For spring break this year, I traveled to the Dominican Republic with two of my friends. One of the most pivotal parts of my tanning routine involves flipping through a current read for hours. One of the books I bought on my trip was Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez. It’s safe to say that by the time I sat on my flight back to New York, I had reached the final chapter and dreaded the eventual end of the book.
Jimenez’s novel is crowned a #1 New York Times bestseller and a Good Morning America Book Club Pick. The cover screams summer, one of the reasons I picked it up for my mid-semester intermission on the beach. If you’re looking for the perfect read that gives you adorable humor and chemistry, flirty banter, and a bit of emotional depth, Just for the Summer is the perfect book for you.Â
At first, it seemed like a rather light and flirty romance novel, something I’ve never shied away from. By the end, I was not only surprised by the way the characters had captivated me, but was extremely impressed with Jimenez’s ability to craft a novel that left me unable to put it down for three days straight.
The story follows Justin and Emma, two individuals with nothing but bad luck to describe their past dating experiences. They meet through Reddit (of all places—This shocked me too!), and discover everyone they’ve dated in the past ends up meeting the one right after breaking up with them. After some back-and-forth flirtiness, they decide to date each other, hoping to break the pattern of bad luck they’ve found themselves stuck in. Their dating experiment started as an innocent and friendly exchange of companionship, but later became something so real and raw that neither could truly comprehend the transition.
Abby Jimenez has a gift when it comes to writing characters who keep you hooked. I found myself rooting for both Emma and Justin throughout the novel, yearning for a happy ending. Emma, the traveling nurse with a far too complicated past, is fierce and independent but carries the burden of unresolved trauma. Her fear of vulnerability is what makes her an easily relatable character. Justin, the witty and clever man, is sweet, self-aware, and patient. He is also no stranger to a complicated past, as he has been granted guardianship of his much younger siblings while dealing with the struggle of maintaining a relationship with family.
One of the things I loved most was how natural Emma and Justin’s relationship felt. Their initial connection felt real, as if I were in Emma’s shoes the whole time. Jimenez excels at never forcing intimacy or a romantic connection, even when you may be waiting for something to happen. She lets both Emma and Justin develop slowly, throwing in a bit of humor here and there, allowing them to become such lovable characters.
Just for the Summer is the kind of book that really did surprise me. I picked it up expecting a lighthearted, summer romance that would occupy my endless hours sitting by the pool. By the end of the week, I had put it down, thinking about my own relationship patterns, struggles, and fears. Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez is heartfelt and deeply human. It was the perfect beach ride. Maybe it would be for you too?