The story starts with big-city ER doctor Alexis Montgomery accepting a tow from a handsome stranger after she gets stuck in a ditch in the small-town of Wakan. After Alexis and the handsome stranger, Daniel Grant, both end up at the same diner later that night, Alexis ends up going home with Daniel and (seemingly) having a one-night stand. But to escape her irritating and relentless ex as well as her demanding family and their medical legacy at Royaume Northwestern Hospital, Alexis starts to travel to Daniel’s B&B in Wakan on a regular basis. Alexis and Daniel understand that their fling must be temporary…in addition to the 10-year age gap, Daniel can’t leave his Mayoral responsibilities and his family’s B&B in Wakan while Alexis has a family legacy to uphold and an upcoming promotion in Minneapolis. However, the longer their “fling” lasts, the harder it becomes to ignore their growing feelings for each other. Can Alexis give up the joy she finds with Daniel in Wakan to continue her family’s demanding medical legacy in Minneapolis? Or will this “opposites attract” couple find a way to permanently be a part of each others’ worlds?
Part of Your World is an age gap “opposites attract” small-town romantic comedy told from both Alexis and Daniel’s point of views. In my opinion, Alexis and Daniel’s relationship in Part of Your World was reminiscent of Margaret and Andrew in The Proposal movie, Alexis and Mutt in Schitt’s Creek, and Piper and Brendan in It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey. I would also recommend Part of Your World to fans of Alison Cochrun, Lynn Painter, Alexandria Bellefleur, Dylan Newton, and Ali Hazelwood. The novel deals with themes like character and identity, mental health, abuse, love and heartbreak, family/parenting, change versus tradition, class, desire to escape, and empowerment. The moral of this story is: “grace costs you nothing”. Furthermore, through Daniel’s influence, Alexis discovers that a little bit of goodwill can go a long way towards helping someone in need.
I found Part of Your World to be very engaging and entertaining and I adored Daniel’s puppy-like personality along with the nods to popular Disney fairytales! This story had major Little Mermaid vibes including the title, Alexis’ red hair, and the fact that Alexis yearns to ditch her burdensome family responsibilities and become a permanent part of Daniel’s world in Wakan. There is also a fun nod to Cinderella when Alexis accidentally leaves behind her shoe after her one-night stand with Daniel. In my opinion, there was a good mix of both steam and romance; the steam wasn’t overdone, and the romance wasn’t too cheesy. Furthermore, Jimenez seamlessly combined romantic moments (such as a penguin-inspired love gesture and a private trip to the drive-in movies), comical elements (like a baby goat in pyjamas and an incident with a rogue squirrel in the dining room), and more serious topics (like cheating, abuse, and drug-use). I also liked how Alexis fell in love with the town of Wakan while she was falling for Daniel and appreciated how Alexis (and her world) grew and changed for the better as a result of her time with Daniel in Wakan; she learns to care for herself instead of relying on staff to do things for her, she learns the power of grace and starts to use her medical knowledge to care for the residents of Wakan (who have severely limited access to medical professionals). As the book goes on, Alexis also re-accesses and reorganises her priorities so that she can live the life that she wants to live (not just the life that will make her parents happy). I won’t spoil anything, but the emotional ending will definitely keep you engaged and pull at your heartstrings!
The main downside for me was the abundant amount of inner monologue; in my opinion, both Daniel and Alexis spent too much time thinking about how they desperately wanted to stay together but inevitably wouldn’t fit into each others’ worlds. Additionally, I found the plot to be a tad predictable (yet I still found the book entertaining).
I haven’t read any of Jimenez’s previous books, but decided to pick this one up after seeing it frequently on bookstagram and it ended up totally exceeding my expectations! If you enjoy romantic comedies and the “opposites attract” trope, then you should definitely pick up a copy of Part of Your World!
Part of Your World is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
After a wild bet, gourmet grilled-cheese sandwich, and cuddle with a baby goat, Alexis Montgomery has had her world turned upside down. The cause: Daniel Grant, a ridiculously hot carpenter who’s ten years younger than her and as casual as they come—the complete opposite of sophisticated city-girl Alexis. And yet their chemistry is undeniable.
While her ultra-wealthy parents want her to carry on the family legacy of world-renowned surgeons, Alexis doesn’t need glory or fame. She’s fine with being a “mere” ER doctor. And every minute she spends with Daniel and the tight-knit town where he lives, she’s discovering just what’s really important. Yet letting their relationship become anything more than a short-term fling would mean turning her back on her family and giving up the opportunity to help thousands of people.
Bringing Daniel into her world is impossible, and yet she can’t just give up the joy she’s found with him either. With so many differences between them, how can Alexis possibly choose between her world and his?
The New York Times bestselling author of Life’s Too Short delivers a refreshingly modern fairy tale perfect for fans of Casey McQuiston and Emily Henry.
