Life’s Too Short (The Friend Zone #3), by Abby Jimenez

Life’s Too Short by Abby Jimenez

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I actually read this a while ago – at the end of August. Deeply entrenched in executing my father’s last will (which I still am), foregoing Goodreads and pretty much anything for weeks, my life felt like being “on-hold” (which it still does to some extent). I needed something light and fun and, well, it was pretty good…

As with her previous works, Abby Jimenez masterfully balances humour with heart, crafting a story that can make you laugh one moment and tug at your emotions the next. While it shares the same warmth and wit as The Friend Zone, I would argue that Life’s Too Short delves deeper into the complexities of living with uncertainty and the importance of embracing life’s unpredictability.

One of the moments that particularly stood out to me was when a character compared a small, toothless dog to “an angry potato with legs.” The humour in this scene was delightful:

»He bit her when she picked him up.
He didn’t have any teeth. It didn’t hurt, but it was the thought that counts. I was worried it would put her off, but she couldn’t stop laughing. She said he was like an angry potato with legs.«

Jimenez shines when portraying raw vulnerability. In a dialogue between two characters struggling with existential weight, one declares:

»“I don’t pretend to be happy. I just refuse to be sad.”«

This line perfectly summarises the novel’s poignant theme, making readers reflect on resilience and the conscious choice to cherish life’s fleeting moments. Though Life’s Too Short is packed with humour, it’s the deeper emotional exploration that sets it apart and makes it not just a fun read, but a memorable one.

Four stars out of five.






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