A review by oceanwriter
Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted 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

I almost didn’t pick up this book because typically I can take or leave romcoms. Just for the Summer was nominated for The Global Book Nook’s group read at the beginning of the summer and I only picked it up in the last day or two of that month because I was waiting for a library hold to come through. Three or four chapters in, I ditched the library book and purchased my own copy because there was no way I wasn’t going to pour my emotions into the pages. 
 
What begins as a comical ploy to break a ‘curse’ when their internet presence and sorry dating records align, Emma and Justin agree to date for a little while, check some boxes, and then break up so they can move on to meet their soul mates. It seems foolproof, at least in the beginning. If nothing else, a bit of fun and a story to laugh about later. What they didn’t anticipate were genuine feelings. This wouldn’t be as much of a problem if not for Justin’s life being uprooted by a family emergency. Emma, too, finds herself dealing with family drama as well. 
 
Even a couple of months later as I’m finally writing my review, I still cannot believe how much I fell in love with this book. I only wish I had picked up one of Abby Jimenez’s books sooner! I felt so connected to both Emma and Justin despite not sharing the same life circumstances as them. Before even finishing the book, I shared it with one of my best friends because I knew she would love it as well (and she did). 
 
I’m so looking forward to backtracking in the series and (hopefully) reliving these emotions all over again. 
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