pregnancy, Abandonment, Death of parent, and Dementia
sistatv's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
sad
slow-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
4.25
Abby Jimenez writes excellent book boyfriends. Like A 1, perfect fucking book boyfriends. I loved this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death, Drug abuse, Sexual content, Chronic illness, Grief, Terminal illness, Drug use, and Addiction
carmenvillaman's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
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
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Ableism, and Chronic illness