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A review by jenbsbooks
Just For the Summer by Abby Jimenez
4.5
I am an Abby fan ... I've enjoyed her books, this was no exception. I've read (really liked) Part of Your World ... I'll admit, I didn't remember it well enough to tie the characters from it to this story. It isn't necessary, just a connection some enjoy. This is billed as 3rd in the series, but can easily be a stand-alone. Just like Yours Truly isn't really #2 in the series, but a stand-alone with some character cross-over (and this "third" one is more a cross-over with #1 ... not sure if anyone else from #2 shows up).
The banter was cute and clever ... and believable to me. Not quite inta-love, but pretty dang quick. One thing that was never addressed, but that I feel like would have/should have, was the age spread between Justin and his siblings. Justin is 29, he had two teen siblings, and then there's a 5 year old. Not impossible, but very uncommon. It just seems like it would have come up in conversation.
As much as I enjoy Abby's books, I'm also cheap and patient. Content to wait for a library loan. As part of an "author support" group, we'd been encouraged to pre-order. I did. I forgot about it ;) So ... into my inbox came the audiobook (coming out at the same time or quickly after the release of the print/kindle copies). Oh well, I'd keep it and get to it a lot earlier than I would have otherwise. I do NOT have a copy of the kindle/print, which I like to have. It wasn't needed, but I miss having the reference, especially when writing a review.
Two narrators - Christine Lakin, Zachary Webber. While I DO really like Zachary Webber, it's a bit of a problem having him play every male character in Abby's books. He does sound the same. It had been enough time since my last audio by this author, so it was okay; but if I was reading the books back to back, or even at all close together ... it might be an issue for me. This was the standard dual narration (so alternating chapters, from Justin and Emma's POV, male and female narrator voicing all in that chapter) EXCEPT for the text exchanges, which were "duet" ... the male/female narrator each voicing their parts. It made me wish for the whole thing to be in duet!
This was all enjoyable for me, despite the challenges and struggles the characters were going through. An "easy" listen, not one I felt like I had to concentrate on super hard, could follow without issues. Without the Kindle copy, I can't do my usual proFanity count ... there were a few e-bombs and some sexual scenes. Trigger warnings mentioned at the start, nothing that really hit me personally (I identified with the anxiety issues in Yours Truly, but that wasn't a trigger, it made me appreciate it more).
The usual cartoon cover. There are a LOT of books with the title Just For The Summer ... and while it does fit this story, I don't know that it was the best choice. Seems like there might have been something else a little more distinctive (AITA Curse Cancelers ... something).
The banter was cute and clever ... and believable to me. Not quite inta-love, but pretty dang quick. One thing that was never addressed, but that I feel like would have/should have, was the age spread between Justin and his siblings. Justin is 29, he had two teen siblings, and then there's a 5 year old. Not impossible, but very uncommon. It just seems like it would have come up in conversation.
As much as I enjoy Abby's books, I'm also cheap and patient. Content to wait for a library loan. As part of an "author support" group, we'd been encouraged to pre-order. I did. I forgot about it ;) So ... into my inbox came the audiobook (coming out at the same time or quickly after the release of the print/kindle copies). Oh well, I'd keep it and get to it a lot earlier than I would have otherwise. I do NOT have a copy of the kindle/print, which I like to have. It wasn't needed, but I miss having the reference, especially when writing a review.
Two narrators - Christine Lakin, Zachary Webber. While I DO really like Zachary Webber, it's a bit of a problem having him play every male character in Abby's books. He does sound the same. It had been enough time since my last audio by this author, so it was okay; but if I was reading the books back to back, or even at all close together ... it might be an issue for me. This was the standard dual narration (so alternating chapters, from Justin and Emma's POV, male and female narrator voicing all in that chapter) EXCEPT for the text exchanges, which were "duet" ... the male/female narrator each voicing their parts. It made me wish for the whole thing to be in duet!
This was all enjoyable for me, despite the challenges and struggles the characters were going through. An "easy" listen, not one I felt like I had to concentrate on super hard, could follow without issues. Without the Kindle copy, I can't do my usual proFanity count ... there were a few e-bombs and some sexual scenes. Trigger warnings mentioned at the start, nothing that really hit me personally (I identified with the anxiety issues in Yours Truly, but that wasn't a trigger, it made me appreciate it more).
The usual cartoon cover. There are a LOT of books with the title Just For The Summer ... and while it does fit this story, I don't know that it was the best choice. Seems like there might have been something else a little more distinctive (AITA Curse Cancelers ... something).