Justin and Emma are cursed: everyone they date ends up breaking up with them and meeting their soulmate right afterward. So they decide to tempt their fate and manufacture a relationship with a sole purpose of breaking up, hoping that both of them will find happiness in the aftermath. It’s a fun premise that quickly fades into the background, leaving us to deal with flawed characters and raw emotions.

Abby brings us a heartbreaking story about love, life and healing. She really puts the notion of “love conquers all” under the microscope, and for a second there I truly believed that for these two amazing but unfortunate people it might not be the case. That is the power of romance, and Abby’s stories in particular — we all know how it ends, but the hard journey makes us doubt the HEA over and over again.

I loved the story, even though it broke me in places I hadn’t expected. It seems to be a pattern with Abby’s books for the heroes to have trauma from relationships with their parents. As someone with a complicated family dynamic, I relate to that feeling of hopelessness and guilt that comes from separating yourself from your family out of self-care.

I have skipped Yours Truly and read this book a year after I read Part of Your World, but it didn’t hinder my understanding of the plot. In a true soap-opera fashion, all characters from the series came together by the end of this story, which made me roll my eyes a bit but didn’t hurt my enjoyment.

Both the romance and the character journeys were amazing, but I think the individual healing and growth took precedence over romance here, which I didn’t mind at all.

Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️(yes it’s open-door)
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Abby Jimenez is fast becoming my queen of Romance.

After discovering her books 2 months ago I have made my way through her back list.

This story has:

Meet cute
Insta love
Fake dating
Dual PoV

- what do you do When You feel cursed as every single time your end the relationship with the person you are dating your ex partner finds the love of your life - make a Reddit post of course - this is Justin’s life but then he finds a friend in Emma who also suffers with the same curse. Together then come up with a plot that if the meet and date each other surely this will end the curse

Off course it’s not that to simple and we follow the story as they discover their feeling and overcome the numerous obstacles in their way.

If your an Abby fan and have read other books you will be pleased that we have Cameos from some of our favourite past characters

Another stunning read from
Abby

What a roller coaster read, I loved it. I enjoyed the character progression and alternating POV. Would recommend.

This book was an emotional rollercoaster. I loved the initial premise and thought it was a really interesting spin on a meet cute into a love story. I thought the chemistry between Emma and Justin was really great and the slow burn between the two of them had me impatient for them to give in to the sizzling chemistry between them.

I loved the characterisation of Justin and how he went above and beyond for Emma - the unicorn floatie part had me internally squealing with delight. I found Emma a touch repetitive at times, however I could also acknowledge that it was because of trauma response which made me feel more lenient towards it. However I also had a massive amount of respect for Emma and how she knew herself and what was best for her and in the long run for those around her. I thought Maddy was great and I was very much on her side when it came to Amber. The other supporting characters were also, mostly, well rounded.

Also loved the little easter eggs to the other books in the series!

Just For The Summer by Abby Jimenez
I give this book 4.75 stars.

Justin has a curse, every woman he dates goes on to find their soul mate the second they break up. When a woman slides into his DMs with the same problem, they come up with a plan: They'll date each other and break up. Their curses will cancel each other's out, and they'll both go on to find the love of their lives. It's a bonkers idea . . . and it just might work.

This is an author I discovered last year and I’ve quickly made my way through her backlist,she is now an autobuy author for me.
The best summer romance out there!
The authors writing style is addictive and always draws me in from the first chapter,it’s more than your average rom com and this is what i look for in a book.She creates believable characters and makes you truly care about them. Justin is loving and thoughtful,and is all about his family and I fell in love with him. Emma has her walls up and has had a bad childhood with a selfish mother.Maddy is a side character who needs her own book.There is the perfect balance of emotion (trauma/mental health) and fun (dates and questionnaires) The pacing is perfect and I loved seeing familiar names popping up and the epilogue was just what I wanted.
With thanks to Netgalley,Abby Jimenez and Little, Brown Book Group UK | Piatkus for the chance to read and review this book.

Abby Jimenez tells such wonderful stories - I love her writing, find myself highlighting every other page, and invariably welling up on more than one occasion! She really is one of my favourite romance authors.

Justin is a perfect man - he is caring, funny, and also nerdy in a very endearing way (and apparently also over 6ft and really attractive... not sure this man exists but let's go with it 😂) He falls hard and fast for Emma - which I absolutely loved, but also did feel a touch insta-y for me.

Emma is one of Abby's more challenging FMCs - and Abby acknowledged how difficult it was to write a character with an avoidant attachment style in her notes at the end of the book, given how she keeps everyone at arm's length. Emma was quite difficult to warm to, but her character growth was wonderful to read - and I loved the ending so much 🥹

Also a special mention to Emma's best friend Maddy who stole the show - she isn't afraid to tell it like it is, but is so supportive and her love for Emma never wavered! I'm sad Abby wrote her happy ending into the epilogue because I was really hoping we'd get her book 😅

"𝗬𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻. 𝗔𝘀𝗸 𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱."

For me, this didn't quite top Part of Your World (one of my 2023 favourites!), or Yours Truly, but it was still such an enjoyable read and I loved it 🥲

Thank you NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for the eARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Justin and Emma are both cursed: every person they date ends up finding the love of their lives as soon as they break up. After a cute online meet up where Emma slides into Justin’s DMs, they both agree that they will date each other in order to break the curse.

This started off really sweet, albeit a bit cringey. I didn’t mind the pop culture references because the main plot line lends itself to a bit of quirkiness and fun. However, the whole thing derails very quickly and there are so many plot points that I felt like I was reading an early 00’s soap opera.

My main issue with this book was the writing; it was so bland that it was borderline bad. The dialogues were clunky and repetitive, none of the characters’ personalities shone through… it just felt very messy and devoid of emotion, which sadly made me not care about the characters.

The blurb is also a bit misleading in making you think this will be a rom-com. Instead, this is insta-love that fizzles out and gets buried under all the other plot points.

I did really like Justin’s character, he is very sweet and genuine, and I enjoyed his family story-line.

All in all, 2.75 starts rounded up to 3⭐️

I absolutely love the way Abby Jimenez writes romance, she perfectly balances the light hearted with depth and something about the writing just really works for me. I’m very rarely a romance reader but when I am, this is exactly what I want.

I went into this one not knowing too much about it; I didn’t know if it would be linked to the ‘Part of This World’ series but I tell you what, there’s nothing quite like seeing some fave characters pop up is there? I loved the link in a casual way and how it wasn’t too overwhelming or forced.

I like how each of the books has a key message or line that kind of repeats throughout the plot and this one really stood out to me as “meet people where they are at” is something I first heard a few years ago and is something I consciously live my life by so it was really good to see that messaging here. Emma was completely relatable and I loved the metaphor of her island and watching her growth, I related to her a lot. I found the relationship she had with her mum to be really real in the sense it didn’t necessarily make sense to the onlooker, and was pretty typical of an insecure attachment style. I liked seeing that portrayed so well as it’s quite rare those things are demonstrated with all the areas of grey that comes with real life but this was done so so well.

Justin may actually be my fave male in all of these books, I liked his relationship with his family, it felt as though we got to know him alongside Emma but as his own person too and I enjoyed seeing his growth. I liked how they both had so much stuff going on outside of their relationship as life doesn’t stop just because you fall in love which I often find to be the case in books.

Overall I absolutely loved this book. I related to Emma so much, the writing was addictive and compelling whilst also making me grin (who even am I??) which is pretty hard to achieve. Going to be bold and say this series is probably my fave romance series ever.

REVIEW
cw: panic attacks, anxiety, PTSD, depression, grief, undiagnosed mental health issues, toxic parenting, past child neglect
Emma and Justin have something in common: they're always the person someone dates right before they find The One. When Emma reads Justin's viral Reddit AITA thread, an idea is formed. What if they dated each other? Maybe they'd finally break their respective curses, and then find their own true loves.
Abby Jimenez always puts my emotions through the wringer, in the best possible way. She also writes the softest book boyfriends, and Justin immediately stole my heart. He was such a cinnamon roll, hilariously funny but also self-deprecating. I loved the graphics and questionnaires he sent to Emma, and his nervousness on the first date was so adorable. And honestly? Best. First. Date. EVER. Also? If a man wouldn't come to my rescue on a rainbow unicorn floatie, I don’t want him! I loved how much he cared about the people around him, and I found chapter thirty-two profoundly beautiful. Meanwhile, chapter nineteen made me laugh and cry in equal measure. The raccoon situation was too funny. But chapter twenty-one? I bawled. I loved that Justin was so transparent about his feelings, despite his own emotional baggage. He was SUCH a good man. And that birthday gift? Utter perfection.
I adored Justin's friends. I loved that Benny (yes, THAT Benny) and Brad were so supportive of Justin. The whole Brad situation was hilarious. Faith's constant exasperation with Justin's dog's name was amusing. But more than that, both Benny and Brad were sweethearts, and I loved how much they cared about Justin and his family. Speaking of supporting characters, I loved all of the friendships in this book. Maddy was hilarious. Her vetting of Justin was peak friendship, and all of her dating theories were hilariously brilliant. But I also felt her frustration with Emma and how she continually gave her mum (Amber) a pass. I appreciated that she made sure to point out how Amber was so neglectful of Emma, and I could feel her hurt at times. But she was also THE most loyal, supportive friend and I loved how much she cared about Emma, and rooted for her relationship with Justin, as well as helping him understand Emma's trauma.
I went on quite a journey with my feelings for Emma. I was simultaneously heartbroken for and frustrated with her for quite some time. On one hand, I couldn't even begin to imagine how difficult her childhood must have been. Her resilience was commendable, and while I empathised with her, and in many ways could understand her blind hope in her mother, her resistance to what was glaringly obvious at times frustrated me, especially surrounding Amber's behaviour. Still, I'm glad Emma finally opened herself up to love and stability, and I adored how natural she was with Justin's siblings, even when she was struggling. I loved the metaphors with the rose bush and the island. And that twist! It completely reframed my feelings about Emma, and I finished the story loving her.
There were some amazing little Easter eggs from other Abby books. Amber's new boyfriend SHOOK ME, and as for what happened in chapter forty? (no spoilers, but OMG. I was screaming, but also SO angry on Emma's behalf). That chapter absolutely BROKE me, and I'm still not over it. I also loved that Abby didn't take the easy option afterwards, even though I sobbed for most of the rest of the book. Thankfully, she always guarantees a HEA, and this one was perfect, so even though i was emotionally drained by the end, I was also intensely happy.
A heartbreaking but ultimately uplifting story of love and found family. Stock up on tissues!

Overall Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Heat Rating: 🔥

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own*

Favourite Quotes:

“I’ve had a lot of bad things happen to me, Justin. I think sometimes the key to happiness is framing those things in a different way.”

“Maybe home isn’t a place. Maybe it’s a person.”

If you can choose anger or empathy , always choose empathy.

“What happens when water gets into a crack and it freezes?”
“It expands,” I said. “Makes the crack bigger.”
“Unhealed trauma is a crack. And all the little hard things that trickle into it that would have rolled off someone else, settle. Then when life gets cold, that crack gets bigger, longer, deeper. It makes new breaks. You don’t know how broken she was or what she was trying to do to fill those cracks. Being broken is not an excuse for bad behavior, you still have to make good choices and do the right thing. But it can be the reason . And sometimes understanding the reason can be what helps you heal.”

Justin deserved good things. He deserved for the hard things of his life to be made a little easier, the way he made everyone else’s life easier.

The weight of the whole world had just dropped onto my back. A million new responsibilities while I grieved the loss of yet another parent and the inevitable end of the only relationship that I’d ever given a sh*t about.

It’s funny how when you find someone you like as much as I liked her, the destination is suddenly wherever they are. Even if there’s someplace better, you wouldn’t go if they couldn’t come.

Not everything that comes out of crisis is bad. Sometimes your traumas are the reason you know how to help.

“Why did you come?”
“Because you needed me,” he said simply. “I will always come when you call.”

“Justin, I like you more than I’ve ever liked anyone. And it scares me.”
His eyes roamed my face. “I like you more than I’ve ever liked anyone too.” He paused. “I like you more than like.”
We held each other’s gaze.
“I like you more than like too,” I said quietly.

I had no idea how single parents did this. I had no time for anything, let alone myself. But for Emma, I would make time. It wasn’t even a question. I would fit her into the complicated web that was my life. Because when you’re in love, you do hard things.

“You deserve to be appreciated, Emma.”

“You are not what happened to you. You are what you do next.”

A Reddit post from a man who is cursed. Every woman he dates finds their soulmates when they break up but he is yet to find his. Travel nurse Emma has the same curse.

Through DM’s they chat and hatch a wild plan. They will date and then break up and the curse will be broken cancelling each other out.

It's just for the summer. 4 dates, a kiss and a breakup. Then Emma can head off to her next job. But feelings happen not to mention Emma’s toxic mother and the fact Justin is about to become guardian of his siblings.

A nice sweet romance that had you cheering for them both.

Thank you to @littlebrownbookgroup_uk for the eARC.

I couldn’t get enough of Just for the summer by Abby Jimenez. The romance is so so beautiful and gave you the feels. Draws you in and just makes you believe 5stars

Thanks to Netgally and publishers.

It's not often that I'm left completely speechless by a book but... wow! This was my first Abby Jimenez novel but rest assured, I am sprinting to buy the rest! This was a perfect combination of heartbreaking and wholesome. A contemporary romance/lit-fic novel on par with Emily Henry works (or dare I say... better?)
This story follows Justin and Emma, who begin dating after they realise they both suffer from the same 'curse' of their exes going on to meet their soulmates as soon as they've broken up. They devise a plan to date for the summer in the hopes that each will cancel out the others curse and at the end they hope to go on their merry way and find 'the one'. Emma is a travel nurse who lives out of two never-unpacked suitcases and can't stay in one place for longer than 6 weeks. Justin is a software engineer who is in the process of gaining custody of his three younger siblings - essentially the opposite side of the spectrum, From the second he lays eyes on her Justin is smitten, and this man is the definition of 'if he wanted to, he would'... and boy, does he! The pining from him was next level and I just know I'm going to have a crazy slump after this because no MMC is going to scratch the itch he has left behind.
Emma's childhood was quietly traumatic, her neglect affecting her in ways that she doesn't fully understand until she is finally faced with the possibility of a happily ever after. I love how Emma (unknowingly, most of the time) used her negative life experiences to offer advice to Justin and his siblings during a traumatic time in their life. The way this book dealt with mental health was just beautiful - validating the experience of those with complex PTSD.
I rarely find myself caring about side characters in a romance novel (I really just want the romance, sorry!), but Maddy was phenomenal! The way she could see Emmas trauma so clearly and was so consistently honest and gentle with her? The way she knew when to push and when to hold back?? The way she advised Justin of the same? The way she would KILL for Emma?? I could read an entire novel that just follows their friendship, I was that invested.
I could talk about this book endlessly but if you like a romance book that features:
▫️Dual POV
▫️Summertime vibes
▫️Positive mental health rep
▫️Found family
▫️Right person, wrong time
▫️He falls first.. AND harder
▫️Incredible besties
▫️He takes care of her when she's sick
...then I cannot recommend this book enough!!

This was a rollercoaster. Parts were tough to read and I was weeping, neither character has really had an easy go of it. I love the way Justin and Emma both bring such wonderful strength and support for each other and the variety of forms that takes. The third act conflict was rough but necessary, Emma needed that time to work through so much of her past and the ongoing impact it had had on her life. I also loved getting those glimpses into previous couples and the little nods to characters from other books too.

J U S T F O R T H E S U M M E R

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
this book surprised me .. it was slower burn than i thought and the issues dealt with around family were really upsetting at times to read. i found myself feeling blue for the last 15% of the book. it hurt but in a satisfying way - it got me in the feels.

emma is a travel nurse, who goes from state to state with her foster sister/best friend/support person living a 'no strings' life that suits her. a chance encounter online leads to her meeting justin, a software engineer from minnesota who is about to embark on a single guardian life with his siblings. they get to know each other virtually at first and then irl, and feelings develop - but will there issues stop them from reaching out and taking what they want.

there was so many funny moments in this book and this story still managed to touch on some real emotional content and both were done so perfectly. i also loved all the easter eggs and cameos of characters from other beloved abby jimenez books. this book surprised me in the best way possible.

thank you abby jimenez and @netgalley for the arc.

Just for the summer - Abby Jimenez

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Firstly, apologies for the lack of aesthetics, for some reason the beautiful cover from negalley was not translated onto my kindle so this was the best I could do. However, this book was absolutely amazing, for the whole of March I had been stuck in a slump and had not physically read a single book due to being busy with a-levels and one of the worst reading slumps I have ever had. This book got me out of that slump thank goodness. This story is heartbreaking in such a relatable way and the heavy topics in this book are handled with such care and compassion. However the love story is also heartwarming, I absolutely adored the main characters as they were so real, they had flaws and Abby Jimenez was happy to show that. I cried like a baby at parts of this book and I 100% recommend you give it a chance. This book has cemented itself as one of my all time favourite romance books, I absolutely adored it and will definitely be reading some more of this authors works! Thank you so much @netgalley for the opportunity to read and review an arc of this book!

Emma and Justin have something very weird in common. Both consistently date people who have historically found their soulmate, right after dating them. So logically, the only thing to do is to date one another, in hopes that they will also find their person.

Both are struggling with aspects of their lives that make it difficult to be in a relationship, especially once they start developing feelings for one another. Life is bringing up personal trauma for both Emma and Justin and it’s forming cracks in something that was supposed to be fun and just for the summer.

Abby Jimenez always knows how to match her romance with just as much character development and that’s why her books are so addictive. There’s something about a romance where the characters really have to work for their happy ending that makes it just that much better even though you see it coming.

While I didn’t relate to these characters as much as I have in Abby’s other books, they were still endearing and you couldn’t help but root for them, especially in their separate healing journeys.

If you like a solid slice of personal healing and self betterment along with your romance this book is for you.

Thank you NetGalley, Little Brown Book Group, and Abby Jimenez for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Just for the summer by Abby Jimenez

My rating: *****

Genre: Romance, Relationships

Tags: Child neglect, PTSD, Dysfunctional family, Foster care, Prison, Mental Health, Romance, Dual perspectives, M/F, Attachment issues

Justin and Emma both have a curse - if they date someone and break up, then that person will meet their soulmate next, so they decide to date each other to break the curse, and meet their soul mates.

Like other Abby Jimenez books, whilst this is a romance, it also deals with big issues. This one has PTSD, complicated relationships with mothers, foster care and more (I mean, just look at all the tags for this book!) It will put you through the wringer, just the same as Abby Jimenez’s books, but it also has it’s high moments.

Abby Jimenez is one of those authors that is an automatic ‘I NEED to read this’ for me now - I’ve read all of her books, and they have all been 5 star reads. This might read like a love letter to the author, but that love has been earned with her books (and also her Tik Toks!).

Abby Jimenez sets a high standard for her lead men with ‘If he wanted to, he would’ vibes. Jimenez says the leading men in her books are based on her husband, which is just adorable!

My recommendation is to read Abby Jimenez’s books in publication order, if only so you too can have a heart warming moment when someone from a previous book is referenced or pops up, but if you want dip your toe in to see what you think, then yes, start with this one, then you too can read the rest of the books, and look forward to each April, as this is when Abby Jimenez’s books come out! Although, be warned, if you do this, you meet people from previous books, so will know their outcomes!

I was given this book in exchange for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley, Little, Brown Book Group and Abby Jimenez.

🚨 Stop what you’re doing! 🚨 It’s release day for Abby Jimenez’s new book (which is easily a new favourite!), JUST FOR THE SUMMER ☀️⁣
⁣
I feel like I say this every time, but it really is her best one yet 🤩 … Four dates, one kiss and a breakup. Just for the summer. Emma and Justin meet online following a hilarious post by Justin on “Am I the a**hole?” who explains his curse where everyone he ever dates, goes on to find their soulmate right after their breakup. Turns out, Emma has the same curse 😬 They agree to a dating experiment to try and break it!⁣
⁣
I’m obsessed with this book, full of all my favourite things; Witty banter, dual POVs, perfect chemistry, heart felt moments, found family + way more depth and meaning than *just* a romcom.⁣
⁣
Abby’s signature style is ever present - she’s created REAL characters with important themes of mental health, overcoming trauma/ complex family dynamics woven flawlessly into the storylines. It’s an unforgettable meet cute and I loved every minute of - perfect for spring/summer beach read! 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫⁣
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Pick up if you like 👉 EXPIRATION DATES// Rebecca Serle, Emily Henry or Katherine Center books 💕⁣
⁣
review on Instagram tomorrow (Tues 2nd April)

I'm invoicing Abby for emotional damage again she's an incredible writer that's able to mix humour and fun, with amazing banter and VERY deep emotions. Her mental health representation in her books is (in my view) perfectly done. Her previous book, Yours Truly was one of my favourites, the anxiety representation made me feel so seen. This book deals with complex family dynamics, and how she made the romance shiny throughout is just a testament to her amazing deep talent.
Read if you love:
Funny meet cute: the main characters meet virtually on Reddit. They book suffer from a curse where their partners end up married immediately after dating them
They decide to try dating "just for the summer" to break the curse
Complex family issues and emotional journeys for both of them
Justin, the hero, sends questionnaires before and surveys after each date
Thank you to @yourswithlovex Piaktus for for my review copy (eARC). Opinions are my own

This was super exciting, I’m new to Abby Jimenez (this was my 2nd!) and I loved her writing style so much I immediately bought the rest of her backlist!

This was such an exciting premise, the distance to start with had me itching with anticipation and it only got better as the story progressed.

It was a little bit instalovey but I didn’t mind because the characters were so brilliant. I loved Maddy especially and Sarah, they were brilliant! I do think I missed some context by not having read the previous novels but as it is a standalone it wasn’t a big deal

I do wish the romance had been a little more of the focus but I did enjoy the mental health representation and the way this was dealt with, particularly with the epilogue.

I am so excited to read the rest of Abby’s books and can’t wait to see what they’re like.

4.5 stars

Thank you so much to Forever and NetGalley for my e-ARC xx