Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez (ARC Review)

Title: Just for the Summer
Author: Abby Jimenez
Type: Fiction
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Forever
Date published: April 2, 2024

A complimentary digital copy of this book was kindly provided by Hachette Book Group Canada in exchange for an honest review.

Justin has a curse, and thanks to a Reddit thread, it’s now all over the internet. 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.

Emma hadn’t planned that her next assignment as a traveling nurse would be in Minnesota, but she and her best friend agree that dating Justin is too good of an opportunity to pass up, especially when they get to rent an adorable cottage on a private island on Lake Minnetonka.

It’s supposed to be a quick fling, just for the summer. But when Emma’s toxic mother shows up and Justin has to assume guardianship of his three siblings, they’re suddenly navigating a lot more than they expected–including catching real feelings for each other. What if this time Fate has actually brought the perfect pair together?

⤖ My Review ⬻

Just for the Summer sounded like it was going to be a little different from Abby Jimenez‘s other books, so I went in trying not to have too many expectations. I was curious to see how this novel would compare to her other works, and I’m happy to share that I really enjoyed it! Just for the Summer is definitely one of my top 3 Jimenez books. It captured the essence of summer romance while delving into deeper themes, making it a standout read for me.

I found the main characters, Emma and Justin, compelling from the start, and I wanted to push their heads together whispering “now, kiss” from like the first handful of chapters. They felt like they were so meant for each other, so I was rooting for their relationship and for them individually from the start. Both Emma and Justin had their own struggles and I won’t deny I cried for a good portion of Just for the Summer!

Jimenez expertly balanced humor, romance, and emotional moments, creating a story that was both heartwarming and heartbreaking in the best ways with Just for the Summer. I also loved how smoothly and naturally this book tied in with the other books in the Part of Your World series. I was super happy and impressed with how that was handled.

Overall, like I said, this is one of my top Jimenez reads and I definitely 100% recommend it to other Jimenez fans as well as those looking for a read full of summer vibes, laughter, and a bit of heartache (or maybe a lot)!