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Just for the summer
2024
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Library Journal Review
Justin is cursed. Every woman he dates finds the love of her life immediately after breaking up with him. One day, while scrolling Reddit, he discovers Emma, someone who has the same problem as he does. The two connect and hatch a plan: they will date each other, then break up, and hopefully go on to find their own true loves. Then life happens. Justin's mother is headed to prison for embezzlement, and he has to take custody of his younger siblings. Meanwhile, Emma contends with a traumatic childhood and continuing family drama. Amid the chaos, their relationship deepens, and they begin to realize that it might be more than just a summer fling. Jimenez (Yours Truly) offers a new take on the classic fake-dating trope. Christine Lakin and Zachary Webber narrate Emma and Justin, capturing the humor and hopefulness of their romantic endeavor. Listeners can also look forward to plenty of heat in between less intense moments. VERDICT A perfect beach listen, sure to please Jimenez's many fans. Share with listeners seeking a contemporary romance that offers some playfulness even as it addresses issues including mental health, family instability, and PTSD.--Elyssa Everling
Publishers Weekly Review
Bestseller Jimenez (Yours Truly) delivers an emotional tour de force in this intense tale of love, loss, and childhood trauma. Emma's life has been defined by the chaos caused by her unstable mother, Amber, who abandoned her for long stretches of her childhood. Now a traveling nurse, Emma avoids putting down roots and doesn't form emotional bonds outside of her best friend, Maddy. When she does date, her exes always seem to go on to find the love of their lives immediately after the breakup. After Emma and Maddy stumble on a Reddit thread from a man with the same "curse"--every woman he dates meets "the one" after dumping him--she impulsively reaches out to commiserate, putting her in the orbit of cute, funny, and strong Justin Dahl. Justin's life is in a state of upheaval--his mother is about to serve a prison sentence for embezzlement and he's taking custody of his young siblings--but he falls hard for Emma, who takes a temporary nursing gig in Minneapolis to explore their chemistry and hopefully break their shared curse. When all hell breaks loose in Emma's life after shocking family secrets come to light, will their relationship withstand the emotional fallout? Jimenez has a clear-eyed and empathetic take on how childhood trauma can affect adult relationships, and keeps the story grounded in the characters' complex and believable emotional realities. Readers will be deeply moved. (Apr.)This review has been updated to remove spoilers and correct the misspelling of a character's name.
Summary
Instant #1 New York Times bestseller and a Good Morning America Book Club Pick! This witty, slow-burn rom-com is the perfect beach read.



Justin has a curse, and thanks to a Reddit thread, it's now all over the internet. Every woman he dates goes on to find their soul mate the second they break up. When a woman slides into his DMs with the same problem, they come up with a plan: They'll date each other and break up. Their curses will cancel each other's out, and they'll both go on to find the love of their lives. It's a bonkers idea ... and it just might work.



Emma hadn't planned that her next assignment as a traveling nurse would be in Minnesota, but she and her best friend agree that dating Justin is too good of an opportunity to pass up, especially when they get to rent an adorable cottage on a private island on Lake Minnetonka.



It's supposed to be a quick fling, just for the summer. But when Emma's toxic mother shows up and Justin has to assume guardianship of his three siblings, they're suddenly navigating a lot more than they expected--including catching real feelings for each other. What if this time Fate has actually brought the perfect pair together?



Named by Harper's Bazaar as one of the Top 10 Best Summer Romance Books of All Time!



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