This is the first novel Abby Jimenez wrote (she went back and wrote the Friendzone after) and I do think that her earlier books have some more instancThis is the first novel Abby Jimenez wrote (she went back and wrote the Friendzone after) and I do think that her earlier books have some more instances of really unhealthy behaviours being romanticized (as is common in romances).
I still think the bones of what makes her a great writer are here 1) complicated characters who deal with really hard things like grief, illness and complicated families 2) nuanced protayal of villain characters but there's also elements I roll my eyes at or cringe....more
I really enjoyed following Ember and Danuwoa's love story (told from Ember's first person) and I look forward to reading more Danica Nava.
A highlightI really enjoyed following Ember and Danuwoa's love story (told from Ember's first person) and I look forward to reading more Danica Nava.
A highlight for me (and I think many) is when her racist boss asks for 'the Indian' she sends in her South Asian colleague rather than Danuwoa. The micro and macro agressions are rooted in her own experience in the corporate world and I think this is the strongest part.
I always prefer dual perspectives as it allows for fuller story and development of the love interest. Danuwoa is a very static character (which can be a good thing) but if I had of seen more of his inner world I would have been pulling for their romance more. This is often something that develops as a writer writes more so I have confidence.
This is spicier than I would like. So for those who prefer closed door romances I needed to skip a lot of scenes....more
Over the last few months I have read and loved Abby Jimenez's Part of Your World series and gone back and loved Life's Too Short (third book in this sOver the last few months I have read and loved Abby Jimenez's Part of Your World series and gone back and loved Life's Too Short (third book in this series), I was worried going into her back catalogue because authors normally develop and grow as they write and when I was set at ease with Life's Too Short this one definitely was not as good as her later books.
Abby Jimenez is fantastic at writing about disability/chronic illness and complicated family dynamics. She also likes including dogs and kids. This has it all. But it also has some more tired tropes of 'military/protective guy' and 'cool girl whose never cried/who eats food' and there are nuanced depictions of this in other books and she does bring depth to these tropes at times but it also isn't as strong as her later books. Also this book is a lot about emotional cheating and 'she'll change her mind' and just other things that I hate.
Painful periods and infertility are topics super close to my heart and I cried so much and they had good chemistry but parts of the book still left a more sour taste in my mouth....more
Excellent! Two years ago Zoe Washington helped her dad get exonerated and released from prison, now she's fourteen, and learning about what life afterExcellent! Two years ago Zoe Washington helped her dad get exonerated and released from prison, now she's fourteen, and learning about what life after prison is like for those who served time....more
I know this isn't a fair complaint but this is not my Knightley, what have they done to you, GEORGE???
Spoilers galore:
They decided to make a completeI know this isn't a fair complaint but this is not my Knightley, what have they done to you, GEORGE???
Spoilers galore:
They decided to make a complete overhaul of his personality into a no strings businessman that Emma has watched bring women to his house over the years. And rather than having a heartfelt, tender scene where they admit their love, they have sex and then Emma worries for days about how he might only want to hook up with her???? What. How do you read Emma and adapt Knightley like that? I don't understand. And their arguments rather than good natured kindness and accountability in friendship are rude and needs to learn to be nice? Like they told me they were attracted to each other but there was little scenes where I felt the chemistry and looooong friendship.
Emma is one of my favourite books of all time and I love Mr Knightley, particularly for the way he is kind, sees the best in people and calls her out when she needs it. Rather than patronizing, it shows that he respects her. Doesn't view her as indulgent child but wants her to grow, develop. And I really love that in a relationship, I think Lizzie does this for Darcy, Marianne and Elinor do this for one another. Healthy relationship include calling each other out in love.
I thought many of the changes were interesting, I can tell that Clueless was also a big former of the character/world of a modern Emma. I think some worked better than others, many characters slotting into various other people's roles. I think Miss Bates's modern interpretation was the best.
I don't know about Harriet's because her change kinda makes Emma not learn lessons. Essentially the only lesson learned was to be kind to Miss Bates. Nothing else she did was out of line. So we kinda gave that role to Knightley but his character progression also was weird. It created this element that made their romance less appealing and didn't fully resolve it.
The characters of Frank Churchill (Montgomery Knox) and Mr Elliot (Zayne) were just sooo shallow. They had barely any air time and their motives were so paper thin and they were gross. Both became almost satires of themselves, and Zayne tried to force himself on Emma (fair interpretion) but Montgomery kinda tried to corner her too, he from the first time alone tried to have sex, then again the next time he saw her. It was just creepy and predatory, and as someone who likes Frank (he's flawed but has a good heart) it was not fun to have him be such a one dimensional misogynist jerk.
I know I'm talking about the adaptaional parts of it but I also just don't think I'd like it of it was completely divorced from Jane Austen.
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I think the authors are lovely and I love that they are friends that worked on this together and that is so sweet. I just have feelings....more
This was fun but it left me wanting, and though he was working through it I struggled with Alex's jealousy and moodiness. I liked that it was not presThis was fun but it left me wanting, and though he was working through it I struggled with Alex's jealousy and moodiness. I liked that it was not presented as appealing but it was still offputting
Also,I know it comes with the territory but I prefer less spice. More relationship building less physical chemistry building....more
I dnfed this book years ago but then after a mad dash through her more recent titles I wrapped around and I'm so glad I did. I really apperciated thisI dnfed this book years ago but then after a mad dash through her more recent titles I wrapped around and I'm so glad I did. I really apperciated this friends to lovers romance. I loved seeing Alex and Poppy throughout the years and seeing them as genuine supportive friends.
A good testament to setting down the book when it's the wrong time....more
Abby Jimenez's commitment to writing disability rep as well as family dynamics and mental health fills me with so much joy. This story follows VanessaAbby Jimenez's commitment to writing disability rep as well as family dynamics and mental health fills me with so much joy. This story follows Vanessa and Adrian, Vanessa is the guardian of her newborn niece and is facing a terminal illness. ALS has killed her mother, aunt and sister all before the age of thirty, at twenty-eight she's feeling her arm already lose function. Three years ago when her older sister died, she became a travel vlogger and now she is stationary for the first time. She meets her neighbour at 4 am when he knocks on the door to ask her if he can help with the screaming baby. Their friendship begins there and Abby Jimenez is very gifted at writing actual friendships, there's flirtness at times but they are friends and I love that.
Romcoms always include people being much more brave than they are in real life, being like, hey I'm gonna call you or follow up or help with your baby, the thoughts that cross your mind but never do. But after that 'unreality' of it, it really just follows people living life.
This is my fourth of her books after her Part of Your World series and I was afraid going into her back catalogue but I was not disappointed. Also her books always include dogs and normally kids and that makes my heart happy. And for people who like low spice like me, they tend to have one short scene that is easily skipable. I love it!...more
A decade long friendship turned romance turned break up. This is about Harriet and Wyn but more than anything it's about friendship, being young and gA decade long friendship turned romance turned break up. This is about Harriet and Wyn but more than anything it's about friendship, being young and griwing older, learning what the world is and how we want to live in it....more
I really, really apperciated Jimenez's depiction of trauma and how it affects relationships. I saw myself so much in Emma. A rare feat. Our childhoodsI really, really apperciated Jimenez's depiction of trauma and how it affects relationships. I saw myself so much in Emma. A rare feat. Our childhoods may have been very different but her depiction of 'smallness' and avoidance in traumatic situations mixed with an unbridled belief in people is something that is rarely seen. You either have the clueless happy one or the traumatized shout out one and it's not that Emma isn't shut down in some ways but it doesn't make her cranky or withdrawn from empathy.
Jimemez is dedicated to showing mental health and complicated family dynamics and she shows it again. I really apperciated that Emma and Justin never lie to each other and in tgis case their breakup was fully reasonable, discussed and had no miscommunication about it. This might be the only romance book where the leads are never out of the loop on how their love interest is feeling. Their trauma may get in the way but the other is aware of what is keeping them apart.
I also apperciated that this had barely any spice, there's only one scene with any detail and it's still rather vague/short. As someone who loves closed door romance this is pretty much there.
I also really loved the family aapect. I loved the siblings and that was a beautiful aspect of the romance....more
I apperciated that it broke a lot of the miscommunication tropes by them purposefully communicating their feelings even if they still felt like there I apperciated that it broke a lot of the miscommunication tropes by them purposefully communicating their feelings even if they still felt like there was obstacles.
This was also a closed door romance which is a feat to find. I tend to go through phases of reading ronance and I always leave knowing I care much more about the emotional dynamics between characters (platonic, familial and romantic) than the romance of it. Also as someone who is not very looked based I think I tire of that so often being the running commentary. I want the stories of people (especially) women finding themselves and navigating trauma and community and all of the things with a spark of romance but less 'she's perfect and he completes me' This is less a commentary on Sarah Adams and more of how my hopes lie slightly differently than the intended audience and I don't know what to do because there's a real dearth of only romantically sprinkled funny coming of age in your 20s/30s. And romance can be a big part, I just want it to be a part qnd not a whole.
Ramblings aside this is a solid home town romance, fake dating/coaching, sunshine flirty vibe.
I apperciated the sister relationship and the chemistry between the leads. I was suprised when I read Beach Read and again in this one that we stayed I apperciated the sister relationship and the chemistry between the leads. I was suprised when I read Beach Read and again in this one that we stayed in the female lead's perspective rather than switching between them. I liked both books but I felt like I was missing an element by only seeing Nora's thoughts.
I loved how well versed in books Emily Henry is, so often we get subjected to depictions of books or the literary landscape in a way that feels generic, uninformed or based on a lanscape of a generation ago. I apperciated the references to modern authors like Alyssa Cole and comparing soneone's facial hair to Salman Rushdie's. I died. These are not unpopular authors but they are ones that show a familarity of the literary world now. It felt refreshingly authenic. I can't fully forgive her for her Wuthering Heights references, but that's just personal. I actually laughed out loud when she said she felt like Heathcliff. I chortled. Unceremoniously.
I also apperciated that though they were not crystal on intentions and full feelings, there wasn't any miscommunucation on the fact that the leads are attracted to each other and have feelings. It's more the execution of a relationship and how that is going to work out mixed with trauma and family obligations that was a roadblock.
Showing that Libby and Nora had different dreams, hopes, ideals and senses of home when also loving each other I think was so beautiful and nuanced as the book went on.
One of my best friend's Dad has kidney failure and I have seen the way that it has effected him and how it has effected her. So I was already effectedOne of my best friend's Dad has kidney failure and I have seen the way that it has effected him and how it has effected her. So I was already effected by the representation of kidney/renal failure, dialysis and the long waits and mental health toll as soneone with a chronic illness and as a family member/caregiver. Both can feel helpless. It can feel impossible to imagine a way out. So it meant even more for Abby Jimenez to reveal she herself has a chronic illness that effected her kidney function. She went through all of this.
I deeply appreciate that she brings fully fleshed characters with trauma and fears, I think her boys are a little cinnamon bun for me at times. Like I love a good man but it'a good to acknowledge he'll have his struggles and mistakes as well.
I also apperciate that for 90% of this, it is very closed door. As someone who would love to have no steam, I only had to skip a two scenes in the last 10%. I apperciate friends and relationship building more than the sexual chemistry.
I read this in June and was impressed by the care and depth thar Jimenez provided for her characters and their community, we see honest depiction of aI read this in June and was impressed by the care and depth thar Jimenez provided for her characters and their community, we see honest depiction of abuse (emotional and physical), ptsd, family dynamics and the pressures and the ways legacies can be limiting and claustrophic.
I went on to read Yours Truly and Just For The Summer, both books made me cry and feel so deeply. After reading five of her six books, I went back and reread this one and loved it still.
I like their chemistry, communication and relationship but I'm not a big 'he's my everything/nothing will ever be the same' mentality. Or when Alexis reveals that Neil abused her Daniel replies 'I'd never be mean to you' and it's a sweet moment. I just don't think that's a good model for how to respond to abuse. Both times I thought of that scene and my stomach turned. I think relationships can be safe places, they can regulate our thoughts but it's also good to acknowledge that they also come with disagreements and bad days and even a healthy relationship won't cure the hurt and trauma of an old relationship (I think this is brilliantly discussed in her final book in this series Just For The Summer). But yes, even though I love Abby Jimenez and her cinnamon bun love interests but I still have my gripes. Mainly, she's never swept??? I can imagine not cooking but sweeping? She's a doctor. I don't think you can get through all those years and never sweep.
I love, love, love disability rep and as someone who also became chronically ill young in life this was very meaningful.
I apperciated the fleshing ouI love, love, love disability rep and as someone who also became chronically ill young in life this was very meaningful.
I apperciated the fleshing out if so many minor characters, supportive but not sacchrine parents and a cute love story.
My approach to disability is different, for instance I'm pro labelling. I don't think diagnosis or explanation should be needed as criteria for care but the truth is that one does not get adequate care. I don't think diagnoses are limiting, I think they are expanding. Because it allows the simple fact to exist, be acknowledged and accomodated and not to be a noisy cat prowling in every conversation but awkwardly ignored.
I know there is a nuanced discussion, I just have a deep rejection of it because of the barriers I've had to diagnosis.
An entwinning story of sisters, mothers amd daughters. Parts of it worked really well. Parts of it did not.
CW: sexual content, miscarriage/infe3.5 ⭐️
An entwinning story of sisters, mothers amd daughters. Parts of it worked really well. Parts of it did not.
CW: sexual content, miscarriage/infertility, adultery, sexual harrassment/assualt, children exposed to pornography, death, childhood abuse, racism, addiction...more
Kier Scrivener
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