Reviews with content warning for Gaslighting - Just for the Summer

I've been loving the Part Of Your World books so far, so of course I was excited to dive into the newest addition Just For The Summer. There is just something about the way Abby Jimenez writes her romances that is nearly always a big hit for me, and she has become one of my favorite romance authors. And I think Just For The Summer might just be my new favorite story written by her! It came at exactly the right time for me, and this was the fake-dating slash second-chance romance I never knew I needed. Despite the fact that this book includes multiple heavy topics including abandonment, toxic relationships and child abuse, the majority of the story still felt uplifting. Or at least I was immensely invested in both characters, as they were clearly made for each other... Things can be said about a possible insta-love vibe, but I personally didn't mind or care at all. There is just something about Justin and Emma that makes them extremely loveable, and you just want to hug them and tell them everything is going to be okay. The side characters are brilliant as well; especially Maddy, Justin's family and the dog Brad of course. The curse was a fun way to start the story, and it was the perfect way for the main characters to start building their connection. There are definitely some darker moments along the way and especially Emma's toxic relationship with her mother Amber can be hard to read about, but it does make the story feel more realistic. Do make sure to have some tissues/chocolate at hand especially once you near the end! I hardly ever cry while reading a book, but Just For The Summer made it hard to keep it dry. I loved how everything was wrapped up and the references/connections to some of the characters in the previous books were a nice touch as well. Another title for my list of 2024 favorites!

Content Warnings

rosegoes3's review against another edition

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emotional tense

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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carlapastor's review against another edition

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emotional funny inspiring lighthearted

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Is this... the best contemporary romance I've read?? I first started it because my friend and I were stalking someone's instagram and she was reading this book and I was like, damn I like the title, let me write it down on my Notes app. I remembered one week later and started reading it, and I am so grateful. This book was funny as fuck (you can tell that Justin was written by a woman because he's literally the standard), while it also depicted well mental health problems and the ending diagnosis.
Something I didn't like at first was

when Emma met her half-brother

, it all felt really confusing to me, but at the end of the book with the questions sections I found out the story made more sense if you had read the other books, because I read this as a stand-alone, but now I might check out the other ones. This was just very well written.

Edit after The happy ever playlist: turns out this is just a formula the author uses. Made me a little bit mad so I don't think it deserves the whole five stars.

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fkshg8465's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I reluctantly liked this book a lot more than I want to admit. Now I will look to read the two preceding books in the series.

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brebooks_'s review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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beckyremillard's review against another edition

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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

5.0

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aksmith92's review against another edition

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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

4.0

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!

Content Warnings

lisettemarie's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny hopeful reflective

4.25

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