I enjoyed the small part I've read so much! I really wanted to read the whole book. I think I have to purchase it from my kindle account sooner! So excited to find something really good!

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.

I really enjoyed the preview of the first few chapters of The Friend Zone. The characters seem likable and the storyline seems interesting. It's such a short preview that it's hard to judge much more than that, so my rating is somewhat arbitrary, but I definitely liked it enough that I want to read the rest and give it a real rating/review!

At first, I was a bit skeptical about all the raving reviews. However, after reading this excerpt, I feel like the reviews are well deserved, The first five chapters have given me an appetite for more. I am looking for ward to it!

I really wanted to pick this up, so I was excited to get a sampler to make sure I would love it before buying it. Well, I ended up buying it and reading the whole thing in one day.

Everyone is talking about this book so you probably already know that this story does follow a taboo topic along with fertility and female issues. I related to Kristen on so many levels. I felt her every emotion as she talked about her cycles, the pain she was in, and the heartbreak of not knowing if she would have a child one day. I have suffered with many of the same issues and I just loved reading a story that actually took that conversation a little further than any other I have read.

It did have a cute romance as well. I liked both Kristen and Josh. I loved their building relationship and the fun they had together. However; I did not think it was anything extra special compared to other romances away from the female issues being discussed. Then BAM! Something happens that I was not expecting! It all worked within the story, and I did not see it coming. Even though it was very sad and emotional, I liked what it brought to the story.

Overall, I would recommend this.

This was a cute and pretty standard romantic comedy that took a twist near the end with real life thrown in. I enjoyed the book overall. I did struggle with the unrealistic representation of the military. I felt like it was an unfair depiction of what it's like to be in a relationship with someone in the military.

Albeit only the first 5 chapters of the book, it was addicting!! I found the heroine, Kristen, to be relatable in every way. I will be waiting patiently to find out how the author deals with infertility in its entirety. I was left with a smile on my face when I finished the preview and I cannot wait to get my hands on this book!


*ARC courtesy of the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I want to express a thank you to the valued author, the publisher who took a chance on the author, and Netgalley for providing a copy.*

The Friend Zone: the most hilarious and heartbreaking romantic comedy of 2019 - Abby Jimenez
I was given the option to have a 'FREE PREVIEW' of this new book. I loved it so much and could not put it down, so I ran to the library as soon as I finished my preview, so I could finish the story. So worth it. God Bless my local county library!

Josh meets Kristen in a less than stellar way. Then when they meet officially later, they already have to work harder to impress one another. They are mutual friends of a couple who is getting married so there is a lot going on.

Kristen is involved with someone else when she meets Josh, so they are just friends. For now. If ever a chance arises to to take it to another level? Well lets just say there are enough sparks between them to light up Las Vegas.

This was such a witty and fun story. I really could not put it down. I found the characters to be deliciously complex. The heat and heart in the book made it a great read. The pace was steady, and there was plenty of humor too.



***Thanks to Netgalley, and the publisher for the free preview.

Great start to this book! I can already tell in the first 5 chapters that this is going to be one of my favorite books of the year. Going to go buy a copy right now!

While this is just a sample (the first five chapters), I’m hooked. I immediately want to buy the full book. I can tell it’s going to be witty and break my heart!

From the moment I cracked open THE FRIEND ZONE I knew it would be a winner. Kristen, our heroine, is impossible not to like or identify with and I was happy to go along with this ride.

I think a lot has been said already about this book before but in case you are not aware of Kristen has suffered her whole life with issues related to her period. They’ve caused a lot of hardships, both physical and emotional, and it’s finally come to the point she’s taken the decision that she will have a hysterectomy. Her long distance military boyfriend is ok with that and Kristen thought she was too. Until she meets the perfect man for her. Josh is exactly the type of guy that she should’ve always been with and he wants lots of children. Obviously she has to keep him in the friend zone and stick to her life plan. No kids, no Josh.

Like I said before, the thing that drew me in from the very beginning was how relatable Kristen was. I think she’s a heroine that a lot of women will be able to relate to in one way or another. Maybe it’s her struggles with not being able to have children, or maybe it’s just her fun and snarky personality. She was my favorite thing about reading this book and I think the author did a great job at creating her character.

And then we have the romance. While maybe Josh won’t be going on a book boyfriend list for me, I thought he was the perfect complement for Kristen. I really loved seeing their relationship blossom from instant attraction to a true friendship and slowly into more. And it was also done in a way I found believable and I never questioned the heroines’ actions. They were adorable together!

THE FRIEND ZONE is a book that will draw a gamut of emotions and you have to be ready for that ride. It’s funny, sweet and romantic but also heartbreaking. My only complaint with this book, and also the reason this is not rated higher, was the ending. While it left me happy it was also disappointing and in my opinion took away from the true impact of this story. It’s hard to say more without giving away a spoiler, but I do think it’s good to read the author’s note at the end anyway. While I understand where she’s coming from, I also wish she would’ve taken a different route.

What a great debut by Abby Jimenez! I can’t recommend it enough. THE FRIEND ZONE is a must read for your summer reading. I expect more great things in her future and I’ll be reading them all. Starting with the next book, not sure if it’s a series or companion novel. I’m ready to have my heart torn out with that one.

My attempt of not feeding into the hype from The Friend Zone goes something like this, *ahem* “Say hello to one of your favourite reads of the year!”

I know, I know, I failed miserably, but I can’t be blamed because I had the best time reading this and feel it’s my duty to shout it from the rooftops. The characters were fantastic, and the humour hit the spot. From Kristen with her snarky, craggy ways to her adorable one of a kind dog, Stuntman Mike.

Kristen’s health concerns brought a more serious element to the story, and the first cracks in the relationship with Josh. Throughout it all Josh was consistent and caring and there wasn’t one thing I didn’t love about him.

The romance tentative and fraught, and the tension served so well in heightening the push and pull between Kristen and Josh. There were casualties along the way but so great was my bias I easily overlooked it.

Although The Friend Zone is Abby’s debut I found myself asking where she has been all my life. I love her voice and humour and am very excited about what Ms Jimenez will deliver to us next.

One of my new favorite books! This author has such a way with words the pages flew by in no time! I can’t wait to see the next work by this author! This was such a joy to read!

This is one of my most anticipated summer read after seeing so many 5⭐️ reviews!

I got to read an extended preview thanks to @readforeverpub and @netgalley and it was soooo good!! It seems like another perfect summer beach read! The first 5 chapters were witty, fun and left me wanting more! I can’t wait to read the rest! It’s definitely high on my #wishlist and I look forward to seeing how it plays out!
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Full review to come once I get my hand on the full book! ☺️

This was just an excerpt, but I can definitely say I was drawn in and want to read the rest! I already like Kristen and Josh. Give me the rest of this book!!

Thank you to netgalley for giving me a preview of this book. I really enjoyed reading the first few chapters as well as the banter between the characters. I will definitely be picking this newly released title up for a summer read!

Loved this preview and thank you for giving me access to the full version (full review on that eARC has been submitted).

This book is perfect for summer! Loved the banter between the two main characters. Loved their relationships with their friends as well. Dying to know what happens between Kristen and Josh! Will definitely be buying this book asap. I can't wait to tell all my friends about it!

From the first five chapters, I am unsure if I will continue. The writing is great. It's the some of the plot points I have an issue with. I don't like love triangles even if the other guy has no chance. And I don't like reading about medical issues because my hypochondriac mind over reacts. Also it sounds like there is going to be a lot of miscommunication and I'm not a fan of that plot device. Writing is great but overall story is just not for me. If you don't mind emotionally heavy stories, this is perfect for you.

SPOILERS. . . .2.5 stars. As much as I loved the beginning of this book, how quirky the characters were and how fun it was written, I ended up being really upset by the ending. I am someone that is currently dealing with infertility and when I found out this book was being written from that point of view I couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy. Unfortunately, this story of infertility was one of those rare instances of a happy ending, and I felt like I couldn't relate to the story and characters anymore.
Kristen's story is her falling in love with this guy, Josh, who is amazing for her, except he wants to have a big family and she is about to have a hysterectomy because of painful cysts she has in her uterus. One problem, is she wasn't honest about her situation in the beginning, kept getting upset that Josh didn't understand why she was pulling away from him, and then would freak out and say he just wants children and wouldn't understand why she can't have kids. She never even explained her medical problem until the last 1/4 of the book! Communication is a big factor in a relationship, especially one involving infertility problems, and I didn't think that was portrayed very well. When Josh does find out about her "inability" to have kids, he does research about IVF, gets his sperm tested, and comes up with a business plan on how they can pay for it all (supposedly his insurance pays 100% for IVF, which is VERY unusual in reality).
I have dealt with infertility for 4 years and had one miscarriage. I still don't have my happy ending, and this book made me very upset that Kristen was able to conceive naturally (having sex only once without a condom) and carried a pregnancy to term without any complications. This is not how a normal infertility story goes in real life.
Abby writes in the back as a note from the author: "Kristen's happy ending was never about getting pregnant. It was about her allowing herself to be loved, despite what she felt were shortcomings. It was about her recognizing that she wasn't defined by her ability to have children, and that her worth went beyond the state of her uterus. That was her happily ever after."
I'm sorry to say, but how many women dealing with infertility are ACTUALLY going to relate to that? Isn't most of the women who are upset by being infertile, view their happy ending as getting pregnant and having a child? Isn't that the whole point of dealing with infertility, because you are TRYING to have a family of your own? Not every women IS going to be able to get pregnant, and that's what I wish would have been the ending. Some couples have to decide that they want to be together no matter the outcome (because we really CAN'T make ourselves get pregnant no matter how much we try).
All Your Perfects by Colleen Hoover is a really great book about infertility because she showed the actual true details and heartache of what its like to never know if you will get pregnant. I know a lot of people will probably love The Friend Zone because of the cute characters, but for me, it made me feel like I still wasn't understood. Women dealing with infertility can't or won't ever see the light at the end of the tunnel - you can't guarantee them a happy ending - so I feel like this book should also have made light of that.