Life's Too Short

I'm going to DNF this and not count it toward my book count. I love this author but these characters are just not working for me. I think too much is thrown into this book and it's just not for me

4.5 oooww my heart

I actually read this a while ago - at the end of August. Deeply entrenched in executing my father's last will (which I still am), foregoing Goodreads and pretty much anything for weeks, my life felt like being “on-hold” (which it still does to some extent). I needed something light and fun and, well, it was pretty good...As with her previous works, [a:Abby Jimenez 18446724 Abby Jimenez https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1651706989p2/18446724.jpg] masterfully balances humour with heart, crafting a story that can make you laugh one moment and tug at your emotions the next. While it shares the same warmth and wit as [b:The Friend Zone 41945163 The Friend Zone (The Friend Zone, #1) Abby Jimenez https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1553782196l/41945163.SY75.jpg 65437442], I would argue that [b:Life's Too Short 54377375 Life's Too Short (The Friend Zone, #3) Abby Jimenez https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1593802541l/54377375.SY75.jpg 81319946] delves deeper into the complexities of living with uncertainty and the importance of embracing life's unpredictability.One of the moments that particularly stood out to me was when a character compared a small, toothless dog to “an angry potato with legs.” The humour in this scene was delightful:»He bit her when she picked him up.He didn't have any teeth. It didn't hurt, but it was the thought that counts. I was worried it would put her off, but she couldn't stop laughing. She said he was like an angry potato with legs.«Jimenez shines when portraying raw vulnerability. In a dialogue between two characters struggling with existential weight, one declares:»“I don't pretend to be happy. I just refuse to be sad.”«This line perfectly summarises the novel's poignant theme, making readers reflect on resilience and the conscious choice to cherish life's fleeting moments. Though Life's Too Short is packed with humour, it's the deeper emotional exploration that sets it apart and makes it not just a fun read, but a memorable one.Four stars out of five.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix Tumblr

3.75/5 - This was a cute book. The better of the 3. Per usual, Abby thrives off pure chaos, which is what this book gave. The only critiques I have are:
1. The FMC being a Youtube travel vlogger (which I hate those types of tropes) and dealing with a “potential” terminal illness, was too farfetched.

2. I didn't like how they teased this illness until the very end of the book to only say it was something minor that could've been addressed a while back.

Adrian (MMC) seemed like a good person, (too good for dealing with her mess) and they both had a connection that was cute.

I just ... do not read this unless you're ready to be destroyed seriously

I cried. Even though I knew Vanessa couldn't possibly die because that would ruin the point of a romance novel.

So here's the deal, the women in her family have tended to get a genetically passed-down disease (ALS) that tends to claim them in a very short period of time. She watched her sister and her mother both die of this before age 30, with and without treatment attempts, and decided that she would experience everything she could, with the expectation that she likely wouldn't be around for the long-term. Which is then complicated when her half-sister Annabel drops her infant off at Vanessa's house and disappears.

That whole side of the family is REALLY damaged, from all the death and the unpredictability of this illness. There's a lot of unhealthy coping all around.

But then Adrian comes into the picture! He's like, all stability all the time. They become friends. But ONLY friends, because Vanessa doesn't want a relationship on the basis that she could be dead like any minute.

[Sure Jan gif]

I love that Abby Jimenez puts in the work to get her characters' jobs right. However. The baby, Grace. Other than in Vanessa and Adrian's meet-cute, having an infant doesn't seem to interfere with their lives like at ALL?? They're always feeding her and changing her and putting her in the swing or letting her sleep, but otherwise Grace sometimes felt like a Plot Device. Infants require other things too! Sometimes they scream for no reason! Sometimes they need tummy time and peekaboo and stories! I know this is a romance novel and therefore maybe the stuff happening with the baby didn't need to be on-page all the time, but I kept going, okay but where's Grace?

The issue here isn't one of lack of communication, but rather a misunderstanding based on communication that seems very reasonable to me. I wasn't mad at it at all.

The ending felt a little rushed. I could have done with more of Adrian's therapy/recovery from the shock of learning the extent of Vanessa's family history.

Overall, I really liked it, just not nearly as much as the other one I just read.

CW: fatal illness (anxiety over it, lack of treatment options, family members who have died of it), medical trauma, addiction and how the medical establishment treats addicts, anxiety/panic attacks, hoarding, mental illness, adoption, end 0f life preparation, abandonment, cheating (not by main characters)

some of the plot was corny but i still ate it up

Would have been 4 stars but shed some tears, so 5

My heart wasn't ready for this book. I loved it. So many important topics, great characters, great slow burn, amazing chemistry, funny banter, highly entertaining and so emotional.
A LOT was going on. An emotional roller-coaster.
Why it is a 4 star: I don't think we get enough time with Adrian and Vanessa together before the drama hits.

3,5 because it's another classic chick lit with all the right makings of a love story and a fulfilling ending. Not 5 because it's a bit too fantasyland to expect some of the attitudes involved, even if it's a love story.

I pre-ordered my signed, personalized copy of Life's Too Short from the Magers & Quinn bookstore and I purchased the audiobook narrated by Christine Lakin and Zachary Webber. I'm pretty sure this will be one of my top favorite books of 2021, and is my #1 so far. There is so much about this book that makes it such a great read that I doubt no review could give it justice so I'm not going to try and list the reasons! Just trust me... it's funny, thought provoking, and will make you gush. <3 <3 <3