Book Review: The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez

 

Pages: 400

Genre: Adult Romance

Pub. Date: March 24, 2026

Publisher: Forever

Source: Personal Copy

Other Books By Author: Just for the Summer,

Part of Your World, Say You'll Remember Me, and Yours Truly

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

 

 

Goodreads says, "A beautiful, compelling novel that revels in laughter, friendship, and the messy choices life can throw our way. In everyone’s life, there’s a split-second decision that can change everything...

For Larissa, it came when choosing which guy to ride home with after a concert. That night, she had no idea she’d met the perfect man. She and Chris are great together, co-parenting a slightly unhinged rescue Yorkie, sharing their favorite books, and judging bread (pumpernickel for the win!). For the first time amid all her side hustles to scrape by, things finally feel easy.

But Chris isn't the one who drove Larissa home all those months ago—Chris is her boyfriend's best friend. All Chris wants is for Larissa to be happy. Standing by on the sidelines is slowly killing him, but making a move would destroy someone else. And he’s just not that guy."

 

After a fun night out at a concert, Larissa gets a ride home from Mike, and not his more subdued (and slightly grumpy) friend, Chris. Once Larissa and Mike start dating, though, things get complicated. Mike doesn't have it together, and often Chris fills in for him. When Larissa needs a ride to the hospital for her mother's surgery, it's Chris who steps in to help out. The more time they spend together, the more time they realize they have a lot more in common than they thought, and perhaps there is some chemistry, too. She can't help but wonder what if she had gotten a ride home from Chris the night of the concert? Once Chris adopts a rescue dog, Larissa volunteers to help take care of him when Chris can't due to his busy job, and now they are spending even more time together. But Chris could never betray his best friend, even when Mike doesn't deserve someone like Larissa. Readers keep wondering how long they can deny it, though, especially when Mike has some major difficulties he is hiding from Larissa. Abby Jimenez's latest novel, The Night We Met, is a slow-burning romance filled with real-life issues and a strong friends-to-lovers romance.
 
Don't get me wrong. Jimenez writes some of the most enjoyable romances out there, but for me, The Night We Met felt a little too heavy at times. Larissa's life is in shambles. She has a really co-dependent relationship with her mom, who is also a mess , and her dad has screwed over her line of credit. She can't get it together, never went to college, and often needs people to bail her out of situations. This got old for me, because I wanted Larissa to be the hero of her own story without the help of men. Eventually, things fall into place, but she needs a lot of assistance. Which is fine! But......this type of scenario felt very young to me at this point in my life. Mike, her boyfriend, is no different and is battling many issues in his life - some more serious than others and Chris cleans up all his messes. Chris seems like the perfect book boyfriend, but the fact that he is constantly doing this for Mike eventually feels like he is enabling him. This dynamic got old.
 
However, Jimenez does write a good friends-to-lovers romance in The Night We Met. All the aspects of a Jimenez novel that we have come to love are there--witty dialogue, a rescue dog, real-life issues (like a nut allergy!), a realistic romance, and a lot of pining. Due to this, The Night We Met would make a great beach read for those who want a realistic contemporary romance.
 
So, while The Night We Met isn't my favorite of Jimenez's novels, I still enjoyed it overall. Have you read it? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below, and if you are a fan of Jimenez.  

 

The Ultimate Summer Reading List for 2026

 

It's finally here—the best time of the year, in my opinion: beach read season! Find a sunny spot and grab a good book because it's time to relax. I'm here to provide you with recommendations throughout the season, so be sure to bookmark this page. Below, you'll find a list of the best beach reads and summer releases to add to your summer TBR (to-be-read) pile. It looks like it's going to be an excellent summer for books! I've marked any titles that I believe would be great for book clubs with an asterisk (*). Keep an eye on this space for upcoming releases, spotlights, and more as we dive into the joys of beach read season!

Already Released:

 

• The House of Hidden Letters by Izzy Broom (3/17)
• The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez (3/24) 
• Happy Ending by Chloe Liese (4/14) 
• The Last Kiss of Summer by Jessica M. Felleman (4/28)
• The Island Club by Nicola Harrison (4/28)

 

May:

 

• The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett (5/5)
• Liberty Island by Virginia Hume (5/5)
• Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune (5/5)
• Summer State of Mind by Kristy Woodson Harvey (5/5)
• A Founding Mother by Stephanie Dray and Lauren Kamoie (5/5)*
• Change of Plans by Sarah Dessen (5/5)
• The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout (5/5)* 

 
 

• The May House by Jillian Cantor (5/12) 
• June Baby by Shannon Garvey (5/12) 
• The Shippers by Katherine Center (5/19) 
• Fever Dream by Elsie Silver (5/19) 
• Take Me With You by Steven Rowley (5/19)* 
• Fortune of Sand by Ruta Sepetys (5/26

 

 

• Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan (5/26)
• The Midnight Train by Matt Haig (5/26)*
• Have a Great Summer by Francesca Cocchi (5/26) 
• The Summer Share by Jenn McKinley (5/26) 

 

 

June:

• Down with the Shipmans by Meg Mitchell Moore (6/2)
• The Windsor Affair by Melanie Benjamin (6/2)
• Land by Maggie O'Farrell (6/2)*
• Road Trip by Mary Kay Andrews (6/2)
• Off the Record by Sara Goodman Confino (6/9)

 

  

• It Could Have Been Her by Lisa Jewell (6/23)
• When You Loved Me by Beatriz Williams (6/23)
• Worse Than Strangers by Kyleigh Leddy (6/23) 
• The Shampoo Effect by Jenny Jackson (6/30)
• Wasp's Nest by Kat Stoddard (6/30)
• The Top of the World by Ethan Joella (6/30)* 

 

 

July:

 

 

• Habits of the Sea by Shea Ernshaw (7/7)
• An Infinite Love Story by Chanel Cleeton (7/7)
• Every Version of You by Natalie Messier (7/7)
• Love You More by Emily Giffin (7/7)
• Star-Crossed Summer by Devon Daniels (7/7) 

 

   

• Crash Into Me by Robinne Lee (7/7) 
• Summer People by Sally Blakely (7/14) 
• The Parisian Heist by Jo Piazza (7/14)
• The Romance Revival by Christina Lauren (7/14)
• Meet Me in Paris by Kristin Harmel (7/28) 

 

Shop All Books Here:  

 

Which books are you most looking forward to reading this summer? Are there any you think I should add to my list? Let me know in the comments below.  

10 Books to Read in May

 

I believe that May consistently features some of the most exciting book releases. With more beach reads becoming available and the weather warming up, what more could we ask for? Here are the books I'm looking forward to this month:

 

1. The Midnight Train by Matt Haig (5/5)

 "When your life flashes before your eyes, where would you stop?A magical, time-traveling love story."

 

 

2. The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout (5/5)

"Pulitzer Prize–winning author Elizabeth Strout’s new novel tells the story of a chance incident that sparks a powerful realization in a beloved teacher’s life—a poignant meditation on loneliness, friendship, parenthood, and the importance of truth in a capsizing world."

 

 

3. The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett (5/5)

"The multimillion-copy-selling author of The Help returns with a bold, big-hearted novel about a group of unbreakable women, fighting for what's rightfully theirs--and the power of friendship to change everything."

 

 

4. A Fortune of Sand by Ruta Sepetys (5/26)

"The daughter of a powerful tycoon escapes to a glamorous artists’ retreat—where dark secrets and dangerous temptations await—in this gripping Prohibition-era novel." 

 

 

 

5. Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune (5/5)

"Best friends have one week in paradise to fix their friendship or fall apart in this heart-stopping, utterly romantic new novel."

 

 

 

6. The Shippers by Katherine Center (5/19)

"Shipboard antics abound in this witty, heart-tugging, childhood-friends-to-lovers romance, as JoJo and Cooper team up, fake flirt, slow dance, share a cabin, sing duets, get jealous, answer long-held questions, and finally, at last, discover truths about each other that will change everything."

 

 

 

7. Change of Plans by Sarah Dessen (5/5)

“A reflective coming-of-age love story about an unassuming girl who learns to stand on her own while falling in love during a life-changing summer."

 

 

 

 8. Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan (5/26)

"A hardworking single mom returns to her seaside hometown and stumbles into a fake dating situationship with a wealthy, workaholic scion."

 

 

 

9. Summer State of Mind by Kristy Woodson Harvey (5/5)

“Queen of the beach read,” (Cosmopolitan) returns with a heartfelt escape to coastal Carolina."

 

 

 

10. Liberty Island by Virginia Hume (5/5)

"From the bestselling author of Haven Point comes a sweeping historical novel about the generations of a family that spends summers in a seaside enclave on the rocky Maine coastline."

 

 

 Which books are on your May TBR list? Let me know in the comments below.

Mini Reviews: Spring Romances

 

We are in the heart of spring, and what better way to embrace it than with a spring romance? These two romances have very different settings, but their unique environments enhance the romance beautifully.

  

The Paris Match by Kate Clayborn

Pages: 464 

Genre: Romance

Pub. Date: April 7, 2026

Publisher: Berkley

Source: Publisher for review

Other Books By Author: Georgie, All Along

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

 

 

Goodreads says, "Physician Layla Bailey has spent over a year telling herself she's moved on from a painful but amicable divorce from her college sweetheart. Staying friends with her ex seemed like the mature thing to do, but when Layla is invited to her former sister-in-law’s destination wedding in Paris—where Layla once spent her own romantic honeymoon—she knows her commitment to maturity might be her worst enemy…especially since her ex isn’t attending alone.

The only thing that could make the week more difficult is getting through it without the distraction of the wedding.... But when what Layla thought was a harmless conversation about the choices of her younger self leads to the bride getting cold feet, Layla finds herself facing down the groom’s mysterious, taciturn best man, Griffin, who will do anything to make sure this wedding happens.

Since she broke it, Griff demands she help him fix it. Going along with his plan to alleviate the engaged couple's doubts seems like Layla’s best chance at maintaining a good relationship with a family she once called her own. But as she learns more about the past heartbreak that’s driving Griff to help his friend, she gets closer and closer to confronting the true depth of her own pain…while finding herself more and more willing to risk it all again for Griff."

 

 

Lydia Bailey is divorced but has always maintained a good relationship with her ex-husband's family. When her former sister-in-law, Sarah, begs her to attend her destination wedding in Paris, Lydia agrees. Although things have remained amicable for everyone, she is aware that her ex-husband, Jamie, will also be present, accompanied by someone new. Upon her arrival, Lydia inadvertently clashes with the elusive best man, Griffin. However, as they spend more time together, they begin to discover a surprising chemistry between them. Complicating matters further, after a girls' night out, Sarah expresses second thoughts about the wedding. When Griffin learns this, he believes that Lydia’s comments during their conversation contributed to Sarah's doubts. Determined to help, Griffin confronts Lydia, and together they work to sort out the issues surrounding the bride and groom. Additionally, having Griffin by her side provides Lydia with a buffer against her ex-husband. The Paris Match by Kate Clayborn is a slow-burning romance set against the captivating backdrop of Paris, which plays a central role in the story.
 
I liked Lydia from the start of The Paris Match. It's not often we get a mature, well-accomplished divorced woman as the protagonist, but I am here for it. I enjoyed her journey to Paris, her awkward encounters with Griffin, which blossomed into something more, and her beautiful time in Paris. Springtime is the perfect time to crack open a book set in Paris (I mean, look at that cover!), so if you are a fan of slow burn romances, this would be a good option for you. Admittedly, I did enjoy Clayborn's Georgie, All Along a little bit more, but overall, this was a solid romance.
 

 

 

 

Darling Daffodils Farm by Brittanee Nicole

Pages: 416 

Genre: Romance

Pub. Date: March 17, 2026

Publisher: Putnam

Source: Publisher for review

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

 

 

Goodreads says, "They say you can never tame a wildflower...When aspiring pastry chef, Tally Darling, returns home to her family’s daffodil farm, the last thing she expects to find is a hot—half-naked—farmhand living in her childhood bedroom and running her late daddy’s business.

Jesse Walker might be gorgeous but he’s also infuriatingly grumpy. Walker has no time for Tally and the feeling is mutual.

That is, until Tally hears him moan over one of her signature salted honey cupcakes. And then discovers how good it tastes when they kiss.

As dewy April days turn into warm May evenings, Walker and Tally soon realize that there is a thin line between love and hate. But will their budding connection grow into something that lasts beyond one season?

 

Tally's father has recently passed away, prompting her to return home to her family's farm to help out. Once there, she discovers a mysterious and gruff cowboy living not only in her family's house but also in her room! It turns out he has come to assist on the farm at her mother’s request. Awkwardness ensues! Upon her return, Tally finds herself grappling not only with her grief but also with the new dynamics at the farm. She doesn't fully understand why Jesse, the cowboy, is working there, and she realizes her mother isn't being clear with her about it. The more time Tally spends with Jesse, who is her complete opposite, the more she starts to see that opposites attract. Their grumpy/sunshine romance begins to blossom, but Jesse is hiding secrets from Tally that are nearly ready to come to light. Brittanee Nicole's Darling Daffodils Farm is a sweet romance filled with a touch of spice, small-town charm, and the essence of spring.
 
A daffodil farm is just about the best setting you could think of for a spring romance, am I right? The small town charm just oozes off the pages, which was reminiscent of a Hallmark movie or The Dream Harbor series. But be forewarned! Darling Daffodils Farm isn't your mother's Hallmark movie; there are a ton of spicy scenes! So, if spicy romances are your thing and you are looking for a spring one, this has it all, including the usual tropes, but Nicole does a good job making them feel fresh and fun. 

 

 

Are you a fan of romances? Are any of these books on your TBR list? Let me know in the comments below.  

 

  

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Shampoo Effect

 

The Shampoo Effect by Jenny Jackson

Pub. Date: June 26, 2026

 

 

Goodreads says, "When Caroline Lash arrives in Greenhead, Massachusetts, she falls head-over-heels for Van Whittaker, a fleece-wearing, litter-collecting, kayak enthusiast with long, floppy hair and the personality of a Border collie. Born and raised in this picturesque coastal village, Van runs with the same crowd he did as a His ex-girlfriend, Bailey, a beautiful girl who attracts men like moths to a flame; Augusta, old money, horsey, and snobbish; and Fran, surrounded by brothers and sons, too fed up with boys to ever consider marrying one.

Together, the group runs wild through the marshes, beaches, and bars of Greenhead, drinking on houseboats, spending long afternoons sunbathing with their children, and playing games the way they always have. But when Bailey discovers that she is pregnant with Van’s baby, the delicate balance of the group’s friendship is thrown off. Soon Caroline is cast out of the circle and what she does next—in a potent mix of fury and heartbreak—exposes long-held secrets and works the entire town of Greenhead into a lather. Dazzlingly funny, sexy, and as juicy as it is astute, The Shampoo Effect is a story of late-night parties, early mornings with small children, the dawn of midlife, and a group of old friends finally growing up despite all their best efforts to the contrary."

 

This summer is shaping up to be fantastic for beach reads! Jenny Jackson has a new novel coming out, and just look at that cover! I loved Pineapple Street, so I'm excited to get my hands on a copy of The Shampoo Effect. It sounds like a perfect beach read. What do you all think? Let me know in the comments below!