From the publisher:
Instant #1 New York Times bestseller and a Good Morning America Book Club Pick!
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?“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 reviewThis witty, emotion-filled novel from Jimenez isn’t one to just read, it’s one to sink into.―Library Journal, starred review
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Jimenez’s latest may be her best yet, and that’s really saying something. Our main character, Emma, has dealt with so much trauma in her life, mostly from her mother abandoning her over and over again. Eventually, she ends up in foster care and lucks out. Her foster sister, Maddy, becomes her best friend and while Maddy’s moms want to adopt Emma, she is holding out in hopes of her mother coming back.
Over the years, her mother reappears in her life when she needs money, than vanishes again. Emma has no one to rely on besides herself and Maddy. They both become nurses, and they work as traveling nurses. They take short contracts, 6-8 weeks or so, and travel the country that way. Everything Emma owns fits into two suitcases and that’s just how she likes it.
Then, in a weird coincidence, she reads about a man whose ex-girlfriends always find the love of their lives after they break up. He becomes an internet meme and it turns out that Emma has had the same experiences. She messages him, and they start talking and find they really enjoy each other. Emma persuades Maddy to switch their next trip to Hawaii for Minneapolis, so she can meet Justin. They decide to date four times and break up, thereby forcing fate to lead them to their perfect partners. Except, of course, they are perfect for one another. But they both have a lot of baggage to sort through.
Justin lost his father several years earlier, and his mother has recently been convicted of embezzlement and will be leaving for prison shortly. He has three much younger siblings and has taken on guardianship while his mother is away. On the other hand, Emma never dates men with children, it is one of her firm and fast rules. But all the rules seem to fly out the window with this man.
In a horrible turn of events, it turns out their landlord is Neil, the head of surgery at the hospital where they will be working. The women are told he is really awful to the nursing staff. And to complicate things further, Emma’s mom, Amber, shows up and, in the blink of an eye, has moved in with Neil and is back to ignoring Emma. Maddy knows just how bad Emma’s mom can be, and they try to warn Neil but he his happy with her. For now.
Eventually, everything converges into one big dramatic mess, and it seems impossible for anyone to get out unscathed. But just when it seemed like an impossibility for anyone to get a happy ending, Justin and Emma find theirs.
This was such an emotional read. I loved these characters and the way they fit together was just inspiring. There is an author’s note at the end about writing a character with mental illness, and personally, I think she really nailed it here. I loved this book.
4/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
JUST FOR SUMMER by Abby Jimenez. Forever (April 2, 2024). ISBN: 978-1538704431. 432p.
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