The Literary Cellar: Just For The Summer

A bonus wine and book pairing for the dog days of summer.

When

Beth Lisogorsky

asks you to do a wine and book pairing for a fun, two character beach read, you listen.

And listen I did! Beth passed along the suggestion for the audiobook version of Just For The Summer a while ago, and I am so glad. I’m a big fan of audiobooks, especially those that are narrated by the author or use an ensemble cast to bring the story to life. Plus, who doesn’t love a great BookTok-approved summer romance?

Since the first date between the two lovers takes place in late July, I figured now was the perfect time to indulge in a little wine and book pairing.

Just For The Summer by Abby Jimenez (Photo Credit: Bookly Matters)

Just For The Summer is a 2024 novel by baker-turned-writer Abby Jimenez. When Justin’s dating curse becomes the topic of a viral Reddit thread, Emma shoots her shot in his DMs and reveals she has the same curse. Both Justin and Emma have a long history of dating someone right before they end up meeting “the one”... so what’s the worst that could happen when Justin and Emma contractually agree to date each other? Set on a beautiful lake in Minnesota, the two lovers find themselves navigating major life circumstances together while they date each other in the hopes of finding their own “happily ever after” stories.

At its core, this is a fun and easy beach read, but with some added emotional depth and a romantic plot line that feels both grounded and swept off its feet. Every other chapter is written from the perspective of Emma or Justin, and it’s refreshing to see the same events from two different points of view. An eagle-eyed observer will note that Emma’s chapters are usually twice as long as Justin’s; this doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a bias from the author, but rather a testament to the female protagonist’s open hearted narration of the story. Sure, there are some things that feel a little too contrived to be real (this is a work of fiction, after all), but seeing that my own love story with my husband has been cinematic and life-changing, the plot almost feels plausible in real life.

This is Abby Jimenez’s sixth romance novel, and after its release in April 2024, Just For The Summer hit Number One on the New York Times Best Seller List. The author is the founder of Nadia Cakes, a cupcake bakery founded in her hometown of Palmdale, California with two additional locations in suburban Minnesota (no wonder she captures the beauty of the North Star State so well!).

So what wine pairs well with a sunny summer romance? Beth, your calls for a crisp, almost autumnal wine have been answered.

2023 Ryme Cellars “Hers” Vermentino (Photo Credit: Ryme Cellars)

2023 Ryme “Hers” Vermentino