Worst Wingman Ever - Abby Jimenez - ★★★★.¼

AUTHOR: Abby Jimenez

SERIES: The Improbable Meet-Cute, #2

GENRE: Short Story

PUBLICATION DATE: January 23, 2024

RATING: 4.25 stars.

In a Nutshell: A romantic short story that is sweet as well as emotional. Loved how intricate it was for its length. Hit just the right spot for my current mood. Worth a read.

Plot Preview:

Holly, a hospice nurse, is on her toughest assignment: watching her grandmother die. Just coming out of a tough breakup, she is more affected by the emotional intensity of the situation. So when a lovey-dovey card is stuck to her windshield on Valentine’s Day, she is quite amused, even though the note wasn’t meant for her. Thus begins a cute exchange of anonymous notes with the “worst wingman ever”, of some selfless acts, and of some life-changing advice. But all good things have to come to an end, right?

The story comes to us in the first-person perspectives of Holly and her anonymous “wingman.”

This is the second standalone story in the 'The Improbable Meet-Cute’ series, described on Amazon as “irresistibly romantic stories about finding love when and where you least expect it.”

I am so grateful I didn’t give up on this series after beginning with two duds. This story was almost perfect. It won't work for those who want steamy scenes or instant attraction or flirtatious banter. But if you are someone like me, someone who would enjoy a love story that’s sweet as well as emotional, slowburn as well as meet-cute, this is for you.

Woohoos:

😍 This is the first story so far (remember that I began the series in reverse order!) that isn’t limited to the twenty-four hours of Valentine’s Day. Instead, it begins on February 14th, but extends to many days ahead. As such, the connection between the two main characters doesn’t feel rushed.

😍 Holly. Such a lovely character! I am so tired of seeing flighty girls in romance stories that seeing someone who has her head on her shoulders and acts her age is a big bonus.

😍 The “wingman.” His name is revealed right at the start through the chapter that contains his first-person POV, but as the blurb has kept him anonymous, so shall I. All I’ll say is, this is the kind of guy whom I would have marked as a book boyfriend had I been of that age. Loved how sensitively he was portrayed.

😍 The emotional content. Didn’t expect it in a meet-cute short, and was quite impressed at how it was handled. The pain of watching a loved one in the last stages of their life is beautifully expressed.

😍 The two first-person perspectives coming in alternate chapters from each character – excellent parallel storytelling, perfectly in sync, never confusing. All the more admirable for a story of just 60 pages.

😍 A love story developing over handwritten notes – swoon! The notes sounded like actual notes instead of fake OTT messages.

😍 Love how the notes were shown written in a handwriting-styled typeface, with a distinct handwriting for the two characters. It made the content seem even more personal. (One thing the editors missed: the first note should have had a third handwriting. Not a major issue, though.)

😍 As the connection begins through notes, there is no insta love, nor any gushing over the physical attractiveness of the other. The characters don’t meet for a long time, and there is no “romance” for almost the entire story. The story ends at the perfect point of a new beginning. This might irritate those looking for more mushy stuff, but to me, everything was bang on.

😍 Both Holly and the wingman have one sibling each, and the close bond between the siblings comes out really well.

IDKs:

🤔 The confession by grandma: I don’t see why that specific confession was required. It felt a bit extreme, even though the lesson that comes out of it is much appreciated and worth remembering by all of us.

Mehs:

🙄 Holly’s sister Jillian has some really weird ideas about gauging men based on their shopping habits at the hardware store. Granted, this could have been included just to make her character sound quirky, but her thoughts were somewhat generalised and perhaps, even a bit offensive.

All in all, I expected this to be a fun meet-cute tale, but it turned out to be much more and even better. I loved the combination of emotional family moments, endearing note exchanges, and a slow progression towards love. For the mood I’m in today, the story delivered perfectly.

This was my very first Abby Jimenez work. I have heard much about her romcoms, and based on this experience, I can see why she has so many fans. I am not a huge romance fan these days, but if even I am in the mood to try this genre, I would love to check out one of her works.

Definitely recommended. This is perfect for romance readers who enjoy heart-to-heart connections instead of body-to-body shenanigans.

This standalone story is a part of the ‘The Improbable Meet-Cute’ collection, and is currently available free to Amazon Prime subscribers.

Note: There is one sad animal-related scene in the story, but no animal death and the situation does end well.