Maybe my favorite romance novel I've read all year. The characters -- their chemistry, their development, all of it -- were phenomenal. I found myself rooting for them at all times, constantly surprised by the twists and turns of this story. There was so much depth and the care with which Abby Jimenez crafted Just for the Summer is so evident. I cannot recommend this book enough. Thank you so much to Forever Pub and NetGalley for my copy.

This was my first Abby Jimenez novel and I can't wait to go back and read the first two installments! Though it sounds like an unrealistic premise, Jimenez pulls it off perfectly. The characters were so fleshed out and I enjoyed the story of Emma's growth just as much as the love story. Highly recommend!

4.5 stars!
First, a special thank you to Forever-Grand Grand Central Publishing via Netgalley for the ebook. I feel very lucky!
I have read every single Abby Jimenez book and after each one, I always say, this is the best! But really though, every single contemporary romance that Abby Jimenez has written were always entertaining with a great story line. Just for the Summer is no different.
Emma is a traveling nurse who has learned that doing the best job while traveling was the perfect set-up for her life where she grew up with trauma, always on the move and in the foster system saved by strangers. However, stars aligned, and she had, for some reason met somebody who seem to have the same luck and destiny in love in a form of a guy named Justin, from Minnesota on no other than the AITAH post on Reddit.
I swear, I have spent so much time with all the AITAH post in social media lately and to have Abby Jimenez write something about this was just like a confetti explosion. I was hooked. So long story short, Emma replied to the AITAH post, and the poster also replied back, cascading into a start of good text messaging relationship. The time finally came for them to meet, and the sparks fly, rain poured, fireworks blasted, connections tightened, feeling were felt, and hearts may or may have not been tragically broken.
Yeah, yeah... some parts of the storyline were too far-fetched but who cares? I flipped one page or two, listen to one more chapter and before I know it, I was wishing I was one of the characters witnessing this plot live. In conclusion, I enjoyed the book tremendously. It was fast, it was heartwarming, and others may not like it, but my goal was to be entertained and I sure was without doubt. So, there you go, find your own copy and have fun because Abby Jimenez did it again!

“Maybe home isn’t a place. Maybe it’s a person.”
I’m not lying when I tell you that I picked up Just for the Summer and finished it less than 24 hours later. Was I reading this while on the clock for my real-life job? I refuse to confess to that so you can use your imagination. There is a reason why Abby Jimenez is wildly popular for her romance books and like my headline suggests, I wish I could just gush for 300-500 words going off just vibes and hand gestures but it turns out that most people like to read actual words for a book review—who knew?

I’ll be absolutely honest with you and speak directly to the girlies who have mommy issues— (Daddy issues? You get a break this book. You’re welcome.)—maybe check-in with yourself before you tackle this book. If you feel like you’re in a good place, then, by all means, read on. Our FMC, Emma, has some serious issues when it comes to abandonment and the only person in the world she can rely on is her best friend. She also happens to have the worst kind of luck when it comes to dating. She’s the female equivalent of “Good Luck Chuck” and after scrolling an AITA feed on Reddit, Emma discovers that she has a male counterpart out there as well.

“If you can choose anger or empathy, always choose empathy, Justin. It’s so much healthier than anger. For both of you.”
As luck would have it, Justin is not only woefully unlucky in love, he’s also hilarious, charming, and pretty much the epitome of golden retriever energy in a straight man. The problem is that he’s in Minnesota and Emma is a traveling nurse. In a delightfully rom-com turn of events, Emma is able to convince her roommate and fellow traveling nurse to take their next rotation in Minnesota in order to see if Justin is too good to be true. The only thing is, Justin is about to become the legal guardian of his younger siblings.

Trying to see if a relationship would work between Emma and Justin is trying in itself but when you add on an island in the middle of the lake rental cottage, mommy issues with both Emma and Justin, an impending expiration date, a fake dating experiment that obviously is actual dating but neither are willing to admit their feelings because tension, and a miniscule plot point at the beginning of the novel that turns into a big deal by the end—“trying” becomes nearly herculean.

“You are not what happened to you. You are what you do next.”
Y’all, if this was on Bravo it would win all the Emmy awards. Just for the Summer plays out exactly like the most bingeable kind of reality series. The way Abby Jimenez injects every bit of reality into her characters, her storytelling, and weaves in cameos like she’s on the hook to produce a Marvel movie is utterly impressive.

I can’t go any further without ruining this reading experience for you all, so I’m going to leave it at that. Just for the Summer is officially out today. Definitely go buy a copy and then read it so then I can gush about Justin, rage cry about mommy issues with someone else, and swoon over the sweetness of this HEA with everyone. Look at that. I did it without having to resort to hand gestures. You should reward me by going to read this book.

The characters didn't resonate with me and I struggled to feel invested in their journeys. Emma's story felt rich enough to be a standalone novel, adding Justin and all that he was going through felt overwhelming. The six-month timeframe for the conclusion felt unearned. It would have been more impactful to see the characters grapple with the aftermath for a longer period.

I am normally not a romance reader; however, for abby jaminez I will change my tune. Her books are delightfully light and exactly what I am looking for in a summer beach read!

Another fantastic book by Abby Jimenez. This was so beautifully written and it dealt with some real family trauma. It was so nice seeing the other characters from the 2 previous books! I love how real the characters feel when I read Abby's books. She is able to make you care so much and hope for them. This one was emotional but also so damn funny! I loved the banter and the found family aspect of it! Such a great story!

While this wasn’t my favorite Abby Jimenez book, there was still lots to love about it, and there were some great messages that really resonated with me.

I loved Justin and Emma’s meet-cute. I was laughing and smiling the whole time they were getting to know each other. I loved how honest they were with each other and the inside jokes they shared!

They each had completely different issues with their mothers, and sometimes I felt like their inner dialogue was repetitive as they got lost in their grief. But Justin’s mother did bring on my favorite scene with a baby trash panda 😂🥰. Emma had a great outlook on life, and I admired that she always chose empathy over anger.

I enjoyed most of the side characters. Maddy was there to look out for Emma, and I really loved their talk at the end where she tells Emma that she can’t run from herself. Emma’s mother, however, was a horrible human being, and I stand with Maddy’s hatred of her. Justin’s siblings brought on extra layer of depth that will tug at your heartstrings, and I loved how Emma connected with them.

Abby is the queen of writing heavier topics without making them seem so heavy. You go through a lot with these characters, but you also get the sweet moments and great banter.

4.5 stars! I really loved this book. The romance was so swoony but there was also intense family drama happening for both MCs that was believable and challenging to navigate in the light of a new relationship. I feel like there was maturity in making decisions that felt real, it didn't feel like an unrealistic love story but rather a real complicated situation that the two are navigating how to be there for one another while also needing to figure out their own lives and how they can fit into one another's futures. It was emotional, funny and just all around a really enjoyable book and a fast read.

Abby has done it again! It’s very rare to find an author whose books continue to get better with each new publication. Abby Jimenez does this with such ease that you question if she is actually human (she js).

She mixes romance with reality so flawlessly, that it feels real. I enjoyed her focus on mental health and trauma, in this novel.

I highly recommend this novel and will likely add this one to my list of books that I reread over and over again!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

"Just for the Summer" by Abby Jimenez earned a solid 5 stars from me, and let me tell you, any book that can evoke happy tears deserves all the praise.

The story revolves around Emma, a traveling nurse with no intention of settling down, and Justin, who's about to become the guardian of his three younger siblings and is in desperate need of stability. Their unlikely connection begins when they both realize they share a curse: every person they date finds their soulmate immediately after breaking up. Their solution? Four dates, a kiss, and a breakup. Just for the summer.

From the moment I delved into the story with the Reddit AITA post, I was hooked. Time seemed to slip away as I immersed myself in Emma and Justin's journey. Their unconventional arrangement had me rooting for them from the start.

The synopsis perfectly encapsulates the essence of the book: a quirky, yet heartwarming romance set against the backdrop of a charming lakeside retreat. As Emma and Justin navigate unexpected challenges and responsibilities, their connection deepens, leading to genuine feelings that neither anticipated.

🚤🩺 Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez Review 💋🐕

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

💭 Thoughts:
I flew through this in one day! Jimenez works through heavy topics so well, and the chemistry between Justin and Emma was PALPABLE. Trigger warning for difficult parental relationships with mothers, as well as mentioning of trauma from foster care. Back to the love, though! Justin is SO SWEET, and I loved the caretaking and how gone for Emma he was. The book is therapy positive with mental health rep and acknowledges that love can also mean you have to let some people go. I was gut punched as the FMC realized this, but I was also proud of her in the end. This book is so much more than a romance, and I recommend it if you can handle the heavy topics.

Abby Jimenez does it again! She wrote another great book about finding love and exploring emotional trauma - and it all started with a Reddit thread!

So basically Justin (our male MC) is cursed. The women he dates find their “soulmates” after dating him. And then the worst happened when his bestfriend eventually ends up getting engaged to his most recent ex, leaving him with a very unfavorable living situation, and inspiring him to create a Reddit thread that went viral. Enter our girl Emma who saw this and 💯 related to it as she had been experiencing the same thing! So they decided to date in the hopes that after they breakup, they would both find the one. And that’s the agreement: four dates, one kiss, and a break up. Just for the summer

Right!? I swear I flew through the first chapters so quickly! Abby Jimenez writes the best character dialogues ever! She writes the funniest exchanges and the most heartfelt conversations in a way that they all feel real and came from real people!

Even if the book started in a very lighthearted manner, it eventually goes deep and a little heavy. I love how Abby’s books explore human relationships beyond the boy meets girl and they get a happy ever after love story!

“I don’t know how to be a normal human being. I don’t know how to love without being terrified. I don’t know how to fight with you without my first impulse to be to pack up and leave and never see you again.” - oh god. As someone who has an avoidant attachment relationship style, this quote just hit me so much. And if you relate to this too, you definitely have to pick this book up!!

I love all the Easter Eggs and cameos from previous characters in the Part of Your World universe! I love the contrast in personalities between the two leads. Her being so closed off and him sending out golden retriever vibes 😂

Ugh. Just read it friends!! I can’t recommend it enough!

💭 I’m trying to see if the pizza crust theory works. 😂 Do you eat your crusts on pizza?
☕️ I don’t 😂 and my boyfriend does.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this arc, this was my first Abby Jimenez book and it did not disappoint. I loved it so much!

Abby Jimenez is back with another world’s best romance! Emma and Justin seemed drawn together online by a deeper connection that I don’t think either realized. Each has baggage from their past that needs dealing with, and once they meet for the summer, that baggage gets very transparent.
Emma is a travel nurse who changes plans on where to move to next after the online meeting with Justin. So she and her best friend stay the summer in Justin’s hometown so she can meet him.
Justin has had a couple life explosions happen and is hanging in there by a thread. When he meets Emma, he instinctively knows she’s something worth fighting for, if only she can meet him halfway.

This book was amazing!!! I liked how it was realistic to experiences people have in real life but still had those happy, silly moments throughout. I loved the main characters and this is definitely one of my favorite books of the year.

Abby Jimenez does it again. at first, I didn't think this one could beat out Yours Truly as my favorite by the author but by the end, it eked out ahead. Jimenez writes in a way that just grabs you. her romances are fun but with subplots that delve into serious topics, it holds a level of weight that makes for a well-balanced read. Emma and Justin's personal growths throughout the book were both fantastic. I know the bar is on the ground because some of the stuff Justin said had me SWOONING but it was like "ask me for help." there was one moment towards the end where I read one line and had to pause because I burst into tears. Jimenez sees her readers and I"m grateful.

Ok, look. I didn't think she could do it, but Abby managed to create a book I love even more than her previous books. I don't know how she keeps getting better and better. It truly feels like there is no ceiling when it comes to her talent.

So if that wasn't enough to convince you to read this book, I will add that the MMC is the most lovable man ever created. The surveys he sent Emma made my heart feel like it was going to explode. Seeing how calm and patient he was while Emma would try to work through/process the massive traumas from her childhood made me want to jump in the book and hug him (I wanted to hug her even more in those moments though). The healthy communication the two had with each other is something I wish we all were able to do in life. There are so many layers to this book and I would list them all, but I don't want to give away some of the best parts. Just know that you should read it.

Also, I want Maddie as my best friend/bodyguard because she is the absolute best.

Thank you so much to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the arc. I bought my own copy because I had to have it on my shelf to reread throughout time. And thank you to Abby Jimenez for continually cranking out my all time favorite novels.

I AM OBSESSED WITH THIS BOOK! For real, this could be the best Abby J book I've ever read - which says alot since I've read every single one, and adored each of them. This just did not miss. LOVED the tropes, loved the realtionship, loved. the growth! Just perfect!

JUST FOR THE SUMMER is the third book I’ve read by Abby Jimenez and there is just something about Abby’s writing that is captivating and inspiring. The way that she writes completely draws you into the story from beginning to end. It was hard for me to put the book down, it was hard to stop. Her characters are incredible written and have so much depth to them to the point that they feel real. I connected with them so much through their struggles, vulnerability and the moments where they overcame challenging obstacles and found their strength. Justin was amazing, the way that he cared for Emma was beautiful to see. Their interactions together as well as their chemistry was so organic and never felt forced. They had my heart melting and smiling throughout their interactions. My heart felt for Emma, I felt I could relate to her in the moments where she felt small when it came to her mother actions towards her. I’m glad she had a friend like Maddy that ever gave up on her, and was there for her through it all. The cameos and revelations were amazing of past characters from her previous books. I was gasping through them all. Abby is a new favourite author of mine. I love how she intertwined important topics of mental health, family dysfunction, neglect, child abandonment, self-love into a romance story. I’m excited for what she has in story for her future books. Overall Just For The Summer was an absolute masterpiece