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Quick answer: If you loved Just for the Summer, read Abby Jimenez's The Friend Zone, The Happy Ever After Playlist and Part of Your World, then try Book Lovers and Happy Place. All mix big laughs with emotional, grown-up storylines.
Abby Jimenez writes romance that is funny on the surface and honest underneath, and Just for the Summer pairs two people who believe their love lives are cursed. Readers love her warmth, her banter and the way she lets her characters be vulnerable. The books below share that mix of humour, heart and a satisfying happy ending.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Friend Zone | Abby Jimenez | Adult | more Jimenez |
| The Happy Ever After Playlist | Abby Jimenez | Adult | grief and humour |
| Life's Too Short | Abby Jimenez | Adult | family and romance |
| Part of Your World | Abby Jimenez | Adult | small-town love |
| Beach Read | Emily Henry | Adult | banter and depth |
| People We Meet on Vacation | Emily Henry | Adult | friends to lovers |
| Book Lovers | Emily Henry | Adult | workplace sparks |
| Happy Place | Emily Henry | Adult | second-chance romance |
| The Love Hypothesis | Ali Hazelwood | Adult | fake dating |
| The Unhoneymooners | Christina Lauren | Adult | enemies to lovers |
| The Flatshare | Beth O'Leary | Adult | sweet and quirky |
| Seven Days in June | Tia Williams | Adult | adult romance |
| Love & Other Words | Christina Lauren | Adult | second chances |
| One Day in December | Josie Silver | Adult | slow burn and longing |
| Well Met | Jen DeLuca | Adult | quirky settings |
1. The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez
Kristen and Josh become friends at a wedding, but she hides a medical problem that makes her sure she cannot be with him. Funny, real and moving, it is Jimenez at her best and a natural first stop.
Best for: more Jimenez.
2. The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez
A grieving woman finds a lost dog and ends up connected to a rock star. The story handles loss with honesty and still makes you laugh, which is the signature Jimenez balance.
Best for: grief and humour.
3. Life's Too Short by Abby Jimenez
Vanessa becomes the guardian of her half-sister's baby and meets a neighbor who helps. It is both a rom-com and a story about caregiving, with real tears along the way.
Best for: family and romance.
4. Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez
A doctor from a wealthy family falls for a small-town mechanic after a car accident. The class differences and a quiet mood give this one a different feel but the same heart.
Best for: small-town love.
5. Beach Read by Emily Henry
Two rival authors swap genres for a summer and fall for each other. Henry gives the same blend of jokes, grief and chemistry that Jimenez fans enjoy.
Best for: banter and depth.
6. People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
Best friends take a trip every summer until one goes wrong. The story jumps through past trips and builds a slow, satisfying reveal.
Best for: friends to lovers.
7. Book Lovers by Emily Henry
A hard-edged literary agent and a book editor keep running into each other in a small North Carolina town. A smart play on small-town romance tropes.
Best for: workplace sparks.
8. Happy Place by Emily Henry
A group of friends spend a week at a cottage while two of them hide their breakup. Sweet and sharp, with real emotion beneath the jokes.
Best for: second-chance romance.
9. The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
A PhD student fakes a relationship with a famous professor to convince her friend. Light, funny and aimed at science lovers.
Best for: fake dating.
10. The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
Olive and Ethan are the only wedding guests who avoid food poisoning, so they take the honeymoon trip. A classic enemies-to-lovers comedy.
Best for: enemies to lovers.
11. The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary
Two strangers share a bed in turns, one at night and one by day, and begin leaving notes. Warm, British and surprisingly serious about abuse and recovery.
Best for: sweet and quirky.
12. Seven Days in June by Tia Williams
Two writers who once had a short, intense affair meet again at a literary event. Stylish, sexy and wise about pain and healing.
Best for: adult romance.
13. Love & Other Words by Christina Lauren
Macy and Elliot were best friends as teens and meet again years later. The story moves between past and present with big emotion.
Best for: second chances.
14. One Day in December by Josie Silver
Laurie sees a man through a bus window and spends a year looking for him, then meets him through her best friend. A cozy winter story with longing.
Best for: slow burn and longing.
15. Well Met by Jen DeLuca
A woman helping her sister at a Renaissance faire clashes with a grumpy schoolteacher who plays a pirate. Feel-good and funny, with a theatrical setting.
Best for: quirky settings.
How to Choose
If you want more of the same author, begin with The Friend Zone, The Happy Ever After Playlist or Life's Too Short. For rom-coms with banter, pick Beach Read, The Love Hypothesis or The Unhoneymooners. For emotional stories with a bit more drama, try Happy Place, Love & Other Words or Seven Days in June. For something sweet and cozy that you can finish in a weekend, choose The Flatshare, One Day in December or Well Met. Several books discuss grief, illness or abuse, so check the content notes if you prefer lighter reads.
Related: 15 Books Like The Summer I Turned Pretty You’ll Love: Summer Love Triangles and Coming-of-Age Romance · What Age Is The Summer I Turned Pretty Appropriate For? A Parent’s Guide
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Just for the Summer part of a series?
It is a standalone novel, though Jimenez's earlier books share a similar tone and some connections.
Which Abby Jimenez book should I read first?
The Friend Zone is a popular starting point, and The Happy Ever After Playlist follows a similar emotional path.
Are Abby Jimenez books sad?
They have funny scenes and happy endings, but many deal with grief, illness or family trouble, so expect tears.
Are these books spicy?
The level varies, but most Jimenez and Henry books have a moderate level of steam.
Which book is best for a summer read?
Beach Read, People We Meet on Vacation and Book Lovers are favorites for the beach.