Just for the Summer is the kind of book that stays with you.  It’s been nearly a week since I finished it, yet I have the urge to pick it up and read passages from it over again.  Unfortunately, I read it on Libby.  And unfortunately, Libby was so good as to inform me several people were waiting for me to hurry up and finish it (which was not an issue!). Also unfortunately, it is out of stock in my local bookstores.

Is it worth the hype? Absolutely.

It should be noted that Just for the Summer is the third in a series.  I did not know that.  From experience, it can be enjoyed as a standalone, however I could not shake the feeling that the book exists in some kind of cinematic universe, and I should be familiar with the background characters.  An interview at the back of the book with the author had some minor spoilers for the first two books in the series, which is not unexpected, and perhaps others of Jimenez’s books.

Just for the Summer explicitly discusses something that I have not seen in most of the romance novels I’ve read: what happens to love after the butterflies fade.  Not just that, but the shape of love in the middle of the mundane every day.  It’s not uncommon for romance characters to talk about wanting to do life together, but we get to see Emma come to this realization, and for her and Justin to live it out, however new their relationship may be.  After nearly sixteen years of marriage myself, I appreciated seeing this everyday living out of love honoured in print.

The best kind of love doesn’t happen on moonlit walks and romantic vacations. It happens in between the folds of everyday life.

Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez

As I cannot help but approach this book from a Christian point-of-view, it does have one cracked door scene and one open door scene.  Emma takes a casual approach to sex, as does her best friend, at least initially.  As they aren’t Christian characters, and as far as I am aware, not written by a Christian author, I wasn’t exactly expecting them to decide to wait until their wedding night.  One thing I do find intriguing is that it is implied that part of Emma’s more transactional approach to sex (minor spoilers ahead) may be due to her attachment style and childhood trauma.  I did appreciate that while the characters don’t share my worldview, Justin was determined that he wanted a relationship with Emma and not just a casual hook-up, which he was not going for.

The key relationships in this book: Emma and Justin and Emma and her best friend Maddy are beautiful.  Justin is a good boyfriend—and a good brother and son.  That is an understatement. I loved the way Maddy supported Emma without overlooking her behaviour.  Themes of empathy and forgiveness abound without becoming sappy or preachy.  And oh my goodness, without trying to give any spoilers away, the scene when Justin came to the rescue had just the right amount of humour and heroism.

Additional content warnings include frequent strong language and sexual references.  There is a whole list of trigger warnings at the beginning of the book.  Potential triggers that stand out to me after reading it are childhood neglect and abandonment and abuse in foster care.

I am not sure yet if at the end of the month Just for the Summer will end up being a Top Shelf book or a Future Reread.  It will be close.  It is sitting at around a 4/5 stars for me.  I might feel differently after reading the first two books in the series, which I do have on hold.  Should a copy be available next time I am at the bookstore, I would be tempted to buy it.

In all, Just for the Summer was a book I struggled to put down.  According to Libby, I devoured it in less than five hours.  I’m not even halfway through my July TBR pile yet, and its already a standout for this month.

Is Just for the Summer on your TBR or have you already read it? I’d love to hear your thoughts on it!