This book was cute yet still dealt with the serious topic of infertility. Kristen and Josh meet after a mild fender bender. The interaction between the two is cute. Kristen is so likable. She is smart, independent, and does not care what people think about her. She is a practical joker and Josh are a perfect match. Kristen is not happy when she sees Josh again. It takes a few meets before their friendship develops. They are attracted to each other but Kristen has a boyfriend. He is a great guy and Kristen is not a cheater. She keeps Josh in the friend zone. The story is more than just a rom-com. The subject matter is real and sad. Josh is a dream. His patience is amazing. You will fall for Josh just as quick as Kristen. The only draw back, was the some things were dragged out too long. Overall I enjoyed the story and the writing.

I ADORED this book! I always love a rom-com that tackles real issues, when the relationship feels real, and the female lead especially feels like a real woman. This book delivered! Kristen and Josh were a believable couple who really loved each other, and I was really rooting for them the entire way through. Infertility issues affect so many couples, and highlighting it in a romance novel was beyond refreshing.

After a meet-cute over a fender bender on their way to plan their best friends' wedding, maid of honour Kristen Petersen and best man Josh Copeland can't deny the sparks between them. Unfortunately, Josh wants to have lots of kids (he broke up with his last girlfriend because she didn't want any) and while Kristen does as well, she biologically can't have any. She has endometriosis, which makes it hard for her to get pregnant, and she is also weeks away from a surgery that'll free her from pain but will also render her infertility absolute. Since it's important to Josh to have biological children (he has no interest in adopting or fostering), Kristen realizes they can't be together and keeps them firmly in the friends-with-benefits zone.

The Friend Zone is a rom com that tackles some heavy issues. I sympathized with Kristen, and I love how the author delves into the ways that endometriosis has impacted Kristen all of her life. Even when she was in school with Sloan, her best friend and the bride, she sometimes had to forego certain trips and activities because of period pain. The author also talked about how Kristen worked around her condition in previous relationships, so that her boyfriends wouldn't have to sacrifice their own sexual pleasures while she was dealing with pain. So often, when a character has a disability or a chronic condition, it's mentioned and then set aside whenever convenient for plot, so I really like that the reality of Kristen's condition was ever-present throughout, without ever devolving into a pity-fest. It's simply part of her everyday reality, and leads her to some major decisions over her own long-term happiness. Even when I don't necessarily agree with some of her choices, I understand where she's coming from, and Jimenez does a great job of putting us in her shoes. 

The hero Josh was sweet, and I like how respectful he is throughout of Kristen's decisions. Even though he wants to take their relationship to the next level and, not knowing of her condition, doesn't quite understand why they're stuck at the friends-with-benefits level, he doesn't push her to change her mind. Instead, he talks things over with her, and actually listens to what she has to say.

The one thing that I didn't like about him is how he kept pegging Kristen as "a unicorn" amongst women because she's low-key, no-drama "cool girl." It was fine the first time, but he mentioned it so often I'm starting to feel he has a low opinion of women in general, which is such a turn off. To that point, I'm not a fan of the "not like other women" trope in general, so while I understand that the author wanted to show that even snarky, sarcastic women can find love (and I appreciate that she spelled this out in her Author's Note), I'm very much meh over the stereotypes it propagates about "most women."

I also wasn't a huge fan that Kristen's "cool girl" persona was partly due to her liking beer and chips rather than posh stuff like red wine. This is more a personal preference than anything, but meh on the reverse snobbery. The other thing is that we learn that the main characters love hunting, and that too is a major personal turn off for me.

I'm also not fully sure how I feel about the ending. The romance was fairly lighthearted overall and I loved the friendships that Kristen had with Sloan and Josh had with Brandon, but there was a twist at the 75% mark that dampened the vibe considerably and changed the tone completely for the rest of the story. It was handled well, and it's certainly the author's right to take the story wherever she wanted, but it did detract from my enjoyment and I ultimately felt it was unnecessary.

Beyond that, there was another twist late in the book that had a bit of a happier tone. It struck me as a bit fairy tale-ish and I think that, given the characters' journeys, the happily-ever-after would have been more powerful without it. But I like that Jimenez addresses this directly in the Author's Note. She clarifies that it's based on lived experience with a friend, and also that it wasn't actually central to the happy ending of the characters' arcs.

Overall, The Friend Zone is a sweet and emotional book that deals with some real issues. I like that Jimenez delves into a medical condition that's an unfortunate reality for many women, and incorporates it into a romance.

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Thank you to Forever Romance for an egalley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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My review will go live on my blog on June 21, 8 am ET.

A bad summary based on the book’s blurb: When Kristen and Josh accidentally get into a fender bender, they have no idea that they are already connected through their best friends. As the maid of honor and the best man, they’re going to have a lot of events to do…and there is no denying their chemistry. But when Josh tells her that he dreams of having a large family, it hits Kristen right in her womb…because she is infertile. Determined not to lead Josh on, she tries her best to keep him at a distance. But fate has other plans...

What. The. Fuck. Did I read??

Seriously. This is like Jody’s Revenge meets your average Lifetime movie.

For those of you who aren’t military, Jody is the guy who bangs your girl (or partner, but the stereotype, like this entire book, is heterosexual) while you are deployed.

For real.

Kristen has a boyfriend—who is a Marine (because of course—and Josh is also a Marine (because of course). However, Josh is the salt of the earth infantry dude who likes pizza and beer, while Tyler is the sophisticated Marine linguist who enjoys wine and tapas and the finer things in life. He’s also a gunny sergeant, whatever the fuck that is, because this author clearly has no idea how military ranks work. (view spoiler)

Also, Tyler has somehow been deployed for two years, which is a thing that is not…probable? At first I was like, okay, maybe he’s “deployed” for an Okinawa tour but nooo, he’s somewhere in some unspecified war zone. And Brandon and Josh were deployed for year long tours too. Which, uh, no. Standard Marine Corps deployments are 6-9 months long. You might deploy for a year, but generally only as an individual augment. Year long deployments in the Marine Corps are rare, but you know where year long deployments are frequent? The Army.

Yup. So imagine my surprise and delight when I thought I saw two regular soldiers being repped and then my irritation when Josh and Brandon were Marines. Look, nothing against Marines (I am one), but I’m tired of Marines being the next-tier in hyper masculinity below special force alpha males. Like, can we not? And can we also not with the infantry thing too? I mean, I liked that Tyler was not infantry, but it was shown as something lesser and more inferior and honestly POGs get enough of that shit in life, it doesn’t need to be perpetuated in romancelandia.

So my frustration with the first 2/3 of this book has mostly to do with the military aspect. Not only is it really wrong, but Kristen’s emotional cheating on her deployed boyfriend is literally the oldest tale in the book. And Josh, as a Marine, should know this. This common cliché of the service member deploying and their partner cheating with another has been told so many times (and I’ve seen it and counseled a lot of Marines) that having it told from the perspective of the cheating partner with them as the hero just makes my blood crawl. Like. No.

Also, the break-up was not a break-up. You can’t get mad at someone for telling you they are re-enlisting over the phone when you don’t answer their calls because you are too busy hanging out with your fake-boyfriend. You also don’t get to call that other person the villain when you’ve been hooking up with someone right after the break-up. Tyler had no damn clue Kristen broke up with him because she never answered his fucking calls or texts. She’s the ghost master.

And you sure as fuck don’t get to say “I signed up for the military relationship” and then bitch about everything that involves being in a military relationship and say that’s what ruined it. That is literally what you signed on to. (view spoiler)

As for the rest of it. There’s a lot of hyper masculinity (ok, this is a romance book but still) and some seriously whacky heterosexual bullshit that goes on. The magical penis thing was a little much, along with the emphasis on his dimples and him liking her tiny-not-a-dude’s-dog dog—and rampant misogyny that is particularly emphasized by reducing Kristen’s worth down to her defective uterus. I felt like I was reading something from 2006. Not 2019.

I get that that was not the point of the book and that it was all in her head (and what many women with infertility issues feel), but it felt very regressive to have Kristen focus on being worthless to anyone without either a) a man and b) a working uterus. She either had to be with Tyler (and settle for his not wanting kids and sophisticated ways) or forsake Josh because she couldn’t give him a big, natural family. And BIG spoiler (view spoiler) Also, there’s a magical mental illness cure trope, with Kristen’s OCD being resolved when she’s with Josh. What. The Fuck. No.

That’s a lot of the 2/3 of the book with the Tyler issue and Kristen’s infertility, 90% of which would have been resolved with simple communication instead of Kristen stringing everyone—including me—along (no bitterness here, clearly).

The last 1/3 is some sort of Lifetime movie tragedy porn where Bad Things Happen to Side Characters and this forces the leads to realize that life is short and they need to seek happiness where they can find it.

Overall, although I found initial enjoyment in the first 20% of the book due to my interest in seeing infertility issues actually addressed in a contemporary romance, once it swerved into deployment-cheating territory and I’m-worthless-without-a-womb land, I found my enjoyment eroding until I was left with bitter resolve to finish it for the sake of finishing.

And to see if it would get better.

It did not.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

⁣Please excuse me while I try to stop weeping and catch my breath...⁣⁣⁣
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This. Freaking. Book. Y’all!!! I laughed. I cried (more like weeped). @authorabbyjimenez broke my heart, stomped on it, and then put it back together again, and I loved every single second of it. ⁣⁣⁣
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This isn’t just a story about love. It’s a story about life, tragedy, friendship, and infertility. What resonated with me the most is the painful struggle of feeling worthless. I can’t speak to that feeling specifically related to infertility, but I do think that we have all probably struggled with self-worth at some point in our lives. We are all worth it, and that is an important message to share. ⁣⁣⁣
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What I loved most about The Friend Zone is how authentic it feels. Kristen is a hilarious character that often times I saw myself in with her spicy sarcasm. On the flipside, I felt myself getting angry with her because she was so stubborn, which I also am! She was so relatable to me that I could almost picture myself going through all the things she encountered. Let’s not forget about Josh.. dreamy, sexy, sweet, and funny Josh. :::swoon::: I didn’t know until I read the note from the author that Kristen’s struggle with infertility was based on real life. Kudos to you, @authorabbyjimenez, not only for writing about such a difficult subject, but also making it feel so real. ⁣⁣⁣
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I’m still wiping away tears as I write this review. Obviously, I 1,000% recommend this book. There wasn’t a single thing that I didn’t like about it. It gave me all the feels, and I feel lucky to have stumbled upon such a heartfelt and important story, not only for those suffering from infertility, but for women in general. Please know that you are ALWAYS worth it!

Fate, in the form of a fender bender, brought them together. Their obligations to their respective best friends and a business arrangement, kept them in each other's orbit, but timing and the heart's wishes may keep them apart.

Buckle up, people, because Jimenez took me on an emotional roller coaster ride. The first half of the book was all fun and games, but then stuff got real. Barriers to this relationship between Kristen and Josh were broken down and re-erected, and then something really tragic happened, and I was a snotty crying mess, and then my heart exploded, but I was still crying. Needless to say, I loved every minute of it.

Let's start with how fantastic Kristen was. When I first met her, I automatically wanted to be her friend. She was witty and sarcastic, and came across hard as nails. Josh kept describing her as the "cool girl", and she really was. She owned and operated a doggie business, which produced, among other things, hilarious dog clothing and stairs for every little dog, and she was serious about her food. But, there was so much more to Kristen then met the eye and lots to admire and love about her.

Then, there was the lovely unicorn man - Josh. I don't know how anyone would be able to resist his charms. He was so open and wonderful and warm and inviting. He knew how to be a friend to a women, because his six older sisters' training, and he just understood how to navigate Kristen. There were so many times he was sweet and tender and persistent. Oh! This guy was really willing to fight for her, and that, my friends, made me swoon. And, the TFioS "okay" has been usurped by Josh's "just say okay". I swear, my heart exploded.

Jimenez did such a amazing job shedding light on infertility, as well. Kristen's pain and sorrow was felt in the depths of my heart. I ached for her as she struggled with the pain and treatment and what her condition meant for her future. It's good to see issues, like this, being spotlighted.

I just can't express what a wonderful reading experience this was. I laughed a ton, and cried a river. My heart both exploded and imploded. But, because this was a romance, I was left with a smile on my face and tears of joy in my eyes.

I had this book for a very long time and AS USUAL my terrible reading habits got in the way. I ended up starting this the week it published and wanted to turn my review around quickly. (I even knew that I’d need a full-length review for this one… something that hasn’t been seen on my blog in a while!) I love Forever Romance so much – please check into them if you haven’t read my blog in a while. I had enough time to see early readers’ reviews of this one and let’s be real – the hype was huuuuge. I saw from others that it would make me laugh AND cry, so that’s my favorite kind of book.

It didn’t take me that long to warm up to these characters. Josh, who just moved to California to work at the firehouse with his best friend, literally ran into Kristen on his way there. Turns out, they’re both in the wedding of Sloan and Brandon, maid of honor and best man, respectively. They didn’t get off to the best start but when Kristen needs help with her business, Josh is the only logical person to help her out. They become quick friends and Josh spends a lot of time at her house, while Kristen gears up for her deployed boyfriend to come home. Naturally they catch some feelings.

I like that this was a slow-burn, where Kristen was already questioning her feelings for her boyfriend, and Josh attempted to keep his attraction at bay. They literally keep things in the friend zone for as long as they can, but as a reader… you can tell their chemistry is off the charts. They constantly banter and jab at each other, which made for such a fun reading experience. Kristen has a wicked (dirty) sense of humor – my kind of girl. I loved Sloan and Brandon too – it was so nice to fall for the side characters. I wish that this was a companion series and they were the first book! Even side characters like Shawn, who was an “idiot relationship savant” had both funny and punchable moments. Everyone surrounding the lead couple was fleshed out and fun to read.

There were some times where it felt like Kristen was written to be TOO much of the classic “cool girl” that “all guys are looking for.” This was further perpetuated by Josh saying it so much, especially when he noted that usually “all hot girls are crazy” and she was one of the ~rare few~ that was both hot and cool (LOL). He repeatedly said that she was a unicorn and I guess just never gave women enough credit? It’s one of my personal pet peeves, like when girls are like “I only hang out with guys – girls are the worst” — that kind of vibe. I never enjoy that kind of dialogue or thinking, even though I’m sure most men think that way. It’s one thing to say she’s perfect or perfect for HIM, but I didn’t like that he acted like she was literally the only cool girl in the entire world? I can’t expect Josh to be perfect, but it was put over quite a bit that he has SIX sisters and therefore knows a lot about how to “handle” woman (for lack of a better word). Some of his earlier moments felt too macho for me, like when he went to get his gun to protect her or enjoyed hunting. I’m going to emphasize here that’s just not MY personal taste, but hey – this isn’t my boyfriend.

There were also COUNTLESS times that she realized that Josh had feelings for her, or that she loved him back. Like… she had these moments of clarity and acted like it was the first time she realized? Despite having realized in the previous chapter? It just got so repetitive throughout a good portion of the book and made me wish the book was shorter. I can understand why Kristen needed or wanted to keep her situation to herself but it definitely was one of those situations where you keep yelling JUST TELL HIM!!! COMMUNICATE! I felt so terrible for her that she was dealt this shitty card and cannot begin to relate to it, so I tried to reserve judgement. I don’t know anything about having children or if I want them, but I enjoy knowing that I probably have the ability to. I really felt for her. It was also refreshing to read a book that talked a lot about periods and other girly things that are traditionally a bit more taboo in books. It might get mentioned occasionally, but this book legitimately centered around menstruation, uteruses, and pregnancy. It was unique to read about for sure.

While Josh won’t make it into my personal book boyfriend list, that does not mean he wasn’t PERFECT for Kristen. I felt the chemistry with every passing page and they made me smile so much with their banter. I didn’t cry like I expected to (most reviewers said they cried multiple times!) but I did tear up when something big happened toward the end of the book. (I feel weird about this event in general though. I don’t want to get into it because of spoilers but it genuinely made me upset, like it didn’t need to be included in the story.) I also teared up at a happier moment at the end, which was better 😉 The ending was an emotional DOOZIE and it almost made me increase my rating a bit.

Overall, I’m a lot more mixed on this book than literally anyone else I’ve seen. I’m not sure what came over me while I was reading but it just didn’t hit me as much as it hit other readers. As far as romance goes, this book had a solid one. Great side characters and a unique premise. I recommend it! (I’m also INCREDIBLY excited to read her next book in 2020!)

I loved this book and the twists and turns it took me through. I felt for the characters and really loathed having such empathy because it effected my mood while reading this, those around me could tell how the book was progressing based on my attitude. That is what made it so wonderful. I appreciated that it had the power to move me emotionally and mentally.
The only negative thing I have to say about "The Friend Zone" is that the characters did not communicate. Although I found it aggravating, I know it added to the plot line.

This is one of those rare books that is totally worth the hype - I've seen tons of people posting about it and reviewing it, not to mention all the summer lists it's shown up on (like Popsugar's 34 Best Books to Put in Your Beach Bag This Summer).

I was blown away by the chemistry of Kristen and Josh, and loved how protective he was of her happiness and her heart. There were multiple times throughout the book that had me snorting with how funny and/or snarky Kristen was, and I loved that Josh could give back as much as he got. Watching their relationship change and evolve was probably one of my favorite parts of the book.

One of my least favorite tropes of any book, anytime, is miscommunication and/or outright refusing to communicate - however, Abby Jimenez played this JUST close enough for it to be believable without it being obnoxious. There were totally valid reasons why Kristen and Josh would make the decisions they made regarding lack of communication, and although that part of the book was a bit heartbreaking, I thought it was a real look at some of the difficulties in relationships, and I really appreciated the serious topics that were handled and the care in which Jimenez did so.

Definitely recommend this book, and after the ending I'm so thrilled to hear that she has a sequel/companion novel set for 2020. There are definitely some loose ends that I need to have wrapped up!!

The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez is an emotional ride through a best friend’s wedding with a side of magnetic attraction with the best man. Just when you think you’ve figured out where this is going, there’s a bit of a twist.

This is an excellent romance novel! It made me laugh. It made me cry. I cheered for both characters. But understood.the problems of both. I highly recommend this book!

Kristen Peterson is as no nonsense as a girl can get. She’s up front about everything and loyal to a fault. That’s always been the way that she approached all of her relationships – with her nutty dog, her friends and with her longtime boyfriend.

It never mattered to Kristen that Tyler was never at home because that time was coming to an end. His deployment was almost over and then they could finally begin living the life that they always planned. Cheating was something that she would never even consider. Until she meets Josh.

Josh Copeland is a South Dakota transplant with a smile that makes her weak in the knees. Not only is he the Best Man at her best friend’s wedding, he works at the same fire station as her fiancé. So there’s no escaping the wild chemistry between them.

But even when her relationship with Tyler comes to an abrupt halt, she struggles with the knowledge that she could never give Josh the one thing that he’s always wanted – a family of his own.

Josh isn’t going to let Kristen walk away without a fight. He’s going to prove to her that family isn’t just about blood. It’s also about the heart and soul.

“Okay. You’ve piqued my interest. I’ll test your theory.”
“And if I’m right?”
“Then I’ll tell you that you were right.”
She twisted her lips to one side. “No. Not good enough. If I’m right, you pose in some website pictures with my dog satchels. I need a male model.”
Oh God, what have I gotten myself into? “Somehow this whole deal feels like I’m the loser.” I chuckled. Whatever. I was a good sport.
“How are you the loser? I’m giving you the opportunity to use my highly trained hunting dog to lure scores of women into your bed.”
I smirked. “You know, without sounding like an asshole, I don’t really have a hard time getting women.”
She tilted her head. “Yeah, I can see that. You have the whole sexy fireman thing going for you.” She waved a hand over my body.
I took a drink of my soda and grinned at her. “So you think I’m sexy, huh?”
She pivoted to face me full on. “There’s something you should know about me, Josh. I say what I think. I don’t have a coy bone in my body. Yes, you’re sexy. Enjoy the compliment because you won’t always like what I say to you, and I won’t care one way or the other if you do or don’t.”

The Friend Zone isn’t exactly the book that I thought it would be. Yes, it’s a snarky romantic comedy with plenty of whip smart banter between its one-of-a-kind characters. It’s also a heartfelt struggle of woman who feels unworthy of love because of infertility. Everything in the book is colored with just a little bit of sadness as a result.

Not to say that there aren’t moments that will move you to both laughter and to tears all on their own. But in the end, you might also feel a little bit of hope shining through.

Actually while reading this story with so many positive reviews, I was pretty upset with myself for not liking it as much as I thought I would. The romance is very sweet and the chemistry between the main characters is heartwarming. This book deals with important issues. The biggest one being infertility. And even though, it dealt with heavy issues, it didn’t drown in it. There was always a fun, heartwarming moment and a swoon-worthy interaction between the main characters to balance things out.

But the reality was, for me, while many aspects of the story were emotionally moving and packed a punch, they were also contrived and convenient. In that sense, the story lost a lot of its emotional potential. I’m also not a fan of the overused love triangle.

This is a book where I understand why it gets so much love and high ratings, but I'm not able to get lost in the buzz.

Kristen is helping out her best friend plan her wedding and isn't too happy about the fiances best friend Josh. Kirsten has a secret that can alter her life but wont do it until after the wedding and find herself attracted to Josh problem is he wants a big family and shes not about to let in on her secret. As she tries to keep him at arms length the more the attraction grows between the two.

This was a pretty entertaining read. I loved the chemistry between Josh and Kristen. I loved seeing the attraction grow. Kristen had a medical issue and it was tough seeing what she had to go through and seeing the lengths she did try to keep Josh away because she didn't want to ruin that perfect picture of a baseball team of kids that Josh so badly wanted when that just wasn't medically in the cards for her. There was drama, highs and lows in this book and there was so much going on to keep the readers interesting. Also thought it was pretty funny about the who hangry thing when it comes to Kristen, I'm one of those people that get that way as well, if I'm in a bad mood people know to feed me or else. LOL! Overall great book I really enjoyed it!

Guys. I LOVED this book! I literally cannot express how much I enjoyed this! I feel so lucky to be partnered with Forever and to get the chance to have read this early, and it was probably the highlight of my Summer so far! Thank you thank you thank you to Estelle at Forever for hooking me up with one of the best books of the year!

Friends to lovers isn’t one of my top tropes, I have to admit. I enjoy a little more angst and tension in my romances and so enemies to lovers is more my style, but this packed all the drama I wanted and then some. And at first I was a little iffy about the romance here because Kristen had a boyfriend, a Military boyfriend to be exact, and as a Military wife I wouldn’t have liked her if she cheated on her man overseas, but thankfully this book avoided that. It was basically a love triangle but was very tastefully done, really. So if you’re worried about that and not into love triangles, don’t let that deter you!

This book is so fresh and fun; the characters are witty and sassy and so so so realistic. Most contemporaries seem overly sweet and mushy, but this one had the perfect amount of sass and drama. While it was a fairy tale ending, it was a fairy tale that came with a lot of heartbreak and frustration and tears, which is how it should be. This novel tackles a lot of things that are touchy and hard to talk about with such class and realism that does justice to the characters and those in real life who live with infertility and health problems like it.

I loved the characters instantly, too. This novel is so well plotted and fast paced, it’s almost impossible to put down once you start it. You’re instantly connected to everyone and everything going on because it feels so realistic and true to who the characters were supposed to be. For a debut novel this was an absolute knockout! The writing was spectacular and the characters were so fleshed out and had a great arc throughout. The ending? Tear inducing.

Overall this novel was one of the best I’ve read this year and probably going to take the medal for novel of the Summer. I’ll be recommending this to everyone and anyone who asks me for Summer reads or a good book in general.

P.S. be sure to read the author’s note, more specifically that last paragraph, because it literally made me sob and also love Amy Jimenez. She’s an angel, I’m convinced.

I typically enjoy rom coms, especially ones with strong female characters who don't revolve their worlds around the guy they're interested in. This book had many of the elements of what I feel make some rom coms stand out among the crowd....witty banter, fast pace, great supporting characters, lack of "cheesiness." Kristen and Josh are the main characters who have a meet cute when Josh rear ends Kristen who's driving her friend's truck. My immediate impression of Josh was - nice guy, considerate - my impression of Kristen - rude, obnoxious, full of herself. I figured that was just the initial set up and as we go on with the story and the 2 meet again, their "relationship" evolves into a friendship since Kristen is in a long term relationship. However, that wasn't just the initial set of the how the main characters would behave, they both continued to behave in the same ways - Josh was just about the perfect guy and friend (too perfect imo) and put up with Kristen's rude behavior, erratic mood swings, and all around irritating behavior because he was so into her. I didn't buy it and I didn't understand why he would put up with how she treated him. We know she has other medical issues going on and here's where my other big issue with this book comes in - the plot could've resolved itself and taken itself to an actual adult relationship level had she just been honest and communicated with him what was going on rather than play the constant games. I didn't enjoy the story due to this and I didn't buy into the ending either. The "twist" at the end felt manipulative and unnecessary as well.

5 stars!

OMG. What did I just read?

• A fantastically fun friends-to-lovers romance that had me laughing out loud?
• A chemistry-filled love story between a fabulously snarky and sarcastic heroine and a smart-talking, witty, sweetheart hero who is absolutely irresistible?
• A heartaching story of a woman’s battle with infertility?
• A gutwrenching, angsty drama that had me in tears more than once?

Yes! To all of the above.

This stunning debut novel from Abby Jimenez captivated me from start to finish, and I felt everything. What an amazing story!

Kristen is my favourite type of heroine – smart, snarky, sarcastic and completely filterless. She is very matter-of-fact, especially when dealing with her near-debilitating health issues, and is dealing with the realities of an upcoming surgery that will mean that she is not able to have children. On top of all of that, she is preparing for her long-distance boyfriend to return home and move in with her for the first time, is helping to plan the wedding of her best friend in the world, and if her life isn’t complicated enough, it becomes even more so when she meets the best man, Josh.

Josh is new to town and is working as a firefighter/paramedic alongside his best friend, Brandon. When he meets Kristen he is immediately attracted to her, and when he unexpectedly ends up doing some part time work at her house, it pushes the two of them all up in each other’s lives, and the friendship that unfolds is absolutely fantastic. They laugh and banter, they tease and joke, they have everything in common, and it’s all just so easy for them. They become each other’s person, every moment between them is pure gold, and their chemistry just sizzles off the page. But due to Kristen’s relationship, they keep things strictly in the friend-zone.

"She was like a unicorn. A mythical creature. An honest, no-drama woman who didn’t bullshit and drank beer and cussed and didn’t care about what people thought of her. She was a unicorn, tucked in the body of an attractive woman with a great ass.
And I couldn’t have her."

When their attraction becomes too hard to ignore, they finally reach a point where they can act on it, but there is another huge issue standing in their way – Josh is from a big family with dreams of having one of his own one day. That’s not something Kristen can have with him, and she refuses to stand in the way of his dream. And OMG, it hurt!

“Do you think discussing my deficiencies as a woman with a man that I’m half in love with is something I want to put myself through?”

Kristen’s battle was so incredibly heartbreaking and my chest actually hurt while I was reading this book. I could understand her decisions, her frustrations, and her heartache, and I was floored by her resilience in the face of such devastation. Did I agree with all of her decisions? No, and the story did become really angsty and there were times I wanted to just shake her, but I’m not in her position and it’s hard to judge what you would do in such a difficult situation, and her perspective on the whole thing is really well written. It becomes especially hard as her and Josh as their world is completely upended and they are left floundering in more ways than one. And there went my heart again, and I sobbed for all that they were going through.

“Why won’t you let me love you?”

Through the whole story, Josh just shines. He is a man in love who is fighting hard for his girl, and I loved his patience, understanding and acceptance of Kristen through it all.

"I’d found my person.
She was the foundation. She was the thing that all other things are built on. Everything was secondary to being with her. It didn’t matter where I worked or if I liked my job, where I lived or how many kids I had. My happiness, my sanity, my well-being – it all started with her … I wanted everything."

The romance is just beautiful. It’s easy, natural, fun and playful, and though this book isn’t particularly steamy, you can feel their passion for each other. I fell in mad love with both of these characters and their amazing love story.

I cannot believe that this is a debut novel. The writing is crisp, witty and so freaking emotive! This book took me on a wildly emotional ride, and I laughed and cried and felt so much. It was hard to read in some places and I actually had to put my kindle down just to take a breath and try to deal with the emotion of it all, but it ends beautifully in a really great place, and with stories coming for (at least one of) the amazing side characters, I am so freaking excited to see what Abby Jimenez has in store for us next!

5 stars

I started reading this book thinking it would be a lighthearted romance, and was pleasantly surprised that it was the complete opposite. While THE FRIEND ZONE is full of comedic moments, and two hilarious, sarcastic characters that will have you rooting for their love story from the start, it also deals with some real issues that romance books don’t tackle very often.

Josh — growing up with 6 sisters — has always wanted a huge family growing up, so that his children can experience the same things that he did; however, falling in love with Kristen — who, unbeknownst to him, has fertility issues that require her to get a hysterectomy to live a comfortable live — turns his idea of a perfect life around. The author takes her time developing the characters and their relationship so that you see everything in all its authenticity: the good, the bad, the stubborn, the heartbreaking. This book helped me come to terms with what it means to be a woman who feels like her body has failed her.

If you want a fun romantic comedy to read, this book is for you — but also expect it to get unbelievably real and raw with the circumstances that can change relationships in the blink of an eye.

I devoured this book in one sitting. It was easy to fall in love with Kristen and Josh's story, and also the story of those around them. Going into this book, I didn't expect it to be as emotional as it was, but I loved that about it. This story managed to be cute and funny while also being emotional and handling sensitive topics. There's nothing not to love about this book!

3.5 stars

This book from Abby Jimenez is humorous, emotional, and tackles the very difficult subject of infertility.

Kristen meets Josh through chance and then finds out they are both set to be part of their mutual friends' wedding. Josh is just out of a relationship and Kirsten is dating someone in the military. Their connection and chemistry grow harder and harder to ignore even though there are a number of obstacles in front of them.

I enjoyed the authors writing style and was surprised to find out it is her debut novel. She did a nice job creating relatable and interesting characters.