Overview of Abby Jimenez’s Literary Career
Abby Jimenez is a New York Times bestselling author known for her engaging and heartfelt stories that explore the complexities of love, life, and personal growth. Her journey began in 2019 with the release of her debut book, The Friend Zone, which quickly captured the attention of readers and established her as a rising star in the literary world. Since then, Jimenez has published eight full-length books and plans to release more in the future, making her an author worth following closely.
Jimenez’s work is not only limited to writing; she also has a background in baking and even won a Food Network competition, showcasing her diverse talents. She founded Nadia Cakes, a bakery started from her home kitchen in 2007, named after her middle child. This entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to her craft have played a significant role in shaping her storytelling.
A Growing Portfolio of Books
Jimenez has written and released eight full-length books so far. In addition, she is publishing a collection of three novellas later this year. The author has also released the following three short stories:
- Worst Wingman Ever (2024)
- The Situationship (2024)
- The Fall Risk: A Short Story (2025)
Looking ahead, Jimenez has plans for new releases in 2026. The first of these was released in March, with another one planned for October.
‘The Night We Met’ (March 24, 2026)
This book introduces readers to a protagonist named Larissa and explores a split-second decision she made that changed the course of her romantic life.‘A Married Little Christmas’ (Oct. 20, 2026)
This is a collection of three novellas, recipes, and illustrations. The cover has not been released at the time of this reporting.
Reading Order of Abby Jimenez’s Books
Whether you’ve been following Jimenez’s work for years or you’re a new fan, you’re likely curious to see the evolution of her career. Here’s a full list of the books she’s written so far, in order of their publication:
‘The Friend Zone’ (2019)
Book description: “Kristen Peterson doesn’t do drama, will fight to the death for her friends, and has no room in her life for guys who just don’t get her. She’s also keeping a big secret: facing a medically necessary procedure that will make it impossible for her to have children. Planning her best friend’s wedding is bittersweet for Kristen—especially when she meets the best man, Josh Copeland.”‘The Happy Ever After Playlist’ (2020)
Book description: “Artist Sloan Monroe just can’t seem to get her life on track. But one troublemaking pup who randomly jumps into her car with a ‘take me home’ look in his eyes is about to change everything.”‘Life’s Too Short’ (2021)
Book description: “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.”‘Part of Your World’ (2022)
Book description: “After a wild bet, gourmet grilled-cheese sandwich and cuddle with a baby goat, Alexis Montgomery has had her world turned upside down.”‘Yours Truly’ (2023)
Book description: “Dr. Briana Ortiz’s life is seriously flatlining. Her divorce is just about finalized, her brother’s running out of time to find a kidney donor, and that promotion she wants? Oh, that’s probably going to the new man-doctor who’s already registering eighty-friggin’-seven on Briana’s ‘pain in my ass’ scale.”‘Just for the Summer’ (2024)
Book description: “Justin has a curse, and thanks to a Reddit thread, it’s now all over the internet. Every woman he dates goes on to find their soulmate the second they break up.”‘Say You’ll Remember Me’ (2025)
Book description: “There’s no such thing as a perfect guy, but Xavier Rush comes disastrously close.”‘The Night We Met’ (2026)
Book description: “In everyone’s life, there’s a split-second decision that can change everything… For Larissa, it came when choosing who to ride home with after a concert.”
Series Breakdown
The Friend Zone Series
This series includes three books that were published over the course of two years, between 2019 and 2021.
- ‘The Friend Zone’ (2019)
- ‘The Happy Ever After Playlist’ (2020)
- ‘Life’s Too Short’ (2021)
Part of Your World Series
Jimenez released the first book in the three-part Part of Your World series in 2022, followed by the second in 2023 and the third in 2024.
- ‘Part of Your World’ (2022)
- ‘Yours Truly’ (2023)
- ‘Just for the Summer’ (2024)
Reading Order and Recommendations
TikTok user @delaneylynnesmith, who describes herself as a “superfan” of Jimenez’s writing, weighed in on one question that a lot of Jimenez’s readers always ask: Do you have to read her books in order?
Both The Friend Zone series and her later series are interconnected standalones, which means any of these books can be read as a standalone. They can be read out of order. However, reading the books in order does help them feel like a proper series. For example, The Friend Zone is mainly about Kristen and Josh, but we meet the main characters in The Happy Ever After Playlist in The Friend Zone. So Sloan, the main character in The Happy Ever After Playlist, is the best friend of the female character in The Friend Zone. See how they link like that? But they can still be read by themselves.
If you want the full experience without any potential spoilers, it’s best to start with The Friend Zone.
Authors Similar to Abby Jimenez
If you fall in love with Jimenez’s writing, you might want to explore a few other authors who also specialize in romantic fiction. Here are a few to consider:
Emily Henry
Known for her fun novels, including many that have been or are being adapted into movies, such as People We Meet on Vacation, Funny Story, Happy Place, and Book Lovers.Katherine Center
A New York Times bestselling author of 13 novels, including The Love Haters, The Rom-Commers, and Hello Stranger.Carley Fortune
A New York Times bestselling author whose fifth novel, Our Perfect Storm, is out in May 2026. Her other books include Every Summer After, One Golden Summer, Meet Me at the Lake, and This Summer Will Be Different.Lynn Painter
A New York Times bestselling author of several romantic novels, including Better Than the Movies, Mr. Wrong Number, Accidentally Amy, and The Do-Over.
