Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez Review

I recently read my first ever Abby Jimenez book....and it certainly won't be the last! I had heard incredible things about this author, so when I saw 'Just for the Summer' was £3 at The Works, I immediately took a copy to the till. I decided to take it on holiday with me to Barcelona, and it did not disappoint. 

Synopsis 

To find their soulmates, all they need is four dates, a kiss and a breakup . . .

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

This is a huge statement to make, but one I feel entirely comfortable saying....Just for the Summer is the best rom-com I have ever read. I loved everything about it! Firstly, the jokes are actually funny. There's nothing worse than wanting to laugh but instead cringing and getting second hand embarrassment. If you want to genuinely giggle, this book will be right up your street. Jimenez was able to find the perfect balance between creating sweet, heartfelt and intimate moments, but also making you laugh and smile too. It was everything a rom-com should be. 

I loved the two main characters individually, and I LOVED them as a couple. The characterisation was out of this world, and I came to care for them both as if they were real people. This book is not your surface level romance full of lust and sexual tension; it is a very beautiful story of two individuals dealing with their own traumas and hardships, building a relationship and trying to navigate their lives. Jimenez was able to delve into the difficulties of trauma and its impact on everyday life, as well as its effects on relationships. I thought Abby did a stellar job at showing the reality of adult relationships and friendships. Please do make sure to check the trigger warnings before reading, as there is mention of abuse and neglect throughout. Speaking of friendship, Emma's best friend Maddy was EVERYTHING. We all need a Maddy in our lives. 

As if my dating standards weren't already high, Abby went and brought it up a notch. Justin's attentiveness and chivalry was perfection. The things he did for Emma still make me blush, giggle and kick my lil feet in the air (despite me finishing this book 2 weeks ago). Don't even get me started on the quotes! I will definitely have to do a re-read one day and annotate it.

Overall, it was a phenomenal read and I cannot wait to read more of her work. This was actually the third book of an interconnected series (oops), so I'm going to have to go backwards, however I don't think it will ruin my reading experience of the other two, given that her writing is so good I'd happily read her to-do list over and over again.

It goes without saying that I gave this book 5 stars ★★★★★

Have you read this book before? If you have, let me know what you thought in the comments.