Take a photo of a barcode or cover
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
“In a world where you can choose anger or empathy, always choose empathy.”
I’ve had this book on my TBR since May, I had actually marked it as “reading” because I thought I was ready. I was not. Out of all of Abby Jimenez’s books, this one made me cry most. Justin & Emma are absolutely a favorite couple. I love Emma’s best friend and foster sister, Maddy, and I adored Justin’s story. When you read an AJ story, you are not ever just getting one side of the story, you’re getting both pieces of the puzzle, so you see how well they fit together. Truly, I cannot recommend these stories more, or fault myself for not reading her sooner. Always a delightfully paced story, with enough breathing room you don’t fall down into the abyss of emotion.
“Choosing a life without them doesn’t mean you stop caring about them. It just means that you can’t allow them to harm you anymore. But if you don’t think your life would be better without them in it, then accept that they have cracks. Try to understand how they got them and help fill them with something that isn’t ice.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment
Moderate: Child abuse, Death of parent
Minor: Vomit, Car accident
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
I love love loved this book so much! The characters were adorable, relatable & I really felt everything with them. The love story between Justin & Emma is both adorable & hysterical. This book made me feel all the feels. This was my first book by Jimenez & I was not disappointed. I did the audio & the narrators Christine Lakin and Zachary Webber were incredible. I'll be picking up more by this author!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Abandonment
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Addiction, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
To say I was disappointed in this book would be an understatement. The characters in this book felt all thrown around. Like Neil coming back why? That was a really dumb move I didn’t like Emma at all, Not sure if that was the point but she was kinda insufferable. She also came really out of nowhere. I didn’t like that she chose to write this story with Justin. I read the three books in the series in secession and I could not even remember who Justin was until they mention Brad and Benny. I was hoping for Benny’s story or something. For 90% of the story nothing happened. Justin was sweet but he didn’t deserve the things Emma did to him. I never understood how people can forgive each other so quickly as soon as the person that hurt them says I love you I also never understood the whole love at first sight thing but to each their own
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Death of parent, Abandonment
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Mental illness, Death of parent, Abandonment
Moderate: Cursing, Sexual content, Car accident
Minor: Medical content, Fire/Fire injury
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexual content, Abandonment
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief
Minor: Vomit, Medical content, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Abandonment
Moderate: Car accident
emotional
funny
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
To be honest, I'm kind of glad I didn't remember any one from the past few stories because the surprise made everything worth it.
All in all, this one was my favorite of the series, Abby Jimenez did a great job depicting how mental health affects people but also their families as well.
I was kind of hoping that Maddy and Doug would get their own book, the extra chapter with Maddy's POV that was included in the Target Exclusive edition was not enough, I would read a whole story about them!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Abandonment
Moderate: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Sexual content
Minor: Car accident, Death of parent
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book is superbly balanced. This is for the readers that love romance but still need mature conflict instead of a useless one for the third act breakup. Probably best for Emily Henry fans. Abby had me highlighting certain lines too, very good writing! 0 notes, I would read more by AJ. It was actually funny AND heartfelt with the serious topic of mental illness.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief
Minor: Addiction, Car accident, Death of parent
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Abandonment
Minor: Dementia, Car accident
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
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
The Setup: Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez is a "rom-com" (in quotes, because it's more than that!) that intertwines humor and heartfelt moments with complex themes of family, personal trauma, and mental health. The story starts with a quirky premise: Justin has a curse, widely known thanks to a viral Reddit thread, where every woman he dates immediately finds her soulmate after they break up. Enter Emma, someone with a similar "curse." She slides into Justin's DMs, and they concoct a plan to date each other and break up, hoping to cancel out their curses and find true love.
Emma and her best friend/adoptive sister, both traveling nurses, change their assignment to go to Minnesota to stay in an idyllic lakeside cottage (and, oh, did I mention this is where Justin lives?!). Emma and Justin begin navigating their growing feelings while dealing with significant personal challenges. Emma's complicated relationship with her mother, Amber, resurfaces when Amber shows up unexpectedly, while Justin grapples with taking custody of his younger siblings due to their mother's legal troubles.
The novel masterfully blends light-hearted banter and romantic escapades with poignant explorations of trauma, family dynamics, and personal growth. The characters are intricately developed, making their journey engaging. This book is not just a romance, but a genre-bender that seamlessly weaves romance with other meaningful storytelling. It's a tale of two people falling in love while carrying extra baggage they have to navigate.
What I Liked: First and foremost, I liked the initial quirkiness - this idea of the "Good Luck Chuck" - where two people dated others, and when they would break up, their partners would go on to find their soulmate. It's so silly, to the point where it makes no sense, that it somehow works. The initial Reddit threads, their introduction to each other, and then getting to know each other organically through this idea was unrealistic, yet it worked.
It is remiss not to mention the extensive research about mental health in this novel. Abby Jimenez wanted to make this realistic for those suffering in similar circumstances. This is not just someone who thinks their mom is annoying; Emma had very deep-seated issues with her mother—and rightfully so. Jimenez did a phenomenal job with this idea and didn't sugarcoat anything. The portrayal of having someone fall for someone while going through a very traumatic experience can generally fall short, and I don't think that happened here.
Lastly, I loved the characters and how each one was human, with quirks and strengths that were unique to them. Jimenez did a fantastic job setting up these characters, the world, and the overall storytelling. I was immersed in the book and these characters.
What Fell Short: This book is getting a ton of praise, and I can appreciate that. But, here was where I slid from where others were standing and applauding: the main male character was too perfect. Listen, I want to read a book where the dude says all the right things at the right time and place. We read to escape! There is nothing better than a perfect book boyfriend that does no wrong. However, those books are not for me. Justin, while lovely, knew exactly what to do and say during an incredibly traumatic time for Emma. Additionally, he pivoted immediately when he said maybe the not-so-right thing (well, definitely the right thing, but it upset Emma). I think this happens often in contemporary romance novels - when the main characters use each other for growth. I'm not saying this isn't a good thing; I'm just saying it can't be the only thing. I think Jimenez pivoted near the end with this sentiment - and as she did, my rating went up from a 3.5 to a 4.0 because of it. However, for most of the novel, these two used each other as medicine, which shouldn't be the norm in romance novels, even if we want to use them to escape reality. Additionally, while I saw Emma go through a lot of growth and understanding about her past, mother, and self, I didn't see it with Justin. He was also dealt one of the worst hands ever, and Emma told him to "choose empathy every time!" Maybe that's your jam, but it wasn't mine, and it felt like while Emma could help herself, Justin didn't and only used Emma for that growth. It took me out of the romance near the end because it didn't mesh. I'll put spoilers around this,but because Justin was so enamored about Emma and couldn't pull himself up by seeking some outside help or therapy, I almost didn't want Emma and Justin to get back together again.
That said, I did enjoy how it wrapped up and how Emma worked on herself and her trauma. It was a complex book, and I did enjoy it. I would recommend it for a summer read. However, prepare yourself for some pretty tough topics in addition to cute cottage scenery and romantic banter!
Emma and her best friend/adoptive sister, both traveling nurses, change their assignment to go to Minnesota to stay in an idyllic lakeside cottage (and, oh, did I mention this is where Justin lives?!). Emma and Justin begin navigating their growing feelings while dealing with significant personal challenges. Emma's complicated relationship with her mother, Amber, resurfaces when Amber shows up unexpectedly, while Justin grapples with taking custody of his younger siblings due to their mother's legal troubles.
The novel masterfully blends light-hearted banter and romantic escapades with poignant explorations of trauma, family dynamics, and personal growth. The characters are intricately developed, making their journey engaging. This book is not just a romance, but a genre-bender that seamlessly weaves romance with other meaningful storytelling. It's a tale of two people falling in love while carrying extra baggage they have to navigate.
What I Liked: First and foremost, I liked the initial quirkiness - this idea of the "Good Luck Chuck" - where two people dated others, and when they would break up, their partners would go on to find their soulmate. It's so silly, to the point where it makes no sense, that it somehow works. The initial Reddit threads, their introduction to each other, and then getting to know each other organically through this idea was unrealistic, yet it worked.
It is remiss not to mention the extensive research about mental health in this novel. Abby Jimenez wanted to make this realistic for those suffering in similar circumstances. This is not just someone who thinks their mom is annoying; Emma had very deep-seated issues with her mother—and rightfully so. Jimenez did a phenomenal job with this idea and didn't sugarcoat anything. The portrayal of having someone fall for someone while going through a very traumatic experience can generally fall short, and I don't think that happened here.
Lastly, I loved the characters and how each one was human, with quirks and strengths that were unique to them. Jimenez did a fantastic job setting up these characters, the world, and the overall storytelling. I was immersed in the book and these characters.
What Fell Short: This book is getting a ton of praise, and I can appreciate that. But, here was where I slid from where others were standing and applauding: the main male character was too perfect. Listen, I want to read a book where the dude says all the right things at the right time and place. We read to escape! There is nothing better than a perfect book boyfriend that does no wrong. However, those books are not for me. Justin, while lovely, knew exactly what to do and say during an incredibly traumatic time for Emma. Additionally, he pivoted immediately when he said maybe the not-so-right thing (well, definitely the right thing, but it upset Emma). I think this happens often in contemporary romance novels - when the main characters use each other for growth. I'm not saying this isn't a good thing; I'm just saying it can't be the only thing. I think Jimenez pivoted near the end with this sentiment - and as she did, my rating went up from a 3.5 to a 4.0 because of it. However, for most of the novel, these two used each other as medicine, which shouldn't be the norm in romance novels, even if we want to use them to escape reality. Additionally, while I saw Emma go through a lot of growth and understanding about her past, mother, and self, I didn't see it with Justin. He was also dealt one of the worst hands ever, and Emma told him to "choose empathy every time!" Maybe that's your jam, but it wasn't mine, and it felt like while Emma could help herself, Justin didn't and only used Emma for that growth. It took me out of the romance near the end because it didn't mesh. I'll put spoilers around this,
That said, I did enjoy how it wrapped up and how Emma worked on herself and her trauma. It was a complex book, and I did enjoy it. I would recommend it for a summer read. However, prepare yourself for some pretty tough topics in addition to cute cottage scenery and romantic banter!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Abandonment
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism
Minor: Car accident, Fire/Fire injury