Ever pick up a book thinking it’s going to be a light, fizzy rom-com about a hot lawyer and a quirky YouTuber, only to find yourself sobbing into your pillow at 2:00 AM? Yeah. That is the Abby Jimenez experience in a nutshell. Specifically, it is the Life's Too Short experience.
If you’ve spent any time on BookTok or scrolled through the "Best of 2021" lists, you’ve seen this cover. It looks like sunshine. It looks like a beach read. But inside? It’s basically a high-stakes emotional heist.
I’ve read a lot of contemporary romance, and honestly, most of them follow a very predictable beat. Boy meets girl, they have a "meet-cute," they fight over something trivial, they make up. But Life's Too Short Abby Jimenez isn't interested in being "most books." It tackles ALS, hoarding, addiction, and the paralyzing fear of a 50% chance of dying before you’re thirty.
It's heavy. Kinda terrifying, actually. But somehow, it’s also one of the funniest things I’ve read in years.
The Secret Ingredient: Why This Book Hits Different
Most people think Life's Too Short is just the third book in The Friend Zone series. Technically, it is. But here’s the thing: you can read it as a total standalone. While characters from the first two books (Kristen, Sloan, Josh) make appearances, the story of Vanessa and Adrian exists in its own little pressurized bubble of urgency.
Vanessa Price is a travel YouTuber. She’s famous, she’s wealthy, and she’s living every day like it’s her last because for her, it might be. Her mother and sister both died of hereditary ALS before reaching 30. Vanessa is 29.
She’s basically a ticking time bomb.
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Then you have Adrian Copeland. He’s a high-powered criminal defense attorney who lives next door. He’s the guy who has his life planned out in five-year increments. He’s "The Secret Baby Tamer" (we’ll get to the baby in a second). He’s the "productive" guy who doesn’t know how to look at the shapes in the clouds because he’s too busy looking at his billable hours.
The contrast isn't just a trope. It’s the entire point.
That "Next-Level Bad" Day (And the Baby)
The plot kicks off when Vanessa’s half-sister, who struggles with substance abuse, basically drops an infant—baby Grace—on Vanessa’s doorstep and vanishes.
Vanessa is out of her element. She’s used to backpacking through Thailand, not changing diapers in a St. Paul apartment. Enter Adrian. He shows up at 4:00 AM because the baby won’t stop screaming, and instead of complaining, he just... takes the baby. He’s a natural.
This is where the magic happens. The relationship isn't built on grand gestures. It’s built on 4:00 AM feedings, shared meals, and Adrian helping Vanessa navigate her chaotic family. Her dad is a hoarder. Her sister is an addict. Her brother is perpetually unemployed. Vanessa is the "fixer" for everyone else while she’s secretly checking her own wrists for the muscle twitches that signal the beginning of the end.
The ALS Representation: Realism vs. Romance
Abby Jimenez doesn't sugarcoat the medical side. She’s been vocal about her research, and it shows. ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) is a brutal, incurable disease. In the book, Vanessa refuses to get tested.
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Why? Because if she has the gene, she doesn't want to spend her last healthy year in a doctor's office. She wants to see the world.
Some readers find this frustrating. They want her to "be responsible." But honestly, if you knew you had a 50% chance of a death sentence, would you want to know the exact date? Or would you rather burn the expensive candles and drink the good wine now? Vanessa chooses the wine.
Why the Ending Is Controversial (Spoilers Ahead)
Let’s talk about the twist. Toward the end, Vanessa discovers that the muscle weakness she’s been experiencing—the thing she was sure was ALS—is actually a benign cyst.
She isn't dying.
I’ve seen some reviews call this a "cop-out." They feel it cheapens the stakes of the book. But I disagree. To me, the "miracle" ending serves a different purpose. It forces Adrian and Vanessa to figure out how to live a long life together, not just a fast one.
When they thought time was short, they were brave. When they realized time was long, they had to deal with the actual work of a relationship. That’s the real challenge.
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Lessons from Vanessa Price
If you’re looking for a takeaway from Life's Too Short, it isn't just "carpe diem." That’s a bumper sticker. The real lesson is about The One Day Syndrome.
Adrian suffers from it. He thinks, "One day I’ll take the trip. One day I’ll have the family." Vanessa teaches him that "one day" isn't a guaranteed thing.
- Burn the candle. Don't save the "good" stuff for a special occasion. Tuesday is an occasion.
- Stop the "What Ifs." Worrying about a future tragedy just makes you live through that tragedy twice.
- Accept the help. Vanessa tried to do everything alone. Adrian showed her that a "Found Family" is just as valid as a biological one.
How to Approach the Rest of the Jimenez-Verse
If you finished Life's Too Short and you’re craving more, you have two main paths.
First, go back to the beginning of the series with The Friend Zone. It deals with infertility and is equally emotional. Or, you can jump into her newer, "Interconnected Standalone" series starting with Part of Your World.
Abby Jimenez has this incredible knack for making Minnesota feel like the center of the universe. Between the cameos of Harry Puppins (the geriatric Chihuahua) and the mentions of her real-life bakery, Nadia Cakes, the world feels lived-in.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Read
If this book resonated with you, don't just move on to a random thriller. Lean into the themes:
- Read "The Happy Ever After Playlist": It’s book two in the series and deals with Sloan’s grief. It’s the bridge between the first book and Vanessa’s story.
- Check out the "Interconnected" Series: Yours Truly and Just for the Summer are masterclasses in character development and "Easter eggs" for long-time fans.
- Support ALS Research: The book has brought a lot of eyes to the disease. Look into organizations like the ALS Association to see how you can help real-life families facing this.
Life really is too short to read bad books. Luckily, this isn't one of them. It’s messy, it’s loud, it’s heartbreaking, and it’s ultimately hopeful. Just make sure you have the tissues ready. You’re gonna need them.
To get the most out of Abby's writing, start keeping a "TBR" list that prioritizes books that challenge your perspective on health and family dynamics. You might find that the "heavy" stuff is actually what makes the romance feel the most real.