Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez

602 reviews

pgmoon's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny 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

4.25

This book was recommended by some BookTokers I follow, and even though I’m not usually a huge fan of romance, I decided to give it a shot. I really like Emily Henry and gave Beach Read 4 stars, so when I saw a testimonial from Henry on this book, I figured it was worth checking out.

I listened to the audiobook, and it was so much fun! The two narrators really brought the main characters to life. The book is a great blend of funny and heartwarming moments, with some real character growth, diving into how our past trauma can shape who we are now.

The main couple has a ton of chemistry, and I loved their moments together. The side characters were full of personality too—Maddie is definitely my favorite character, hands down. Emma’s
struggle with her relationship with her mom was beautifully done; I found myself getting angry on her behalf
. And when
Emma found out about her family,
it broke my heart—I definitely teared up.

I also loved that
the happy ending didn’t come easy
.
Emma getting the help she needed
was so real and wonderful to see, and the epilogue was super sweet.

The book maybe ran a little long in the middle, but overall, I really enjoyed it. I’ll definitely be checking out more from Abby Jimenez. If you’re a fan of Emily Henry, I’d recommend giving this one a try.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

rachela_7's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional 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

4.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

tishag's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I loved this book...the characters, the setting, the relationships, the focus on mental health. I also loved that it wasn't a light & fluffy romance. The author proved that romance and hard/heavy topics can co-exist well!

Justin is one of the best MMCs I've read...so supportive and caring to everyone around him, incredibly patient with Emma and so in love with her, willing to do or drop anything to help her, willing to put his own life on the back burner to take guarandship of his siblings. I mean, what a great guy!

Emma is one of the more complex FMCs I've read. Kind, easy going, seemingly serene and confident, yet has many layers due to the neglect she suffered as a child. Her journey to becoming mentally healthier was interesting to watch unfold.

The complexity of all the characters (not just Emma) and their lives was intriguing to me because the factors involved weren't superficial, like simple bad communication. PTSD, childhood abandonment, criminal conviction, mental health...all life altering situations that effect not only the character, but those around them. I enjoyed seeing how they struggled and dealt with those issues in a realistic way.

I liked that friendship was such a strong theme throughout the book. Emma and Maddy were the perfect pair and their loyalty to each other was special. Justin's mother and her best friend were a riot. Drunk Christine & Drunk Leigh were hilarious in the car ride scene! Even Justin's best friends stepped up in multiple ways to help him, his siblings, and Emma. 

This was a book where you don't just root for the couple, you root for everyone and you hope every single person has a happily ever after...even Emma's messed up mom.

So many things I loved about this books. Highly recommend if you love romance books with a good solid plot. Don't recommend if any of the topics mentioned above are triggers for you, although they are written about with knowledge, with the author working with medical and mental health professionals to make sure she wrote about characters in a realistic way.

One of my favorite reads of the year...5 stars!

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

somebodys_fool's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted 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? It's complicated

3.75


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

annamay1021's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective relaxing sad 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


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

mckays's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional hopeful 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

3.5


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

gingerbiscuit's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective 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

5.0

Check trigger warnings.
Beautifully written and excellent exploration of complex topics. Multiple plot twists kept my attention, making this book a fast paced read. Not overhyped.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

tinysierra's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

If you have to chose between anger or empathy, chose empathy.

Just for the Summer is so worth the hype. Long books intimidate me, but it didn’t feel like a 400 page book. It was fun and real. 

I love Justin a lot! And Emma was a good protagonist, too. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

jwag2016's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Another beautifully written book by Abby Jimenez. The way she has gracefully tackled mental health, grief and other big heavy topics in this series makes me speechless. The characters are lovable and relatable. And this made me cry (I don’t cry when reading often). 

Since I can’t find the words to describe my love for this book, this series and this author, here are five more stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

taliaalongi's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny tense 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? It's complicated

4.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings