Life's Too Short

By: Abby Jimenez

Narrated by: Christine Lakin, Zachary Webber

THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

"A hilarious, tender, and altogether life-affirming gem of a book." —Emily Henry, bestselling author of Beach Read

A brilliant and touching romantic comedy about two polar opposites, one adorable dog, and living every day to its fullest.

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.

• Minnesota Book Awards winner
• BookRiot, Top Books of 2021
• Goodreads, Best of 2021 Romance Finalist
• She Reads, Best of 2021 Romance Winner

Critic reviews

“Abby Jimenez’s Life’s Too Short is a hilarious, tender, and altogether life-affirming gem of a book. This is the kind of novel that leaves you a little better than when it found you. Jimenez is a true talent.”—Emily Henry, New York Times bestselling author of Beach Read

“Abby Jimenez’s knack for tackling heavy subjects with humor and care shines through in this exquisitely written story about love, difficult family relationships, and living life to its fullest.”—Farrah Rochon, USA Today bestselling author of The Boyfriend Project

"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

I didn’t want it to end!

I loved every minute of this book. I found myself relistening to chapters over and over to soak up every word. It put me in a good mood. Perfect for this crazy year!

Surprisingly heartwarming

When I started listening and found one main character is a social media celebrity, I rolled my eyes and prepared to dislike the book. But that didn’t happen. I really enjoyed the book - and laughed out loud many times. My only criticism is that one part of the book was laugh out loud funny, and other part was lacking that wit. But overall the mix of love, sadness, joy, drew me in. Excellent narrators added to the story, they were both wonderful.

Amusing, cheesy fluff.

Entertaining. A bit predictable. I did enjoy that is was set in the Twin Cities area as I'm in MN. A pure guilty pleasure beach read. (Accents by both readers are horrendous but slightly endearing.)

Absolutely Brilliant!

I adored this book. It makes you laugh, ugly cry, care and love the characters. You’re just rooting for them the whole time.

21st Century Love Story

What a beautiful story! I thoroughly enjoyed every minute and appreciated the reminders to live every moment with as much joy as possible and to not take the future for granted. Thank you!