Just for the Summer
Part of Your World • Book 3
by Abby Jimenez
Why You'll Love This
Two people date each other specifically to break up — because apparently that's the only way either of them will find true love.
- Great if you want: a rom-com premise so absurd it somehow earns your heart
- The experience: breezy and warm with a slow-burn that sneaks up on you
- The writing: Jimenez balances laugh-out-loud banter with unexpectedly real emotional depth
- Skip if: family drama subplots feel like a detour to you
About This Book
Two people who believe they're each other's romantic placeholder make a deal: date briefly, break up, and watch the universe finally reward them with the real thing. It's the kind of premise that sounds absurd until you realize how emotionally true it is — the fear that you're everyone else's stepping stone, never anyone's destination. Justin and Emma enter their arrangement with clear rules and exit strategies, but Abby Jimenez is far too skilled a writer to let that hold for long. What unfolds is funny and tender and quietly gutting, with real stakes hiding underneath the rom-com setup.
Jimenez writes with a sharp, warm voice that moves easily between banter and vulnerability, and she structures this story so that every comedic beat lands right next to something that actually hurts. The pacing is propulsive without feeling rushed, and the Minnesota setting gives the book a specific, grounded texture that elevates it beyond backdrop. Readers who came for the charming premise will stay for the emotional complexity — this is the kind of story that sneaks up on you.
