Audiobook Sample

Listen to the sample to experience the story.

Please wait while we verify your browser...

  • Title: Just for the Summer
  • Author: Abby Jimenez
  • Narrator: Abby Jimenez, Christine Lakin, Zachary Webber
  • Length: 11:43:07
  • Version: Abridged
  • Release Date: 02/04/2024
  • Publisher: Hachette Book Group USA
  • Genre: Romance, Rom-Com, Contemporary, Romance, Rom-Com, Contemporary, Romance, Rom-Com, Contemporary
  • ISBN13: 9.78E+12
Dear fellow wanderers of both physical and emotional landscapes,

There’s something magical about listening to a summer romance while actually experiencing summer – the way the narrator’s voice blends with the cicadas’ song outside your window, how the characters’ laughter mingles with the ice cubes clinking in your lemonade. That’s exactly how I first experienced Abby Jimenez’s ‘Just for the Summer,’ sitting on a dock in Minnesota not unlike where much of the story unfolds, the lake water lapping at the wooden posts as Christine Lakin’s voice brought Emma to life with such warmth I kept looking around for this fictional woman to join me with a cold drink.

Jimenez’s story of Justin and Emma – two people who believe they’re cursed in love and hatch a plan to ‘cancel out’ each other’s romantic misfortune – unfolds like the perfect summer road trip. It starts as a lighthearted adventure (reminding me of my own impulsive detours to small-town diners during cross-country drives) but gradually reveals unexpected depths, much like when you stumble upon a hidden swimming hole that’s far more profound than its playful surface suggests. The author’s decision to narrate portions herself adds an intimate authenticity to the experience – it’s like being told a story by a close friend rather than a professional voice actor.

The trio of narrators (Jimenez, Lakin, and Zachary Webber) create a rich audio tapestry that captures the novel’s emotional range. Webber’s performance as Justin particularly stands out – his delivery of the character’s self-deprecating humor and gradual emotional awakening reminded me of those golden-hour conversations I’ve had with strangers in hostel common rooms, where laughter slowly gives way to vulnerable truths. Lakin’s Emma carries both the character’s professional competence as a traveling nurse and her deep-seated vulnerabilities with equal conviction, especially in scenes with Emma’s toxic mother that had me pausing the audiobook to collect myself during a particularly tense exchange.

What makes this audiobook special is how the medium enhances Jimenez’s strengths as a writer. Her knack for crafting dialogue that snaps with authenticity becomes even more apparent when performed by skilled narrators. The lakeside setting – so crucial to the story’s atmosphere – comes alive through subtle audio cues in the recording: the occasional distant call of a loon in quiet moments, the way the narrators’ voices take on a different timbre during scenes by the water, as if they’re actually speaking into the lake breeze.

The story’s exploration of found family versus biological ties particularly resonated with me, recalling a summer I spent volunteering at a youth hostel in Portugal where the staff became closer than relatives. When Justin suddenly becomes guardian to his three siblings, Webber’s voice masterfully captures that precise moment when responsibility transforms from burden to privilege – a nuance I’ve witnessed in fellow travelers who’ve unexpectedly found their purpose while on the road.

While the rom-com premise delivers all the witty banter and slow-burn tension fans expect, the audiobook’s real strength lies in its quieter moments. A scene where Emma and Justin simply exist together in comfortable silence, the audio stretching that moment just slightly longer than you’d expect, perfectly captures the intimacy of shared stillness – something I’ve only ever experienced during those perfect travel moments when words would only dilute the connection.

If I had one critique, it’s that some of the secondary characters’ voices blend together at times, though this might be intentional to keep focus on our central pair. The production occasionally misses opportunities to use sound design more boldly during key emotional beats, relying perhaps too heavily on the narrators’ considerable talents alone.

Compared to similar romantic audiobooks like Emily Henry’s ‘Beach Read’ or Christina Lauren’s ‘The Unhoneymooners,’ ‘Just for the Summer’ distinguishes itself through its thoughtful handling of heavier themes beneath the sparkling surface. The way the narrators handle the story’s emotional pivot points – particularly Emma’s family trauma and Justin’s sudden parenthood – elevates it beyond typical summer fluff without ever losing that essential summer magic.

For potential listeners, I’d recommend experiencing this audiobook as I did – outdoors, preferably near water, allowing the natural world to become an unconscious extension of the story’s setting. Keep tissues handy for the final chapters, when three narrators’ voices intertwine in a climax that beautifully mirrors the story’s themes of unexpected connection.

With wanderlust for both places and stories,
Marcus Rivera