Worst Wingman Ever by Abby Jimenez

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

They’re falling in love, yet they’ve never met. Maybe fate can intervene in a heartwarming “what-if” short story about new beginnings by the New York Times bestselling author of Yours Truly.

Holly is dealing with the impending death of her grandmother and still reeling from a bad breakup. One bright spot: a Valentine’s Day card on Holly’s windshield—even if it wasn’t meant for her. An amusing mistake soon turns into a lovely exchange of anonymous notes, little acts of kindness, and a growing affection between two strangers. What happens when one of them has to say goodbye?

Abby Jimenez’s Worst Wingman Ever is part of The Improbable Meet-Cute, irresistibly romantic stories about finding love when and where you least expect it. They can be read or listened to in one sitting. Let’s make a date of it.

Falling in Love One Note at a Time

Holly, a hospice nurse with a gift for compartmentalizing her emotions, has her world upended after discovering online that her boyfriend had been cheating on her. Heartbroken, she returns to her hometown and steps into the role of caregiver for her grandmother during her final days. It’s the first time her professional composure fails her — because this time, the patient isn’t just another name on her chart. It’s family, and the grief sits too close to the bone.

John is nursing his own heartbreak. His girlfriend left for Japan — and not for the adventure he thought they’d share together, but for another man. Now he’s sunk into what he calls his “caveman phase,” letting his hair and beard grow wild while he drifts through the days. His new job as the maintenance guy at an aging apartment complex comes with a freshly renovated unit, but the work itself has been anything but smooth. Endless repair calls and, on day one, the discovery of a dead body have left him wondering if rock bottom has a basement.

While helping his brother renovate a nearby condo, John is asked to slip a Valentine’s Day card under the wiper of his brother’s girlfriend’s white Honda. A simple task — except he puts it on the wrong car. Holly’s car. And that small mistake becomes the spark that pulls two lonely, hurting people into each other’s orbit.

I really enjoyed this novella, even with its shorter length. It gave me a touch of Sleepless in Seattle energy — that soft, serendipitous connection between two strangers who are unknowingly perfect for each other. My favorite element was the way Holly and John begin communicating through handwritten notes left on her windshield. There’s something so intimate and tender about two people getting to know each other through words alone, without faces or expectations. It’s a trope I adore, and it was done beautifully here.

The audiobook features dual narration by Zachary Webber and Andi Arndt, two narrators who consistently deliver natural, expressive performances. Their voices complement each other wonderfully, and they bring both characters’ emotional journeys to life with warmth and authenticity. It made the listening experience feel even more heartfelt.

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