Part of Your World

Sometimes, fate is a raccoon. Not something I ever thought I’d say, but Abby Jimenez’s beautiful writing has me believing it. I’ve loved this author ever since her debut, but Part of Your World is her best book yet.

Maybe it’s because of the relatable characters: Alexis, the big-city physician who swerves to avoid fate (i.e., our beloved raccoon), and Daniel, the small-town carpenter/innkeeper/mayor who tows her out of a ditch. Maybe it’s the magical, whimsical setting of Wakan, a fictional place that feels like the delightful combination of a Disney amusement park and Schitt’s Creek. Maybe it’s the sometimes hilarious, sometimes heart-wrenching, always scene-stealing extended cast that has me hoping for lots and lots of sequels. Or perhaps it’s just Abby Jimenez’s talent for layering complex, realistic themes with the sweetest of romances. Because at its core, Part of Your World is the perfect love story that made me swoon, sigh, cheer, and even cry a little. Yes, Daniel and Alexis come from drastically different backgrounds, live in opposite worlds, and on paper, they shouldn’t work out. But between spaghetti dinners and dragonflies, night feedings of baby goats, and nods to fairy tales like Beauty and the Beast and The Princess Bride, my heart exploded with joy that these two found each other (thanks, raccoon)!

Abby Jimenez’s words are like fairy dust, and in the two days I spent reading this book they sprinkled humor and warmth all over my life. Pick up Part of Your World if you’re looking for an uplifting, feel-good, romantic read—and for a beautiful reminder that we should always try to live the life that makes us the happiest.

After a wild bet, gourmet grilled-cheese sandwich, and cuddle with a baby goat, Alexis Montgomery has had her world turned upside down. The cause: Daniel Grant, a ridiculously hot carpenter who’s ten years younger than her and as casual as they come—the complete opposite of sophisticated city-girl Alexis. And yet their chemistry is undeniable.

While her ultra-wealthy parents want her to carry on the family legacy of world-renowned surgeons, Alexis doesn’t need glory or fame. She’s fine with being a “mere” ER doctor. And every minute she spends with Daniel and the tight-knit town where he lives, she’s discovering just what’s really important. Yet letting their relationship become anything more than a short-term fling would mean turning her back on her family and giving up the opportunity to help thousands of people.

Bringing Daniel into her world is impossible, and yet she can’t just give up the joy she’s found with him either. With so many differences between them, how can Alexis possibly choose between her world and his?