TW: Talk of death, degenerative illness, drug addiction, and mental health issues, including OCD

I am a big believer that we should enjoy life to the fullest. It's a bit morbid to think that each day might be the last day of someone's life, but that's what makes life so precious.

Vanessa is a travel vlogger and single mom, but her content creation has taken a hiatus because of her newborn baby. When hotshot "Jesus Abs' lawyer Adrian comes to Vanessa's rescue, they form an unlikely friendship. However, that's all there can be, as Vanessa has vowed not to complicate her life anymore. Like her mother and sister, Vanessa has assumed that she won't live a long life, and she doesn't want to become a burden to anyone.

This is a friends-to-lovers romance where we see a similar theme as the author's previous books, where two people can't be together because of an illness. But, fear not, this has a 'happily ever after ending, but I didn't like how the baby(Grace) was all but a prop in their romance.

[spoiler alert]
Vanessa has ALS or Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, which you'll recognize if you've read or heard about Stephen Hawking or the Ice Bucket Challenge. [spoiler alert]

I loved Adrian and Vanessa's chemistry. They both had come from families who had issues, to say the least, and it was a treat to see both of them get closure with each of their families. It was painful to witness the scenes when Adrian realized why exactly Vanessa was steering clear of relationships, but the baby was nowhere in this scenario. I was so frustrated because the synopsis sold me this book as a single mom/YouTuber and hotshot lawyer-next-door romance.

The sex scenes were quick and fade-to-black; there was no tension, no sweet nothings. If you're someone who expects these things, you'll be disappointed.

Overall, it was a story more focused on how fear of something can hold you back from experiencing all things beautiful that life has to offer. It was a beautiful story that felt more real to me, but it could have been better if the baby was included in more scenes and if there was more romance.

Thanks to the publisher for a copy!

A, feel-good, easy read, especially after a long hard day at work, it takes it away from your mine. I enjoyed and connected with the characters from the first few pages.

Headlines:
Light and dark
Joyful family goodness
Dark clouds

This third installment in The Friend Zone had a lighter feel to it, or so I thought. I think I should know by now that Abby Jiminez's signature is to lure you in then pounch on your feelings, stamp on them a little and then gently pick you up again. That was basically my experience with this book and you can see, I really enjoyed it.

Vanessa was such a bright spark of a character, infectiously joyous, a kind and lovely heart but deeply enclosed inside were these dark shadows. She didn't let them out much and she didn't commit to anyone but her family. Adrian, her neighbour, lawyer, owner of impressive abs was a quietly lovely character.

This story was built around a quick but deeply evolving friendship that made for invested reading. The baby of the piece, Grace was pretty delightful even though her personal story was tragic. I loved everything around this little unit, their bonds and banter.

However...I hit a point in the book where I thought oh my goodness please do not take this story, these characters there. I was preparing to throw the book at the wall but the book was saved. The tension is still in my body while I write this review. Kudos to Jiminez for that ability to have me so invested.

I have loved this series, I don't know if there is more to come but I am a fan of this author's writing, characters and wit.

Thank you to Piatkus/Little Brown UK for the review copy.

A chick lit for the age of YouTube. A worthy read that highlights a serious disability, drug use and mental illness and deals with them all very tastefully. It's a very well written book with some thought provoking moments. The characters were very well developed throughout thebook. Vanessa was such ray of sunshine in spite of everything she had to be face in her life, while Adrian...well he was just too good to be true. An utterly romantic read that runs a lot deeper than your average chick lit. Abby Jimenez will be an author I'll be reading again.

Thanks to Jimenez for giving us another witty and heartwarming romance, and to NetGalley for granting me access to it prior to publication in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Our main character, Adrian, is a lawyer, used to getting his own way and desperate to maintain control over his life. When he can’t sleep one night because of the crying of his neighbour’s baby he doesn’t just get angry...he goes over, muscles in and offers a helping hand. Vanessa, though he doesn’t know it, is an internet sensation. Equally desperate with the outcome of the decisions she’s made, Vanessa jumps at the chance to get help.
Before we know it, our two solitary characters are champing at the bit to spend time with one another. Adrian doesn’t know that Vanessa is convinced she will suffer with ALS, but they do share details of their respective lives with one another and come to depend on each other’s support.
Yes, it’s quite inevitable that they’ll fall in love, but the humour throughout keeps this on the positive side (in spite of its less than positive content). There’s love, laughter and tears, and a healthy dose of issues for characters to work way through.

BOOK REVIEW: Life's Too Short by Abby Jimenez

4.5 stars

Abby Jimenez is the queen of writing romance with incredibly important themes. In this third installment of the series (can be read as a standalone but you'd be crazy not to read the first 2 books!), the focus is romance story but lead female Vanessa also has a 50% chance of having the degenerative disease ALS. This story is done with such care and so much emotion that I was hooked right from the beginning. As someone that suffers from chronic illness, I understand the need for this kind of awareness and really appreciate the effort and research that Abby Jimenez puts into the representation of each tough topic that she tackles.
The story is emotional and at times a hard read but it is also incredibly funny, filled with romance and has a wonderful focus on family as well. This amazing humour alongside tough issues seems to be the author's trademark and she does it flawlessly.
The characters Vanessa and Adrian are wonderfully relatable. They are like chalk and cheese in their personalities but work so well together. I doubt anyone can read this book and not fall in love with them. Vanessa in particular has such a wonderful attitude about life and is a really inspiring character.
The romance is a slow grow from strangers to friends to a relationship and I adored it. There is an abundance of chemistry and even though there isn't any smut, the book was so good that I only missed it a tiny bit (hence the 0.5 star knock off). I felt some sexy scenes would have added to the story as sex life is talked about but then with fade to black scenes.
As you can tell, I adored this book and urge all romance lovers to read this series from the start! I cannot wait for the next installment next year!

TW: Talk of death, degenerative illness, drug addiction and mental health issues including OCD.

Please note that this ebook was #gifted in exchange for an honest review.

I have enjoyed almost every book in this series. This might be my favourite of the three because I couldn't help but instantly fall in love with Vanessa and Adrain and the adventure they go on. I'd highly recommend this author if you haven't read them before.

Miss Abby Jimenez, you did it again! This book is devastatingly good. A work of art.

Vanessa Price is a popular YouTube Vlogger who spends her time and money raising awareness for ALS, a fatal genetic condition who took her sister away from her, and who she suspects she shares. But when her half-sister suddenly leaves her in custody of her baby daughter, Vanessa is forced to take a step back from work. Unexpected help comes to her from her hot, sexy neighbor, lawyer Adrian Copeland, and sparks fly. Vanessa’s determined to live life to the fullest while she can - but can you risk falling in love, knowing your time on earth may be limited?

We met Adrian in „The Happy Ever After Playlist“, and I was already completely in love with him (though he never stood a chance with poor, heartbroken Sloan), and I definitely wanted to see him get his own book. Adrian is adorable, and I loved his and Vanessa friendship, the way they bonded and grew to care for each other.

You should be warned that this book describes some potential triggers (loss of a loved one, drug addictions, ALS, hoarding, OCD). Abby Jimenez has this unique way of writing about these issues in such a thoughtful, sensitive way, and it enriches the story without making reading too hard.

If I had to sum up this read in one sentence, I’d say that it’s a testament to living your life to the fullest, and living it now, instead of postponing and wondering „what if.“ I’ve felt this energy in every page. I’ve laughed so hard, I’ve cried, I’ve swooned. Everything about this book is just so good, and you can see the author poured her whole heart into it. Moreover, it’s such an apt read, as we're all facing Covid, worried for our dearest ones, wondering what comes after, trying to understand how to deal with life and still be happy now. This book reached my soul, and I am so grateful I got to read it.

„Life’s Too Short“ comes out TOMORROW. Don’t miss it!

Life's Too Short (I should have guessed from the name) hits you right in the feels.

Adrien is a hotshot lawyer with an empty life. Obsessed with control, he's been stuck in a bleak routine. That is until he discovers that a. his girlfriend of 8 months is actually married, and b. that his next-door neighbor is going to bring a universe of color into his life.

Vanessa is a travel vlogger. Her family carries a rare strand of ALS and she is sure that she will inherit the genetic disease before she turns 30. That's why her motto is to live life to the fullest skipping from country to country. That is until a. her sister drops a baby at her doorstep for her to care for and b. her hot next-door neighbor knocks on her door when she has spit-up on her hair.

The chemistry between Adrien and Vanessa is off the charts. Because they are both really broken at the beginning of the book this starts as friends to lovers and is really slow burn. But, oh boy is the payoff worth it.

But, the book is about so much more than their romance. Don't let the bright animated cover fool you, Life's Too Short can get intense real quick. Vanessa is not only trying to deal with her possible diagnosis, but she also needs to make sure her family is ok, and they are a hot mess. Her sister is an addict that desperately needs to go to rehab, her father is a hoarder and is clearly dealing with depression, and her brother can't commit to finding a job.

Adrien helps Vanessa manage all the chaos in her life, Vannessa helps Adrien bring excitement and unpredictability onto his.

The end result is a book that will make you think about your life and how it's important to cherish every moment.

I liked the snappy dialogue between Adrian and Vanessa and the alternating POV chapters. The author has an easy writing style and I found myself laughing out loud more than once. Not too keen on how fatalistic Vanessa was for a good portion of the book and how Grace seemed to vanish from the book whenever her presence would be inconvenient despite the blurb suggesting she was a key part of the story. Overall some weak points but still an interesting read. (3 ⭐️)

Life's Too Short is the third book in The Friend Zone series and is an enjoyable read. The pace was good and I thought the book had a meaningful overall message in it.

The book is written in first person but what I loved was that it wasn't just from one character's point of view. The reader gets inside Adrian's head and Vanessa's. It had me hooked right from the start and there were parts that had me laughing out loud and bits that were super sad. The book deals with some very serious issues and illnesses and whilst it can be difficult in parts to read about it, it definitely raises awareness about them and the impact they can have on the families dealing with them. However, I do think there were quite a few issues running simultaneously which for me, made the book emotionally hard to read at times.

I thought the characters in this book were well crafted though some aspects of their personalities seemed to do a 180 out of the blue, like Adrian being a workaholic and suddenly deciding to work less and spend more time with Vanessa after knowing her for no more than a handful of days.

Overall, I was interested in seeing how this ended and what was in store for the characters and I was pleased that eventually, they got their happy ending.

This book has been marketed as a romantic comedy which are usually my favourites. However, this isn't what this book is. It's a very emotional read that isn't just about romance. Abby has a fantastic way of writing really deep and emotional stories that aren't so heavy as you are reading them but always leave a lasting impact. I read mostly romantic comedies and this isn't what this book is at all but it does have some funny moments which added a lightless to the story which was much needed.

I was instantly hooked when I started reading this that I finished it in a day even though I had work and was really busy afterwards. It's written with dual perspective and in first person which is always my favourite and I flew through the book! I loved Vanessa and Adrian (and baby Grace) and this is their story with them going from neighbours to friends to a couple. I really loved their relationship, specifically in the beginning. They are opposites in a lot of ways but Vanessa really helped him come out of his shell. The way he just instantly stepped up to help Vanessa was admirable.

The only thing I didn't like about this book is that I felt like the ending was a little rushed and I would have preferred more detail there and a little less around half way through the book. But this is more of a personal preference.

There is a lot of heavy topics discussed throughout the book but the one that was most prominent to the story was the fact that Vanessa might have ALS, there is a 50% chance that she might have it has it runs in her family. And throughout the book you don't know for sure whether she has it or not and that is the point. She decides to live every day to the fullest and I think we all need to be a little bit more like Vanessa regardless of our own situations. Also discussed in the book was addiction, death of family members, grief and OCD/hoarding.

Vanessa is looking after her neice and has put her job on hold to do so. It is her neice that bring Vanessa and neighbour Adrian together. They are opposites but soon spending all their spare time together .
Vanessa think life is too shrt and wants to embroce the here and now, knowing she may have an hereditary disease that will lead to an early death like her mother and sister. Although Adrian knows some of what is happening he hasn't realised the full extent and what will happen when he does?

An emotional read.

I liked how it is linked to the previous books too.

This is a really warm and witty book about whirlwind youtuber Vanessa and workaholic lawyer Adrian. They are neighbours but only came to get to know each other when Vanessa’s baby foster daughter was keeping Adrian awake at night and he realised it would be more beneficial to help her than complain and very quickly become great friends. Vanessa lives a full life as she worries it will be limited by a hereditary disease but this also stops her from getting romantically involved with anyone. Both Vanessa and Adrian are great figures, Vanessa with her optimistic attitude and staunch support of her family and Adrian who at times seems too good to be true with the help and support he gives Vanessa. The book is full of life and has a great message running through it and some really interesting interactions!

I’ve read a few books by the author in the past and I must admit that this one is my favourite so far.

The writing was so addictive that made me carry on til the last page and don’t stop.

It’s a great story with many heartbreaking moments but also heartwarming ones that made me think about my life and family and some of my life decisions because yes, life’s too short to overthink sometimes and it’s worth taking a chance on any opportunity that you come across.

Dealing with chronic illness is not fun and the author has managed to give Vanessa some of the real life feelings and emotions that a person can go through and I loved how Adrian is growing as a character as well.

Their sparks and banter are hilarious and so good and I was looking forward to see how everything will unfold and get to that well deserved happily ever after.

I’m always in a hunt for a great romance and this one is not to be missed.

Another sweet rom com from Abby Jimenez, this time exploring chronic illness and dysfunctional families.

There were some missing bits (no spoilers) but broadly I enjoyed the character development and will be reading her future novels.

Thanks to Netflix and the publisher.

'Life's Too Short' is the third book in Abby Jimenez's heartwarming series 'The Friend Zone'. Kristen and Sloane make a fun crossover appearance, which made me miss their dynamic and hilarious friendship, but the main plot is driven by focusing on Vanessa, a YouTuber with a complicated family life, and Adrian, a lawyer who works every hour possible. The chemistry and loveable factor with these two will have you racing through their story in pursuit of a hopeful happy ending.

At the beginning, we see Vanessa trying to care for her sister's newborn baby (the adorable Grace). Enter Adrian in the early hours of the morning who seems to be some sort of baby whisperer. This sparks a lovely friendship between the two, which consists of gourmet food, hours of The Office and nurturing baby Grace. It seems perfect for a loving relationship but Vanessa consistently puts up boundaries preventing anything further developing due to her worry she may have hereditary ALS.

Once again, Jimenez balances moments which made me have a huge smile on my face with much weightier topics throughout. Drug addiction, hoarding and estranged families make an appearance alongside the continual raised awareness of ALS. Jimenez manages to blend these topics alongside expectations of a traditional romance in order to bring a more significant dimension to Vanessa and Adrian's story. Towards the end, the lack of healthy communication and angst slightly overwhelms the plot, with a rushed run to the finish, but this did not diminish my enjoyment of Jimenez's third 'Friend Zone' entry.

Overall, this did not disappoint and is ripe with characters who deserve a romance next. Let's see more of Brent or Annabel! Or maybe it is time for Gerald to find someone new! Whoever it is, I will be first in line to read it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Having read this book I feel so overwhelmed with emotions that I need a box of tissues and half an hour just to get myself right. I don't want to spoil it for anyone but it's such a rollercoaster ride of emotions, and so romantic that you go from feeling like you want to cry one minute to swooning the next. It's also opened my eyes to the life of someone with or at risk of ALS and it's made me want to do more for them so kudos to the author for that also as it's rare to have a fictional story entertain you, as well as motivate you to do something positive. Please read this book, you won't regret it

I will start by saying that The Happy Ever After Playlist was one of my favourite books of 2020 and one of the best romances that I have ever read. So I did have really high expectations for Life's Too Short.
And I really enjoyed this and raced through it in less than 48 hours.
The family dynamics, seeing the two main characters with Grace and Harry Puppins and getting a feel for how grief can affect a whole family and their mental health, were all things that worked well for me.
But there were a few things that stopped me from giving it a higher rating.
I know they both said that they didn't want to date but it was hard not to get a bit irritated when they both clearly knew that they liked each other but do that thing where they say, 'well how could they like me?'. And this is despite everyone in their worlds physically telling them that the other one likes them back.
This went on a bit too long for me and compared to The Happy Ever After Playlist, the payoff wasn't as rewarding as I had hoped it would be.
I was happy that they finally got together but there wasn't that same longing and payoff that I was looking for. And the sexy/intimate scenes were a lot tamer than The Happy Ever After Playlist too.
The topic of ALS and familial genes was handled really well throughout.
However, as someone who has also had to have many, many tests to rule out other illnesses before getting a chronic illness diagnosis, I did find it frustrating that Vanessa wouldn't go to the doctor to get her hand checked.
I can understand her reasoning but you get the impression that Vanessa's hand isn't ultimately going to be an ALS symptom, which is why it really affected me seeing her continue to struggle without going to a doctor to get an opinion, that could take a matter of minutes to do and give her the opportunity to refuse treatment then.
But overall, I really enjoyed the third book in The Friend Zone series and can't wait to read more from Abby Jimenez in the future.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.