Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez: A Must-Read Romance for 2024

Abby Jimenez books never fail to deliver when it comes to pulling on all your heartstrings. Just for the Summer is her 2024 romance release and I’m sharing all my thoughts on this amazing book in my review below.

*Disclosure: This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Just for the Summer Summary:

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 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.

Just for the Summer: My Review

I was totally late to the party when it comes to Abby Jimenez books, having only read Yours Truly last year. I absolutely loved it so of course I had to read Just for the Summer to see if that streak continued or if she’d be a one-hit wonder for me. Well, after finding myself fully pulled into Justin and Emma’s lives from the very first page I’d say that I’m an Abby Jimenez fan for life. OMG, can this woman write!

I honestly was off in my own world for several hours after reading this because I just had to sit with everything that happened and just embrace these characters a bit more before saying goodbye.

Jimenez made me feel everything with these characters. She made me weep with such heartache, she made me bawl my eyes out with compassion and empathy, and she made me smile with such sweetness. I had SO MANY feelings throughout this book and I’m thankful for the entire ride.

What makes a great author stand out from a mediocre writer is the fact that they can create such engaging characters with interesting backstories that don’t feel two-dimensional, fake or perfect. I felt like she created a romance for Justin and Emma that truly read like a “real” romance. Full of sweep me off my feet moments, but also full of realities that made this happily-ever-after so hard fought and earned.

I think it can be easy for some to write a fairytale romance but to write a romance with characters that have to deal with real-world problems such as neglect, denial, and family responsibilities is something else.

I absolutely loved the bits of symbolism that Jimenez used throughout the book to depict various elements – the island, the rose bush, the dog, even the hair dye and lice.

I honestly picked up this book because I loved her last book and I thought this book summary sounded super cute. Two people who feel like they are cursed in love come together to break said curses. I’m so down for it. So I wasn’t expecting this book to be so heavy and to deal with some intense subject matter and mental health issues.

I think the issues of abandonment, trauma, and avoidance that Emma faces could be triggers for some folks and I vacillated from feeling such sadness, anger, and hope for her. Gosh, how I wanted to just tell off her mother so many times.

Then there’s the heaviness that was weighing down Justin’s shoulders. What a man he is. I loved every single thing about this hero who stepped up not only for his siblings but for Emma time and time again.

Maddy may have been a side character but she is a goddess. Never has there been a better friend written in romance. I admire her so much.

I don’t want to say too much about the plot for fear of giving away spoilers, but I cannot recommend this book enough.

I find that it is those books that pull on my emotions in such a way that I’m moved to tears are often the ones that stick with me long after finishing the final page. This was a tough read in some respects but man was it so, so good.

Thank you Abby Jimenez for sharing your craft with the world.

*Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

More Abby Jimenez Books:

• Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez

Book Lists With this Book:

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• April 2024’s Top 11 New Romance Book Releases
• Best Meet Cutes in Romance

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