If you have ever quietly told yourself that a little heartbreak was a fair price to pay for a good story, then Abby Jimenez wrote Just for the Summer with you in mind. Below is how the Just for the Summer audiobook actually plays out loud. Do yourself a favor and settle in with the audiobook version, because this one talks its way straight past your defenses before you have even noticed the door was open. Keep some tissues nearby; you will want them.
Get the Just for the Summer Audiobook on AmazonListen on Audible · also in Kindle & printWhat Just for the Summer is about
Emma has a strange little superpower: every time she dates someone, the moment they break up, that person immediately meets the love of their life. She’s basically a good-luck charm for everyone but herself. Then she stumbles onto Justin, a man with the exact same curse, and a wild idea takes shape. What if the two of them date each other, break up on purpose, and cancel the whole thing out so they can both finally move on to real happiness?
It’s a premise that sounds like pure rom-com fluff, and for a while it delivers exactly that fizzy fun. But Jimenez has a habit of tucking real weight underneath the banter. As Emma and Justin’s fake-ish arrangement pulls them into each other’s actual lives, the story quietly widens into something about found family, old wounds, and whether you can outrun the patterns you were raised in. I won’t say more, because the turns are worth meeting cold.
| Author | Abby Jimenez |
|---|---|
| Narrator | Christine Lakin & Zachary Webber |
| Length | 11h 43m |
The narration: two voices that feel like a real couple
Christine Lakin and Zachary Webber split the dual POV, and across the full 11 hours and 43 minutes they build a chemistry that sells the whole conceit. Lakin gives Emma a bright, quick-witted warmth that never tips into cartoonish, and her comic timing on Jimenez’s one-liners is genuinely laugh-out-loud. Webber’s Justin is steady, dry, and disarmingly tender, the kind of voice that makes the softer moments land hard. Because the chapters alternate perspectives, having a distinct narrator for each side makes the emotional gap between what they say and what they feel much easier to track. The humor pops, the ache is real, and the two performers hand the story back and forth like they’ve been doing it for years.
Is the Just for the Summer audiobook worth a credit?
Yes, comfortably. If you’re going to experience this book at all, I’d argue audio is the way to do it. The dual narration turns the alternating POV from a structural choice into a genuine performance, and the comedic beats hit cleaner spoken aloud than they would in your own head. For a full-length listen with this much heart and this many real laughs, it’s an easy credit to spend.
Who should press play
Press play if you love banter-forward contemporary romance, fake-dating energy with a fresh twist, and heroines who are messy and self-aware at the same time. Fans of emotionally layered rom-coms will feel right at home. One honest heads-up: beneath the comedy, this book handles some heavier emotional themes around family, mental health, and childhood neglect, and it doesn’t treat them lightly. If you’re looking for something purely frothy with zero tender bruises, you might want to save this for a day you’re up for feeling things.
If you like Just for the Summer, listen to these next
- Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood — another whip-smart heroine and a slow-burn romance where the banter and the vulnerability are equally sharp.
- The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston — if you loved the mix of tenderness and a slightly magical premise, this cozy, wistful love story is a perfect next listen.
- Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston — for the same blend of rapid-fire humor and real emotional depth that keeps you laughing then quietly gut-punches you.
How to listen to Just for the Summer
The audiobook is available on Audible and through Amazon, so the simplest route is to grab it with a credit or start an Audible free trial and use your first credit on it. You can also buy it outright if you’re not a member. Prefer to read alongside listening? The Kindle and print editions pair nicely for a Whispersync-style experience whenever you want to switch formats.
Get the Just for the Summer Audiobook on AmazonListen on Audible · also in Kindle & printFrequently asked questions
Who narrates the Just for the Summer audiobook?
It’s a dual narration by Christine Lakin, who voices Emma, and Zachary Webber, who voices Justin. Splitting the alternating POV between two performers really strengthens the romance.
How long is the Just for the Summer audiobook?
The Audible edition runs approximately 11 hours and 43 minutes, an easy weekend-and-a-bit listen at normal speed.
Is Just for the Summer a standalone or part of a series?
It reads as a standalone, so you don’t need any prior Abby Jimenez books to dive in, though longtime fans may catch a few familiar Minnesota-world touches.
Is the audiobook spicy or more emotional?
It’s a warm, character-driven romance with some steam, but the heart of it is emotional. Expect big laughs balanced against genuinely tender, heavier themes.