Review: Life’s Too Short by Abby Jimenez

Life's Too Short by Abby Jimenez
Series: The Friend Zone #3
Published by Forever on April 6, 2021
Pages: 299
Genres: Romance, Women's Fiction


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A brilliant and touching romantic comedy from the USA Today bestselling author of The Friend Zone and The Happy Ever After Playlist.

When Vanessa Price quit her job to pursue her dream of traveling the globe, she wasn't expecting to gain millions of YouTube followers who shared her joy of seizing every moment. For her, living each day to its fullest isn't just a motto. Her mother and sister never saw the age of 30, and Vanessa doesn't want to take anything for granted.

But after her half sister suddenly leaves Vanessa in custody of her baby daughter, life goes from "daily adventure" to "next-level bad" (now with bonus baby vomit in hair). The last person Vanessa expects to show up offering help is the hot lawyer next door, Adrian Copeland. After all, she barely knows him. No one warned her that he was the Secret Baby Tamer or that she'd be spending a whole lot of time with him and his geriatric Chihuahua.

Now she's feeling things she's vowed not to feel. Because the only thing worse than falling for Adrian is finding a little hope for a future she may never see.

Having read and thoroughly enjoyed the first two books written by Abby Jimenez, The Friend Zone and The Happy Ever After Playlist, I fully expected Life’s Too Short to knock my socks off as well. Guess what? It did. This book checked off all my boxes. You’ve got a fun-loving heroine, a glum hero in need of rescuing, single parenting, and swooning galore.

Vanessa is a breath of fresh air. A looming ALS diagnosis and its ramifications are always on her mind, but she refuses to let it get her down. I appreciated learning about the disease, and I admired her outlook and her determination to live life to its fullest.  Being the unexpected guardian of her newborn niece isn’t part of her plan, but—as with all things in her life—she takes it in stride and turns it into an adventure. She is a famous YouTube travel vlogger, and I enjoyed exploring that aspect of her life.

As for Adrian, a brilliant but lonely and work-obsessed defense attorney who lives next door, he could not be more opposite than Vanessa. Their chance meeting changes both their lives for the better. Vanessa helps him loosen up and find joy in the simple things, while Adrian centers and supports Vanessa when her life sometimes spirals out of control. Seeing Adrian care for baby Grace—oh, be still my heart.

To say Vanessa’s family is a hot mess would be a gross understatement. A good portion of the emotional side of the story comes from their family dynamics. Knowing she may have less than a year to live, she goes to great lengths to ensure that all their needs are taken care of. She’s a saint; I doubt I would have done the same in her shoes. 

Don’t worry about the book being all gloom and doom. Vanessa’s bubbly personality makes that impossible. Yes, many sensitive topics are dealt with, but there is also a lot of laughing and swooning throughout. Adrian assisting Vanessa without judgment is everything, and it made me fall deeper in love with him. The slow burn of their romance is perfectly paced because the story gives them time to build the foundation of a trusting and fun friendship first. The end result gave me warm fuzzies.

Life’s Too Short is a witty, tender, and romantic journey. It’s everything I hoped it would be and more.

Recommended for fans of:
Single parent romance
YouTubers
Crotchety foster dogs
Disability awareness

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