Reviews with content warning for Mental illness - Just for the Summer

Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez

1157 reviews

errrie's review against another edition

4.75

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-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

I loved all the Easter eggs from the first two books of this trilogy and how they appeared in this book. The characters are extremely charismatic yet somehow relatable. Traumas discussed are very thoughtfully unraveled but so heart wrenching when finally revealed, I think my heart fully broke for the character(s). I will for sure continue to read more books from this author.

Content Warnings

ky_q_xoxo's review against another edition

5.0

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted sad 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

Welp I’m glad I waited to post my top books of 2024 😂🙃😳

Content Warnings

witcheep's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous emotional funny hopeful reflective fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This is my favorite book by Jimenez so far! I love how complex the characters are and how interconnected the Part of your world series becomes here. I've basically binged the whole series so it wasn't hard to spot the easter eggs and quess the connections from the first hints. Nevertheless, it was fun to see the whole situation unfurl.

The book made me both laugh and feel anguished with the main characters Emma and Justin. Jimenez excels in making the reader feel all the feelings with the characters. Both Emma and Justin have their own issues varying from Emma's long history of traumatic experiences to Justin's current unexpected hardships. As in the previous books in the series, Jimenez doesn't shy away from hard topics, but treats them with respect in her writing. The representation of mental and familial struggles is very respectful and detailed. Jimenez shows how people deal with their problems in a multitude of ways with varying levels of healthiness.

"I think I'm used to feeling like I'm asking too much when I need something. Unless it's Maddy. My mom—"
"You're not asking too much," he said. "You were just asking the wrong person. Ask me instead."

– Emma & Justin

Between the two main characters, Justin is easily more likeable – but he has had an easier life than Emma, so the starting point isn't the same for them. For Justin, it is easier to be charming, caring, and to overall be there for other people. Emma is a very empathetic person and encourages others to aim for the same, she just struggles with forming any kinds of close relationships a lot. Justin puts in tremendous amounts of effort to get Emma to spend time with him and to be there for her. Slowly this chips away Emma's tendencies to isolate herself when she "becomes small" while facing trauma-triggering situations.

I got lost in myself all the time. But I knew now that Justin was the only person in the world I could ever disappear into.

I love how close Emma and Justin become, and how many self revelations they both make while being in a relationship and

even while breaking things off to work on themselves (the third act breakup is very well reasoned)

I felt enormously proud of Emma in the end, when she decides to

return to face Justin again after months have passed

. It seems like Justin's thought from the beginning of the book came through and they both took the right steps in order to

find each other again as soulmates

"Maybe home isn't a place. Maybe it's a person."

– Justin

Content Warnings

francestea's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous emotional funny informative lighthearted sad fast-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: No

The cover of this novel is pretty but I don’t think it does the book justice. I went in expecting a breezy summer romcom but it actually touched on some intense topics I really wasn’t anticipating. This was also some really enjoyable writing, I’ll totally be reading more from this author.

Content Warnings

litagentsaritza's review against another edition

4.5

emotional reflective fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

4.5⭐️
Abby Jimenez writes complex character-driven plots in such an easy to understand way that you not only root for them but get fully invested in their HEA.

I love romance novels that show REAL relationships with messy characters, strong support systems, and a cast of characters that you not only root for but wish you knew in real life. Abby Jimenez delivers on all of these.

Content Warnings

imstephtacular's review against another edition

5.0

emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

adiloretto's review against another edition

4.5

challenging emotional hopeful 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

In a world where you can choose anger or empathy, always choose empathy

Content Warnings

amyisonline's review against another edition

5.0

emotional inspiring reflective sad 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

Content Warnings

mollykilby's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Ugh I loved this book so much! This is the second book I've read by Abby Jimenez, and she is such a wonderful writer. The exploration of trauma and the impact it can have on relationships was well done and obviously well researched. Often romance authors write broadly about trauma but never really incorporate it into the core of a character, however, this story does just that.

Justin (MMC) was written in a way to give readers a balance of an almost perfect partner but also walks the line of realistic and healthy responses when your partner has unresolved trauma. I was relieved by Justin supporting Emma's decision near the end of the book rather than guilting her with love. I also appreciated that it wasn't just one character in this book that was dealing with life transitions and trauma and rather, the two main characters were navigating each other's situations as well as their own.

I usually never read the Q&A with the author at the end of the book, but I was intrigued. Abby's reflections on Amber and some of the characters blew me away. She obviously took time and care to write this novel in a way that explores similar themes to her other books while also building on new ideas.

Content Warnings

lilfishie226's review against another edition

4.0

emotional funny hopeful slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Content Warnings

More...