Book Review: The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez

“Welcome to my brain. Strap in and keep your arms inside the ride at all times.”

Abby Jimenez, The Friend Zone

Review:

It was interesting experiencing Abby Jimenez’s earlier work after reading her more recent books. Even though a lot didn’t sit well with me in this story, it’s nice to see that there’s a quality in her writing that has remained the same even as she’s grown as an author.

Kristen meets Josh, a man who happily shares that he wants a big family just as she’s coming to terms with the fact that having children won’t be in the cards for her due to medical reasons. That, and the fact she’s still involved with her long-distance boyfriend makes Josh off limits despite a strong, mutual attraction. Josh is best friends with Kristen’s best friend’s fiancé, so as wedding plans are made, they fall into a friendship of sorts.

Without treading too deeply into spoiler territory, I struggled with several elements of the book. First, the character’s horrible communication (which I’ve also struggled with in other books by this author), which was a conscious decision made by Kristen. Second, although I can appreciate her personal struggles, I hate how she treated both Josh and Tyler and hid behind her condition. I could not warm up to her at all. Third, an emotionally heavy portion of the story felt like way too much for the situation. Granted, I got far more invested around this time. Lastly, the ending felt wildly unrealistic.

I do plan on continuing with the series as I’m planning on reading through Abby Jimenez’s backlist. 

Likes & Dislikes:

What I liked:

• Some funny lines.

What I didn’t like:

• Kristen. I’m sorry.
• Everything else stated above.
• As usual, too spicy for me, but isolated and skippable scenes.

Afterthoughts:

Always love buddy reading Abby Jimenez with my friend Hanna!

Where to buy the book: