The Friend Zone, a contemporary romance novel by Abby Jimenez perfectly quenches your thirst for a summer rom-com read without sacrificing quality of writing and plot. I picked this book up because the cover caught my eye, found myself a few pages in and could not put it down. Here are my (spoiler-free) thoughts:
Characters
I fell hard for the characters of this one. The plot features Kristen and Josh, two soon-to-be lovers who know in their hearts the romantic tension is oh-so present, but do everything they can not to act on it. Well, kind of. Kristen’s tough-girl attitude matched with Josh’s strong sense of predation (he will do anything to catch what he’s been staring at), calling for intensity, tension and thrill. The best part is, it’s not too unrealistic, making the read fun and relatable. Most importantly, Kristen’s growth throughout the novel highlights the power of femininity and rules we should all follow: do not settle, know your worth, set your boundaries and be yourself. Kristen embodies these perfectly, making her character that much more inspiring.
Storyline
Yes, it is the cliche joining of two characters who can’t be together but want to be so dearly… yet it accomplishes this in a way that is strong, empowering, inspiring and thrilling. The Friend Zone captures all your feelsy needs without making you cringe at how the story unfolds.
Writing Style
This book is outright hilarious. Jimenez uses wit, sarcasm and plain-old humor to heighten each interaction between Josh and Kristen, adding both to their relationship and your experience as a reader. Jimenez is an incredibly talented writer, and I am stoked for her next piece, which is expected to release sometime 2020!
Themes
The Friend Zone is extremely eye-opening relationship-wise. It’s kind of a novel and handbook in one. Here’s what I picked up:
1. Know your boundaries, and make them clear.
2. Know where your worth rests and what it is.
3. Know what you want, and make it clear.
4. Do not settle, ever.
5. Communicate. Communicate. Communicate.
Mood
The Friend Zone makes you feel everything: excitement, joy, love, lust, sadness, fear… pick it up and feel them for yourself!
Final Thoughts
It’s just, so good. The title may be misleading— forming incorrect assumptions about how the story and how it’s written as to be something cliche and old, but it is everything but. Perfect to read before bed, during the day, or when you just want to be immersed into a world that is not yours. Read away!