Hot Takes
-Everyone absolutely loved this book and for me it was good but didn’t blow me away.. Not bad by any means and maybe my expectionations were set bit too high,but yeah. . And that made me upset because there’s so many tropes about it that I love!
-I love a class difference and I loved the way this was handled. She fell hard and it was adorable!
-Was there an age gap? I think so? I wish it was flushed out a bit more!
-Her friends suck. Like a lot. To the point where they really pissed me off, so well done lol

Read If You Like: Class issues, big city girl finding small town dude, It Happened One Summer maybe?

I am never disappointed by an Abby Jimenez book. This one made me almost want to move to a small town and buy a homestead too. I loved watching the MC transform after leaving a lifetime of abusive men and recognize her worth and power.

I loved this book. There is so much fun banter and authentic relationship building. The author does a great job at building the characters and showing why they are the way they are. I also love the growth that the main character has after being emotionally abused in this story. Trauma and abuse are so hard to get right and have to be approached very delicately and Abby Jimenez was able to do this flawlessly. I love how the author was able to create such a warm and wholesome book and still add trauma and life experiences in that really made this read feel real and authentic. This is my first book by this author but I will definitely be reading their entire backlist now. Amazing!!

I now really look forward to every new book we get from Abby Jimenez, and this one did not disappoint. She's delivered another great romance with substance, and Daniel is a top tier love interest.
Trigger warnings for emotional abuse and domestic violence.
Thank you to Netgalley and Forever/Gradn Central Publishing for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

When successful ER doctor Alexis Montgomery finds herself in a ditch outside of a small town, she's absolutely certain she will be murdered in the middle of nowhere all because a raccoon. Fortunately, she is rescued by small town carpenter/absolute dreamy babe Daniel Grant. Unfortunately... she is rescued by small town carpenter/absolute dreamy babe Daniel Grant.

What was supposed to be a one-night stand quickly turns into infatuation for both the busy city doctor and the reliable carpenter. Every time they think their lives are incompatible, they are thrown together by something magical that makes them realize how perfect they are for each other.

Between emotionally abusive exes who won't move out to parents who won't stop meddling in their lives, Alexis and Daniel must determine whether this relationship is worth fighting for.

Multiple times throughout this book, I was caught between tears and fits of laughter. The characters are strong and loveable, and the little splash of magical realism throughout the story makes it feel like the perfect modern-day fairytale.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this book in exchange for my honest review.

THIS BOOK made me want to go through every other 5-star rated romance novel I have ever read and knock a star off simply because they are not THIS BOOK. Warning upfront: I can't review this book and do it any justice, it was perfection and for some reason, my brain contains no coherent or remotely intelligent thoughts about it. If you like romance novels you'll like this book.

Jimenez crafts this mystical little small town, you can't help but be drawn to it. She made such dreamy characters that somehow also have such tremendous real-life family and inner conflicts.
I spent half of this book agonizing - will they, won't they - and the other half giddy, 'ooooh, was that magic?' The author does a fantastic job of carrying every single storyline through, she sprinkles these little nuggets, the dragonfly, and the stained-glass window carefully and meticulously throughout - it is such a unique reading experience!

I was lucky enough to read and review this Advance Reader Copy courtesy of Abby Jimenez and NetGalley, but all opinions are mine.

Trauma porn.

Going into this, I thought, well, this is fine story. A bit overwrought. Alexis' work history and her relationship with her family seemed like a starting point. Falling for someone younger than her also was good. Not enough older women/younger men romance stories.

But when the outpouring of trauma, dropped unexpectedly, about Ali's ex, it was startling. And it's hard because it's such an important topic to discuss and keep awareness of but it felt cheap in this book. You could have presented Ali's story without the trauma and made it good. The trauma seemed to be thrown in for shock sake and because the author was flinging everything into pot. I stopped reading after 25% (kindle) and will not finish.

Part of Your World is hands down my favorite Abby Jimenez book!

I loved it so much! Daniel! Oh, if I could only meet a man like Daniel! He is basically perfect. He is such a sweet guy who wants to help everyone he can. I completely get why Alexis would fall for him. And Alexis. I loved how this woman who, on the outside, seemed so strong and put together was struggling. Alexis was such a real character, and I loved reading about her and seeing her grow.

This book is told in alternating POVs between Daniel and Alexis. This is my preferred romance writing style, and I loved it so much in Part of Your World. It was great to see Alexis and Daniel together and apart. I liked getting that glimpse of them when they were each in their communities without the other one and how different their worlds were.

This book deals with abuse, both mental and physical abuse. It also shows how people judge one another. I liked how Alexis admitted to herself that if she hadn’t had a personal connection to Daniel, she might have been just as guilty of treating him poorly as her friends. But we learn in this book that “grace costs you nothing,” and I loved that quote almost as much as I loved this book!

This is officially my favorite Abby book. This story is fun and exciting but also feels realistic and down to earth.

The idea of big town girl and small town boy isn't new, but Abby adds a nice twist to it. Having Daniel swoop in and save Alexis in a moment of need but then still let her control so much of the rest of their story was a really great idea. It was wonderful to see her work through the issues she was encountering in her life and learn how to change and adjust with Daniel's support. These two are fun and amazing, whether it's a lighthearted moment or a serious one. And we will never recover from the ring light scene!

The surrounding characters were very well written, even the characters you end up disliking have so many layers and nuances to them. My only complaint is that there was not enough baby goat in the story.

Abby Jimenez is a must-read romance author for me. I've enjoyed all of her books and Part of Your World is my new favorite.

We meet our heroine Alexis Montgomery when she is coming back from a funeral. Her car lands in a ditch when she swerves to avoid hitting a raccoon. She is waiting for a tow truck and is talking on her phone with her best friend Bri when a car stops and a guy comes over to check on her and helps her pull her car out. The guy, Daniel, is efficient and soon, her Mercedes is out. They meet again at the small-town bar where everyone seems to know each other. Daniel warns her that their friends have a wager to see who will take her home. In turn, Alexis asked Daniel to walk her out, so he can win the bet and she can leave. Daniel always a gentleman offers to cook her a grilled cheese before she leaves and she agrees to go home with him. What happens next, you can guess. What is different is the obstacles they have to surpass in order to be together.

Alexis is in her late thirties. She is an ER physician who comes from a rich family. Her parents and her brother Derek are renowned surgeons and being a Montgomery is almost a synonym for royalty. There is a huge expectation for her to be better now that her brother decided to stay in Cambodia after marrying in secret. Alexis is not crazy about the responsibility of being a Montgomery. She never wanted to be the one who carried the torch but with Derek leaving, she has no choice. To make matter worse, her parents would prefer for her to go back with Neil, her ex, who is the chief of Surgery. Alexis left him because he was emotionally abusive and he cheated on her. Her parents don't care, they think the world of Neil.

Daniel Grant also has his own family legacy. His family has lived in Wakan and has helped the town for over 125 years. Daniel wears multiple hats. He runs his grandparents' home as a B&B, he is the town mayor and he is a carpenter. He is also a great cook, a good friend, and overall just a good person. He has a dog and is taking care of a baby goat who wears adorable pajamas (at least in my mind they were adorable). Daniel has tattoos, wears denim and flannel, drives a truck, and is also ten years younger than Alexis.

How can they be together? Their world is completely opposite and incompatible but their chemistry is not.

I love everything about this book. I love Wakan, the dog, the pig (Kevin Bacon), the baby goat, the magic, Daniel, Bri, and the narrators. Any book read by Julia Whelan becomes an instant favorite of mine. Zachary Webber does an amazing job in bringing Daniel to life. I thought both of them complemented each other well.

Kudos to Abby Jiminez for writing a romance novel that works!!

Cliffhanger: No

5/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Forever via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Alexis Montgomery is a big city doctor from a well-known family whose life is already mapped out for her. Daniel Grant is a small town mayor, carpenter, B&B manager, and an all-around nice guy who is just trying to make ends meet. Their opposite worlds collide one night when Alexis' car goes off the road into a ditch and Daniel offers to help tow the car. What follows is a charming and captivating story that includes real issues, a magical love story, baby goats in pajamas and a pig named Kevin Bacon.

What I appreciated about this book:
This book took absolutely no time to intrigue me. The author's writing has a way of immediately grabbing my attention and drawing me into this story and the conversations between characters flowed so well. I also appreciated the different personalities of the characters and how each of them and their personal issues came to life. There were tearful moments, funny moments, steamy moments, magical moments - this book has it all! It's basically a Disney story for grownups. This was my first book by this author and will certainly not be my last. I'm so glad I had the opportunity to read this charming story. It was the perfect read for this busy season of life.

What didn't work for me:
Overall, I loved this one and it exceeded my expectations.

Thanks @Netgalley and the publisher for the digital review copy in exchange for my honest review.

Loved it! I may love this plot more than the last trilogy, and that's saying something. Utterly relatable and while unlikely, the meet cute was adorable.

A tender and heartfelt romance about doctor Alexis Montgomery falling for the charming and kind-hearted small town carpenter Daniel Grant. An achingly sweet opposites attract romance about accepting the love we deserve and choosing to be happy despite what we must give up to keep love. I felt this book to my very core and it’s now my favorite of all her books!

When Alexis Montgomery veers off the road in a small town outside of her home, a young man named Daniel Grant comes to her rescue leading to grilled cheese sandwiches, cuddles with goats, and one night of amazing sex. After Alexis returns home, she can’t stop thinking about Daniel. The only problem is, Alexis can’t get rid of her abusive ex boyfriend and Daniel can’t seem to fit into the perfectly curated world she’s created for herself.

This book really got me in the feelers. Alexis and Daniel have amazing chemistry and I could literally feel the heartbreak and desire pouring off the pages. The energy between these two creates a love that is unstoppable and even with the barriers these two face they both manage to move mountains to make their once in a lifetime love possible. This one will for sure make my top ten of the year!

This is the best Abby Jimenez book yet! This lovely story is about Alexis, and big city ER doctor and Daniel, a carpenter who lives in a small town. They meet randomly one night when Daniel tows Alexis out of ditch and the rest is a tender, beautiful, heartbreaking love story. But this book is so much more than a love story! It’s about mental health, asking for help, trauma informed care, therapy, helping others, giving grace, finding purpose and prioritizing what makes us happy or our “non-negotiables” as they say in the book. Alexis and Daniel have beautiful character arcs and watching them banter and care for each other was so much fun.

𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐃
Abby Jimenez
•••
“𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨.”

𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖: ER doc alexis gets stuck on the side of the road when a small town mayor helps her get her car out. once they meet they can’t stop thinking finding their way back to each other.

𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒: say hello to my favorite romance of 2022. this book was SO good. abby jimenez NEVER disappoints and this book was no exception. i laughed my ass off, i balled my eyes out, literally every emotion under the sun. the age gap romance, the girl from big money falls for small town guy, everything about this book was perfect. i especially loved the light abby shed on mental abuse because it’s something so heartbreaking that many people don’t see happening in relationships. i highly recommend everyone read this book! it’s amazing & SO important 💗

𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆: i loved it!

special thank you to Netgalley, Forever pub & Abby Jimenez for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
•••

She had me at grilled cheeses and baby goats. I also love the older love interest and different world trope. Such a fun read by Abby Jimenez. She is the rom-com queen who captivates us with feel-good romantic reads. A must read!

✨Grace costs you nothing✨

I adored this book. And I really really really loved it’s message.

I felt so incredibly invested in Daniel and Alexis. Their chemistry was so vivid, their emotions real. I laughed, I cried, I contemplated a move to Minnesota.

Also, there’s a baby 🐐

Ok one more thing - to me Daniel was the perfect book boyfriend bc he wasn’t just a hot guy with abs (though he was that too) and he didn’t just become a different person for Alexis. He was so kind that it made him sexy 🤤 and the baby goat sealed the deal.

The story starts with big-city ER doctor Alexis Montgomery accepting a tow from a handsome stranger after she gets stuck in a ditch in the small-town of Wakan. After Alexis and the handsome stranger, Daniel Grant, both end up at the same diner later that night, Alexis ends up going home with Daniel and (seemingly) having a one-night stand. But to escape her irritating and relentless ex as well as her demanding family and their medical legacy at Royaume Northwestern Hospital, Alexis starts to travel to Daniel’s B&B in Wakan on a regular basis. Alexis and Daniel understand that their fling must be temporary…in addition to the 10-year age gap, Daniel can’t leave his Mayoral responsibilities and his family’s B&B in Wakan while Alexis has a family legacy to uphold and an upcoming promotion in Minneapolis. However, the longer their “fling” lasts, the harder it becomes to ignore their growing feelings for each other. Can Alexis give up the joy she finds with Daniel in Wakan to continue her family’s demanding medical legacy in Minneapolis? Or will this “opposites attract” couple find a way to permanently be a part of each others’ worlds?

Part of Your World is an age gap “opposites attract” small-town romantic comedy told from both Alexis and Daniel’s point of views. In my opinion, Alexis and Daniel’s relationship in Part of Your World was reminiscent of Margaret and Andrew in The Proposal movie, Alexis and Mutt in Schitt’s Creek, and Piper and Brendan in It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey. I would also recommend Part of Your World to fans of Alison Cochrun, Lynn Painter, Alexandria Bellefleur, Dylan Newton, and Ali Hazelwood. The novel deals with themes like character and identity, mental health, abuse, love and heartbreak, family/parenting, change versus tradition, class, desire to escape, and empowerment. The moral of this story is: “grace costs you nothing”. Furthermore, through Daniel’s influence, Alexis discovers that a little bit of goodwill can go a long way towards helping someone in need.

I found Part of Your World to be very engaging and entertaining and I adored Daniel’s puppy-like personality along with the nods to popular Disney fairytales! This story had major Little Mermaid vibes including the title, Alexis’ red hair, and the fact that Alexis yearns to ditch her burdensome family responsibilities and become a permanent part of Daniel’s world in Wakan. There is also a fun nod to Cinderella when Alexis accidentally leaves behind her shoe after her one-night stand with Daniel. In my opinion, there was a good mix of both steam and romance; the steam wasn’t overdone, and the romance wasn’t too cheesy. Furthermore, Jimenez seamlessly combined romantic moments (such as a penguin-inspired love gesture and a private trip to the drive-in movies), comical elements (like a baby goat in pyjamas and an incident with a rogue squirrel in the dining room), and more serious topics (like cheating, abuse, and drug-use). I also liked how Alexis fell in love with the town of Wakan while she was falling for Daniel and appreciated how Alexis (and her world) grew and changed for the better as a result of her time with Daniel in Wakan; she learns to care for herself instead of relying on staff to do things for her, she learns the power of grace and starts to use her medical knowledge to care for the residents of Wakan (who have severely limited access to medical professionals). As the book goes on, Alexis also re-accesses and reorganises her priorities so that she can live the life that she wants to live (not just the life that will make her parents happy). I won’t spoil anything, but the emotional ending will definitely keep you engaged and pull at your heartstrings!

The main downside for me was the abundant amount of inner monologue; in my opinion, both Daniel and Alexis spent too much time thinking about how they desperately wanted to stay together but inevitably wouldn’t fit into each others’ worlds. Additionally, I found the plot to be a tad predictable (yet I still found the book entertaining).

I haven’t read any of Jimenez’s previous books, but decided to pick this one up after seeing it frequently on bookstagram and it ended up totally exceeding my expectations! If you enjoy romantic comedies and the “opposites attract” trope, then you should definitely pick up a copy of Part of Your World!

This audiobook is a prue magical gem. The narrators do an amazing job with this one- it will have you laughing out loud, crying the next, and wanting to slap some characters. We get an age gap and social level plus big city vs small town. Abby and Daniel’s chemistry is off the charts, with everything against them they keep going strong. Daniel is one of my new book boyfriend with a dog and baby goat, but really he had me at the cooking. Abby is strong and a leader not only in her hospital but in life and supporting others. This one also brings in physical and emotional abuse but Abby handles it with care.

So, this is close to where I went to college and love love the area she used. I’ve floated the river and biked on the trails. It made me want to go to the local VFW. It had so many small towns MN it made me happy!

As usual, Abby Jimenez can do no wrong.

It's funny, romantic, and emotional as H*LL! Somehow, she is always able to balance those three factors flawlessly, and Part of Your World is just another example of this.

Daniel and Alexis are from two different worlds, two different age ranges, and are perfect together!

So, if you want to laugh, swoon, and cry, read this book! *and all her others!*

Thank you NetGalley and Forever for my ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.