5 stars!

OMG. What did I just read?

• A fantastically fun friends-to-lovers romance that had me laughing out loud?
• A chemistry-filled love story between a fabulously snarky and sarcastic heroine and a smart-talking, witty, sweetheart hero who is absolutely irresistible?
• A heartaching story of a woman’s battle with infertility?
• A gutwrenching, angsty drama that had me in tears more than once?

Yes! To all of the above.

This stunning debut novel from Abby Jimenez captivated me from start to finish, and I felt everything. What an amazing story!

Kristen is my favourite type of heroine – smart, snarky, sarcastic and completely filterless. She is very matter-of-fact, especially when dealing with her near-debilitating health issues, and is dealing with the realities of an upcoming surgery that will mean that she is not able to have children. On top of all of that, she is preparing for her long-distance boyfriend to return home and move in with her for the first time, is helping to plan the wedding of her best friend in the world, and if her life isn’t complicated enough, it becomes even more so when she meets the best man, Josh.

Josh is new to town and is working as a firefighter/paramedic alongside his best friend, Brandon. When he meets Kristen he is immediately attracted to her, and when he unexpectedly ends up doing some part time work at her house, it pushes the two of them all up in each other’s lives, and the friendship that unfolds is absolutely fantastic. They laugh and banter, they tease and joke, they have everything in common, and it’s all just so easy for them. They become each other’s person, every moment between them is pure gold, and their chemistry just sizzles off the page. But due to Kristen’s relationship, they keep things strictly in the friend-zone.

"She was like a unicorn. A mythical creature. An honest, no-drama woman who didn’t bullshit and drank beer and cussed and didn’t care about what people thought of her. She was a unicorn, tucked in the body of an attractive woman with a great ass.
And I couldn’t have her."

When their attraction becomes too hard to ignore, they finally reach a point where they can act on it, but there is another huge issue standing in their way – Josh is from a big family with dreams of having one of his own one day. That’s not something Kristen can have with him, and she refuses to stand in the way of his dream. And OMG, it hurt!

“Do you think discussing my deficiencies as a woman with a man that I’m half in love with is something I want to put myself through?”

Kristen’s battle was so incredibly heartbreaking and my chest actually hurt while I was reading this book. I could understand her decisions, her frustrations, and her heartache, and I was floored by her resilience in the face of such devastation. Did I agree with all of her decisions? No, and the story did become really angsty and there were times I wanted to just shake her, but I’m not in her position and it’s hard to judge what you would do in such a difficult situation, and her perspective on the whole thing is really well written. It becomes especially hard as her and Josh as their world is completely upended and they are left floundering in more ways than one. And there went my heart again, and I sobbed for all that they were going through.

“Why won’t you let me love you?”

Through the whole story, Josh just shines. He is a man in love who is fighting hard for his girl, and I loved his patience, understanding and acceptance of Kristen through it all.

"I’d found my person.
She was the foundation. She was the thing that all other things are built on. Everything was secondary to being with her. It didn’t matter where I worked or if I liked my job, where I lived or how many kids I had. My happiness, my sanity, my well-being – it all started with her … I wanted everything."

The romance is just beautiful. It’s easy, natural, fun and playful, and though this book isn’t particularly steamy, you can feel their passion for each other. I fell in mad love with both of these characters and their amazing love story.

I cannot believe that this is a debut novel. The writing is crisp, witty and so freaking emotive! This book took me on a wildly emotional ride, and I laughed and cried and felt so much. It was hard to read in some places and I actually had to put my kindle down just to take a breath and try to deal with the emotion of it all, but it ends beautifully in a really great place, and with stories coming for (at least one of) the amazing side characters, I am so freaking excited to see what Abby Jimenez has in store for us next!

5 stars

I started reading this book thinking it would be a lighthearted romance, and was pleasantly surprised that it was the complete opposite. While THE FRIEND ZONE is full of comedic moments, and two hilarious, sarcastic characters that will have you rooting for their love story from the start, it also deals with some real issues that romance books don’t tackle very often.

Josh — growing up with 6 sisters — has always wanted a huge family growing up, so that his children can experience the same things that he did; however, falling in love with Kristen — who, unbeknownst to him, has fertility issues that require her to get a hysterectomy to live a comfortable live — turns his idea of a perfect life around. The author takes her time developing the characters and their relationship so that you see everything in all its authenticity: the good, the bad, the stubborn, the heartbreaking. This book helped me come to terms with what it means to be a woman who feels like her body has failed her.

If you want a fun romantic comedy to read, this book is for you — but also expect it to get unbelievably real and raw with the circumstances that can change relationships in the blink of an eye.

I devoured this book in one sitting. It was easy to fall in love with Kristen and Josh's story, and also the story of those around them. Going into this book, I didn't expect it to be as emotional as it was, but I loved that about it. This story managed to be cute and funny while also being emotional and handling sensitive topics. There's nothing not to love about this book!

3.5 stars

This book from Abby Jimenez is humorous, emotional, and tackles the very difficult subject of infertility.

Kristen meets Josh through chance and then finds out they are both set to be part of their mutual friends' wedding. Josh is just out of a relationship and Kirsten is dating someone in the military. Their connection and chemistry grow harder and harder to ignore even though there are a number of obstacles in front of them.

I enjoyed the authors writing style and was surprised to find out it is her debut novel. She did a nice job creating relatable and interesting characters.

I cannot tell you how much fun I had reading this one! I had a quiet afternoon in a waiting room and sat in the corner and grabbed an extra chair to put my feet up, and power read this from beginning to end and wanted more. I found myself laughing out loud and apologizing over my shoulder to the others around me but who cares! I was deep in a GREAT BOOK with Super-duper characters! Kristen will do anything for her friends and she is planning her best friend's wedding when she meets the best man, Josh. He is almost more than she can handle at this point in her life with what she is anticipating but his form of sexy/fun may be just what she needs. Will they or won't they figure out they belong together before they implode. This one is a MUST READ! I highly recommend!!!!

**Received this ARC for review from the publisher via NetGalley(thank you for granting my wish)**

5+ Stars!!!

One of my favorite books of the year. This story completely captivated me and still hasn't let me go.

I was terrified to pick this book up. Everyone who I saw read it, absolutely loved it. I get a little wary with hype surrounding books and was worried it wouldn’t live up to my expectations. I’m so glad it surpassed every expectation I had. I fell in love with these characters, this world, and I’m still in awe that this was the author’s debut novel.

We all know how big of a sucker I am for friends-to-lovers romances and this is my favorite I’ve read this year, and possibly of all time. This story had the perfect mix of a very serious topic and humor, banter, and love. Infidelity is a very deep topic to write about and I applaud the author because she wrote about it with such grace.

Josh and Kristen’s road to romance had my heart aching, my stomach sore from laughing, and my eyes tearing up with sadness and happiness. These two are perfectly imperfect and I fell in love with their relatable personalities right away. Kristen is the perfect heroine. She is strong, determined, and cares about everyone around her more than herself. Oh, and don’t get me started on how perfect Josh is! He is loyal, sweet, caring, and not to mention a hot firefighter! I love them both so much!

I am so happy we will be getting a book two next year set in this same world. I’m not ready to say goodbye to Josh and Kristen and I really hope we get glimpses of them in the next book.

I hope my review portrays how much I love this story. My emotions are still a little all over the place after finishing it and I know this story will stay with me for a long time.

THIS IS A MUST READ!

Grateful to have received a complimentary ARC copy to honestly review.

I'm in love!

Debut Author Abby Jimenez made me fall in love with Kristen & Josh and that lovable doggie!

This book is heartwarming, humor, love, heart wrenching and totally relatable parts to it that it just made me swoon with delight.

The main characters as well as the secondary characters are all memorable.

I felt what Kristen was going through as I read this book and there were times I wanted to shake some sense into her when it came to some of her decisions.

Josh is smart, funny and his feelings toward Kristen had me rooting for him. Also he made me fall in love with him on being there for Kristen even through the struggles.

I overall liked the whole storyline of living life and excepting that you can be friends, lovers and find your happily ever after even when you think you should give up.

Looking forward to reading more from Author Abby Jimenez!
Go One Click it!

**ARC kindly provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

5 🍒🍒🍒🍒🍒popped!

This will definitely be one of my favorite books of 2019. I went in a little cautious - it’s had a lot of hype and I’ve been burned by that a couple times lately. Not here! Lesson learned though - I am starting Abby Jiminez’s next book when I am able to sit and read it straight through!

Once I started I had no interest in stopping this book - but I hadn’t planned correctly. I was almost late to work because I couldn’t put it down one morning. I woke up in the middle of the night and thought oh, I’ll just read one chapter - and then was awake until I finished. Oops!

This book packs a lot of feelings into one story - I laughed many times, I sent quotes to friends, and I cried so hard I had to get up to blow my nose. I love a book where the emotions feel genuine and true to the story and not forced.

Kristen and Josh are both characters I love and the book was so well written. There are things that I don’t normally like in a story that worked well for me here. Do I wish they had communicated with each other more directly sooner? Yes - but I also totally understand why they didn’t. I wish it had ended slightly differently - but really, these are small things compared to how much I loved this reading experience.

I am already counting down until the author’s next book - I can’t wait!!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Forever for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

4 stars. I enjoyed reading this book. The banter between the characters was great. I think the only thing I didn't like was that in parts it felt a little stunted. Like kinda choppy. Over all it was a good read, a refreshing take on a friends zone situation, plus all the dealing with endometriosis/fibroids and potential infertility. It was a good read. :)

For a romcom, man, this book had a major dramatic point. I laughed at so many parts and almost cried at one part. If you want a romcom with a pretty significant drama, check out this book.

I love how Kristen and Josh were friends before all this happened. Their banter was everything and I loved Kristen's wit, sense of humor, and straightforwardness. But man, was she stubborn. There were times when I just wanted to shake her because of her stubbornness. And Josh, well, I just want to hug him.

I'm really looking forward to reading Jimenez's upcoming books.

5 stars all the way!!!

Right away, I was laughing from the banter shown between our main characters, Kristen and Josh. (He is my newest book boyfriend by the way). What started as a funny Meet Cute, but ended with so much more between these two.

The Friend Zone is a debut novel, but is so well written, and you immerse yourself into the story of Kristen and Josh. I bonded with her immediately and felt every emotion that she was going through. The snarky remarks and humor, the despair and heartbreak, the wholesome friend and confidant. This book broke me and had me sobbing happy and sad tears, but it was equally matched with all the laughs too.

As a Mother, I don’t take this title lightly because I know there are so many women who have struggled, or are still struggling with infertility, and my heart breaks for them. The Friend Zone broaches this subject in a beautiful, raw way, and this story shows the very real side of romance that isn’t all and hearts and fairytales.

I just adored this novel with my whole heart and found myself really going through all the feels. That’s when I know that a book has to be a 5 star read for me, and I can’t recommend this book enough!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars!!

*Thank you so much to Forever Publishing and Netgalley for this complimentary ebook. All opinions are my own

My attempt of not feeding into the hype from The Friend Zone goes something like this, *ahem* “Say hello to one of your favourite reads of the year!”

I know, I know, I failed miserably, but I can’t be blamed because I had the best time reading this and feel it’s my duty to shout it from the rooftops. The characters were fantastic, and the humour hit the spot. From Kristen with her snarky, craggy ways to her adorable one of a kind dog, Stuntman Mike.

Kristen’s health concerns brought a more serious element to the story, and the first cracks in the relationship with Josh. Throughout it all Josh was consistent and caring and there wasn’t one thing I didn’t love about him.

The romance tentative and fraught, and the tension served so well in heightening the push and pull between Kristen and Josh. There were casualties along the way but so great was my bias I easily overlooked it.

Although The Friend Zone is Abby’s debut I found myself asking where she has been all my life. I love her voice and humour and am very excited about what Ms Jimenez will deliver to us next.

4.25 stars. I agree with most of the early reviews I've read about this book. It is hilarious. The characters are fantastic. The story is compelling and well-executed. And it does pack an emotional wallop. As such, I cannot agree that it's the "perfect beach read" because ugly crying in public and causing streaks in my SPF 50 is not my idea of a good time. The book is worth a read, but I'd recommend waiting for a rainy day.

Kristen's sarcasm and orneriness drew me in immediately because I appreciate a romance heroine who isn't always smiley and sweet like a cartoon princess. Josh is clever, devoted, and funny. His Midwest nature stood in clear relief against his new California life. Sometimes I worried he was a little too introspective for a 20-something guy, and focused a little too much on "why is this my fault."

Extra kudos to Jimenez for getting the details right - medical details, firehouse life details, Los Angeles details, etc. It never once felt incomplete and it all added texture and immediacy to the story.

Phew.

I had been prepared (warned?) by mutuals that this story was a funny bit of fun but that it would be as equally heartbreaking as it was joyful. And I'm here to confirm that for you.

"<I>I am not drunk. I'm just talking in cursive.</I>"

THE FRIEND ZONE starts off fairly lighthearted. A snarky first-meeting between our protagonists sets the tone for their association; Kristen is in a long-distance relationship with a deployed boyfriend and Josh is recently single, and recently relocated, and, despite his attraction, not all that bothered by her unavailable status as a result.

<I>Nothing offended me except cauliflower and stupidity</I>.

At least not at first.

"<I>There's something you should know about me, Josh. I say what I think. I don't have a coy bone in my body. Yes, you're sexy. Enjoy the compliment because you won't always like what I say to you, and I won't care one way or the other if you do or don't.</I>"

Their friendship, as it can only be friendship, was a delight. Kristen is unapologetically herself. She's not to be messed with when it comes to food, she's witty, she's honest, she's out to impress no one. And Josh was just game for everything. He was sweet, understanding, gave as good as he got, and they were just so fun together. And, having not read the blurb, I didn't really know where things would go beyond what it seemed at first glance.

"<I>I already know how I'm going to die.</I>"
"<b>How?</b>"
"<I>Spider bite. Or being sarcastic at the wrong time.</I>"

But this story is a lot more than snarky, sassy, when-will-they-can-they-ever times. This is hard hitting, emotional, devastating. It deals with loss, tragedy, and Jimenez's story even skirts a certain line I am not usually on board for but, thankfully, never crosses it. Additionally, the emphasis on Kristen's issues with fertility -- which is of course emphasized as it's a major point of conflict -- was something I thought unique to the romance (women's fiction?) world. Talk of periods, discomfort, tampons, fibrosis, IUDs.. nothing was off limits. This is not only a great bit of fun and sweetness, alongside some heartbreak, but also a book I think a lot of women will see themselves in. Feel represented by. I think that's so fabulous.

"<I>You know, you seem too fearless to be afraid of spiders.</I>"
"<b>A black widow killed my schnauzer when I was a kid. Embracing a lifelong debilitating fear of spiders is cheaper than therapy.</b>"

What stops this from getting full marks is that.. I felt some things got dragged out. Same conversations, same hot and cold, same back and forth. It was a bit exhausting, too repetitive, and honestly I was pulled out of the story a bit because I just felt so bad for these fictional people. Both of them, really. It was kind of miserable for them for a while. And then of course a whole other kind of misery started but that was easier to lose myself in. No spoilers.

"<I>I hope you're not planning on sending me flowers.</I>"
"<b>What would you like me to send you then?</b>"
"<I>Something practical that I'll get use out of, like a dick pic.</I>"

The ending was a bit of a surprise for me and I so loved it. I really did. Additionally the author's note was an extra bit of wonderfulness and I definitely hope readers take a moment to experience that, too.

Overall, though, I'm blown away that this was a debut. It's funny as all get out, it broke my heart, and I definitely want Jimenez to do it again. Lots of times. Will absolutely read whatever this author serves up next.


** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **

Debut novel from the multi-talented Abby Jimenez, Wow. This was an incredibly awesome book. The characters are hysterical, Kristen is a filterless crazy best friend with a heart of gold, the kind of best friend who sends you a glitter bomb and TP's your house but will also defend you tooth and nail. Kristen's best friend, Sloan, is getting married to a fireman named Brandon, Brandon's best friend, Josh, just moved to Cali from South Dakota after breaking up with his girlfriend after he realized she would never change her mind about wanting kids.

When we first meet Kristen she is already in a long distance relationship with a marine, Tyler. As much as Josh likes Kristen is content to being her friend because that's what they become thick as thieves friends almost as close as her and Sloan and him with Brandon, they get along great he understands her and she would settle for no less than that. They laugh at the same things they have little inside jokes. He finds her irresistible even when she's trying her hardest to not look attractive because once he met her all other women pale in comparison in his eyes. But they have one thing looming over their heads a secret that Kristen hasn't told Josh it's the main reason they could never be a couple even after her and Tyler break up, Josh wants a big family and that's the one thing she can't given him.

Overall, this book was so good. It was as funny as it was heart wrenching. I think I cried the last quarter of the book. I couldn't put it down I finished it in practically one sitting. Excellent writing, the characters seemed so real to me, I can't wait for the next book.

The Friend Zone was one of my most anticipated contemporary romances this year. I don't like to read reviews before starting an arc, but I saw the love this one was getting and could not wait to get started on it. There's a certain level of excitement that goes above and beyond your average read, and my gut was telling me that this was going to hook me. I can honestly say that it delivered in that department. I knew within the first chapter that I had an addictive story in my hands. I was so utterly consumed by it that I couldn't pause for a second to make any highlights. Let me tell you, as a book blogger I need my highlights and notes to help the reviewing process go smoother, so you are warned. I'm completely winging it this time. The second sign that this book is gripping? I stayed up until THREE AM to finish it. My dry bloodshot eyes the following day were a small price to pay for finally getting my HEA.

If you think this will be a light, humorous romance, you're only partly right. I was NOT prepared for the level of angst this one hit me with. My emotions were all over the place. Jimenez was a puppet master pulling my strings, making me dance to her whim. It was exhausting and not just because of my sleep deprivation. There are several factors that contribute to the angst: Kristen's upcoming surgery that will eliminate any sliver of a chance of getting pregnant. Being attracted to Josh, living with him, and having a long distance boyfriend at the same time. Then there was her inability to open up to Josh about her medical issues, and how that prevented her from letting him have a real relationship with her. Finally, some SUPER unexpected angst at the end that just about rips your heart out. I'm not spoiling it, but bring tissues.

One trope that could've been thrown in the mix for further emotional battery was cheating. Cheating is a hard pass for me 99.9% of the time, and it tends to sour a story for me. I was so happy to find that the heroine Kristen was emphatically against it, in fact, did everything in her power to avoid it happening when she started to grow strong feelings beyond friendship for Josh. As much as the sexual tension amped up, and their willpower was battered, neither ever crossed the line when they shouldn't have.

I loved their friendship period as they were getting to know one another. After a bad first impression, they had a bit of banter back and forth, but it was all pretty good natured. Josh is such an easy going guy, and her snark rolled right off his back every time. He almost immediately labeled her one of the unattainable "cool girls." The kind that are unapologetically themselves, are effortlessly sexy, and an absolute delight to spend time with. Having just gotten out of a nasty breakup himself, he was certainly not on the look out for a new romantic relationship. So he got to know unfiltered Kristen in close quarters, and the slow burn attraction started to build.

The banter was perfection, the humor was charming, and the heat was red hot with this couple. There was a whole lot to love. But I have to say, Kristen's stubbornness seemed to be indestructible after a certain point. It was so maddening I wanted to pull my hair out. I'm not saying I didn't see where she was coming from. I was trying to be open minded about her sex only rule with Josh because I was in her head properly and understood her hesitation. She had legitimate fears that were only enforced as time went on. And thing is, she's not the bold and confident woman she portrays herself as. At least, not to the extent she wants the world to believe. The vulnerable woman who feels unworthy because of her relationship with her mother is hidden well.

While I did see all of this about her, I hated how long she stubbornly refused to give him a chance. To rip herself open, lay the facts on the table, and let him have his say in the unspoken conversation. A conversation that was one-sided and entirely in her own head for the majority. It killed me to see how badly he'd hurt from her mixed signals and her lack of communication. That being said, I have a lot of respect for the emotion this book pulled out of me, and the quality of this debut author's writing! I was pleasantly surprised at how instantly engaged I was, and how it held me captive until the very end. That's no easy task for this reader after reading every basic romance trope too many times to count in a million different variations. I think Abby Jimenez brings something fresh to the romance genre, and she's the new voice to look out for in the future. I look forward to seeing what she has to offer us next.

I am so glad that I decided to read this book because I ended up loving it! I ended up reading the entire book in a single day and found that it was the perfect kind of story to curl up with for a few hours. I started reading hoping to lose myself in a romance for a few hours and I did but I feel like I also got a whole lot more than that. I really enjoyed every moment that I spend with this amazing story.

The characters in this story are simply fantastic. Kristen was awesome. I loved that she tended to say what she wanted and didn't really worry too much about what others thought of her. She was funny, smart, and incredibly competent. Josh was equally awesome. He wasn't intimidated by Kristen at all and seemed to take everything in stride. He really seemed to see Kristen even when she was trying to make herself less appealing.

I love the romance. Kristen and Josh belonged together. I mean this pair just had to happen. They were so comfortable together and their personalities meshed really well. There was also a whole lot of chemistry to go around. There were a few obstacles that they needed to work through but I knew that they would both be up to the challenge.

I didn't expect this book to deal with so many difficult issues outside of the romance. This was a really emotional read and there were parts of this book that just made my heart hurt. The author did a fantastic job of capturing the emotions of this group of characters as they went through a tragedy. I also really loved the fact that this deal with painful periods and infertility. I have read a few books where periods are mentioned but this book didn't shy away from the reality that Kristen had to deal with. I felt her pain over her current situation and the effect it could have on her future.

I would highly recommend this book to others. This book really had it all. It was a fun romance filled with wonderful characters that also dealt with some complicated issues. I am really quite amazed that this is a debut novel and I definitely plan to read more of Abby Jimenez's work in the future.

I received a digital review copy of this book from Forever (Grand Central Publishing) via NetGalley.

This is one of my favorite 2019 reads! I laughed, cried, wanted to scream in frustration and smiled a whole crap ton. This book is way more than I had hoped it was going to be. I cannot wait for book 2 to release next year! I will be impatiently waiting! I recommend you go and read this book ASAP!

OMG this book gave me SO MANY FEELS. I saw a lot of hype for it which immediately made me want to put it off but luckily I travel with my ipad and had to entertain myself on an 11hr flight. AHHHHHHH. I loved Kristen and Josh from the start and was achey when she found out about her health issue because the provided a big personal roadblock. I love that this book was about so much more than just dealing with a massive health issue. Friendship and self-esteem were also huge parts of this book and I really enjoyed seeing those themes play out. My heart ached for everyone when Brandon died. Ufff. I could ramble on and on but the jist of it is, this book was absolutely fantastic. Everyone should buy it. The end. I'm ready for her next book.

I'm always wary of books with a lot of hype, but The Friend Zone is truly delightful and deserving of all the good vibes. It's a romcom but not of the typical variety. The characters are well developed with relatable qualities, sharp dialogue and genuine life changing concerns. I was surprised at the heaviness of a major issue addressed in the story, but it's given proper consideration without dragging the story down into unhappiness. It's cute, funny, sad, engrossing and everything in between. All the feels are here. An excellent read with depth and heart and charm. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.