I read The Friend Zone and quickly realized it wasn’t for me. I wanted to give Abby another try. I would say that I’m glad I did. Life’s Too Short is written beautifully. I enjoyed the journey. There is a wonderful balance of lightness and darkness. It really sucked me in and took me on a ride. I had a whole spectrum of emotions while reading it. It was good. My only issue is about 3/4 the way in I was under the impression sexy times were fixing to happen and it honestly felt like those pages were just taken out. It definitely brought me out of the book and it took time to get back into it. I eventually did. I ended this book happy. I plan to read more books written by Abby.

I voluntarily read an early copy.

I loved this book! Once again, Jimenez perfectly balanced lighthearted romance with heavier emotional content. The new characters are easy to love and root for, and the previous characters from this series make a fun comeback, as well. If you enjoyed The Friend Zone and The Happy Ever After Playlist, you’ll love this heartwarming romance too!

What an incredible series of books! How they all interconnect and are so engaging and Life's Too Short is just as good as the first two books in the series. I love the connection between the characters and how well written it is, it seriously feels like you are in the room with them absorbing everything first hand. I laughed (alot), I cried, I cringed, I wanted to reach into the book and shake them...it is a wild ride. Do yourself a favor and buy anything and everything Abby writes...it is pure gold!

*I received an advanced copy of Life’s Too Short from NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review.*

This is the story of how Abby Jimenez ripped my heart out, stomped on it in a pair of Louboutins and then put it back in place, pumped it with a basketball air pump and sewed me back together.

Holy $#!+. That’s really all I have to say... Just kidding- I could write a novel on my feelings for Life’s Too Short. This book has changed my entire perspective on life. Not to be dramatic... but I mean that whole heartedly. While yes, it starts as a typical “meet cute” romance novel, it turns out to have one of the most important messages I think a book can have.

Vanessa has a 50% chance of inheriting ALS and dying before she’s 30, just like all the women in her family have come and gone before her. She makes the decision after her sister dies that life is too short and she’s going to enjoy everything the world has to offer. Until she falls in love...

There’s so much I love about this book. From how the characters meet, to the YouTube and influencer references, the “clickbait” chapter titles- which were truly so perfect, to the characters from Friend Zone and Happy Ever Playlist making their appearances— you’ll be shocked when you realize the relationship.

This story is so beautifully written, and I’m trying my best to articulate my feelings in a way that will do this book justice. This is a story about bravery, love, family, and not letting the fear of the future impact the present. Abby Jimenez has such a gift at making you feel every emotion through her writing.

I often judge if a book is good by how it leaves me feeling. If the characters resonate with me, if I find myself thinking about it more than 24 hours after finishing and if I think it’s something other people will enjoy. This book has truly surpassed all those qualifications for being a good book- easily making it the best book I have ever read. I knew I’d love this book- I was a Abby Jimenez fan from the second I picked up the Friend Zone almost 9 months ago. But I can truly say, this book has made me think about my life and the things I consider important. It’s a book I think everyone could benefit from reading. It’s message is simple: Don’t sweat the small stuff. Tell people you love them every chance you get. Don’t hold grudges. And live every day like it could be your last— because life truly is too short.

I will read whatever Abby Jimenez writes. She has a gift of getting to the heart of a difficult experience and making it both real and relatable. I can guarantee I will experience laughter and tears. And when I'm done reading I'm going to want to start at the beginning and make sure everyone else reads it too.

This book absolutely lived up to the hype for me. I am so glad I got to read an advance copy, and I have a physical copy pre-ordered. While Vanessa doesn't know if she's going to succumb to the same illness as her mother, but she does know she's going to seize as much fun out of life as she can while she can. She has millions of followers on her YouTube channel and travels the world. Until her half-sister needs leaves her newborn with her and suddenly she's trying to figure out how to take care of a baby. Fortunately her super-hot neighbor appears to be a baby whisperer. And this is the beginning of a great story.... read it!

Thanks to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Phew! What a way to start 2021! This was my first book of the year and its going to be hard to top! I absolutely loved this friends to lovers trope and the tension in the relationship. I was in love with the main characters and rooting the whole way for them. I loved the author's inspiration for the story. I loved the inclusion of the secondary characters and how they helped advance the story. Make sure and have tissues ready. I wasn't expecting to cry so much! I have read all three books by Abby Jimenez and loved them all! I can't wait for her next book...2022 is too far away!

*Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

Thank you to the publisher for this eARC.

Going into Abby’s books I always have such high expectations - for the witty banter/funny lines, and for the emotional story. Life’s Too Short does not disappoint. I really enjoyed getting to know Adrian and Vanessa. I loved how Vanessa really pulled Adrian out of his quiet life and showed him how to make things more fun.

Vanessa’s story was completely heartbreaking but I really admired her decisions and her zest for life. The way she fought for her family and continued to support them despite so many challenges was incredible.

The love story is fun. It’s a friends to lovers with the drama being a miscommunication. I liked that the situation couldn’t just be resolved with a short conversation and actually required a little more work.

I 100% recommend this one.

{TW - discussion about ALS symptoms; death of family members; drug addiction; hoarding; anxiety & panic attacks}

I was insanely lucky to get an ARC of Life’s Too Short. I was ready to sell my soul to @authorabbyjimenez and @readforever pub and it seems Adrian was ready to sell his soul for Vanessa. 😍⁣
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The Friend Zone and The Happy Ever Playlist were 5 star books for me, as well as two of my favorite books I’ve ever read, and so was Life’s Too Short. I picked this book up, planted myself on the couch and sat and read this magnificent book from start to finish. ⁣
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I laughed out loud, my heart swooned, then my heart broke, then Abby slowly put the pieces back together. This was an emotional roller coaster and I loved every second of it. Even the unlikeable characters were likable eventually. ⁣
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Vanessa’s grandmother, mother and sister all died before age 30, all living with ALS. After Vanessa’s sister dies she decides to live her life like it’s her last day. She travels the world, eats incredible food and drinks incredible wine while vlogging and supporting ALS research.⁣
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Adrian is a hot broody defense attorney who lives across the hall from Vanessa but his whole life’s focus is work. He’s a control freak and doesn’t travel because he’s afraid to fly but has a heart of pure gold. Vanessa flips his world upside down. Did I mention he also fosters an old blind incontinent chihuahua? 😍⁣
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This story deals with grief, addiction, OCD, anxiety, and shows how a deteriorating disease like ALS can an effect an entire family differently. It was beautifully written and filled with ALL of the feels, as well as educational.⁣
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ All the damn stars.⁣
#bookstagram #books #bookcommunity #lifestooshort #romcom #romance #ALS⁣
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Thank you again @authorabbyjimenez and @readforeverpub and @havennorthgifts for this amazing gift.

I loved Jimenez’ first two books whose deadpan humor always gets a few laughs from me and whose characters had a certain charm and individuality about them and this was definitely no exception to that. I loved the dynamic between Adrian and Vanessa and her whole family and while friends to lovers isn’t my favorite trope, it’s still one I enjoy.

What makes this a four star read for me was that I unfortunately never bought into the element that was causing the tension, what the entire book rested on. Maybe if I wasn’t already familiar with the author, I wouldn’t have felt as confident in the ending as I was, but because I knew in my gut where this would end up, the conflict felt a bit tedious.

Nevertheless, I really appreciated the way Jimenez centered both ALS and addiction as well as the unique responses each of Vanessa’s family members had to past and potential future trauma. And every moment between Adrian and Grace had my heart bursting from the adorableness. I’m already anxiously waiting for her next book!

Thank you, thank you, thank you to #NetGalley and #AbbyJimenez for this ARC of #LifesTooShort. ⠀
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I stayed up way past my bedtime finishing this book. I laughed and I cried the whole way through... and then I cried again when it was over because I wasn’t ready for it to end. I tried to pace myself with this one. I tried. But it was so good. I just couldn’t put it down. ⠀
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What I loved⠀
💞Vanessa: Strong, resilient female lead. Fun. Brave. Dependable. ⠀
💞 Adrian: Lovable male lead with amazing character growth. Dedicated. Safe. Sweet.⠀
💞 The way they bonded over her niece ⠀
💞 Their friendship ⠀
💞 The slow burn ⠀
💞 Cutest dog ever. He wears a diaper and has no teeth. ⠀
💞 The real and delicate way mental health played a role in the story ⠀
💞 I had no idea how it would end. None.⠀
💞 The ending (so perfect)⠀
💞 Wonderful discussion questions and even recipes at the end of the book ⠀
💞 Beautiful author’s note, gives you insight into her inspiration for the story⠀
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...In short, everything. ⠀
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It’s one of those books where you do nothing afterward but sit in your feelings and reflect. And you’ll want to read this book over and over. ⠀
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All the stars for Life’s Too Short. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⠀
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This is the third book in the series but don’t let that deter you if you haven’t read the first two. I read the second book (The Happy Ever After Playlist) first and it worked well as a standalone. And this definitely would too. But now that I’ve read these two, I need to go back and read the first one (The Friend Zone)! ⠀
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Honestly, though? Read the first two now, if you haven’t already, because Abby Jimenez is amazing. Plus, if you don’t read her books until this comes out on April 6th 2021, you’ll kick yourself for having waited so long. As the title says, Life’s Too Short. So pick up one of her books today and then preorder this one. ❤️⠀

Abby Jimenez has done it again. She ripped my heart out, and then put it back together again. She has a distinct voice that provides so much levity for hard and sometimes painful topics.

This book will make you laugh, it will make you cry, and then you’ll be laughing while you’re crying. And strangely enough, you’ll love every second of it. Adrian and Vanessa have a wonderful friends to lovers romance, their wit and banter is truly one of a kind.

“You are the flood, Vanessa. Seeping and then pouring, washing away everything that I used to think mattered and then filling me up to the top until I’m drowned in nothing but you.”

I’m not sure there’s any other way of explaining how extraordinary this author’s books are. These characters are bright stars, and you cheer for them every step of the way, even when you don’t agree or understand their choices. They stay with you long after you finish the book.

I adored The Happy Ever After Playlist. It was a 5 star read for me. I rarely read romance,, so I was very pleased to find a romance author that really clicked for me. As such,, I was very excited to read Life Is Short.

Life Is Short has a few cross overs with THEAP, but it can be easily read as a stand-alone. Vanessa is a famous vlogger, known for her travel vlog that supports ALS charities. Vanessa, in her late 20s, lost her mother, sister and other female relatives to ALS, and she fears she too will fall victim to the disease before her 30th birthday. She travels the world, living in the moment, using her vlog to raise money for a cure.

Adrian is a prominent St. Paul attorney who lives alone in an immaculate double apartment in a building that he own. His long-distance current relationship has some red flags that he hasn't noticed when his path crosses with Vanessa one night. The two develop an authentic friendship that's based primarily on their deep loneliness and their genuine compatibility. Romance has been declared off the table by both for their own reasons. But feelings grow and situations change as the two try to figure out how the other feels about shifting their carefully constructed boundaries.

I knew my expectations going into this book were problematically high. My love for its prequel was a tough act to follow. There was good chemistry between Vanessa and Adrian that sustained the tension of the will they/won't they. What was lacking for me was two things. First, the witty banter that I loved in THEAP was not quite as snappy in this book. It's there, but it didn't soar quite as much as the former. Second, the secondary characters were not as interesting and fun. The tone of this book is a touch more serious given that we're dealing with a devastating illness. I appreciate that difference and it can explain who the book doesn't have the fun, sassy BFF. However, the secondary characters just didn't interest me and I always wanted to simply get back to the main plot when they showed up. Neither of these issues were deal breakers, but they are where I struggled.

I also didn't love the Me Before You adjacent plot line. I appreciate what Jimenez was trying to do in terms of showcasing living with a disability or the threat of a terminal illness. As the parent of a disabled child, I am always in favor of disabled individuals being appropriately featured in novels, but I do feel that doing so requires great care. In her acknowledgements, Jimenez explains that she was inspired by Claire Wineland, a young woman who died of cystic fibrosis. Having lost a sister to CF, it's a little difficult for me to see a devastating disease like ALS (or CF) as a plot point for a romance novel. On the other hand, people need to learn about and process things like these in many ways, so perhaps this is a way to make issues like these accessible to readers who wouldn't read about them in heavier books.

Abby Jimenez absolutely never disappoints! Life’s Too Short is so flipping fantastic and exactly what every romance novel fan needs to be reading!!! This book had it all— original characters that are so darn lovable all wrapped in a well-written storyline that is completely unputdownable! There are many hurdles these characters tackle throughout the novel and I guarantee there will be something everyone can relate to. Abby Jimenez has an epic writing style that has the perfect amount of sass, snark, and sweetness! Simply put, if you haven’t read Abby Jimenez yet you are missing out! I cannot recommend this 5 star novel enough!! A true must read!

#BookReview "Life's Too Short" by Abby Jimenez @abby (Thank you @netgalley and @readforeverpub for the early digital copy) Out April 6!

Abby has done it again!! This one is 5⭐ from me! I went through all the emotions with this one. Even this being a "romcom"...this covered the serious and deadly disease ALS! Vanessa's family has a history of ALS. Vanessa wants to live her life to the fullest, because she doesn't know if she caries the same gene that gave her mother the disease. She's also a YouTuber that travels the world and films it all. Suddenly, Vanessa is left custody of her half sisters newborn baby, and everything is turned upside down. What she doesn't expect is to have her hot neighbor, Adrian Copeland, come to the rescue to help her out. And also doesn't expect to develop the feelings that she does for him.

This book was so entertaining, funny and emotional!! I recommend starting with book 1 "The Friend Zone" because some of the characters roll over into her other books. Romance readers definitely won't be disappointed with this one!! So good!!

Vanessa and Adrian both want the same thing: not to be in a relationship. They each have their own reasons, of course. This slow burn romance takes you through all of the emotions.

I gave Life’s Too Short 4 out of 5 stars because it was my least favorite of Abby’s three books. However, I did still really enjoy it. I love Vanessa and her carefree spirit, trying to truly enjoy every single day of life. Her sense of humor will have you loving her quickly. I enjoyed “watching” Adrian grow into the person he was meant to be. Abby really hits those hard to talk about subjects throughout her new book. The only thing that I wish were different about the book was the ending. I felt like it was a tad rushed.

LOVED LOVED LOVED the first 70% of this. Jimenez drew me in with her witty writing, funny jokes, and quirky characters. I sped through the first half because of this. There was the right amount of drama and fun. But then around 70% in Vanessa became too whiny about her potentially impending doomed life. Because she didn't know her diagnosis for sure, I got annoyed. She was putting off life and who she was at the beginning of the book because of she thought she had this disease. And she put off love. And she turned the opposite of the fun person she was at the beginning. ALso, I feel like this book tried too hard to be everything. Love story, check. Gay-friendly, check. Disability awareness, check. Addition, check. And it tried to wrap up everything too nicely, too fast.

If you have never read a book by Abby Jimenez, then you’re missing out! She’s one of the best rom-com writers out there. This book has is a wonderful balance of lightness, humor and darkness. Vanessa and Adrian’s meet-cute is hilarious and one of my all-time favorites in any rom-com books and really set the tone of how the book was going to go. I loved both of these main characters so much, probably more than any of Abby's characters in the whole series. Vanessa and Adrian complimented each other so well. They are polar opposites in almost everything and have totally different views on how to live life, but as the saying goes…opposites attract. Vanessa and Adrian’s story was just the right combination of serious and sweet. I loved how their friendship developed naturally and then seeing the slow burn build up and up until it FINALLY exploded was spectacular. Adrian is a great rom com male lead. He is kind, funny, selfless and SEXY! He should be in the boyfriend HOF. He’s not perfect and he makes mistakes, but that's what makes him interesting and the way he redeems himself is the best biggest grand gesture I've ever seen. Vanessa's view on life was a great reminder that nothing in this world is guaranteed and you should live life to the fullest and worrying about your future can rob you of living in the present. The chapter titles that were made to be like gossip rag headlines were hilarious and set the tone for the chapters. I absolutely love all “The Office” references. It is one of my favorite shows and I love that Vanessa is obsessed with it and brings Adrian into the obsession.

I devoured this book in one sitting. Abby’s books are written in such a real and relatable manner and have this way of bringing together the heavy and the humor in a perfect way. This book has a depth to it that a lot of other rom coms don’t because it deals with heavy issues, and this makes the book all the better. It reminds you to really live your life and to cherish the people who are important to you. It was like seeing old friends again when the characters from TFZ and HEAP appeared. With social distancing and people not being able to be together, it was like a warm hug seeing these characters again. If you haven’t already, you should definitely read the first two books in the series: The Friend Zone and The Happy Ever After Playlist (Adrian’s first appearance). I seriously cannot wait to read whatever Abby Jimenez writes next. This book should be a must read for 2021!

I adored this book. Vanessa and Adrian read as characters of great depth, and I loved the way they played off each other. Vanessa’s view of life and striving to live every moment is admirable and something the reader can take with them once finished with the book. This is a story of overcoming obstacles, understanding that people can change and learning that it’s ok to change your mind. Read this book, and you’ll fall in love with Vanessa and Adrian, just as I have.

I just finished Life’s Too Short and immediately had to write a review. Out of Abby Jimenez’s books, this one is my absolute fave! They are all fantastic but this book was beyond amazing. I know at times it’s hard for authors to keep up momentum as they write more and more books, but not Abby!

This one is releasing April 6, 2021 and should be a preorder! No doubt about it. Thank you Forever Publishing for my gifted copy! #partner

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I would recommend if you're looking for

-m/f friends to lovers
-close proximity
-opposites attract.
-instalove
-a sunshine heroine looking to make the most of her life
-a grumpy hero who constantly works.
-slow burn
-closed door romance

Abby Jimenez is a talented writer, her work is very readable and enjoyable. But I struggled with this one. Both Vanessa and Adrian were interesting and likable, but I didn't see the connection between them. They both had clearly defined character traits that seemed to be forgotten in order to push the relationship forward. The tropes in this one were very reminiscent of her two prior books. Friends who cannot be in a relationship due to health issues, and instalove. Vanessa's niece she was caring for was forgotten throughout the book, and appeared to be more of a plot device than an emotional connection for both Vanessa and Aiden.

This book had a lot of potential and the threads were there. Vanessa dealing with grief and the potential for illness in her own life. Despite her emphasis on enjoying life, she constantly considered her potential short life, which she self-diagnosed. Vanessa and Aidan were best friends but had zero communication about their lives. I will be upfront instalove is one of my least favorite tropes. I did not let the inaccuracies of Aidan's employment as a lawyer impact my rating.

I enjoyed the aspects about living your life and the importance of family. But the HEA was so quickly resolved from the issues, tying everything into a neat bow. I will continue to read Abby Jimenez's books and am excited to see she will have a fourth book forthcoming.

CW: parental abandonment, grief, potential ALS diagnosis, hoarding, addiction

Rating: 2.5
Steam: 2