Writing: relatable
Plot: such a genuine love story
Rating: 4.5 (rounded up to 5 on Goodreads)⭐️
Quick Notes
🌸 Romance, authenticity and depth – the perfect recipe!
🌸 Golden Retriever man who also has character and baggage (but he carries it well)
🌸 Delves into themes of anxiety, PTSD, and toxic family dynamics, check TWs if you need.
🌸 A mix of heartwarming moments, genuine friendship, and the exploration of heavy themes
Full Review
Okay, so I just finished this book, and let me tell you, it’s like a shot of pure happiness straight to the heart!
The whole story kicks off with this viral Reddit post about Justin being cursed in love – like, every girl he dates finds her soulmate right after they break up. Total rom-com gold! The Reddit post goes viral and Emma comes across it, and here’s the kicker: Emma, a travel nurse, is dealing with the same curse!! So she slides into Justin’s DM and they’re like, “Hey, let’s break each other’s curses by dating!” Problem being, Emma is supposed to be off to Hawaii for her next gig, and Justin is in Minnesota. They start texting – and eventually calling – and Justin keeps trying to convince her to come to Minnesota instead…
The first few chapters were long-distance texts and calls between Emma and Justin and honestly, that was my most favourite part. They are so real and relatable, you can’t help but root for them. And don’t even get me started on Justin’s sweet gestures – that pre-date questionnaire? Freaking adorable! And Maddy? Top tier. Best friend goals.
So, you’ve got Justin and Emma dealing with their love curses and trying to break them by dating each other, which is already super intriguing. But then, things get real when Emma’s toxic mother shows up out of the blue, stirring up all kinds of drama. And let’s talk about the anxiety and PTSD themes – they’re handled with such care and authenticity. It adds this whole other layer of depth to the story that hits you right in the feels.
But amidst all the heavy stuff, there’s still plenty of light-hearted moments to keep you smiling. And can we please give a round of applause to Maddy for being the ultimate friend through it all? Seriously, she’s a rockstar. So yeah, Just for the Summer isn’t just your typical rom-com – it’s got heart, it’s got depth, and it tackles some real-life stuff too. Definitely a must-read, but fair warning, have some tissues handy!
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