Ponder: Part of Your World

I chose to read Part of Your World ©2022 by Abby Jimenez because I read and thoroughly enjoyed Say You'll Remember Me by the same author. I wrote a 7/14/25 post about Say You'll Remember Me last month giving it four stars. Similarly I rate Part of Your World four stars. I've also read Just For the Summer by Abby Jimenez and rated it three stars in my 7/15/25 post . 

Alexis comes from a wealthy family with a legacy of philanthropy and prestigious hospital associations. All family member are doctors and Alexis is expected to live her life in accordance with the family expectations. Alexis crosses paths with Daniel who lives in a rural setting in a small village where everyone looks out for each other. Money is scarce. Daniel is the mayor and jack of all trades in the community. He is hard working and very skilled but not in the accomplishments Alexis's family is wont to appreciate to any level.

There is definitely a chemistry between Alexis and Daniel that neither of them can deny. She enjoys every moment of the time she can get away to be with him and his quirky, supportive, friendly village members. Humor scattered throughout this book kept me smiling. One of Daniel's friends owns a petting zoo and thoughtfully named the animals. There is a pig named Kevin Bacon, a chicken named Chick-a-Las Cage, and a llama named Barack Ollama. There is an uproariously hilarious scene where Daniel's pet dog generously and ceremoniously presents a live squirrel to one of the guests during a fancy breakfast at an inn Daniel oversees. Alexis's hoity-toity "friends" are very judgmental and outraged. 

The disparity between the two worlds of Alexis and Daniel rears its ugly head time and time again. There is a constant theme of the battle between living one's life as you so chose versus upholding a legacy or commitment that has been forced on you. "Live and let live" requires empathy and compassion, often absent in Alex's parents and acquaintances. This conflict kept me reading, wondering how this dichotomy could be resolved for a happy ending. The tension in Abby Jimenez's books tends to have substance and be plausible as opposed to presenting petty dating skirmishes between flighty females and misogynous males in some rom-coms. 

Part of Your World ©2022 is the first book in a three book series, the third book of which was Just for the Summer ©2024. I do like this author but have to remind myself not to over-read her works and thus lose their freshness. This is the fourth work of hers I have read. I need to give myself space between diving into the books of authors I like. At some point I will go back and read the second book, Yours Truly ©2023. Reading the books out of order has not caused me any problems. Seeing what were secondary characters be developed more in depth in subsequent books is satisfying.

★★★★☆ Really good; maybe only one weak aspect or limited audience