The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez
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The Friend Zone

by

Abby Jimenez

(Author)

4.3

-

29,108 ratings


A slow burn, hilarious and heartwarming romantic comedy that Tessa Bailey calls "a romance for the ages!" from the New York Times bestselling author of Yours Truly.

Kristen Peterson doesn't do drama, will fight to the death for her friends, and has no room in her life for guys who just don't get her. She's also keeping a big secret: facing a medically necessary procedure that will make it impossible for her to have children.

Planning her best friend's wedding is bittersweet for Kristen -- especially when she meets the best man, Josh Copeland. He's funny, sexy, never offended by her mile-wide streak of sarcasm, and always one chicken enchilada ahead of her hangry. Even her dog, Stuntman Mike, adores him. The only catch: Josh wants a big family someday. Kristen knows he'd be better off with someone else, but as their attraction grows, it's harder and harder to keep him at arm's length.

The Friend Zone will have you laughing one moment and grabbing for tissues the next as it tackles the realities of infertility and loss with wit, heart, and a lot of sass.

"Your next favorite romantic comedy...The Friend Zone is that rare beach read with tons of heart that will make you laugh and cry in equal parts." ---PopSugar

"Your next rom-com to obsess and cry over." ---Cosmopolitan

  • Goodreads Choice Awards nominee - Best Romance, Best Debut
  • O, The Oprah Magazine Best Romance Novels of the year
  • Audie Award Finalist
  • USA Today bestseller
  • Bookish Best Books of the year
  • SheReads Best Romances of the year
  • Women's Health Best Romance Novels of the year
  • Good Housekeeping Best New Books for Summer
  • PopSugar Best Books of Summer
  • Publishers Weekly Starred Review
  • Booklist Starred Review
  • Booklist Top 10 Romance Debuts

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ISBN-10

1538715600

ISBN-13

978-1538715604

Print length

384 pages

Language

English

Publisher

Forever

Publication date

June 10, 2019

Dimensions

5.25 x 1.2 x 7.95 inches

Item weight

11 ounces


Popular Highlights in this book

  • I’ll orbit around you and be your universe, because you’ve always been my sun.

    Highlighted by 2,393 Kindle readers

  • But then I realized the truth. She wasn’t mine—she never was. I’m hers. And it’s not the same thing.

    Highlighted by 1,651 Kindle readers

  • There’s something you should know about me, Josh. I say what I think. I don’t have a coy bone in my body. Yes, you’re sexy. Enjoy the compliment because you won’t always like what I say to you, and I won’t care one way or the other if you do or don’t.

    Highlighted by 1,221 Kindle readers


Product details

ASIN :

B07K6G7QBR

File size :

773 KB

Text-to-speech :

Enabled

Screen reader :

Supported

Enhanced typesetting :

Enabled

X-Ray :

Enabled

Word wise :

Enabled


Editorial Reviews

"Jimenez's dazzling debut is a brilliantly written romantic comedy that seamlessly toggles back and forth between scenes of laugh-out-loud, snarky wit and serious emotional issues without missing a beat, all the while delivering maximum reading satisfaction."―Booklist, Starred Review

"Harnessing sass, heartfelt struggle, and unapologetic sexuality, Jimenez's debut is as hysterical as it is tear-jerking...Jimenez manages to fulfill all expectations for a romantic comedy while refusing to sacrifice nuance. Biting wit and laugh-out-loud moments take priority, but the novel remains subtle in its sentimentality and sneaks up on the reader with unanticipated depth. Readers who have wrestled with infertility will find Kristen's anxieties and sorrows deeply relatable."―Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

"Jimenez tackles a myriad of issues in her debut and hits each one with depth and sensitivity. Kristen's take-no-prisoners attitude is smart and sassy and perfectly balanced by Josh's easygoing resourcefulness...An excellent debut that combines wit, humor, and emotional intensity."―Kirkus

"This romcom novel will have you feeling the falling-in-love autumn vibes."―Buzzfeed

"The Friend Zone is a deliciously hot, sweet debut full of banter I couldn't get enough of. I loved all the characters, from Kristen and Josh, to the supporting cast, and even Stuntman Mike. This book is an absolute treat."―L.J. Shen, USA Today bestselling author

"The Friend Zone gave me belly laughs, shook me up, and made me feel hopeful about love and the human strength of spirit. A romance for the ages!"―Tessa Bailey, New York Times bestselling author of Fix Her Up

"Your next favorite romantic comedy...The Friend Zone is that rare beach read with tons of heart that will make you laugh and cry in equal parts."―PopSugar

"You can expect to laugh and cry during this one."―Good Housekeeping

"The Friend Zone is heartbreaking, gut-wrenching, and emotional. Abby Jimenez wrote a difficult story line with sensitivity, heat, humor, banter, and unwavering friendship."―Harlequin Junkie, Top Pick

"The Friend Zone is a beautiful tale of learning to accept the love you deserve and finding a path to self-acceptance along the way....a zippy, instantly recognizable voice and fresh, funny characters."―Entertainment Weekly

"This new romance novel will have you both laughing and crying throughout its entirety."―Women.com

"Zingy dialog, laugh-out-loud humor, and plenty of sass temper the heartbreak of infertility in this modern, well-grounded debut that is sure to satisfy."―Library Journal

"The Friend Zone is a laugh-out-loud, wickedly clever book that sneaks up on you with a cathartic emotional payoff."―Jenny Holiday, author of Three Little Words

"This novel doesn't shy away from anything - it's fiercely loving all the way to the HEA."―NPR

"A debut novel that has it all-tears, sarcastic humor, romance and the heartbreaking issue of infertility."―Greenville News

"I think I've found a new favorite contemporary romance novel with The Friend Zone. ...This book made me laugh and cry, and it filled my heart with so many emotions. ...I'll be recommending this book to everyone."―Bookish

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Sample

ONE

Josh

I glanced down at the text while the light was red.

Celeste: I’m not giving you a dime, Josh. Go screw yourself.

“Goddamn it,” I muttered, tossing the phone on the passenger seat. I knew she was gonna do this. Leave me with my finger in the dam. Shit.

I’d left her the contents of the whole house, and all I asked was for her to pay half of the Lowe’s bill. Half of three thousand dollars’ worth of appliances I’d generously given her instead of selling them, despite the card and payments being in my name. And of course, I was somehow the asshole in all this for leaving the state for a new job three months after we’d broken up. I had it on the highest authority she was now hooking up with some guy named Brad.

I hoped Brad enjoyed my Samsung stainless gas range with the double oven.

Asphalt-scented heat drifted in through my open windows as I sat in Burbank’s slow-moving morning gridlock. Even on a Sunday, there was traffic. I needed to get my AC fixed if I was going to survive in California—another expense I couldn’t afford. I should have walked to the grocery store. Probably would have gotten there faster at this rate, and I wouldn’t have wasted gas—another thing that cost twice as much as it did in South Dakota.

Maybe this move was a bad idea.

This place would bankrupt me. I had to host my best friend’s bachelor party, there were moving expenses, the higher cost of living…and now this bullshit.

The light turned green and I pulled forward. Then the truck in front of me slammed on the brakes and I hit its bumper with a lurch.

Fuck. You’ve gotta be kidding me.

My day had been officially ruined twice in less than thirty seconds. It wasn’t even 8:00 a.m. yet.

The other driver turned into a Vons parking lot, waving out the window for me to follow. A woman—bracelet on her wrist. The wave somehow managed to be sarcastic. Nice truck though. A Ford F-150. It still had dealer plates. Kind of a shame I’d hit it.

She parked and I pulled up behind her, turned off the engine, and rummaged in my glove box for my insurance information as the woman jumped from her vehicle and ran to look at her bumper.

“Hey,” I said, getting out. “Sorry about that.”

She turned from her inspection and glared up at me. “Yeah, you know you have one job, right? Not to hit the car in front of you?” She cocked her head.

She was small. Maybe five foot two. Petite. A dark wet spot cascaded down the front of her shirt. Shoulder-length brown hair and brown eyes. Cute. Impressive scowl.

I scratched my cheek. Irritated women were a particular specialty of mine. Six sisters—I was well trained.

“Let’s just have a look,” I said passively, putting on my calm-in-a-crisis voice. “See what we’re dealing with.”

I crouched between the back of her truck and the front of mine and surveyed the damage as she stood over me, her arms crossed. I looked up at her. “I tapped your trailer hitch. Your truck is fine.” Mine had a small dent, but it wasn’t anything major. “I don’t think we need to get our insurance companies involved.”

I couldn’t afford to have an accident on my driving record. It wasn’t good for my job. I pushed up on my knees and turned to her.

She leaned over and tugged on the hitch. It didn’t wiggle. “Fine,” she said, obviously satisfied with my assessment. “So, are we done here?”

“I think we can be done.”

She whirled, darting around to the passenger side of her truck as I started for the grocery store. She dove into the cab, her legs dangling from the seat as she leaned in on her stomach. Her flip-flop fell off into the parking lot with a plop.

She had a nice ass.

“Hey,” she said, twisting to look at me as I walked past. “How about instead of staring at my ass, you make yourself useful and get me some napkins.”

Busted.

I put a thumb over my shoulder. “Uh, I don’t have any napkins in my truck.”

“Think outside of the box,” she said impatiently.

Feeling a little guilty for openly admiring her assets—or rather for getting caught doing it—I decided to be helpful. I went back to my truck, opened my gym bag, and grabbed a tee. When I handed her the shirt, she snatched it and dove back into the cab.

I stood there, mostly because she had my favorite shirt, but also because the view wasn’t anything to complain about. “Everything okay?” I tried to peer past her into the front seat, but she blocked my line of sight.

A small, light brown dog with a white chin growled at me from the window of the back seat. One of those little purse dogs. I scoffed. It wore actual clothing.

“I spilled coffee in my friend’s new truck,” she said from inside. She lost her other flip-flop to the sweltering parking lot and was now barefoot, her red-painted toes on the running board. “It’s everywhere. So no, it’s not okay.”

“Is your friend a dick or something? It was an accident.”

She pivoted to glare at me like I kicked her dog. “No, he’s not a dick. You’re the dick. You were probably texting.”

She was feisty. A little too cute to scare me though. I had to work hard to keep my lips from turning up at the corners. I cleared my throat. “I wasn’t texting. And in all fairness, you did slam on the brakes for no reason.”

“The reason was I needed to stop.” She turned back to the mess.

I suspected the reason was she spilled coffee on herself and hit the brakes reflexively. But I wasn’t going to poke the bear. Well trained.

I slipped my hands into my pockets and rocked back on my heels, squinting up at the Vons sign in the parking lot to my left. “Okay. Well, good chatting with you. Leave my shirt on the windshield when you’re done.”

She climbed into the passenger side of the truck and slammed the door shut.

I shook my head and chuckled all the way into the store.

When I came back out, she was gone and my shirt was nowhere to be seen.

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About the authors

Abby Jimenez

Abby Jimenez

Abby Jimenez is a Food Network winner, New York Times best selling author, and recipient of the 2022 Minnesota Book Award for her novel Life's Too Short. Abby founded Nadia Cakes out of her home kitchen back in 2007. The bakery has since gone on to win numerous Food Network competitions and, like her books, has amassed an international following.


Reviews

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5

29,108 global ratings

Bryan

Bryan

5

not my typical book

Reviewed in the United States on June 28, 2024

Verified Purchase

On a whim I decided to try this recently recommended book. Romance isn’t usually what I would read but I needed a change from my typical suspense novel. Well written, I really enjoyed the characters. I was immersed into their world and enjoyed the break from mine. Shoot now I’m going to read the next one, guess romance novels are my thing

Kindle Customer and reader of great stories

Kindle Customer and reader of great stories

5

Oh my!

Reviewed in the United States on June 16, 2024

Verified Purchase

I've been reading so much lately that everything just kinda blended together. This book will never just blend in with the others. It's emotional, it's fun, is frustrating, is so lighthearted, it's sad, it's happy. ITS ALL THE FEELS! I very much recommend this beautifully written tale!

5 people found this helpful

R. L. Sczepanski

R. L. Sczepanski

5

Damg, I haven’t cried this much since…

Reviewed in the United States on June 19, 2024

Verified Purchase

well, since Dumbledore died. What a roller coaster, in the very best ways. The characters were as real as they could get, and what they went through? Well, strap in, honeycakes. You ain’t seen nuthin’ yet.

When the love story got to what felt like the resolution - no spoilers here - I looked at the “progress” bar on my Kindle app and saw I was less than half way. I couldn’t conceive of what could possibly take so long to resolve the issues where they were. Yet everything that happened after, though each event was entirely unexpected, felt real. I understood, on a deep, gut-wrenching level, why everything had to work out as it did. Never once did I get that, “These people are stupids. If they just talked to each other, there wouldn’t BE a problem,” feeling.

Best book I’ve read in a long time, but not just a happy rom-com romp. Keep an entire box of tissues ready. You have been warned. But if you like great writing, do yourself a favor and read this book.

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Alicia Kindle Customer

Alicia Kindle Customer

5

You've always Been my sun

Reviewed in the United States on July 4, 2024

Verified Purchase

I am almost ashamed to say this was my first read by Abby Jimenez. I knew who she was, I've been a reader for a long time and she's been on my tbr for a long time but I just never seemed to bump her up my list. Boy was I wrong not to because I have been missing out.

Kristen Peterson is made of honor for her best friend Sloane. Sloane's fiancee's best friend Josh Copeland is the best man. Kristen and Josh bump into each other before they officially meet, its funny and sets up their relationship pretty well.

This book has it all, the humor, sarcasm, slow burn relationship, the heat, the heart break and of course the hea.

I laughed so hard at times I was crying and I cried so hard at times I was sobbing. I have definitely moved the rest of her books up on my tbr.

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BookNerd

BookNerd

5

This author knows true love.

Reviewed in the United States on July 6, 2024

Verified Purchase

I've been lucky enough to be married to my best friend, my piece of comfort in a scary world, for over 20 years. We've had 2 children, lost one, we've both cared for then lost a parent & even almost lost each other.

I would not change a single thing.

This story is the true embodiment of real, unending love. It's captured so perfectly & while you'll definitely need tissues, it's also very funny. Both beautiful & heartbreaking in equal measure.

My husband has been trying to tell me for the last two decades that he loves every part of me, every scar & stretch mark & after finishing this story, I'm actually starting to believe him.

Just read it. And hold out for this kind of relationship. It's out there.

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2 people found this helpful

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