★ 02/05/2024
Bestseller Jimenez (Yours Truly) delivers an emotional tour de force in this intense tale of love, loss, and childhood trauma. Emma’s life has been defined by the chaos caused by her unstable mother, Amber, who abandoned her for long stretches of her childhood. Now a traveling nurse, Emma avoids putting down roots and doesn’t form emotional bonds outside of her best friend, Maddy. When she does date, her exes always seem to go on to find the love of their lives immediately after the breakup. After Emma and Maddy stumble on a Reddit thread from a man with the same “curse”—every woman he dates meets “the one” after dumping him—she impulsively reaches out to commiserate, putting her in the orbit of cute, funny, and strong Justin Dahl. Justin’s life is in a state of upheaval—his mother is about to serve a prison sentence for embezzlement and he’s taking custody of his young siblings—but he falls hard for Emma, who takes a temporary nursing gig in Minneapolis to explore their chemistry and hopefully break their shared curse. When all hell breaks loose in Emma’s life after shocking family secrets come to light, will their relationship withstand the emotional fallout? Jimenez has a clear-eyed and empathetic take on how childhood trauma can affect adult relationships, and keeps the story grounded in the characters’ complex and believable emotional realities. Readers will be deeply moved. (Apr.)This review has been updated to remove spoilers and correct the misspelling of a character’s name.
Jimenez is a true talent.”—Emily Henry, New York Times bestselling author of Beach Read
“Abby Jimenez has proven time and time again to be one of our must-read writers.”—Cosmopolitan
“An emotional tour de force.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
“With a perfect sense of literary aplomb and an abundance of deliciously sharp wit, Jimenez continues on an extraordinary upward trajectory with another gorgeously crafted contemporary romance. From moments of irresistible comic charm (a date with rescue kittens from the Bitty Kitty Brigade) to a compelling and compassionate story line that deftly and delicately deals with the impact of trauma on a person’s emotional and physical well-being, Jimenez expertly balances humor and heart in this sublimely satisfying love story.”—Booklist, starred review
“The beloved Abby Jimenez gives ‘it’s just a fling!’ a whole new meaning in this ideal beach read… Far more layered than its breezy, beautiful cover might suggest, JUST FOR THE SUMMER is yet another hit.”—Elle
This witty, emotion-filled novel from Jimenez isn’t one to just read, it’s one to sink into.—Library Journal, starred review
“Jimenez builds a beautifully compelling [love story.]”—USA Today
★ 03/01/2024
Justin and Emma are cursed. Everyone they break up with finds "the One" soon after, going on to a life of wedded bliss. But if Justin and Emma date each other, maybe the curses will cancel each other out? That's what Justin pitches to Emma after meeting her online. Emma, a traveling nurse who rarely stays in one place for more than six weeks, thinks it's worth a shot. That's how she and her best friend Maddy find themselves in Justin's state of Minnesota, working at a hospital. It's only for the summer and supposed to be casual, but Justin quickly falls for Emma. Unfortunately, after a childhood of neglect and abandonment, Emma's heart is locked away. The story begins as does the relationship, breezy and easy. As the characters reveal more of themselves in alternating chapters, readers get a front-row, intimate view of each protagonist's thoughts, feelings, and inner conflicts. Undiagnosed mental health concerns, toxic relationships, and PTSD are treated sensitively and realistically. VERDICT This witty, emotion-filled novel from Jimenez (Yours Truly) isn't one to just read, it's one to sink into. Hand it to fans of Helen Hoang and Christina Lauren.—Heather Miller Cover
Fans of the author will welcome back familiar narrators in this stand-alone rom-com. Every woman Justin dates finds her soulmate immediately after they break up. Emma, who is similarly cursed, messages Justin after reading a Reddit thread about his love troubles. The two decide to "fake date" in the hope that their curses will cancel each other out. Real feelings develop quickly, but are they enough to combat the couple's emotional baggage and bad timing? Zachary Webber uses a tender questioning tone as Justin tries to connect with his sister and in another scene is hilariously drunk. Christine Lakin's nuanced performance is perfect, especially when she concedes to a friend that they've done stranger things than "fake date" to find romance. A.L.C. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
2024-02-03
Two people with bad luck in relationships find each other through a popular Reddit thread.
Emma Grant and her best friend, Maddy, are travel nurses, working at hospitals for three-month stints while they see the country. Just a few weeks before they’re set to move to Hawaii, Emma reads a popular “Am I the Asshole” Reddit thread from a Minnesota man who thinks he’s cursed—women he dates find their soulmates after breaking up with him, and the latest one found true love with his best friend! Emma has had a similar experience, which inspires her to DM the man and commiserate. She’s delighted by her witty, lively interactions with software engineer Justin Dahl, and is intrigued when he suggests that if they date each other, maybe they’ll each find their soulmate afterward. Emma upends the Hawaii plan and convinces Maddy to move to Minneapolis for the summer so she can meet Justin in person. The overly complex setup brings Emma and Justin together and the two hit it off, with Justin immediately falling head over heels for Emma. Jimenez then pivots to creating romantic roadblocks and melodramatic subplots centering on each character’s family of origin. Justin’s mother is about to serve six years in prison for embezzlement, which means Justin must move back home to care for his three much younger siblings. Emma was traumatized by her own mother for much of her childhood, left to fend for herself and eventually abandoned in the foster system. When her mother shows up in Minnesota, Emma must face her traumatic childhood and admit that she has prioritized her mother’s well-being over her own. There is little time devoted to Emma’s painful efforts to heal herself enough to accept Justin’s love, which leaves the novel feeling unsatisfying.
A wallowing, emotionally wrenching family drama that leaves little time for romance.
