It’s that time of year again – the weather is warming up, the trees are starting to fill out with leaves, and I am on the hunt for that perfect “beach read” to share with all of you. I love a book that feels light and binge-worthy to read in the hammock or by the pool all summer, and I know it isn’t quite summertime yet, but I am getting a head start with this week’s book, which is a fun little rom-com from fan-favorite author, Abby Jimenez.
Jimenez’s newest book, “Just for the Summer,” begins with a curse. Every time Justin dates a woman, it doesn’t work out; they break up, and she immediately finds her soulmate. Thanks to a hilarious Reddit thread, his curse is now all over the internet. Just when he is beginning to think he will be alone forever, a woman named Emma slides into his DMs, claiming to have the same curse. They devise a plan: They will date each other and break up. Their curses will cancel each other out, they will break up, and they will both go on to find the loves of their lives. It seems crazy, but they are convinced that it could work. Emma hadn’t planned that her next assignment as a traveling nurse would be in Minnesota. Still, she and her bestie agree that dating Justin and breaking the curse is just too good of an opportunity to pass up, especially when they rent an adorable cottage on a private island on Lake Minnetonka. All of this is supposed to be a quick fling, just for the summer - until Emma’s toxic mother shows up, Justin has to assume guardianship of his younger siblings, and things get complicated.
“Just for the Summer” is a funny slow-burn with so many laugh-out-loud scenes (I love the head-lice scene in particular), as well as a bit of a serious current. One of the things that I love about Jimenez’s characters is that they have real problems, and while that inevitably muddies things for them, it also makes them feel so genuine. If you have read “Part of Your World” or “Yours Truly,” you may even recognize some familiar faces in “Just for the Summer,” which is always fun – but if you haven’t read Jimenez’s previous books, no worries, they all stand alone beautifully.
I would say that “Just for the Summer” fits the “beach read” bill perfectly, but I am still going to keep searching for more perfect books to add to our pool bags over the next few months. Come on over and check out my Instagram @allison.the.reader and let’s compare notes!
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