Book Review: Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez

About the Book:

Title: Yours Truly

Author: Abby Jimenez

Page Length: 400

Publication Date: April 11, 2023

Publisher: Forever

Synopsis: 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. But just when all systems are set to hate, Dr. Jacob Maddox completely flips the game . . . by sending Briana a letter.

And it’s a really good letter. Like the kind that proves that Jacob isn’t actually Satan. Worse, he might be this fantastically funny and subversively likeable guy who’s terrible at first impressions. Because suddenly he and Bri are exchanging letters, sharing lunch dates in her “sob closet,” and discussing the merits of freakishly tiny horses. But when Jacob decides to give Briana the best gift imaginable—a kidney for her brother—she wonders just how she can resist this quietly sexy new doctor . . . especially when he calls in a favor she can’t refuse.

LINKS:   Goodreads   |    Amazon

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My Review:

Abby Jimenez wowed me with Part of Your World, and she continues to amaze with Yours Truly. I adored this heartwarming, humorous, and entertaining story about two people who find love in places they least expect. Briana and Jacob are fantastic protagonists, and their relationship is lovely and awkward and fun and sexy, and it felt so realistic and relatable.

Briana’s view of men has been defined by her mother’s and her own life experiences, many of which were not positive. So, it’s understandable why she is so afraid of giving her heart to Jacob. Being completely vulnerable and sharing one’s life with another is difficult, especially when you fear rejection, abandonment, and more. But Jacob is patient and kind, and he is so deeply in love with Briana. At one point in the story, they talk about finding a partner who speaks your language, someone who gets you, and I think that’s exactly what Briana and Jacob found in each other. They say it happens when you least expect it, and that’s certainly true for this pair. They have amazing chemistry, and I totally rooted for them to find their happily ever after together. Oh my word, some of the things Jacob says about Brian are positively swoon-worthy, and his journaling about her is so romantically beautiful.

Of course, there are obstacles that stand in Jacob and Briana’s way. There’s some family dysfunction, fears and past hurts, and work stress. Plus, Briana’s brother is in desperate need of a kidney transplant, and he lives with and is cared for by Briana. It’s a lot, but it’s so realistic. Who doesn’t feel like their problems are piling up sometimes? Who doesn’t struggle with all of the family, friends, and work, issues that arise? But throughout the story, Briana and Jacob talk about being harmless to each other, and they try hard to live by that rule. They aren’t always successful, but you can tell they are sincere in their regard for each other.

I mentioned earlier that Jacob writes about Briana in his journal, and I enjoyed the importance of writing in the story. Between the journaling and the letters Briana and Jacob write to each other, they really get to know each other on a deeper level. They reveal things on paper that might be difficult to say in person, and they find a real and healthy way to communicate.

I also loved the focus on mental health issues and the wonderful messages about giving back and organ donation. The anxiety rep in the book is fantastic, and I found Jacob’s anxiety so relatable. Like Jacob, I have social anxiety and do many of the things he does to prepare for an event, especially if it or the people attending are unfamiliar. I understood his fears and frustrations, and I sympathized with him when he dealt with people who were not so understanding. Throughout the book, I kept saying to myself, “That’s exactly how I am,” and I could totally understand Jacob’s feelings and frustrations. Anxiety is exhausting, and it can really take its toll. However, the story also includes talk of self-care, including journaling, therapy, being prepared, being attuned to your triggers, and having strategies to help if an attack occurs. Jacob isn’t defeated by his anxiety, and he finds effective ways to cope and live with it.

And I love how, for Briana, anxiety is just a piece of Jacob. She is so supportive, knowledgable, and understanding, and she never treats Jacob like he’s a burden or less than. She is so different from some of the other people in his life who don’t seem to even take the time to understand him. She gets him, and it’s just so refreshing.

I can’t say enough about Yours Truly. It’s a great story – heartwarming and sexy and funny, and the characters are fantastic. The protagonists from Part of Your World even make an appearance, which was fantastic! I would definitely recommend this one to contemporary romance readers, and I’m so thankful to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

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Rating:

Favorite Parts:

• The romance.

• The anxiety rep.

• The characters.

Favorite Lines:

“You never realize you’re living the best time of your life,” I said softly. “It happens and then it ends, and you only see it for what it was after.”

I was rendered frozen and speechless and completely at her mercy, and I had to wonder with a touch of awe and amusement if she had bewitched me. If I was under her spell. Because I’d never felt like this before, this compelled to do something for someone I just met, this drawn to anyone.

If you’re with someone who doesn’t speak your language, you’ll spend a lifetime having to translate your soul?

“We’re all a little broken, Briana. We are a mosaic. We’re made up of all the things we’ve been through. there are parts of us that are colorful and dark and jagged and beautiful. And I love every piece of you.”

Tropes:

• enemies-to-friends-to-lovers
• only one bed
• letter writing
• fake dating