No Skim Zone

A Review of Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez: A Mixed Experience

SUMMARY

A romance set in a small town between a local man and an out-of-town, prominent hotshot doctor. This book follows Alexis and Daniel as they navigate family legacy, their desires, and distance. Alexis, who has just come out of an abusive relationship, has to decide whether she will fulfill her family’s wishes and marry her ex and follow in her family’s footsteps, or follow her heart to open a new chapter and finally belong in a place where she can just be herself.

RATING

Back Shelf Strong first half with realistic abuse dynamics, but falls apart in execution with convenient plotting and rushed resolutions.

INITIAL REACTIONS

As soon as I saw the title of this book, I instantly thought about The Little Mermaid, and while this isn’t a retelling, I did find myself thinking about that song throughout. I really enjoyed the first 70% of this book. The author does a great job portraying abuse and toxic family dynamics. She did it so well that I found myself having to put the book down and take a deep breath before returning to it. But I have to say I was really disappointed with the ending. I found it way too convenient and felt like the book shifted from grounded realism to something that relied on plot devices rather than character-driven choices.

THREE THINGS I LIKED:

1. Daniel as a character  He’s one of those characters that can help heal you a little after reading. Although he’s fictional, it was nice to see an example of what a good man looks like  someone who offers unconditional acceptance without trying to change or control the person he loves.
2. The community of Wakan I appreciate romance books that don’t just focus on two characters in isolation. It was refreshing to see the community that shapes Daniel and how Alexis fits (or doesn’t fit) into that world.
3. The portrayal of family expectations and guilt  The book does an excellent job exploring the weight of not being able to live up to family expectations, the guilt that comes with choosing yourself, and how generational patterns shape our choices.

THREE THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE

1. Mysticism in a grounded story  Without spoiling anything, there are a few moments where the book introduces almost magical/mystical elements (convenient weather, perfectly timed appearances) in a story that had been very grounded in reality. It felt jarring and out of place, like the author didn’t trust her characters to make choices on their own.
2. Sudden character personality shifts  At least two characters act completely out of character in ways that serve the plot rather than making sense for who they’d been established to be. These shifts felt forced and undermined the careful character development of the first half.
3. The rushed, convenient ending  After such thoughtful, realistic setup in the first 70%, the ending felt like it took shortcuts. Conflicts that deserved nuanced resolutions got wrapped up too neatly and quickly. The most egregious example: an abusive character goes to therapy for four months and that’s treated as sufficient growth and redemption, which sends a problematic message about how easily abusive patterns can change.

WHO SHOULD READ THIS

If you like happy endings and that’s what satisfies you as a reader, this is a book for you. If you’re the type of reader who can accept a book with a strong beginning that makes up for a rushed ending, you might still enjoy this. Some readers feel this is good representation of an abusive relationship, though I personally think Neil’s 4month recovery negates much of that positive representation.

WHO SHOULD NOT READ THIS

If you are a reader looking for an ending that’s well thought through and a book that’s evenly paced, this might frustrate you. Readers who are not in the frame of mind to read about abusive relationships should skip this – the book can be very triggering, both romantic and familial abuse are depicted.

SIMILAR BOOKS

If you liked this book, I think you would love Evvie Drake Starts Over – it’s lighter but has themes about abuse and a character trying to overcome it. The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary also explores abuse and recovery with more consistent execution throughout.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Overall, I have to say I don’t really understand the hype for this book. For me, even if it had a good ending, this would be a pretty okay book. Despite the strong beginning, interesting plot, and great characters, this book did not deliver at the end, which made me disappointed because I really wanted to see a logical ending. But for some readers, the ending will not be a big deal because at the end of the day, the characters get a happy ending. And for those readers, I say go forth and read this book. You will not regret it.