From the moment I cracked open THE FRIEND ZONE I knew it would be a winner. Kristen, our heroine, is impossible not to like or identify with and I was happy to go along with this ride.

I think a lot has been said already about this book before but in case you are not aware of Kristen has suffered her whole life with issues related to her period. They’ve caused a lot of hardships, both physical and emotional, and it’s finally come to the point she’s taken the decision that she will have a hysterectomy. Her long distance military boyfriend is ok with that and Kristen thought she was too. Until she meets the perfect man for her. Josh is exactly the type of guy that she should’ve always been with and he wants lots of children. Obviously she has to keep him in the friend zone and stick to her life plan. No kids, no Josh.

Like I said before, the thing that drew me in from the very beginning was how relatable Kristen was. I think she’s a heroine that a lot of women will be able to relate to in one way or another. Maybe it’s her struggles with not being able to have children, or maybe it’s just her fun and snarky personality. She was my favorite thing about reading this book and I think the author did a great job at creating her character.

And then we have the romance. While maybe Josh won’t be going on a book boyfriend list for me, I thought he was the perfect complement for Kristen. I really loved seeing their relationship blossom from instant attraction to a true friendship and slowly into more. And it was also done in a way I found believable and I never questioned the heroines’ actions. They were adorable together!

THE FRIEND ZONE is a book that will draw a gamut of emotions and you have to be ready for that ride. It’s funny, sweet and romantic but also heartbreaking. My only complaint with this book, and also the reason this is not rated higher, was the ending. While it left me happy it was also disappointing and in my opinion took away from the true impact of this story. It’s hard to say more without giving away a spoiler, but I do think it’s good to read the author’s note at the end anyway. While I understand where she’s coming from, I also wish she would’ve taken a different route.

What a great debut by Abby Jimenez! I can’t recommend it enough. THE FRIEND ZONE is a must read for your summer reading. I expect more great things in her future and I’ll be reading them all. Starting with the next book, not sure if it’s a series or companion novel. I’m ready to have my heart torn out with that one.

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.

One of my new favorite books! This author has such a way with words the pages flew by in no time! I can’t wait to see the next work by this author! This was such a joy to read!

This is one of my most anticipated summer read after seeing so many 5⭐️ reviews!

I got to read an extended preview thanks to @readforeverpub and @netgalley and it was soooo good!! It seems like another perfect summer beach read! The first 5 chapters were witty, fun and left me wanting more! I can’t wait to read the rest! It’s definitely high on my #wishlist and I look forward to seeing how it plays out!
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Full review to come once I get my hand on the full book! ☺️

This was just an excerpt, but I can definitely say I was drawn in and want to read the rest! I already like Kristen and Josh. Give me the rest of this book!!

Thank you to netgalley for giving me a preview of this book. I really enjoyed reading the first few chapters as well as the banter between the characters. I will definitely be picking this newly released title up for a summer read!

Loved this preview and thank you for giving me access to the full version (full review on that eARC has been submitted).

This book is perfect for summer! Loved the banter between the two main characters. Loved their relationships with their friends as well. Dying to know what happens between Kristen and Josh! Will definitely be buying this book asap. I can't wait to tell all my friends about it!

From the first five chapters, I am unsure if I will continue. The writing is great. It's the some of the plot points I have an issue with. I don't like love triangles even if the other guy has no chance. And I don't like reading about medical issues because my hypochondriac mind over reacts. Also it sounds like there is going to be a lot of miscommunication and I'm not a fan of that plot device. Writing is great but overall story is just not for me. If you don't mind emotionally heavy stories, this is perfect for you.

SPOILERS. . . .2.5 stars. As much as I loved the beginning of this book, how quirky the characters were and how fun it was written, I ended up being really upset by the ending. I am someone that is currently dealing with infertility and when I found out this book was being written from that point of view I couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy. Unfortunately, this story of infertility was one of those rare instances of a happy ending, and I felt like I couldn't relate to the story and characters anymore.
Kristen's story is her falling in love with this guy, Josh, who is amazing for her, except he wants to have a big family and she is about to have a hysterectomy because of painful cysts she has in her uterus. One problem, is she wasn't honest about her situation in the beginning, kept getting upset that Josh didn't understand why she was pulling away from him, and then would freak out and say he just wants children and wouldn't understand why she can't have kids. She never even explained her medical problem until the last 1/4 of the book! Communication is a big factor in a relationship, especially one involving infertility problems, and I didn't think that was portrayed very well. When Josh does find out about her "inability" to have kids, he does research about IVF, gets his sperm tested, and comes up with a business plan on how they can pay for it all (supposedly his insurance pays 100% for IVF, which is VERY unusual in reality).
I have dealt with infertility for 4 years and had one miscarriage. I still don't have my happy ending, and this book made me very upset that Kristen was able to conceive naturally (having sex only once without a condom) and carried a pregnancy to term without any complications. This is not how a normal infertility story goes in real life.
Abby writes in the back as a note from the author: "Kristen's happy ending was never about getting pregnant. It was about her allowing herself to be loved, despite what she felt were shortcomings. It was about her recognizing that she wasn't defined by her ability to have children, and that her worth went beyond the state of her uterus. That was her happily ever after."
I'm sorry to say, but how many women dealing with infertility are ACTUALLY going to relate to that? Isn't most of the women who are upset by being infertile, view their happy ending as getting pregnant and having a child? Isn't that the whole point of dealing with infertility, because you are TRYING to have a family of your own? Not every women IS going to be able to get pregnant, and that's what I wish would have been the ending. Some couples have to decide that they want to be together no matter the outcome (because we really CAN'T make ourselves get pregnant no matter how much we try).
All Your Perfects by Colleen Hoover is a really great book about infertility because she showed the actual true details and heartache of what its like to never know if you will get pregnant. I know a lot of people will probably love The Friend Zone because of the cute characters, but for me, it made me feel like I still wasn't understood. Women dealing with infertility can't or won't ever see the light at the end of the tunnel - you can't guarantee them a happy ending - so I feel like this book should also have made light of that.

Didn't realize this book, The Friend Zone is a preview only, when I requested/downloaded it. Unable to review the entire book at this time.

Loving this book so far! I was hooked from page one and can’t wait to get my full copy on 6/11!! Thank you Netgalley and Forever Romance for the extended preview!

From what I've read so far, this is an easy read. I enjoyed seeing the first encounter between the two characters, and how their relationship develops. I also appreciate how the book is narrated from each perspective. I am very excited to read the rest of the book and see how the story unfolds.

After reading the first few pages of this book, I was absolutely hooked, and I knew I wanted to get my hands on a full ARC if possible. Luckily, my sister-in-law was lucky enough to receive one and loaned it to me.

Kristen and Josh are meant to be together except for a couple of small issues: 1. Kristen has a boyfriend 2. Kristen has a medical condition that makes it nearly impossible for her to have children, and Josh wants a baseball team worth of kids. Can they overcome these obstacles and be together or is the sacrifice for either of them just too great?
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This book had me in a puddle of tears at all times. Sad tears, laughing tears, happy tears. Just all types of tears. I was captivated from the beginning with Kristen’s unapologetic, whip smart personality and sensitive, hot fireman Josh. Their chemistry literally jumped off the page, and I was seriously clutching my heart so many times because I felt for these two so much.
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The best part of this book, though, is how Jimenez tackles two topics often not discussed and often looked at with embarrassment and shame: periods and infertility. As women, we often keep quiet about these issues because we feel ashamed. It’s so important though that they be apart of the narrative so women don’t feel that shame or feel alone. Jimenez does such a spectacular job of integrating this into the story and bringing a whole new depth and purpose to the book beyond it being a cute contemporary romance.

I really enjoyed the first five chapters and I can't wait to read the rest of the book once it's published

A fun romantic comedy. I loved the 1st five chapters and can't wait to read the rest! I already requested them to get it on OverDrive!

**This review is based on the first five chapters only, an excerpt was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

I was completely hooked from the first page and laughed out loud a couple times already in just the first few chapters! The characters are fun and feisty, and I can't wait til this book is published and I can get my hands on a copy to read the whole story.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a sample of this book from the first two pages I was hooked and I plan to preorder this book and finish it!!!! But for the sample I love that it was told in Josh and Kirsten point of view and I like both characters!!!

I enjoyed this excerpt. Kirsten seems a little high-strung, bordering on mean sometimes, but also smart and witty. Josh seems great so far, with a great sense of humor and all around charming. They meet and have great chemistry, but she has a boyfriend she will move in with when he returns from deployment. This is a great setup to want to continue reading and find out what happens next

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am hooked! I already pre-ordered this on Amazon so I can continue to enjoy this book. Once I started reading I couldn't stop and was so disappointed when I reached the end of the preview. I will be continuing to read it when it is delivered on June 11.