A review by cclift1114
Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing sad 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

5.0

Abby Jimenez does a great job of creating realistic and yet compelling romance stories, and this book is no exception. I loved that the reason for Justin and Emma getting together was a bit out there, but not completely beyond believable. Justin is such a lovable character and you just want to wrap Emma up and help her heal. I appreciated Jimenez’s depiction and careful treatment of mental health issues, abandonment, and avoidant attachment relationships. The drama and conflict surrounding the characters felt grounded while still being unique. I always love a romance where it’s not just some silly miscommunication that causes issues, and it’s not the romance itself that is the sole focus. The most farfetched thing was how everyone in this book was tied to characters from her other books, but I’ll allow it because I know how much Jimenez enjoys putting in Easter eggs and she had clearly planted the seeds in those books for this. Also, I feel like you don’t get much symbolism in these kinds of romance novels, but Jimenez does deliberately include motifs throughout the book that tie into a deeper meaning and relate to the growth of the characters, which I appreciated.