A review by morganwozz
Just For the Summer by Abby Jimenez

emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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

5.0

Buckle up, this one might be long. I laughed, I cried, and felt the feelings of the two MC’s who are also in their Saturn Return (28 & 29)! I genuinely LOL’d at different points of this book. I really enjoyed the dialogue between the characters, and even when you thought you knew what was going to happen, it was more complex then your basic tropes which I really liked. On that note, definitely check the triggers before reading. There are complex family issues and it is a heavy theme for both MC’s throughout the book. 

I’m giving this book 5 stars ⭐️ I think there could be critique as to why someone else might not give it that, but for me it worked! This book hit me in the FEELS. I am an internal softie, and all the messages in this book just hit home. And speaking of home, I really related to the woman MC, Emma, who was trying to figure out what home was to her. As someone whose entire family is on the opposite side of the country, I really liked the message of home isn’t always a place, but the people you surround yourself with, and that family can be more than just the people you are related to. But also, the people you are related can be great, or not, which is shown in this book. 

The main guy and his golden retriever energy and his date setups made me swoon. Like do these guys exist irl? I really liked Emma and Justin’s energy, and getting their dual POV’s. They were both working through a lot of stuff, and it felt therapeutic in a way/you as a reader were going through it with them. Spoiler, but get you a man that will swim on a float across the lake for you when you’re sick. Also, their friends!! They were so great. I genuinely hope everyone has friends like these characters do irl, cause they are the blueprint! ❤️❤️

Some of my fave quotes/line/themes:
  • Empathy over anger
  • “I will always come when you call”
  • “Every second with you is eternal”
  • “What if I mess them up? What if you save them?”
  • Toilet king joke made me lol every time. You’ll have to read the book to know what that one is about lol.