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?

Sometimes you just need a feel-good book that hits all the right emotional beats without dragging you through the mud. That’s exactly what Just for the Summer delivered for me.

I picked this one up because I was in the mood for something breezy and summery. I also needed a book to satisfy a summery reading prompt, and this checked both boxes perfectly. It turns out this is the third book in the “Part of Your World” series, but honestly, I didn’t even realize that until after I went to rate it on Goodreads. It reads perfectly fine as a standalone, so no worries if you’re jumping in out of order like I did.

This is only my second Abby Jimenez book, and just like the first one, I found myself really enjoying the story and the characters. There’s something refreshing about reading a romance where the leads actually feel like real people. Justin and Emma are both dealing with realistic struggles, but they’re not weighed down by endless trauma or drama for the sake of drama. They’re funny, kind, a little messy in ways that felt familiar, and they handle things like actual adults—which, let’s be honest, is kind of rare in romance sometimes.

The premise seems out there ate first glance (two people with “dating curses” who agree to date and break up so their true loves will appear), but Jimenez makes it work. There’s a sweetness to how Emma and Justin get to know each other, and while the setup sounds light and a little silly, the story has plenty of heart. When Emma’s estranged, toxic mother shows up and Justin is suddenly responsible for his three younger siblings, the tone shifts just enough to bring in some real stakes. But even then, the balance is spot-on. I never felt like the emotional weight overwhelmed the romance.

I also appreciated how naturally the humor and emotional moments flowed. One minute I was laughing out loud at a snarky comment or awkward moment, the next I was completely caught up in how these two characters were navigating real life challenges. The story doesn’t feel like it’s simply checking boxes. The conflict feels real and arises from who the characters are, what they want, and how their pasts have shaped their fears. It all felt earned, which made the resolution that much more satisfying.

I can honestly say I am now an official AJ fan. This is exactly the kind of modern romance I’m always hoping to find: heartwarming, smart, occasionally laugh-out-loud funny, and grounded in something real. It made me care about the characters, root for them, and walk away smiling. If you love character-driven romance with substance, this one’s worth your time.

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